From the publisher: In this fascinating and profoundly chilling account, Detective Kim Mager, a real-life version of Clarice Starling, reveals how she closed in on—and broke—one of Ohio’s most infamous serial killers.

Kim Mager was a detective with the Ashland (Ohio) Police Division in the fall of 2016. One mid-September morning, a desperate 911 call came in. A woman said she’d been abducted, held captive, raped and beaten. She didn’t know the address of the place she was being held, but she knew the name of the man who taken her and how to describe where they were. Thus began the downfall of serial killer Shawn Grate.
Mager was one of the only women on the small Ashland police force and had been with the department for 23 years. Mager says the Ashland community loves their police force and their community policing, and she prides herself on being familiar with many of the residents. As the only female detective, she got the call to interview the woman who’d called 911. The frightened Jane Doe asked Mager to stay with her as she told her story of meeting and befriending Grate, and how a meeting turned from conversation to assault.

A Hunger to Kill focuses on the detective and her thoughts as she interviewed and investigated Shawn Grate. At one point Mager talks about her alarm when she realized a breakdown in department communication had left her alone with Grate, with no backup. She was able to call out to an agent from another agency but was shaken at feeling vulnerable. She was able to form a bond with Grate without ever coming to empathize with him instead of the women he killed. She got him to talk about victims that weren’t on the radar of the police. The book is an interesting glimpse into the work life of a small town detective dealing with a big crime. It is less sensationalistic than most True Crime I’ve read, and the serial killer is not well known. Mager and writer Lisa Pulitzer do a good job depicting the investigation.

I read an advance reader copy of A Hunger to Kill from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be published on July 23, and the Galesburg Public Library will own it. A portion of the book’s proceeds are going to benefit crime victims.

I love true crime books, and while this one was intriguing, it was slightly different than other books in the genre so I didn't like it as well as others.

This book starts with Kim Mager, a detective on the Ashland, Ohio police force, being called in to interview a sexual assault victim who claimed to have been kidnapped. It soon becomes clear that the man they have arrested for the crime, Shawn Grate, is involved with more than just this one case, and he might actually be a serial killer. The book covers Mager's multiple interviews with Grate and her skillfully crafted rapport that allowed other victims to be discovered and Grate to be prosecuted.

The main issue I have with this book is that he is captured from the beginning. There's no investigation--they didn't even know that he or his crimes even existed until that point. It made the book more of Grate telling the investigators about his crimes and how the investigators (particularly Mager) were able to ask questions to get him to reveal information.

I listened to this as an audiobook and I think that helped me to get through it more than if I had been reading it on the page. It put me in the room with them rather than just reading about them. So if you're going to choose this book, the audiobook is the way to go.

Just go into your reading of this knowing that it is less about an investigation and more about how a detective goes about interviewing someone to get the best information. I feel as if Kim Mager is part psychologist, part police detective, because there are many times she has to straddle that line and understand what would motivate that person to want to tell their story and then use her skills to draw that story out.

This is a gripping true crime account that takes us behind the scenes of a serial killer criminal case. I was fascinated by the detective who brought the criminal down. Very intriguing.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever by Kim Mager is a 2024 St. Martin’s Press publication.

This book doesn’t read like most true crime stories. This is a first-person narrative from the perspective of Kim Mager, the investigator who conducted the interviews and interrogations of the serial killer-Shawn Grate- in Northern Ohio, in 2016.

He was initially brought in for a kidnapping and rape charge after his victim escaped. Little did Kim know, at the time, that this interrogation would morph into the horrifying realization that she’s sitting across the table from a serial killer…

A good police interrogation can be riveting on television or in books. They have the benefit of an author’s finesse, a screenwriter’s talent for creating an atmosphere, a knack for drawing in the audience, as well as a professional group of actors portraying the good and bad guys effectively.

In real life, watching enough true crime and recorded interviews with suspects, it’s not always as suspenseful. In some cases, it’s straightforward- sometimes it challenges our ideals of ethical tactics- But, sometimes the detectives manage to set clever traps that lying criminals step right into- but they are rarely as spit and polished as they are in fiction…

Which is something you’ll want to keep in mind before you start reading this book. I found it fascinating to hear a firsthand account of how Mager handled her interview with the suspect. She had to glean specific details from him, see if he would lie, if she could also get him to open-up about a missing woman that might be connected to him, all while building his trust in her. Tricky. Not sexy, though- like on TV. Still, as the events unfolded and Mager and others working the case began to realize the situation they were dealing with, the narrative could be quite chilling.

The problem, I think, is that the interrogations were written out a bit like a police report- or transcript one might use in court. While the information is horrifying- and Mager is obviously very good at her job- it’s too dry to capture the dark, gritty reality of what was transpiring in that interview room, and some readers might struggle with the sparseness of the writing.

That said, Mager did a great job dealing with Grate, drawing him out- despite some of his creepy mind games. The case is more than unsettling, and I thought Mager handled things just an officer should- though there were a few times when, like some her colleagues, I thought there were some risky tactics employed- but thankfully no one was hurt… or worse.

An investigator, as Kim Mager is, does not typically add profiling to their list of duties- and Kim, frankly, didn't have time for that stuff- though she was pretty skilled at deaing with Grate on a psychological level. This all transpired in a relatively short period of time, and frankly, I’m amazed that she managed to get Grate to confess- and uncover the truth of what happened to several missing women in that short time frame.

Five murders solved- and justice served- I'd say that was more than a little impressive.

But this is also a personal story- Mager’s family and her community were all affected by this case and forever changed by it.

I think if you want an up close and personal look at how these things work in real life, this is a fine example of a day in the life of an investigator… not one who plays one on TV or a part of an author’s imagination- it’s real life and reads as such.

Is it the most polished book? No, the writing is raw and I stated earlier, it's a sparce, no frills account- no long unnecessary pontifications, or sermons- no in-depth analysis or profiles of fellow officers, no fillers- and no intention of adding entertainment value to the story- just a straightforward testimony of a law enforcement officer recounting a horrifying and notorious murder case, the art of interrogation, and a job well done - without all the self-glorifying ego- which, frankly, I found refreshing.

3.5 stars

Fans of true crime will enjoy this memoir centered around the dance between Detective Kim Mager and the vicious serial killer Shawn Grate. I was not familiar with the case, which saw him arrested in 2016 after many crimes in Ohio so it was illuminating. Even more interesting was the way that Mager was able to tease information from him. I appreciated that this also placed Mager's work in the context of her life-something that's often lost in the genre. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for the genre.

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝐸-𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 & 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝; 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭! 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐨𝐟-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫—𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞.

𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥—𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝑨 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝.

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒦𝒾𝓂 𝑀𝒶𝑔𝑒𝓇, 𝐿𝒾𝓈𝒶 𝒫𝓊𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓏𝑒𝓇, 𝑀𝒶𝒸𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝓃 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜, 𝒮𝓉. 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓃’𝓈 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

In "A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever," Detective Kim Mager presents a fascinating and profoundly chilling account of her pursuit and eventual capture of one of Ohio’s most infamous serial killers, Shawn Grate. Mager, a real-life Clarice Starling, reveals the gripping details of how she closed in on and ultimately broke Grate, making this book a must-read for true crime enthusiasts.

I absolutely loved the Clarice/Hannibal dynamic in this story. True crime novels can sometimes be a drag, but this one did not disappoint. Mager’s storytelling is excellent, diving right into the nitty-gritty details and keeping the reader hooked throughout. As a forensic psychotherapist, I particularly admired her personal anecdotes about the techniques she used during interviews with Grate. Her ability to demonstrate compassion and empathy, while maintaining professionalism, is truly commendable—a difficult line to toe in law enforcement.

Being from northeast Ohio, I appreciated the references to local towns, including Akron (shoutout to my hometown!). These references added a personal touch that made the story even more engaging for me. Kim Mager is undoubtedly a badass, and her dedication and skill shine through in this book.

Thanks so much to both authors and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free advanced reader copy. If you're into true crime, "A Hunger to Kill" is definitely a book to pick up. It’s a compelling and chilling account that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever
by Kim Mager; Lisa Pulitzer, narrated by Jennifer Blom

I remember when news of a horrible crime came out in September 2016. The news was terrible and it only go worse over the next months as more came out about the crimes of Shawn Grate. No doubt that not everything is known or will ever be known but he won't be committing any more crimes out of the confines of prison and even then, his clock is ticking.

Detective Kim Mager, an experienced specialist in sex offenses, was on the case almost immediately after a kidnapped woman was rescued from Grate. This book details Detective Mager's deep dive into the crimes of Grate since he was more willing to speak to her than anyone else. His desire for power over women was probably egged on by Detective Mager being a woman but she was up for the challenge.

Her conversations with Grate and the things she and others found out about his crimes makes for very chilling reading and listening. I was fortunate enough to have both the audiobook and the ebook so could follow along as I listened to the story, well narrated by Jennifer Blom. The ebook made it easy for me to look up names and locations of people I wanted to learn more about while reading/hearing the book.

Detective Mager had the background to handle this job, from her childhood being raised by strong parents to her marriage to a man who knew and understood her job. Even her son plays a part in this story, in a very interesting and helpful manner. There were times when danger was much too close, when Detective Mager didn't have the backup that should have been there for her, and when getting confessions may have clouded the minds of those interviewing Grate. Thank goodness this man was taken off the streets and at least some of his crimes are now known. There is no doubt in my mind that he would not have stopped what he was doing until someone stopped him.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is the first "true crime' book of its kind that I have read. Kim Mager is an amazing cop and a gifted storyteller. Her dedication to her community and this case are commendable. It's fascinating without feeling voyueristic and I really enjoyed learning about her and her commitment to getting everything she needed from Grate. This is a tough read when it comes to content, but it is worth it to learn about the heroes who worked with her on the case.

A chilling count for sure. Half memoir half true crime story which I preferred the latter. Some of the memoir parts could’ve been removed for a more enjoyable read. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

True crime content by its very nature addresses the pain and suffering of individuals. The best true crime, for me, is when the focus is on the psychology of the perp, and the investigation to get these monsters off the street, piecing together parts of the puzzle.

In this case, a victim escaped while the monster slept, police arrived and arrested him. Then details came out. The investigation was identifying the scope of his victims, identifying the women, and discovering just how depraved he was.

I read true crime, not as a voyeuristic endeavor, but as an effort to understand the psychology of why monsters do what they do, and to read about the intricacies of the investigation to bring them to justice.

The detective seems like a wonderful person and a highly competent investigator, and I greatly admire her expertise in bringing this serial murderer to justice for his atrocities. But I would have preferred less memoir/less of the author’s voice, which bogged the story down.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. 3.5 stars - I liked the book, which read more like a memoir. Learning Detective Mager’s thoughts and reasoning behind her questioning was really interesting. I wasn’t familiar with the Grate case but the description of “a real-life Clarice Starling” drew me in. The writing felt repetitive at times and gave me the urge to skim through the last 10-15%. Some of the later chapters felt like there was a list of additional details that didn’t fit anywhere and had to be thrown in together. I did enjoy the book. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley!

2.5 stars
I admire all the work that Detective Kim Mager, did in order to bring in and nab a killer of women. In September of 2016, in the town of Ashland, Ohio, emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from a terrified woman who claimed to be being held captive. Shawn Grate, was the captor latter receiving the title of lady killer. Kim Mager by establishing a rapport with the killer, was able to elicit many confessions of killings by Shawn Grate.

It took eight days, but Detective Mager was able to get Grate to confess, to five murders, a number of sexual attacks, and of course kidnapping. It was a chilling battle of wits between Mager and Grate in which she conducted the interviews by herself, alone with a killer.

This is usually a book I love. However, the book dragged on with quite a few repetitions and the usage of the "I" preposition too many times. A book that should have been exciting turned into one where I had to force myself to finish.

However, that doesn't diminish the fact that Detective Mager was indeed a very courageous woman who brought down the most prolific serial killer in Ohio.

Thank you to Kim Mager, Lisa Pulitzer, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this soon to be released story.

A Hunger to Kill is a true crime book that chronicles the murder investigations of several women in Ohio, with a concentration on suspected serial killer, Shawn Grate.

The story unfolds through the lens of Detective/Author, Kim Mager. And while a first person point of view is the best perspective for a true crime story, A Hunger to Kill read more like a memoir. It just seemed that the actual crimes took second seat to Mager's inclinations.

True Crime is one of my favorite genres. But A Hunger to Kill missed the mark for me. I would have preferred grittier details on the crime scenes, victimology, and more profiling of the unsub. Instead, I was lead through Mager's thought process, and emotions. Not what I would expect from a true crime story. Two okay stars.

I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

🔪 T R U E C R I M E T U E S D A Y 🔪

Wow, it’s been a hot minute since I read some true crime & this one’s a doozy …

“A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever” by Kim Mager and Lisa Pulitzer.

This book follows the investigation and conviction of Shawn Grate “The Lady Killer” who is one of Ohio’s most infamous serial killers. Detective Kim Mager had no idea what her work day would turn into on September 13, 2016.

As a specialist in sexual offences, Kim was assigned to Grate’s case upon his arrest and became the only investigator that Grate would let interview him. Grate thought he could manipulate, empower and control Kim as a woman and much like all his previous victims.

Kim spent full days interviewing Grate for over a week, uncovering new victims one at a time! This book takes you behind the scenes into Grate’s confessions of such heinous and horrific crimes. If you are true crime junkie, then you need to read this one! I had chills the entire time while reading, and although the subject matter was dark and hard to stomach at times, the exceptional writing and careful handling of the victims’ stories kept me 100% invested throughout!

🚨Check the trigger warnings before reading if you are sensitive to sexual crimes.

Thank you kindly to Kim Mager, Lisa Pulitzer, St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on July 23, 2024!

I am a fan of true crime but this one was a small let down. My hat goes off to the author for her amazing work and getting this killer where he belongs. The story was interesting. I felt like I was in the room sitting in the corner watching and listening as it took place. That was exciting for me but other than those scenes, I found too much of the author patting herself on the back. That didn't sit well with me and took away from the story. If you're a true crime fan, give it a read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book and offer my honest review.

As a connoisseur of true-crime, I have listened to untold hours of true crime podcasts. I’ve watched more documentaries than is probably healthy, and I’ve read a few really stellar true crime books. I recall hearing the basic details of the Shawn Grate case, but hadn’t seen anything comprehensive come out about the case so seeing that there was a book written about it was really intriguing.

The case itself and the horrific things Grate did to his victims is harrowing. The book doesn’t skimp on details, but it also doesn’t go overboard with gore. If you know much about violent crime, murders and decomposition, the details in this book shouldn’t shock you. If you don’t like this subject matter, this is not the book for you.

With that said, it’s clear that the detective and author, Kim Mager, spent a lot of time and focused expertise interviewing Shawn Grate. She was able to peel back the layers with Grate and get him to confess to five murders, kidnapping and sexual assaults throughout the state of Ohio.

While she is an accomplished investigator, Mager isn’t a gifted writer. The writing of this book was quite flat and at times it became repetitive. Reading this, it felt like the straight-forward , dispassionate testimony given at a trial. There wasn’t much of a “story” told with a clear beginning, middle and end. It felt like an unending statement of facts interwoven with a couple chapters that felt more like a memoir. I can appreciate and enjoy true crime that is told from the author’s personal point of view and includes parts of their lives (Michelle MacNamara’s I’ll Be Gone In The Dark comes to mind here), but something about this author’s style just didn’t bring it all together into a cohesive story about her experience with a serial killer. With some editing and polish, this could shine brighter.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. All thoughts above are my own

The most engrossing true crime I've read since American Preditor. The hunt and discovery of a midwestern serial killer in relevant time. I found it very interesting and I liked Kim's writing style.

A Hunger to Kill is an intense read that is well written and has you reading just one more chapter.

The book is the true story of Detective Kim Mager who is given the job of interviewing a man accused of kidnapping a Jane Doe, local woman.

Kim is a very skillful interviewer and she quickly realizes that Shawn Grate is beyond a disturbed predator.

Shawn thinks he controls the narrative as he is smarter than everyone.

Kim in the book makes it abundantly clear that she was only part of the team that got Shawn .

The story is told simply and well and is a very compelling read.

I am thankful for people like Kim and the rest of the police services that are able to get predators off our streets.

A Hunger to Kill would make an excellent documentary

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the privilege of reading and reviewing A Hunger to Kill.

Right from the start Kim Mager tells you she’s but one of numerous people who worked on the case against Shawn Grate and she’s written this book on behalf of a victim’s mother. While there have been numerous podcasts, articles and documentaries about the case, Mager actually spoke with Grates for 33 hours and is able to provide a first hand account. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go toward the benefit of crime victims and that says so much about Mager’s character and motivation before the book even begins.

Mager writes a beautiful picture of Ashland, Ohio and its residents; consistently reinforcing that they’re a strong Christian community that will not be defined by one terrible man’s actions. I liked that rather than a biography starting from the time Grate was born to the end of his trial, casually weaving in the victim’s lives, Mager writes strictly from her point of view. She details the numerous interrogations with Grate, how something he would say would lead her to another crime and why she led with a certain line of questioning. Mager plays the role of good cop and the outcome is successful. It was fascinating to read why she goes into an interrogation a specific way, what makes her change tactic and when to press on. Because of her interview style she was able to form trust with Grate and assist in solving additional homicides. Rather than focus on Grate and his crimes, I recommend reading this because Mager is a strong detective with a unique perspective and she should be celebrated for the peace she was able to bring to the victims’ families.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.