American Predator

The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century

By: Maureen Callahan

Narrated by: Amy Landon

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

An Amazon “Best Book of 2019”
A Washington Post “10 Books To Read in July”
A Los Angeles Times “Seven Highly Anticipated Books for Summer Reading”
A USA Today “20 of the Season’s Hottest New Books”
A New York Post “25 Best Beach Reads of 2019 You Need to Pre-Order Now”
A Bustle “The Best New True Crime Books You Can Read Right Now”

“Maureen Callahan’s deft reporting and stylish writing have created one of the all-time-great serial-killer books: sensitive, chilling, and completely impossible to put down.” —Ada Calhoun, author of St. Marks Is Dead

Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Jeffrey Dahmer. The names of notorious serial killers are usually well-known; they echo in the news and in public consciousness. But most people have never heard of Israel Keyes, one of the most ambitious and terrifying serial killers in modern history. The FBI considered his behavior unprecedented. Described by a prosecutor as "a force of pure evil," Keyes was a predator who struck all over the United States. He buried "kill kits"--cash, weapons, and body-disposal tools--in remote locations across the country. Over the course of fourteen years, Keyes would fly to a city, rent a car, and drive thousands of miles in order to use his kits. He would break into a stranger's house, abduct his victims in broad daylight, and kill and dispose of them in mere hours. And then he would return home to Alaska, resuming life as a quiet, reliable construction worker devoted to his only daughter.

When journalist Maureen Callahan first heard about Israel Keyes in 2012, she was captivated by how a killer of this magnitude could go undetected by law enforcement for over a decade. And so began a project that consumed her for the next several years--uncovering the true story behind how the FBI ultimately caught Israel Keyes, and trying to understand what it means for a killer like Keyes to exist. A killer who left a path of monstrous, randomly committed crimes in his wake--many of which remain unsolved to this day.

American Predator is the ambitious culmination of years of interviews with key figures in law enforcement and in Keyes's life, and research uncovered from classified FBI files. Callahan takes us on a journey into the chilling, nightmarish mind of a relentless killer, and to the limitations of traditional law enforcement.

One of the scarier ones

He claims he never stalked or picked anyone out before killing them, they just came across his path by chance... literally all across America. The woman’s “man voice” wasn’t an issue, it was the dialogue, and I’m guessing she has no control over that. You want the interrogator to spit out his words, and sometimes they sounded stupid. That’s what I found annoying! Good book, creepy dude, feel bad for his victims families and the ones we’ll never be able to confirm.

There really are monsters in this world, Israel Keys is proof

Wow, I mean how terrifying is it to know that monsters walk among us, live next door, wait in line right behind you at the store, who’s kid has the same teacher that yours does. This guy was pure evil in every sense of the word evil, and it is truly moving to hear his story and the path of destruction he left in his wake, just absolutely horrible and so very sad for the victims and their family and friends. It is also so very sad that our justice system in the USA is so corrupt and flawed as well, that sucks and why do people always fuck shit up and think only of themselves and what they can gain or who they can screw over so they can “get ahead” of others!, it’s bullshit. I bet there are plenty of people who could and would grant his wish of receiving the death penalty in one year, hell they could have had a auction and gave people the option to bid on it, could have made a lot of money I bet.

Keeps you interested...

Well written. I was surprised that the writer took time to make sure the story was accurately told and told in a fashion that isn't too detailed or graphic. It's a book about a serial killer so it's going to be somewhat morbid.

Narrator

Female narrator was amazing except when she dropped her voice and tried imitate a male speaking. Omg! Why are you doing that if you’ve already identified in the text that a man is speaking? Drove me nuts!

Fascinating and terrifying

Surprised I had never heard of Israel Keys. He was true evil in every sense. However was annoying to hear the narrator's version of a male voice. That every make sounds like a bafoon.