John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it.
He’s spent his life doing his best not to live up to his potential.
He...
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reviews
Jan 29, 2012
Stephen
rated it: 
My reaction when a third of the way through the book “IT” happened was something like…
For those of you that have read the book, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. For everyone else, let me explain as best I can without any spoilers.
Our story begins in a small town with a wonderful introduction to John Wayne Cleaver. John is 15 years old boy who is obsessed with serial killers. This obsession is the result of he himself having many of the traits and character More...
For those of you that have read the book, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. For everyone else, let me explain as best I can without any spoilers.
Our story begins in a small town with a wonderful introduction to John Wayne Cleaver. John is 15 years old boy who is obsessed with serial killers. This obsession is the result of he himself having many of the traits and character More...
39 comments
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(77 people liked it)
Apr 21, 2011
Kemper
rated it:
Ever since Hannibal Lector flirted with Clarice Starling by telling her about his favorite recipes, it seems like every other thriller features some kind of deranged but brilliant serial killer. It’s gotten beyond boring, but occasionally some writer will manage to come up with a fresh perspective on the genre. Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter series put a unique twist on the notion of the serial killer. (Or at least he did until he wrote the utterly crappy Dexter in the Dark.) Now Dan Wells is taking
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9 comments
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(21 people liked it)
Jul 21, 2011
Flannery
rated it: 
John Wayne Cleaver lives in a mortuary. But before you go thinking this is all fun and games like My Girl (well, at least before Thomas J and the bees), you should know that John Wayne is a killer. Well, at least he thinks he is. As a teenager, his internal monster makes life considerably harder, especially because John feels no connection to his peers and little to no emotion. I Am Not A Serial Killer follows John as he deals with having a serial killer in his town--Will being so close to an ac
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12 comments
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(14 people liked it)
Jun 14, 2010
Annalisa
rated it: 
John Wayne Cleaver knows he's a sociopath. He loves fire; he's curious about the insides of animals (and the dead bodies that come to mortuary owned by his mother); and he was a bed wetter. Anyone fascinated by serial killers (like John, okay and me) knows those are the three characteristics attributed to serial killers. In fear of his own dark potential, he follows rules to keep up the appearance of a normal teenager and keep himself safely away from danger. Then a serial killer strikes his tow
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5 comments
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(14 people liked it)
May 23, 2011
Jess
rated it:
Truthfully, I'm not sure what to rate this! John Cleaver (the MC) is so fascinating, but he's not always likable. But he's not supposed to be. And the writing is so good that I'm not sure what to rate it: a 3, 4, or a 5.(3 because I usually like my characters more likable, 4 for plot, and tension, 5 because the writing is amazing.)
I'm not really sure who I'd recommend this to. It's dark and disturbing, but the most disturbing thing is just how much I enjoyed it.
Don't get me wr More...
I'm not really sure who I'd recommend this to. It's dark and disturbing, but the most disturbing thing is just how much I enjoyed it.
Don't get me wr More...
4 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Sep 01, 2011
Aaron Vincent
rated it: 
Originally posted here
It’s not unusual to encounter a book claiming that its main character is not an ordinary boy. There are those born with the ability to master magic, or sired by a powerfuly deity inheriting his/her extraordinary powers, or someone who has the ability to wield a legendary sword. John Wayne Cleaver is not an ordinary boy but he is not the type expected to save the world. In fact, he may be the one to endanger it.
John Wayne Cleaver is a clinically diagn More...
It’s not unusual to encounter a book claiming that its main character is not an ordinary boy. There are those born with the ability to master magic, or sired by a powerfuly deity inheriting his/her extraordinary powers, or someone who has the ability to wield a legendary sword. John Wayne Cleaver is not an ordinary boy but he is not the type expected to save the world. In fact, he may be the one to endanger it.
John Wayne Cleaver is a clinically diagn More...
2 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Feb 23, 2011
Jason (FNORDinc)
rated it:
I think my wife is a serial killer waiting to be unleashed on the world.
I had not heard of this novel but ran across a Powell’s Books author reading late last month by Dan Wells. I read a summary of his recent book and then scheduled appropriately to go and listen to him. Jenn went with me and whispered creepy serial killer/mass murderer stats in my ear.. it was disturbing how much she knew.. When Dan asked people to name 5 killers in order to win a t-shirt, she stayed quiet and named More...
I had not heard of this novel but ran across a Powell’s Books author reading late last month by Dan Wells. I read a summary of his recent book and then scheduled appropriately to go and listen to him. Jenn went with me and whispered creepy serial killer/mass murderer stats in my ear.. it was disturbing how much she knew.. When Dan asked people to name 5 killers in order to win a t-shirt, she stayed quiet and named More...
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(11 people liked it)
Jan 08, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
Apparently, it really is "always the quiet ones." I've known Dan Wells for a couple of years. He's nice, unassuming, Battlestar Galactica fan, so not unlike most of the people I know, really. But it turns out that Dan has intimate knowledge of embalming techniques and is a walking serial killer encyclopedia. Not to mention he possesses a talent for writing scenes which will make you regret eating lunch. Ever again. (I will also never be able to eat liver or anything that looks li
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Nov 26, 2011
Stacy
rated it: 
I wanted to read this book because of my fascination with serial killers and the intriguing slant in the main character's relationship with himself.
While reading, I was put off by Wells' writing style. It came off as juvenile in that he writes as though he doesn't trust his readers to figure out fairly obvious things for themselves. He posts many unnecessary/rhetorical questions that the reader is (hopefully, or rather should be) already wondering about on her own. It's muddled in redundanc More...
While reading, I was put off by Wells' writing style. It came off as juvenile in that he writes as though he doesn't trust his readers to figure out fairly obvious things for themselves. He posts many unnecessary/rhetorical questions that the reader is (hopefully, or rather should be) already wondering about on her own. It's muddled in redundanc More...
2 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Jul 08, 2011
Ryan
rated it:
I don't remember the last time I read a book in one day. It must have been when I was in elementary school and read "Furry, Furry Rabbit" or something similar. I started reading "Serial Killer" on Wednesday and finished on Thursday. I gobbled it up.
This is the first Dan Wells novel I've read, and I must say, I enjoyed it. The novel made me laugh, cringe, gasp, wince, and do a number of other things we won't mention. The story was very gripping, intense, and kep More...
This is the first Dan Wells novel I've read, and I must say, I enjoyed it. The novel made me laugh, cringe, gasp, wince, and do a number of other things we won't mention. The story was very gripping, intense, and kep More...
0 comments
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(2 people liked it)
Aug 29, 2011
Grace
rated it:
It's been ten days since I've finished reading this book, and I can't stop thinking about it and the two more to come.
A lot of people have compared it to Dexter. I'm a Dexter fan, although I would call myself a purist. Simply because the first season had the most to offer in believable character development and resolution. That being said, when compared with John, Dexter stands out as a fairy tale.
There is a point in the book where I might have gone a different direction. More...
A lot of people have compared it to Dexter. I'm a Dexter fan, although I would call myself a purist. Simply because the first season had the most to offer in believable character development and resolution. That being said, when compared with John, Dexter stands out as a fairy tale.
There is a point in the book where I might have gone a different direction. More...
Oct 15, 2011
Priscilla
rated it:
Very nice, Mr. Dan Wells. Very nice, indeed.
First Impressions:
1. Slow at first, but after 100 *BAM*! What I'd like to call a 'double tap twist'. Not one, but two twists in the span of 2 pages!
2. I really enjoyed the therapy sessions between John and Dr. Neblin.
3. The plot was a general 'good'. The twist made things more interesting.
4. Book focuses on character analysis of John's character. VERY interesting, reading from the mind of a sociopath. Sometimes though, he More...
First Impressions:
1. Slow at first, but after 100 *BAM*! What I'd like to call a 'double tap twist'. Not one, but two twists in the span of 2 pages!
2. I really enjoyed the therapy sessions between John and Dr. Neblin.
3. The plot was a general 'good'. The twist made things more interesting.
4. Book focuses on character analysis of John's character. VERY interesting, reading from the mind of a sociopath. Sometimes though, he More...
5 comments
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(2 people liked it)
Jan 27, 2012
Ivana
rated it:
Well, this book took me by surprise. It is nothing I expected it to be and this is probably the best compliment a person can give to a book - it is original, different and interesting (it was really hard for me to put it down for a few hours when I needed to go somewhere).
There was one element I didn't know how I feel about at first and I had a WTF reaction to it. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll just say that the ''nature'' of the killer surprised me. I did not expect that a More...
0 comments
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(1 person liked it)
May 14, 2011
ivana18
rated it:
What to say about dear old John Wayne Cleaver?
Well he's really something all right.
John Wayne Cleaver is a fifteen year old high school student and a part time amateur mortician who just happens to be a sociopath (not many of those around, right?... at least I hope not), but he is NOT a serial killer.
John has the unbearable drive to kill, and from time to time he can't help himself imagining what it would feel like, and how would he do it. He's fascinated by More...
Well he's really something all right.
John Wayne Cleaver is a fifteen year old high school student and a part time amateur mortician who just happens to be a sociopath (not many of those around, right?... at least I hope not), but he is NOT a serial killer.
John has the unbearable drive to kill, and from time to time he can't help himself imagining what it would feel like, and how would he do it. He's fascinated by More...
3 comments
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(2 people liked it)
Dec 02, 2011
♥Xeni♥
rated it:
My review, as promised, later, due to a phalangealtomy two weeks ago. ;) (and I hope I memorized my Greeks roots right this time and said "incision" and not "excision" of my finger!)
Anyway, the review. In summation: I really liked this book, then it did something incredibly stupid which dropped it lots in my estimation, but lastly it redeemed itself, slightly. I think what I should have done was read this more like a YA novel of fun and less like a Dexter novel or a More...
Anyway, the review. In summation: I really liked this book, then it did something incredibly stupid which dropped it lots in my estimation, but lastly it redeemed itself, slightly. I think what I should have done was read this more like a YA novel of fun and less like a Dexter novel or a More...
16 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Apr 19, 2011
Seak (Bryce L.)
rated it:
4.5 Stars
What a surprisingly good book. The pacing was great, the plotting tight, and John Wayne Cleaver is a great, if not utterly bizarre, kid with whom to enjoy the ride. Seriously, this was one of the weirdest books I've ever read, let alone enjoyed this much.
What are the three things 95% of serial killers have in common? Bed-wetting, pyromania, and animal cruelty...and John has all three.
The story is told in first person by John Wayne Cleaver, who recen More...
What a surprisingly good book. The pacing was great, the plotting tight, and John Wayne Cleaver is a great, if not utterly bizarre, kid with whom to enjoy the ride. Seriously, this was one of the weirdest books I've ever read, let alone enjoyed this much.
What are the three things 95% of serial killers have in common? Bed-wetting, pyromania, and animal cruelty...and John has all three.
The story is told in first person by John Wayne Cleaver, who recen More...
5 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Jan 27, 2011
Amy or "Ames"
rated it:
As a cross between TV shows Six Feet Under and Dexter for a YA audience (hmm, really?) this was a fascinating and insightful look into the sociopathic mind of a fifteen-year old boy as he attempts to take down a demon serial killer that goes on a rampage in his small town. Strong stomachs are required for this gruesome psychological thriller with undertones of black humour. Or a sick bag.
First off, I must say, sociopathy is becoming popular, is it not? And Death never goes out of sty More...
First off, I must say, sociopathy is becoming popular, is it not? And Death never goes out of sty More...
4 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Nov 14, 2011
Brad
rated it:
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It's still an honest review, but the FTC wanted you to know...
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I won this book in a Firstreads giveaway. I plowed through it a lot faster than I expected, finishing it in a 24 hour period. John makes for an interesting protagonist--a 15 year old who has a hard time understanding emotion and is unable to connect with most people around him. He's interested in death and is fascinated by serial killers. He More...
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I won this book in a Firstreads giveaway. I plowed through it a lot faster than I expected, finishing it in a 24 hour period. John makes for an interesting protagonist--a 15 year old who has a hard time understanding emotion and is unable to connect with most people around him. He's interested in death and is fascinated by serial killers. He More...
2 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Apr 02, 2011
Sharon
rated it:
I won this book on the Firstreads Giveaway and am estatic I did. When searching through the choices on Firstreads, the title and the book cover caught my eye. I wanted to read it as soon as it came in the mail. Needless to say I read it in a 5 hour sitting (just couldn't put it down) and loved every minute of it! This type of book is right up my alley. Love the whole Serial Killer prospective and how Dan Wells incorporated information on famous Serial Killers and how his main character John
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(1 person liked it)
Sep 22, 2011
Book Chick City
rated it:
I Am Not A Serial Killer gives a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a fifteen year old boy on the verge of possibly becoming a serial killer. It delves into the human side of what it's like to have dark, murderous thoughts and how to keep them in check.
I was surprised at how much I liked the main protagonist, John Cleaver. Wells has created a character that I sympathise with rather than fear and I'm certainly intrigued to find out what kind of person he grows up to be. John is co More...
I was surprised at how much I liked the main protagonist, John Cleaver. Wells has created a character that I sympathise with rather than fear and I'm certainly intrigued to find out what kind of person he grows up to be. John is co More...
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(1 person liked it)
May 23, 2010
Shannon
rated it:
I am Not a Serial Killer manages to put you into the mind of a teenaged sociopath obssessed with death, and actually make you like him.
John Cleaver knows he's not normal, but has gotten good at pretending his is. He's made rules for himself that keeps him acting like everyone else, keeps him from drawing to much attention from others, and keeps him from wanting to hurt people. But even with those rules in place he can't pull himself away from his mom's mortuary that he loves, or his More...
John Cleaver knows he's not normal, but has gotten good at pretending his is. He's made rules for himself that keeps him acting like everyone else, keeps him from drawing to much attention from others, and keeps him from wanting to hurt people. But even with those rules in place he can't pull himself away from his mom's mortuary that he loves, or his More...
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(3 people liked it)
Feb 23, 2010
Stan
rated it:
I actively avoid horror in books, movies, or on television. Ironically, I had a hard time putting this book down, and finished it in what is (for me) record time (three days).
Wells creates a main character that is simultaneously disturbing, sympathetic and likable. What amazed me even more than that was Wells' ability to forge the character in such a plausible way that I ended up seeing things through the eyes of John Cleaver: sociopath.
I'll admit that there's some gore i More...
Wells creates a main character that is simultaneously disturbing, sympathetic and likable. What amazed me even more than that was Wells' ability to forge the character in such a plausible way that I ended up seeing things through the eyes of John Cleaver: sociopath.
I'll admit that there's some gore i More...
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(10 people liked it)
Jan 14, 2012
Pam
rated it:
This book started off really well. It's about a 15 year old teen named John Wayne Cleaver who is so intelligent and well read that he knows everything about serial killers. He also believes that he will one day become a serial killer so he follows these rules he has made up to keep the monster below the surface as he doesn't want it to appear. What makes it harder for him to keep his monster at bay is that there is actually a serial killer in town. This is where the book goes downhill for me as
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(1 person liked it)
Jan 10, 2012
Raven
rated it:
I'm almost done with this one, and I think I just read the most thrilling four pages I've ever read. I've never gotten shivers from the written word before...but these four pages were....brutally captivating. There was NO way to look away from the page! This is DEFINITELY A must read!!
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(1 person liked it)
Mar 12, 2011
Patrick
rated it:
I enjoyed this book. 15 year old John wrestles with his sense of being different, and possibly dangerous. He feels that he's a sociopath, and he's in danger of becoming a serial killer. To avoid this fate, he follows a whole list of rules. This keeps him away from troublesome thoughts and acts. All this changes when he finds that he must try to stop a real serial killer in his small town. He has to renounce his rules and let his dark side out to be successful. Will he be able to control hi
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 10, 2011
Karyn
rated it:
This was the first time I read something faster than I could put it on my shelf here. Listened, I should say... and I found it hard to stop. It started off funny, then became disturbing, and then downright scary. It is a very interesting look into the mind of a sociopath, I must say. Some things I related to a lot, actually, which concerns me now :). A couple of my favorite quotes were "Talking is normal. It's what normal people do together. I needed the practice." And, "I
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(1 person liked it)
Dec 30, 2008
Dan
rated it:
Quite possibly the best book ever written.
13 comments
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(49 people liked it)
Jan 27, 2012
Melissa
rated it:
A good read for fans of Jeff Lindsay's Dexter series.
John Wayne Cleaver (named for the movie star, his mother assures him, NOT the serial killer) is an adolescent sociopath who is trying not to be a serial killer. He's been doing pretty good, feeding his violent impulses with the occasional carefully-controlled fire and helping out in the family mortuary business--embalming corpses. So soothing. Then a serial killer comes to town, and that's bad enough for John--who has been fascinate More...
John Wayne Cleaver (named for the movie star, his mother assures him, NOT the serial killer) is an adolescent sociopath who is trying not to be a serial killer. He's been doing pretty good, feeding his violent impulses with the occasional carefully-controlled fire and helping out in the family mortuary business--embalming corpses. So soothing. Then a serial killer comes to town, and that's bad enough for John--who has been fascinate More...
Jan 19, 2012
Themistokeles
rated it:
Inhalt: John Cleaver lebt in Clayton County. Er ist fünfzehn Jahr alt und lebt zusammen mit seiner Mutter über deren Leichenhaus, welches Johns Mutter und seine Tante betreiben. Nicht unbedingt normal für einen Fünfzehnjährigen hilft John so oft er kann seiner Mutter und seiner Tante, wenn sie mit den Leichen arbeiten, denn John ist vom Tod fasziniert. Das ist jedoch nicht das besondere an John, denn John ist zudem eine von Serienkillern faszinierter Soziopath, der versucht sich so normal wie mö
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Jan 15, 2012
Kater
rated it:
I let the author talk me into buying this book despite the fact that it was too scary for me. He promised I would have many nightmares. I can say with deepest sarcasm, thanks, Dan. This is one hell of a disturbing book.
John Wayne Cleaver, as you'll read from any blurb, is a psychopathic 15-year-old kid who has an obsession with serial killers. The fact that he works in a mortuary with his mother and aunt is perhaps the most healthy and well-adjusted thing about him. When he's not sewin More...
John Wayne Cleaver, as you'll read from any blurb, is a psychopathic 15-year-old kid who has an obsession with serial killers. The fact that he works in a mortuary with his mother and aunt is perhaps the most healthy and well-adjusted thing about him. When he's not sewin More...
