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Summary: A mask beneath a mask.
Comment: Over thirty years have passed since the notorious self-styled 'Zodiac' killer murdered at least five - and perhaps as many as thirty-seven - people in California. The case remains unsolved and is perhaps the greatest murder mystery since the case of Jack The Ripper. After the murders the Zodiac taunted both the police and the victims' relatives in letters and phone calls. Many of the letters contained ciphers which were designed either to give clues as to his identity - or perhaps simply to lead the police on a wild goose chase. The letters also warned of further attacks, including threats - which thankfully never materialized - to use bombs and to kill schoolchildren.
In 'Zodiac Unmasked' - the sequel to 'Zodiac' - Robert Graysmith, former political cartoonist for The San Francisco Chronicle, presents the reader with a summary of the case against the man who remains in many people's minds the prime suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen. Allen died of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 58. He was a convicted child molester, a former schoolteacher and navy man, a skilled hunter, diver and marksman, and had a good knowledge of cryptopgraphy. He had an IQ of 136. He was present in the vicinities of each of the crimes at the times when they were committed. During a hunting excursion he had eerily suggested to friends shortly before the killings began that he might like to hunt human beings and that if he chose to do so he would call himself 'The Zodiac'. When police interviewed him they noticed he was wearing a Zodiac watch.
This is compelling stuff. Whilst the case raised against Allen is not decisive the evidence does strongly suggest that he was, in fact, the killer. No charges were made, however, and the case remains a subject of much speculation.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Zodiac Unmasked
Comment: This is the chilling true story of a mass murderer who killed many people in San Fransisco. Going by the name 'Zodiac' he wrote letters to San Fran PD and Press with taunting clues to his identity and his next moves. His demands to have ciphers printed in newspapers became trademark. It was at one of these newspapers author Robert Graysmith worked at the time. He gives a convincing account, using his first hand knowledge, of who he believes to be the Zodiac Killer, Arthur Leigh Allen. This book details an overwhelming amount of evidence to back up Graysmiths theories, and includes interviews with families of victims, detectives who worked the case for many years, and the suspect himself. Also included are the authors own collection of never before seen photographs dipicting crime scenes, all of Zodiacs correspodence and pictures of Allen. This book is intense, but is made a lot easier if you have read Graysmiths first book on the subject, entitled 'Zodiac'. This book is best approached with an open mind as no-one has ever been convivted of these crimes, making the case one of the greastest mysteries of all time.
Graysmith does a great job of including every relevant piece of information, but leaves you to piece the evidence together in your own way.
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