First off THANK YOU! to Netgalley & Penzler Publishers | Crime Ink for my ARC digital of The Serial Killer's Apprentice.

A psychological examination of the blurred line between victim and accomplice—and how a killer can be created.

BRAVO!!!! I devoured this book in 2 settings! This was so detailed and fascinating to read. My jaw was literally on the floor the entire time. I cannot believe this case is not widely known or discussed more. This was such a great read!

While the subject matter is very heavy and at times, hard to read, it was so well written and definitely will be one I recommend to other true crime fans.

First, thank you to Penzler Publishers for this eGalley. While I found the premise of the book fascinating, I have a feeling that I might have liked this book more if I hadn't read it using the NetGalley Shelf App. It was clunky and cumbersome, hard to look through the pages, and glitchy.

As for the book, however, I found myself desperate for some endnotes. Several moments were a bit hard to follow or hard to delineate between chronology, so either a timeline or a series of endnotes would have helped enormously. Especially during the discussions of psychology terminology, I wanted to see which source these definitions came from. Knowing whether definitions came from either the DSM IV or V would be enormously helpful. A compelling tale, but one that needed more structure for me.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

"The Serial Killer's Apprentice" delves into one of the most unsettling cases in true crime history with an intriguing perspective. Ramsland and Ullman present a professionally written narrative that intricately weaves together the experiences of victims, their families, the community, and the perpetrators. The book evokes a range of emotions, from anxiety to heartbreak, as it delves into the horrifying details of the crimes.

One aspect that stands out is the thoroughness of the research, which is evident throughout the narrative. The authors meticulously examine the Candyman case and delve deep into the psyche of the individuals involved. While the focus on Henley and the initial case dominates the first half of the book, the latter half provides a broader exploration of serial sexual predators and their accomplices.

However, it must be acknowledged that the subject matter makes for a challenging read. The emotional weight of the content, particularly the descriptions of torture and premature deaths, is palpable. Despite this difficulty, the book remains compelling and well-written, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the disturbing realities of serial crime.

This book was CLEARLY heavily researched and was very well written. The author dove deep into the psychological aspect of being an apprentice which I appreciated. This was a difficult read for me due to content but it was also profound.

This book explores the psychological mind of a serial killer. The subject matter gets pretty intense at times. It was very thoroughly researched and very well-organized. It was about a killer that I knew little about, so I appreciated how much was included in the making of this book.

Delve into the chilling tale of Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., the young apprentice to notorious serial killer Dean Corll, in Katherine Ramsland's riveting true crime narrative, "The Serial Killer's Apprentice." Ramsland masterfully examines the blurred boundaries between victim and accomplice, offering a harrowing exploration of how a killer can be created.

In 1971, Henley, just fourteen years old, found himself ensnared in Corll's web of violence and manipulation. Drawn into a world of depravity, Henley became complicit in Corll's heinous crimes, luring young boys to their deaths in exchange for cash. As the body count rose, Henley grappled with the moral consequences of his actions, ultimately taking matters into his own hands and ending Corll's reign of terror.

Ramsland's narrative goes beyond the shocking details of the murders, delving into the psychology of Henley's transformation from unwitting accomplice to cold-blooded killer. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Ramsland exposes the failures of law enforcement and the devastating impact of Corll's crimes on the Houston community.

"The Serial Killer's Apprentice" is a gripping and thought-provoking exploration of evil, redemption, and the complexities of human nature. Ramsland's compelling narrative sheds light on the darkest corners of the human psyche while offering insight into the mechanisms of manipulation and control. A must-read for true crime enthusiasts, this book is a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking within society's shadows.

This book by Tracy Ullman and Katherine Ramsland follows up on the infamous killings by Dean Corll in the Candyman Murders of Texas in 1972 and 1973. It’s a more in-depth look at the killings and the roles that David Brooks and Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. played in luring and killing teen boys. It remains a shocking tale that would never have been ended if it weren’t for Henley’s killing of Corll, and his statements to authorities about where bodies were buried.

Detailed and fascinating account of a serial killer and his young accomplices. One of the most shocking things for me is that this is not a case I’ve previously been aware of despite how prolific the killer was and how shocking the circumstances.
The detail is excellent and told from the perspective of the accomplices and how they were groomed (as we would not recognise)
There is good background of the young accomplices and their early lives and difficulties and an excellent investigative description into the key factors which made them vulnerable and exploration into how this can be picked up upon, recognised and prevented. The original statements and some insightful diagrams and analysis of the victims ages etc are included for a good all round picture of the crimes. I also feel that the victims and their families were respected and the details sensitively handled. Definitely food for thought on how nature and nurture could’ve created these circumstances and also worryingly eye opening on how easily potential victims can be groomed, including the young accomplices in this situation. Not an easy read with regard to the subject matter but very well written. Recommend.

As always, Katherine Ramsland shows to be wildly intelligent and understand these depraved killers better than almost anyone else. You can tell this was heavily researched. I don't have anything profound to say but this was a really interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This is a great read if your into trying to get into the mind of a killer. I find it fascinating how he got sucked into doing what he did. Well written and very thorough!

3/5 I really enjoyed the content provided and that it goes into a deeper psychological view of an accomplice, more so than seen before. This book also includes witness statements, actual personal interviews and case documents to aide in the telling of this infamous Houston serial murder case. This novel goes into the depths of the mind of teenage Elmer Wayne Henley JR. and how he was molded to aide Dean "Candyman" Corrl in the mass murder of multiple young men in Texas. I definitely recommend this book for those who enjoy true crime and those who enjoy forensic psychology as it does a good job at looking at the different psychological aspects that make an ideal "apprentice".

I’m going to say this is a 4. Throughout, I was struck by how thoroughly researched this is. While the first half of the book is very focused on the Candyman case and Henley, the second half is more important. The second half of the book provides an exhaustive and wide ranging look at serial sexual predators and their accomplices, It delves into the psyche of offenders, ways to look for pre offense behavior, and how to keep children safe. I read a lot of true crime and feel the need to warn readers that the details of Candyman and his accomplices’ crimes are nauseating to the point that I almost gave up reading. The second half goes on to place these crimes in the context of similar murders and provides analysis that was much needed. There are several appendices with pictures (nsfw) and more information about the case.

Want an entrance into the sick mind of a murderer? This book will provide the insight. Difficult to read, but it was worth it,.

We'd all like to think that this sort of crime could never happen. Especially in an area where we live. You want to know what was lacking in this young man's home and education that he could become not only an "apprentice" but bring an another young man into their circle of death. The authors have done a very good job of scaring the crap out of the reader as they reveal how easy it would be to hide evil in a community. This is a book that will raise many discussions and cause at least this reader to look at my neighbors differently.

I truly live this book! The candy man is not a case I was ever much interested in but the author I have been which influenced my decision to read this book. Also assistants were not persons I gave thought to either. This book changed my mind. Full of information and data this book is a must read for truecrime junkies!!!!!

I received a free copy of, The Serial Killer's Apprentice, by Katherine Ramsland; Tracy Ullman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Elmer Henley was 14 when he met Dean Corll, a truly horrible man. Elmer helped the serial killer lure in boys. This book was so hard to read at times. The poor innocent murdered boys and their families is who I feel sorry for.

Dean Corll aka The Candy Man is a case I'm not too familiar with and knowing all the facts beforehand isn't necessary whilst reading this book.

The Serial Killers Apprentice takes a dive into Corll's crimes whilst mainly focusing on the two boys he lured into his heinous acts. It also references other killers who had commited similar crimes.

This story is quite conflicting as there's moments of feeling sorry for Henley but at the same time he was complicit in so much of the horrors.

This book shows that the police failed massively when it came to the missing teens as they had quite a laxed attitude.

This book has clearly been thoroughly researched so is a great read for true crime fans.

An exciting thriller read with twists that keep you guessing till the end! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

A lot of research and interviews went into the making of this book by Katherine Ramsland and investigative journalist Tracey Ullman. The Serial Killer’s Apprentice details the “Candy Man” murders from 1973 in Houston, Texas. The authors were able to interview the only “apprentice” who remains alive today.

Before John Wayne Gacy there was Dean Corll known as the “Candy Man” by kids in the Houston area. He recruited two teenagers to assist in bringing him other teenagers, even some of their friends, to be sexually assaulted and killed. Until one of the accomplices, Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., killed Corll when he was 17 years old. The second accomplice has since passed away but the authors were able to speak with Henley about the murders and his participation.

The book is not an account of the victims and their lives, the theme is more to explain the crime and the psychology of the perpetrator and the accomplices. The authors explain how someone can become such a heinous predator and how they groom an accomplice. From there, the authors describe how the accomplice would assist the predator in their crime and keep it secret. While they are describing the possible reasons for these behaviors, they weave the murders in while correlating the behaviors to other crimes during the 1970s. They do a great job of giving topical information about the 1970s to give more structure to the story. They give very insightful theories but some of the technical jargon can be a bit dry and there is definitely a bias placed on Henley. The authors paint him as a tragic figure and use psychology to back up their sympathetic tone towards him. The book is fact driven and to the point. The descriptions of the murders can make even a true crime lover queasy.

They also expand upon new research from 2010 that uncovered a sex trafficking ring that was operating in the area which Corll may have been a part of. Something Henley had alluded to during his arrest. They do a great job of correcting misinformation that the press manipulated, mistakes made by the medical examiner when he identified the bodies, negligence by the police at the time of the murders and then round it all out by providing updates from this past year. It’s definitely an insightful read on the psychology of a serial murderer and how it is that they can convince others to help them and keep the crimes a secret.

Thank you to Penzler Publishers and Crime Ink for this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book brings up a very interesting question. What happens to the "accomplice" when they started as a victim but ended up causing alot of harm. It talks about how Huston became the murder capital of the world. These teen boys slowly let the police in on this secret web of depravity and the police have to figure out what to do.
I definitely was so torn when I was reading. Like yes they were victims but they were also perpetrators. They were taken in young and didn't have the best life. But that is not an excuse. It was heartbreaking all around