American Predator

This was horrifying! Yikes.

This was really interesting. It starts with the murder that got Israel Keyes caught, and goes through the case progress until Keyes' suicide. I liked how this was done, though ending with the suicide was a bit abrupt. The epilogue helped though.

I'd recommend this book and listening to the podcast True Crime Bullshit. The podcast has the benefit of playing actual interview tapes, but I think the book is organized a bit better overall.

What a case.

4/5 stars

Read for Crimeathon 2020: Group Book, Red on the Cover, Female Author

Liveshow link for thoughts:

A lot can be said for this book. It reads like a novel as the story of Israel Keyes and his crimes unfold. I hadn't heard of Keyes before this book and now, having read it, I'm incredibly interested to see what the FBI is able to find out over time with what Keyes left them before committing suicide. If you're a fan of true crime, check out this one out.

Creepy subject, but interesting to read about the investigators on the case and how it broke wide open. Well-written. Callahan needs to write more true crime!

Creepy. Riveting. Creepy some more.

One of my favorite true crime books ever. It reads like a thriller and will sit with you for a long time. The part about the dive team will probably stick with me forever.

The craziest serial killer story you've never heard about.

4/5 - Captivating and chilling account of one of the most evil serial killers the 21st century has ever seen, that most people haven't even heard of, Israel Keyes. Makes you truely wonder just how many people he murdered, I can't help but feel it is much more than the 11 Keyes hinted at.

This review can also be found on my blog.

Wow, this one was definitely a doozy. I picked up American Predator for week one of the #FridayFrightAThon 2019, hosted by Melanie, Amy, Jen, and Chelsea. It hadn't really been on my radar before that, but I thought it sounded intriguing and decided to participate. And oh boy, intriguing doesn't even begin to cover it!

The book starts with a deep dive into the disappearance of Samantha Koenig, who had gone missing in Anchorage, Alaska. Detailing the investigation start to finish, Callahan reels us right into the story. Police finally tracked down Israel Keyes, who reveals to them his extensive history of crime. The story becomes more and more compelling as we learn about Keyes' past, motives (or lack thereof?), and methodology.

I got literal chills reading this because it was so impossible to fathom someone this cold-blooded and calculated really existing. As the blurb mentions, it is truly amazing that Keyes is not more well-known! He is a fairly recent serial killer (arrested in 2012) and is frighteningly intelligent and good at what he does. Honestly, if not for a few slip-ups, it's hard to say whether he would have ever been caught. There is even information hinting that he possibly “[began] biohacking his own body in his quest to become the perfect serial killer” through surgeries he traveled all the way to Mexico to receive.

While it sometimes comes up that law enforcement has not revealed all aspects of Keyes' crimes, that's never the sense the reader gets. Callahan so smoothly fills in the gaps that it is difficult to feel like anything is missing – even if there are questions unanswered, that often seems to come from Keyes himself rather than a barrier the author is unable to overcome.

Callan begins her conclusion by stating, “Any one of us could have been a victim of Israel Keyes.” And that's the sense one gets while reading this. He criss-crossed the country and he committed crimes well beyond the bounds of the United States. He was smart and he was confident, taking people in broad daylight and in well-traveled areas. He is truly far more than your run-of-the-mill serial killer, if such a thing exists. It is clear that not much was an obstacle for him.

Overall, this was a chilling and fascinating read that I'll be recommending left and right.