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A Light in the Dark: Surviving More than Ted Bundy
In January 1978, I slept in my bed at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University as Ted Bundy stalked nearby.
He grabbed an oak log from a stack of firewood, slipped through a back door with a broken padlock, and headed upstairs. He began twisting doorknobs. Room 9 was open, and he quietly and quickly killed one of my sleeping sorority sisters. Across the hall, he found another unlocked door and murdered again. Then, he turned the knob to my bedroom and found it was open. I remember the attack vividly. Bundy bashed me once in the head with the log and then attacked my roommate. He heard me moaning and came to finish me off. He never let his victims live. But he stopped suddenly when a bright light filled the room. He fled the sorority house and the light disappeared.
Bundy wasn't my first brush with death, and he wasn't my last. I've long been a survivor. I was born into a Cuban American family in 1957 in Florida. I had a happy childhood until I received my first death sentence at the age of thirteen. Physicians weren't sure why I was always so exhausted and running a low-grade fever. The prognosis was grim after my left kidney started to fail. Then, a physician from Cuba saved my life with a surprise diagnosis—lupus—and treatment chemotherapy. I endured chemotherapy again in my early thirties when I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
This is my story of surviving three death sentences and finding love and happiness along the way. I was saved by a bright light, and I hope my story is one for people who are experiencing their own dark times. I am a victim, but I am also a survivor, and I want to speak up for all the women and girls whom Bundy murdered.
He has become a legend, and our voices have been muted or ignored. It's time we were heard.
He grabbed an oak log from a stack of firewood, slipped through a back door with a broken padlock, and headed upstairs. He began twisting doorknobs. Room 9 was open, and he quietly and quickly killed one of my sleeping sorority sisters. Across the hall, he found another unlocked door and murdered again. Then, he turned the knob to my bedroom and found it was open. I remember the attack vividly. Bundy bashed me once in the head with the log and then attacked my roommate. He heard me moaning and came to finish me off. He never let his victims live. But he stopped suddenly when a bright light filled the room. He fled the sorority house and the light disappeared.
Bundy wasn't my first brush with death, and he wasn't my last. I've long been a survivor. I was born into a Cuban American family in 1957 in Florida. I had a happy childhood until I received my first death sentence at the age of thirteen. Physicians weren't sure why I was always so exhausted and running a low-grade fever. The prognosis was grim after my left kidney started to fail. Then, a physician from Cuba saved my life with a surprise diagnosis—lupus—and treatment chemotherapy. I endured chemotherapy again in my early thirties when I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
This is my story of surviving three death sentences and finding love and happiness along the way. I was saved by a bright light, and I hope my story is one for people who are experiencing their own dark times. I am a victim, but I am also a survivor, and I want to speak up for all the women and girls whom Bundy murdered.
He has become a legend, and our voices have been muted or ignored. It's time we were heard.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
August 23, 2024
A different perspective on true crime. It focuses on the victims and their families. The author has survived and thrived despite serious childhood illness, trauma, surgeries, cancer, divorce and natural disaster. There's an inspiring message for the reader at the conclusion.
September 16, 2023
4 Stars
I was never into the True Crime genre, but was intrigued after watching an Amazon documentary called "Falling for a Killer" about Ted Bundy and his former fiancee Elizabeth Kendall. From there I read the excellent Ann Rule authored biography "The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story" on the same topic. So I was intrigued when I spotted this memoir from one of Bundy's victims who was lucky enough to survive his evil attack.
First of all, this memoir exceeded my expectations. The summation detailed that this Bundy survivor would be "talking" about not just surviving Bundy's murder attempt, but other life-threatening experiences in her life. I wondered if I would find her life interesting in itself set apart from the drama of the Bundy serial killings. To my surprise, I found her personal trials and tribulations quite interesting. We are close in age, so I enjoyed reading about her childhood with its nostalgic references. She battled a very serious childhood illness, survived the murder attempt from Bundy at her college sorority house, a bank robbery at her job, as well as an early breast cancer diagnosis. Her personal story was deftly interspersed with the Ted Bundy saga, including his escapes from prison, her testimony at his trial, and his ultimate execution by electric chair. She also was firm on dismissing the notion that he was attractive and seductive in wooing his victims, stressing how he would attack from behind or while the victims were sleeping. Her goal was to stop glorifying his intelligence or perceived squandered potential and worth. The writing style was easy and free-flowing. I enjoyed this book as another interesting facet in this well-known true crime saga.
Thank you to Independent Publishers Group / Chicago Review Press for providing an advance readers copy via NetGalley.
I was never into the True Crime genre, but was intrigued after watching an Amazon documentary called "Falling for a Killer" about Ted Bundy and his former fiancee Elizabeth Kendall. From there I read the excellent Ann Rule authored biography "The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story" on the same topic. So I was intrigued when I spotted this memoir from one of Bundy's victims who was lucky enough to survive his evil attack.
First of all, this memoir exceeded my expectations. The summation detailed that this Bundy survivor would be "talking" about not just surviving Bundy's murder attempt, but other life-threatening experiences in her life. I wondered if I would find her life interesting in itself set apart from the drama of the Bundy serial killings. To my surprise, I found her personal trials and tribulations quite interesting. We are close in age, so I enjoyed reading about her childhood with its nostalgic references. She battled a very serious childhood illness, survived the murder attempt from Bundy at her college sorority house, a bank robbery at her job, as well as an early breast cancer diagnosis. Her personal story was deftly interspersed with the Ted Bundy saga, including his escapes from prison, her testimony at his trial, and his ultimate execution by electric chair. She also was firm on dismissing the notion that he was attractive and seductive in wooing his victims, stressing how he would attack from behind or while the victims were sleeping. Her goal was to stop glorifying his intelligence or perceived squandered potential and worth. The writing style was easy and free-flowing. I enjoyed this book as another interesting facet in this well-known true crime saga.
Thank you to Independent Publishers Group / Chicago Review Press for providing an advance readers copy via NetGalley.
September 27, 2023
Coincidentally, I read this book after reading Bright Young Women, another (though fictionalized) story focusing on the victims of Ted Bundy. To read the account of the Chi Omega tragedy from two different perspectives so close together was a lot to take, and I definitely recommend reading them further apart than I did.
I will say, this book blew me away. Kathy shows such resilience and courage throughout her life and I’m so glad she’s lived such a full and happy life in spite of the things she’s experienced. The book was a captivating read.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC.
I will say, this book blew me away. Kathy shows such resilience and courage throughout her life and I’m so glad she’s lived such a full and happy life in spite of the things she’s experienced. The book was a captivating read.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC.
March 23, 2024
4.0 Stars
This is the victim focused narrative that was sorely missing from the cannon of Ted Bundy true crime books. The authors do not shy away from the grotesque or brutal aspects of the crimes, which sometimes made this one hard to read. These details were not provided to sensational the crimes but rather to ground the true in the true wickedness of these acts. I also appreciate that this book set out to debunk the common myths about Bundy and instead bring the attention rightfully back to the victims.
This is the victim focused narrative that was sorely missing from the cannon of Ted Bundy true crime books. The authors do not shy away from the grotesque or brutal aspects of the crimes, which sometimes made this one hard to read. These details were not provided to sensational the crimes but rather to ground the true in the true wickedness of these acts. I also appreciate that this book set out to debunk the common myths about Bundy and instead bring the attention rightfully back to the victims.
November 14, 2023
It's very difficult and sometimes inappropriate (IMO) to review a memoir given that it is so personal and an account of someones real, lived experience. I do believe though that Rubin's strength in vulnerability, storytelling, and reframing around the narrative of a traumatic life event is worth speaking on and uplifting. While this memoir largely focuses on Rubin's experience surviving her attack from Ted Bundy and the subsequent aftermath thereafter, she also speaks on her battle with childhood lupus, breast cancer, and navigating the devastation of a natural disaster.
This book has changed the way I will engage with true crime moving forward. As humans, I think we are inherently fascinated by these situations because we seek understanding around how someone could commit such horrific and vile acts. Rubin provides such a necessary reminder and clarification around the grotesque ways that Bundy has been sensationalized and the narrative that has been pushed around his supposed charming personality. Rubin reminds readers that Bundy preyed on almost every victim while they were sleeping, or they were attacked from behind or dragged into his car. He was not the alluring man often portrayed in documentaries or in other books. Many women who encountered Bundy-even just from afar-expressed a deep level of discomfort even being in his presence. He was not irresistibly leading victims to "develop red hearts in their eyes and then idiotically trail behind him to their own deaths" as Rubin rightfully asserts that the media has convinced was the case.
I very much encourage readers of true crime media to read Rubin's story. The victims deserve to be the storytellers in this horrible nightmare and I really encourage consumers of true crime to think about who is being centered in these conversations. Rubin does an incredible job walking the fine line on speaking up for the victims who are unable to do so, while also not taking it upon herself to speak on behalf of all victims.
This is easily one of the most powerful memoirs I've read and I am so grateful for Rubin's bravery and vulnerability in sharing her story, as well as her admirable focus on shifting the focus of Bundy's actions back to the victims. I know that my interactions with and consumption around media relating to true crime will be forever changed by this memoir.
This book has changed the way I will engage with true crime moving forward. As humans, I think we are inherently fascinated by these situations because we seek understanding around how someone could commit such horrific and vile acts. Rubin provides such a necessary reminder and clarification around the grotesque ways that Bundy has been sensationalized and the narrative that has been pushed around his supposed charming personality. Rubin reminds readers that Bundy preyed on almost every victim while they were sleeping, or they were attacked from behind or dragged into his car. He was not the alluring man often portrayed in documentaries or in other books. Many women who encountered Bundy-even just from afar-expressed a deep level of discomfort even being in his presence. He was not irresistibly leading victims to "develop red hearts in their eyes and then idiotically trail behind him to their own deaths" as Rubin rightfully asserts that the media has convinced was the case.
I very much encourage readers of true crime media to read Rubin's story. The victims deserve to be the storytellers in this horrible nightmare and I really encourage consumers of true crime to think about who is being centered in these conversations. Rubin does an incredible job walking the fine line on speaking up for the victims who are unable to do so, while also not taking it upon herself to speak on behalf of all victims.
This is easily one of the most powerful memoirs I've read and I am so grateful for Rubin's bravery and vulnerability in sharing her story, as well as her admirable focus on shifting the focus of Bundy's actions back to the victims. I know that my interactions with and consumption around media relating to true crime will be forever changed by this memoir.
September 10, 2023
After getting burned out by so many Bundy books, this is a refreshing change from the typical. It’s long overdue to hear about things from the victim’s perspective and the author does so quite well. This was a page turner for me, and I liked reading about the author’s experiences.
June 26, 2024
This *could* have been a really powerful book excerpt…
I read through most of “A Light in the Dark” preparing to give it a really strong review. I emphasized with Kathy’s experience deeply, and agreed with much of her reflections regarding the media and society’s adornment of white men and murder.
She’s a very detailed storyteller which helps in understanding the unfolding of events that night in the sorority house. And, because of her chronic condition, lupus, it’s fascinating to hear her describe the ways in which her body has survived brutal attack, cancer, and lupus. Without question, she’s a strong woman with a story worth telling. If only she would have stopped talking after the trial…
It’s when she goes into detail about Hurricane Katrina that she reveals herself to be quite apathetic to those outside her shared experience. The tender delicacy that she used in speaking on behalf of Bundy victims all but disappeared once she entered the Deep South.
1. She repeatedly referred to survivors of Katrina as refugees. Refugees? No. They were displaced Americans, many of whom didn’t have the resources and means to flee the storm like Kathy and her husband did. The verbiage of “refugee” is a nod to the attitude that many had towards Katrina survivors, most of them who were Black. These people were homeowners, taxpayers, and humans.
2. During a scene where Kathy is in a restaurant with her husband, she ridicules another couple who were also Katrina survivors. After expressing disappointment for not having their meal comped, which was a common practice at that time for survivors, Kathy and her husband apologize to the restaurant on behalf of the other couple, telling them that “We’re not all like that.” The ‘we’ Kathy refers to is quite questionable. She was an implant, from Florida and had not actually been in the city of New Orleans when the storm hit. What if the other couple, like many, lost every scrap they owned, including I.D., income, and work? Kathy’s husband never lost his job and they never lacked resources.
3. She goes on to speak of the conditions in the Superdome, but also perpetuates the narrative that the city was riddled with looting and crime. She never reconciles the fact that race played a major part of this, and that much of the sensationalism was based on racial tropes that portrayed starving, unhoused, and sometimes even dying Black people as villains.
As a reader, I can’t help but wonder, how could a non-Black woman of color be so compassionate to murder victims and survivors of Ted Bundy, yet be so apathetic to a city filled with disenfranchised residents who lost their homes, livelihood, and sense of belonging because of a storm outside their control?
Of course, there’s good material about America’s infatuation with murder, as well as the reclaiming of truth regarding the centering of victims instead of their killers. However, because it’s delivered by someone who only partially cares about victims, it’s hard to hold this as a resource worth referring others to. It’s fascinating that, even I. 2023 the gaps of racial bias are so wide a memoir like this can go through several rounds of edits without interrogating the contrast of compassion between Bundy victims and Katrina survivors. As a Black Cuban who’s lived in both Miami and New Orleans, I understand all too well how a non-Black person like Kathy can fall into the same behavior she calls out: romanticizing one group of people while shaming another.
If only she would have wrapped it up after the trial, this stain of bias would have gone unseen and I likely would have rated this a strong 4.
I read through most of “A Light in the Dark” preparing to give it a really strong review. I emphasized with Kathy’s experience deeply, and agreed with much of her reflections regarding the media and society’s adornment of white men and murder.
She’s a very detailed storyteller which helps in understanding the unfolding of events that night in the sorority house. And, because of her chronic condition, lupus, it’s fascinating to hear her describe the ways in which her body has survived brutal attack, cancer, and lupus. Without question, she’s a strong woman with a story worth telling. If only she would have stopped talking after the trial…
It’s when she goes into detail about Hurricane Katrina that she reveals herself to be quite apathetic to those outside her shared experience. The tender delicacy that she used in speaking on behalf of Bundy victims all but disappeared once she entered the Deep South.
1. She repeatedly referred to survivors of Katrina as refugees. Refugees? No. They were displaced Americans, many of whom didn’t have the resources and means to flee the storm like Kathy and her husband did. The verbiage of “refugee” is a nod to the attitude that many had towards Katrina survivors, most of them who were Black. These people were homeowners, taxpayers, and humans.
2. During a scene where Kathy is in a restaurant with her husband, she ridicules another couple who were also Katrina survivors. After expressing disappointment for not having their meal comped, which was a common practice at that time for survivors, Kathy and her husband apologize to the restaurant on behalf of the other couple, telling them that “We’re not all like that.” The ‘we’ Kathy refers to is quite questionable. She was an implant, from Florida and had not actually been in the city of New Orleans when the storm hit. What if the other couple, like many, lost every scrap they owned, including I.D., income, and work? Kathy’s husband never lost his job and they never lacked resources.
3. She goes on to speak of the conditions in the Superdome, but also perpetuates the narrative that the city was riddled with looting and crime. She never reconciles the fact that race played a major part of this, and that much of the sensationalism was based on racial tropes that portrayed starving, unhoused, and sometimes even dying Black people as villains.
As a reader, I can’t help but wonder, how could a non-Black woman of color be so compassionate to murder victims and survivors of Ted Bundy, yet be so apathetic to a city filled with disenfranchised residents who lost their homes, livelihood, and sense of belonging because of a storm outside their control?
Of course, there’s good material about America’s infatuation with murder, as well as the reclaiming of truth regarding the centering of victims instead of their killers. However, because it’s delivered by someone who only partially cares about victims, it’s hard to hold this as a resource worth referring others to. It’s fascinating that, even I. 2023 the gaps of racial bias are so wide a memoir like this can go through several rounds of edits without interrogating the contrast of compassion between Bundy victims and Katrina survivors. As a Black Cuban who’s lived in both Miami and New Orleans, I understand all too well how a non-Black person like Kathy can fall into the same behavior she calls out: romanticizing one group of people while shaming another.
If only she would have wrapped it up after the trial, this stain of bias would have gone unseen and I likely would have rated this a strong 4.
September 30, 2023
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: October 3, 2023
Kathy Kleiner Rubin is one of the few confirmed survivors of serial killer Ted Bundy. Her memoir, “A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy” talks candidly about her life before, during and after the horrible attacks by the savage monster who ruined many lives.
Kleiner Rubin, and her co-writer Emilie LeBeau Lucchesi, portray a version of Ted Bundy that’s contrary to how the media portrayed him- as a charming, handsome and intelligent man. Kleiner Rubin describes Bundy as a monster of moderate intelligence, who was socially awkward and gave women the “creeps”, yet still maintained an attitude of supreme arrogance. Kleiner’s tale shines a light on the victims, as she tells the story of the murders in her words, as a survivor and it’s utterly emotional and captivating.
As a child, Kleiner Rubin suffered with a lupus diagnosis and, until receiving treatment, she thought she wouldn’t see her teenage years. Then, as a young adult, her life was drastically changed the night she “met” Ted Bundy. Again, she thought her life would be cut short. After living through the worst nightmare imaginable, she got diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of forty. After reading this memoir it can absolutely be said that Kleiner Rubin is not a “victim”, she is, in fact, a survivor.
Kleiner’s childhood is depicted not just for character development and background but so readers can identify with Kleiner as a human; as a child with loving friends and family who had goals and dreams. “A Light in the Dark” forces readers to see the people that existed before they became the “victims of Ted Bundy”, and she definitely succeeded. Kleiner pays ample tribute to all of Bundy’s victims, and those who suffered at his hands in any way, and expresses her feelings about Bundy in an open and honest manner. She details her experiences of the Bundy trial, and the months-long event that continued to re-traumatize her and her family, until his death in 1989. For those who need a warning- this novel does get quite graphic when describing the attacks and the physical damages Bundy left on his targets. It is absolutely necessary in order to drive home the pure evil that lived in Bundy, but it is not for the faint of heart.
Kleiner Rubin is a survivor by every definition, and every page of “Light” showcases her bravery. Kleiner takes on every challenge she is faced with determination and does not let her history define her. She is an example to women everywhere and is deserving of all the admiration she receives.
Kleiner Rubin is a wife, a mother and a woman above all else and she is living her life for herself, and as a tribute to the young women and girls who did not have a chance to live theirs, thanks to the monster that was Ted Bundy.
Expected publication date: October 3, 2023
Kathy Kleiner Rubin is one of the few confirmed survivors of serial killer Ted Bundy. Her memoir, “A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy” talks candidly about her life before, during and after the horrible attacks by the savage monster who ruined many lives.
Kleiner Rubin, and her co-writer Emilie LeBeau Lucchesi, portray a version of Ted Bundy that’s contrary to how the media portrayed him- as a charming, handsome and intelligent man. Kleiner Rubin describes Bundy as a monster of moderate intelligence, who was socially awkward and gave women the “creeps”, yet still maintained an attitude of supreme arrogance. Kleiner’s tale shines a light on the victims, as she tells the story of the murders in her words, as a survivor and it’s utterly emotional and captivating.
As a child, Kleiner Rubin suffered with a lupus diagnosis and, until receiving treatment, she thought she wouldn’t see her teenage years. Then, as a young adult, her life was drastically changed the night she “met” Ted Bundy. Again, she thought her life would be cut short. After living through the worst nightmare imaginable, she got diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of forty. After reading this memoir it can absolutely be said that Kleiner Rubin is not a “victim”, she is, in fact, a survivor.
Kleiner’s childhood is depicted not just for character development and background but so readers can identify with Kleiner as a human; as a child with loving friends and family who had goals and dreams. “A Light in the Dark” forces readers to see the people that existed before they became the “victims of Ted Bundy”, and she definitely succeeded. Kleiner pays ample tribute to all of Bundy’s victims, and those who suffered at his hands in any way, and expresses her feelings about Bundy in an open and honest manner. She details her experiences of the Bundy trial, and the months-long event that continued to re-traumatize her and her family, until his death in 1989. For those who need a warning- this novel does get quite graphic when describing the attacks and the physical damages Bundy left on his targets. It is absolutely necessary in order to drive home the pure evil that lived in Bundy, but it is not for the faint of heart.
Kleiner Rubin is a survivor by every definition, and every page of “Light” showcases her bravery. Kleiner takes on every challenge she is faced with determination and does not let her history define her. She is an example to women everywhere and is deserving of all the admiration she receives.
Kleiner Rubin is a wife, a mother and a woman above all else and she is living her life for herself, and as a tribute to the young women and girls who did not have a chance to live theirs, thanks to the monster that was Ted Bundy.
September 28, 2023
When I heard this book was coming out, I knew I needed to get my hands on a copy. For too long, Bundy victims have only been remembered as names on a list, or by the circumstances of their abduction, instead of as vibrant young women with interests, passions and people who loved them. Kathy Kleiner is trying to put a stop to that.
Kleiner goes into many things that have happened to her in this book, beyond Ted Bundy. At 13, she almost died from lupus, and at 34, she developed breast cancer and underwent treatment for that. Years later, she and her husband had to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and she was also once robbed while working as a teller in a bank. Kleiner has been through so much, but she has triumphed, and it is amazing to see.
The bulk of the book does discuss her attack, and the aftermath. Kleiner delves deeply into how hard it was for her emotionally to heal, and how she had to do the majority of healing herself because therapy was never presented as an option for her.
One thing Kleiner does throughout the book that I loved was that she finally breaks down the old narrative about how Bundy was so charming, popular and smart. He was absolutely none of these things, and Kleiner reveals this with devastating accuracy. She also discusses how it’s time we stop perpetuating the notion that Bundy charmed all his victims into coming with them so he could kill them. The reality is he snuck up behind many of them and bashed them over the head so he could drag them to his car. Perpetuating the notion that he was able to charm these women puts the blame on them, not him, and that is unfair.
Kleiner also, at the end of this book, writes a paragraph about each Bundy victim, so we know who she was as a person, and not just a name on a list. She also gives tips to end the myth of Bundy, which was very helpful.
Overall, I loved this book. It was incredibly well written, and I think it’s a beautiful tribute to Kathy’s bravery, strength and grace, but also to all of Bundy’s victims. They all deserve to have their stories told, and be remembered as unique women whose lives should have never been cut short, rather than just names on a list. Kathy did an incredible job at sharing her story, and at giving others who may be in difficult situations hope. I plan on buying a physical copy of this book for my shelves, and would encourage anyone to pick this up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Kleiner goes into many things that have happened to her in this book, beyond Ted Bundy. At 13, she almost died from lupus, and at 34, she developed breast cancer and underwent treatment for that. Years later, she and her husband had to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and she was also once robbed while working as a teller in a bank. Kleiner has been through so much, but she has triumphed, and it is amazing to see.
The bulk of the book does discuss her attack, and the aftermath. Kleiner delves deeply into how hard it was for her emotionally to heal, and how she had to do the majority of healing herself because therapy was never presented as an option for her.
One thing Kleiner does throughout the book that I loved was that she finally breaks down the old narrative about how Bundy was so charming, popular and smart. He was absolutely none of these things, and Kleiner reveals this with devastating accuracy. She also discusses how it’s time we stop perpetuating the notion that Bundy charmed all his victims into coming with them so he could kill them. The reality is he snuck up behind many of them and bashed them over the head so he could drag them to his car. Perpetuating the notion that he was able to charm these women puts the blame on them, not him, and that is unfair.
Kleiner also, at the end of this book, writes a paragraph about each Bundy victim, so we know who she was as a person, and not just a name on a list. She also gives tips to end the myth of Bundy, which was very helpful.
Overall, I loved this book. It was incredibly well written, and I think it’s a beautiful tribute to Kathy’s bravery, strength and grace, but also to all of Bundy’s victims. They all deserve to have their stories told, and be remembered as unique women whose lives should have never been cut short, rather than just names on a list. Kathy did an incredible job at sharing her story, and at giving others who may be in difficult situations hope. I plan on buying a physical copy of this book for my shelves, and would encourage anyone to pick this up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2023
I received a free copy of, A Light in the Dark, by Kathy Kleiner Rubin, Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Kathy Kleiner Rubin, was a victim of Ted Bundy. In this book she rewrites that narrative that other authors have said about Bundy, being so charismatic, his victims would just go with him, instead of being actually kidnapped. Kathy has had a hard life with a lupus diagnosis and the heartbreaking torture at the hands of Bundy, with the awful silent treatment by her horrible sorority Chi Omega. Kathy is very inspiring, this was a hard book to read at times.
February 5, 2024
How do you live your life after being BRUTALLY attacked by the most well known and notorious serial killer since Jack the Ripper? And how do you change the narrative about him from a charming, smart, good looking guy to a creepy, not so smart, desparate killer (which is what he should have been characterized as from the beginning)? This is how. May she have only good things and blessings follow her in her remaining years. She deserves no less.
September 8, 2023
Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC Oof, this was a difficult read. Not only due to the subject matter and the horror these girls and women went through but also at the frustration and anger i felt while reading what this monster did. I loved that Kathy wrote this book wanting to debunk the narrative that Bundy was intelligent and charming, and that she gave a name to all his victims.
September 28, 2023
I think you can’t truly write a review on something that is like this. This isn’t a work of fiction or something that someone has decided to write just for fun. This isn’t just a memoir of one person.
This is the story that shines a light on not just one voice but multiple voices that have been lost in the shadow of an evil man. They deserve to be heard. They deserve to be remembered.
I think it’s important to note that this also showed how invalidating and harmful it is to the victims that the media and public continue after all these years to push the narrative of Bundy being handsome and using his good looks to seduce his victims. He needs to stop being glorified and the focus needs to go back on those he harmed.
This was an easy and eye-opening read. I truly am so proud of the strength it would’ve taken to write this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the story that shines a light on not just one voice but multiple voices that have been lost in the shadow of an evil man. They deserve to be heard. They deserve to be remembered.
I think it’s important to note that this also showed how invalidating and harmful it is to the victims that the media and public continue after all these years to push the narrative of Bundy being handsome and using his good looks to seduce his victims. He needs to stop being glorified and the focus needs to go back on those he harmed.
This was an easy and eye-opening read. I truly am so proud of the strength it would’ve taken to write this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 22, 2024
I want to echo other reviewers who mentioned that memoirs are difficult to rate. The memoir is truly about Kathy's life, including pre- and post-Bundy, which some readers didn't particularly enjoy. The final three chapters do feel somewhat tacked on. In part, I think that's because Kathy discusses what's going on with Bundy in a kind of parallel story before he's ever a significant part of her life. So, from the very start, the book is about Kathy and Bundy...until it isn't, which makes that final part seem out of place.
My heart went out to Kathy as I read her story. Her most significant contribution to the true crime narrative is to highlight how myths created around certain serial killers often mischaracterize the victims of their brutality. In the case of Bundy, the story is that he was a handsome, charismatic man who lured unsuspecting victims to their deaths. The reality is that he murdered sleeping young women and abducted girls. They weren't naive, stupid, or too trusting as some stories might imply. He attacked when they were most vulnerable. It gives really powerful insight into the damage these narratives around serial killers do.
**Spoilers**
Despite appreciating the underlying message, I had many issues with the book. Three stand out to me:
1. Kathy says the book is about the victims, but I had issues with how she talked about Margaret Bowman's and Lisa Levy's murders, especially Lisa's. Kathy described their deaths in extreme detail. I understand that it shows the depth of this man's depravity. I can accept it appearing once or twice in the text, especially since the book covered the trial. However, each time Lisa was subsequently mentioned in the book (and there were many occasions), we had to hear about how Bundy sodomized her. I don't remember much about Lisa despite having just finished the book, but I can tell you this one detail. This felt incredibly disrespectful to her and her loved ones, maybe even a little sensational.
2. The trial coverage was repetitive, particularly Kathy's description of the defense's technique ("stomp-and-discredit"). She also seemed very upset by the defense just...doing their jobs as defense attorneys? I'm sure that, as a victim, it's hard to watch someone challenge testimony meant to put your almost-murderer in prison. Yet, being an effective defense counsel means doing just that. If they don't put up a strong defense, that's not good for the case, either. Similarly, the post-conviction appeals were a source of frustration for Kathy. Again, I get it. And again, there are good reasons for appeals to be put in place and stays granted. As a victim, Kathy doesn't have to like it, but I wish she wouldn't have portrayed the process as somehow unjust. (There are many issues with the US criminal justice system, but providing the accused a strong defense and chances to challenge the decision after the fact isn't one of them...)
3. The book could have been shorter and better edited. It's not unreadable by any means, but the second half of the memoir dragged a little because of this.
Overall, the book offers a narrative that is often left out in our true-crime-obsessed culture. It has a good message, but that message was ultimately overshadowed by some larger issues for me.
My heart went out to Kathy as I read her story. Her most significant contribution to the true crime narrative is to highlight how myths created around certain serial killers often mischaracterize the victims of their brutality. In the case of Bundy, the story is that he was a handsome, charismatic man who lured unsuspecting victims to their deaths. The reality is that he murdered sleeping young women and abducted girls. They weren't naive, stupid, or too trusting as some stories might imply. He attacked when they were most vulnerable. It gives really powerful insight into the damage these narratives around serial killers do.
**Spoilers**
Despite appreciating the underlying message, I had many issues with the book. Three stand out to me:
1. Kathy says the book is about the victims, but I had issues with how she talked about Margaret Bowman's and Lisa Levy's murders, especially Lisa's. Kathy described their deaths in extreme detail. I understand that it shows the depth of this man's depravity. I can accept it appearing once or twice in the text, especially since the book covered the trial. However, each time Lisa was subsequently mentioned in the book (and there were many occasions), we had to hear about how Bundy sodomized her. I don't remember much about Lisa despite having just finished the book, but I can tell you this one detail. This felt incredibly disrespectful to her and her loved ones, maybe even a little sensational.
2. The trial coverage was repetitive, particularly Kathy's description of the defense's technique ("stomp-and-discredit"). She also seemed very upset by the defense just...doing their jobs as defense attorneys? I'm sure that, as a victim, it's hard to watch someone challenge testimony meant to put your almost-murderer in prison. Yet, being an effective defense counsel means doing just that. If they don't put up a strong defense, that's not good for the case, either. Similarly, the post-conviction appeals were a source of frustration for Kathy. Again, I get it. And again, there are good reasons for appeals to be put in place and stays granted. As a victim, Kathy doesn't have to like it, but I wish she wouldn't have portrayed the process as somehow unjust. (There are many issues with the US criminal justice system, but providing the accused a strong defense and chances to challenge the decision after the fact isn't one of them...)
3. The book could have been shorter and better edited. It's not unreadable by any means, but the second half of the memoir dragged a little because of this.
Overall, the book offers a narrative that is often left out in our true-crime-obsessed culture. It has a good message, but that message was ultimately overshadowed by some larger issues for me.
October 13, 2023
I don't often like to review memoirs/nonfiction because something about it doesn't feel right to me to rate someones life from their experiences. However, when I saw that this was written from a survivor's point of view I became intrigued to read her story. It is not often that you read from the victim's point of view. Kathy really spoke to me and made me think. Why do we often put the focus on the offender? Why do we get so caught up in their story that the world puts a bigger focus on them and not the people effected? There were so many valid points the author made in this book and the unimaginable situations she and many others were put in - is unfathomable. Ted Bundy was nothing like what many described him to be and I found this book to be really insightful.
Overall, I thought the book was really well done. Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.
Overall, I thought the book was really well done. Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.
February 13, 2024
A solid 3.5
July 18, 2024
Where to start? I cried, felt afraid and sick. A book so well written, and inside the horror managed to be beautiful. A tribute to all of Bundy’s victims.
Gave voice to those who could not pronounce.
Gave voice to those who could not pronounce.
September 25, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.
This book was horrible !! Not horrible because if the writing, but horrible to know such a "human being" ever existed ! I had only ever heard of Ted Bundy in TV shows as being a serial killer. But knowing he destroyed so many lives and how he did so is heartbreaking. I can think of multiple ways of how I would have tortured him into revealing where he hid the bodies of the victims never found. Though some details were repetitive sometimes, I think this book is beautiful, beautiful in the sense that it puts Bundy right where he belongs, in setting things right about who he really was and the victims who deserved so much more than what they got. I feel sorry so sorry for the families and victims affected. And the author who went through so much in her life.
This book was horrible !! Not horrible because if the writing, but horrible to know such a "human being" ever existed ! I had only ever heard of Ted Bundy in TV shows as being a serial killer. But knowing he destroyed so many lives and how he did so is heartbreaking. I can think of multiple ways of how I would have tortured him into revealing where he hid the bodies of the victims never found. Though some details were repetitive sometimes, I think this book is beautiful, beautiful in the sense that it puts Bundy right where he belongs, in setting things right about who he really was and the victims who deserved so much more than what they got. I feel sorry so sorry for the families and victims affected. And the author who went through so much in her life.
July 13, 2024
I found the author repetitive. I’m glad she survived, and lived a good life. I just couldn’t get into the way she told her story.
September 12, 2023
Kathy Kleiner was one of the few women to survive an attack by one of the most notorious and infamous serial killers ever to exist— Ted Bundy. The interest in Bundy has always been high, not only for the amount of women he killed, but for his supposed "charm," "intelligence," and decent looks. He also garnered many headlines for his escapes from prison, his circus-like trial where he defended himself and got married in court, and was eventually put to the electric chair. Add in that well-known true crime writer Ann Rule penned a bestseller about him, and you have a sick criminal who has all but completely blotted out his young victims who had their lives ahead of them.
Post MeToo, the focus is beginning to change. There has been a docuseries from the POV of Bundy's ex-girlfriend, a Netflix series that focused more on the women than Bundy, a popular YouTube channel run by another survivor, Carol DaRonch, and now this memoir by Kleiner, who is determined to correct what she feels is Bundy's unearned and blatantly false reputation as smart and charming. She points out that, contrary to lore, Bundy didn't lure his victims with cunning acts that fooled them into willingly entering his car, but that he normally overpowered his smaller prey when the women were alone, or cracked them over the head with something. Kleiner is determined to set the record straight—his victims were not naive women who fell for his wiles, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. (The vaguely woman-blaming theory that Bundy was avenging being dumped by his fiancee is also disproven.)
Kleiner was fast asleep in her room at Omega Chi sorority in Florida when she became one of those women in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bundy entered the house through a broken door and quickly killed two college girls with a wood log to the head, then almost killed two more. Kleiner is one of them. She testified against Bundy and helped get him the electric chair.
The book covers other times Kleiner had to overcome being dealt an extremely difficult hand—being diagnosed with lupus as a young girl, divorce, single parenthood, a breast cancer diagnosis in her 30s, and being a refugee of Hurricane Katrina for months. Somehow, Kleiner and her cowriter, Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, manage to make the book interesting and entertaining without being maudlin or depressing.
Kleiner has had far more than her share of terrible luck, and I sincerely hope that the rest of her life is nothing but sunshine and rainbows. If anyone deserves it, it's her.
Thank you to the authors, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I just reviewed A Light in the Dark by Kathy Kleiner Rubin; Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi. #ALightintheDark #NetGalley
Post MeToo, the focus is beginning to change. There has been a docuseries from the POV of Bundy's ex-girlfriend, a Netflix series that focused more on the women than Bundy, a popular YouTube channel run by another survivor, Carol DaRonch, and now this memoir by Kleiner, who is determined to correct what she feels is Bundy's unearned and blatantly false reputation as smart and charming. She points out that, contrary to lore, Bundy didn't lure his victims with cunning acts that fooled them into willingly entering his car, but that he normally overpowered his smaller prey when the women were alone, or cracked them over the head with something. Kleiner is determined to set the record straight—his victims were not naive women who fell for his wiles, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. (The vaguely woman-blaming theory that Bundy was avenging being dumped by his fiancee is also disproven.)
Kleiner was fast asleep in her room at Omega Chi sorority in Florida when she became one of those women in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bundy entered the house through a broken door and quickly killed two college girls with a wood log to the head, then almost killed two more. Kleiner is one of them. She testified against Bundy and helped get him the electric chair.
The book covers other times Kleiner had to overcome being dealt an extremely difficult hand—being diagnosed with lupus as a young girl, divorce, single parenthood, a breast cancer diagnosis in her 30s, and being a refugee of Hurricane Katrina for months. Somehow, Kleiner and her cowriter, Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, manage to make the book interesting and entertaining without being maudlin or depressing.
Kleiner has had far more than her share of terrible luck, and I sincerely hope that the rest of her life is nothing but sunshine and rainbows. If anyone deserves it, it's her.
Thank you to the authors, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I just reviewed A Light in the Dark by Kathy Kleiner Rubin; Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi. #ALightintheDark #NetGalley
July 17, 2024
3.5. Memoirs are always hard to rate. This one did things well - Kathy’s story of survival is compelling and you can feel her pain and anger. It also did a great job being a voice for the victims and providing their perspectives (as opposed to glorifying a serial killer).
What it lacked
Details about other victims. I get this is Kathy’s story but she made a point to represent victims who can’t speak for themselves. More details about them as people - not just victims - would have been appreciated.
Accurate research on Bundy
Kathy’s opinion about him is understandably harsh. Who wouldn’t hate him? And she did a good job of criticizing media portrayals. Much of the info about Bundy was simply her opinion. It lacked objectivity. This is understandable and I value her opinion but it definitely left info out
Hurricane Katrina
This section made me cringe.
Overall
I’d recommend this book. It was enlightening to be able to read an account from a survivor. So many books focus on the killer
What it lacked
Details about other victims. I get this is Kathy’s story but she made a point to represent victims who can’t speak for themselves. More details about them as people - not just victims - would have been appreciated.
Accurate research on Bundy
Kathy’s opinion about him is understandably harsh. Who wouldn’t hate him? And she did a good job of criticizing media portrayals. Much of the info about Bundy was simply her opinion. It lacked objectivity. This is understandable and I value her opinion but it definitely left info out
Hurricane Katrina
This section made me cringe.
Overall
I’d recommend this book. It was enlightening to be able to read an account from a survivor. So many books focus on the killer
September 9, 2023
This book was a good read it went into more detail then I expected.. Some parts of the story were harrowing to read due to it being written from the survivor’s perspective, it made it harder to process on occasions!! It shows truly that did she not only survive she lived..
There was a couple of things I wasn’t so keen on.. One of them being how long the chapters were, I feel like some bits could have been taken out to make them shorter.. Also i didn’t think it needed to have the few chapters after Bundy had been killed to explain what Kathy went on to do with her life! I felt like that bit was a bit of waffling on..
Overall I did enjoy the book but felt some bits didn’t need to be included..
Thank you NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for sending this book for review.
There was a couple of things I wasn’t so keen on.. One of them being how long the chapters were, I feel like some bits could have been taken out to make them shorter.. Also i didn’t think it needed to have the few chapters after Bundy had been killed to explain what Kathy went on to do with her life! I felt like that bit was a bit of waffling on..
Overall I did enjoy the book but felt some bits didn’t need to be included..
Thank you NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for sending this book for review.
November 28, 2023
Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book. I had very mixed feelings upon finishing it. First I could feel the author/victims pain and strength throughout the book. She made a compelling case against the glorification of criminals and the importance of remembering the victims for who they were and the potential they lost. And I strongly agree of the importance of that. But, I also found the book rather repetitive on that theme. It was repeated over and over and just became heavy handed. In some ways it took away from the entire reading experience.
May 19, 2024
I usually love most books especially true crime and am rarely critical. I found this to be fairly repetitive in general. Kathy’s story was harrowing and I did enjoy reading it but I felt it should have been billed as her memoir vs about all the victims. She has a short paragraph about many of the victims but I expected more about them vs mostly about her.
February 6, 2024
Like many people I have read and watched many things about Ted Bundy. In every version he is portrayed to be a handsome, charismatic man who charmed women everywhere he went and that made it easy for him to become the prolific serial killer he became. This book, co-written by one of his victims that survived, debunked everything I thought I knew about Bundy. She was one of the survivors from the famed Chi Omega murders. According to Kathy, Bundy was nothing more than an average looking with average intelligence man. He wasn’t charming and was actually quite strange. He would sneak around and attack women, not charm them into coming with him. I was enthralled by Kathy’s story and admire her for having the strength to tell her story.
October 5, 2024
As someone who loves true crime and unfortunately used to be obsessed with Ted Bundy, this book has forever changed the way I view this topic as a whole. Kathy’s story is incredible. Let’s start focusing on the victims and their lives before they were cut short and not on the pieces of S**T that took them. 🫶🏻
October 1, 2024
Ted Bundy was not charming, charismatic or intelligent. Women knew he was creepy, and did not freely go with him. He charmed men, and used the 1970’s sexism to his benefit. He attacked and murdered women in their sleep, dragged them into their car, and attacked women he could overpower physically. This book taught me the importance of focusing on the stories of the victims and THEIR lives that were taken from them.
September 12, 2024
I always knew Ted Bundy was a creepy weird loser, and now I know more about how he targeted women he could easily overpower or take unaware.
The author is truly an inspiration, not just through her survival of the brutal attack by a serial killer but all the other misfortunes that seemed to haunt her life.
Also, screw the attitude of most of the police and men in the 1970s and on until today. The victim blaming and disbelief of women is truly grotesque. I hope one day we can overcome this.
The author is truly an inspiration, not just through her survival of the brutal attack by a serial killer but all the other misfortunes that seemed to haunt her life.
Also, screw the attitude of most of the police and men in the 1970s and on until today. The victim blaming and disbelief of women is truly grotesque. I hope one day we can overcome this.
July 14, 2024
Kathy, thank you for sharing your story as well as the other girls and women. I will definitely be correcting people that claim Bundy was smart, charming, and handsome.
September 15, 2024
Such an important book to challenge the myth that surrounds Ted Bundy and humanise the costs that came from the actions of a pathetic little man .
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