When a Killer Calls: A Haunting Story of Murder, Criminal Profiling, and Justice in a Small Town (Cases of the FBI’s Original Mindhunter, 2)

In May 1985, Shari Faye Smith beamed with excitement. Her High School graduation was days away. A Senior Class trip to the Bahamas was soon to follow. The future was bright with promise. Unbeknownst to Smith, she would not be able to enjoy these events. A predator was on the prowl and would abduct Smith in broad daylight. Her parents were dumbfounded and traumatized by her disappearance. The police were called and eventually, the FBI would be brought in to assist. Calls were placed by the kidnapper to Smith’s family, promising Smith’s return, but his language was cryptic and evasive. The Behavioral Science Unit would be tasked with creating a profile of the UNSUB. Shortly after Smith’s abduction, a young girl would be abducted. The cases would soon be linked, and a suspect would be pinpointed. However, this was only the beginning.

When a Killer Calls is the latest collaborative effort between John Douglas and Mark Olshaker (“Mindhunter”) proving as equally masterful, haunting, and compelling as their previous work. Douglas lays out the facts in a concise manner, but his empathy for the victims and their families makes for a heartfelt true-crime work that will stay with the reader.