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Dangerous Ground: My Friendship with a Serial Killer
Anyone can become a killer under the right circumstances—even you.
For the first time, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps reveals the identity of “Raven,” the serial killer who co-starred with him on Dark Minds—and tells the story of his intriguing bond with one of America’s most disturbing killers.
In September 2011, M. William Phelps made a bold decision that would change the landscape of reality-based television – and his own life. He asked a convicted serial killer to act as a consultant for his TV series. Under the code name “Raven,” the murderer shared his insights into the minds of other killers and helped analyze their crimes. As the series became an international sensation, Raven became Phelps’s unlikely confidante, ally—and friend.
I’m not making excuses for the eight murders I committed.
In this deeply personal account, Phelps traces his own family’s dark history, and takes us into the heart and soul of a serial murderer. He also chronicles the complex relationship he developed with Raven. From questions about morality to Raven’s thoughts on the still-unsolved, brutal murder of Phelps’s sister-in-law, the author found himself grappling with an unwanted, unexpected, unsettling connection with a cold-blooded killer.
It made me feel warm inside to know that I was responsible for that pain . . .
Drawing on over 7,000 pages of letters, dozens of hours of recorded conversations, personal and Skype visits, and a friendship five years in the making, Phelps sheds new light on Raven’s bloody history, including details of an unknown victim, the location of a still-buried body—and a jaw-dropping admission. Eye-opening and provocative, Dangerous Ground is an unforgettable journey into the mind of a charming, manipulative psychopath that few would dare to know—and the determined journalist who did just that.
For the first time, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps reveals the identity of “Raven,” the serial killer who co-starred with him on Dark Minds—and tells the story of his intriguing bond with one of America’s most disturbing killers.
In September 2011, M. William Phelps made a bold decision that would change the landscape of reality-based television – and his own life. He asked a convicted serial killer to act as a consultant for his TV series. Under the code name “Raven,” the murderer shared his insights into the minds of other killers and helped analyze their crimes. As the series became an international sensation, Raven became Phelps’s unlikely confidante, ally—and friend.
I’m not making excuses for the eight murders I committed.
In this deeply personal account, Phelps traces his own family’s dark history, and takes us into the heart and soul of a serial murderer. He also chronicles the complex relationship he developed with Raven. From questions about morality to Raven’s thoughts on the still-unsolved, brutal murder of Phelps’s sister-in-law, the author found himself grappling with an unwanted, unexpected, unsettling connection with a cold-blooded killer.
It made me feel warm inside to know that I was responsible for that pain . . .
Drawing on over 7,000 pages of letters, dozens of hours of recorded conversations, personal and Skype visits, and a friendship five years in the making, Phelps sheds new light on Raven’s bloody history, including details of an unknown victim, the location of a still-buried body—and a jaw-dropping admission. Eye-opening and provocative, Dangerous Ground is an unforgettable journey into the mind of a charming, manipulative psychopath that few would dare to know—and the determined journalist who did just that.
353 pages, Hardcover
First published July 25, 2017
367 people are currently reading
2740 people want to read
About the author
M. William Phelps
89 books1,162 followersCrime, murder and serial killer expert, creator/producer/writer and former host of the Investigation Discovery series DARK MINDS, acclaimed, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 30 books and winner of the 2013 Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award and the 2008 New England Book Festival Award. A highly sought-after pundit, Phelps has made over 100 media-related television appearances: Early Show, The Today Show, The View, Fox & Friends, truTV, Discovery Channel, Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, TLC, BIO, History, Oxygen, OWN, on top of over 100 additional media appearances: USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Mancow, Wall Street Journal Radio, Zac Daniel, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Channel, EWTN Radio, ABC News Radio, and many more.
Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.
Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.
Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.
Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.
Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.
Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.
Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.
Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
July 23, 2017
I finished this book a few days ago, and I've since been trying to convince myself that I liked it more than I initially thought. I didn't convince myself. I didn't like the book. I was left... perplexed.
I'm drawn to the kind of true crime books that take us into the minds of the bad guys/girls, showing us how/why they unraveled and what motivated their crimes. Given the nature of the author's relationship with Jeserpson, I expected a lot of that type of insight here. What I got was something else entirely. Sure, we have a sprinkling of insight into Jersperson's psyche, but overall this book includes little of the "7,000 pages of letters, dozens of hours of recorded conversations" the author collected during his five-year relationship with Jersperson.
What I didn't like: The author's tone feels overly dramatic, particularly in regards to what this relationship of sorts does to his physical and mental health. He repeatedly and incessantly tells us about his anxiety attacks, his digestive problems, and his need to take antidepressants in order to manage his symptoms. He claims his "friendship" with Jesperson was destroying his health and his faith. It's like he's desperate for us to believe he sacrificed his soul in order to talk to a killer, all for selfless reasons, and certainly not to sell a TV series or for the material he used to write this book.
Another irritant for me: Phelps uses the term "friendship" throughout the book in describing his relationship with Jesperson. Perhaps he truly feels that way, but, from what he shares, this so-called friendship was nothing more than a business relationship. Never any sort of friendship. In fact, Phelps goes out of his way to insult and ridicule Jesperson, to us, calling him names and ensuring we understand that Jersperson does not deserve even the most basic compassion.
A final complaint: Phelps seems quite proud of the fact that he was able to trick Jesperson into providing information on one of his unidentified victims. Phelps also happily cons Jesperson into believing he'd be using much of the information provided to write a book specifically about Jesperson, his life, and his crimes, helping to dispel some myths. Instead, what Phelps did feels more like taking advantage of a sick mind so that he could write a book in which he calls his confidant a "pathetic creature". When Phelps bled Jesperson of all he could get, he then snidely turns and walks away, severing the relationship with a sense of righteousness.
The killer portrayed here vacillates between emotionally dependent and emotionally void, a dichotomy I could make no sense of, particularly since Phelps made no real effort to show us the humanity behind the killer.
Don't get me wrong; I am not advocating for Jesperson to receive hugs and coddling. But I got a strong sense that the objective here was a little too self-serving. And, ultimately, after reading this book I don't know much more about Jesperson, the man and the killer, than I already knew from the few articles I'd read.
*I received an advance ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
I'm drawn to the kind of true crime books that take us into the minds of the bad guys/girls, showing us how/why they unraveled and what motivated their crimes. Given the nature of the author's relationship with Jeserpson, I expected a lot of that type of insight here. What I got was something else entirely. Sure, we have a sprinkling of insight into Jersperson's psyche, but overall this book includes little of the "7,000 pages of letters, dozens of hours of recorded conversations" the author collected during his five-year relationship with Jersperson.
What I didn't like: The author's tone feels overly dramatic, particularly in regards to what this relationship of sorts does to his physical and mental health. He repeatedly and incessantly tells us about his anxiety attacks, his digestive problems, and his need to take antidepressants in order to manage his symptoms. He claims his "friendship" with Jesperson was destroying his health and his faith. It's like he's desperate for us to believe he sacrificed his soul in order to talk to a killer, all for selfless reasons, and certainly not to sell a TV series or for the material he used to write this book.
Another irritant for me: Phelps uses the term "friendship" throughout the book in describing his relationship with Jesperson. Perhaps he truly feels that way, but, from what he shares, this so-called friendship was nothing more than a business relationship. Never any sort of friendship. In fact, Phelps goes out of his way to insult and ridicule Jesperson, to us, calling him names and ensuring we understand that Jersperson does not deserve even the most basic compassion.
A final complaint: Phelps seems quite proud of the fact that he was able to trick Jesperson into providing information on one of his unidentified victims. Phelps also happily cons Jesperson into believing he'd be using much of the information provided to write a book specifically about Jesperson, his life, and his crimes, helping to dispel some myths. Instead, what Phelps did feels more like taking advantage of a sick mind so that he could write a book in which he calls his confidant a "pathetic creature". When Phelps bled Jesperson of all he could get, he then snidely turns and walks away, severing the relationship with a sense of righteousness.
The killer portrayed here vacillates between emotionally dependent and emotionally void, a dichotomy I could make no sense of, particularly since Phelps made no real effort to show us the humanity behind the killer.
Don't get me wrong; I am not advocating for Jesperson to receive hugs and coddling. But I got a strong sense that the objective here was a little too self-serving. And, ultimately, after reading this book I don't know much more about Jesperson, the man and the killer, than I already knew from the few articles I'd read.
*I received an advance ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
July 6, 2017
I was so eagerly waiting for this book to come out that I was really excited when I got a chance to get it early to review it. It's a departure from his typical books, Phelps bravely delves into his family's personal history including some members struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. Then, getting the news that his brother Mark's wife Diane has been murdered, and having to tell him when he gets home. It later comes out that she'd likely been killed at the hands of a serial killer operating in the area at the time, but it still hasn't been solved. Phelps writes about the effects this has had on the entire family over the years, especially on the children and Mark. All very emotional and heartbreaking.
The other part of this book is Phelps writing about Raven, the serial killer he kept unnamed on his show on ID, but he finally reveals who he is here. Not only does he tell who he is, but also what he endured for the 5 years of trying to get something meaningful out of this guy, in the way of usable information. Also to write about him in order to try and get him to come clean about any cases he's not told about, especially a Jane Doe case in Florida he'd been holding out on. This was a very emotional book to read at times for me, especially parts of the family stuff I could relate to, and I had to take breaks, just being an overly emotional type. This is an extremely manipulative serial killer, to say the least. Very brave work and book. I hope it results in finding out who the Jane Doe is before long too once it's published, that would be a wonderful payoff for everyone's hard work on it. My great thanks to NetGalley, Kensington, and M. William Phelps for providing the ARC for my review. It's so very much appreciated.
The other part of this book is Phelps writing about Raven, the serial killer he kept unnamed on his show on ID, but he finally reveals who he is here. Not only does he tell who he is, but also what he endured for the 5 years of trying to get something meaningful out of this guy, in the way of usable information. Also to write about him in order to try and get him to come clean about any cases he's not told about, especially a Jane Doe case in Florida he'd been holding out on. This was a very emotional book to read at times for me, especially parts of the family stuff I could relate to, and I had to take breaks, just being an overly emotional type. This is an extremely manipulative serial killer, to say the least. Very brave work and book. I hope it results in finding out who the Jane Doe is before long too once it's published, that would be a wonderful payoff for everyone's hard work on it. My great thanks to NetGalley, Kensington, and M. William Phelps for providing the ARC for my review. It's so very much appreciated.
April 29, 2018
It's long and takes immense tangents from his original core purpose of the title condition- the "friendship". Honestly if I gave it a psychological evaluation base to rate this on, it would be a 3 star at least, going towards a 4. But for the prose style, the continuity and context of the telling and the immense placements and topic switching redundancies to where we are "now" in this friendship's progression or in the perp's life course chronology? Then it is a 2.
And after reading the entire thing, and this took me some time too, I just can't equate the nuggets I had purpose to read this for (the knowledge of M. William Phelps- his insight to when that personality "changed" in front of him)- with my effort in trying to dig them out. It was that "change" process which I wanted to grasp. It's in there but heavily buried. Unlike some of his (Raven's) victims.
For most true crime readers or psychology of police and reporting for crime or prison inservice workers' applications- those people who read this in relationship to their work; they may feel quite differently.
But I wanted to grasp what set this guy off. And it's in here, but avalanched by mounds of name drops and Phelps personal life or media show minutia. So it is almost impossible to find within the humongous "me" story of the writer's journey through terrible addictions, doubts, and mental and physical anguish from all his anxieties, the core of the true cause for this level of violence by this specific serial killer (Raven he names himself).
Happy Face (nickname of this large 300 lbs killer from the police end/ reporting) does become rather "known". But IMHO, M.William Phelps becomes much, much more revealed. In his faith, in his psyche, in his ability to CONTINUE for years and years of this "companionship" for work/ research/ exhibition to causes etc. with this serial murderer. Because it literally made him sick.
Much of what I read was unpleasant to brutal in the crime descriptions themselves. And honestly, I would not begin to assume that even 1/2 was truly accurate. Everyone involved seems to "remember" something different about pivotal actions and aftermaths to some of these horrific brutalities. Even the one survivor is clearly lying to cover at least 1/2 of the event since she had a tiny baby with her during and after.
This requires swallowing a huge grain of salt to believe some of the tangent witness crowds, as well. This is a murky world of a long distance truck driver within these kinds of placement habits and pick up skills, IMHO.
But I did learn what I wanted to know about what caused this severe switching to "the other" angry man (and if these were TRULY premeditated or much more moment intense nearly trigger reactive). So maybe I would add 1/2 a star. 2.5 star is more fair.
The photos were those which spoke 1000 words. And yet I'm not too sure that his stats on the actual sociopath or psychopath % per 1000 births is accurate. Studies are not so definitive, I fear.
Regardless, this does pose a window into how some mental pictures of a complete stranger from their pasts or in the way they are practiced in thinking about themselves can be "switched" on by certain and often mild behaviors in the "other".
This kind of murder is personal and physically difficult. In the aftermath of reading this, it reminds one that there are so many "out there" on the street young women who seem to really believe that it can never happen to then and that the world overall is a kind and gentle place. And some of them are not only unwise but do not even have high enough IQ to connote dire possibility.
And after reading the entire thing, and this took me some time too, I just can't equate the nuggets I had purpose to read this for (the knowledge of M. William Phelps- his insight to when that personality "changed" in front of him)- with my effort in trying to dig them out. It was that "change" process which I wanted to grasp. It's in there but heavily buried. Unlike some of his (Raven's) victims.
For most true crime readers or psychology of police and reporting for crime or prison inservice workers' applications- those people who read this in relationship to their work; they may feel quite differently.
But I wanted to grasp what set this guy off. And it's in here, but avalanched by mounds of name drops and Phelps personal life or media show minutia. So it is almost impossible to find within the humongous "me" story of the writer's journey through terrible addictions, doubts, and mental and physical anguish from all his anxieties, the core of the true cause for this level of violence by this specific serial killer (Raven he names himself).
Happy Face (nickname of this large 300 lbs killer from the police end/ reporting) does become rather "known". But IMHO, M.William Phelps becomes much, much more revealed. In his faith, in his psyche, in his ability to CONTINUE for years and years of this "companionship" for work/ research/ exhibition to causes etc. with this serial murderer. Because it literally made him sick.
Much of what I read was unpleasant to brutal in the crime descriptions themselves. And honestly, I would not begin to assume that even 1/2 was truly accurate. Everyone involved seems to "remember" something different about pivotal actions and aftermaths to some of these horrific brutalities. Even the one survivor is clearly lying to cover at least 1/2 of the event since she had a tiny baby with her during and after.
This requires swallowing a huge grain of salt to believe some of the tangent witness crowds, as well. This is a murky world of a long distance truck driver within these kinds of placement habits and pick up skills, IMHO.
But I did learn what I wanted to know about what caused this severe switching to "the other" angry man (and if these were TRULY premeditated or much more moment intense nearly trigger reactive). So maybe I would add 1/2 a star. 2.5 star is more fair.
The photos were those which spoke 1000 words. And yet I'm not too sure that his stats on the actual sociopath or psychopath % per 1000 births is accurate. Studies are not so definitive, I fear.
Regardless, this does pose a window into how some mental pictures of a complete stranger from their pasts or in the way they are practiced in thinking about themselves can be "switched" on by certain and often mild behaviors in the "other".
This kind of murder is personal and physically difficult. In the aftermath of reading this, it reminds one that there are so many "out there" on the street young women who seem to really believe that it can never happen to then and that the world overall is a kind and gentle place. And some of them are not only unwise but do not even have high enough IQ to connote dire possibility.
June 29, 2017
I was very excited when I heard about this book. I was a big fan of the ID (Investigation Discovery) show Dark Minds and was interested to find out the identity of the serial killer “Raven”, and was somewhat surprised that it was a serial killer I had heard of and knew vaguely of his crimes.
Reading this book I got a true sense Mr. Phelps relationship with “Raven” and how difficult that relationship must have been at times. Reading this book you get a real look into the chaotic mind of a serial killer and realize that it is not the one size fits all narrative of a serial killer that is often portrayed of these types of killers.
You also get a look at look at how murder affects a family. If you watched the show Dark Minds, you heard Phelps talk about how his sister-in-law was also a murder victim and you see how that plays into Phelps’ thinking and interaction with “Raven”.
This was a true crime book unlike any other that I have ever read. A true look at a serial killer face to face. Highly recommend for true crime fans or “ID addicts”.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
Reading this book I got a true sense Mr. Phelps relationship with “Raven” and how difficult that relationship must have been at times. Reading this book you get a real look into the chaotic mind of a serial killer and realize that it is not the one size fits all narrative of a serial killer that is often portrayed of these types of killers.
You also get a look at look at how murder affects a family. If you watched the show Dark Minds, you heard Phelps talk about how his sister-in-law was also a murder victim and you see how that plays into Phelps’ thinking and interaction with “Raven”.
This was a true crime book unlike any other that I have ever read. A true look at a serial killer face to face. Highly recommend for true crime fans or “ID addicts”.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
February 27, 2023
I really didn’t like this book. I love true crime, but this was awful. It was honestly all over the place.. was the serial killer Happy Face a bad guy, or did he have some feelings and a somewhat good guy? My dude he is a serial killer.. like what? Also this book is supposed to be about his friendship or situationship with Happy Face and he talks a good amount about his own life. Just not good. I only enjoyed hearing about Happy Face’s crimes and his own accounts of what happened.. that’s the only reason this gets 3 stars, because he at least went into some detail. True crime junkies enjoy our details.
February 21, 2018
4.0 Stars
This was such a compelling piece of non-fiction. Part memoir, part true crime, the author provides an engaging account of his working relationship with a convicted serial killer. The story delves into the author's personal backstory, including the murder of his sister in law. Struggling with stomach pains and anxiety, the author describes the emotional, physical and spiritual toll that this toxic relationship had on his personal life. I highly recommend this unique story to any fans of true crime.
This was such a compelling piece of non-fiction. Part memoir, part true crime, the author provides an engaging account of his working relationship with a convicted serial killer. The story delves into the author's personal backstory, including the murder of his sister in law. Struggling with stomach pains and anxiety, the author describes the emotional, physical and spiritual toll that this toxic relationship had on his personal life. I highly recommend this unique story to any fans of true crime.
August 16, 2017
Keith “Happy Face” Jesperson is locked up at the Oregon State Penitentiary where he is serving three consecutive life sentences. He will die in prison. The serial killer earned his notoriety by sending confessions describing his heinous crimes to police and journalists and signing them with a smiley face.
Jeperson murdered at least eight women, most who were raped and brutally beaten. By all regards, Jesperson was a coward, preying on slight unsuspecting women, some who were under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering chemicals, mentally challenged, or desperate.
He was, what law enforcement experts would say, a disorganized serial killer. Unlike some other psychopathic killers, he was not particularly intelligent. He was sloppy and made numerous mistakes. As a truck driver, he was able to traverse across the nation, make a kill, and move on. The murders occurred in Nebraska, Washington, Florida, California, Oregon, and Wyoming.
Jesperson was a low achiever from his childhood to adulthood. He did not fit in with others in the community, failed at most of his endeavors, including job opportunities and raising a family. His daughter, Milissa G. Moore, who lived with him until his wife divorced him in 1990, wrote a book about her father wherein she denounced him as a sick lowly killer. She described how Jesperson would hang stray cats on a clothesline and beat them until they were dead.
Although all the murders were horrific, the death of Angela Surbrize stands out. In January of 1995, after using his strength and weight (over 220 pounds) to strangle the petite Surbrize, Jesperson strapped her body to the undercarriage of his truck and dragged her down the road face down to grind off her face and prints.
In his new book, “Dangerous Ground—my friendship with a serial killer,” author, M. William Phelps, chronicles his visits and calls with Jesperson at the prison that spanned over five years. Phelps goes into great detail as he describes the murders. His mission is to uncover the identity of “Jane Does” he believes Jesperson killed—in particular, he focused in on a woman killed in Florida who likely had traveled there from Louisianna.
Although several experts, including detectives, investigators, and forensic imaging specialists worked with Phelps to identify the Florida women (with the “help” of Jesperson who provided sketches), the woman was never identified. Indeed, the author is unable to point to any particular breakthroughs regarding the identity of any “Jane Does” (unidentified remains).
Phelps does not present any novel ideas about serial killers in general in this book. He describes the toll that the meetings and conversations took on him—mentally and physically. A large part of the book is directed at his brother’s addictions that led to his early death. He incorporates the brutal killing of his brother’s wife into the book—surmising that she was the victim of a serial killer—not Jesperson.
Mr. Phelps apparently dedicated substantial time researching and interviewing Mr. Jesperson. His efforts fall in line with other authors who have befriended killers in prison. He seems to have mixed up the line between journalist/author and subject in this book. He calls Jesperson a friend yet he hates him at times. He is easily duped by the wild ramblings of an evil slow learner who talks in simple riddles and crude language much in the same way as Charles Manson. The problem with Phelps is that he could even consider Jasperson as being even close to a friend.
Someone once said, “What if there was a war and nobody came.” Phelp’s glorification of Jesperson results in piling more undeserved attention on a dumb, evil, sloppy, killer of vulnerable women who had no chance. The better approach is to ignore these outcasts and let them die without attention in their cells.
Jeperson murdered at least eight women, most who were raped and brutally beaten. By all regards, Jesperson was a coward, preying on slight unsuspecting women, some who were under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering chemicals, mentally challenged, or desperate.
He was, what law enforcement experts would say, a disorganized serial killer. Unlike some other psychopathic killers, he was not particularly intelligent. He was sloppy and made numerous mistakes. As a truck driver, he was able to traverse across the nation, make a kill, and move on. The murders occurred in Nebraska, Washington, Florida, California, Oregon, and Wyoming.
Jesperson was a low achiever from his childhood to adulthood. He did not fit in with others in the community, failed at most of his endeavors, including job opportunities and raising a family. His daughter, Milissa G. Moore, who lived with him until his wife divorced him in 1990, wrote a book about her father wherein she denounced him as a sick lowly killer. She described how Jesperson would hang stray cats on a clothesline and beat them until they were dead.
Although all the murders were horrific, the death of Angela Surbrize stands out. In January of 1995, after using his strength and weight (over 220 pounds) to strangle the petite Surbrize, Jesperson strapped her body to the undercarriage of his truck and dragged her down the road face down to grind off her face and prints.
In his new book, “Dangerous Ground—my friendship with a serial killer,” author, M. William Phelps, chronicles his visits and calls with Jesperson at the prison that spanned over five years. Phelps goes into great detail as he describes the murders. His mission is to uncover the identity of “Jane Does” he believes Jesperson killed—in particular, he focused in on a woman killed in Florida who likely had traveled there from Louisianna.
Although several experts, including detectives, investigators, and forensic imaging specialists worked with Phelps to identify the Florida women (with the “help” of Jesperson who provided sketches), the woman was never identified. Indeed, the author is unable to point to any particular breakthroughs regarding the identity of any “Jane Does” (unidentified remains).
Phelps does not present any novel ideas about serial killers in general in this book. He describes the toll that the meetings and conversations took on him—mentally and physically. A large part of the book is directed at his brother’s addictions that led to his early death. He incorporates the brutal killing of his brother’s wife into the book—surmising that she was the victim of a serial killer—not Jesperson.
Mr. Phelps apparently dedicated substantial time researching and interviewing Mr. Jesperson. His efforts fall in line with other authors who have befriended killers in prison. He seems to have mixed up the line between journalist/author and subject in this book. He calls Jesperson a friend yet he hates him at times. He is easily duped by the wild ramblings of an evil slow learner who talks in simple riddles and crude language much in the same way as Charles Manson. The problem with Phelps is that he could even consider Jasperson as being even close to a friend.
Someone once said, “What if there was a war and nobody came.” Phelp’s glorification of Jesperson results in piling more undeserved attention on a dumb, evil, sloppy, killer of vulnerable women who had no chance. The better approach is to ignore these outcasts and let them die without attention in their cells.
October 17, 2017
So many things. The author is using the book to rehash his personal problems and he tries to weave them into his “research”. Honestly I don’t think he did it well and I never cared. He also claims to be religious, kinda touts himself as a really good guy, thoughtful, pensive, giving. But he has provided a voice and entertainment for a serial killer. Hopefully the families of the dead never see this, I hope they believe the killer is miserable. The author has provided this scum with attention, entertainment, a real reason to live. That’s very disturbing and the author should be ashamed. He is not a good man at all he is supporting his quirky agenda, making a living and promoting the worst amongst us. Read about these murders online in old news palates don’t give this author attention. I’m sorry I did, it’s not a good read nor a good cause.
August 24, 2018
I started this book a month ago and put it down for about 2 weeks. It was just going so slow for me. When I picked it up again I finished it in a couple days. The author is a master at the genre of True Crime. This book had something different. It was as much an autobiography of the author as it was about a serial killer. If you watched the ID network show 'Dark Minds' you will know their is a serial killer they show in shadow and call Raven and and ask him what is going on in the mind of a serial killer on each show. Now Phelp's reveals who Raven is and if you are into True Crime you will recognize the name. Phelp's intersperses his relationship before, during, and after the show with the story of his own life, including his sister-in-laws murder and the death of his brother. The only thing I didn't like about this book was blaming his health problems, anxiety and almost falling off the wagon after 20 years of sobriety onto his relationship with the serial killer. That seemed a little overly dramatic. Otherwise, an excellent book.
September 11, 2017
A reluctant three stars, because this was a bit of a slog for me. I certainly know far more about the state of Phelps' ulcers over the past few years than I ever, ever wanted. Much like his TV show, there's no neat wrap-up in Dangerous Ground, no feeling of justice having finally be done. You feel as defeated as he does getting to the end, worn down to a nub. So that emotional leakage, while exhausting, excellently captured his time with the serial killer Jesperson.
I do take issue with the way it ended - after twenty some-odd years, he finally decided to revisit his murdered sister-in-law's grave again, in an attempt at closure, but he can't find it in cemetery now that so much time as passed and more bodies have been interred. How does he finally come across it? His daughter fucking ~hears~ her deceased aunt's voice, showing her the way.
In a book about the psychology of a serial killer and the investigative reporting thereof, this was very much a "wut" moment for me.
I do take issue with the way it ended - after twenty some-odd years, he finally decided to revisit his murdered sister-in-law's grave again, in an attempt at closure, but he can't find it in cemetery now that so much time as passed and more bodies have been interred. How does he finally come across it? His daughter fucking ~hears~ her deceased aunt's voice, showing her the way.
In a book about the psychology of a serial killer and the investigative reporting thereof, this was very much a "wut" moment for me.
November 16, 2017
Spider and the Fly was better...
March 14, 2019
Usually Phelps writes about a certain case but in this instance the Killer has a personal relationship with Phelps. A serial killer
January 12, 2020
My first problem with this is the title, which is disingenuous - the author is not "friends" with Keith Jesperson. He stresses, repeatedly, that interacting with Jesperson made him physically ill, and he was appalled and disgusted by his lack of morality. Which is fine, and even expected - the man is a serial killer - but it is immediately clear that they do not have a friendship. It seems like the title was meant to convey a relationship that through the author's own admission did not exist. Why it wasn't titled "My Experience With" or "My Interviews With" I don't know.
My second issue was in realizing that the serial killer the book features is Keith Jesperson. I previously read Melissa Moore's book about her father, but didn't know which serial killer Phelps would be featuring in this book until I started reading it. He calls himself an advocate for victims, and says one of his goals with this book was to bring peace to some of the families Jesperson hurt, but in the beginning references Moore's book and dismisses her experience because, ultimately, Jesperson tells him it was untrue. He seems to accept Jesperson's belief that she was willfully dishonest. I believe there was another instance in which he chose Jesperson's telling, but I can't remember it specifically.
This leads me to another problem, which is that he doesn't think serial killers can be stereotyped, and says all the typical descriptions are overblown and inaccurate, and then proceeds to apply every stereotype I know to his subject. Which is it? He seems to contradict himself frequently in this book.
Lastly, the entire thing was disjointed, split between his progress with Jesperson and his own history, which includes the unsolved murder of a family member. It dragged on and on, and by the time it was finished, I was more than ready to move on.
My second issue was in realizing that the serial killer the book features is Keith Jesperson. I previously read Melissa Moore's book about her father, but didn't know which serial killer Phelps would be featuring in this book until I started reading it. He calls himself an advocate for victims, and says one of his goals with this book was to bring peace to some of the families Jesperson hurt, but in the beginning references Moore's book and dismisses her experience because, ultimately, Jesperson tells him it was untrue. He seems to accept Jesperson's belief that she was willfully dishonest. I believe there was another instance in which he chose Jesperson's telling, but I can't remember it specifically.
This leads me to another problem, which is that he doesn't think serial killers can be stereotyped, and says all the typical descriptions are overblown and inaccurate, and then proceeds to apply every stereotype I know to his subject. Which is it? He seems to contradict himself frequently in this book.
Lastly, the entire thing was disjointed, split between his progress with Jesperson and his own history, which includes the unsolved murder of a family member. It dragged on and on, and by the time it was finished, I was more than ready to move on.
May 7, 2019
The irony is not lost on me that I read this book as a part of reading challenge, to read a book from a favorite author. UGGH
I have to say this was one painful book to get through. I often thought of not finishing. Unfortunately I am not a quitter, and I kept hoping that it would get better. This book did not get better.
M. William Phelps is one of my favorite authors. As a true crime junkie, I love his fact based (maybe a tad long winded) books. So to say I was stoked to read this book was an understatement. Then I started reading...
There's a list of things that I could forgive this book for, the skewed time/storyline hopping, repetitiveness, the slow pace on the train to boredom, even the super unnecessary information about the authors ulcers and gastrointestinal tract that I feel I needed to sign a HIPPA waver to read due to graphic detail the author goes in. I could forgive any one of those, but together, its a recipe for ruin.
I have found when authors insert themselves into their own writings, the blurred lines of personal life and narrative rarely blend well together. That was true of this book. I often was MORE frustrated with the author more than the serial killer. A literal serial killer was not the worst character in this book.
Ironically read for #2 on the Pingel Sisters' Reading Challenge: A Book You Haven't Read from an Author You Love.
Ha ha ha ha ha
I have to say this was one painful book to get through. I often thought of not finishing. Unfortunately I am not a quitter, and I kept hoping that it would get better. This book did not get better.
M. William Phelps is one of my favorite authors. As a true crime junkie, I love his fact based (maybe a tad long winded) books. So to say I was stoked to read this book was an understatement. Then I started reading...
There's a list of things that I could forgive this book for, the skewed time/storyline hopping, repetitiveness, the slow pace on the train to boredom, even the super unnecessary information about the authors ulcers and gastrointestinal tract that I feel I needed to sign a HIPPA waver to read due to graphic detail the author goes in. I could forgive any one of those, but together, its a recipe for ruin.
I have found when authors insert themselves into their own writings, the blurred lines of personal life and narrative rarely blend well together. That was true of this book. I often was MORE frustrated with the author more than the serial killer. A literal serial killer was not the worst character in this book.
Ironically read for #2 on the Pingel Sisters' Reading Challenge: A Book You Haven't Read from an Author You Love.
Ha ha ha ha ha
September 20, 2020
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I’ve not read any of Phelps’ other works, so I can’t say how this one compares. All I know is that at the end I was left with a feeling of not knowing what I just read. He admits at the jump that the book is a hybrid memoir and biography. I guess I feel like the combination just didn’t work well. I got confused in the first sections of the book, where there was more jumping around between his story and Jesperson’s. I became much more invested in the last 1/3 or so, when the focus was mostly on Jesperson. I also didn’t feel like it really delved much into their friendship-more just Phelps saying repeatedly that Jesperson is evil and he doesn’t want to like him. And the death of Phelps’ sister in law didn’t really tie in very well. It just felt convoluted, with two stories trying to be told in one and it not just working that well. I think I would have preferred just a straight Jesperson biography, with some of Phelps’ personal thoughts/reactions sprinkled in. It’s probably more of 2.5 ⭐️ for me, but I rounded up to 3 because I do appreciate Phelps’ writing style.
February 5, 2021
Unread shelf project 2021: book 20.
I... didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would. Here’s why:
1) It was meandering and far too long with no actual identified purpose (as the contents of the book differed from what I expected based on the blurb).
2) Phelps tried to make a dramatic point about how much his “friendship” with Jesperson negatively affected both his physical & mental health (diverticulitis, anxiety attacks). It was... too dramatic.
3) It was not a “friendship.” It was a business relationship.
4) Phelps belittled Jesperson throughout the book and ended the relationship once he had finished the show and gotten enough information conned from Jesperson about a Jane Doe to have a likeness to present to the public. And here, mateys, is where his perspective on life & how you treat people, based on his training as a journalist, and my perspective as a therapist diverge completely.
5) I was hoping for more insight into what drove Jesperson to kill 8 (or more) women. What insight that was shared, was again poorly organized and very “all over the place.”
Blah.
I think I need to try Ann Rule’s book about knowing Bundy and see if that’s any better/more palatable.
I... didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would. Here’s why:
1) It was meandering and far too long with no actual identified purpose (as the contents of the book differed from what I expected based on the blurb).
2) Phelps tried to make a dramatic point about how much his “friendship” with Jesperson negatively affected both his physical & mental health (diverticulitis, anxiety attacks). It was... too dramatic.
3) It was not a “friendship.” It was a business relationship.
4) Phelps belittled Jesperson throughout the book and ended the relationship once he had finished the show and gotten enough information conned from Jesperson about a Jane Doe to have a likeness to present to the public. And here, mateys, is where his perspective on life & how you treat people, based on his training as a journalist, and my perspective as a therapist diverge completely.
5) I was hoping for more insight into what drove Jesperson to kill 8 (or more) women. What insight that was shared, was again poorly organized and very “all over the place.”
Blah.
I think I need to try Ann Rule’s book about knowing Bundy and see if that’s any better/more palatable.
July 22, 2017
An amazing read! It is well written, gives you personal details that the writer has experienced in his own life. As you read you are taken on a dangerous journey into the world, mind, life of a serial killer - Raven (as he was referred to on the ID channel series - to which I am now going to track down so I can learn more about the cases "Raven" assisted with - yes the book leaves you only wanting more!)
As I read, there were times when I could feel the goosebumps rise, the hairs on my neck standing at attention.
Bravo to M. William Phelps for this inside look into the mind of a killer! 5 stars! If you are a fan of true crime novels - this is a must read; however, be prepared to sleep with a nightlight!
As I read, there were times when I could feel the goosebumps rise, the hairs on my neck standing at attention.
Bravo to M. William Phelps for this inside look into the mind of a killer! 5 stars! If you are a fan of true crime novels - this is a must read; however, be prepared to sleep with a nightlight!
August 15, 2017
This book was different than other books that M. William Phelps has written. It is about the friendship he has with a serial killer and the murder of his sister-in-law. It is more personal. You get to meet his family, for good or bad. The serial killer he develops a friendship with is "Raven" who was featured in the show "Dark Minds" on ID.. Of course, I was anxious to know who it was, since I love the series. This book not only delves into the friendship, but also into the crimes that Raven committed. As with all of Phelps' books, it was well written and it does leave you wanting to know more! Great book and I highly recommend it.
July 25, 2023
Damn, I recently finished Phelp's book on Ned Snelgrove, I'll be Watching You, and this time around it becomes more personal as his brother's wife was killed in 1996, possibly by a serial killer in Hartford, Connecticut.
He contacted the "Happy Face Killer" Keith Jesperson and the two became pen pals. Phelp's later met him and prison and the story is nothing short of amazing.
They exchanged hundreds of letters and the six-foot-six, three hundred pound man spoke at the Oregon prison for five years with Phelps.
Two people were convicted of murdering Taunja Bennett and after serving four years in prison, Jesperson wrote to a newspaper, claiming that he was responsible for the crime. A smiley face on a letter gave him the infamous moniker.
Keith mocked the Catholic writer for his belief in an afterlife, saying that we become worm food after death. He also believes that we are all capable of murder.
Phelp's admits to being a recovered alcoholic and he vents his inner demons throughout the book. His brother and his murdered girlfriend were serious drug addicts. Her case remains open and he shares a link to an unsolved murders page on a Connecticut police website.
The chapter on his brother's death is heart wrenching. Even with his questions regarding faith and redemption(Thomas Merton is quoted), Phelp's was comforted that a priest was present during his sibling's final days.
The final portion deals with the death of a "Jane Doe" whose portrait is available online. She is one of the eight victims murdered by Jesperson.
Dangerous Ground is a great read.
He contacted the "Happy Face Killer" Keith Jesperson and the two became pen pals. Phelp's later met him and prison and the story is nothing short of amazing.
They exchanged hundreds of letters and the six-foot-six, three hundred pound man spoke at the Oregon prison for five years with Phelps.
Two people were convicted of murdering Taunja Bennett and after serving four years in prison, Jesperson wrote to a newspaper, claiming that he was responsible for the crime. A smiley face on a letter gave him the infamous moniker.
Keith mocked the Catholic writer for his belief in an afterlife, saying that we become worm food after death. He also believes that we are all capable of murder.
Phelp's admits to being a recovered alcoholic and he vents his inner demons throughout the book. His brother and his murdered girlfriend were serious drug addicts. Her case remains open and he shares a link to an unsolved murders page on a Connecticut police website.
The chapter on his brother's death is heart wrenching. Even with his questions regarding faith and redemption(Thomas Merton is quoted), Phelp's was comforted that a priest was present during his sibling's final days.
The final portion deals with the death of a "Jane Doe" whose portrait is available online. She is one of the eight victims murdered by Jesperson.
Dangerous Ground is a great read.
May 13, 2018
There are lots of crime books on the shelf, but only a select few authors know how to deliver a true crime story. You say True Crime and three names come to mind instantly, Anne Rule, Diane Fanning, and M. William Phelps.
Dangerous Ground is a departure from the style and tone we have come to expect from Phelps. This is an eye-opening, hard to read, not for the faint-at-heart story that proves the old saying may be old but still holds true - "if you fly to close to the flame you will get burned." Phelps flew around an open flame for five years with a devious, manipulative, psychopath code-named Raven. Convicted in the 90's for the murder of eight women, Keith Jesperson, also known as The Happy Face Killer, is a cold hearted...no that's not accurate. This man doesn't have a heart as we define it. He doesn't feel empathy and compassion for others. He uses those emotions within others as a means to his selfish, sadistic end. He is a murderer. A serial killer that delights in the pain and suffering of his victims, long after the crimes.
Dangerous Ground is the retelling of Phelps relationship with Raven. Throughout the narrative, Phelps gets deeply personal, often allowing Raven into areas of his heart and mind that should have been off-limits. It is dangerous to play such a mind game with a narcissistic, serial killer. Even from behind bars Raven has the ability to blur his image - causing educated, normal people to question just how bad he really is. The longer Phelps spent with Raven the more human he became. These encounters caused Phelps to walk away with a lot more than he bargained for. I could see these encounters were causing issues Phelps wouldn't be able to leave at the prison. He would carry them back out into the world, into his everyday life. It's how he deals with this that will determine where he is able to go from here. While he suffered pain, Raven boosted his ego. While Phelps questioned what he already knew to be true, Raven reveled in his ability to manipulate. Dangerous Ground is a horrifying glimpse into the mind of a murderer and its' effect on those who dare to challenge the flame.
Dangerous Ground is a must-read for true crime enthusiasts. Phelps put everything here. He didn't hold anything back. Nor did he fan Jesperson's celebrity flame. He never portrays the killer as misunderstood. He doesn't make excuses for Jesperson. He took five years of communication and penned a novel that will stay with the reader long after the final word has been read.
Happy Reading,
RJ
Dangerous Ground is a departure from the style and tone we have come to expect from Phelps. This is an eye-opening, hard to read, not for the faint-at-heart story that proves the old saying may be old but still holds true - "if you fly to close to the flame you will get burned." Phelps flew around an open flame for five years with a devious, manipulative, psychopath code-named Raven. Convicted in the 90's for the murder of eight women, Keith Jesperson, also known as The Happy Face Killer, is a cold hearted...no that's not accurate. This man doesn't have a heart as we define it. He doesn't feel empathy and compassion for others. He uses those emotions within others as a means to his selfish, sadistic end. He is a murderer. A serial killer that delights in the pain and suffering of his victims, long after the crimes.
Dangerous Ground is the retelling of Phelps relationship with Raven. Throughout the narrative, Phelps gets deeply personal, often allowing Raven into areas of his heart and mind that should have been off-limits. It is dangerous to play such a mind game with a narcissistic, serial killer. Even from behind bars Raven has the ability to blur his image - causing educated, normal people to question just how bad he really is. The longer Phelps spent with Raven the more human he became. These encounters caused Phelps to walk away with a lot more than he bargained for. I could see these encounters were causing issues Phelps wouldn't be able to leave at the prison. He would carry them back out into the world, into his everyday life. It's how he deals with this that will determine where he is able to go from here. While he suffered pain, Raven boosted his ego. While Phelps questioned what he already knew to be true, Raven reveled in his ability to manipulate. Dangerous Ground is a horrifying glimpse into the mind of a murderer and its' effect on those who dare to challenge the flame.
Dangerous Ground is a must-read for true crime enthusiasts. Phelps put everything here. He didn't hold anything back. Nor did he fan Jesperson's celebrity flame. He never portrays the killer as misunderstood. He doesn't make excuses for Jesperson. He took five years of communication and penned a novel that will stay with the reader long after the final word has been read.
Happy Reading,
RJ
April 11, 2019
The creator of a true crime series learns the meaning of the maxim, "when you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you."
In the process of creating a TV series that examines and publicizes unsolved homicides, Phelps begins communicating with actual convicted serial killers, most extensively the man nicknamed the "happy face killer." This relationship is never really a friendship, as no friend will make you feel the way Phelps was made to feel. He details the PTSD-style symptoms that begun cropping up as his communications with the prisoner got more in-depth.
In the process of creating a TV series that examines and publicizes unsolved homicides, Phelps begins communicating with actual convicted serial killers, most extensively the man nicknamed the "happy face killer." This relationship is never really a friendship, as no friend will make you feel the way Phelps was made to feel. He details the PTSD-style symptoms that begun cropping up as his communications with the prisoner got more in-depth.
March 30, 2025
Who Needs Enemies When Keith Jesperson is Your Friend
This is the 2nd book I’ve read of Mr. Phelps.
I usually read 5-7 books at a time, and I finished this book much quicker than the others. He is a good writer, and he knows his stuff.
He puts everything on the line to interact with Keith Jesperson. I think Mr. Phelps experienced the aphorism that “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” (Nietzsche) The author took one for the team to be in Jesperson’s universe for so long. There aren’t enough showers, confessions, prayers, or, frankly, drugs and alcohol to be within the sphere of this lunatic for more than 5 minutes. (Phelps is sober).
Jesperson is, like so many amoral killers, concerned first and foremost with preserving his life and avoiding the death penalty. He is the turd in the proverbial punchbowl of life. If we are greater than our worst sins, he’s an exception to the rule. Phelps sacrificed his health to write this book. For this, I salute you.
This is the 2nd book I’ve read of Mr. Phelps.
I usually read 5-7 books at a time, and I finished this book much quicker than the others. He is a good writer, and he knows his stuff.
He puts everything on the line to interact with Keith Jesperson. I think Mr. Phelps experienced the aphorism that “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” (Nietzsche) The author took one for the team to be in Jesperson’s universe for so long. There aren’t enough showers, confessions, prayers, or, frankly, drugs and alcohol to be within the sphere of this lunatic for more than 5 minutes. (Phelps is sober).
Jesperson is, like so many amoral killers, concerned first and foremost with preserving his life and avoiding the death penalty. He is the turd in the proverbial punchbowl of life. If we are greater than our worst sins, he’s an exception to the rule. Phelps sacrificed his health to write this book. For this, I salute you.
April 24, 2018
I really loved this book. Good insight into the mind a psychopath.
January 24, 2023
Maybe it was my high expectations. Maybe I misunderstood what the book was about.
This book does a really good job at sharing with the reader the intricacies of the relationship between the author and the serial killer.
I was just hoping for more insights into the mind of Keith Hunter Jesperson.
This book does a really good job at sharing with the reader the intricacies of the relationship between the author and the serial killer.
I was just hoping for more insights into the mind of Keith Hunter Jesperson.
June 7, 2017
Not my typical kind of book. It is a very well written, in depth look at the mind of a serial killer. Mr. Phelps consulted with an actual serial killer to craft this provocative read. At times I found the book unsettling and disturbing; at other times it was interesting and eye opening to learn the psychology behind such a mind. This book is definitely worth a read, not only for the excellent writing but for the relationship that unfolds between the pages
January 30, 2020
This book was not worth the time that it took to read it and I tried on many occasions while reading it to find a way to enjoy it, but I could not. It firstly is misleading, starting with the title, there is no "friendship" between the author and Jersperson, it is evident that it is entirely a business relationship and that the author never actually develops friendly ties with him. Instead the author insistently writes about the issues that he develops from being in contact with Jersperson, his depression, digestive issues and loss of faith. This constant reminder and often entirely dramatic information seems to be in the book solely to make the reader believe that he is giving up his soul for this relationship out of some kind of idea that it will be for the greater good. Which in no way is true, the only person benefited from the relationship is the author, he got a show and a book out of it after all. No real knowledge was gained from his business transaction with Jersperson, no great insight into the psyche of a serial killer nor any new information on the Jane Doe's killed by Jersperson. The author spent many chapters leading up to solving of some of these Jane Doe cases and not one was actually solved. This book and the authors' relationship with Jerperson did nothing but increase the authors wealth, which is ironic as this book is worthless.
March 4, 2020
There are a lot of problems with this book. The first, and maybe the biggest, is the title. He calls it a friendship and yet he spends the entire book talking about how much he hates The killer, how much he dreads the phone calls and letters, and what a piece of shit he is. He goes on and on and on about how it’s making him physically sick and he can’t stand it. That is not the definition of a friendship.
So I have to wonder if he did develop a friendship and is now writing it this way so that he doesn’t look bad for empathizing with a cold blooded murderer. It’s kind of like methinks you doth protest too much.
Then he repeatedly refers to the killer as Happy Face. I’m not sure why it bugs me so much that he refers to him by his nickname, but it does.
And ultimately just the way he tells the story. He doesn’t use much of the supposed hours of tape and thousands of pages of letters. He jumps all over the place describing the murders. He doesn’t give voice to the victims and he doesn’t really tell the killer’s story either. And then he tells way too much about his brother and his wife that seems completely irrelevant to anything.
Overall there was really nothing I liked about this book and a lot of stuff I didn’t like
So I have to wonder if he did develop a friendship and is now writing it this way so that he doesn’t look bad for empathizing with a cold blooded murderer. It’s kind of like methinks you doth protest too much.
Then he repeatedly refers to the killer as Happy Face. I’m not sure why it bugs me so much that he refers to him by his nickname, but it does.
And ultimately just the way he tells the story. He doesn’t use much of the supposed hours of tape and thousands of pages of letters. He jumps all over the place describing the murders. He doesn’t give voice to the victims and he doesn’t really tell the killer’s story either. And then he tells way too much about his brother and his wife that seems completely irrelevant to anything.
Overall there was really nothing I liked about this book and a lot of stuff I didn’t like
May 14, 2022
I’ve read quite a few true crime books by this author; and this is probably the worst one.
Phelps’ tendency to put words he fancies in quotation marks is not only terribly incorrect, it’s annoying.
EX: Terry thought he’d go to the “party” and see if he could “have some fun.” He “thought” he’d heard “chatter” about certain things but he was too “nervous” to “ask just anyone.”
I AM NOT KIDDING. That is excessive use of quotation marks shows a lazy ironic tone. And it’s wrong. This use of quotation marks CAN be used as a tip-off to the reader, sort of a “wink wink” type of thing. But Phelps can’t figure out how to use them, so you’ll just see them everywhere.
This reveals a lack of ability to show the proper expression he really needs.
The first one of his books I read was about a pretty interesting case. I was enjoying the book, until the author took it upon himself to say “what woman lies by the side of a swimming pool wearing JEWELRY?”
Well, surprise. I DO. I wear my wedding ring, a Diamond cross necklace, a Diamond tennis bracelet; abs I’m not alone. Many of my girlfriends do too. And the quotation marks were endless.
But I digress. The NAME of this book should be changed to “Dangerous Ground; My Phony Friendship With a Serial Killer I Loathe.”
I’ve read about Keith Jespersen. I read the late great Jack Olsen’s book, published posthumously, called “I: The Creation Of A Serial Killer.”
Like all of Olsen’s books, it was masterfully written and gripped me from the beginning; it was so good I didn’t want it to end.
So, now we have Phelps, who seems to want people to believe he’s trumped every author who’s written about Jespersen, as Phelps “gained “Jespersen’s trust.” REALLY? How could he tell?
It seemed like all I read sometimes (until I started skimming), was what a sneaky liar Jespersen was/is, and how he’s such a sociopath and a psychopath and a unicorn that he might be lying and people never know it.
That’s because he’s so GOOD at it. As someone who grew up with a Homicide Detective for a father, I can tell you this: detectives are some of THE best liars ever, because they often HAVE to be. And I’m pretty sure my father wasn’t a psychopath.
I was proud when the Chief of Police here told me my father was.the best interrogator he’d EVER had on the force. I’m pretty sure my dad was the “good cop”, but I’ll never know for sure.
So Phelps not only refers to long haul trucker Keith Jespersen as a “creature he has to deal with in order to have a REAL SERIAL KILLER in his lame I.D.Discovery show “Dangerous Minds”, or, as I would have named it “Dangerous Waste Of Time Watching People Drone on About Unsolved Crimes,”
BONUS! Features a REAL SERIAL KILLER!
Phelps decided to use Jespersen on his show, because…. actually I have no idea why. Because he’s an enormous man that’s somewhat well spoken and only killed 8 women? Because Jespersen wanted to help, and be on TV , because that beats the heck out of reading poems from your lady loves? Because he came forward and took the rap for a murder he’d commuted after two people sat in prison for four years?
I have no idea.
But wait! There’s more!
Phelps, being the narcissi that he is, somehow weaves the tale of his late sister in law (kind of. His brother never married this woman so she’s not really “aunt” this or whatever. She’s his late brother’s GIRLFRIEND and the mother of their kids. She was pregnant with someone’s child when she was murdered, but we'll never know. We'll also never know who killed her either!
Here’s a tip.
If Phelps wanted to write a poignant and relevant and cautionary tale about the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction, and what it does to families, he SHOULD HAVE. There’s a big audience for what he has to say, but here’s the kicker; Phelps didn’t have enough material for two books, so he flipped back and forth between his brother’s painful death from Hep C and cirrhosis of the liver due to drug abuse, to pretending he wanted Jespersen to come clean about two “Jane Doe” unsolved murders.
Jespersen never does, because he can’t. He’d have said so.
Basically, Phelps used Jespersen the way Jespersen used people. When he was done with Jespersen,, after five years, or more, he just cuts him off. End of “friendship.”
He complains and gripes about Jespersen’s constant letter writing- and there were SOOOO many pages.
The guy’s in a Supermax prison for life! It’s not like he doesn’t have lots of time on his hands. And let’s not forget the constant phone calls!
Look, I’m no fan of serial killers, or the women who write to them in prison, etc etc.
However, Jespersen is hampered by his inability to connect with people as we think he should.
His father was a monster and Keith got the worst of what his father had to dish out.
But here’s my take on Jespersen, and I think Olsen saw it too.
Keith COULD have turned out differently. Yes, he was incredibly tall and strong, and he was also rather handsome. If he’d not been singled out by his father for terrible treatment, and so much more, he MIGHT have gone another way.
He was married to a nice woman and had children with her.
It wasn’t until after he was divorced that he killed a woman, and I’m not sure he meant to. Be that as it may, after that, he was off to the races.
He wanted to get caught, and he was.
This mush mash mix me up of a I don’t know what kind of book left me feeling angry- can you tell?
“Mr. Quotation Marks” needs to go to college of some sort and learn just a little more.
I will say I have SOMEWHAT LIKED a couple of his books.
He needs to get back on track,
In the photo section you’ll see how close Phelps was to his late brother by viewing a couple of old ripped up photos of them. When he poses next to Keith Jespersen, he’s Mr. Cool Soul Patch Guy who’s standing next to a huge man who must have a trillion cooties. Oh, and he sat with Keith for three seasons of his show to get his insight, and poor Keith had to sit in the dark and be referred to by that idiotic nickname, RAVEN. It should have been the other way around.
So glad it was free.
Phelps’ tendency to put words he fancies in quotation marks is not only terribly incorrect, it’s annoying.
EX: Terry thought he’d go to the “party” and see if he could “have some fun.” He “thought” he’d heard “chatter” about certain things but he was too “nervous” to “ask just anyone.”
I AM NOT KIDDING. That is excessive use of quotation marks shows a lazy ironic tone. And it’s wrong. This use of quotation marks CAN be used as a tip-off to the reader, sort of a “wink wink” type of thing. But Phelps can’t figure out how to use them, so you’ll just see them everywhere.
This reveals a lack of ability to show the proper expression he really needs.
The first one of his books I read was about a pretty interesting case. I was enjoying the book, until the author took it upon himself to say “what woman lies by the side of a swimming pool wearing JEWELRY?”
Well, surprise. I DO. I wear my wedding ring, a Diamond cross necklace, a Diamond tennis bracelet; abs I’m not alone. Many of my girlfriends do too. And the quotation marks were endless.
But I digress. The NAME of this book should be changed to “Dangerous Ground; My Phony Friendship With a Serial Killer I Loathe.”
I’ve read about Keith Jespersen. I read the late great Jack Olsen’s book, published posthumously, called “I: The Creation Of A Serial Killer.”
Like all of Olsen’s books, it was masterfully written and gripped me from the beginning; it was so good I didn’t want it to end.
So, now we have Phelps, who seems to want people to believe he’s trumped every author who’s written about Jespersen, as Phelps “gained “Jespersen’s trust.” REALLY? How could he tell?
It seemed like all I read sometimes (until I started skimming), was what a sneaky liar Jespersen was/is, and how he’s such a sociopath and a psychopath and a unicorn that he might be lying and people never know it.
That’s because he’s so GOOD at it. As someone who grew up with a Homicide Detective for a father, I can tell you this: detectives are some of THE best liars ever, because they often HAVE to be. And I’m pretty sure my father wasn’t a psychopath.
I was proud when the Chief of Police here told me my father was.the best interrogator he’d EVER had on the force. I’m pretty sure my dad was the “good cop”, but I’ll never know for sure.
So Phelps not only refers to long haul trucker Keith Jespersen as a “creature he has to deal with in order to have a REAL SERIAL KILLER in his lame I.D.Discovery show “Dangerous Minds”, or, as I would have named it “Dangerous Waste Of Time Watching People Drone on About Unsolved Crimes,”
BONUS! Features a REAL SERIAL KILLER!
Phelps decided to use Jespersen on his show, because…. actually I have no idea why. Because he’s an enormous man that’s somewhat well spoken and only killed 8 women? Because Jespersen wanted to help, and be on TV , because that beats the heck out of reading poems from your lady loves? Because he came forward and took the rap for a murder he’d commuted after two people sat in prison for four years?
I have no idea.
But wait! There’s more!
Phelps, being the narcissi that he is, somehow weaves the tale of his late sister in law (kind of. His brother never married this woman so she’s not really “aunt” this or whatever. She’s his late brother’s GIRLFRIEND and the mother of their kids. She was pregnant with someone’s child when she was murdered, but we'll never know. We'll also never know who killed her either!
Here’s a tip.
If Phelps wanted to write a poignant and relevant and cautionary tale about the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction, and what it does to families, he SHOULD HAVE. There’s a big audience for what he has to say, but here’s the kicker; Phelps didn’t have enough material for two books, so he flipped back and forth between his brother’s painful death from Hep C and cirrhosis of the liver due to drug abuse, to pretending he wanted Jespersen to come clean about two “Jane Doe” unsolved murders.
Jespersen never does, because he can’t. He’d have said so.
Basically, Phelps used Jespersen the way Jespersen used people. When he was done with Jespersen,, after five years, or more, he just cuts him off. End of “friendship.”
He complains and gripes about Jespersen’s constant letter writing- and there were SOOOO many pages.
The guy’s in a Supermax prison for life! It’s not like he doesn’t have lots of time on his hands. And let’s not forget the constant phone calls!
Look, I’m no fan of serial killers, or the women who write to them in prison, etc etc.
However, Jespersen is hampered by his inability to connect with people as we think he should.
His father was a monster and Keith got the worst of what his father had to dish out.
But here’s my take on Jespersen, and I think Olsen saw it too.
Keith COULD have turned out differently. Yes, he was incredibly tall and strong, and he was also rather handsome. If he’d not been singled out by his father for terrible treatment, and so much more, he MIGHT have gone another way.
He was married to a nice woman and had children with her.
It wasn’t until after he was divorced that he killed a woman, and I’m not sure he meant to. Be that as it may, after that, he was off to the races.
He wanted to get caught, and he was.
This mush mash mix me up of a I don’t know what kind of book left me feeling angry- can you tell?
“Mr. Quotation Marks” needs to go to college of some sort and learn just a little more.
I will say I have SOMEWHAT LIKED a couple of his books.
He needs to get back on track,
In the photo section you’ll see how close Phelps was to his late brother by viewing a couple of old ripped up photos of them. When he poses next to Keith Jespersen, he’s Mr. Cool Soul Patch Guy who’s standing next to a huge man who must have a trillion cooties. Oh, and he sat with Keith for three seasons of his show to get his insight, and poor Keith had to sit in the dark and be referred to by that idiotic nickname, RAVEN. It should have been the other way around.
So glad it was free.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2018
Let me preface this by voicing my frequently stated complaint about the cancellation of Dangerous Minds by Investigation Discovery. His final episodes of Israel Keyes scared me more than any Hollywood slice and dice could. There! My dissatisfaction on another social media platform. On to my review.
Hands down, my favorite M. William Phelps book to date.
There were several things fascinating to me:
1) The reveal of Raven. Frankly, the suspicious, distrusting person in me always though he was made up.
2) The story of Phelps' SIL's murder and the family dynamics of addictions.
3) How these two intertwined and fed off each other while the filming of the show.
Phelps masterfully told this story and one could tell there was more investment/personal involvement than in his other books.
I knew this book was going to be good and he didn't disappoint.
Hands down, my favorite M. William Phelps book to date.
There were several things fascinating to me:
1) The reveal of Raven. Frankly, the suspicious, distrusting person in me always though he was made up.
2) The story of Phelps' SIL's murder and the family dynamics of addictions.
3) How these two intertwined and fed off each other while the filming of the show.
Phelps masterfully told this story and one could tell there was more investment/personal involvement than in his other books.
I knew this book was going to be good and he didn't disappoint.
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