Thomas Bishop was 25 when he escaped from an institution for the criminally insane. Behind was a grotesque history of pain, murder and abiding rage. Ahead lay a path of vengeance, a reign of terror that only the greatest manhunt in U.S. history could stop. Reissue.
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Back in the '70s, when the term "serial killer" wasn't yet popular, Shane Stevens wrote this long, exquisitely detailed novel about a psychopathic murderer. Thomas Bishop escapes from an insane asylum at age 25 and begins what he fully intends to be a historic career as a multiple murderer. He is meticulous, intelligent, conscious of what he is doing, and utterly amoral. And we are inside his head, every step of the way--a welcome approach compared to contemporary works that focus on a detective or reporter protagonist. The New York Times called it "violent realism . . . extremely effective."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“One of the finest novels ever written about perfect evil . . . I recommend it unreservedly.” —Stephen King
“Compelling and genuinely frightening. You have to keep remembering it’s only a story. You won’t be able to put it down.” —The Boston Globe
“Extremely effective.” —The New York Times
“Irresistible, unrelenting suspense . . . Stevens creates a ‘monster’ for our time.” —Chicago Tribune
“One of the five greatest crime novels of the century.” —Mystery Scene
“Pure entertainment at its thrilling best.” —United Press International
“A classic thriller, a gripping suspense story, a massive mystery.” —San Diego Union-Tribune
“The best psycho-killer novel.” —ShelfLife, an Entertainment Weekly blog
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Pop Powl
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am swimming against the current here with just one star, but when you start reading diagonally after a hundred pages, jumping paragraphs, that's what a novel deserves in my view.
My problem with this book is that it is a novel that mimics a true crime story. It does so by being fastidious, but where in a true crime story details are welcomed (they prove that the author made his research, and can give the reader an insight into the criminal mind or at least give him the illusion that he can understand it) they are just in this case annoying. Well, they were for me because I couldn't help thinking that it was all fake.
For example (I want to prove my point), at the start of chapter 5 we have a delailed report of the press conference of Senator Stoner, 4 1/2 pages long, but we have already read in the preceding chapters how he intends to exploit the murders. Almost 5 pages and we don't learn anything new! The novel stalls like this numerous times, just like in the cheapest thrillers where the author adds some kind of filler because he, or she, is just good at describing "intense action".
And just like in a true crime story the scope is panoramic: local, state and federal police; politics, family histories (grandmothers, uncles, victims); local, state and national press, dates, times of day, etc. etc. With this there are several plot lines, but none are developed satisfactorily and the characters are just stereotypes. Lot of work from the author, but the result for me was simply boring.
If you look for the excitement you felt reading Thomas Harris' Hannibal novels, well, you are in for a severe disappointment. And I don't care about Stephen King's quote on the cover: some writers have to provide quotes like this by contract with their publisher, they are not excerpts from a full lenght review somewhere. (Do I sound mad? I am! I feel cheated!)
If you want a novel about "perfect evil" or, more exactly, barbarism, I recommend Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, Or the Evening Redness in the West.
My problem with this book is that it is a novel that mimics a true crime story. It does so by being fastidious, but where in a true crime story details are welcomed (they prove that the author made his research, and can give the reader an insight into the criminal mind or at least give him the illusion that he can understand it) they are just in this case annoying. Well, they were for me because I couldn't help thinking that it was all fake.
For example (I want to prove my point), at the start of chapter 5 we have a delailed report of the press conference of Senator Stoner, 4 1/2 pages long, but we have already read in the preceding chapters how he intends to exploit the murders. Almost 5 pages and we don't learn anything new! The novel stalls like this numerous times, just like in the cheapest thrillers where the author adds some kind of filler because he, or she, is just good at describing "intense action".
And just like in a true crime story the scope is panoramic: local, state and federal police; politics, family histories (grandmothers, uncles, victims); local, state and national press, dates, times of day, etc. etc. With this there are several plot lines, but none are developed satisfactorily and the characters are just stereotypes. Lot of work from the author, but the result for me was simply boring.
If you look for the excitement you felt reading Thomas Harris' Hannibal novels, well, you are in for a severe disappointment. And I don't care about Stephen King's quote on the cover: some writers have to provide quotes like this by contract with their publisher, they are not excerpts from a full lenght review somewhere. (Do I sound mad? I am! I feel cheated!)
If you want a novel about "perfect evil" or, more exactly, barbarism, I recommend Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, Or the Evening Redness in the West.
By Andre Fortin
Format:Paperback
This thriller sends us back to the 70's...there are no quick CSI-type analysis of crime scenes etc...but what you do get is the extended and quite expansive field work done by many in order to track down a serial killer. Excellent read!
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This was a bargain book, i picked up for a dollar somewhere- was i gripped- I just finished rereading it & even knowing the ending- it is impossible to put down. The psychology of the lead characters in on target & the plot is intriguing enough to the last page. The ending still is frightening & you find yourself staring at the page in disbelief.
Highly recommended to anyone in search of a story about a reporter, detective & a serial killer, which eventually makes the reader almost nervous
Highly recommended to anyone in search of a story about a reporter, detective & a serial killer, which eventually makes the reader almost nervous
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4.6 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
classic serial killer novel
This is a first-rate novel of a serial killer's bloody rampage and the efforts of a top reporter to bring him down. Read more
Published on July 23 2003 by David Group
5.0 out of 5 stars
walking in the mind of a mad man.
When I first read this book back in the 70s, I thought this was the most frightening book that I ever read. I still think that today. Read more
Published on Mar 29 2002 by Rene' Bost
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insanely good!
By Reason of Insanity is a powerful, gut-wrenching book. It's so completely unlike any other serial killer book, even the very very good ones. Read more
Published on Sep 14 2001 by AnnaKarenina
5.0 out of 5 stars
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!!!
I've read a lot of books in the last forty years, most of which have been pretty good. Not many have been worth remembering. Read more
Published on Aug 24 2001 by David Beutler
5.0 out of 5 stars
IT COULD HAPPEN TODAY - TOMORROW & HAS
This book is about a killer........someone we fear - someone we hope we do not know....what happens in this book could happen and most likely has in real life. Read more
Published on Aug 16 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Of Its Genre
I just read this book for the first time and only one word can describe my reaction: WOW. If you enjoy serial killer stories or thrillers featuring truly evil villains, make sure... Read more
Published on July 13 2001 by Mark A. Schreiber
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW!!
I'm impressed! I thought by looking at the size of the book it would take me quite a while to read it. It did not. Read more
Published on July 11 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good writing
The book carries praises from such giants of horror as Stephen King. At first I felt that this was just a marketing ploy, providing an emphasis towards greater sales. Read more
Published on May 7 2000 by DP
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEST PSYCHO-THRILLER I'VE READ
Shane Stevens sure has a way of telling a story. This book weaves in and out of different sub-plots effortlessly. Read more
Published on Jan 29 2000 by Kevin
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Outstanding Read
I loved every spine tingling moment of this well crafted story. Shane Stevens' matter of fact style heightens the tension. Read more
Published on Dec 20 1999 by Righter
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