Anyone You Want Me to Be: A True Story of Sex and Death on the Internet - Softcover

Douglas, John; Singular, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0743448804 ISBN 13: 9780743448802

Publisher: Pocket Star, 2004

Synopsis

A profile of the world's first known Internet serial killer seeks to demonstrate how mainstream Americans can become victims of cybercrime, explains the psychological factors of physically devoid online relationships, and how the case reflects a growing pattern of Internet sex and violence. Reprint.

About this title

Review:

The Internet has made many enterprises easier since its rise to popularity in the mid-90s: book sales, personal correspondence, and, in the case of John Robinson, serial murder. Even before he ever went online, Robinson had forged a life consistent with a killer's profile. Despite being fired and arrested numerous times for fraud and theft, he wriggled out of serious trouble thanks to a smooth charm and cunning intelligence. For decades, Robinson's more sinister activities escaped the notice of nearly everyone, including law enforcement and, incredibly, his own wife. But what makes Robinson's story, as told here by John Douglas and Stephen Singular, uniquely disturbing is the presence of the World Wide Web and the ease with which a murderer can use it. Online, Robinson frequented chat rooms and sites dedicated to the lurid underground world of bondage and sadomasochism. In this anonymous space, he was free to assume honey-tongued new identities that he used to lure women, especially those in vulnerable situations, to Kansas with promises of employment, protection, or sex. Their subsequent disappearances were explained away with letters that appeared to be written by the victims but were actually typed by the killer on pieces of paper the women had previously signed. Ultimately, dogged law enforcement officials were able to catch up with Robinson and put him on trial after finding gruesome evidence of his deeds. While they are skilled true-crime writers, Douglas and Singular occasionally stray into hyperbole, which is far from necessary given the elements already present in Robinson’s horrifying story. It is likely that any reader will walk a little more warily by their computer after reading this book and getting an idea of who might be hiding behind a given nickname. --John Moe

About the Author:

John Douglas was the founder and head of the FBI's Investigative Support Unit, which was formed in 1980. He retired from the Bureau after twenty-five years of service. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books on criminal profiling, including The Cases That Haunt Us, The Anatomy of Motive, Obsession, Journey into Darkness, Unabomber, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Mindhunter, as well as the novels Man Down and Broken Wings -- all available from Pocket Books.

Visit his website at www.johndouglasmindhunter.com.

Stephen Singular has authored or coauthored seventeen previous books, including numerous New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestsellers. His titles include Presumed Guilty: An Investigation into the JonBenet Ramsey Case, the Media, and the Culture of Pornography; and Anyone You Want Me to Be: A True Story of Sex and Death on the Internet, coauthored with legendary FBI profiler John Douglas. Formerly a staff writer for the Denver Post, he lives in Denver. Visit his website at www.stephensingular.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pocket Star
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0743448804
• ISBN 13: 9780743448802
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 432