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.

I did not finish this book. I found the subject matter interesting but felt the writing style was too slow and couldn't hold my attention.

Thank you for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book was well written in the sense that when I finished reading it felt I had just started the book. I had not known of Shawn grate prior to reading this book, he was a horrific person, like most serial killers, his poor victims.

Thank you to @stmartinspress, the authors: Kim Mager with @pulitzerlisa as well as @netgalley for e-arc. All thoughts are my own.


Kim Mager is the only female detective, so is therefore tasked with all the women and abuse related crimes. She is the one who performs the interviews for all these victims. So when she gets called into an interview with a woman who was repeatedly attacked and raped, it’s just another day in the office. But thanks to Mager’s interview skills, they track down the perpetrator. Mager earns his trust, and soon, she’s the only person he’ll talk to. He confesses to at least five more rapes and murders though suspicious are there are more. Shawn Grate is known as “The Ladykiller” and is one of Ohio’s most infamous serial killers.


Reading about Kim Mager and her skills was truly fascinating. She found her niche within the police force and honed her skills over the years. Thanks to her efforts, she was able to gain this brutal criminal’s trust, and as a result, ensure he faced jail time. The story is told in a very engaging and fascinating way, and at many points, it reads more like a fiction novel versus the non-fiction that it is. After reading about Mr. Grate, I do wish this was fiction. It isn’t uniquely different per say than anything I’ve read, there’s no secret formula to be found, but what it does do is lay out the story in a compelling fashion and hook the reader in with details that make you want to keep reading. I also appreciated that this book talked about the victims appropriately. I feel that often when we read true crime, the victims are often forgotten all together or just glossed over in favor of the criminal. I think that this human element is what really pushed this book from a four-star read into five star read for me.

I am thankful for strong women like Detective Mager to ensure we put men like Shawn Grate away.

This book was ok. It seemed more about the,author than the crimes themselves, which is ok but I prefer more of the actual topic itself.

Good read, regardless.

#netgalley
#stmartinspress
#kimmager

I don’t rate true crime books, but this one read more like a memoir at times. This book is basically a play by play of every interaction the detective had with this serial killer along with sharing pieces of her life and background. I found myself skimming towards the end because I was overwhelmed with all the interviews.

I'm way too into true crime so I'm pretty picky about it. I typically prefer it to come from an author or journalist, not a cop from the case. I hate to say that but I'm just being honest. I don't always feel comfortable with their hot takes on people. This was disturbing but I also didn't really like the storytelling and would probably prefer a documentary or podcast if I had the option.

So very, very disturbing. And so sad. What turns a man into a monster? What makes him think the things that Grate did and allowed him to do the things he did to these poor women? And being homeless just allowed him to fly under the radar and to also victimize those who could not defend themselves. The whole religious aspect just made things all the creepier. Also, to realize that there could be other missing victims that he hasn't admitted to, families seeking closure that may never get it, just makes it all the more horrifying and depressing. The book was well written, though at times got bogged down in the history of the detective. I understand her need to share her background so that you understand her story and her disgust, outrage, horror, alongside the criminal story she's relating. The end of the story and the book came so quickly! You really get wrapped up in the interviews and the reveals. I'm glad he's off the streets. I rather wish he'd wave the appeals and just get the deed done, as he himself referred to so often in their interviews. He's not someone prison will rehabilitate. This book will give you nightmares.