Structure

The book is divided into three parts which correspond to three distinct timelines. Part One narrativizes the burglaries, serial rapes, and murders that occurred between 1976 and 1986 in Goleta, Orange County, Contra Costa County, Ventura, Visalia, and Sacramento. Also described is the investigative work of Larry Pool, Paul Holes, and Mary Hong in tying together the evidence that may point to a prolific serial rapist who may have traveled to different towns to commit the attacks. Part Two centers on McNamara's present day investigation and her relationships to Paul Holes and Larry Pool, who share their theories about the Golden State Killer in a series of interviews. Paul Holes takes McNamara to a series of crime scenes in Contra Costa County, Visalia, and Davis.

After McNamara's death, her friends and fellow sleuths Paul Haynes (a.k.a. the Kid) and investigative journalist Billy Jensen, compile her notes in...