Thursday, July 18, 2024

A Hunger to Kill

A Hunger to Kill by Kim Mager, Lisa Pulitzer
7/23/24; 320 pages
St. Martin's Press

A Hunger to Kill by Kim Mager, with Lisa Pulitzer is a highly recommended true crime novel merged with a memoir. It follows Mager's interrogation of serial killer Shawn Grate starting on September 13, 2016 when the emergency dispatchers in the small town of Ashland, Ohio,  received a 911 call from a terrified woman who claimed to be kidnapped. Shawn Grate was the man holding her hostage.

With over 20 years of experience, Detective Kim Mager conducted a series of brilliant interviews with Grate over a period of eight days. She recorded everything , including all his confessions marking Grate as a kidnapper, rapist, and serial killer. He confesses to at least five additional rapes and murders. It is suspected he may have been responsible for more. Mager had gotten enough evidence for Grate's conviction. He was sentenced to death in June 2018.

A Hunger to Kill is a true crime book that details the investigation and Mager's intense and insightful interviews, but it also has an autobiographical aspect as it shares Mager's personal story as well. True crime aficionados may not appreciate the biographical details. Those interested in what makes a good detective, investigator, and interrogator, especially for a female officer, may appreciate the background information. That said, I enjoyed both parts but the transitions between the crime investigation and the memoir didn't always feel smooth.

Part of my appreciation of the personal information is the depiction of Mager juggling work and a family, while dealing with the interviews and horrific topics. Reading about her handling of the interviews is masterful as she is empathetic and establishes a rapport with Grate, all while getting him to confess to his crimes. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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