2008 Woodie Awards
Analyzing the mind of a killer
Book review
Michael Brown
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: City Style
LBCC student Dr. Vonda Pelto's book "Without Remorse," is an unflinching look into her experience psycho-analyzing some of Los Angeles' most widely known serial killers.
"Remorse," which was released in August on Seven Locks Press in Santa Ana, gives readers a voyeuristic glimpse into the inner workings of a killers mind.
Vivid in detail and uncompromising in its depictions, "Remorse," written by Pelto based on notes she took during her tenure as a psychologist, is a raw and uncut narrative about her experiences while employed in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail.
Written in profane and gory detail, Pelto pulls no punches throughout the course of "Remorse" as she discusses everything ranging from her relationships with the killers to her home life.
Written over the past several years while Pelto was enrolled in teacher Frank Gaspar's English 27E novel writing class, Pelto said the book was deliberately formatted in a way so potential readers would not only gain insight into some of the heinous crimes the killers committed, but gain an introspective look into her personality and what led her to devote several years of her life to the jail.
She added, "In its rough draft, the book was actually more harsh. It's graphic due to the situation I was in when I detailed my experience. These guys were the worst of the worst and that's the only way I could have told this story."
The worst included the likes of the Hillside Stranglers, Freeway Killers, Trash Bag Murderers, Sunset Strip Killers and others. All gained notoriety during the early 1980s in Los Angeles for collectively killing more than 100 people.
Pelto was hired after Vernon Butts, of the Freeway Killers, committed suicide while awaiting trial, which embarrassed the district attorney.
Her job was to gauge the mental stability of the killers and keep them alive.
Her life and former career are juxtaposed next to each other varying from chapter-to-chapter through the book's 356 pages.
"Remorse," which was released in August on Seven Locks Press in Santa Ana, gives readers a voyeuristic glimpse into the inner workings of a killers mind.
Vivid in detail and uncompromising in its depictions, "Remorse," written by Pelto based on notes she took during her tenure as a psychologist, is a raw and uncut narrative about her experiences while employed in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail.
Written in profane and gory detail, Pelto pulls no punches throughout the course of "Remorse" as she discusses everything ranging from her relationships with the killers to her home life.
Written over the past several years while Pelto was enrolled in teacher Frank Gaspar's English 27E novel writing class, Pelto said the book was deliberately formatted in a way so potential readers would not only gain insight into some of the heinous crimes the killers committed, but gain an introspective look into her personality and what led her to devote several years of her life to the jail.
She added, "In its rough draft, the book was actually more harsh. It's graphic due to the situation I was in when I detailed my experience. These guys were the worst of the worst and that's the only way I could have told this story."
The worst included the likes of the Hillside Stranglers, Freeway Killers, Trash Bag Murderers, Sunset Strip Killers and others. All gained notoriety during the early 1980s in Los Angeles for collectively killing more than 100 people.
Pelto was hired after Vernon Butts, of the Freeway Killers, committed suicide while awaiting trial, which embarrassed the district attorney.
Her job was to gauge the mental stability of the killers and keep them alive.
Her life and former career are juxtaposed next to each other varying from chapter-to-chapter through the book's 356 pages.
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