Lethal Intent

by Sue Russell

As a child, she was abandoned, abused and raped. By her teens, she was deep into a lifestyle of hitchhiking, petty crime, and the sex trade. In her twisted mind, uncontrollable bouts of violence were pure survival skills.

In 1986 she began a lesbian relationship with Tyria Moore. Three years later, tired of turning tricks, she fired four bullets into one of her clients--then robbed him. She claimed she killed six more victims before authorities finally locked her behind bars.

Award-winning journalist Sue Russell updates her harrowing and definitive real-life thriller with new details of the most famous female serial killer's decade on death row, her execution in 2002--and the lasting impact of her dark deeds.

The case that inspired the Academy Awarding-winning movie Monster

With 16 Pages Of Photos

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Biography, Serial Killer, Mystery

556 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 1992

About the author

Sue Russell is an award-winning journalist and author who writes about crime, criminal justice, forensic science, health, and just about everything under the sun. Sue is the author of "Lethal Intent", a biography of executed serial killer Aileen Wuornos (new edition released Dec. 2013) and co-author, with artist Elizabeth Williams, of "The Illustrated Courtroom: 50 Years of Court Art."

"The Illustrated Courtroom," which features the work of five award-winning artists from trials spanning five decades, has won a dozen awards and honors. Among them: the 2016 Eric Hoffer Book Award, Best in Academic Press and two 2015 eLit gold medals. It also was named to the Times Literary Supplement's "Books of the Year 2014" and to Kirkus Reviews' "Best Books 2014." It's 10x8, in color and has 140 illustrations.

This keepsake book features artwork from more than 40 high profile trials with defendants ranging from the Black Panthers, Jack Ruby, Charles Manson, David Berkowitz (the 'Son of Sam') and Patty Hearst on up to Michael Jackson, Mohammed Salameh, the 1993 World Trade Center bomber, and Bernard Madoff.

Reviews

[Annie ˖ ࣪✦: * ˚ ✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩*ೃ 4

This book was so heartbreaking…I’ve heard of Aileen Wuoros, but have never heard her backstory and it’s safe to say I definitely think she’s a victim. This book was so interesting and had so much information. A very detailed in depth book. Happy reading!! 🤍📖

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prior to reading this book my only exposure to Aileen Wuernos was Biography and American Justice on A&E. I found the book both informative and heartbreaking. One wonders how Aileen could have become anything other than what she turned out to be. It seems that from them moment of her birth to her execution she was on a collision course with disaster. After reading this book I have no desire to see "Monster". I don't feel that anymore can be said, or that it could be said better than it was done in this book. If you are interested in Aileen Wuernos' life rather than the sensationalism her crimes became, then I highly recommend this book.

[Jlsimon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russell does an excellent job in covering the background and history of Aileen Wuornos. She covers the mitigating factors that might have contributed to Aileen/Lee becoming who and what she was, a serial killer.

There is not enough empirical data on female serial killers. As a result it is difficult to analyze her with any certainty, but Russell consulted and interviewed psychologists who did work with Wuornos. The consensus is that she falls into the guidelines established by expert Robert Hare who developed the standards for an individual with a borderline personality disorder. This diagnosis would be likely, but sociopath is not a legal defense for murder.

From Russell's research we can conclude Wuornos knew the difference between right and wrong. She justified her actions by convincing herself and others that her actions were self defense.

I would recommend this book for anyone who likes true crime novels, or like myself likes to analyze the psychological profiles of individuals like Wuornos, Bundy, Radar, Ridgeway, and so on.

[JubJub · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-researched book that provides more information regarding Wournos' background, and, importantly, the background of her victims, which is usually omitted in news accounts. Information on the victims helped to show them as real people, most of whom would not have been clients of Wournos, as is commonly and breifly reported in the media, but merely giving her a helping hand by driving her about. The book also delves into Wournos' childhood, which was pretty terrible, and gives some insight into her warped character. Although Wournos deserves the ultimate blame for her own actions, the seeds of her destruction and of her victims were sown early in her childhood by her own family, who at best neglected her, and at worst abused her. Her biological mother abanonded Wournos twice to her own parents, whom she later admitted were abusive, and hinted that her own father "may have" molested her.

How on earth could Wournos' family have been unaware that she was a prostitute from age 11 or 12, and refuse phychological help for her, even when the school suggested it? Wournos had overt and severe problems, but everybody just turned a blind eye.

Parts of the book are rather long-winded, and could have been written more concisely. Additionally, the writing style also makes some sections of this book a little difficult to understand.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am quite disappointed by this book. Granted, I wanted the information and not to be entertained, but this was almost unreadable. The plot was all over the place- one would think a real live report would have some semblance of order. Not so. We flipped back and forth from people to murders to other people, to shrinks, and even flipped around what year we were in. Way above (or below) my paygrade. What I had been looking for was an accurate account of both sides of the Aileen Wuornos story, and I got neither.

[Michelle Zearing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and very engaging. Let my room-mate borrow it as well and she isn't an avid reader like me but she is enjoying it.

[Harry Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and intensely focused, this account of Wuournos and her murders is riveting. Kudos to author Sue Russell for a terrific presentation, it is good to see this one back in print as a True Crime Classic. Now let's get a Kindle version out there, too.

Merged review:

A terrific job, carefully researched and presented. Author Sue Russell has become an expert on Wuornos, her life and crimes. Highly recommended.

[Andrea Corley · Rating 1 out of 5]

For a more in depth review, please visit my blog, Chorley Chronicals

I just have to start out by saying that I have never in my life rating a book a 1-star book, and it absolutely kills me to do so, but I have to admit that it was probably the most painful book that I will ever force myself to complete, and that's what it was, total force!

I was quite excited to read this because after watching the movie monster, it was a subject that caught my attention! But once I got started reading, I quickly realized that it was going to be difficult to finish this horrendously long novel! I also quickly realized that there was so much unnecessary banter going on throughout the whole book! Sue Russell could have cut this book in half, if she would have left out all of the things that weren't necessary to get the point across. I felt that the story drug on throughout the entire book, without concise thoughts! I felt like there was way too much going on in each and every chapter and that they were all over the place. I recall one chapter I was reading where it was talking about Aileen when she was 16 then it went back to when she was younger, then when she was older than 16. It just did not flow smoothly at all.

This book had such potential because Aileen Wuornos is quite the subject to write about, but I believe that this book was an epic failure!! I really wanted so much more for it and from it and didn't get either! Given that the book was just published, I would have seriously thought that there would have been some information about Aileen's execution, but the book just stopped after her trials. With all the extra stuff that was included that could have been left out, I would have thought at least the whole entire story would have been told, but it wasn't.

On an upper note, I do think that Sue Russell really did devote to extreme research and really had the facts straight on Aileen and her life, I just felt that she didn't do the best job of putting that together in a story format. There was just no semblance of order! When a dear friend asked me what I thought about it, I told her that I felt like I was reading the world's worst and longest research paper! I do think that Sue Russell was her own worst enemy, when it comes to this book! I don't think that ALL of the research that she found, needed to be included. It almost felt like the information was put together as she found it, rather than it being compiled in a timeline like format!

I have this thing that once I start a book, I just do not want to give up on it and just want to see it through until the end, so I felt somewhat obligated to finish this book, although most people would have tossed it (and have based on many other reviews!) after the first chapter! I'm not sure if the author just isn't an experienced writer, or maybe isn't experienced in writing biographies, but I'm sure that this isn't her best work! There aren't many books that I can say that I just straight out did not like, nor have I EVER rated a book a 1 star, but I just couldn't find any love in any crevice of my body for this book! I hate that I had to give it such a low rating, however, I've NEVER had such difficulty in finishing and lack of enjoyment in a book...EVER!

[Emily G. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely informative and well-written. It swiftly became one of my favourite true crime books. You can see how much work Sue Russell put into bringing us an accurate story. It genuinely makes you look at Aileen Wuornos in a different light. Due to the erroneous version of Aileen’s motivation as portrayed in the Hollywood blockbuster, Monster, many cannot help but feel sorry for Aileen and in a way, feel as though the men deserved what they got. People tend to forget that these men were innocent. They’re often lumped together as “John’s” purely because Aileen was a sex worker. In fact, her modus operandi was to hitch a ride and claim her car had broken down and then offer sex once inside.

This book details the true motivation behind her crimes as seen at trial: greed. From a young age, Aileen believed she could buy love. She started selling sexual favours as a teenager and with this money, she would attempt to buy love and companionship: something she desperately desired but was always denied during her tragic upbringing.

While there is absolutely no denying that Aileen suffered imaginable abuse during her childhood and these events, combined with her fear of abandonment, led her down a dark path, people need to remember that the men she killed were innocent and have been completely demonised. This book is refreshing in that sense as it gives you a better understanding as to who these men were: they had children, they had wives, they had grandchildren, they had lives and people who loved them.

Lethal Intent explores Aileen’s childhood which was plagued with abuse, heartbreak and drug use from a young age. It examines the abandonment she felt throughout her life, the crimes of her father and the combination of events that led her down her self-destructive past which ultimately landed her in Florida’s execution chamber.

[Amy Invernizzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I'm fascinated by true crime but bored by reading about white dudes. Aileen has always fascinated me because she's a woman who is also a serial killer, and there aren't nearly as many examples of this as there are of male serial killers (obviously). I was looking for a book that would give me insight into her life, her background, and her crimes.

SO, my thoughts:

PROS- this book was obviously really, really well researched. The writing style was easy and accessible (some true crime books can be so dense and heavy and I didn't really feel like this one was). I got what I wanted as far as learning about her background/childhood/circumstances that probably led to her committing her crimes.

CONS- the book was... overly bloated with unnecessary information, in my opinion. Like, this was a 550+ page book that could easily have been 300 pages. There were times where I was reading page after page thinking to myself, "Is this actually necessary to the narrative?" A specific example were the bits where the author goes into immense detail about every neighborhood kid that Aileen grew up with (their names, the streets they lived on, their families, etc)--this section in particular was so dense with random names that I started to keep a list so I wouldn't mix anyone up....only to find that they never came up again later in the book, which made me wonder why on earth so much space was devoted to talking about these people to begin with. Again, I appreciated the incredible amount of research that went into this book and it was super well-done but I do feel like the author had a tendency to include EVERY fact she uncovered about Aileen, regardless of whether or not it really was necessary to get to the point.

Overall though, I liked this book!

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the incredible story of one of America's most notorious serial killers, Aileen Wuornos. Aileen has killed multiple men on the side of the road while doing her "job" as being a prostitute. This story captured headlines and sent everyone into a panic, but for Aileen she was just trying to escape her own personal hell that she has been living, dealing with all her life. She claimed these men brutally raped her or was going to and deserved to die. I have always found the story to be very interesting and I enjoyed finding out the small details and Aileen's early life. I enjoyed the book and I think the author did a good job of telling Aileen's story.

[Jessica Hintzman wurtzler · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THIS BOOK! Highly recommend it to anyone interested in true crime, Aileen Wuornos or her victims. Author Sue Russell put together a very informative, attention grabbing book. I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN, and plowed through all 576 pages in a few short days! The picture selection is great too, as it allows the reader to get a glimpse of everyone included in the book and also Aileen’s childhood.

[Celia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sue Russell adds every fact she found in researching this book whether it fits the narrative or not. It breaks up the flow of the story and just makes it confusing. It's a really tragic, fascinating story, but the author can't get out of her own way and let the story stand on its own.

[Breann Bianco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sue did such a great job at writing this!! Very detailed clear from Lee's childhood all the way up to her execution!! She was a sick woman who had to have power over men at such a young age. Lee deserved what she got!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a long book, so I was relatively sure that it would be full of information. Ms. Russell did her research, and the book was fast-paced and read like a novel...until the last 15%. After Aileen Wuornos had been arrested and charged with murder, the last of the book dealt with her trial. All the documentaries I've seen about Aileen garnered sympathy for her and made people wonder, 'what if she had had a normal childhood or a more stable family growing up. This book erased any sympathy I may have felt for Aileen.

[MrsPyramidhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read a book about Aileen Wuornos since I saw Monster and while I wouldn't mind reading another one I think this was an excellent source of information and a well written book. If you're interested in the topic this was suggested to me by someone and I in turn would recommend it to you.

[Izabela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mycket intressan bok, man fick verkligen lära känna Ailen från början av hennes liv och till slutet, man fick även en tydlig bild av hennes familj och de människor som fanns i hennes liv.
Slutet var för långdraget, och det fanns även mycket stavfel och tryckfel i texten men bortset från det så rekomenderar jag att läsa denna bok

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the first official female serial killer. Well worth the read in my research. But there were times when it felt the author it necessary insert every bit of information she uncovered in her own research. And some of the trial information was a repeat of what we learned during the murders. Still despite the slow pacing it is a trip into how this woman became a killer.

[Tricia Oleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Working on a report about Aileen Wuornos and needed some more detailed information. I found this read and just couldn't put it down, even though I needed to finish my paper. Lots of good insight on a tragic story from beginning to end.

[Brian Chiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

English writer writing a book about an American Serial killer. Please write the dates in the correct order! It seems so weird to read 20 October rather that October 20th!

Other than that… lol it was okay I guess.

[Rob Pruden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was certainly an interesting book, but it just went into way too much detail, and in my humble opinion it would have been much more interesting at half the length.

[Patrick Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very wordy and published prior to the execution

[Atlantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not read this entire book but enough to get the gist of it. It is a biography of the serial killer Aileen Wuornos. It is graphic and leaves little to the imagination. A donation to my LFL.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing story and NOT told in hideous, graphic detail.

From back cover:

"On November 30, 1989, in a lonely place off Florida's Interstate 95, 51-year old Richard Mallory shuddered under the impact of four .22-caliber slugs being pumped into him by a naked, hard-faced blonde hooker. While he suffered a slow, agonizing death, she stripped him of his valuables and drove his Cadillac back to the motel where her lesbian lover was waiting. In 1990, her killing spree kicked into high gear, with three men slain in as many weeks. Of the six of her seven male victims whose bodies were found, some were nude; all had been shot dead and robbed.

In January, 1991, pawnshop records led to the arrest of Aileen Carol Wuornos, 34, aka "Lee," an abusive, alcoholic man-hater with a murderous hairtrigger temper. Wuornos began prostituting herself at age 12 for cigarettes and beer. At 15 she bore an illegitimate child, at 16 she took to the highways as a hitchhiking hooker. In 1986, with a lengthy rap sheet and prison term under her belt, she entered into a relationship with Tyria Moore, 24. Tired of turning $20 tricks, Wuornos decided to rob her customers of everything they had - including their lives.

Her arrest and trial prompted, a worldwide media frenzy. Ultimately Wuornos received six separate death sentences. Here is the definitive account of a killer who confounded the profiling experts, forever changing their concepts of the crimes of which a woman is capable."

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, instead of my opinion of the book this is my thoughts on the story. First, she was guilty of murder but not for the first crime; I think she was sorta telling the truth on that one but did eventually lose touch and kill without sufficient cause and she was not all there so whatever for that.
Then there was the cops doing the investigation, these people Are the reason she got away with it so long to begin with. They allowed her accomplice to skate free and clear for the good of the movie. She may not have been directly involved or not in all of them but something more was involved on her part than just a brain dead girlfriend.
The most annoying part of the whole book was the dates. If you are dating a page or document 6 August is fine but in the course of a narrative August 6 is much better and the th for sixth is added by the reader in their mind and flows much more smoothly. Drove me crazy and I will not read another of her books because of this minor annoyance.

[Kimberly Ní Bradaigh]

Fascinated with Aileen Wuornos, I thought I knew everything about her. This book made me realize that I only knew partial truth and inaccuracies. From the beginning of this book, it was clear that the author had done an amazing amount of research and interviews. Sue Russell provides an in-depth look into the very complex Wuornos, her dark and troubled life, and her crimes. This book was very difficult for me to put down, and is one of those few books that I will go back to read periodically. I cannot say enough about the Author and this book!

[Lynne Claybaugh · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK, this had potential with the main character a rare bird, a female serial killer. There was far too many repetitious parts, long, meandering character descriptions, very boring trial details, and lots of , what I considered, non-essential events or narratives. I actually skipped the last part dealing with the trial as it was excruciatingly boring. It's as if the author could not bear to omit any of her research so she put it in this book. It was on my Kindle or I would have been able to ferret out parts I wanted to skip in a hard copy.

[Lyn Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitive book on Wournos

A thorough portrait of this tragic woman. Borderline personality disorder is no joke. The author gives it the attention it deserves, while not excusing Wournos’ behavior. I liked the book because it did try to explain the role of mental illness in this serial killer. The book has a bit too much superfluous information at times about legal matters and rights to Aileen’s story, which is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. This is one of the best true-crime books I’ve ever read. Well worth the read.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why I venture to read this stuff; i guess i'm expecting some sort of insight into the criminal mind. This is not the trashiest or most sensationalist true crime piece to be had, and the author does (eventually) foray into what made Aileen tick, but it's a still a long, drawn-out, and only semi-organized fact file. A few interesting observations and some descriptions of bottom-feeder lifestyles of the Florida drift variety.

[Robert Gowens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best account on Wournos life ...

If you want REAL background on the life of Aileen Wournos..this is the book for you ! Sue Russell has gone above and beyond in her research of Aileens formative years..taking you back to her strange family life and the sadness of her teen years. This book will help you understand how Aileens warped ideas were shaped ,early on in life. Great book from beginning to end..a must read !!