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The Demon Next Door
by
Best-selling author Bryan Burrough (Barbarians at the Gate, Public Enemies, Big Rich) recently made a shocking discovery: The small town of Temple, Texas, where he had grown up, had harbored a dark secret. One of his high school classmates, Danny Corwin, was a vicious serial killer who had raped and mutilated six women, murdering three of them. Yet the town had denied all
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Audible Audio, 3 pages
Published
February 28th 2019
by Audible Originals LLC
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The information is 4 star worthy.
However, the narrator, Steve White, who is very talented, was not the right fit for this subject matter.
By that I mean, too up beat. Steve read this in a tone I'd expect for a super posi self-help book and a tv neighbor who says "shucks" a lot.
However, the narrator, Steve White, who is very talented, was not the right fit for this subject matter.
By that I mean, too up beat. Steve read this in a tone I'd expect for a super posi self-help book and a tv neighbor who says "shucks" a lot.
Audible Original Selection for March. Narrated by Steve White 2h 45 minutes 14 secs
Although it appears to have shocked the author that this town basically took the side of the killer and did what they could to protect him, it doesn't surprise me. Who ever wants to believe that the all-American boy with the nice family is pure evil?
As much as I like listening to true crime, this one failed to captivate me as much as others I have listened to, such as Helter Skelter and I'll Be Gone in the ...more
Although it appears to have shocked the author that this town basically took the side of the killer and did what they could to protect him, it doesn't surprise me. Who ever wants to believe that the all-American boy with the nice family is pure evil?
As much as I like listening to true crime, this one failed to captivate me as much as others I have listened to, such as Helter Skelter and I'll Be Gone in the ...more
What a bizarre listen this was! This is a true crime book about a serial killer who, like many serial killers are wont to do, got away with his crimes because his family, friends, and community failed to see the warning signs and connect the dots. It's a well-researched and interesting story, but there's not a lot new here: a somewhat unusual white man gets away with unusual behaviour (and heinous crimes) for decades because, well, he's a white man from a respectable church-connected family.
The ...more
The ...more
As despicable as his crimes were, you'll be more disgusted by how his church, the town mayor and other prominent town members threatened to smear his first victim, allowing him to get off easy and rape and murder several more women.
I listened to this book. Had I read it rather than listened to it, I might’ve given it a higher score, but the reader was AWFUL! He was too upbeat and enthusiastic for a somber tale about a serial killer. My favorite example of this involves when Danny Corwin, the serial killer, abducts his classmate Brenda and drives her to the middle of nowhere. Placing a knife against Brenda’s throat, he tells her to undress, and Brenda’s reaction is to say, “Danny, what are you doing?” Now, I imagine you
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listened to this on Audible: Enjoyed listening to one mans investigation into a forgotten serial killer in a small area of Texas. Listening to these kind of stories always reminds you that you never know the person next to you as much as you think you do.
A sad yet interesting story. It's sad that how they treated rape in the 70s is STILL how they treat rape today.
P.S. free Audible Original for the month
P.S. free Audible Original for the month
The Demon Next Door by Bryan Burrough, one of the Audible Original options for the month of March, 2019, was a fascinating, terrible tale of a psychopath in a small town that managed to slip through the cracks enough to rape at least five women, while murdering three of them. Though this short novel is more about laying out serial killer Danny Corwin's life story, Burrough does bring up an interesting idea in how the media should react and treat people like this. If this rapist was treated as an
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Hmm...what can I say? This wasn't the worst thing I've listened to....The author's main question seems to be, how can a town of 40,000 people erase what happened in their town? (spoiler alert: serial killer). Well...it's pretty easy when the crimes happened in the 80's/90's, there is nothing sensational about the crimes (compared to today's standards), the killer was caught and executed, had no personality, and confessed to most of the crimes. Simply put, there is nothing "special" there. So,
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Find all my reviews: https://jaynikkibelthoughts.wordpress...
I would not say I am a serial killer buff, but we’ve all heard of the most notorious serial killers in the United States. Or at least those of us who live in the States have. i.e. Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos, John Wayne Gacy, etc.
Now I have never heard of Daniel Corwin. One would think with the nature of his violent crimes, we would have heard of him.
It’s quite amazing on how much can be pushed under a rug with the right ...more
I would not say I am a serial killer buff, but we’ve all heard of the most notorious serial killers in the United States. Or at least those of us who live in the States have. i.e. Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos, John Wayne Gacy, etc.
Now I have never heard of Daniel Corwin. One would think with the nature of his violent crimes, we would have heard of him.
It’s quite amazing on how much can be pushed under a rug with the right ...more
This wasn't as sensational as the synopsis suggested it would be.
Don't get me wrong, it was a good listen - it highlights the inadequacy of the criminal justice system in the 70's/80's and highlights a case that not many have heard of before.
However, the narrator choice takes away from the seriousness in explaining the grim details of the attacks.
Rating 2.4/5
Don't get me wrong, it was a good listen - it highlights the inadequacy of the criminal justice system in the 70's/80's and highlights a case that not many have heard of before.
However, the narrator choice takes away from the seriousness in explaining the grim details of the attacks.
Rating 2.4/5
It's horribly good!
The demon next door is exactly why you shouldn't trust people easily
Love it! ...more
The demon next door is exactly why you shouldn't trust people easily
Love it! ...more
Jun 20, 2019
David
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Small-town cops, churchgoers who protect creepy kids
Not the most infamous or "exciting" serial killer, Danny Corwin was just an unremarkable small-town Texas boy who, as author Bryan Burrough points out, is practically unknown even among true crime aficionados today. He raped and killed three women, and was put to death in 1998, at the age of 40.
The interesting part of this small Audible original biography is his history before he committed the crimes that sent him to the injection chamber. Because he had already done time - nine years - for ...more
The interesting part of this small Audible original biography is his history before he committed the crimes that sent him to the injection chamber. Because he had already done time - nine years - for ...more
This is not a book for everyone. I am amazed at how rape is used as a tool for some to manipulate when real rapes are happening and not being validated because of the few that do. This reminded me a bit of the Ted Bundy saga.
Bullet Review:
Interesting (and horrific) story about how the system can fail, allowing one man to take so many lives and destroy others. Not bad content wise, but the narrator was pretty dreadful - not an awful voice, but just perfunctory.
Interesting (and horrific) story about how the system can fail, allowing one man to take so many lives and destroy others. Not bad content wise, but the narrator was pretty dreadful - not an awful voice, but just perfunctory.
I can't work out how I feel about this book. While I'm quite a fan of Bryan Burrough's, the style of writing jarred a bit and I was going to put it down, but I kept on listening because I became so infuriated with events in the story. What angered me was interference of a local church, the influence by people with power and the short comings small town police departments. People are dead because of their self interest. Overall it as interesting yet tragic story, but it was somewhat unsatisfying.
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Bryan Burrough investigates the serial killer who lived in his own hometown, but who he never knew about because no one wanted to talk about it. This is an all too familiar tale of a sociopath, who's deeds are covered up by local influencers - in this case, his evangelical church - for reasons of preserving their own good name. What he did, and for how long before he was eventually brought to justice is a cautionary tale.
I'm fascinated to read about true crime. When I saw that this audible original was set in Temple, Texas, it really piqued my interest. The narrator was a bit chirpy to be telling the grisly story of brutal attacks, rapes, and murders, but I think it was supposed to convey this whole "guy-next-door" thing. The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the way the town and, specifically, The First Presbyterian Church covered up the acts committed by Daniel Corwin. Of course, that isn't
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Another short freebie, and not only that, a true crime story (not at all up my alley). This was incredibly short and saddening, and while I do feel the victims' stories should be told, there should have been more exploration into why someone like this slipped through society and was ignored until it was too late for many. There were times it was addressed, but it was just skimmed over and I could see the whole town collectively shrugging, saying "We don't get it either." If these stories are to
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What a disturbing true crime story. I was rather captivated from the start of the story about a seemingly normal boy growing up in Temple, Texas who grows up to be nothing short of a monstrous human being who commits despicable acts.
I was completely unfamiliar with Danny Corwin and with the atrocities committed by him and I'm unsure if I am now better off for learning about his crimes. There were times throughout the story where I felt slightly ill at the level of detail provided in the crimes ...more
I was completely unfamiliar with Danny Corwin and with the atrocities committed by him and I'm unsure if I am now better off for learning about his crimes. There were times throughout the story where I felt slightly ill at the level of detail provided in the crimes ...more
As a true crime junkie, I was immediately drawn to this title. Although I enjoyed exploring this story - about a criminal I've never heard of before - I think the choice of narrator was a curious one. His voice, although perfect for book narration, did not convey the serious and grave tones the subject matter deserved.
If this guy was literally your next door neighbor, this would be an interesting story. I've listened to way too many stories of this type. There's got to be something special about it, and I didn't find anything particularly interesting here.
3.5 stars - free Audible Original for month
This was a freebie from Audible for March 2019. It was a quick and interesting listen about a serial murderer in a small Texas town.
A story about the sexual assault, rape, and murder of women should’ve been told by a woman. The narrator did not speak with compassion for the victims and focused more on pointing out the serial killer and rapists good behavior and how “shocking” it was to people that he could do that. Pointing out how shocking it was is problematic because it lends to the myth that religious people from a good family don’t commit crimes against women. This could’ve been a good story if there was a different
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Somewhat interesting, but really kind of a standard story of a killer. No huge body count or much insight into his psychology, but instead just a recount of the events as best as the author was able to grab them.
And like other reviewers have stated, the narrator on this audiobook really wasn't the right choice.
And like other reviewers have stated, the narrator on this audiobook really wasn't the right choice.
I'd never heard of this case before today, but it was one of the included Audible Originals for March 2019. The case is definitely interesting and while the author does lay out a lot of the facts and interviews on the case they seem pretty surface level and you are not left with a lot of answers. In his offense those answers may not exist. In the end I'm left feeling sad for his victim's families and glad this guy is off this world.
Pretty horrifying true-tale from the author's hometown about a seemingly forgotten serial killer who raped several women, killing three and attempting to kill two more. Author Bryan Burrough is shocked that his relatively small town has basically forgotten this killer, and I can see why given how sleepy the town apparently is and how sensational some of the murders really are. I mean, Danny Corwin carves a smiley face in the back of one of his victims, and kills another mother right in front of
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I used to drive through Temple, Texas going between Dallas and Austin in college and grad school, so I was curious to listen to this story of a small town serial killer. It's short and fairly compelling, and I found it interesting how much has changed with forensic science and criminology in the last 40 or so years. But there is still so much that is the same. I wanted to be surprised by the fact that the community was implicit in a mass cover up and engaged in really horrific victim shaming.
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One of Audible's originals for March 2019.
The author is right. I had never heard of Daniel Lee Corwin, and when I Googled him, there is indeed, only one link on Murderpedia. What I liked about this short title is not really how gruesome his crimes were, but how poorly the case was handled from the start. Living in modern times makes you forget that DNA matching was not always available, that security cameras didn't exist, that polygraph tests are faulty, and that in small towns the influence of ...more
The author is right. I had never heard of Daniel Lee Corwin, and when I Googled him, there is indeed, only one link on Murderpedia. What I liked about this short title is not really how gruesome his crimes were, but how poorly the case was handled from the start. Living in modern times makes you forget that DNA matching was not always available, that security cameras didn't exist, that polygraph tests are faulty, and that in small towns the influence of ...more
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Bryan Burrough joined Vanity Fair in August 1992 and has been a special correspondent for the magazine since January 1995. He has reported on a wide range of topics, including the events that led to the war in Iraq, the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, and the Anthony Pellicano case. His profile subjects have included Sumner Redstone, Larry Ellison, Mike Ovitz, and Ivan Boesky.
Prior to joining ...more
Prior to joining ...more
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