The Idaho Four by James Patterson and Vicky Ward

 Kaylee Goncalves.  Madison Mogen.  Xana Kernodle.  Ethan Chapin.  These four young people were students at the University of Idaho and will be linked forever by the fact that they were all murdered one night in the house they rented together.  Most people have heard about this case.  James Patterson and Vicky Ward take readers behind the scenes and into the students' lives, giving their individual stories, what they wanted to do with their lives, what others thought of them, etc.  

Bryan Kohberger.  A thirty-year old PHd student, he was never considered part of the crowd.  He had an ongoing heroin addiction and had been in rehabilitation clinics at least twice in his life.  His doctorate was going to be in crime and he came to the West from his homestate of Pennsylvania to study.  One of his inspirations was another man, an incel, who had committed a murder spree in California due to his inability to get women interested in him.  Likewise, Kohberger did not date.  He was tall and very skinny with bulging eyes and a superior manner that put off those around him.  

After multiple trips to case the house where the four victims lived, Kohberger ultimately broke into the house one night and in less than a half house, killed the four young people.  Leaving, he saw one of the other roommates and locked eyes with her but left her alive along with another girl on another floor of the house.  Although he was a student of forensic processing, he also left behind the sheath of his knife which was the main way he was caught as it provided his DNA.

Along with the victims' stories, the authors also gave insight into the lives and work of the local police who had never encountered anything like these murders and the publicity surrounding the case.  The lives of the victims' families is described and their support of law enforcement.  The book ends before the trial at which Kohberger ultimately pled guilty in order to escape the death penalty.  

James Patterson is known for his mystery writing while Vicky Ward is a journalist.  Together they have researched and done hundreds of interviews for this book.  It is an easily readable accounting of one of the most horrific crimes in recent times.  This book is recommended for true crime readers.