When a Killer Calls by John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker

When a Killer Calls by John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker
Series: Cases of the FBI's Original Mindhunter #2
Published by HarperCollins on February 1, 2022
Genres: Biography & Autobiography / Law Enforcement, Law / Criminal Law / General, True Crime / Murder / Serial Killers
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Source: ARC

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.

Usually, I consume my true crime through audiobooks but as soon as I spied this title on NetGalley I knew I had to request an arc. Thank you to the publisher for my copy! I had a basic understanding of the case, though most of my knowledge was based around the forensics of the case. Readers are given a swift refresher on profiling and the history of the behavioral analysis field, but the bulk of the book shares the investigation and trial.

I appreciate that the scope of this book was scaled down to two main cases with a couple asides that were relevant to the story. In previous books, the scope of the books was far too broad with too much material to thoroughly explore topics which disappointed me. Thankfully, Douglas and Olshaker keep When a Killer Calls centered on the Shari Smith and Debra May Helmick cases and the hunt for Larry Gene Bell. A couple cases are referred to, but only briefly as it relates to the cases at hand.

The book’s tone felt closer to a conversation with the authors rather than a formal true crime novel. What I mean to say is there were plenty of facts, interview snippets, and the like. More than enough to satisfy readers that devour true crime books, podcasts, and tv. However, as the information was relayed, Douglas included a fair amount of asides that added some personality and feeling to the investigations.

I do wish the page time felt more balanced between the two cases. I’m not even sure how to describe my unease, but Debra May’s case and her family didn’t receive as much attention as the Smith’s. Granted, the Smith family had more contact with the subject and ultimately the break for both cases came from Shari’s Last Will and Testament letter. Douglas admitted he spent more time with the Smith’s and had developed a friendly relationship with them. It just felt odd that one case and family appeared to receive more care and respect.

Beyond that though, this was a compelling story with some great information. I will probably reread this on audio at some point.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.