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Hangman: The Life and Crimes of Gerard John Schaefer
Gerard Schaefer Jr. was just a boy when his strange behaviour began. He liked to peep through windows, wear girls panties and like many other serial killers, killed small animals. Schaefer later became a Florida Police Officer, and 'Sex Beast', who used his badge to abduct teenage girls which he raped, murdered, and some, dismembered. While serving a double life sentence, Schaefer published a series of graphic "fictional" tales, viewed by most who knew him as thinly veiled descriptions of his actual crimes. He also unsuccessfully sued numerous authors and others who publicly mentioned his case, seeking mythical damages for alleged interference with his 2017 parole hearing date. His private correspondence, placed in the public domain during those lawsuits, includes Schaefer's confession to slayings as many as 175. His jailhouse murder in 1995 leaves the mysteries surrounding his twisted life and crimes forever unsolved.
182 pages, Paperback
Published October 19, 2016
58 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Michael Newton
469 books104 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
From Wikipedia:
"Michael Newton (born 1951) is an American author best known for his work on Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan series. Newton first began work on the Executioner series by co-writing "The Executioner's War Book" with Don Pendleton in 1977. Since then he has been a steady writer for the series with almost 90 entries to his credit, which triples the amount written by creator Don Pendleton. His skills and knowledge of the series have allowed him to be picked by the publishers to write the milestone novels such as #100, #200, and #300.
Writing under the pseudonym Lyle Brandt, Michael Newton has also become a popular writer of Western novels. He has written a number of successful non-fiction titles as well, including a book on genre writing (How to Write Action Adventure Novels). His book Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida won the Florida Historical Society's 2002 Rembert Patrick Award for Best Book in Florida History. Newton's "Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology" won the American Library Association's award for Outstanding Reference Work in 2006."
Pen names: Lyle Brandt, Don Pendleton, Jack Buchanan
Bibiliography available here.
From Wikipedia:
"Michael Newton (born 1951) is an American author best known for his work on Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan series. Newton first began work on the Executioner series by co-writing "The Executioner's War Book" with Don Pendleton in 1977. Since then he has been a steady writer for the series with almost 90 entries to his credit, which triples the amount written by creator Don Pendleton. His skills and knowledge of the series have allowed him to be picked by the publishers to write the milestone novels such as #100, #200, and #300.
Writing under the pseudonym Lyle Brandt, Michael Newton has also become a popular writer of Western novels. He has written a number of successful non-fiction titles as well, including a book on genre writing (How to Write Action Adventure Novels). His book Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida won the Florida Historical Society's 2002 Rembert Patrick Award for Best Book in Florida History. Newton's "Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology" won the American Library Association's award for Outstanding Reference Work in 2006."
Pen names: Lyle Brandt, Don Pendleton, Jack Buchanan
Bibiliography available here.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 6, 2018
A Good Read About A Lousy Human Being
You can always count on Michael Newton for really good true crime. This book on Jerry Schaefer is no exception. He takes you right inside the guy's pathology and shows how just about everything he ever did with his life was a product of his need to cause other people pain. This one left me a little heartsick, but hey, I knew going in what this guy was. Anyone capable of empathy will be profoundly disgusted reading about this twisted freak.
You can always count on Michael Newton for really good true crime. This book on Jerry Schaefer is no exception. He takes you right inside the guy's pathology and shows how just about everything he ever did with his life was a product of his need to cause other people pain. This one left me a little heartsick, but hey, I knew going in what this guy was. Anyone capable of empathy will be profoundly disgusted reading about this twisted freak.
October 3, 2017
Read. A well written book but if I am honest a bit boring. What a horrible creep he was. The author is an excellent writer though.
September 2, 2024
Gerard John Schaefer Jr. was a former altar boy who had early aspirations to become a Catholic priest. The path he chose was radically different from his initial spiritual leanings. Instead of "bless me Father for I have sinned, " he would hear young women begging to spare their lives and a final absolution would be torturous deaths.
Rejected by a seminary for the priesthood, Gerry lost his job as a teacher and became a police officer in Florida where he had the habit of running the license plates of attractive young women. He was dismissed after eight months. He moved to another city and hoodwinked his way into a different uniform. While in his patrol car, Schaefer picked up two teen hitchhikers and left them tied to a tree. They escaped and the bad cop was arrested.
Later on, supposed "killer fiction" was discovered with graphic descriptions of bondage, torture and murder. The author claimed that the tales were the product of an overactive imagination. His predator had a habit of tying women to trees before raping and murdering them and truth would follow fiction.
In prison, Schaefer befriended Ted Bundy and the pair compared notes on abduction and the best methods of disposing of corpses. The number of victims is still unknown and both men have departed this mortal coil. Ted was fried and Gerry was hacked up by a fellow inmate. At least we have a happy ending.
The book deals with the numerous lawsuits filed by Schaefer, including several against Michael Newton and the killer's co-author, Sondra London, who also happened to be his first girlfriend. I highly recommend that one. "Killer Fiction" has much more background on the case and Ms. London is clearly not playing with a full deck.
Rejected by a seminary for the priesthood, Gerry lost his job as a teacher and became a police officer in Florida where he had the habit of running the license plates of attractive young women. He was dismissed after eight months. He moved to another city and hoodwinked his way into a different uniform. While in his patrol car, Schaefer picked up two teen hitchhikers and left them tied to a tree. They escaped and the bad cop was arrested.
Later on, supposed "killer fiction" was discovered with graphic descriptions of bondage, torture and murder. The author claimed that the tales were the product of an overactive imagination. His predator had a habit of tying women to trees before raping and murdering them and truth would follow fiction.
In prison, Schaefer befriended Ted Bundy and the pair compared notes on abduction and the best methods of disposing of corpses. The number of victims is still unknown and both men have departed this mortal coil. Ted was fried and Gerry was hacked up by a fellow inmate. At least we have a happy ending.
The book deals with the numerous lawsuits filed by Schaefer, including several against Michael Newton and the killer's co-author, Sondra London, who also happened to be his first girlfriend. I highly recommend that one. "Killer Fiction" has much more background on the case and Ms. London is clearly not playing with a full deck.
October 24, 2016
Top-notch writing about a gruesome serial killer
Mr. Newton has written a factual account that flows like a gentle stream. The pages practically turn themselves as the reader is engrossed in the life and death of Gerard John Schaefer and the hideous acts he committed between the two.
The world will never know the actual number of his murders or the location of the remains of many of his victims. While working in law enforcement, he picked up two teenage girls who were hitchhiking and subjected them to horror before they managed to escape.
Schaefer was tried and convicted for the deaths of two girls. There was never sufficient evidence to bring him to trial for several other murders to which he was connected.
Schaefer went to his grave proclaiming his innocence while simultaneously boasting of his crimes.
No photos.
Mr. Newton has written a factual account that flows like a gentle stream. The pages practically turn themselves as the reader is engrossed in the life and death of Gerard John Schaefer and the hideous acts he committed between the two.
The world will never know the actual number of his murders or the location of the remains of many of his victims. While working in law enforcement, he picked up two teenage girls who were hitchhiking and subjected them to horror before they managed to escape.
Schaefer was tried and convicted for the deaths of two girls. There was never sufficient evidence to bring him to trial for several other murders to which he was connected.
Schaefer went to his grave proclaiming his innocence while simultaneously boasting of his crimes.
No photos.
October 23, 2016
This was a very interesting and well written book about serial killer Gerald Schaefer. He was interested in sadomasochism and self-bondage from an early age. He became a policeman and used his badge to kidnap and murder young females. I don't think they have an accurate count of how many murders he did actually commit. When he was in prison, he spent a lot of his time suing people who wrote about him, including the author of this book. This is a really good read and a real page turner which makes you just shake your head.
January 15, 2017
bored
I've been reading true crime stories for years, and I look and see I'm on page 52 and I am so bored. I kept on hoping it had to get better. In my opinion it only got worse. I will say it was very well written. And have nothing against author, Michael Newton. This one just didn't grab me.
I've been reading true crime stories for years, and I look and see I'm on page 52 and I am so bored. I kept on hoping it had to get better. In my opinion it only got worse. I will say it was very well written. And have nothing against author, Michael Newton. This one just didn't grab me.
May 2, 2018
This was ok
Not as well written, as other true crime books I have read. Also, the first time, I had ever heard Dalhmer being accused of Adam Walsh's murder.
Not as well written, as other true crime books I have read. Also, the first time, I had ever heard Dalhmer being accused of Adam Walsh's murder.
January 7, 2018
Wish I had not read this book— even though I skimmed a lot of the more disgusting parts . It was appalling. I wish true crime writers would not feel the need to shock the reader.
December 2, 2016
Highly recommend!
I read a lot of True Crime but this was my 1st time reading about killer, police officer, Gerald Schaefer Jr ... Aka..The Hangman! The author, Michael Newton has an easy to read style and the book seems well researched. ( He also had personal interactions with Schaefer). Very interesting story!
I read a lot of True Crime but this was my 1st time reading about killer, police officer, Gerald Schaefer Jr ... Aka..The Hangman! The author, Michael Newton has an easy to read style and the book seems well researched. ( He also had personal interactions with Schaefer). Very interesting story!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews