I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver, #1)

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I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver #1)

by Dan Wells (Goodreads Author)

3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 · rating details · 8,463 ratings · 1,629 reviews

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’s obsessed with serial killers, but really doesn’t want to become one. So for his own sake, and the safety of those around him, he lives by rigid rules he’s written for himself, practicing normal life as if it were a private religion that could save him fr...more

Trade Paperback, 271 pages

Published 2010 by Tor Books (first published March 5th 2009)

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Apr 21, 2011 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, psychos, hardboiled-and-noir, mystery, 2006-2010, angels-demons-heaven-hell

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 characteristics of a serial killer and...more

147 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2011 Kemper rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-mystery, horror, serial-killers

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 a ne...more 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 a new approach to the concept.

John Wayne Cleaver is a teen-age boy who lives with his mother at the funeral home she runs with her twin sister. John has had a history of bed wetting, killing small animals and starting fires, and he’s very fond of helping prepare the dead bodies for funerals. He’s also obsessed with serial killers, and his reading about them has made him realize that he’s already showing all the classic signs of becoming one.

John sets strict rules for himself to keep from becoming a killer, but he’s still considered an outcast and a freak by his classmates. He also has to see a therapist who he tells about his efforts to not engage in mass murder. However, when a string of grisly murders occur that terrify the town, John can barely contain his excitement that a serial killer is operating nearby. However, John will find out that this killer is worse than even his deranged mind can imagine.

The first third of his book had me completely intrigued. I loved the notion of someone fighting against their own inclinations. John has so fully accepted the idea that he is a serial killer, that he never stops to question why he’d work so hard to avoid becoming one if he truly is a sociopath.

However, the book takes a wild turn that I didn't really enjoy. Plus, I could never get entirely over the similarities to the Dexter series.

It’s a quick read and the first in a planned trilogy. It was good enough I’ll check out the second volume, but I was far more interested in John’s psychology than the plot.(less)

26 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2011 Flannery rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Flannery by: Linda

Shelves: young-adult-teen, kcls, read-in-2011, reviewed-2011

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...more

22 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2010 Annalisa rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dark psychology and crime thrillers without the grit

Recommended to Annalisa by: Cami

Shelves: mystery-thriller, horror, guy-lit, psychology, voice, wishlist

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...more

14 likes · like · see review

Aug 28, 2011 Aaron Vincent rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read, horror-dark-fantasy

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 diagnosed sociopath and he ha...more 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 diagnosed sociopath and he has all the tendencies of becoming a serial killer. He sees serial killing as an art in itself and serial killers as true artist. However, he knows killing people is not right so to keep the monster inside him at bay, he created a set of rules he must strictly follow. So far he’s successful at trying to appear and act as normal as he can be. That is until a bona fide serial killer begins slaughtering innocent victims in his home town. John Cleaver thinks he is the only one who can understand the killer therefore the only one capable of identifying him, and ultimately, catching him. But to trace the killer’s activities means freeing himself from his self-imposed rules that may eventually unleash the monster the monster he was trying hard to contain.

The first thing that striked me when I began reading I Am Not a Serial Killer was John Wayne’s voice. Dan Wells managed to give him a voice that is both disturbing and refreshing. Being inside our main character’s head was no easy task. His thoughts and the way he processed them felt completely alien to me. At the beginning of the book, I saw myself as a mere audience to John’s dark narration. Take the first sentence of the second chapter as an example(note that John’s mother and aunt are the town’s local morticians):

"We didn't get Jeb Jolley's body that night, or even soon
after, and I spent the next week in breathless anticipation,
running home from school every afternoon to see if it had arrived yet. It felt like Christmas."

The passages get only darker as the story progress and as you read onwards the more you get pulled into John’s way of thinking. There were several points in the story when I caught myself completely inside John’s mind, seeing things the way he sees them. It really did messed up with my mind, but hey, I’m not complaining. You have to give it to Dan Wells. The guy knows how to make you see and think in a very different perspective.

One thing also worth noting is the book’s structure: it was one half crime investigation novel and one half supernatural-thriller. I can see how this may be a problem for some readers. It was easy to assume that the author ran out of idea on how to continue the story so he took an easy route by the unexpected shift of genre. But I am not in agreement to this opinion. The first half of the novel are spent on identifying the killer: who he is and what were his motives. In the similar fashion, this part also tells us about John Cleaver especially why he became who he is. Then at the second half, we see John battling with the killer/demon and at the same time — with his set of rules having neglected– battling with the monster inside him. The more John devise the perfect plan to stop the killer the more he succumbs to his inner monster. By this point, it was difficult to distinguish his true reason. Is he really concern for the safety of the people in his town knowing beforehand that he doesn’t process emotions the way normal people do or is he just satisfying the hunger for the kill the monster inside him feels? This was not an easy question to answer and the author does not force on you what to believe. Having the two-different-genre-part structure highlighted the conflict between a demon with a very human motivation and a human boy who may possibly have monstrous motives.

I Am Not a Serial Killer was not an easy read. It really have ways to make you feel uncomfortable on your seat and send shivers to your spine. (That particular scene when John was fuming over his mother in the kitchen shocked the wits out of me.) Without a doubt, this is a stand-out novel on the YA category. Dan Wells wrote a thrilling novel heavily rooted on his well-rounded and curious characters. I cannot promise you that you won’t regret reading this because there’s a huge possibility that you will, especially when you read it during night-time but that makes it more tempting to read it, doesn’t it? I am not a serial killer, but John Wayne Cleaver? That, you have to figure out yourself.(less)

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Jun 14, 2010 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own

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 wrong, I like John...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 17, 2012 Amy or "Ames" rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: male-authors, horror, young-adult, 1st-in-series, angels-demons, read-in-2011, psychology, i-heart-the-cover-art

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?

I referenced Six Feet Under for the family...more

5 likes · like · see review

May 24, 2010 Jason (FNORDinc) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: part-of-a-series, reviewed-on-fnordinc, reviewed

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 14 under h...more

13 likes · like · see review

Jan 08, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, fantasy

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 like liver ever ag...more

11 likes · like · see review

Jul 29, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: male-ya-author, male-pov, young-adult, tor, read-2012, horror, thriller-suspense, mature-ya

Man, I feel so bad for this kid's poor mom. Review to come after I settle on a rating.

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 26, 2011 Stacy rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: `

Shelves: library-book, couldnt-finish

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 redundancy.
All...more

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Aug 22, 2012 ivana18 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, favorites

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 serial killers, does research one t...more

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Apr 19, 2010 Ryelor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: worthy-to-read-again

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 kept me turning pages even when I shou...more

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Mar 04, 2012 La Stamberga dei Lettori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sakura87

ohn Wayne Clever, quindici anni, decisamente non è un tipo normale: aiuta la madre e la zia nel loro lavoro all’obitorio della cittadina in cui vivono, è morbosamente interessato ai serial killer, soffre di disturbi antisociali e di totale mancanza di empatia, è costretto a fissare delle regole per evitare di liberare il mostro che è in lui. John, in definitiva, è un potenziale psicopatico che sa perfettamente di esserlo: uccidere un uomo non causerebbe in lui alcuna emozione diversa dalla gioia...more ohn Wayne Clever, quindici anni, decisamente non è un tipo normale: aiuta la madre e la zia nel loro lavoro all’obitorio della cittadina in cui vivono, è morbosamente interessato ai serial killer, soffre di disturbi antisociali e di totale mancanza di empatia, è costretto a fissare delle regole per evitare di liberare il mostro che è in lui. John, in definitiva, è un potenziale psicopatico che sa perfettamente di esserlo: uccidere un uomo non causerebbe in lui alcuna emozione diversa dalla gioia, ma razionalmente sa che non deve farlo, che non è un comportamento normale, e concentra i suoi sforzi sull’evitarlo.
Quando la sonnolenta Clayton viene bruscamente risvegliata da una serie di cruenti omicidi che potrebbero perfettamente essere opera di una bestia, se non si notasse anche la mano sapiente dell’uomo, il mostro dentro John Wayne inizia a dibattersi: ricomporre i cadaveri che il serial killer si è lasciato dietro è per lui un’esperienza esaltante, e presto inizia a convincersi di essere l’unico a poter tracciare un ritratto psicologico dell’assassino. Non certo per filantropia: per John è una sfida eccitante.

Io non sono un serial killer è il romanzo d’esordio dello scrittore americano Dan Wells. A prima vista può sembrare un thriller psicologico, nemmeno così originale, ma già dall’attacco lo stile di Wells si rivela dotato di un’irresistibile ironia che richiama – come sottolineato anche dalla seconda di copertina – lo stile del noto Dexter. L’adorabile e inquietante protagonista della serie tv e John Wayne, in effetti, sono entrambi psicopatici che tentano di essere persone ordinarie imitando la normalità, ma mentre Dexter convoglia le sue pulsioni omicide dirigendole verso vittime che meritano la morte, John Wayne è più interessato a frustrarle. Il piglio ironico con cui affrontano la vita e trovano oltremodo curiosi i normali comportamenti umani è, in ogni caso, molto simile.

Continua su
http://www.lastambergadeilettori.com/...(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Grace Jensen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Dexter fans, crime novel fans, Stephen King fans

Recommended to Grace by: I just found it. I love when it when I do that!

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. Usually when I say that...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 15, 2011 Priscilla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 makes really stupid decisions....more

9 likes · like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-liked

argh...I had a muscle spasm and pushed a button and my longer, well-thought out review is toast.

My library has this cataloged as fiction and not as a YA book, although I think other libraries may have it shelved differently. I'm not sure if it was marketed YA or not.

Honestly, it's not really gruesome enough to be regular adult fiction, but not really 'connected' enough to be YA. There wasn't enough YA-ness about it. Can I be more specific? I'm not sure.

This book can aptly be compared to Darkl ...more

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May 23, 2012 Ivana S. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, 2011, good-books, demons, fantasy-paranormal-sf, nice-surprise, mystery-susp-crime-investig, ya

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, interesting and really hard to put down.

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 at all and I just couldn't decide what to think about that (but then I just kept re...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Infinite Playlist rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: form-audiobook, audiobooks-abridged, connected, genre-paranormal, genre-ya, creatures-demons, death-murder-loss, family-siblings, mood-scary-creepy, winter-snow, favorites, favourites-2012, mine

Liebes Ich bin kein Serienkiller,
es fällt mir schwer diesen Brief zu schreiben. Es ist schon mein dritter Entwurf. Wahrscheinlich habe ich Angst vor deiner Reaktion. Du bist so unberechenbar.

Ich weiß, du hast es nicht so mit Gefühlen, aber bitte glaub mir, wenn ich dir sage, dass ich dich echt gern mag. Das zeugt vielleicht nicht von einem gesunden Lebenswillen, aber ich fand dich in etwa so faszinierend wie du deine Serienmörder. Es ist einfach so nervenaufreibend aufregend die Gedanken eines p...more Liebes Ich bin kein Serienkiller,
es fällt mir schwer diesen Brief zu schreiben. Es ist schon mein dritter Entwurf. Wahrscheinlich habe ich Angst vor deiner Reaktion. Du bist so unberechenbar.

Ich weiß, du hast es nicht so mit Gefühlen, aber bitte glaub mir, wenn ich dir sage, dass ich dich echt gern mag. Das zeugt vielleicht nicht von einem gesunden Lebenswillen, aber ich fand dich in etwa so faszinierend wie du deine Serienmörder. Es ist einfach so nervenaufreibend aufregend die Gedanken eines psychisch gestörten Menschens Buches zu verfolgen. Und das Schöne an dir ist, dass man trotz eurer Soziopathie noch den zerbrechlichen Jungen in deinem Protagonisten John erkennt. Er hat zwar Probleme und ungewöhnliche Leidenschaften, aber eigentlich versucht er nur mit seiner kaputten Familie klar zu kommen und alles richtig zu machen. Es ist geradezu bewundernswert wie er sich Regeln für sich selbst aufgestellt hat und sich darum bemüht sie nicht zu brechen. Still und leise habe ich mir gewünscht, dass er es doch tut, denn dann wird es eigentlich erst richtig spannend.

Von deiner übernatürlichen Seite war ich übrigens total überrascht. Damit hatte ich nicht gerechnet und erst war ich skeptisch, ob mir das gefallen könnte, aber im Endeffekt hat es irgendwie funktioniert und ich habe dir dein paranormales Gehabe abgekauft.

Deine Hörbuchstimme hast du dir von Stefan Kaminski geborgt und damit hast du eine fabelhafte Wahl getroffen. Seine Stimme hat nicht nur deinen Figuren Tiefe verliehen, sie hat auch ein unverkennbares Gespür für Situationen und die angebrachte Stimmlage/Lautstärke/Betonung bewiesen.

Mein liebes Ich bin kein Serienkiller, du bist wirklich keiner. Ein Serienkiller, meine ich. Ich habe nämlich riesige Lust auf diese Serie. Bitte sag deinen kleinen Geschwistern Mr. Monster und I Don’t Want To Kill You, dass ich ihren Besuch entgegen fiebere. Ich muss unbedingt wissen wie es weitergeht mit John und ob er sein Monster in Zaum halten können wird.

In ehrfürchtiger Bewunderung,
Infinite Playlist(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 20, 2011 ♥Xeni♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: serial-killer, thriller, mystery, fiction, horror

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 treatise on serial killers. A...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Seak (Bryce L.) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

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 recently entered high school...and also h...more 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 recently entered high school...and also happens to be a sociopath. Not only is he obsessed with serial killers, but he has his own monsters to contend with. He also has no problem with dead bodies as his family owns a mortuary and they live just above it.

Suddenly, a string of murders begin showing up in the small community of Clayton County and as John explains it to his "friend" Max, it's like when you're favorite comic book author shows up in town, he's almost elated. And who better to stop a sociopath than another sociopath right?

I never thought I'd be laughing to myself this much over such a creepy subject, but I Am Not a Serial Killer is told with a proper blend of seriousness and plenty of jokes...about killing and whatnot. Creepy/funny = Freepy?

For example:

"People always think it's creepy to live over a mortuary, but it's really just like any other house. Sure, we have dead bodies in the basement, but we also have a chapel, so it balances out. Right?"

There are plenty of other one-liners and puns, I guess it's amazing what you'll laugh at. :)

I Am Not A Serial Killer is also amazingly well researched not only in terms of serial killer references, but also in terms of a very realistic look into the mind of a possible serial killer, who also happened to be extremely likable. But I guess that's how serial killers tend to be, they can be extremely likable people, think Ted Bundy I guess.

Even though my wife looked at me in a very strange way when she saw I was reading this, and your significant other probably will too, I Am Not A Serial Killer is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(less)

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Mar 11, 2010 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2010, horror, mystery, thriller, favorites

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It's still an honest review, but the FTC wanted you to know...
----------------
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 has set rules for...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Sharon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, firstreads-win

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 Wayn...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, young-adult, book-list-2010, favorites

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 completely awa...more 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 completely aware of his unnatural feelings and behaviour, which he refers to as Mr Monster. He knows who he is and who he doesn't want to become. His character also made me question whether this is how all serial killers started out and would I have liked them too. However, the issues John Cleaver has as a possible sociopath/serial killer are chilling.

John visits a therapist on a regular basis talking through his disturbing thoughts. He also has a list of rules to prevent him from becoming the serial killer he thinks he is. Rules to not stare at someone for too long as he may become obsessed and begin to stalk them; say nice things to people even if he's thinking otherwise; not harm animals etc. These rules make him feel in control even if sometimes he ends up breaking them.

John enjoys helping his mother and aunt in the mortuary, working with the dead bodies, examining them, touching them. He's very inquisitive but most importantly it keeps him calm. His mother is worried about him as well as a little fearful, but as this is a first person narrative we don't get to hear what she is thinking, but through John and the dialogue between them, we get to feel her emotion and feelings of helplessness and confusion.

There are strong visual scenes, especially with the desctiption of how a body is embalmed, so if you're not used to this kind of thing then just be warned it isn't for the faint hearted and certainly has the 'ick' factor. As the book suggests, a strong stomach is essential.

The story is great and there is an element of fantasy with the inclusion of a demon, although I think this book would have worked equally well without the demon and in many ways may have made it even darker. I thoroughly enjoyed following John's process to catch and kill the demon, but It's the human side of the story that interested me the most. I really enjoy reading and watching anything to do with serial killers. Jack the Ripper being my favourite. I find these kinds of people fascinating and monstrous in equal measure.

Verdict:

I Am Not A Serial Killer is easy to read without being simplistic and flows throughout each chapter really well. There isn't a dull moment anywhere and the action is consistent enough to keep you turning the page, but John Cleaver is the star. An interesting and likable character with a dark side that keeps you completely engrossed in the story. Although it's a fairly dark and sinister tale, it's not morbid and has a fair amount of humour to lighten the tone. I Am Not A Serial Killer is a fantastic read and one that I highly recommend.

I actually gave this 9/10 on my blog, but Goodreads doesn't offer half stars.(less)

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Nov 12, 2009 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen, must-reads

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 avid facinat...more

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Feb 23, 2010 Stan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 in the book, but I give c...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Pam rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

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...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Hrvoje rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sviđa mi se glavna uloga petnaestogodišnja koji ima problema sa shvaćanjem svijeta oko sebe i razumijevanjem odnosa među ljudima koju ga okružuju, također pati od antisocijalan-og poremećaja ličnosti....

Malo mi je brutalan odnos koji pokazuje prema majci makar ima poremećaj ličnosti, to i je malo pre brutalno ...

Profil serijskog ubojice nije onako kako sam ga ja zamišljao ..
Da u krimiću postoji demon koji se pretvara u čovjeka ....Kakav je to krimić ? Očito ovakav ....

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Oct 18, 2012 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-dark-read, monsters, own-it-pb-or-hc, angels-demons-gods, horror-extreme-horror, teen-ya, unrealistic

2.5 STARS~
The newness, as in the originality of this story grabbed me and slowly let me drop to the floor without a cushion. The writing was crisp and clean, but I just found that the story went from speed racer to donkey. It fell off for me around the time John's psychiatrist jokes about him being a psychotic, his tendencies, and his potential for being a serial killer. Really? Might as well tell the boy he can either become a dope-head in a unit, put on a mask while he kills and cover his tr...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Raven rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes a good psychological thriller

Recommended to Raven by: www.writingexcuses.com -the author himself.

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!!

1 like · like · see review

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About Dan Wells

Dan Wells is a thriller and science fiction writer. Born in Utah, he spent his early years reading and writing. He is he author of the Partials series (Partials, with the second book coming early 2013) and John Cleaver series (I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You). He has been nominated for both the Hugo and the Campbell Award, and has won two Parsec Awards for his p...more

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Quotes from I Am Not A Serial Killer

“I've been clinically diagnosed with sociopathy,' I said. 'Do you know what that means?'
'It means you're a freak,' he said.
'It means that you're about as important to me as a carboard box,' I said. 'You're just a thing - a piece of garbage that no one's thrown away yet. Is that what you want me to say?'
'Shut up,' said Rob. He was still acting tough, but I could see his bluster was starting to fail. He didn't know what to say.
'The thing about boxes,' I said, 'is that you can open them up. Even though they're completely boring on the outside, there might be something interesting inside. So while you're saying all of these stupid, boring things I'm imagining what it would be like to cut you open and see what you've got in there.” — 86 people liked it

“In my biology class, we'd talked about the definition of life: to be classified as a living creature, a thing needs to eat, breathe, reproduce, and grow. Dogs do, rocks don't, trees do, plastic doesn't. Fire, by that definition, is vibrantly alive. It eats everything from wood to flesh, excreting the waste as ash, and it breathes air just like a human, taking in oxygen and emitting carbon. Fire grows, and as it spreads, it creates new fires that spread out and make new fires of their own. Fire drinks gasoline and excretes cinders, it fights for territory, it loves and hates. Sometimes when I watch people trudging through their daily routines, I think that fire is more alive than we are–brighter, hotter, more sure of itself and where it wants to go. Fire doesn't settle; fire doesn't tolerate; fire doesn't 'get by.'
Fire does.
Fire is.” — 35 people liked it

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I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver #1)

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