American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
Written by Maureen Callahan
Narrated by Amy Landon
4.5/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Jeffrey Dahmer. The names of notorious serial killers are usually well-known; they echo in the news and in public consciousness. But most people have never heard of Israel Keyes, one of the most ambitious and terrifying serial killers in modern history. The FBI considered his behavior unprecedented. Described by a prosecutor as "a force of pure evil," Keyes was a predator who struck all over the United States. He buried "kill kits"—cash, weapons, and body-disposal tools—in remote locations across the country.
Over the course of fourteen years, Keyes would fly to a city, rent a car, and drive thousands of miles in order to use his kits. He would break into a stranger's house, abduct his victims in broad daylight, and kill and dispose of them in mere hours. And then he would return home to Alaska, resuming life as a quiet, reliable construction worker devoted to his only daughter.
When journalist Maureen Callahan first heard about Israel Keyes in 2012, she was captivated by how a killer of this magnitude could go undetected by law enforcement for over a decade. And so began a project that consumed her for the next several years—uncovering the true story behind how the FBI ultimately caught Israel Keyes, and trying to understand what it means for a killer like Keyes to exist. A killer who left a path of monstrous, randomly committed crimes in his wake—many of which remain unsolved to this day.
American Predator is the ambitious culmination of years of interviews with key figures in law enforcement and in Keyes's life, and research uncovered from classified FBI files. Callahan takes us on a journey into the chilling, nightmarish mind of a relentless killer, and to the limitations of traditional law enforcement.
Maureen Callahan
Maureen Callahan has worked as an editor and writer at the New York Post, covering everything from the subcultures of the Lower East Side to local and national politics. She has also written for Spin, New York, Vanity Fair, and Sassy. She lives in New York City.
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Reviews for American Predator
97 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/54/5. I thought this would have been more interesting if it wasn’t just about the crimes. I wanted to know more about the victims! But overall, it was good. It’s eludes me how he got away with killing people all over the country for over 14 years!!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Callahan skillfully investigates the crimes of a truly horrifying serial killer, the work of the police and FBI agents who caught him, and the shocking ineptitude of the federal prosecutor and prison warden who undercut the FBI’s mission to tie the killer to cold cases. Don’t let the studiously neutral, almost robotic voice of the audio version deter you — it’s a smart choice given the grisliness of some sections. The research is exceptional, particularly as Callahan documents and analyzes numerous interviews law enforcement agents conduct with the killer. Very disturbing, but also very insightful.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely a chilling and frightening book. A story you will never forget
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It was meh. I didn’t give up on it halfway through. But wouldn’t read it again or recommend it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such a gripping story of a modern monster. If you find yourself looking for true crime on a regular basis this book won’t let you down.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A sickening story of how a serial killer made one mistake and got himself caught. This story makes me thankful that I don't go out in public places much.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Brilliantly researched, produced and narrated.
Highly recommended.
Portrait of a monster, one I’d never heard of before this book.2 people found this helpful