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RJ Parker
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The Basement: True Story of Serial Killer Gary Heidnik (True Crime Murder & Mayhem) Kindle Edition

by RJ Parker (Author), Aeternum Designs (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
3.5 3.5 out of 5 stars 1,097 ratings
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On March 24, 1987, the Philadelphia Police Department received a phone call from a woman who stated that she had been held captive for the last four months. When police officers arrived at the pay phone from which the call was made, Josephina Rivera told them that she and three other women had been held captive in a basement by a man named Gary Heidnik.

This is a shocking story of kidnapping, rape, torture, mutilation, dismemberment, decapitation, and murder.

The subject matter in this book is graphic

(Kindle Short-Read)
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  1. Print length
    86 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    October 9, 2016
  5. File size
    8016 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

RJ Parker keeps you rapidly page turning, or screen pressing, once again. Whether for the mind boggling true crime or the vivid photos, once you start The Basement, no stopping until it's finished. I'm sure this true tale of horror crime will keep me awake tonight but it's worth it! Love it! - Lori Smith Women chained in a basement enduring excruciating torture at the hands of deranged Gary Heidnik, even seeing the aftermath of a murder of one of the captives. The book is very graphic and emotional at times as RJ Parker does an excellent job in telling this gruesome true crime story that is not for the feint of heart.- Robyn M

From the Author

Enjoy these top rated True Crime eBooks FREE as part of your KindleUnlimited subscription. You can read it on your Kindle Fire, on a computer via Kindle Cloud Reader or on any smart phone with the free Kindle reading app. View all the authors books at: rjpp.ca/RJ-PARKER-BOOKS

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01LYPINXJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ RJ Parker Publishing (October 9, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 9, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 8016 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 86 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1987902130
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.5 3.5 out of 5 stars 1,097 ratings

About the author

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RJ Parker

RJ Parker

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RJ PARKER is ranked in the Top 100 authors on Amazon in Biography and History.

RJ is a Canadian Author who has written over 30 true crime books, and co-authored another 10 books. He has published almost 200 books for other authors which are available in eBook, Paperback, and many of them in Audiobook edition.

"Parker amazes his readers with top notch writing and idealist research. The Canadian writer has a better grasp of criminology and the psyche of a serial killer's mind than most people who spend a lifetime in a professional field chasing criminals and diabolic fiends". -- John Douglas (Retired FBI Agent - Behavioral Science)

RJ PARKER ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Bookbub: rjpp.ca/BOOKBUB-RJPARKER

Website: RJPARKERPUBLISHING.com

Twitter: Twitter.com/realRJParker

Facebook: Facebook.com/RJParkerPublishing

Amazon Author's Page: rjpp.ca/RJ-PARKER-BOOKS

Customer reviews

3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5 out of 5
1,097 global ratings
Quick read but worth it.
4 Stars
Quick read but worth it.
Although I was nervous about how short the book was when I received it, it's actually totally worth it and straight to the point. The book is a quick read because it doesn't beat around the bush.
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Top reviews from the United States

Cnoblecilla
5.0 out of 5 stars A Look Into The Life of a Depraved Killer
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2017
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Despite being touched by mental illness and a sense of superiority, Gary Heidnik's high IQ provided him with options. The author takes us through the dysfunctional family dynamics, the aloof personality, and the struggles for Heidnik to fit in. You see opportunities that could have sent him in a different direction, away from where he ultimately ends. We, the readers, are introduced to the victims through photos, as well as through the stories that show their will to survive. The story of Gary Heidnik ends as one would hope, with justice being served.

As an avid reader of True Crime, this was everything I look for in a book. It had all the elements: a look into the killer's childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, the downward spiral into darkness, respect given to the victims, and a resolution that makes it a little easier to sleep at night. I recommend this book to everyone, not only regular readers of the genre.
41 people found this helpful
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jay_the_bus_driver
3.0 out of 5 stars Not great and not terrible.
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2018
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I would give this two stars, but it does serve the purpose of being the only full length bio of Heidnik and his crimes available on kindle, and at this price point maybe not too much should be expected. The author obviously spent some time researching contemporary newspaper articles on the subject, and deserves credit for that. RJ Parker can't be faulted for the fact there is no new info here, when the case has been closed for 30 years. The 2 stars deducted are for the poor writing technique and middle-school-book-report pacing. In terms of length and delivery this reads like a first draft of an article that would have been submitted to one of those 1980's pulp stock "true crime" detective magazines. That's not actually bad, but not really good either, leading me to rate the e-book, "It's OK", or 3 stars.
3 people found this helpful
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Kasey Cummins
4.0 out of 5 stars Short but sweet.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2019
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Very short book, read the entire book in 1 car ride ( time totaling 1-1.5 hours) it was decent in detail and story line but not long enough to enjoy, and you can tell theres alot of detail missing.
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Ashley K. Chapin
2.0 out of 5 stars College paper with a cover called a “book”
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2020
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So.... I really wanted to love this book! Gary Heidnick was my focus in my college program to get my degree in forensic psychology. This “book” is more like a paper with a cover. I enjoyed the facts, though poorly written. I feel the author could have had someone.... proofread the context and structure of the sentences. But good facts
2 people found this helpful
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B. McKee
5.0 out of 5 stars Learn the true story without filler
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2016
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The story of Gary Heidnik is hard to swallow. We don't want to believe that a man, maybe your friend, relative or neighbor, could commit so heinous a crime.

Heidnik was a sick and deluded individual who somehow thought it would be a good idea to capture ten women, imprison them in his basement, impregnate all of them, and presto, have his own family. If this sounds insane to you, well and good, but to Heidnik it sounded like the perfect plan.

This is a fascinating story, at least to true crime fans, and Dr. Parker has written it down for you in a clear and concise manner. There are no rabbits to chase, just the meat of the story. It will raise the hair on the nape of your neck.

Includes photos.
4 people found this helpful
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JessieD
1.0 out of 5 stars I paid waaay too much for this garbage.
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2016
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I'm going to start off by saying I almost never right reviews for books. I feel that just because I like/dislike a book, doesn't mean everyone else will feel the same. Read it and decide for youself; your decision should not be based on my opinion. However, I felt the need to warn people about this book before you waste your money.

I read a lot of books and all of them are true crime; some of them are great and some of them bore me. But this book is, by far, the worst book I have ever read. This book is only about 70 pages in length but only if you count the 6 pages of poor photographs. And the font is too big; used to fill the pages. It took me about a half an hour to read.

There is absolutely no real content to this book. He tells a little about Heidnick's childhood, teen years, and his stint in the Army, nothing substantial; took up maybe 20 pages. There was nothing to help you get to know the guy, nothing to help point you in the direction of why he became the way he did. There wasn't a meaty backstory.

There was no story into the background of the victims. The author gives very vague descriptions of one or two. By "vague description", I mean they were black and one was a prostitute..that's it.

The author tells of two, maybe three, torture methods Heidnick used, nothing substantial here either.

He did no real research into the story at all. No interviews, he didn't research police reports, victim/witness statements, court records, trial transcripts, nothing.

The authors reference list consists of murderpedia, wikia, a true crime blog on blogspot, an article in Time Magazine, crimezzz.net, a U.K crime show profile on Heidnick, executedtoday.com, and a youtube video. Nothing else.

There's also something to be said about the fact that the author owns the publishing company that published the book.

This book is worth maybe $1.00 and I feel I'm being very generous.

You don't have to trust my opinion; pay the $7 for it, read it yourself. But you will be sorely disappointed.
7 people found this helpful
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weird reader
3.0 out of 5 stars Gruesome
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2020
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I was interested in reading about Gary Heidnik because I had been a resident of the location of his crimes, Philadelphia. Also I was somewhat aware of what Heidnik had done. However, I was not aware of the full extent of his gruesome deeds. I would like to know what the future held for those who survived. I wish the author had written (with discretion) what became of these young women.
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Vicky Carruth
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2016
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What a sick, yet interesting story! This was the 1st time for me to read about Gary Heidnik and RJ Parker told it in an easy to read way that was hard to put down! Fascinating story about the life of Gary Heidnik and his cruel and bizarre attempt at creating his own sick version of sister wives by holding women hostage in his basement. The brutality of the rapes and torture ended up costing the lives of 2 of these women.
This is a quick read but I think you will find it interesting!
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Top reviews from other countries

donna
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in Canada on May 6, 2023
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This book held my attention . It was well written and hard to put down. I recommend this book to anyone who are interested in true crime.
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Pablo Pelluch
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in Spain on July 26, 2018
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I liked the reading. It went straight to the beginning of Heidniks traumas. Very enjoyable for a true-crime reader, although it doesn't get very detailled in some aspects (I'm not refering to gruesome details) and I can't imagine myself how the church that this looney founded gave him that amount of money without an argument with his acolytes, for instance. And the end is as if the author wanted to move to the next spot. But, overall, a pretty entertaining reading for those who like to look at the darkest side of humans.
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Janita Billan
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Australia on February 14, 2020
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It’s unbelievable how some people are. I thought it was well written and easy to read. Highly recommended. Good book.
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Ratlady44
1.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointing.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2023
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An extremely thin book at 70 pages and therefore bereft of detail or information. Written in a ridiculously simple Janet-And-John style: "Michael and Ellen Heidnik lived in a small Eastlake suburb of CLeveland, Ohio. They were a happy couple that lived in a small house in a friendly neighbourhood. The neighbours never had any complaints from the couple" (which I presume means about rather than from). When 'bestselling author RJ Parker, Ph.D' does try to write a lengthier sentence he gets lost in it half way through: "When they couldn't break down the door due to his intricate lock system, Hansen asked his officers to break down the door" - eh? Extraordinarily poorly written account of a tremendously heinous crime, with the sparsest of information. It read to me as notes you might make whilst planning a book, only RJ has neglected to flesh it out at all. A poor poor disappointing book which cast no insight into Heidnik's warped character, nor gave the victims any voice. Straight into the recycling bin with it! NOT recommended.
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Melanie May
3.0 out of 5 stars Sickening
Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2020
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Was truly terrifying to read! Didn't want to keep reading but just couldn't stop myself. Very descriptive and a good quick read.
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