Dangerous Ground, M. William Phelps
Dangerous Ground, M. William Phelps
3 Rating(s)
List: $29.99 | Sale: $21.00
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Dangerous Ground
My Friendship with a Serial Killer

Author: M. William Phelps

Narrator: Tom Perkins

Unabridged: 12 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/25/2017


Synopsis

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.

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.

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.

About M. William Phelps

M. William Phelps is an investigative journalist, podcast host, television expert, and New York Times bestselling author of over forty nonfiction books, including the groundbreaking crime memoir Dangerous Ground. Winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and the New England Book Festival Award, he's spent over 300 hours on television as a true crime expert, appearing on numerous shows, including CBS's The Early Show, ABC's Good Morning America, the Today show and The View. He created, produced, and starred in the series Dark Minds and also stars in Deadly Women, Sex, Lies & Murder, Oxygen's Snapped, Killer Couples, and #Killerpost. He is the creator and host of the iHeartRadio original podcast series Paper Ghosts, The Five, and has been called "the nation's leading authority on the mind of the female murderer" by Radio America. Touched by tragedy himself through the unsolved murder of his sister-in-law, Phelps is able to enter the hearts and minds of his subjects like no one else. He lives in a Connecticut farming community.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Darcia on 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, sho......more

Goodreads review by Valerity (Val) on July 06, 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, get......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on 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......more

Goodreads review by Sasha on February 26, 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 friendsh......more

Goodreads review by Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) on February 20, 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 wit......more