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Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers
From the FBI’s former assistant director, a shocking journey to the dark side of America’s highways, revealing the Bureau's Highway Serial Killings Initiative’s hunt for the long-haul truckers behind an astonishing 850 murders–and rising.
In 2004, the FBI was tipped off to a gruesome pattern of unsolved murders along American roadways. Today at least 850 homicides have been linked to a solitary breed of long-haul truck drivers. They have been given names like the “Truck Stop Killer,” who rigged a traveling torture chamber in the rear of his truck and is suspected to have killed fifty women, and “The Interstate Strangler,” who once answered a phone call from his mother while killing one of his dozen victims. The crisis was such that the FBI opened a special unit, the Highway Serial Killings Initiative. In many cases, the victims—often at-risk women—are picked up at truck stops in one jurisdiction, sexually assaulted and murdered in another, and dumped along a highway in a third place. The transient nature of the offenders and multiple jurisdictions involved make these cases incredibly difficult to solve.
Based on his own on-the-ground research and drawing on his twenty-five-year career as an FBI special agent, Frank Figliuzzi investigates the most terrifying cases. He also rides in a big-rig with a long-haul trucker for thousands of miles, gaining an intimate understanding of the life and habits of drivers and their roadside culture. And he interviews the courageous trafficked victims of these crimes, and their inspiring efforts to now help others avoid similar fates.
Long Haul is a gripping exploration of a violent, disordered world hiding in plain sight, and the heroes racing to end the horror. It will forever unsettle how you travel on the road.
In 2004, the FBI was tipped off to a gruesome pattern of unsolved murders along American roadways. Today at least 850 homicides have been linked to a solitary breed of long-haul truck drivers. They have been given names like the “Truck Stop Killer,” who rigged a traveling torture chamber in the rear of his truck and is suspected to have killed fifty women, and “The Interstate Strangler,” who once answered a phone call from his mother while killing one of his dozen victims. The crisis was such that the FBI opened a special unit, the Highway Serial Killings Initiative. In many cases, the victims—often at-risk women—are picked up at truck stops in one jurisdiction, sexually assaulted and murdered in another, and dumped along a highway in a third place. The transient nature of the offenders and multiple jurisdictions involved make these cases incredibly difficult to solve.
Based on his own on-the-ground research and drawing on his twenty-five-year career as an FBI special agent, Frank Figliuzzi investigates the most terrifying cases. He also rides in a big-rig with a long-haul trucker for thousands of miles, gaining an intimate understanding of the life and habits of drivers and their roadside culture. And he interviews the courageous trafficked victims of these crimes, and their inspiring efforts to now help others avoid similar fates.
Long Haul is a gripping exploration of a violent, disordered world hiding in plain sight, and the heroes racing to end the horror. It will forever unsettle how you travel on the road.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2024
614 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 488 reviews
November 9, 2024
All over the place. This guy was trying to sell a book on the back of true crime, but only wanted to gloat over his “brave,” experience riding with a long haul truck driver for a week. Lost all credibility when he scoffed at someone’s very real reluctance to spend $15 to sleep at a truck stop. Really out of touch.
Wished he’d stepped out of the picture and let the truck drivers & sex workers have center stage.
Audiobook narrator was great, though.
Wished he’d stepped out of the picture and let the truck drivers & sex workers have center stage.
Audiobook narrator was great, though.
May 31, 2024
4.5-5⭐️ I have seen criticism that this is not really a “true crime” novel. As a novice of true crime and of legal nonfiction, I cannot speak to that; however, what I can speak to is how incredibly engaging and easy to follow this book is from start to finish.
Having very little understanding of how the FBI profiles, particular in the case of serial killers, Figliuzzi gives us a peek into the inner workings of the agency and how it works to establish programs such as the HSK. But what I appreciated most, from a psychological and sociological level, is the exploration of the victim and predator - their past trauma and turbulent upbringings - and how those facts help to create the situation within which these rampant attacks can occur.
I come away knowing so much more than when I began, a true testament to any book, but especially nonfiction works. I look forward to reading more from this author (who also happens to be one of my favorite legal analysts) in the future.
Read if you like:
•true crime
•serial killer stories
•the culture of truckers
•learning about the FBI and how they profile
Thank you Mariner Books and Harper Audio for the gifted copies.
Having very little understanding of how the FBI profiles, particular in the case of serial killers, Figliuzzi gives us a peek into the inner workings of the agency and how it works to establish programs such as the HSK. But what I appreciated most, from a psychological and sociological level, is the exploration of the victim and predator - their past trauma and turbulent upbringings - and how those facts help to create the situation within which these rampant attacks can occur.
I come away knowing so much more than when I began, a true testament to any book, but especially nonfiction works. I look forward to reading more from this author (who also happens to be one of my favorite legal analysts) in the future.
Read if you like:
•true crime
•serial killer stories
•the culture of truckers
•learning about the FBI and how they profile
Thank you Mariner Books and Harper Audio for the gifted copies.
May 9, 2024
The book gives an in depth look at the lives and livelihoods of long-haul truck drivers. It also examines sex trafficking victims and survivors. There is less detail about serial killers or the FBI. I read an uncorrected proof.
June 7, 2024
Overall, what a disappointment!
Book’s content: maybe 15% true crime, 85% memoir of the author’s time interviewing crime analysts, doctors and social workers, former sex workers and some average truck drivers. Most of it has nothing to do with the victims or the perpetrators that commit horrific crimes. The author spent no more than 2-3 paragraphs when he did mention some of the victims and the perpetrators and everything that he did mention in this book can be easily found on Wikipedia or random google articles. I wish he would have interviewed the families of some of the victims or made any kind of effort to dig deeper into the cases be briefly glanced over in his book.
As an FBI worker, the author had no access to private, secretive information (he did state so himself in the earlier part of the book) and he did not work on any single case that deals with highway murders. Was he the right person to cover this topic? Absolutely not, in my opinion. He did not shed any new light or provide any interesting insights on the matter that I had not heard of previously.
The info mentioned by the crime analysts was also very general and not super informative. Most of the victims mentioned here were sex workers. The author made no attempt to cover any other cases such as murdered hitchhikers.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and I do not recommend it.
Book’s content: maybe 15% true crime, 85% memoir of the author’s time interviewing crime analysts, doctors and social workers, former sex workers and some average truck drivers. Most of it has nothing to do with the victims or the perpetrators that commit horrific crimes. The author spent no more than 2-3 paragraphs when he did mention some of the victims and the perpetrators and everything that he did mention in this book can be easily found on Wikipedia or random google articles. I wish he would have interviewed the families of some of the victims or made any kind of effort to dig deeper into the cases be briefly glanced over in his book.
As an FBI worker, the author had no access to private, secretive information (he did state so himself in the earlier part of the book) and he did not work on any single case that deals with highway murders. Was he the right person to cover this topic? Absolutely not, in my opinion. He did not shed any new light or provide any interesting insights on the matter that I had not heard of previously.
The info mentioned by the crime analysts was also very general and not super informative. Most of the victims mentioned here were sex workers. The author made no attempt to cover any other cases such as murdered hitchhikers.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and I do not recommend it.
April 3, 2024
As a wife to a trucker, I was intrigued to read this book. I knew about the killings that were happening across the US but never realized that it was so big. This book gives you a look into what it was like for someone to be on a task force to learn the trucking industry to help catch a killer or more than one killer. I was always the one who would worry about my husband going out on the road and having to stay in sketchy truck stops or even worse, when I would go with him. Anytime that I would go with him, I would never walk into the truck stop alone and was always aware of my surroundings and had my phone on me at all times. But its so tragic to hear how many women were murdered just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you're looking for a good true crime book and also learning about how truckers are, this is the book for you.
January 2, 2025
3.5 stars
"The vast majority of truckers are good, hardworking people. Without that industry, our nation comes to a screeching halt. [But] the industry also provides a ripe environment for someone who wants to travel through multiple jurisdictions, prey on victims that no one knows are missing, and take their crime scene with them." -- Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation analyst Terri Turner, on page 175
While authored by a former counterintelligence operative from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Long Haul is not quite the true crime tome promised by its provocative subtitle, but more so a trident of a sociological piece. The narrative splits its focus between professional big rig drivers (commercial vehicle operators), women involved in truck stop prostitution (and who are often victims of human trafficking), and law enforcement and/or adjacent personnel tasked with dealing with the crimes that involve the aforementioned parties. Although serial killers don't need notoriety or name recognition, their reprehensible activities are really just a small part of the book. Of much more interest (and also receiving more page time) were the sections on the truckers - the author rode 'shotgun' with a diligent young but experienced driver, and interviewed an older veteran operator for information on the recent past, to fully capture the job's demands and lifestyle - as well as the women who escaped virtual enslavement to the twin demons of pimps and narcotics addiction. This felt like a promising start to what should be a more thorough examination of the many involved problems / issues.
"The vast majority of truckers are good, hardworking people. Without that industry, our nation comes to a screeching halt. [But] the industry also provides a ripe environment for someone who wants to travel through multiple jurisdictions, prey on victims that no one knows are missing, and take their crime scene with them." -- Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation analyst Terri Turner, on page 175
While authored by a former counterintelligence operative from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Long Haul is not quite the true crime tome promised by its provocative subtitle, but more so a trident of a sociological piece. The narrative splits its focus between professional big rig drivers (commercial vehicle operators), women involved in truck stop prostitution (and who are often victims of human trafficking), and law enforcement and/or adjacent personnel tasked with dealing with the crimes that involve the aforementioned parties. Although serial killers don't need notoriety or name recognition, their reprehensible activities are really just a small part of the book. Of much more interest (and also receiving more page time) were the sections on the truckers - the author rode 'shotgun' with a diligent young but experienced driver, and interviewed an older veteran operator for information on the recent past, to fully capture the job's demands and lifestyle - as well as the women who escaped virtual enslavement to the twin demons of pimps and narcotics addiction. This felt like a promising start to what should be a more thorough examination of the many involved problems / issues.
October 20, 2024
4.0 Stars
This book explored the reasons so many serial killers are serial killers and also profiles the women who typically become victims of this crime. I appreciated the time spent acknowledging the life circumstances that lead people into prostitution and the challenges of getting out of it. In terms of the crime elements, the details were dark and grisly.
This book explored the reasons so many serial killers are serial killers and also profiles the women who typically become victims of this crime. I appreciated the time spent acknowledging the life circumstances that lead people into prostitution and the challenges of getting out of it. In terms of the crime elements, the details were dark and grisly.
October 30, 2024
This is not really a true crime book. It's more of a long essay relating the author's week long stint as a long haul driver's apprentice. And along with that a bit about the task force that was brought together to combat the issue of highway serial killers.
As these men, (and they still are mostly men), travel across the nation they have the freedom to do whatever they want, and some of them want to rape and/or kill women. Women that are often trafficked against their will, so no one really cares about them and no stink will be created when they come up missing.
I learned a lot about the different types of truckers there are and I also learned that these guys work pretty damn hard. There's a lot more to picking up and dropping off loads than I originally thought. I also learned a lot about the types of women that often end up offering themselves at truck stops, (though most of this is now done via internet), and how they got there. Most often these women were abused, mentally and phsyically, at an early age, and they are often lured in with the gifts of drugs or money, and wind up hooked and dependent. Sometimes by strangers, sometimes by their own family members.
In the end, this book was about the truckers and about the victims, but it wasn't any kind of true crime case analysis or anything. I was a bit disappointed to discover that. All in all though, the book was ok.
As these men, (and they still are mostly men), travel across the nation they have the freedom to do whatever they want, and some of them want to rape and/or kill women. Women that are often trafficked against their will, so no one really cares about them and no stink will be created when they come up missing.
I learned a lot about the different types of truckers there are and I also learned that these guys work pretty damn hard. There's a lot more to picking up and dropping off loads than I originally thought. I also learned a lot about the types of women that often end up offering themselves at truck stops, (though most of this is now done via internet), and how they got there. Most often these women were abused, mentally and phsyically, at an early age, and they are often lured in with the gifts of drugs or money, and wind up hooked and dependent. Sometimes by strangers, sometimes by their own family members.
In the end, this book was about the truckers and about the victims, but it wasn't any kind of true crime case analysis or anything. I was a bit disappointed to discover that. All in all though, the book was ok.
April 12, 2024
I received this book as a goodeads giveaway. I expected this book to be a more traditional true crime book. In the first few chapters, the author discusses the sheer number of truck drivers who become murderers. From that pointz the work diverges into the tools/tactics used to investigate the murders, trucker lifestyles, and the ties between human trafficking and truck stop culture. While all the information is good, the actual true crime element and recounting of the tracking and apprehension of the perpetrators appear as 1-2 page blips.
This is less a true crime / crime book and almost more of a cultural survey. I do not recommend it
This is less a true crime / crime book and almost more of a cultural survey. I do not recommend it
February 2, 2025
It should have been titled “I spent a week in a truck with Mike”
Very little insight or information in relation to the question regarding correlation between truck drivers and serial killings. Is it nature or nurture? Is it the deep seated loneliness that is standard for long distance driving? We’ll never know, certainly not from this book.
Very little insight or information in relation to the question regarding correlation between truck drivers and serial killings. Is it nature or nurture? Is it the deep seated loneliness that is standard for long distance driving? We’ll never know, certainly not from this book.
March 20, 2024
"Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers," written by Frank Figliuzzi (a former Assistant Director of the FBI), the reader is taken on a dark journey into an exploration of Long Haul Trucking and serial killers. The author begins with discussions of several high profile cases that first began to suggest a linkage between some Long Haul trucking and patterns of serial murders of women that began to receive significant attention around 2005. As he explores several cases, the details of which are truly horrific, it begins to become clear that there are systemic reasons rooted in the Long Haul culture that often facilitate the kind of anonymity and obscurity which cloaks serial murderers and their victims on along America's highways. Specifically, the author, who embeds himself with a Long Haul trucker to better understand the dangers, challenges and temptations of the field, focuses on victims, the women and the sex trade as it exists along Long Haul roots, the truckers and the enormous personal and economic pressures they work under, and the police agencies, both federal and local and the inherent difficulties rooted in this kind of serial killing. The result is a riveting and often heart-rending exploration of an under-examined place in American culture where several social and cultural trends rooted in our very transportation and distribution system come together to both conceal and facilitate the exploitation of women. The victimology is fascinating, and the author's obvious knowledge in the field and compassion comes through on every page. There is much food for thought here. I generally shy away from the modern tendency to call all problems systemic while overlooking the individual and his or her role in his or her choices, but the trail seems pretty clear in this instance. Be warned, this book is difficult to put down and often troubling, but it is important and belongs in any collection that focuses on any part of its subject matter..
April 10, 2024
This was pretty exciting as I had never heard of any of it before. And I was pretty confident in the storyteller as he was an FBI agent involved.
It seems like serial killer truckers are only in horror movies, but they're real. The estimated body count is around 800 but likely a lot more. They're interesting profiles as they pretty much exist in their own realities out on the road.
This book will creep you out to the core. I will certainly never see a semi or truck stop the same ever again.
It seems like serial killer truckers are only in horror movies, but they're real. The estimated body count is around 800 but likely a lot more. They're interesting profiles as they pretty much exist in their own realities out on the road.
This book will creep you out to the core. I will certainly never see a semi or truck stop the same ever again.
August 16, 2024
I received a free copy of, Long Haul, by Frank Figliuzzi, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is not your average book about long haul truckers, this book is about the long haul truckers who kill, at least 850 homicides. This is a very interesting book about long haul truck drivers, victims, sex trafficking and more.
November 6, 2024
3 stars
FBI special agent Frank Figliuzzi did his own research on long haul truck driver serial killers. During his research he lived the life of the long haul trucker and spoke to the women who make their living prostituting at truck stops. He talked to various police departments across the US and read their files on the women known to be murdered by truck drivers. Currently he believes that there are somewhere in the vicinity of 850 homicides, committed by 350 truck drivers. Catching these serial killers is extremely hard due to their transience. They meet a woman in one state, kill her in another state and drop her body in yet another state. Federal crime, definitely. Hard to track, even more so.
Since 2004 there has been a special unit called the Highway Serial Killings Initiative who track and try to stop long haul truck drivers who prey on and kill women. That estimated number of 850 killings is still rising.
FBI special agent Frank Figliuzzi did his own research on long haul truck driver serial killers. During his research he lived the life of the long haul trucker and spoke to the women who make their living prostituting at truck stops. He talked to various police departments across the US and read their files on the women known to be murdered by truck drivers. Currently he believes that there are somewhere in the vicinity of 850 homicides, committed by 350 truck drivers. Catching these serial killers is extremely hard due to their transience. They meet a woman in one state, kill her in another state and drop her body in yet another state. Federal crime, definitely. Hard to track, even more so.
Since 2004 there has been a special unit called the Highway Serial Killings Initiative who track and try to stop long haul truck drivers who prey on and kill women. That estimated number of 850 killings is still rising.
December 21, 2024
I had a very specific reason for wanting to read this book. I was certain it would discuss a case I remember to this day because I used to make a similar drive on Illinois interstates to my college 5 hours away, always worrying what might happen if my old Plymouth broke down en route. Here's how that case is described by Wikipedia when it happened to another college student years later:
"Tammy Jo Zywicki (March 13, 1971 – August 23 or 24, 1992) was an American female murder victim from Marlton, New Jersey. Zywicki was driving back to Grinnell College [in Iowa] for the start of her fall term when her vehicle, a white 1985 Pontiac T1000 with New Jersey license plates, broke down in Central Illinois. Zywicki was last seen standing over her stopped car on August 23 [on I-80 in Central Illinois]. She was found dead in Southwestern Missouri on September 1."
For years it was speculated that a truck driver in a white truck picked her up. I since have been very curious what happened.
This book didn't explore this case or really any cases of hitchhikers murdered by truckers. Instead it chose to give me a great deal of detail on the typical lives of various types of long haul truck drivers, trucker jargon, and trucker wages. Its focus becomes prostitutes and sex trafficking, and I'll admit it was extremely eye-opening.
It was informative in its way and I'm glad I read it. Just not a lot on specific "serial killers" and not really what I had expected.
"Tammy Jo Zywicki (March 13, 1971 – August 23 or 24, 1992) was an American female murder victim from Marlton, New Jersey. Zywicki was driving back to Grinnell College [in Iowa] for the start of her fall term when her vehicle, a white 1985 Pontiac T1000 with New Jersey license plates, broke down in Central Illinois. Zywicki was last seen standing over her stopped car on August 23 [on I-80 in Central Illinois]. She was found dead in Southwestern Missouri on September 1."
For years it was speculated that a truck driver in a white truck picked her up. I since have been very curious what happened.
This book didn't explore this case or really any cases of hitchhikers murdered by truckers. Instead it chose to give me a great deal of detail on the typical lives of various types of long haul truck drivers, trucker jargon, and trucker wages. Its focus becomes prostitutes and sex trafficking, and I'll admit it was extremely eye-opening.
It was informative in its way and I'm glad I read it. Just not a lot on specific "serial killers" and not really what I had expected.
August 30, 2024
I won an Advanced Reading Copy of Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers by Frank Figliuzzi in a Goodreads giveaway.
You would think a book with the tagline “Hunting the Highway Serial Killers” is a True Crime novel. You would be wrong. The majority of this book is the day to day life of what it is like to be an American Truck driver. While interesting it is not what I was expecting from the book title. A small part of the book deals with sex trafficking at the truck stops. And an even smaller part about serial killers. And then it is just a brief overview of the crime and killer / victim. If you are going into this book expecting a true crime novel you will be extremely disappointed.
You would think a book with the tagline “Hunting the Highway Serial Killers” is a True Crime novel. You would be wrong. The majority of this book is the day to day life of what it is like to be an American Truck driver. While interesting it is not what I was expecting from the book title. A small part of the book deals with sex trafficking at the truck stops. And an even smaller part about serial killers. And then it is just a brief overview of the crime and killer / victim. If you are going into this book expecting a true crime novel you will be extremely disappointed.
March 15, 2025
The title and subtitle of this book are somewhat misleading, it's not so much about the serial killers out there as much as their victims, potential victims, survivors and the daily life of an average long haul trucker. Due to that, many have given this book less than positive reviews and I can see why. The title is misleading as to the contents of the book. Since the title is not always in the control of the author, the title did not cause me to look negatively on this book.
I found the contents to be fascinating and quite frankly necessary when discussing the victims/potential victims/survivors of the long haul serial killers. Despite this review coming out in March, I finished this book in January, which is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Very appropo for this book to be a Buddy Read for me then. I do try to read at least one book that focuses on the topic of the current month I am in and this was an unplanned bit of serendipity for me with that, since I didn't have a human trafficking book lined up for January.
We are not doing nearly enough for the disenfranchised in America and the world. This book illustrates how someone can easily slip into a vulnerable position, leaving them open for abuse and worse. It is heartening to read about the survivors and others who are trying to help those caught in the trap of human trafficking, but it's not nearly enough. These young people are slipping through the cracks and those with evil intent have very little preventing them from taking their pick of who to hurt next.
This book wasn't all dark and gloomy realism. I also really enjoyed the parts where the author was riding for a week with a current long haul trucker. Now whenever I see a flatbed trucker on the road I look at it and wonder if that is Mike driving and how well the trucker had the load strapped down. That Final Destination scene also plays through my head and I give those trucks a WIDE berth, lol. Though life imitates Hollywood. I was driving and saw the after effects of that scene, only instead of logs, it was metal I-Beams and instead of falling into the road and crushing those unlucky enough to be next to the truck at the time, the I-Beams fell into the shoulder. Yeah, that and this book have caused me to be MUCH more careful next to those loads, forget about being behind one hauling pipes!
Not going to lie, I have been suggesting this book to friends and family and hand-selling it where I am able. It is fascinating and important to read, think about and act on. I finished it in January and I am STILL thinking about it months later, in a positive way. That to me is the sign of a good book, well written and thought out.
5, I don't think I can recommend this any higher, stars.
My thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book to read and review.
I found the contents to be fascinating and quite frankly necessary when discussing the victims/potential victims/survivors of the long haul serial killers. Despite this review coming out in March, I finished this book in January, which is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Very appropo for this book to be a Buddy Read for me then. I do try to read at least one book that focuses on the topic of the current month I am in and this was an unplanned bit of serendipity for me with that, since I didn't have a human trafficking book lined up for January.
We are not doing nearly enough for the disenfranchised in America and the world. This book illustrates how someone can easily slip into a vulnerable position, leaving them open for abuse and worse. It is heartening to read about the survivors and others who are trying to help those caught in the trap of human trafficking, but it's not nearly enough. These young people are slipping through the cracks and those with evil intent have very little preventing them from taking their pick of who to hurt next.
This book wasn't all dark and gloomy realism. I also really enjoyed the parts where the author was riding for a week with a current long haul trucker. Now whenever I see a flatbed trucker on the road I look at it and wonder if that is Mike driving and how well the trucker had the load strapped down. That Final Destination scene also plays through my head and I give those trucks a WIDE berth, lol. Though life imitates Hollywood. I was driving and saw the after effects of that scene, only instead of logs, it was metal I-Beams and instead of falling into the road and crushing those unlucky enough to be next to the truck at the time, the I-Beams fell into the shoulder. Yeah, that and this book have caused me to be MUCH more careful next to those loads, forget about being behind one hauling pipes!
Not going to lie, I have been suggesting this book to friends and family and hand-selling it where I am able. It is fascinating and important to read, think about and act on. I finished it in January and I am STILL thinking about it months later, in a positive way. That to me is the sign of a good book, well written and thought out.
5, I don't think I can recommend this any higher, stars.
My thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2024
4.5 I came for the murders and stayed for the trucking. Like many books recently, this wasn't quite what it was advertised as most of the narrative didn't really deal with the murders. Instead, it focused on the problem of sex trafficking and what being a long-haul trucker is like. Which were both fascinating and informative, but not "hunting the highway serial killers." However, the book was very readable and engaging. The main reason it doesn't get a full 5 stars is because I wish a clearer distinction had been made between sex trafficking and sex work- this is done a little at the end when the author mentions legalization but I felt it should have been done sooner and made it clear that not all sex workers are trafficked and many engage in the industry because they choose to.
April 19, 2024
Absolutely fascinating, who knew trucking was so interesting???
The author, a former FBI Assistant Director, does a week long ride along with a 28 year old flat bed truck driver. He wants to experience the life of truckers so that he can better understand why the profession might attract or create serial killers. In between the ride along chapters, he details the culture of sex workers, specifically at truck stops - who they are, how they work, and how they ended up there. He gives some detail about specific truck stop murders, but this is not about individual cases. It's about understanding the connections between trucking, sex trafficking and serial killing.
I read this in a day. The trucking chapters had me hooked. I loved learning about different kinds of trucking, the regulations and schedules truckers follow, and the culture of the drivers. It gives both an interesting perspective of the psychology and sociology of trucking in general, and a good summary of the day to day grind of the job. The book also does a good job of portraying victims and sex workers as people who matter and are worth fighting for. It highlights organizations helping to bring women out of that life, shares stories of success, and gives hope.
The author, a former FBI Assistant Director, does a week long ride along with a 28 year old flat bed truck driver. He wants to experience the life of truckers so that he can better understand why the profession might attract or create serial killers. In between the ride along chapters, he details the culture of sex workers, specifically at truck stops - who they are, how they work, and how they ended up there. He gives some detail about specific truck stop murders, but this is not about individual cases. It's about understanding the connections between trucking, sex trafficking and serial killing.
I read this in a day. The trucking chapters had me hooked. I loved learning about different kinds of trucking, the regulations and schedules truckers follow, and the culture of the drivers. It gives both an interesting perspective of the psychology and sociology of trucking in general, and a good summary of the day to day grind of the job. The book also does a good job of portraying victims and sex workers as people who matter and are worth fighting for. It highlights organizations helping to bring women out of that life, shares stories of success, and gives hope.
June 28, 2024
(2.5⭐, rounded up) If you're looking for a book on long haul serial killers, this is not the one I'd recommend. I feel like the author had a tiny bit of information on the subject, and threw a whole book together with it. This book had more info on long haul trucking and prostitution than actual statistics and information on the murderers themselves. I was very disappointed.
November 3, 2024
I tried to get into this but it's super depressing to read first of all and second of all since he didn't work on any of the cases himself a lot of it reads like a school book report. He interviews everyone else and gives a lot of statistics. It had potential when he started the book doing a ride along with a trucker, but I've read much better nonfiction true crime. This is like a research paper
April 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this book; it was an easy read, full of interesting facts. I wish there had been more emphasis on victims' stories, but I respect that the author protected the women he interviewed so well.
Disclaimer: I won an advance copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Disclaimer: I won an advance copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
June 10, 2024
Not much useful about highway serial killers...mostly about the life of a truck driver -- and there are much better books about that subject.
August 21, 2024
This is true crime writing at its best. The author neatly sidesteps the pitfalls in many true crime accounts of either glorifying the killers, blaming the victims, or focusing on the blood and gore of a crime scene. Instead, he does his best to explore and understand what is driving the killers, their victims, and the law enforcement community That investigate the crimes. He turns statistics into human beings, with real lives, real voices, dreams, and hopes. This book has changed a paradigm for me, shifting my thinking about who these victims are and what kind of help they might want or need. I suspect this book is going to stick with me for a very long time in a good way.
September 9, 2024
This book didn't deliver on its premise. At it's core, it is about the HSK (Highway Serial Killings) Initiative in the FBI, but it didn't have enough information to sustain that premise for even the short 250+ page book. Seven of the 20 chapters, are just the author riding the highways with a trucker named Mike. Mike is a bit misogynistic and as the author reminds us, knows nothing about highway killers and seems to forget that's what the author is researching part of the time. There is a lot of filler about sex work on the highways (which is at least related to the typical victim profile) and interviews with women who were involved in truck-stop sex work in the past.
The information about actual Highway Killers is very surface level and the information about the investigations is pretty limited. The book is primarily a look at long-haul trucking and the different people that are connected to it in various ways which the author then connects back to the HSK. There was some interesting information about interstate investigations and how limited it is because providing the information is optional and tedious. It felt like the author wanted to write a book about the HSK but didn't have enough information to fill a book, and just gave other trucking and crime-related information to fill it out.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher.
The information about actual Highway Killers is very surface level and the information about the investigations is pretty limited. The book is primarily a look at long-haul trucking and the different people that are connected to it in various ways which the author then connects back to the HSK. There was some interesting information about interstate investigations and how limited it is because providing the information is optional and tedious. It felt like the author wanted to write a book about the HSK but didn't have enough information to fill a book, and just gave other trucking and crime-related information to fill it out.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher.
May 15, 2024
Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers for an Uncorrected Proof to preview and review. It was enlightening and educational, will give me lots of thoughts as I drive down the highway and pass semis and truck stops.
The book is written in three alternating sections: about trucking and being a driver, about trafficking survivors and those fighting it, and about the truckers committing crimes of trafficking, murder, and how those crimes are being addressed. Unfortunately, from the viewpoint of the FBI agent, you would think the focus of the book is more on the solving of the crimes, but this is the weakest part of the book.
The part of the book I enjoyed most is Frank's (the author's) week spent with Mike, a long-haul driver and the experiences explained about being a trucker. The requirements, the driving, the dropping and loading of loads, and Mike's insights about working for an upstanding man and boss who cares about the drivers, not just the load. This was eye opening, and gives you a new respect for what is on those flatbed trailers and how dangerous it is for all on the road. I would have been interested if the book was all this subject!
The book was hard to read because it jumped around so much- and the other two parts of the book were not as well done. Figliuzzi tried hard to cover all the bases, and give much deserved credit to the women fighting trafficking (professors and an Oklahoma agent, as well as two former victims now working with current victims trying to get out). It is interesting how the pieces of the puzzle all need to be shared and much more could be done if the crimes were approached from all angles. The weakest part of the book was trying to solve the crimes- who is committing them, why, where, and how can we get on top of this? Again, it jumped around a lot, brought in people he interviewed from all parts of the book, and just appeared scattered. I realize these crimes are still being committed and there are not solutions, he's only offering ideas, but this portion of the book seemed weak, especially since the title of the book is called "Hunting the Highway Serial Killers".
I learned a lot more about trafficking- what it is, how easy it is for these women to be roped into it, how hard it is to get out. The internet is changing the game and making it harder to catch.
The whole book is interesting, and it is obvious that much research and many interviews has gone into the writing of it. However, the book was work to read since it bounced around so much. Random facts seemed to be listed in random places. Give you a lot to think about, but not a good story to read. The crime part could have been done much better, but I suppose it is hard to write about unsolved crimes and ongoing problems with solutions in progress. 3.5 stars.
The book is written in three alternating sections: about trucking and being a driver, about trafficking survivors and those fighting it, and about the truckers committing crimes of trafficking, murder, and how those crimes are being addressed. Unfortunately, from the viewpoint of the FBI agent, you would think the focus of the book is more on the solving of the crimes, but this is the weakest part of the book.
The part of the book I enjoyed most is Frank's (the author's) week spent with Mike, a long-haul driver and the experiences explained about being a trucker. The requirements, the driving, the dropping and loading of loads, and Mike's insights about working for an upstanding man and boss who cares about the drivers, not just the load. This was eye opening, and gives you a new respect for what is on those flatbed trailers and how dangerous it is for all on the road. I would have been interested if the book was all this subject!
The book was hard to read because it jumped around so much- and the other two parts of the book were not as well done. Figliuzzi tried hard to cover all the bases, and give much deserved credit to the women fighting trafficking (professors and an Oklahoma agent, as well as two former victims now working with current victims trying to get out). It is interesting how the pieces of the puzzle all need to be shared and much more could be done if the crimes were approached from all angles. The weakest part of the book was trying to solve the crimes- who is committing them, why, where, and how can we get on top of this? Again, it jumped around a lot, brought in people he interviewed from all parts of the book, and just appeared scattered. I realize these crimes are still being committed and there are not solutions, he's only offering ideas, but this portion of the book seemed weak, especially since the title of the book is called "Hunting the Highway Serial Killers".
I learned a lot more about trafficking- what it is, how easy it is for these women to be roped into it, how hard it is to get out. The internet is changing the game and making it harder to catch.
The whole book is interesting, and it is obvious that much research and many interviews has gone into the writing of it. However, the book was work to read since it bounced around so much. Random facts seemed to be listed in random places. Give you a lot to think about, but not a good story to read. The crime part could have been done much better, but I suppose it is hard to write about unsolved crimes and ongoing problems with solutions in progress. 3.5 stars.
August 19, 2024
There are 850 known homicides that take place along America’s major highways or truck stops and the FBI has linked them to one type
of killer - long-haul truckers. Figliuzzi is the former director of counterintelligence at the FBI. Using his experience, knowledge, and connections he recounts the story of how this number formed. Figliuzzi immerses himself into trucking culture to get first-hand experience and gains knowledge about the individuals most targeted - sex trafficking victims.
I was super excited for Long Haul, prior to reading this novel I did not realize how many murders took place along our nation’s highway. Long Haul was not what I expected though. It was not as well executed as I would have liked, chapters jump around from topic-to-topic with thoughts being scrambled in the same chapter. The book was a great idea, but the writing felt informal and less sophisticated. I definitely learned a lot, and have a bigger respect for long-haul truckers (well not the ones doing crime). Moreover, Figliuzzi brings importance to the lack of resources preventing sex trafficking, and helping those who have been victimized.
My biggest complaint about Long Haul is that it felt mis-marketed. I wish Figliuzzi went into more of the psychology of long-haul killers - who was likely to take this path, or statistics on types of victims chosen. Instead the book heavily involved Figliuzzi’s ride along with a trucker (which was enjoyable) and the culture of how the victims are hard to identify and easy to access. I think this book would have been more enjoyable if it was marketed as a social science book that focused on the culture of trucking and sex trafficking.
of killer - long-haul truckers. Figliuzzi is the former director of counterintelligence at the FBI. Using his experience, knowledge, and connections he recounts the story of how this number formed. Figliuzzi immerses himself into trucking culture to get first-hand experience and gains knowledge about the individuals most targeted - sex trafficking victims.
I was super excited for Long Haul, prior to reading this novel I did not realize how many murders took place along our nation’s highway. Long Haul was not what I expected though. It was not as well executed as I would have liked, chapters jump around from topic-to-topic with thoughts being scrambled in the same chapter. The book was a great idea, but the writing felt informal and less sophisticated. I definitely learned a lot, and have a bigger respect for long-haul truckers (well not the ones doing crime). Moreover, Figliuzzi brings importance to the lack of resources preventing sex trafficking, and helping those who have been victimized.
My biggest complaint about Long Haul is that it felt mis-marketed. I wish Figliuzzi went into more of the psychology of long-haul killers - who was likely to take this path, or statistics on types of victims chosen. Instead the book heavily involved Figliuzzi’s ride along with a trucker (which was enjoyable) and the culture of how the victims are hard to identify and easy to access. I think this book would have been more enjoyable if it was marketed as a social science book that focused on the culture of trucking and sex trafficking.
November 23, 2024
This was a decent book, but I was looking for something more riveting, kind of like a Dateline Investigation or something. It really didn’t have many or any interesting cases or stories, it was mostly just about the life of a trucker and then the life of trafficked woman, and all the drugs they do and what not. It was pretty depressing and kind of gross and I really didn’t want to read about that…..
September 13, 2025
*Audiobook
This wasn’t what I expected it to be but it was still interesting all the same.
I thought it would just go into highway serial killers…because opportunity is aplenty with sex workers / trafficking readily available and essentially a mobile crime scene with minimal oversight/opportunity for a witness.
Instead this discusses highway serial killers BUT mostly seems to focus on what being a long haul trucker entails. It’s a grueling job and not everyone is suited to endure that kinda work.
The book poses the question….are there higher instances of serial killers amongst people in the long haul trucking business or do serial killer tend to gravitate to that type of career intentionally because of the opportunity of not getting caught (sex workers and constantly moving from place
to place)? Nature, nurture or both?
Mike, the trucker followed in this book (not a serial killer) he thinks…
🚛Flatbedders are less likely to be serial killers because they have physical engagement, let monotony and more engagement
🚛Dry Van truckers is better for loners, much more in line with the personality of serial killers.
None of this is to say anything bad about truckers, because most would never dream of harming anyone. It was an interesting book but definitely not what I was expecting. It focused more on sex trafficking and the daily life of a long haul trucker. No way I could do it. It’s hard on the body and seems so isolating, although it’s probably cool to travel around seeing the country.
This wasn’t what I expected it to be but it was still interesting all the same.
I thought it would just go into highway serial killers…because opportunity is aplenty with sex workers / trafficking readily available and essentially a mobile crime scene with minimal oversight/opportunity for a witness.
Instead this discusses highway serial killers BUT mostly seems to focus on what being a long haul trucker entails. It’s a grueling job and not everyone is suited to endure that kinda work.
The book poses the question….are there higher instances of serial killers amongst people in the long haul trucking business or do serial killer tend to gravitate to that type of career intentionally because of the opportunity of not getting caught (sex workers and constantly moving from place
to place)? Nature, nurture or both?
Mike, the trucker followed in this book (not a serial killer) he thinks…
🚛Flatbedders are less likely to be serial killers because they have physical engagement, let monotony and more engagement
🚛Dry Van truckers is better for loners, much more in line with the personality of serial killers.
None of this is to say anything bad about truckers, because most would never dream of harming anyone. It was an interesting book but definitely not what I was expecting. It focused more on sex trafficking and the daily life of a long haul trucker. No way I could do it. It’s hard on the body and seems so isolating, although it’s probably cool to travel around seeing the country.
September 17, 2024
At first I was a little put off by the moral panic rhetoric--not that it's unmerited, but that I was reading this book for fun, and that isn't fun. But it's a really smartly-written book. He begins with the issue of serial killers, but it ends up being a lot of very useful and important information about long-haul trucking, exploitation of women, addiction, and public policy, all told in an engaging way.
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