I Am Not A Serial Killer (2009) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Characters edit see section history

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• John Wayne Cleaver: The protagonist, a teenage sociopath who is obsessed with serial killers
• Brooke: One of John's classmates, whom he has a huge crush on. John must balance his innocent teenage feelings for Brooke with his dark sociopathic thoughts of hurting her.
• Margaret: John's aunt
• Max: John's friend, another loner at school
• Lauren: John's Sister
• Dr Neblin: John's psychologist
• Clayton Killer: Local serial killer
• Ms Parker: English teacher
• Greg Olson: Murder victim
• Rob Anders: fellow student
• Ron: coroner
• John's mother: Mortician who tries to make ends meet and relate to John and his sister, but never really succeeds.
• Lauren: John's older sister. Although John and her have a good relationship, Lauren butts heads with her mother on a regular basis, which is the cause of her avoiding visiting John and their mother.
• Mrs Anderson: dead old lady
• Marci: fellow student, Brooke's friend
• Jeb Jolley: Murder victim
• Brad: fellow student
• Mr Monster: John's name for the killer inside him
• John Wayne Gacy: Mentioned briefly with no emphasis in the story. Only used as a reference.
• Bill & Kay Crowley: John's elderly neighbors.
• jeb jolly: the first dead person in Clayton
• Mr. Crowley: Is the killer

Quotes edit see section history

• “It was like my brain had a screen saver full of blood and screaming, and if I ever left it idle for too long, those thoughts would pop up and take over.”

  John Wayne Cleaver

• “"Your posters game me nightmares. That was boss.""Nightmares are nothing," I said. "Those posters game me a therapist."”

  John Wayne Cleaver

• “"I'm a good person," I said, 'because I know what good people are supposed to act like, and I copy them."”

  John Cleaver

• “"It's a history class," I said, "and serial killers are part of history. So are wars and racism and genocide. I guess I forgot to sign up for the 'happy stuff only' history class, sorry about that."”

  John Cleaver

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• gathering the night’s dark thoughts into a plug of mental mucus and spitting it out in a single word.

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• If you met me on the street, you’d never guess how much I wanted to kill you.

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• Fire is a brief, temporary thing—the very definition of impermanence. It comes suddenly, roaring into life when heat and fuel come together and ignite, and dances hungrily while everything around it blackens and curls. When there is nothing left to consume, it disappears, leaving nothing behind but the ash of its unused fuel—those bits of wood and leaf and paper that were too impure to burn, too unworthy to join the fire in its dance.

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• The lack of emotional connection with other people has the odd effect of making you feel separate and alien—as if you were observing the human race from somewhere else, unattached and unwelcome.

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• MacDonald triad?” “Three traits shared by ninety-five percent of serial killers,” said Dr. Neblin. “Bed-wetting, pyromania, and animal cruelty.

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• “The thing is, Rob, I don’t want to cut you open. That’s not who I want to be. So I made a rule for myself: anytime I want to cut someone open, I say something nice to them instead. That is why I say, Rob Anders of 232 Carnation Street, that you are a great guy.”

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Clayton County

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Death: Describe this theme.
• Morticians
• Serial killers
• Dysfunctional Family
• Therapy

Series & Lists edit see section history

Followed by Mr Monster.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Dan Wells (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3623.E4688I3 2010
• Dewey: 813.6

Notes for Parents edit see section history

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Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Horror › United States
• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Suspense

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