During the 1970s and 1980s, the City of Los Angeles became home to some of the most notorious serial killers in American history. Serial murder was not a new concept, but the Robbery Homicide Division of the Los Angeles Police Department had its hands full as death spread across the City of Angels. Among these notorious killers were two cousins originally from Rochester, New York, who turned Los Angeles into a hunting ground and became known to the public as the Hillside Stranglers. Angelo Buono, Jr. (1934-2002) and Kenneth Bianci unleashed a wave of terror across Southern California as they lived out their sadistic fantasies. Their convictions and imprisonment were a relief to the people of Los Angeles, but their story is more extensive than the infamous crimes. Award-winning author Darcy O’Brien looks at the story in this book that is chilling, haunting, and true crime at its best.

Before continuing, readers should be aware that the descriptions of crimes committed by Buono and Bianci by the author are graphic and will be upsetting to readers sensitive to true crime material. I winced several times as I read the details of their crime spree, and I typically have a strong constitution regarding the subject matter. Franky, the story is not for everyone. But I also understood that the severity of their crimes could not have been told any other way and the text by O’Brien drives that point home. The real-life events which transpired across Los Angeles were far more brutal in nature and I can only imagine the terror and physical pain the victims felt at the hands of the merciless killers. At one point it felt as if the two were invincible, but the LAPD assigned its best to the case and the two detectives who stand out in the story are storied investigators Frank Salerno and Bob Grogan. The case would prove to haunt everyone involved, and Grogan’s life goes through a transformation of its own as the book progresses. But at no point does he waver in his determination to catch the murderers. 

In between the crime spree and detectives’ investigation, we also learn the back stories of Buono and Bianci. Their roots are in my home state of New York, but their crimes consumed the West Coast. The dysfunction of both, combined with criminal activity and psychopathic tendencies, set the stage for the darkness to engulf Los Angeles. Buono’s life is nothing short of mind-bending, and Bianci’s was not much better. I soon realized that they were dangerous many years before the string of murders. In the beginning of the book Buono is residing by himself and Bianci later joins him after moving to the West Coast. And what develops is a co-dependence which functions on anarchy. It would have deadly consequences for the young women of Southern California. 

The story of their crimes is shocking enough but added to this is that both fathered children of their own. And that casts an even darker cloud over the story which descends into further insanity with each passing crime. But a decision by Bianci to leave the Los Angeles area after detectives begin to suspect the two, would have life-altering consequences for the two and prove to be the first stage of failure of the Hillside Stranglers. Seeking to reconcile with the mother of his son, Bianci relocated to Bellingham, Washington. At first, there seems to be the sense that he has found a new life and escaped justice. But as we soon see, Bianci was nowhere close to reformation and soon turned Bellingham upside down and caught the attention of the LAPD.

Once the investigation heats up, the graphic descriptions of the crimes begin to subside. The focus shifts to police work and this part of the book pulled me in as Grogan and other homicide detectives begin to piece together the disturbing actions of Buono and Bianci, the latter of which helps blow the case open. But before that happens, a charade of multiple personalities takes place with the added component of a stolen identity. Added to the circus is the groupie Veronica Compton, who landed an extensive prison sentence of her down due to unwavering devotion to the incarcerated Bianci. The story is surreal and makes one wonder how people become enamored with the darkest segments of society. 

Buono’s subsequent arrest and the trial of both consume the remainder of the book, and it is also a roller coaster ride. The actions by the district attorney, defense counsel and even a juror left me wondering about the merits of the criminal justice system. However, there is a voice of reason in Judge Ronald M. George who issues a critical ruling on a motion which changed the course of the trial. And despite the evidence, prosecutors still had to prove their case which they do and secure a conviction for both. The jury had its own issues as explained in the book, and it reminded me of the problems that arise when people are sequestered for extended periods of time. As the trial reached its conclusion, I also felt relieved even though it is 2025 and I am nowhere close to Los Angeles. The book kept me glued to its pages even though I previously knew who Buono and Bianci were and was aware of other aspects of the case. While reading, I could easily picture Los Angeles and feel the suspense gripping the streets. I have previously visited the city and told my fiancé at the time that I felt a strange vibe there but could not explain it fully. Part of the feeling was that I was aware that Los Angeles has a very dark side to it.

The case of the Hillside Stranglers concluded forty-one years ago and Bianci remains in prison, but their legacy remains a haunting reminder of the dangers which lurk all around us necessitating vigilance and the dedication of the people of law enforcement. Hollywood has attempted to capture the crimes of the stranglers for the silver screen with both a television drama called ‘The Case of Hillside Stranglers‘ (1989) and motion picture called ‘The Hillside Strangler‘ (2004), but their story, as told here, will stay with you long after you have finished this book.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KQZY3LQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (July 1, 2014)