Crime Seen: From Patrol Cop to Profiler, My Stories from Behind the Yellow Tape

by Kate Lines

A criminal profiler, trained at Quantico, former Chief Superintendent of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Kate Lines recounts her remarkable story using pivotal cases she worked on in the course of her career.
     How does a farm girl from Ennismore enter a male-dominated field and become a top criminal profiler and groundbreaking leader? For Kate Lines, it started humbly, patrolling highways. She learned quickly that the best way to thrive was to keep calm, carry on and never lose her sense of humour. In what would be the first of many dramatic turns in her career, Kate traded in her uniform for a tight miniskirt and a leather jacket, becoming one of the OPP's first female undercover officers.
     In 1990 came the opportunity of a to be chosen as the 2nd-ever Canadian in an elite program at Quantico, Virginia in what was then the emerging field of criminal profiling. After 10 months of an intensive education in the intricacies of violent crime, Kate's new skills made her much in demand back home. Over the years she was involved in a number of high-profile cases, such as the abduction and murder of Kristen French and of Tori Stafford and the disappearance of Michael Dunahee.
     Kate was an early proponent of ViCLAS--the Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System, and when she took charge of the new and massive Behavioural Sciences division in Orillia, she took over ViCLAS and turned the department into a hub of innovation. Kate was awarded a Governor General's medal for being in the top 1/10th of 1% of the members of police forces that year. The following year the Canadian Police Leadership Foundation named her Police Leader of the Year.
     Always taking care not to aggrandize in any way the criminals whose names we may know all too well, Kate feels it's much more important to focus on the courage of victims and their families. Kate is an unsung, groundbreaking Canadian woman, one of a kind in this country, with a unique, inspiring and fascinating story to share.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Memoir, Canada, Crime, Autobiography, Biography

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2015

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forgettable. 2.5 stars. This was not a gripping memoir of how a top profiler brought down the almost-impossible-to-find criminal behind some dreadful, heart-sickening abductions and murders. It was mediocre in every way Or perhaps it wasn't, but that the author's writing just couldn't rise to the challenge she'd set herself. The stories, the characters, the author, the book - mediocre and forgettable.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good crime novel, and having this as a non-fiction novel all about Kate Line's policing career made me love it even more. All of the situations were real, and Kate Lines walked through how she became a high up cop and investigator. Having the author walk through each situation and how evidence was used and how people were interviewed gave a wonderful insight to the Police World, and helped give me a better idea what happened behind the scenes on high profile cases I heard about over the years.

This novel reminds me of a non-fiction version of Kathy Reichs Temperance Brennan novels. While Kathy Reichs discusses the forensics sides of investigations, Kate Lines brings you into the realm of policing and investigation.

I honestly couldn't put this book down. The real life stories are inspiring, even if each story did not have a happy ending. Also reading about a strong, independent female working hard and getting the job done was very inspiring!

Anyone interested in Police, Forensics, Investigations, Crime and Mystery should read this novel. Yes, it's not a fiction novel, but it helps give a lot of insight into what really happens. This novel is authentic and real, which gives it a lot of charm!

I would love Kate Lines to write fiction novels if she ever got the chance, because her background in this fantastic book would lend well to more books!

Five out of five stars! I saw nothing wrong with this fantastic non-fiction crime novel. The Criminal Profiler is an excellent author with many stories to tell.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Renata · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Good Reads as an advanced copy. Generally, the book is good especially the first half when Lines describes her early life, her start as in the OPP and being chosen to study at Quantico. Unfortunately (and as some other reviewers have pointed out), she skims over some of the most interesting cases (Paul Bernardo, Col. R. Williams). I would have liked to have read more detail about what the investigations in such cases examined; what she did as a profiler. Her descriptions of these cases were written like a Time magazine summary of a news story -- very little detail. From my perspective, I would have liked to have read more detail of cases she helped solve. I think that is what most readers who will pick up this book would want to see.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Kate's story. Her writing style was as though you were sitting down with a friend and having a real conversation. She is such an excellent role model for women with all that she has accomplished. 5 star story for sure.

[Jennifer Rayment · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good Stuff

This incredible women has led a fascinating life. So strong and intelligent and worked her ass off in a good old boys field
Learned so much about profiling and so much more
As a Canadian it was interesting to read about cases I thought I knew so much about. Really shows you how much we learn is biased and from the media's perspective
Hard to read about the victims and their families but respected her decision to deal less with the crime but more with the families and how how their lives were impacted
Once again brought forth the absurdity of the "Deal with the Devil" for Karla Homolka.. Still cannot believe that demon is living a life after what she did to those poor girls - oh and we all know she is just as guilty as Bernardo. Also was starting to forgive Lena Dunham for her insensitive comments on Twitter and to give her show a chance but - yup not going to happen, still cannot believe she could find humour in that situation (ok, off my soap box now)
Never knew about the case in Kirkland Lake, which is where my Mom was from
Impressed with all of the developments in profiling Lines and her colleagues had
Story about the kittens was hilarious
Wow had no idea that J. Edgar hoover was such a sexist pig
The creation of the "Christophers Law" still rips my heart out and sickens me

The Not so Good Stuff

Written very manner of factly and unfortunately you can tell she has no training as a writer. Comes across very choppy.
Not a lot of emotional draw - you admired her for her intelligence and her career, but at the end I felt like I knew nothing about her
Not very detailed and way too matter of fact
So much promise -- but it fizzles which is such a shame because it had the potential to be empowering

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"I had to be prepared to steel myself for it and manage the stress, to stay detached from the emotion of the open cases being presented, sometimes two or three a day. I learned for my my mind and heart to survive and not to be haunted by the knowledge and wisdom my teachers imparted."



" Any spare time after our classes or consultations was spent letting off steam playing basketball or baseball -- pretty much always Canada against the U.S., with a few stray country ringers."

"Sheldon revealed what he regretted more than anything else his abuser had done to him. "He stole my love of hockey and I was never able to get that back."

"Christopher wasn't given a chance to be a lawyer, but the law that bears his name has gone a long way to save others from harm."

3.25 Dewey's

I received this from Penguin Random House in Exchange for an honest review

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kate Lines was the second Canadian and first Canadian woman to complete the FBI's criminal profiling course at Quantico. She started her career with the police force as a traffic cop, moved up into undercover vice, then became a detective and rose to higher positions of authority once she became a leader in profiling in Canada. She is much decorated and honoured in the profession and this is her personal story up to the present. What drew me to reading this memoir was, of course, the profiling aspect due to my interest in that field, however, the best part of the book was the first half. Kate starts off briefly with her childhood and upbringing to how her interest in police work began. Her days of training and becoming a cop follow with details of her work as a traffic cop and undercover "narc" working in the high-risk area of biker gangs. Surprisingly, I found this part terribly interesting especially finding out how the Canadian system works. (So much of what is written is from an American perspective) I thought the really good part would start once she went to Quantico and her ten months there were quite interesting but not very detailed. The rest of the book was rather disappointing as she describes profiler work matter of factly, insistently tells the reader how unlike the TV shows it is, and even though she goes over a few high profile cases including Paul Bernardo and Colonel Russell Williams they are the most boring retellings of those crimes I've ever read. Lines also has an annoying habit of taking time out to praise the police force and pat her colleagues and the entire force on the back that it made me roll my eyes and think "save it for the acknowledgements!". This back patting was an obvious strike at public image control for the police in general. So while the book wasn't as good as I'd hoped for, the writing style not overly engaging, and the author's voice on the annoying side; I did enjoy learning how these things are done in Canada and especially hearing the story of her early days as a woman in the police force. Lines is now retired and works as a private detective and consultant.

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow, wow. Kate Lines is such an inspiring figure for the field of behavioural sciences as well as women in Canada/on the force. As someone pursuing this line of work, I feel very motivated and empowered by her story and the path she has set! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in true crime, forensics and criminal profiling, and most especially to other women with a passion for this field!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.
Okay, I have my son in programs at the library through the summer, and sit and read while he's off learning and discovering.
While I was there, I saw this on their "new" shelf and was drawn in. Picked it up brought it home. I was not disappointed. WOW.

The author, Kate Lines, was born and raised near where I spend most of my own growing up years, so many of her landmarks and references where familiar.
Her career and drive is amazing. She worked on many of the most high-profile cases in Ontario that happened within the years of her time working for the OPP. She was a leader in bringing many of the new laws, and resources police, not only in Ontario, but across Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and beyond use to help solve both cold-cases and current cases on a daily basis.

It was a no-nonsense book, but it flowed amazingly well, and got the facts across. How her and her colleagues do their job on a daily basis amazes me. I teared up many times, and it takes a strong person to be able to handle all that she has handled over the course of her career.

One thing she said, will stick with me forever. To say a victim was in the wrong place at the wrong time, places fault on the victim. The victim was not in the wrong place at the wrong time, but rather the abuser/perpetrator/criminal was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The blame needs to stay firmly on them, and kept away from the victim.

Thank you Kate Lines for sharing a snapshot of your life and career with us. Thank you for talking of past cases. Thank you for being not only open, but focused on capturing the 'bad guy' and bringing justice, for victims, family's, and the community. People like you show that with no much bad, there is also so much good - whether or not it is seen on a daily basis, people like you make it happen behind the scenes. Thank you.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like reading mystery and crime novels. This book caught my eye for a few reasons. It's the true account of how profiling is done. The author is a woman (and a very impressive one at that!) and she from the Toronto area. Here's her background ...

Kate Lines joined the Ontario Provincial Police in 1977. Her early days at work comprised uniform patrol, undercover drugs, fraud and major crimes. In 1991, she completed the FBI's Criminal Profiling Fellowship Program in Quantico, VA, the second Canadian to graduate from the program. She later became the first female Director of Intelligence Bureau. Much honoured during her 33-year policing career, Lines received the Officer of the Order of Merit Medal, Queen's Commission, International Association of Women Police Excellence in Performance Award, Ontario Women in Law Enforcement Excellence in Performance and Team Endeavours Award and Canadian Police Leadership Forum's Police Leader of the Year award. She currently acts as a consultant to businesses and police forces and on TV shows such as Rookie Blue and Flashpoint.

This book starts with the author's background, as the last born child and raised on a farm. She had wanted to go to law school but wasn't accepted so went into law enforcement instead (Ontario Provincial Police). She describes the experience she gained and relationships she built while on patrol and undercover. She came across some opportunities to train and advance and took advantage of them.

Retired now, she worked on some high profile murder cases in Ontario and provides high level summaries:

* Nancy and Ian Blackburn, who were found dead in the trunk of their car in 1992
* Kristen French, Leslie Mahaffy and Tammy Homolka, murdered by Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo in the early 1990s
* Eight-year-old Tori Stafford in Woodstock in 2009
* Eleven-year-old Christopher Stephenson in 1988 (the man convicted had a long history of violence and sexual offences against children)
* Russell Williams, base commander at CFB Trenton, who had 80+ charges against him in 2010 including two for murder

I enjoyed the writing style. I found there was just enough information provided without being too detailed. As a head's up, there is swearing and graphic descriptions.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/07...

[M (RAIN CITY READS) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Criminal profiling is, to this day, a specialized skill that only few possess - particularly in Canada. When Lines completed her training and began working as a profiler with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), there was only one other trained profiler for her to work with. After working as a profiler and building up a reputation for knowing her stuff, Lines was asked to head up a BSS (Behavioural Science Section) within the OPP and help train other detectives in her methods.

Part memoir, part true crime, this book was easy to get into, and held my interest from beginning to end. Lines has clear passion and skill for her chosen area, and is justifiably proud of all she has accomplished in her career. Though I don't think it should matter (and hope that soon it won't), the fact that she is a woman who managed to excel in a male-dominated field is an impressive feat.

In addition to her own fascinating professional account, Lines included carefully-selected cases to present throughout the book that demonstrated both the need for and effectiveness of new techniques in profiling and in tracking crimes and criminals. These will be particularly interesting to Canadian audiences who have heard of them.

The only issue I had with this book was that it could have used some restructuring and line editing. There were a few times that stories were presented in an order or with wording that was confusing, and I had to go back and re-read a few times to figure out what was going on. This was notably worse towards the end of the book (I nearly gave up on the chapter "The Final Tribute"). Acronyms were also thrown in without explanation many times throughout the book, and I kept having to stop and Google them. These issues knocked off a star, but didn't ruin the book for me.

If you're a mystery buff like me and a fan of the show Criminal Minds (particularly if you're also Canadian) this is definitely a book you'll want to pick up.

Thanks to Random House of Canada for the review copy!

Full review published on BACKLIST BOOKS.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

My sister asked for this book for her birthday, so I ordered her a copy and had it sent to her (thanks, Covid). Then when I was perusing Libby one day for non-fiction I saw that this was available so I decided to read it myself.

Kate Lines is a retired police officer and profiler from Ontario and should have SO many interesting stories to tell! She does discuss some of these cases but when she gets to the most high-profile, fascinating ones, she just glosses over them. I don't know if she assumes that the public already knows enough about them, but I think it's safe to assume that as readers we are wanting her insights and expert takes on these cases. She doesn't give us that at all. It was frustrating and baffling. She spends a lot of time discussing her early career working undercover in Wasaga Beach busting drug dealers and that was fun to read about, but she spends so much time on that versus her career as a profiler.

Overall I found the writing very dull and lifeless. I think this could have been a great book but it all fell flat for me.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime Seen outlines the policing career of Kate Lines. She started as an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer in the late '70s at a time when female officers were few and far between. From traffic cop to undercover babe to a graduate in criminal profiling from Quantico, Lines has had an amazing career. She worked on many high profile cases in Canada and provides additional background on a couple of them. This is a "just the facts ma'am" book; Lines does not sensationalize any cases which I respected. Her writing style is a little flat which is why this is a 3.5 not 4. Anyone interested in police work will enjoy this book.

[Sophie Rattanong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting an academic text (my fault for not doing my research), so was really disappointed to discover instead that this was a memoir. Sadly, Lines is no writer, so it's not even a good memoir. Not awful, not great, just ok.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book as an antidote to exploitative true crime, and as a story of what a woman can do (And change) if she commits herself.

If you’re looking to salivate over horrifying details of other people’s trauma for entertainment and shock value, this isn’t a book for you. But, if you’re interested in learning what it is like to make a career out of making the world a safer place for survivors, women, kids and families, there is much to discover in this book. I really loved the clear distinction between Lines’ book and other true crime I’ve read...which frankly always leaves me feeling voyeuristic and implicit (no matter how much it claims to be about “honoring the victims”.)

This author has honored the victims every day of her working life...and tells the story of what it takes to sustain that challenge for so long.

If you are a true crime reader, you will not be titillated by this book. But, I urge you to read it and consider the difference between writing like this, and more exploitative types of True crime accounts.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Fascinating, Insightful, and Compelling True-Crime Read

Crime Seen by Kate Lines is an absolutely captivating look into the world of criminal profiling, investigative strategy, and the realities of frontline police work. Lines brings a rare combination of expertise, clarity, and humanity to every chapter. Her decades of experience—paired with her ability to explain complex cases in a grounded, relatable way—make this book both informative and deeply engaging.

What stands out most is her balanced perspective: she doesn’t sensationalize crime, yet she still delivers all the tension, mystery, and psychological depth that true-crime readers love. The behind-the-scenes stories are interesting, and her reflections on teamwork, intuition, and the emotional weight of the job give the book a surprising amount of heart.

Whether you’re a longtime true-crime reader or someone curious about real investigative work, Crime Seen is an intelligent, thoughtful, and unputdownable read. Highly recommended.

[alexander shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting in the peek it provides into Canadian policing, in addition to women on police forces more generally. But by 'stories' I had expected more detail, whether that be from Lines' personal life or professional one. There's a mix of both in this book, as well as lots of background on coworkers in her life that doesn't feel all that relevant to the goal of the book. Even after finishing it I felt like I knew more about her personally than professionally, and I think if you aren't familiar with the cases she talks about (which I'm not) then you lost a lot from context alone as Lines' doesn't spend all that much page space on cases.

[Carolyn McBride · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book first grabbed my attention for the fact that it was written by a woman who had spent a long time in the OPP. I was very interested in the provincial angle. i read it in 2 sittings, it was a pretty fast read. The first half of the book was better written than the second half. In that, some of the other reviewers are correct -- the second half did feel a bit rushed. I would like to have heard more about the Colonel Williams case, and more of other cases that weren't in the news.

This is an entertaining book. Not bad, but not stellar either. I'm glad I read it though.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting a crime scene investigation book, that's not at all what this book is. It's a memoir from one of the first top female police officers and profiler with the OPP.
Kate Lines shares her experience becoming a police officer in the 1970s when it was mainly a boys club, women officers were very rare in those days. She also shares stories of crimes and missing people cases she's worked on.

[Alisha Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

In today’s day and age with law enforcement being a mainly male dominated occupation it is great to read recounting from a female perspective going through her stories, retell as well as she went about making a name for herself in her career. It was a great read and definitely interesting to someone who may have an interest in the field.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of a disappointment.

As many others pointed out before me, I would have liked to have read more detail about what Lines did as a profiler rather than getting some very basic infomation on several cases. Don't get me wrong, the cases where quite interesting to read and I do understand that it is not always possible for a cop/profiler to share all details on a case, however, I would have wished for Lines to pick one or two cases and talk about them - and especially her role as a profiler in those cases - in more detail.

The book was quite interesting to read, though. Definately not as I expected it to be, but nevertheless not a waste of time.

[sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Kate's stories of making her way to police academy and her first cases going undercover which were super fascinating. Wasn't a huge fan of the fact that the majority of the book was in fact just recounting of grisly child murder and SA cases, which I was not necessarily prepared to read! Less personal tales and more traumatic experiences.

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 mostly just not what I expected.

[Nicole Betournay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool to read how a female cop in my province rose up through the ranks and even went into the FBI. Highly recommend reading her story!

[Isabell · Rating 1 out of 5]

So booooooooring.

[Raechel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for a true crime book club and found it really interesting! It had a lot of different cases to look at, and we had a lot to talk about with it. Always good to learn about cases in a different country and how their investigators operate compared to the US.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Lines paved the way for women to have a career in policing in Canada. She began her career in 1977 and worked for the OPP. A time when very few women worked in the police field. She eventually became one the first female undercover officers to work for the OPP.

She had the opportunity to learn and train to become a criminal profiler receiving her training at the FBI Academy in Quantico Virginia. She became highly sought after completing this program as this was new territory for law enforcement in Canada. Kate worked with police on high profile cases such as the Kristen French and Tori Stafford abduction and the disappearance of Michael Dunahee.

In her book Kate brings to life her experiences, struggles and compassion working with so many victims of violent crime and at times how difficult it was to work in the world of policing in a male dominated field. I highly recommend her book as it is an interesting account of women in policing. As well as her perspective on working high profile cases in Canada which she does with compassion and respect to the families.

Reviewed from Advanced Reading Copy.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As a woman, especially, I was interested to read about how difficult it was, at that time, for a woman to work in such a male-dominated field. Eventually, the author became one of the first ever under-cover females to work there, and I loved reading about her perseverance in a difficult situation.

She worked some very high-profile cases, which I remember reading about. It was really neat to read about it from the other side of things. The book itself is well-written, and easy to read - it flows very nicely.

The book is engaging, and I found myself very pulled into it. I also felt that I learned a lot - this isn't a subject I've ever read about before, so I learned a lot. I feel like I have more of a perspective on this kind of thing, and more of a respect for all the amazingly-hard work these officers do.

A wonderful read. 100 percent recommended!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Goodreads for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this absolutely terrific story.

This story outlines the policing career of Kate Lines from patrol cop to profiler, while climbing the ranks. I found that I could not put this book down as it was fascinating and riveting. Many high profile cases are discussed throughout the book. I especially enjoyed learning about the author's training at the FBI Academy. The ordinary civilian normally does not have a clue as to what is involved in this career choice.

This book is a must-read for anyone (male or female) interested in starting a police career. A very informative, enjoyable read. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to read this!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As somebody who once flirted with the idea of becoming a profiler, I was looking forward to reading Crime Seen as not is it by a former profiler, but one that is also a Canadian and a woman. For those of you who love watching crime show dramas similar to CSI, Criminal Minds or even Bones, I would definitely recommend that you pick this book up. As a proud Canadian, I loved the fact that the authour herself is Canadian as its more common for us to observe how the American police system works since that is what’s usually portrayed in TV shows and movies.

Read the rest of the review here: http://wp.me/p36jwx-Ov

[Rhonda Barkhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Good Reads First Reads win. This book takes an in depth look into the life and career of one of Canada's most respected and successful criminal profilers. Kate Lines has been involved in some of Canada's most notorious murder cases. She writes with dignity and respect towards the victims and their families. This book was devastating to read at times. Heartbreaking. Reading and learning about the process involved in solving crimes, the time and hard work was very interesting and eye opening. TV gets it wrong. This is the way it really is.