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On November 30, 2001, Judith Ridgway is caught off-guard when detectives come to her home asking questions about her husband, Gary Ridgway. While the interrogation is disconcerting, that pales in comparison to learning that Gary has been arrested because of new evidence that links him to the victims of the Green River Killer. It will take another 18 months of incarceration before Gary admits to 48 (and possibly more) murders. What follows is a disturbing story of love and devotion to one woman amid decades of sexual addiction, murder, and necrophilia.
Graphologist Pennie Morehead pens the life of a notorious killer via the perspective of his naive wife. Considering discussions with media about her marriage to Gary have been closed off since his 2001 arrest, Judith providing opportunity to speak with Morehead is not only extremely rare, but also a one-of-a-kind moment. That said, Morehead's intimate biographical sketch is both fascinating and incredibly depressing. While much of the narrative focuses on Judith's dysfunctional childhood, first marriage, and her successful 14-year marriage to the supposed man of her dreams, Morehead weaves in aspects about Gary's double life and his past. Of particular interest are Morehead's revealing interviews with Jim and Linda Bailey, close friends to the Ridgways, and a candid 2006 phone interview with Gary Ridgway.
Besides a slew of family photographs, Morehead also includes an in-depth history of graphology (handwriting analysis) and analysis (including comparisons with Charles Manson's letters) of Gary's prison letters to Judith and the Baileys. Whether or not readers are familiar with the 1980s-2000s news reporting on the Green River Killer, Morehead's book will definitely appeal to a wide audience. Not intended for the faint of heart, this book is most definitely an eye-opening read.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review