Ann Rule Biography

Fast Facts

• Wrote several true-confession pieces for magazines before writing "The Stranger Beside Me," her first book
• Coming from a family deeply entrenched in law enforcement, she served as a police officer in Seattle until her poor eyesight made it impossible
• Quote: "[True crime readers] are all tremendously curious about what makes some babies grow up to be savage criminals and others law-abiding citizens․ If we don't know what causes aberrant behavior, we will never be able to prevent it․"
• Quote: "[on Ted Bundy] "His physical attractiveness helped to make him a mythical character, an antihero who continues to intrigue readers, many of whom were not even born when he carried out his horrendous crimes․""
• Quote: "People like Ted [Bundy] can fool you completely․ I'd been a cop, had all that psychology - but his mask was perfect․ I say that long acquaintance can help you know someone․ But you can never be really sure․ Scary․"
• Although "The Stranger Beside Me" became her most famous work, she was also the author of the best-selling novels "Practice to Deceive," "Dead by Sunset" and "Everything She Ever Wanted․"
• Best known as a true crime author who wrote "The Stranger Beside Me" about her former co-worker, the serial killer Ted Bundy
• Met and befriended Ted Bundy in the 1970s when they were both volunteers at a suicide crisis hotline, only a few years before Bundy infamously went on to commit dozens of murders