Unsurprisingly difficult to read at times when it details Graft's crimes, and Kim Mager seems like a talented and empathetic investigator. The writing on this was a little shaky.

This book did a great job focusing on justice for the victims rather than spending the whole time fawning over the serial killer. That being said, none of the cops were portrayed as smart enough to actually catch a serial killer.

Barnes & Noble and Amazon reviews submitted and pending those system approvals
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**TL;DR**: This was very interesting - a narrative of Kim Mager’s interviews with a serial killer.
**Source**: NetGalley, thank you St. Martin’s Press!

**Plot**: This one is fast paced as it’s almost entirely the interviews between Mrs. Major and the killer. It really pulls you through.
**Characters**: We focused primarily on Mrs. Mager and the killer himself and it did a great job showing us the two as foils to one another.
**Setting**: Ashland Ohio felt real here, but I could be really seeing my own hometown in it as they’re similar.
**Readability:** This was incredibly easy to read and blaze through. I enjoyed my time a lot.

**Thoughts**:

A Hunger to Kill is the story of a serial killer/rapist in Ashland, Ohio. It closely follows Detective Kim Magers as she was the one detective our killer would speak with. We begin the story with his capture, which was deeply harrowing. The woman he had held captive managed to find a phone and call the police which led to her rescue and his arrest. After that, Kim, the only detective on the force in Ashland began interviewing him. Through a process called Forensic Interviewing she manged to forge a connection and he admitted to several murders and other crimes over the course of their interviews.

This one is not for the faint of heart. Though the bulk of this book is those interviews, told in a narrative form, they detail some dark and heavy crimes such as murder, rape, stalking, etc. Not only that but we see how the killer himself saw what he was doing which was deeply disturbing. We also see snaps of what it was like for Kim Mager to be the only female detective on the police force which was at times enraging.

I really enjoyed this, I can’t lie. It was heavy and sickening at times but it’s also really nice to see the good guys win. Even if it’s hypothesized there are even more bodies and crimes we can tie to this particular man, the ones that were found have been given peace. If you’re at all interested in things like forensic interviewing and what those interviews are like - this is also a good read. It’s very detailed oriented and really breaks down the process. I found it fascinating, and I recommend it for True Crime fans.

Gripping true crime tale with meticulous research and compelling storytelling, delving deep into the mind of a killer who inspires a relentless pursuit of justice. Recommended!

A Hunger to Kill is about a real life verison of Clarice Starling and how she closed in on, but also broke one of Ohio's most infamous serial killer. Being able to read about Kim Mager and all of her skills was so captivating. I was glad to read and learn about this true crime. The book was a page turner from the beginning. This was a easy read that I loved and would recommend to any reader but especially to those who love true crime books. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this read in exchange of my honest review of A Hunger to Kill by Kim Mager.

Really riveting true crime, I would highly recommend this title to anyone interested in this genre or case.

This was such an intriguing account of the story! I loved that it was shown through the perspective of the detective while still being easy to digest the legal aspects. A captivating read that I definitely recommend trying out!

True crime is one of my favorite genres, and as someone who lived in the Ashland area during these events, I was particularly intrigued by this book. Unfortunately, A Hunger to Kill fell short and left me disappointed.

While I understand the author isn’t a professional writer, the narrative felt unnecessarily repetitive. The constant reminders that the author is a cop and works with law enforcement were overdone—readers don’t need to be told repeatedly to grasp the point.

I had hoped for more detailed accounts of the crimes, deeper insights into the victims, and a thorough exploration of the perpetrator. Instead, the book leaned heavily on Mager’s personal thoughts, emotions, and life, which detracted from the story and failed to keep my interest.

Halfway through, I decided to DNF it for good.

This was a great book. I feel weird saying that with the topic being as it is but it truly was. I am used to these true crime books being written by journalist full of interviews and their opinions. I don't think I have ever read a book written from the detectives perspective and really the perpetrators as well. I am so surprised that being from the Midwest and very curious and interested in criminal justice and serial killers I had never heard of Shawn Grate. It was a story fresh and new to me and I felt like I learned more about this man and what happened to all of his victims than I do while watching so many true crime documentaries. This book dove into who all the victims were, who the detective was, and who Shawn was. It truly kept me interested in what more we would find out throughout. Being in the law enforcement field it was a fresh take on these by getting that detectives take on things and how she went about it. I truly believe that if someone else had been there to interview him we would probably not know the true extent of his crimes. It was a great book for any true crime person.

This book was nothing short of captivating. Mager not only delivered a compelling narrative but offered so much more than just a recounting of events. The inclusion of her interviews with the killer, coupled with her raw reflections on what it was like to sit face-to-face with a serial murderer, added a unique and gripping layer to the story.

What truly stood out was the depth of Mager’s personal journey as she navigated the chilling realities of the case and connected with the lives impacted by the crimes. The blend of her professional and emotional experiences brought a profound dimension to the account.

For readers like me, living in the very town where these tragic events unfolded, the story hit even closer to home, making it all the more riveting. Mager’s courage and dedication, along with the unwavering commitment of her colleagues in law enforcement, shine through every page.

This is a must-read for anyone drawn to true crime and curious about the dark complexities of a serial killer’s psyche.

A HUNGER TO KILL – by Kin Mager With Lisa Pulitzer


‘What follows is my telling of the Shawn Grate case. Dozens of law enforcement officials from multiple jurisdictions worked on the case. I am but one of many officers, detectives, BCI and FBI agents, prosecutors, and countless others who worked innumerable hours to bring Grate to justice and bring closure to the victims’ families.’

‘When I was interrogating Grate, I was approached multiple times to tell my story. I had no intention of ever putting pen to paper; I didn’t want to give any more attention to this man than he had garnered himself. But I began to realize that only by processing what occurred can we improve as agencies and also assist the public in identifying indicators of danger that are more nuanced than people realize.’

‘Also important to me is that a portion of the proceeds from this book will go toward the benefit of crime victims.’

Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an eBook of A HUNGER TO KILL at the request of an honest review.

The parallels to Clarice and Hannibal are unmistakable. A Hunger to Kill features Detective Mager and her interviews with psycho serial killer Shawn Grate, which ultimately led to Grate finally being put behind bars, and justice for his many victims. I hadn't previously heard about this killer. True Crime is so often repetitive. This was a case I hadn't yet heard about before seeing it on NetGalley, and it was very well done.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I could not put this book down -- and could not read it before bed because it was so chilling. Kim Mager is a detective in Ashland, Ohio, who sat face-to-face with a serial killer for 8 interviews over 33 hours in a month (by herself!) to finally learn about all of his victims and motivations for the killings. At one point, she finds out from a jailhouse snitch, that he also wants to kill her and was hoping to grab her gun the next time she interviewed him. Fortunately she learned about this plot before this could happen. I so admire her persistence and courage to face him and help bring him to justice. She showed incredible compassion for the victims and their families. I also was pleased to see a recent 20/20 episode that highlighted her and this case. A great way to bring to life what I read about in the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

A Hunger to Kill is the true-life account of Kim Mager, a detective tasked with interviewing a man accused of kidnapping a woman. From Kim's skillful interviewing, it becomes obvious that the police are dealing with a predator who has attacked multiple women.

Mager masterfully balances gruesome details and respectfulness of the victims. The focus on details keeps the story from gaining flow to grip the reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's press for eARC.

I’ve become a big fan of true crime and the legal professionals who use their wiles to find the criminals and hold them responsible. This book is written by Kim Mager, a career law enforcement officer who has seen and heard more than the average human mind could wrap itself around. Her writing style is comfortable as if she’s talking to you, and it’s “just the facts, ma'am”.
On September 13, 2006, she was asked to interview a suspect. Little did she know that this would change her career path, sharpen her interrogation skills, and expose a serial killer who had flown under the radar for years. She kept pristine notes and used these to write this compelling book that gives the average person a glimpse of what it’s like to build a relationship with a dangerous criminal to solve heinous crimes and bring resolutions and answers to families. I was glued to her words from beginning to end. This book isn't for the faint of heart but is perfect for true crime enthusiasts, police procedurals, and a study in how to have a heart while working closely with evil.
Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is July 16, 2024.

Kim Mager did a great job describing the unique experience of a female detective interrogating a serial killer who killed several women over a period of at least ten years and probably others. Mager expressed a strong desire to get into the head of Shawn Grate no matter how difficult that was for her emotionally and psychologically and it was clear she developed a unique relationship with Grate that I think would have been hard for a male detective to obtain. Her dedication and commitment brought some closure to many families and friends and was an amazing example of how women can often do things men can’t in the furtherance of certain goals and results. It could not have been easy. I was very happy to hear of the support she had from her husband and family as well.

The book was a good length and went into just enough detail about the trial and aftermath. I appreciated that. Being able to view the relationship Mager developed with Grate was eye-opening and this book should be required reading for all homicide detectives. This is how it’s done! Kudos to Officer/Detective Kim Mager.!

A HUNGER TO KILL by KIM MAGER


This was quite a detailed account of the capture, interviews and trial of a serial killer.

I found the ways that she conducted the interviews extremely interesting.

This was a hard read but a good one. It is a long process to get information and it take a lot of different organizations working together to uncover everything.

I learnt a lot reading this book 📕

#ahungertokill. #kimmager #lisapulitzer

The harrowing story of serial killer Shawn Grate is hampered by a very heavily "yay police" narrative where the officer responsible for interviewing him (until it became apparent he'd turned his attention to her as his last victim) gets way to bogged down in reminding the reader how blessed we are as a country to have such a wonderful police force taking care of us at all times. It's also difficult to understand what, beyond listening to the man apparently willingly confess his crimes, Detective Mager actually did. Grate was caught entirely because his last victim managed to escape entirely on her own and no one was looking for him up till then. White it is certainly interesting to spend some time in the mind of a mad man this too often reads as a simple transcript of their conversations complete with "ums" and plenty of repetition. Mager periodically waxes poetic on how wonderful her squad is, despite several horrifying lapses in judgement that at one point leave her entirely alone with Grate, all the while ignoring how their compacency and lack of care toward the less fortunate in their community directly led to his ability to commit his crimes.

Imagine interviewing a kidnapping suspect and stumbling upon a serial killer. Sounds like fiction, right? It's not. This is the true story of Shawn Grate, who ended up in a police station after he fell asleep and the woman he kidnapped used his phone to call the police. While in custody, Detective Kim Mager is asked to interview Grate and he immediately takes a liking to her and starts to confess to multiple murders! These confessions take days, and they are chilling to listen to as he speaks with little emotion about strangling women. I have a lot of respect for Mager, and I found her to be very intuitive and intelligent, not to mention brave and courageous. Her recordings from their interviews are the basis for this book. I do think the book could have been shorter as it also ended up being a memoir for Mager. While I did find some of her personal information interesting, I felt it wasn't relative to Grate's story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Hunger to Kill is a detective's account of her experience investigating and interviewing Ohio serial killer Shawn Grate. This was a chilling account of a serial killer who went undetected for years & the bravery of one of his victims in her attempt to escape. I appreciated the authors' focus on the victims in this book, highlighting who they were before & after their attacks. True crime novels can be tricky to balance telling the story without glorifying the killer; this book struck that balance well. While I am sure Detective Mager is an incredible person, the insertion of so many personal life details did detract from this story. It's clear that she has strong faith but the religious input from her was also offputting. Trimming down these parts of the story would have lead to a tighter novel overall. Many thanks to both authors for tackling such a challenging topic with so much care for the victims.