Holy moly, this was absolutely fascinating and I could not stop. The world is full of truly awful stories, and this was just a shocker.

"When a Killer Calls" by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker presents a compelling true crime narrative, delving into a tragic story. Douglas, a former FBI profiler, provides a unique perspective that adds depth to the exploration of the criminal mind in this story. The authors skillfully balance chilling details with a gripping narrative from a profiler's perspective. This book not only highlights the intricacies of criminal investigations but also humanizes the victims and their families. The perspective of the victim's family is a constant in this book, which helps us remember that this is not just sensational news, but a tragedy that real people experienced. "When a Killer Calls" offers a thought-provoking exploration of both crime and the psychological complexities involved.

I love nonfiction crime/serial killer reads, but this one didn't do it for me. Very boring and just didn't feel like it was going anywhere. Was not invested in the story.

*Thank you Dey Street Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF.*

It was a circus performance. Standing trial, the case was held in court but his performance before those in attendance, was more like a show. He was a performer, putting on quite a show for all those in attendance. He’s proud, he’s bold, he’s talking in circles. He’s been careful, precise, and patient so what’s with this performance? Are we seeing just another side of Bell that he tried to keep hidden. https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/48-49-larry-gene-bell-part-1-2


This book was a very comprehensive look into this case. From the police, the family, and other individuals close to the case, I got a detail look at this case. Beginning from day one, they discover that Shari’s disappearance might be tied to a similar case (Debra May) and Bell might be another serial killer. This book left no stone unturned as Bell might be tied to other disappearance as they start to link similar ties together and we see Bell lose his composure. I liked how the book gave a lot of details as I felt I was a part of the team, doing the research with them. Each evening, as the family waited to hear from Shari or her abductor, my frustration grew. This family is being strung along, how could they be so patient and composed? How were the authorities ever going to catch this guy when he’s being so careful? When the FBI started to link other cases to him, why? What led him on this journey? I thought this was a long book to read when I picked it up but I did find it interesting and engaging and it was a 4.5-star read for me. I want to thank NetGalley, Scene of the Crime, and Dey Street Books for my copy of this book that I received in exchange for my own honest opinion. This review in my own opinion. #WhenaKillerCalls #NetGalley

This was a very good book. I saw a show about this once and was very interesting in learning more about this story. This book did not disappoint. It filled in so much of what happened. I also loved hearing more about the family and how strong they were through all of this. I will read anything by John Douglas so I was excited for this, and once again he didn't disappoint!

Great true crime read without disrespecting the victims or their families. If you’re a true crime fan pick this one up. It was extremely well done.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Gripping, was totally sucked in and read in a day. I’ll pretty much read anything by these authors. Just a consistently great depiction of true crime without overdoing it and risking disrespecting the families or victims. Have already purchased as a gift for a crime reader.

John Douglas is an FBI profiler who worked on the kidnapping/murder cases of Shari Smith and Debra May Helmick in 1985 in South Carolina. I am a huge true crime nerd, so I was very interested in the opportunity to learn how things worked in the beginning of profiling becoming a thing. This book is a very interesting read and easy to understand. While specific details of the cases were a bit grisly to hear about, it was done in a well-intentioned manner and really helped the reader understand more about the process.
Thank you to Netgalley, Scene of the Crime and Dey Street Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

When a Killer Calls is a detailed account of the murders committed by serial killer Larry Gene Bell, by retired detective, John E. Douglas. It is rare that you get to hear the thoughts and recount strategy of a former FBI detective as they recall the crimes of a notorious serial killer. John Douglas does a great job recounting the hunt for the monster who committed the tragic murders of two young women, Shari Smith and Debra May Helmick. John takes you day by day, sometimes hour by hour, through the events of these murders, up to, and including the capture of killer Larry Gene Bell. If you like crime procedurals, this book should be on your list of books to read!

I love psychological thrillers and police procedurals yet veer away from true crime novels. I’m a. devoted watcher of dateline but I shy away from all the true crime documentaries. Somehow they are real and my books are fiction. aren’t they? Now I’ve crossed the line and read this one. Douglas, it seems, was the original real life profiler snd one of the best, his accuracy is chilling. Here we have a heartbreaking case where the police failed to act. At first the lurid ‘stripped from the headlines’ cover niggled me until I settled into and was engrossed in the story.

True crime can be a fascinating, if unsettling, genre when done correctly and John E. Douglas doesn't disappoint when adding When a Killer Calls as another entry in the genre. His insight, he expertise and his story telling are all top notch. What helps balance the sad and disturbing details of the case is his empathy and sympathy for the victims and their families.

When A Killer Calls is a fascinating and unsettling behind the scenes look at a complex criminal investigation into the deaths of two girls in South Carolina and the trial of their killer. The recount of the manhunt to identify and catch the dangerous serial killer includes the courageousness of a victim’s sister, the emotional rollercoaster experienced by the families, and the toll on law enforcement. In particular, I intrigued by the chilling and eerily accurate killer profile developed by FBI agent John Douglas and its role in resolving the cases.

I highly recommend When A Killer Calls to true crime fans and those interested in FBI profiling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dey Street Books for a gifted copy of this book.

I have been reading so much nonfiction this year and the true crime book, When a Killer Calls by John Douglas and Mark Olshanker was my most recent read. It is about the 1985 South Carolina case of the abduction and murder of seventeen year old Shari Smith and the profiling and forensic techniques that the FBI used to solve the case. John Douglas is the legendary agent who established what is now known as criminal profiling and this first hand account of how he applied those techniques is fascinating.

I’m a true crime junkie and books like this are the reason why. It’s not that I love reading about the crimes so much as it is trying to understand the psychology behind them. This book does a deep dive into that and it made for a quick and compelling read.

This book, while enormously interesting, is also heartbreaking. Even though the FBI and other local law enforcement personnel did everything possible to catch the killer, it was not before the killer abducted and killed a nine year old child. The first half of this book, which deals with how Douglas and his counterparts dissected the crime and put the profile together is what captivated me the most. The accuracy of this profile against the killer was uncanny. The second half of the book dragged a little for me, just because it dealt more with the eventual trial which I found to be a bit anticlimactic.

Even though the subject matter this book covered was at times brutal, I found it to be highly interesting. So if you are a true crime junkie like me, I recommend you pick this one up. Thank you to @ Netgalley and @deystreet for an advanced copy of this book.

I've read most of Douglas' other books and this one felt the weakest. It did not grip me or provide insight into anything overly new.

I have read several books by Douglas and Olshaker and never been disappointed. And this time was no exception! I could not wait to read this book, as I was familiar with this horrific crime, having lived in South Carolina. This book really gets to the heart of the crime, the victims and even the evilness that surrounded it. The writing was excellent as was the storyline. It was hard to put down. Even though I knew what was happening, I did not want to put it down, as I wanted to keep knowing more and more. This book was excellent and I will read it again. I highly recommend it!

Will review in the future, was offered as a free book with no review needed. However, as soon as I read this I will review. Thanks for offering free reads for Scene of the Crime.

Rating: 2 Stars

Review limited to Goodreads

Review: I cannot believe I am giving a John Douglas book two stars. I believe I have read every book by this author and have been enthralled and engrossed each and every book. I could never warm up to this book though. It just didn’t have his typical “flare”. As a result, it took me several months to read this book. Absolutely unheard of for this author.

Review copy for honest review via Netgalley.

This true crime work details co-writer FBI criminal profiler John Douglas’ involvement in the investigation of kidnapping and murder in 1985 in South Carolina. Shari Smith is abducted from her driveway and shortly later Debra May Helmick is kidnapped from her yard. Local authorities call in John Douglas to provide a profile of the perpetrator that will help to identify and capture the killer and bring him to trial. There is an almost too detailed and repetitive account of the steps involved in profiling and the police investigation. The families of the victims suffer heartbreakingly through this process. I am not a fan of the true crime genre, but I did find the insight into the investigation interesting.

When A Killer Calls is an interesting look into an investigation of a serial killer. The story details the crime and the investigation tools that were employed to catch the killer. It shows how profiling works and how they use it to solve cases. I enjoyed reading this. The story could have been told in a way that showed you the intensity of the crime and the suspense of the hunt instead of just an explanation of facts. It would have made the story more interesting but overall it was an interesting look into how the FBI profile team works.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

Well written, engrossing, and full of profiler POV, I could not put this down until I was finished.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.