My good friend Mark Hewitt has researched and written a book about the Zodiac killer. It will be published in late September, 2016. I have had the opportunity to read a preliminary copy of it, and I can firmly recommend it. It is meticulously researched and promotes no outrageous theories which we have seen quite a few times. Mark has kindly sent me this document describing his book, himself, and the publisher. Here it is in its entirety:
HUNTED: The Zodiac Murders
Book One in the Zodiac Serial Killer Series
Mark Hewitt, DBA
ISBN: 978-0-9908575-7-0
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Published By: Genius Book Publishing
http://www.GeniusBookPublishing.com/zodiac.html
A new chapter in the search for the Zodiac serial killer begins this September.
The newest work of true crime author Mark Hewitt, HUNTED: The Zodiac Murders, is releasing September 27, 2016 from Genius Book Publishing.
HUNTED is the definitive work on the Zodiac serial killer mystery. It is a meticulously-researched and carefully-detailed account of the Zodiac serial killer and his horrific effect on the San Francisco Bay area and beyond.
HUNTED: The Zodiac Murders (Book One in the Zodiac Serial Killer series) is the first installment of a planned trilogy.
For more information, and 2 sample chapters: http://bit.ly/zodiacbooks
About the Zodiac serial killer:
The Zodiac occupies a special place in the annals of the “Serial Killer Hall of Fame.” Claiming the lives of at least 5 young victims and taunting the police in telephone calls and cryptic letters, he terrorized Northern California from 1966 to 1974 and beyond. Despite his appalling acts of violence, he was never arrested—he has never even been identified. His labor was not complete until he rubbed the detectives’ noses in their own impotence by mailing them blood-stained pieces of a victim’s clothing.
The hottest topic in true crime research today, the Zodiac is America’s most enigmatic serial killer, and interest in his crimes has metastasized beyond the United States. No serial killer has done more to capture the public’s imagination since London’s Jack the Ripper carved up 5 helpless prostitutes in 1888. Unlike the Fiend of Whitechapel who left minimal evidence—only a handful of gas-lit photographs and a few gruesome letters—the Zodiac jettisoned far too many clues to avoid identification, and yet, that is exactly the feat he has accomplished.
In addition to the hundreds of police reports recorded on thousands of pages of official files, law enforcement has collected latent fingerprints, handwriting samples, eye witness descriptions, boot tread prints, car tire moulages, a partial DNA profile, and several miscellaneous trinkets recovered from various crime scenes. Thousands of men have been accused; nearly 2,500 have been investigated. The police lack only the name of the perpetrator. Never has there been more passionate interest in the Zodiac serial killer. Never has there been more FOIA-released information on his crime spree and the subsequent law enforcement investigation. Yet, never before has a carefully-researched scholarly treatment of this otherwise eminently solvable riddle been attempted. That is, until now.
This painstakingly-researched and meticulously-detailed account offers the reader an accurate retelling of the case facts by true crime author Mark G. Hewitt. It heralds the revelations of recent interviews—some of which have never been made public—opens all available FBI and local police reports, and broadcasts the contemporary press accounts to create a comprehensive narration, including the various sides of many disputed issues within the case.
The first volume of a planned trilogy, HUNTED: the Zodiac Murders, details the actions of the killer and his effect on the San Francisco Bay communities he touched, leaving for future volumes the task of systematizing and analyzing the evidence (Book Two: The Zodiac Evidence), and exploring possible solutions to the case (Book Three: The Zodiac Revealed).
Meanwhile, a killer defies detection. And there is no statute of limitations on homicide. Three of the Zodiac’s four coded messages have yet to be cracked, one of which remains on the FBI’s top ten list of most intriguing, unsolved ciphers. As armchair detectives speculate, discuss, and debate, the police—understandably wearied by decades of spurious leads and useless information—have cooled to the avalanche of tips. Yet, the words used in many the early police reports remain as true today as they were in 1969, “The investigation continues.”
About the Author:
Dr. Mark G. Hewitt, DBA is a true crime author and award-winning public speaker who travels the world in his quest for intriguing, unanswered questions and enduring mysteries.
Dr. Hewitt is the editor in chief of Radians & Inches: in search of the Zodiac, the journal dedicated to identifying the Zodiac serial killer. With inmate Guillermo Mendez, he is the co-author of Charles Manson Behind Bars, the first Manson book from the inside. He has earned a BA in Theology, a M.Div. in ministry, and an MBA and a DBA in Business Administration.
Dr. Hewitt has been interviewed by, and featured through the following: WOR 710 (the largest talk radio station in New York City), Fox 40 in Sacramento, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, LiveSciFi.com, Paranormal Zone TV, and the Globe, among other news outlets.
He resides in Northern California with his teen-aged son where he researches and writes about the Zodiac serial killer, and other true crime cases. He can be reached for interviews through the following: Facebook “Mark G Hewitt;” email: Radians@live.com; and, phone (707)-548-6479.
About Genius Book Publishing:
Genius Book Publishing is a small press with big aspirations. With our roots planted firmly in the horror fiction genre, Genius Books also has nonfiction titles about serial killers such as the Zodiac, Ted Bundy, Arthur Gary Bishop, Westley Allan Dodd, and Keith Jesperson. Dr. Mark Hewitt’s series of definitive books on the Zodiac Serial Killer are a welcome addition to our catalog. http://www.GeniusBookPublishing.com
Does Dr. Hewitt deal–or plan to deal–with the Bates case?
Not sure if it will receive much enthusiasm at the message boards. We have been overloaded with the Zodiac book of the week. I do hope it is good. Would be nice to finally receive some good reviews from people not in the mix with the authors.
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
Not sure if it will receive much enthusiasm at the message boards. We have been overloaded with the Zodiac book of the week. I do hope it is good. Would be nice to finally receive some good reviews from people not in the mix with the authors.
Not really a fan of Hewitt’s style, as he has been peddling his Zodiac magazine Radians & Inches for sometime at a price, when you really can get the same stuff in the magazine on Zodiac sites like this one and others
There is more than one way to lose your life to a killer
http://www.zodiackillersite.com/
http://zodiackillersite.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/Morf13ZKS
Not sure if it will receive much enthusiasm at the message boards. We have been overloaded with the Zodiac book of the week. I do hope it is good. Would be nice to finally receive some good reviews from people not in the mix with the authors.
Not really a fan of Hewitt’s style, as he has been peddling his Zodiac magazine Radians & Inches for sometime at a price, when you really can get the same stuff in the magazine on Zodiac sites like this one and others
I look for a good book for those who need to educate themselves in regards to the Zodiac case, without a lot of theories and POI’s mixed in. I realize that is hard to do since there is a lot of speculation involved. There is a certain book I do look forward to reading as I think it will go this route. I won’t hijack the thread talking about it (M.C.)… 
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
I have had the pleasure of knowing Mark for several years now and can say without a shadow of doubt that he is honest and a no nonsense sort of man. I am looking forward to buying his series of books about Zodiac.
I have met Mark Hewitt as well. He is sincere about his interest in the case and endeavors to really dig into the facts. He wrote a book with a former prison mate of Charles Manson and it was well received by the people that tend to have a better than average knowledge of those cases. The Manson murders have had more books written about those cases than there will ever be books on the Zodiac Killer so for Mark’s book to stand out is saying something.
I hope that whoever buys this new book gives it a fair read and fair review.
Amen to that Seagull!
Hopefully, in working on the third book in the series, he’ll be able to speak with Bonnie or Jon Sullivan, and/or track down some new info on Ross… Gaining access to SS work records or tax return records would be quite helpful, potentially. I wonder if he’s contacted Riverside people who knew Ross. The 50th RCC reunion would’ve been a great opportunity, but it wouldn’t be too late to build a network of Riverside sources.
He was recently interviewed for the True Murder radio show:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dan-zupans … ark-hewitt
He was recently interviewed for the True Murder radio show:
i was going to post about this interview but doranchak beat me to it. honestly i was surprised how knowledgeable and reserved he is in the interview. he claims to have written a book that lays out the facts without preconceived notions or suspects. from what i heard in his interview he does exactly that. if his book is half as good as his interview it will be worth checking out. every time i started to think "here we go…." he would make a comment that showed he understood the context of the information or clue (i.e – when talking about bates he is careful to mention that it’s not universally accepted that zodiac had anything to do with it and he delineates further the various beliefs that he did/didn’t kill her and/or did/didn’t write the letters).
Looking forward to this book now. The interview was decent but I’m not a huge fan of Zupansky. It sort of amazes me that someone with hundreds of podcast episodes under his belt has not improved as a host and interviewer.
Looking forward to this book now. The interview was decent but I’m not a huge fan of Zupansky. It sort of amazes me that someone with hundreds of podcast episodes under his belt has not improved as a host and interviewer.
yeah it’s baffling. there are so few decent true crime shows/podcasts that i have a high tolerance for that kind of stuff when i find one. still, he seems to constantly be preoccupied with something else while he’s doing the interview. it’s like he’s making dinner and talking on the phone at the same time.
Hunted: The Zodiac Murders is now out, actually was released a couple of weeks ago. It’s available at Amazon in both a Kindle version, $4.99, and a paperback version starting in the $13 range.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L706TVU
You can also go to the publisher’s website and get a signed limited edition hardcover for $85.
http://www.geniusbookpublishing.com/hunted-1.html
I’ve ordered the paperback.
This book is the first of a three volume series on the Zodiac case.
That’s actually not a bad deal if the book is good. But I’ll wait to hear a review.
One thing that always has me nervous is when people talk about the "2,500 Zodiac suspects". I know that is from Robert Graysmith’s Zodiac introduction. I don’t remember ever seeing it in any official document.
