Entering Hades: The Double Life of a Serial Killer

Reading this horrifying account of the life of mass murderer Jack Unterweger, reminded me of the parole and subsequent incarceration of Jack Henry Abbott. You may recall that author Norman Mailer championed Abbott's cause and was instrumental in helping the convict gain freedom. The day before his book, In the Belly of the Beast, was reviewed in the NY Times, Abbott stabbed a waiter to death in a Manhattan restaurant. Unterweger had been jailed for the brutal rape and murder of a young girl. After writing a book, his cause for parole was taken up by the Austrian literati. He then proceeded to murder seven Austrian prostitutes, one in Prague and three in LA, all the while, making friends with the police, writing books and producing plays. Unterweger was incredibly narcissistic, sadistic and a sexual predator. The author painstakingly reconstructs the investigation from Austria, Prague and LA often jumping back and forth in time. It was not easy to bring all these threads together to form a cohesive whole, but I believe he did a fine job. This book is not for the squeamish, but should prove impossible to put down for readers of serial killers and also crime buffs.

John Leake's Entering Hades is a great true crime book. First of all, it gets directly to the point. A dead body is discovered on page one! (Don't worry, there will be no more spoilers below. Instead, in this review, I'll concentrate on the author's ability and style, rather than the grisly details of the murders he describes.) Of foremost importance is the fact that the true-life characters come across as real people. The sociopathic killer indeed proves to be sadistic and evil, but he's shown to be an artist and to have a vulnerable side, as well. The police, judges, survivors, and would-be victims all have distinct personalities. At times, the narrative is concise: "A serial killer gets paroled, starts murdering again a few months later, and at the same time publishes a book (Dungeon) with a description of his modus operandi [p. 195]." This one sentence condenses the entire story. At other times, it's incredibly detailed, delving into minutiae that must have been difficult to uncover. And, thank God, the author translates all of the German words for his English speaking audience. The easy way to write a true crime book is to rely exclusively on court testimony, newspaper reports of witnesses, and recorded confessions (viz. The Killing of Sharon Tate, the first book published about Susan Atkins, Tex Watson, and Charles Manson). Leake uses these methods when appropriate, but it's quite obvious that the depths to which he pursues his research are profound. He even obtained access to the killer's lost/secret diary that wasn't available during the trial. The story ends just as appropriately as it begins. The drama doesn't linger after the main player leaves the stage. I do have one complaint from the viewpoint of literary style. The author (or editor) loses a few points for breaking up the narrative into so many tiny chapters - 91 in total! The result can lead to a choppy reading experience at times. Also, the timeline is not presented in an absolutely chronological manner, but that's really not so much of a problem. Perhaps the highest praise I can give the book is the fact that I've bought three extra copies to give to friends who love the true crime genre. So far, from what they've said, they have enjoyed their reading, as well. In my estimation, the author has earned an A- and I look forward to reading his next book.

Fascinating true story, beautifully told by John Leake. Excellent research and mesmerizing tale of our times. Absorbing and thought provoking! It's the one you can't put down.

Let me say,I have read countless murder mysteries in my year of reviewing, and many of them centered around serial killers, but to read a story such as this was downright creepy. Of course that is what made such a good read. We meet Jack Unterweger, a celebrated author, likeable man, good friend to many and lover of women, when he wasn't killing them that is. Deep inside of this man was a monster, and one that could hide its hideous self and charm his way into many hearts to continue his own evil desires. Unterweger was a ruthless killer who evaded police, fooled friends, and taunted relatives of his victims murdered at his own hands. This book is an in-depth look at the life of this man, those he interacted with, those he killed. You will be amazed at the cunning way he weaved himself around those in his life. The way he used them, abused them, manipulated them, and freely lived among them. Amazing! Very well written, gripping, and filled with research that brings out hair-raising details of events. Quite a read! You wonder how many other Unterwegers' are among us?

Scores of books are published every year about serial killers; this book stands out in a burgeoning genre with its uncommon depth of research, the quality of the writing, and its subject matter - a confounding serial killer who was so much more complex than the usual man of his ilk. Unterweger was a serial murderer who targeted prostitutes in several countries, from Europe to the U.S. He was also a celebrated man of letters in his native Austria. The incongruities are fascinating. But what really held me to the book was the description of Unterweger's amazing personality. He wasn't a salivating, half-mad stalker-slash-slayer. His life revolved around pleasing - and sometimes killing - women. He was the consummate, the ultimate manipulator. The author spoke at length with many women seduced by Jack. They stayed with him for a night, some for a season. Some moved halfway across the world for him, on his whim. Some trusted him enough to go into the woods with him.... How did he do it? This is an eye-opening story for anyone who has ever wasted a few days, or even weeks, or (did you let it go on that long?) 9 1/2 weeks with a psychopathic playboy. It's much better (and maybe nearly as exciting) to read books about men like this than encounter one, unprepared, in the wild. Five stars. Head and shoulders above the usual serial killer fare.