Labyrinth13 Book Praise

"Rowlett does an excellent job of weaving his research and theory into nice tight chapters that move at a decent pace, definitely keeping the reader interested, and also cause a few chills along the way. [The book contains] an extensive piece about the Zodiac killer, followed by focus on Charles Manson, David Berkowitz, and the Process Church and what role Christianity and Satanism both played in bringing fear to America during the late 70s and early 80s. Rowlett lays out some fascinating research on symbolism and how it also played an important role during this time. I have to commend Rowlett on his research and attention to detail. The notes, resources, and appendix of this book is well over 100 pages. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Curt Rowlett’s work because of my fascination with such stories. He is truly a well versed student and expert of the supernatural and occult."

"A former Merchant Marine and rock musician, Curt wrote some insightful work on the nature of mind controlled assassins for Steamshovel. Now he has produced a book, Labyrinth 13, that explores the topic a little more thoroughly and also mixes in some fascinating forteana - hound phantoms and haunted islands - with analytical insights into mondo subculture phenoms like the Manson family, the Process Church, the Zodiac murders, acid heads and various cults. Curt has mastered the Steamshovel approach of thorough documentation ("rich in important details not included in the main body of the book") and his conversational style is that of a genuine southern gentleman, thoughtful and not lurid or mawkish. Charles Fort himself wrote with similar clarity, but Rowlett seems to know how that sensibility stretches into new areas."

"I ate this stuff up . . . [Labyrinth13] reads like In Search Of . . . narrated by Glenn Danzig. The Zodiac chapter, far-reaching as it is, is only one of a baker's dozen detailing the bizarre, the obscure, and the sinister. The overview of the [Zodiac] case is as good as it gets in print, and ample space is given over to the radian theory and Zodiac-cohort Mike Cole's work . . . [Labyrinth13 is] an excellent overview of the Zodiac story with briefs on various theories, a lineup of the high-profile suspects, and a relevant examination of The Mikado. Accurate and well-written, it's a terrific crash course in the case. It's part of a larger [effort] that deals with other unsolved true crime cases, conspiracy theories, and the occult."

“Curt Rowlett is obsessed with the hidden, the obscure, the weird and the strange. He also has a deformity. He has three feet: one in the paranormal camp, one in the true crime camp, and one in the conspiracy camp. As a result, he has written Labyrinth13, a collection of his best internet and magazine articles. The majority of articles concern the paranormal and occult, but conspiracy folks who wish to broaden their horizons should have much to ponder after reading this unique collection.

Rowlett’s detailed analysis of the various theories surrounding California’s Zodiac killings is particularly compelling. The article includes new information missed by past, more cursory, examinations of the case. For aspiring code breakers, the author includes the still-unsolved 13-character cipher which the killer claimed would reveal his real name.

In writing this diverse anthology, Rowlett wasn’t afraid to tell the reader when his investigation led him to doubt the veracity of a particular theory. While this approach may sometimes be less than tantalizing, it builds confidence in the author’s intellectual honesty.

Lastly, the section of appendixes, notes, and resources is quite extensive, at nearly 80 pages. However, if this conjures images of page after page of tiny and boring text, that’s not the case here. The commentary, previously unpublished research interviews, and updated information truly enhance the reader’s understanding of what they’ve read.

From phantom black dogs, vampires, and haunted islands, to the Son of Sam, MKUltra, and the death of Kurt Cobain, Labyrinth13 is certain to tell even jaded conspiracy researchers something new.”

"True to its title, Curt Rowlett's book is a labyrinth through which one travels to the less-explored reaches of Forteana, occultism, crime, and unnerving doings. Vampires, werewolves, black dogs, and sinister criminals abound here, as do more benevolent characters like the Poe Toaster - who annually visits Edgar Allan Poe's grave to leave tokens of respect.

Rowlett has contributed much to Strange Magazine, and the late editor/publisher Mark Chorvinsky was an early publisher of Rowlett's work.

Even when dealing with familiar topics, Rowlett finds unexplored aspects. Many famous murders, such as those by the Manson "family" and Son of Sam, have been saddled with occult connotations. Those who have previously written about them have not been in a position to know about occultism from the inside - and have not asked the needed questions. Labyrinth13 is, as Rowlett puts it, an 'explorer's notebook' of one who has explored 'the vast landscape of the weird.' And he brings a refreshingly non-paranoid point of view. Too many tabloid-style books have done the opposite.

Curt Rowlett's background as a former merchant marine has likely contributed to his wide worldview, able to take in many cultures and a wide variety of arcana. He explores peoples, places and ideas that few have dared. Whether concerning coincidence, spy-craft, the occult, or strange human behavior, he is in a position to make connections that elude most. He is an ideal guide through a massive maze - the highways and byways of which will never lose their fascination to readers who love the unusual. Labyrinth13 is a treasure trove."

Curt Rowlett brings a great deal of welcomed, reasoned analysis to subject matter usually told with breathless, sensational hyperbole. Investigations into the usual cast of characters - the Zodiac Killer, Son of Sam, Charles Manson - are side-by-side with more obscure, but equally fascinating un-canniness. This book's strengths are Rowlett's sharp compression of different sources and his own investigatory work and interviews. Even without the breathless hyperbole, there is enough creepiness in this book to make you sleep with the nightlight on.

The chapter on Charles Manson, Son of Sam, and the Process Church is a good example. Rowlett makes clearheaded analyses while poking around at the stories' edges and their wild possibilities. (Who knew that the Son of Sam may have been the sons of Sam?). And Rowlett's not shy from taking on those who make wild claims ("smoke pumpers") for their own reasons.

My favorite chapter is on Palmyra, a bucolic island with a creepy, bloody history. That the murder of a monied boating couple by two scraggly hippies could be as gripping as chapters on the Zodiac Killer and the Manson Family proves that Rowlett knows how to spin a tale while fleshing out what's real, what's possible, and what's been left unexplained."

I came across an interesting article titled The Curse of Palmyra Island while searching for evil/cursed places. At the bottom of the article, I found a link to the Labyrinth13 site, in which Curt Rowlett is selling his book.

I read a couple of his excerpts, including the one about Kurt Cobain’s death and the conspiracy theory surrounding that event. [Rowlett's] writing style is objective and concise, allowing you to form your own opinion. I respect writers who have this attitude.

I was at Border's book store yesterday and saw a copy of a magazine called, Paranoia, subtitled, The Conspiracy and Paranormal Reader. Now I don't usually read conspiracy stuff, but what caught my attention was the front of the magazine, about one of the articles inside, Decoding the Zodiac Killer. I bought the magazine just for that article!

[The article] is an interesting overview of the Zodiac case, written by Curt Rowlett. The magazine states that this article is an "edited excerpt" from Rowlett's book, Labyrinth 13: True Tales of the Occult, Crime and Conspiracy.

[Decoding the Zodiac Killer is] a very interesting article. And yes, it talks a good bit about Gareth Penn's investigations of the Zodiac's "radian" angle. And it talks about another researcher, Michael F. Cole, who has a similar "circle theory" with the Mt. Diablo apex as the "starting point." In the article Mr. Rowlett doesn't name any suspects - he writes about this as an "unsolved" case.

After recently watching the movie Zodiac, I've been delving back into my copy of Robert Graysmith's book, Zodiac and feel that it serves as a good base examination. From there, I like the book Labyrinth13 by Curt Rowlett, a decent handbook of the bizarre. Rowlett [develops] his chapter on Zodiac with a well-sourced variety of theories on possible motives. Radians, an obscure math concept, is the basis for one of them.

[C]heck out the website Labyrinth13, put together by a man named Curt Rowlett. The name of his site is also the title of his book - a collection of the author's summaries of various supernatural events, real crimes with occult shadings, and the odd conspiracy theory.

Rowlett's the best kind of Fortean reporter, in that he lays out the paranormal details without ever once questioning whether ghosts, psychic phenomena or visitations from extra-terrestrials are even near the borders of reality. That's for the reader to decide.

And if nothing else, even the most scientific among us should let go of preconceptions as often as possible, leaving the window of possibility open just a crack while our rational minds sleep. The fresh air is good for you.

"Curt Rowlett is a real-life Fox Mulder. For years, he has conducted original research into all manner of outré phenomena. He presents his unique analysis of these researches on his site, Labyrinth13: True Tales of the Occult, Crime, & Conspiracy. The material on the site is not your usual fare. Items such as the Beatles - "Paul McCartney is Dead" phenomenon, the Goths of South Park, the Max Headroom incident, and the Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command incident, are just a few of the lesser-known items to be savored. I once submitted his essay on lycanthropy (from the Labyrinth13 book) to one of my professors at the University of South Florida. The class, Literature and the Occult, was good, but you might say I found the coverage of the werewolf lacked bite. So get in the Halloween spirit with a sojourn in the Labyrinth!."

Books by Curt Rowlett
	Labyrinth13: True Tales of the Occult, Crime & Conspiracy Available from Lulu.com and Amazon.com.

	Riding On Your Fears: A Manson Murders Essay Available from Lulu.com and Amazon.com.

	The Curse of Palmyra Island Available from Lulu.com and Amazon.com.