Scout Camp

Sex, Death, and Secret Societies Inside the Boy Scouts of America

By: James Renner

Narrated by: James Renner

In the summer of 1995, at the largest Boy Scout camp in Ohio, a night of sexual violence ended with one counselor dead and another hospitalized. The death was ruled "accidental." It wouldn't be the last death associated with Seven Ranges Reservation.

James Renner, too, was a counselor at Seven Ranges that year. He was always sure there must be more to the story of Mike Klingler's death, because Renner also knew firsthand that the 900-acre camp was not the safe getaway it was portrayed to be. On Friday nights the boys were ushered into the woods for a frightening ceremony in which they learned the rules for becoming good young men—and, above all, that keeping secrets was a scout's duty. No matter how dark the secrets were.

Determined to face his demons, Renner embarks on a journey back to that tumultuous summer and exposes a clandestine society that left indelible scars on the scouts and the staff who were there. For Renner himself, it meant opening up about his twisted upbringing, his issues with trust and sexuality, and a lifetime of self-medication. The result is a deeply personal, no-holds-barred, and vitally important true crime memoir.

©2025 James Renner (P)2025 Tantor Media

Poignant and emotional

I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started listening to this audiobook but I'm glad I continued on with the story. This is one that needs to be heard because it took a lot of courage to tell. My heart breaks for all the boys who were victims during this time and those who never got justice.

The honesty

I learned a lot from this book. It is always healing to tell your story.

Harrowing, personal, and honest

Very personal account which reveals rippling effects on so many people beyond the victim.

An excellent, balanced, and fair discussion by a talented writer. Harrowingly honest.

Unexpected

Everything about this story was unexpected. I wasn’t looking for it, it just happened to be the first sample after I missed my last recording. I didn’t expect it to bring me to tears, but I wiped them from my eyes at the moments of pure vulnerability of the author. I didn’t expect the honesty, but this book was as much a deep dive into his own history as it was the tumultuous history of the BSA.

If you’re looking for easy listening, this is not it. But if you’re looking for a story of an imperfect path toward healing, then this might be perfect for you.

honessty

he did a great job of telling the story. His narration of his own story makes everything believable and make you feel the story