Welcome to Quill Quotes Book Club’s final discussion for American Predator! We hope you enjoyed the book. Note, this discussion covers the full book and will contain spoilers, so if you haven’t finished reading yet you may want to go back to the American Predator Book Club Summary Page for the first discussion.
Brooke’s Thoughts
This was my first true crime book but it will not be my last! I could not put it down! I found the second half a little more scary than the first half. Hearing how he randomly chose his victims really freaked me out. I am upset that we will probably never know everything though. I might have to lookup more information about the cases. Overall, I give this book a solid 4 stars.
Favorite Quote
It’s one thing to grow up in poverty. It’s another to have all the small pleasures of childhood denied.
Maureen Callahan, American Predator
Kevin’s Thoughts
Kevin didn’t join us this time but he will join us again next month!
American Predator Final Discussion Prompts/Questions
Feel free to comment whatever thoughts and questions you have! But if you aren’t sure where to start, consider some of the prompts/questions below:
- Do you think Isreal Keyes lied or exaggerated to the police about the things that he did?
- Do you think he ever would have told the FBI or anyone everything?
- How many people do you believe Israel Keyes murdered?
- Do you think the skulls represented 12 victims with himself being the last one?
- Nature vs Nurture: Which do you think contributed to the way he was more?
- Share a favorite quote!
Commenting
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We hope you enjoy this discussion and join us again next month!
I have read true crime and this one was the first I read about a serial killer and I was fascinated. I liked the way this book made you understand how hard it is to interrogate a murderer suspect and get information from them. It was very scary how he randomly picked victims and left no trace. I really wish they could have found all his victims so families could have closure or at least know where they were buried or put in lake or burned just knowing what happened would be helpful. It was so annoying he was able to kill himself I think maybe eventually someone could get him to talk more of his crimes. I wonder if he murdered more than 12 I’m not sure what the 12 skulls meant I thought 12 years of killing but I don’t remember his age and no one knows when he started.
I liked your favorite quote Brooke, I also liked “Not all psychopaths are serial killers, but all serial killers are psychopaths.”
Nurture vs nature is a tough question I think it has to be a combination of things when someone becomes evil. This is another book about how much we don’t understand about the human mind, and why people do evil things.
Yeah, the interrogation was nothing like the shows or the movies.
I agree, I wish more families were able to get closure.
He died under strange circumstances so I wonder if they let him commit suicide or not.
I thought he mentioned 14 years ago things changed for him so it could have been that he was killing for 12 years which is a horrifying thought.
I really liked that quote too! I almost went with that one!
I agree it has to be some of both because we read Educated and she grew up under similar circumstances to him and she went on to get her Phd.