Review: When a Killer Calls
When a Killer Calls
John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker
Synopsis: The true story of the case of serial killer, Larry Gene Bell in 1985.
Sensitivity Warning: Kidnapping, Rape, Murder.
I’ve only recently become interested in the True Crime genre, and this is my first true crime novel. I came across this book by chance while browsing Audible for my next audiobook. The description alone was fascinating. I’ve always been interested in psychology, and this book is largely about the criminal psychology/profiling that led to the capture of Larry Gene Bell.
I was completely gripped through the entire book. I can’t lie, it felt slightly morbid to be enthralled in the story, but I supposed that’s why true crime is so popular. As Hugh Jackman (as P.T. Barnum) in The Greatest Showman says, ” People are fascinated by the unusual and macabre.” It’s completely true. It doesn’t seem like it should be so intriguing and yet your curiosity knows no bounds.
Anyway, as my introductory novel into the true crime world, I appreciated that I didn’t feel like the book was too graphic. It does give details about his crimes, obviously, but the majority of the book is focused on the investigation itself and finding the suspect, as well as his trial. When it came to descriptions of what he did to his victims, it seemed fairly factual and to the point, not a lot of embellishments or intense descriptions.
The book is pretty much split in half. The first half about the investigation, finding and arresting their suspect, and the second half is largely about his interrogation and trial. All of it was gripping.
If you like true crime, I HIGHLY recommend When a Killer Calls. If you are curious about true crime, this is a great book to start with!