Review: The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1 by Michael F. Cole

Shining an updated light on one of the darkest cases in American history, The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1: The Facts of the Case by Michael F. Cole is an exhaustive exploration of this infamous mystery.

After more than 5 decades, the identity of the Zodiac killer remains unknown, as does the true tally of his unfortunate victims. What sets this case apart, as Cole explains, is the brazen confidence of the killer in his communications with the press, his ability to remain uncaught for all these years, and the unique nature of his criminal profile. What sets this book apart is the incredible level of detail Cole includes: hundreds of hours of investigation and research have been distilled into a true crime masterpiece that will drive readers to immediately start the second installment.

Peppered with photographs of the killer’s ciphers, shocking news reports, public letters, and police sketches, this book is grim, visceral, and fascinating. Cole attempts to break down the complex case of the Zodiac killer into a more manageable endeavor for the common reader, and he does so by establishing the three pillars of importance – the crimes, the letters, and the reporting. The bulk of this book focuses on those three areas in some way, which the author has deemed critical to better understanding the killer’s psyche, behavior and motivations.

Cole painstakingly details the accounts of the murders, the publicly known details of the investigation, the communications between the San Francisco Chronicle and the killer, and the role that news reporting played in this grisly drama. As part of this three-pronged lens, the book also investigates the press, the boundaries it pushes, and the accountability it should be forced to take. This subtle aspect of the book resonates powerfully today, when people are similarly reflecting on the trustworthiness of the news.

Ultimately, given the unsolved nature of this grisly mystery, there is not a satisfying conclusion to this first installment of the series; readers are instead left with a nagging curiosity that will pull them into Cole’s further examinations over the next two books. As the subtitle states, this book presents the facts of the case, the events and documents and communiques that have been officially recorded; the speculations and well-informed conclusions will come later. Even so, Cole is exemplary at leading readers to desired conclusions with his authoritative tone, vast depth of knowledge, and his stylized presentation of the case.

There are some unnecessary moments of exposition regarding areas of California, a particular neighborhood, the personal background of a witness, or a snapshot of historical context. While Cole plays the role of investigator and lawyer as he presents the facts of the case, the narration can occasionally feel out of place, biased, or excessive. At times, some suppositions seem to be made for the sake of completeness, though these elisions could be due to the author’s complete immersion in this case, and his familiarity with every element.

Despite these issues, this book is an incredibly comprehensive and illuminating portrait of a historic case. Cole is a natural storyteller and researcher, and his passion for long-overdue justice is evident on every page.

The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1 won the Bronze prize in the 2021 SPR Book Awards.