Slipping by Barri L. Bumgarner,

(Tigress Press, 2005).

What’s it like inside the head of a serial killer?

Slipping, by Columbia author Barri L. Bumgarner, shows you in gripping and disturbing detail. If you enjoyed Silence of the Lambs or eagerly await the latest installment of CSI, you’ll like this book. It documents the story of police detective Danna Scanlon’s efforts to stop serial killer Seth Berman before he kills again—and his efforts to avoid being the next victim.

As the book progresses, it is hard to put down. But be ready to swim through a lot of nauseating blood, gore and sadistic torture. The book is not for children or the feint-of-heart.

The multiple personalities in Seth’s head, created in response to the evils of his horrendous childhood, almost make the reader feel pity, but not quite. The formative events are presented in flashbacks as the different personalities “slip” into control of Seth’s body. When he feels the “scit-scit” of spiders behind his eyes, he knows that Zeus, the sadistic serial killer, is taking over and plotting some outrage that would make Jack the Ripper blush. Alternate personalities Twister, Cade, Scottie and Bonnie have their moments as well, competing for control of the killer’s mind.
Now pursuing a master’s degree in creative writing at the University of Missouri-Columbia, along with building her writing career, Bumgarner is a former junior high school teacher and daycare center director in Columbia. When asked why she chose to write about a serial killer, she said she blames her mother, who took her to see The Exorcist when she was 10. “I’ve been completely twisted ever since,” she said. “Once I delved into the dark dungeons of psychoses, I was amazed at how much fun it was!”

Published by Tigress Press in Columbia, Mo., the book costs about $17 and can be found at Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.