Cases of the FBI’s Original Mindhunter: Book 2 Publication Date: February 1, 2022
From John Douglas—the legendary FBI criminal profiler, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and inspiration for the Netflix show Mindhunter—comes a chilling journey inside the mind and crimes of Larry Gene Bell, one of the most dangerous serial killers Douglas confronted, and the desperate effort to identify and catch him.
On May 31, 1985, two days before her high school graduation, Shari Smith was abducted from the driveway of her family home in South Carolina. Based on the crime scene and the abductor’s repeated and taunting calls to the family, law enforcement quickly realized they were dealing with a sophisticated and highly dangerous criminal. A letter arrived the next day entitled “Last Will & Testament,” in which Shari, knowing she was to be murdered, wrote bravely and achingly of her love for her parents, siblings, and boyfriend, saying that while they would miss her, she knew they would persevere through their faith. The abduction rocked her quiet town, triggering a massive manhunt and bringing in the FBI, which enlisted profiler John Douglas. A few days later, a phone call told the family where they could find Shari’s body.
Then nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was kidnapped from her yard, confirming the harsh realization that Smith’s murder was no random act. A serial killer was evolving, and the only way to stop him would be to use the study of criminal behavior to anticipate his next move before he could kill again. Douglas devised a risky and emotionally fraught strategy to use Shari’s lookalike older sister Dawn as bait to draw out the unknown subject. Dawn and her parents courageously agreed.
One of the most haunting investigations of Douglas’s storied career, this case details how the eerily accurate profile he created—alongside his carefully crafted and stage-managed manipulation of the killer’s psychology—combined with dedicated police work and cutting-edge forensic science to end a reign of criminal terror. As Shari’s family took incredible personal risks to lure her killer from the shadows, Douglas and the FBI pushed criminal profiling to its limits, culminating in one of his most dramatic and effective confrontations with a sadistic and remorseless killer.
Following in the footsteps of a serial killer, legendary FBI profiler John Douglas teams up with Mark Olshaker to shed light on a real-life predator who brought terror to a small town in South Carolina in When a Killer Calls.
This title stands out from other suspense books I’ve read thanks to the perspective provided by Douglas. The story begins in 1985, a time when criminal profiling was still being refined as an investigative tool. A teen girl is abducted from her driveway, sending shockwaves through the community. The girl’s family, who rely heavily on faith, receive calls from the alleged kidnapper. The transcript of these exchanges is chilling.
The level of detail is incredibly precise, exactly what one would expect in an investigation involving the FBI. The storyline is strengthened by a cast of strong secondary characters, including the victim’s family, local police, and community members.
When a child is later abducted, the investigators try to determine if the two incidents are connected. Ultimately, they put together enough clues to zero in on a suspect. The book also covers the ensuing trial, providing a sense of closure. It was unsettling, to say the least, to probe into the mind of this criminal.
When a Killer Calls highlights the battle investigators must wage when dealing with serial killers intent on doing harm. Thanks to advances in both technology and behavioral science, this particular killer was brought to justice.
John Douglas, the legendary FBI criminal profiler and veteran author of true crime books, has spent over twenty-five years researching and culling the stories of America’s most disturbing criminals. A veteran of the United States Air Force, he has directly worked and/or had overall supervision in over 5,000 violent crime cases over the past 48 years. He is currently chairman of the board of the “Cold Case Foundation.” One of the foremost experts and investigators of criminal minds and motivations, he currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area.
Mark Olshaker is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and author of ten nonfiction books and five novels, including Einstein’s Brain and The Edge. His books with former FBI Special Agent and criminal profiling pioneer John Douglas, beginning with Mindhunter and, most recently, Law & Disorder, have sold millions of copies and have been translated into many languages. Mindhunter is now a dramatic series on Netflix, directed by David Fincher. He and his wife Carolyn, an attorney, live in Washington, D.C.
