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The Demon Next Door

Bryan Burrough

3.31 · Rating details · 5,989 ratings · 637 reviews

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 ...more

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Audible Audio, 3 pages

Published February 28th 2019 by Audible Originals LLC

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· 5,989 ratings · 637 reviews

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Mar 05, 2019 Ricky rated it liked it

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. ...more

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Jun 18, 2019 Jane rated it liked it

Shelves: 1audio, someone-is-having-me-on, meh, just-not-my-cuppa, non-fiction, 2019, creepy, well-that-was-problematic

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

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Mar 07, 2019 Erin rated it it was ok

Shelves: audio-books, books-i-own, non-fiction

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 D ...more

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Nov 28, 2020 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: audible-original, podcast

“The Demon Next Door” is an audible original production by Bryan Burrough, narrated by Steve White. Burrough researched a serial killer who hailed from his hometown of Temple, Texas. This classmate, Danny Corwin raped and mutilated six women and murdered three of them. This occurred in the 1970’s, when DNA wasn’t a tool for law enforcement. His first victim was a fellow classmate, and it was at the time when slut shaming victims in rape cases were used. The victim’s father was dead set against h ...more

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Mar 01, 2019 Jared rated it liked it

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. ...more

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Mar 10, 2019 Hannah Rae rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

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 pro ...more

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Mar 01, 2019 xBrattneyx rated it really liked it

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.

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Mar 03, 2019 Jay DeMoir rated it really liked it

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 ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Branden rated it really liked it

Shelves: true-crime, audiobooks

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 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 outcast, and called out for his heinous crimes more vocally by the local press, would that have prevented three murders over the next couple of decades? It's impossible to know the answer, of course, but it is a fascinating "what if" situation that the author tries to broach.

I really enjoyed the author's personal attachment to the story being told. Burrough happens to be from the same home town as Danny Corwin: Temple, Texas. Though he grew up there, he never knew of Danny's story until relatively recently, and that is what drew him to this tale. How could this small town that he knew so well keep such a dark past a secret? This all ties back to the "what could have been done differently" mentality that Burrough presents. The story that he presents of Corwin's life and crimes is detailed enough to make you cringe, and feels well-researched and informative.

The only negative I really have about this Audible Original is the narrator. Steve White's effort is not terrible by any means, it just doesn't fit the tone of the material. This story talks, in grim detail, about sexual assault and murder, yet White sounds as if he could be reading any general fiction novel. His tone throughout is much to lighthearted and soft compared to the dark, awful story being told. It ultimately comes off as insincere, which I know was not the intent. I'm sure White does a great job when narrating other audiobooks, but he was simply miscast for this story.

The Demon Next Door is a quick, brutal true crime story. This serial killer doesn't really stand out in any way, even when looking back at his life as a whole. Ironically, this is what allowed him to commit his heinous acts. He was forgettable, unassuming, and meek; he didn't seem like a bad guy, so people didn't treat him like one when that was exactly what should have happened. I'm sure this one won't stick with me, but Burrough's work should not go unnoticed. He does a great job of compiling the facts of the case, and delivers the details succintly and interestingly. This Audible Original is definitely worth the short runtime - less than three hours - if you "enjoy" the true crime genre.

3.5 Stars ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Gabe rated it it was ok

Shelves: true-crime, crime

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, ye ...more

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Apr 13, 2019 Chafic (Rello) rated it it was ok

Shelves: nonfiction, audible-originals, usa-texas

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 ...more

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Jun 11, 2019 Mrs. Allen 107 (The Kansan Reader) rated it liked it

Shelves: audio, crime-mystery

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

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Mar 01, 2019 Hadeel Ghazi rated it really liked it

It's horribly good!
The demon next door is exactly why you shouldn't trust people easily 😅

Love it! ...more

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Jun 20, 2019 David rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Small-town cops, churchgoers who protect creepy kids

Shelves: serial-killers, audiobook, crime, non-fiction, texas

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 rapi 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 raping and trying to kill another girl while he was just a teenager. He abducted, stripped, and raped his victim and then slashed her throat, exactly as he later did to his other victims, except his first victim survived and identified him.

So how did Danny Corwin get off with serving only 9 years for a gruesome rape and attempted murder? That's the tale of a small town dominated by a big church that closed ranks around a "nice boy" from a popular (if impoverished) family and pressured prosecutors to go easy on him. They didn't, really, but they also didn't stay firm on the life sentence they originally wanted and thought he deserved. With the church (!) threatening to spread rumors that his victim was "loose" and that it was somehow a "misunderstanding" and that she was partly to blame, the prosecution blinked, and offered Danny a 40-year-sentence.

Danny proved to a model inmate. He got along with everyone. The guards and the warden considered him the most trustworthy inmate in the prison. He studied, got his GED, had the run of the place. With Texas's population expanding and prisons being so crowded, inmates could get paroled after serving as little as 1/4 of their sentence, and with time off for good behavior, Danny was released on parole after only 9 years, at the age of 27.

He moved home, was embraced by his community, got engaged to the girl he had once babysat (!) who fell in love with him while he was in prison, starting going to college... and began raping and then killing again.

He managed to do it three times until one victim survived, much like his first had, and soon he was identified and this time put away for good.

It's a tragic tale of the 70s, when defense attorneys were allowed to throw dirt at rape victims and there was no such thing as DNA evidence, and the 80s, when small-town Texas police departments were still not familiar with concepts like "serial killers."

The author, Burrough, interviewed as many of Danny's former associates as he could - family, classmates, even his ex fiancee, who had kept the secret of her one-time engagement to a serial killer from her family for decades.

Burrough concludes that Danny was a smooth con man, a liar who managed to convince people of his harmlessness, and later that he was just a poor, damaged boy, with an affectless demeanor, but Danny is no mastermind, no charmer, no demon, not the stuff of horror movies. He was just a twisted punk with some broken wiring who liked rape and murder and couldn't help himself, even when he'd been given an undeserved second chance.

Well researched and well narrated, this isn't a true crime classic but it's an interesting entry for those who have an interest in the subject. ...more

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Oct 20, 2019 Simon rated it liked it

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. ...more

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Mar 11, 2019 Andie rated it liked it

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. ...more

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Mar 15, 2019 Deedra Lapray rated it really liked it

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 t ...more

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Oct 01, 2019 Chance Carden rated it did not like it

Shelves: goosie-scale-rated-reads

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 ...more

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Dec 15, 2020 Barbara Hale rated it really liked it

Shelves: audible

In this Audible Original, Bryan Burrough tells the true-crime story of Daniel Lee Corwin from Temple, Texas. Corwin was executed by the State of Texas in 1998 for the rape/murders of three women. Like most serial killers, Corwin was white, middle-class, and otherwise unremarkable. Very little was reported of Corwin's life and crimes at the time - mostly because the people who surrounded him in Temple would rather that the story not be told. Corwin was raised in a Christian home, his parents were ...more

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Jun 11, 2019 Ron Versetto rated it really liked it

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 c ...more

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Apr 02, 2019 Tiffany PSquared rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, 2019-reading-challenge, nonfiction

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. ...more

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Mar 24, 2019 Nicole D. rated it it was ok

Shelves: murder

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.
...more

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Jan 13, 2021 Thomas rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, true-crime

A true-crime account of how the knee-jerk reaction of a small town to protect a respectable family unleashed a psychopathic killer and, as a result, three women paid with their lives while others paid with terrible trauma. Sad.

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Mar 02, 2019 Jordan rated it liked it

3.5 stars - free Audible Original for month

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Mar 19, 2019 Melissa rated it liked it

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.

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Jun 05, 2020 Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews) rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, true-crime

A good true crime book about an unknown serial killer who lived in Texas during the 70s & 80s. Intriguing read.

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Mar 06, 2019 Sarah Chapin rated it it was ok

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 per ...more

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Apr 03, 2019 William Aicher rated it liked it

Shelves: true-crime, audible

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. ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Kenneth Geary rated it really liked it

Shelves: true-crime

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. ...more

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Apr 16, 2019 Crystal Starr Light rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, true-crime

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.

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About Bryan Burrough

Bryan Burrough

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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