Paul Holes is a retired cold case investigator who has worked some of the most notorious cases in the country, including the Golden State Killer, Laci Pederson, and Jaycee Dugard. Unmasked is the story of how he unraveled the mysteries surrounding several murders as well as the emotional toll it took on his life and relationships.
I didn't expect to be so drawn into this book. It's a tough read--Holes pulls no punches with the graphic nature of his work, so if you are squeamish about reading of the trauma inflicted on others, this might not be the book for you. But I was pulled into it immediately when I got the opportunity to check out the first look on BookishFirst. Listening to Holes describe his passion for solving these cases, for bringing justice to those who no longer had a voice, even while it destroyed his marriage, was heartbreaking. I had to learn more.
Sadly, humanity has no shortage of evil--history books are littered with both brutal rulers and the average people committing horrific acts. But we seldom think about the men and women behind the scenes who work tirelessly to bring them to justice (unless, of course, you watch a lot of Bones and Law and Order and the like). You don't often stop to think what it must do to the family relationships of men like Holes, who investigates terrible homicides during the day only to have to go home to the dinner table and pretend all is normal. This narrative was so compelling I finished it in a day. Not only was it fascinating to learn some behind the scenes information of how these crimes were solved, but it was also interesting to hear the human story of Paul Holes himself.
I'd highly recommend this for anyone with an interest in true crime out there--but it's not for the faint of heart.
Special thanks to Celadon Books for giving me a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review through BookishFirst.
I didn't expect to be so drawn into this book. It's a tough read--Holes pulls no punches with the graphic nature of his work, so if you are squeamish about reading of the trauma inflicted on others, this might not be the book for you. But I was pulled into it immediately when I got the opportunity to check out the first look on BookishFirst. Listening to Holes describe his passion for solving these cases, for bringing justice to those who no longer had a voice, even while it destroyed his marriage, was heartbreaking. I had to learn more.
Sadly, humanity has no shortage of evil--history books are littered with both brutal rulers and the average people committing horrific acts. But we seldom think about the men and women behind the scenes who work tirelessly to bring them to justice (unless, of course, you watch a lot of Bones and Law and Order and the like). You don't often stop to think what it must do to the family relationships of men like Holes, who investigates terrible homicides during the day only to have to go home to the dinner table and pretend all is normal. This narrative was so compelling I finished it in a day. Not only was it fascinating to learn some behind the scenes information of how these crimes were solved, but it was also interesting to hear the human story of Paul Holes himself.
I'd highly recommend this for anyone with an interest in true crime out there--but it's not for the faint of heart.
Special thanks to Celadon Books for giving me a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review through BookishFirst.