42 pages • 1 hour read
Helter Skelter
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Book Brief
502
Book • Nonfiction
Los Angeles, California • 1960s
1974
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry details the investigation and prosecution of the murders committed by Charles Manson and his followers, known as the Manson Family. The book explores the grisly crimes, the complex forensic efforts, and Bugliosi's insider perspective, culminating in Manson and several associates receiving life sentences. It includes graphic descriptions of violence.
Dark
Unnerving
Mysterious
Informative
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
156,075 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry is widely praised for its meticulous detail and gripping narrative on the Manson Family murders. Reviewers appreciate Bugliosi's insider perspective as the prosecutor, offering depth and credibility. However, some critique its length and dense legal jargon. Overall, it's a compelling true-crime classic.
Who Should Read Helter Skelter?
A reader who enjoys Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry is likely fascinated by true crime, legal drama, and psychological exploration of criminal behavior. Comparable to fans of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote and The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule, they seek detailed, factual recounting of notorious events.
156,075 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Born in 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Manson spent much of his life in institutions and compelled a devoted following, despite his criminal past.
Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
A promising actress married to Roman Polanski, Tate was noted for her beauty and was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time of her death.
Abigail Folger
Abigail Folger
An inheritor of the Folger coffee fortune, Folger was a social worker and one of Tate's friends who was present at Cielo Drive.
Voytek Frykowski
Voytek Frykowski
A childhood friend of Roman Polanski from Poland, Frykowski was part of Polanski’s circle and was known for his dramatic attempts to resist his murder.
Jay Sebring
Jay Sebring
A Navy barber-turned-Hollywood hairstylist, Sebring was a former romantic partner of Sharon Tate and remained devoted to her.
Steven Parent
Steven Parent
An 18-year-old with no connection to Tate or her friends, Parent was visiting the caretaker at Cielo Drive and was the first victim that night.
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca
The LaBiancas were an upper-middle-class couple who were murdered in a similarly violent manner as those at Cielo Drive, despite living a different lifestyle.
Susan Atkins
Susan Atkins
Known as "Sadie Mae Glutz," Atkins was a member of the Manson Family who openly admitted her involvement in the murders, displaying a disturbingly casual attitude.
502
Book • Nonfiction
Los Angeles, California • 1960s
1974
Adult
18+ years
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