Possible Triggers: Graphic Real-Life Murders & Investigation
The Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti area of Southeastern Michigan was in turmoil over a series of unbelievable murders in 1960. Most of the coed victims were from Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti) and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). The seven victims, ranged in age from thirteen to twenty-three. All were abducted, raped, tortured, and murdered by a killer who used the same m.o., but different. though similar dump sites. The killer's primary "hunting ground" was Michigan's Washtenaw County, although one of his victims was murdered in California. Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti is about an hour and half from where I live now...but at the time of the murders we lived in Florida, but my husband's sister lived in Jackson, Michigan...about an hour closer to Ann Arbor. The murders were almost all the news the TV stations in the entire state carried for weeks. Through no fault of their own, the police were ill prepared to work this case as the term "serial killer" didn't have the same weight of meaning in the 1960's as it does today. Also, in the early 1960's DNA profiling didn't exist, plus the detectives had no real -life conception of what they were dealing with, except that they were looking for a dangerous and "sick" individual. The teams grew to include six separate police agencies that were working the murders, but they didn't begin to coordinate their efforts or to see a pattern to the killings until after the discovery of the third victim. The killer, John Norman Collins was a student at Eastern Michigan University where, according to the author, he met many of his victims. This book takes us into the lives of his victims and also into their horrible deaths. The police, most especially Washtenaw County Sheriff Harvey do not always come out looking efficient and well-coordinated, although he was dealing with something he had no previous working knowledge of. The author is fair, and the reader is left to make their own judgement. We go through the trial and the sentencing of the killer. This killer is 78 years old today...still alive and... incarcerated in the Marquette Branch Prison in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, while his victims have rested in their graves for more than half a century. ( )

During 1967 to 1969, a string of horrific murders took place in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan. All the victims were girls in their teens and 20s. And all the murders had other similarities as well. A serial killer was loose in the area, and THE MICHIGAN MURDERS is the story of his apprehension.

We see the frustration of the police as more and more murders happen and they are unable to find the murderer. One newspaper even refers to them as the Keystone Cops.

A 22-year-old rookie policeman’s report marks the beginning of their focus on one young man. He’s a handsome guy, athletic-looking, and a motorcycle enthusiast. It’s easy to see why girls would want to trust this stranger.

This story is true with the exception of many of the names. This was Edward Keyes‘ effort in 1976 to protect many of the people presented in this book. Nowadays, though, we have the Internet. It’s easy to look up. You can find updates and lots of pictures on the there, along with everyone’s real name. ( )

Reviewed on Lit/Rant: https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/same-as-it-never-was/content?oid=21399965 ( )

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Sue Roberts's review Jun 12, 2016 · edit
really liked it
Read on June 12, 2016

I was a college student in Detroit in the late 60s when John Norman Collins committed several gruesome murders of college co-ends in the Ann Arbor area near Detroit. He was found guilty in 1970 and is still incarcerated in prison in Michigan. I remember very well that the female college were very careful and very scared during the time period that he was killing women. When I saw this book was available, I decided to read it again to remember that era. (Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.). It was interesting to read how the police solved the murders in the day before DNA evidence and to be reminded of life in the 60s. ( )

When I chose this book to read, I didn't realize it is a republication of a book written in 1976. I'd assumed it was a current writing of an old crime. This added an interesting perspective, having been written much closer to the period of time when the murders took place.

I have to say that I don't understand the author's need to use pseudonyms rather than the real names of the killer and victims. These crimes are certainly not a secret, and a tiny bit of research will immediately give you all the real names. While there was no Google in 1976, there certainly is now, so keeping these pseudonyms in place is truly pointless. I admit to being irritated by this aspect. If I'm reading true crime, I expect to know who the real people are.

The writing itself is conversational and easy to follow. We're given a chronology of events. I found the content heavy on some details, such as day-to-day activities and the minutiae of the separate investigations, but light on details about the crimes themselves. This might be, in part, a reflection of the times, since this book was written 40 years ago. But I also think it's the author's choice, in much the same way he chose to protect identities of the people involved.

The story is fascinating, in that dark and disturbing way of true crime. The young man who is the killer had an entire community fooled. The author doesn't ever give us a good understanding of how the killer managed to lure these otherwise smart and cautious young women to go along with him. I felt something was missing, whether that was in understanding the true nature of the girls or in understanding the killer. Still, it's a complex story that, all these years later, remains a lesson in human nature.

*I want to note that the Kindle version opens automatically to Chapter One, or at least it did for me. If you go backward, you'll find the 'Author Preface', which helps explain the author's approach in writing this book. I don't know why Kindle books often open to a specific place aside from the first page, but it's easy to miss author notes and prefaces this way.*

**I was provided with an advance ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.** ( )