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The Misbegotten Son
An account of the crimes of Arthur Shawcross describes how the paroled child killer shot, stabbed, suffocated, and strangled 16 Rochester, New York, prostitutes and examines how the legal system failed his victims.
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First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
January 9, 2022
Artie Shawcross is one evil man. In the early '70s, he murdered two children and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison; he served less than 15 years before he was paroled in 1987. City after city threw him out, not wanting a child killer in their community. The parole board manages to sneak him quietly into Rochester, N.Y. Not long after female prostitutes are being found murdered. Some mutilated and dressed out as deer. For more than two years, the Rochester police department, state troopers, and state police tried to catch the elusive serial killer. Shawcross is finally caught when he revisited a victim's active crime scene. While in prison, the defense hired Richard Kraus in an attempt to claim insanity. He did not fit the classic pattern of the sociopath, nor did he seem either schizophrenic or paranoid. However, Shawcross did not fit into the category of legally insane. Much respect to Kraus, but I am not buying into his theory of what he thinks is wrong with Shawcross. Some people are just born evil period.
🐱🐱🐱🐱
🐱🐱🐱🐱
October 10, 2019
This is an appalling crime story. However nothing made me shout aloud until I heard the medical testimony at the preliminary hearing.
Oh my lord, this criminal makes me want to vomit. He truly is a monster.
I take that back somewhat. By the end I at last am told why he has his urges. As a former special needs teacher, I am sadly reminded of a very young boy who may fit this same category. I hope I never see him in the news.
Oh my lord, this criminal makes me want to vomit. He truly is a monster.
I take that back somewhat. By the end I at last am told why he has his urges. As a former special needs teacher, I am sadly reminded of a very young boy who may fit this same category. I hope I never see him in the news.
November 28, 2021
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
This story is very good. So far, it’s the best True Crime story that I’ve read.
Arthur Shawcross, was genetically, predisposed to become a deranged serial killer.
Jack Olsen wrote, a very well written, detailed, captivating story.
I highly recommend it!
Narration 5/5
This story is very good. So far, it’s the best True Crime story that I’ve read.
Arthur Shawcross, was genetically, predisposed to become a deranged serial killer.
Jack Olsen wrote, a very well written, detailed, captivating story.
I highly recommend it!
July 13, 2010
The late Jack Olsen was simply incapable of writing a bad book. First, few true-crime authors demonstrated such a stubborn insistence on chasing down every stray fact and every peripheral character as this former magazine writer from journalism's Golden Age. Second, his tender-tough-guy prose keeps what might have been exhausting expositions in the hands of lesser writers crackling along like ice cubes in a glass of whiskey.
And "The Misbegotten Son" is nowhere near Olsen's finest work. It's no less well-done than any of his other books, mind you. It simply lacks as compelling a central character as, say, Claude Dallas of "Give A Boy A Gun," Fred "Kevin" Coe of "Son" and Steve Titus and MacDonald Smith of "Predator." Arthur Shawcross, a sociopath from a small town in upstate New York, is more of a blank slate, a bland personality that he wore as a mask over a true face of relentlessly murderous rage toward women. His crimes are much more fascinating than he is.
Yet, Olsen dives right in, and comes up with a crackerjack third act — as Shawcross targets prostitutes in Buffalo, New York in the late 1980s, a survivor of one of his attacks teams with the cops, very reluctantly, to spread the word among the streetwalking set and smoke out the killer. The woman whose sense of self-worth — and justice — couldn't be beaten out of her by a near-fatal rape or numerous years on the streets near the bottom of the prostitute food chain becomes someone you can't help rooting for. And the whole cops-and-cornerwalkers-learning-to-trust-each-other-just-enough angle is ultimately what makes this book a good one ... if only second-tier by the lofty standards set by the man many called The Dean Of True Crime.
I can't say that "The Misbegotten Son" is a book I'll want to re-read, but that's OK. I've got plenty of great Jack Olsen books to page through all over again anytime I want. And I will. The man had the gift.
And "The Misbegotten Son" is nowhere near Olsen's finest work. It's no less well-done than any of his other books, mind you. It simply lacks as compelling a central character as, say, Claude Dallas of "Give A Boy A Gun," Fred "Kevin" Coe of "Son" and Steve Titus and MacDonald Smith of "Predator." Arthur Shawcross, a sociopath from a small town in upstate New York, is more of a blank slate, a bland personality that he wore as a mask over a true face of relentlessly murderous rage toward women. His crimes are much more fascinating than he is.
Yet, Olsen dives right in, and comes up with a crackerjack third act — as Shawcross targets prostitutes in Buffalo, New York in the late 1980s, a survivor of one of his attacks teams with the cops, very reluctantly, to spread the word among the streetwalking set and smoke out the killer. The woman whose sense of self-worth — and justice — couldn't be beaten out of her by a near-fatal rape or numerous years on the streets near the bottom of the prostitute food chain becomes someone you can't help rooting for. And the whole cops-and-cornerwalkers-learning-to-trust-each-other-just-enough angle is ultimately what makes this book a good one ... if only second-tier by the lofty standards set by the man many called The Dean Of True Crime.
I can't say that "The Misbegotten Son" is a book I'll want to re-read, but that's OK. I've got plenty of great Jack Olsen books to page through all over again anytime I want. And I will. The man had the gift.
February 16, 2022
The Misbegotten Son is straight-writing Jack Olsen's look at serial killer Arthur Shawcross, a weird, depraved man who committed sexually motivated murders of children and prostitutes in the 1970s and '80s. Written in Olsen's usual clipped, unpretentious style -- the antithesis of more ambitious recent true crime books like
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
-- the book sticks to the known facts and emphasises firsthand accounts of the killer, detectives, survivors and expert witnesses. The result is a mixed bag.
Split into countless short chapters heavy on quotes but short on detail, the book has a bit of an elliptical quality that might disappoint readers aiming to get a greater grasp on the story of a murderer whose multiple TV appearances are memorable for the exaggerations and habitual lies Shawcross brings to the table. Alas, Shawcross's Vietnam War Rambo fantasies and provocative allusions to cannibalism and incest are allowed to stand for themselves for too long -- only being challenged late in the book (via an unnecessarily long transcript of a speculative psychological evaluation) -- and Olsen is reserved to a fault when it comes to speculating on the true driving force behind an admittedly hard-to-quantify killer.
The book has its high points, such as the sections in which a New York sex worker who survived a frightening encounter with Shawcross reveals more about his modus operandi than any of his fanciful stories. Another subplot about the mother of one of Shawcross's first victims is also compelling, following a woman as she goes through the various stages of grief and denial of what happened (or, as she sees it, didn't happen) to her son. Including the perspectives of those left behind by the bigger story of a sadistic serial killer is a noble aspect of the book. Otherwise, The Misbegotten Son is interesting but muddled.
Split into countless short chapters heavy on quotes but short on detail, the book has a bit of an elliptical quality that might disappoint readers aiming to get a greater grasp on the story of a murderer whose multiple TV appearances are memorable for the exaggerations and habitual lies Shawcross brings to the table. Alas, Shawcross's Vietnam War Rambo fantasies and provocative allusions to cannibalism and incest are allowed to stand for themselves for too long -- only being challenged late in the book (via an unnecessarily long transcript of a speculative psychological evaluation) -- and Olsen is reserved to a fault when it comes to speculating on the true driving force behind an admittedly hard-to-quantify killer.
The book has its high points, such as the sections in which a New York sex worker who survived a frightening encounter with Shawcross reveals more about his modus operandi than any of his fanciful stories. Another subplot about the mother of one of Shawcross's first victims is also compelling, following a woman as she goes through the various stages of grief and denial of what happened (or, as she sees it, didn't happen) to her son. Including the perspectives of those left behind by the bigger story of a sadistic serial killer is a noble aspect of the book. Otherwise, The Misbegotten Son is interesting but muddled.
February 7, 2024
By far one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was very well written and amazing from beginning to end. Definitely need to read more of Jack Olsens books.
November 8, 2024
The writing and research here was a solid 4 stars. This is not really a mystery in any sense which is okay as there plenty of true crimes where one finds out about the killer’s identity in the first chapter or early in the book.
The issue I had with the book is that it was exceptionally and unnecessarily graphic. Yes there are 12 murders committed by Arthur Shawcross. It seems that going into each murder is too much and perhaps not being respectful of the victim’s families. Perhaps because the killer confessed to all the murders this provided too much fodder for the author to leave out. In any event the M.O. was the same for each murder so the best part of the book is the investigation into the why.
It was the analysis by the defense psychiatrist that shed the most light. Richard Kraus the defense psychiatrist refused to state that Arthur Shawcross was insane. Shawcross actually had many characteristics of sociopaths. Sociopathy is not a valid insanity defense. Hubris and narcissism are present in most sociopaths of this type. Kraus was puzzled because Shawcross was exceptionally open and patient and although he lied, it was more of a fantasy than manipulation.
So Kraus conducted a lot of interviews to find out what made Shawcross tick. He also ran many medical tests. He found no history of abuse of Shawcross . In fact Shawcross invented most of the childhood trauma. However Kraus did find some clues beyond sociopathy traits. Shawcross also wanted to find out why he was so broken which is unusual amongst serial killers.
Shawcross as it turns out had an uncommon extra XYY chromosome. The XYY syndrome is more prevalent in those who commit violent crimes. And it turns out that Kraus also had a very rare kryptopyrrole protein disorder. When kryptopyrrole levels are high this prevents the brain from regulating impulse control. This was the aha moment for Kraus.
In the end Kraus was not called to testify in the trial because he could not bolster the defense’s plea of insanity. In the end it didn’t matter.
3.5 stars
The issue I had with the book is that it was exceptionally and unnecessarily graphic. Yes there are 12 murders committed by Arthur Shawcross. It seems that going into each murder is too much and perhaps not being respectful of the victim’s families. Perhaps because the killer confessed to all the murders this provided too much fodder for the author to leave out. In any event the M.O. was the same for each murder so the best part of the book is the investigation into the why.
It was the analysis by the defense psychiatrist that shed the most light. Richard Kraus the defense psychiatrist refused to state that Arthur Shawcross was insane. Shawcross actually had many characteristics of sociopaths. Sociopathy is not a valid insanity defense. Hubris and narcissism are present in most sociopaths of this type. Kraus was puzzled because Shawcross was exceptionally open and patient and although he lied, it was more of a fantasy than manipulation.
So Kraus conducted a lot of interviews to find out what made Shawcross tick. He also ran many medical tests. He found no history of abuse of Shawcross . In fact Shawcross invented most of the childhood trauma. However Kraus did find some clues beyond sociopathy traits. Shawcross also wanted to find out why he was so broken which is unusual amongst serial killers.
Shawcross as it turns out had an uncommon extra XYY chromosome. The XYY syndrome is more prevalent in those who commit violent crimes. And it turns out that Kraus also had a very rare kryptopyrrole protein disorder. When kryptopyrrole levels are high this prevents the brain from regulating impulse control. This was the aha moment for Kraus.
In the end Kraus was not called to testify in the trial because he could not bolster the defense’s plea of insanity. In the end it didn’t matter.
3.5 stars
May 10, 2018
What a fantastic read, or listen rather seeing as I listened to this on Audible. The narrator was FANTASTIC!!!! I can't stress that enough. Made me go look up everything he's narrated so I can listen to more of him.
But this story is so well written. Very factual, and sometimes that can be a bad thing because it can get boring and tedious, however the author appears to be quite skillful regarding this. Kudos. I enjoyed the depth also afforded to others in this horrid story, such as the victims. Often other authors focus on the SK a little too much and forget the numerous victims left behind, not in this story. At first I wondered why so much about Jack's story but it all started making sense.
My only con was the length of some chapters. They were short, a little too short for me and at times felt quite abrupt and jarring. But that's my only 'complaint'. Otherwise, I've searched for all the authors other work and look forward to reading more from him in the future!
But this story is so well written. Very factual, and sometimes that can be a bad thing because it can get boring and tedious, however the author appears to be quite skillful regarding this. Kudos. I enjoyed the depth also afforded to others in this horrid story, such as the victims. Often other authors focus on the SK a little too much and forget the numerous victims left behind, not in this story. At first I wondered why so much about Jack's story but it all started making sense.
My only con was the length of some chapters. They were short, a little too short for me and at times felt quite abrupt and jarring. But that's my only 'complaint'. Otherwise, I've searched for all the authors other work and look forward to reading more from him in the future!
January 22, 2016
Horrible story of a serial killer who killed some kids, went to prison, unaccountably got released, then killed some adults. Makes you wonder what could possibly be going on in the criminal justice system. The medicolegal angle is unusually fascinating in this case and I really wonder how many other cases of this sort there may be out there.
December 8, 2015
I picked this up not realizing the killer was a serial killer. That's what summaries are for, right? Pft. I just skimmed it. And I find myself listening to a book on a serial killer. I hate these kinds of true crime novels. >.>;
Incidentally, I did recognize the killer from that Serial Killer Whisperer (or whatever) book.
The writing was standard for the genre. I thought there was a lot of stuff added in that shouldn't be in this book. I truly didn't need to know about a little girl who was murdered by a man who has absolutely nothing to do with this story. That's not really anything I want to read as a passing comment type thing.
This book reminded me of Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders in the way that there was just sooo much irrelevant backstory and other things that shouldn't be in this book. It doesn't come close but it did make me look up this author to see if he'd written the aformentioned book. That's the worst true crime book I've read, hands down. I wonder if the two are related.
Anyway. I didn't really need to interviews that were in this book. They were all basically the same. News at 11! A serial killer blames his victims! Shock - Gasp - Not at all Predictable!
I thought the 'medical' information was a shot in the dark too. The pysch was trying to come up with the reasons why he did what he did and yet seemed so kind. Why, he confessed to several murders to protect Rose from the harassment! How could he be so kind and yet do this terrible thing?
Really? I felt like the doc was missing the forest for the trees. It's so completely obvious. He wasn't protected Rose. He just didn't want her to have any 'glory'. He has a girlfriend and admits to using prostitutes, and his wife knows this. He's not shielding her at all. All his confessions came when people were getting attention for his crimes. The detective, Rose, etc.
Bleh. My brain needs bleach.
Incidentally, I did recognize the killer from that Serial Killer Whisperer (or whatever) book.
The writing was standard for the genre. I thought there was a lot of stuff added in that shouldn't be in this book. I truly didn't need to know about a little girl who was murdered by a man who has absolutely nothing to do with this story. That's not really anything I want to read as a passing comment type thing.
This book reminded me of Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders in the way that there was just sooo much irrelevant backstory and other things that shouldn't be in this book. It doesn't come close but it did make me look up this author to see if he'd written the aformentioned book. That's the worst true crime book I've read, hands down. I wonder if the two are related.
Anyway. I didn't really need to interviews that were in this book. They were all basically the same. News at 11! A serial killer blames his victims! Shock - Gasp - Not at all Predictable!
I thought the 'medical' information was a shot in the dark too. The pysch was trying to come up with the reasons why he did what he did and yet seemed so kind. Why, he confessed to several murders to protect Rose from the harassment! How could he be so kind and yet do this terrible thing?
Really? I felt like the doc was missing the forest for the trees. It's so completely obvious. He wasn't protected Rose. He just didn't want her to have any 'glory'. He has a girlfriend and admits to using prostitutes, and his wife knows this. He's not shielding her at all. All his confessions came when people were getting attention for his crimes. The detective, Rose, etc.
Bleh. My brain needs bleach.
May 16, 2021
Couldn’t finish this book - so graphic.
January 21, 2016
Very chilling and graphic look into the life of a horrible serial killer (Arthur Shawcross). I read this while on holidays and it kept me spellbound every night. The descriptions are graphic, but not gratuitous. This is my favourite Jack Olsen book, and I think he is one of the greatest of True Crime writers.
May 16, 2016
Interesting for sure, but the manuscript has serious problems. Riddled with typos and formatting issues. It's almost as if the paper document was scanned in and was never reviewed and corrected before publishing (OCR is just not accurate enough). The author should be embarrassed by these problems as it reflects on him -- although I like this author.
May 11, 2016
Excellent, but...
Excellent cultural, ethnographic, and psychological study of criminal, victims, and communities. However, the Kindle edition has many odd typos: words cleaved in two by a space, and exclamation points repeatedly substituted for capital I's.
Excellent cultural, ethnographic, and psychological study of criminal, victims, and communities. However, the Kindle edition has many odd typos: words cleaved in two by a space, and exclamation points repeatedly substituted for capital I's.
November 16, 2009
The undisputed King of True-Crime.
May 17, 2016
One of the most well-documented, well-written, and sympathetic true crime books I've ever read.
February 25, 2019
I enjoyed the book, I really did -- The short chapters were a little strange..
However... I recommend reading the physical book - NOT the audiobook.. I had zero issues with the book until the chapters pertaining to Oswego, Broome, etc were mentioned.. That's where I lost it.. And its honestly only because of the errors made in the pronunciation of these cities and streets.. I can let it go if its said a few times... However when the wrong pronunciation of a town is said 30 times in a chapter, I have a twitch.. Thats when I started to lose interest in the book because I kept getting so frustrated with the mispronunciations.
However... I recommend reading the physical book - NOT the audiobook.. I had zero issues with the book until the chapters pertaining to Oswego, Broome, etc were mentioned.. That's where I lost it.. And its honestly only because of the errors made in the pronunciation of these cities and streets.. I can let it go if its said a few times... However when the wrong pronunciation of a town is said 30 times in a chapter, I have a twitch.. Thats when I started to lose interest in the book because I kept getting so frustrated with the mispronunciations.
January 14, 2021
As a true crime book, Misbegotten Son has many positive aspects and many negative aspects. There is a ton of information in this book, it's nearly 600 pages after all. However, with that mass of information there is a ton of point of view chapters that muddle the narrative, as well as information that just doesn't contribute to the story. Anytime things start to become interesting, it screeches to halt to switch point of view and jump to a different part of the story. Also, the narrative is really loose with the dates of events, so have Shawcross's wikipedia page open nearby so you can put it together yourself. It's a hard read that ultimately provides a lot of insight into the monster, but it loses a lot by not sticking to the story it wants to tell. For those interested in Shawcross, there aren't many options, so this one will have to do, just be prepared to get lost and bored frequently.
May 21, 2024
This one is a little different when we talk about serial killer books we usually timeline them from beginning to end.
This one did something different. It just didn’t streamline the cases it had first person commentary from loved ones or persons who knew the victim and also portions of the interview with the killer where he describes in detail the murder and what happened after the main story explains the disappearance.
It’s fascinating that this guy got so little time for child murder and the fact that he didn’t follow the playbook of a usual serial killer in that his first crimes were nothing like his 2nd series of crimes.
Highly highly recommend as no stone was left unturned in this one but it’s a big one so take your time with it.
This one did something different. It just didn’t streamline the cases it had first person commentary from loved ones or persons who knew the victim and also portions of the interview with the killer where he describes in detail the murder and what happened after the main story explains the disappearance.
It’s fascinating that this guy got so little time for child murder and the fact that he didn’t follow the playbook of a usual serial killer in that his first crimes were nothing like his 2nd series of crimes.
Highly highly recommend as no stone was left unturned in this one but it’s a big one so take your time with it.
February 11, 2021
This book is on the suggested reading list for The Last Podcast On The Left. Jack Olsen tackles the subject of Arthur Shawcross, an American serial killer. Shawcross was described as being different, even from early childhood. He claimed that he was physically and mentally abused by his mother, and traumatized by events he experienced during his service in Vietnam. He was sent to prison for two murders, paroled, and went off to kill again. Shawcross was an extremely odd person, and the theories behind his actions are very interesting. This book was engaging and well written.
(Episodes 423 & 424, Arthur Shawcross)
(Episodes 423 & 424, Arthur Shawcross)
February 18, 2017
Well, wow this is quite a read/listen. This story of a serial killer is graphic and intriguing. Told from several different perspectives: the perpetrator, the perpetrator's mother, the perpetrator's wife, police, psychiatrists, and so on this book is both hard to read and hard to put down at the same time. The audiobook is narrated by Kevin Pierce whose voice draws in the listener. There is so much happening in this book, I need to listen to it again to more fully appreciate the ending the ending.
March 29, 2020
The true-crime telling of the sad life of Arthur J. Shawcross, murderer. One of the best I've had the so-called pleasure of reading. Meticulously detailed and researched, sheds light into the darkest corners of a truly misbegotten man. He terrorized early 1970's children in Watertown and late 1980's prostitutes in Rochester, the book dives deep into both the victims, friends, family and the perpetrator to paint perhaps the most detailed portrait of a serial murderer since Ann Rule's intimate account of Ted Bundy. Gripping from first to last.
May 17, 2020
The story of serial killer Arthur Shawcross by the master of True Crime. At 581 pages it did get a little wordy and sometimes repetitive. This could have come across as being taken mostly from transcripts but he never sticks with one person for long and writes as if the person is talking right to the reader. I liked how he wrote the way the person spoke, accent and all. My heart went out to the girlfriend Mary Blake so much that I wanted to help her. The book is 27 years old so I hope Mary is doing better if she is still alive. Very memorable book.
September 9, 2015
Mediocre
The editing killed the story. While it's understandable for the narrative portions to be contradictory, the actual text did not always flow appropriately. In places it read like it was cut and pasted and never proofread.
The editing killed the story. While it's understandable for the narrative portions to be contradictory, the actual text did not always flow appropriately. In places it read like it was cut and pasted and never proofread.
April 7, 2023
"The Misbegotten Son," by Jack Olsen, a veteran true-crime writer whose previous books include "Son: A Psychopath and His Victims" and "Doc: The Rape of the Town of Lovell," does not rely on titillation for its impact. Indeed, this book deliberately renounces salaciousness for factually dense, objective reporting. Anyone whose prurient interest is aroused by this exhaustively documented, deeply analytical work should seek professional help.
Arthur J. Shawcross was the most dangerous type of predatory pedophile, an unrepentant sex murderer of children. Finally captured in upstate New York, he plea-bargained to a single count of manslaughter and was sent to prison. Paroled after serving nine years, he then turned to stalking prostitutes, and killed 11 more times before finally stumbling into penal custody once again. He was sentenced to serve 250 years in prison and eventually died in 2008.
"The Misbegotten Son" is a compelling account of a monster in metastasis. Mr. Shawcross was a ticking bomb, a fact obvious to even the most casual observer from an early age when he displayed what criminologists call the classic homicide triad—fire-setting, torturing small animals and bed-wetting. Despite the clear misgivings of every therapist who came in contact with him, he was released from prison—not so much to society as upon it.
Mr. Olsen wastes little time with body counts; his mission is to find the root cause of a life devoted to torture, mutilation and homicide. With access to a remarkable variety of materials, he carefully documents the multiplicity of (inaccurate) diagnoses, a complex web of destructive and dysfunctional relationships, and the ineffectiveness of the rehabilitation and parole system. The special strength of "The Misbegotten Son" is the author's uncanny ability to obtain first-person accounts from virtually every major player in the killer's blood-splattered script; wives (including one Mr. Shawcross met as a prison pen pal), girlfriends, co-workers, police officers, therapists and even the only prostitute known to have survived an encounter with the killer—by playing dead to help him achieve a necrophilic orgasm.
Mr. Olsen's special gift for res ipsa loquitur irony is best illustrated by the following excerpts from psychiatric reports. This is Mr. Olsen's summary of a description of Mr. Shawcross when he was first incarcerated in 1972 in the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, N.Y.: "A dangerous schizophrenic pedophile, suffering from 'intermittent explosive personality.'...He heard voices when he was depressed, engaged in fantasy as a source of satisfaction, and had an 'oral-erotic fixation with need for maternal protection.'"
And this is the same individual, described by a psychiatrist, just before parole in 1981: "Neat, clean, quiet, cooperative, attentive, pleasant. No bizarre mannerisms. Normal facial appearance and posture. Self-esteem/self-image good. Tolerance for frustration within limits. Abstract thinking intact. No hallucinations/delusions. Though processes logical, rational....Does not manifest any psychotic/neurotic symptoms."
Thoroughly non-judgmental in his approach, Mr. Olsen has a gift for incisive commentary that often illuminates his narrative. Mr. Shawcross was an inveterate fisherman and hunter, always returning to his love of sport. Mr. Olsen shines the light on the truth: "Out of trouble for the moment, the parolee purchased fishing tackle and trudged down the grassy riverbank....It had been a long time since he killed a fish."
Often the unvarnished words of other players in the scenario of escalating homicide are as chilling as the acts themselves. Listen to the killer's girlfriend, reeking of sympathy as she helps him get a sock over a swollen foot: "You poor guy, what do you do when I'm not around?" This deeply damaged woman remained loyal to Mr. Shawcross even when the answer was made horribly clear. And as for the wedding ring he gave her: "They can tell me a thousand times, but I'll never believe it belonged to no dead whore."
Mr. Shawcross was no criminal mastermind. His transition from child victims to adult prostitutes is psychopathological when viewed in context—his driving force was sexual sadism, not pedophilia. He attributed his "sickness" to abuse by his mother, incest with his sister and the trauma of combat in Vietnam. None of these claims were ever documented—indeed, they were thoroughly discredited.
Interviewed by psychiatric experts before his last trial, Mr. Shawcross induced a "Rashomon" effect: one postulated that his condition resulted form post-traumatic stress disorder, another attributed his behavior to the infamous XYY chromosome (an extra Y, or male, chromosome that some scientists believe induces a proclivity to aggressive behavior), still another proclaimed him a classic sociopath. The author himself takes no position, standing back from the disagreements, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.
Mr. Olsen has the master interrogator's gift—he persuades people to open up to him. The reader's one wish is that he had got Mr. Shawcross to do so. "The Misbegotten Son" is a fascinating and forceful book that makes a genuine contribution to criminology and journalism alike.
Arthur J. Shawcross was the most dangerous type of predatory pedophile, an unrepentant sex murderer of children. Finally captured in upstate New York, he plea-bargained to a single count of manslaughter and was sent to prison. Paroled after serving nine years, he then turned to stalking prostitutes, and killed 11 more times before finally stumbling into penal custody once again. He was sentenced to serve 250 years in prison and eventually died in 2008.
"The Misbegotten Son" is a compelling account of a monster in metastasis. Mr. Shawcross was a ticking bomb, a fact obvious to even the most casual observer from an early age when he displayed what criminologists call the classic homicide triad—fire-setting, torturing small animals and bed-wetting. Despite the clear misgivings of every therapist who came in contact with him, he was released from prison—not so much to society as upon it.
Mr. Olsen wastes little time with body counts; his mission is to find the root cause of a life devoted to torture, mutilation and homicide. With access to a remarkable variety of materials, he carefully documents the multiplicity of (inaccurate) diagnoses, a complex web of destructive and dysfunctional relationships, and the ineffectiveness of the rehabilitation and parole system. The special strength of "The Misbegotten Son" is the author's uncanny ability to obtain first-person accounts from virtually every major player in the killer's blood-splattered script; wives (including one Mr. Shawcross met as a prison pen pal), girlfriends, co-workers, police officers, therapists and even the only prostitute known to have survived an encounter with the killer—by playing dead to help him achieve a necrophilic orgasm.
Mr. Olsen's special gift for res ipsa loquitur irony is best illustrated by the following excerpts from psychiatric reports. This is Mr. Olsen's summary of a description of Mr. Shawcross when he was first incarcerated in 1972 in the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, N.Y.: "A dangerous schizophrenic pedophile, suffering from 'intermittent explosive personality.'...He heard voices when he was depressed, engaged in fantasy as a source of satisfaction, and had an 'oral-erotic fixation with need for maternal protection.'"
And this is the same individual, described by a psychiatrist, just before parole in 1981: "Neat, clean, quiet, cooperative, attentive, pleasant. No bizarre mannerisms. Normal facial appearance and posture. Self-esteem/self-image good. Tolerance for frustration within limits. Abstract thinking intact. No hallucinations/delusions. Though processes logical, rational....Does not manifest any psychotic/neurotic symptoms."
Thoroughly non-judgmental in his approach, Mr. Olsen has a gift for incisive commentary that often illuminates his narrative. Mr. Shawcross was an inveterate fisherman and hunter, always returning to his love of sport. Mr. Olsen shines the light on the truth: "Out of trouble for the moment, the parolee purchased fishing tackle and trudged down the grassy riverbank....It had been a long time since he killed a fish."
Often the unvarnished words of other players in the scenario of escalating homicide are as chilling as the acts themselves. Listen to the killer's girlfriend, reeking of sympathy as she helps him get a sock over a swollen foot: "You poor guy, what do you do when I'm not around?" This deeply damaged woman remained loyal to Mr. Shawcross even when the answer was made horribly clear. And as for the wedding ring he gave her: "They can tell me a thousand times, but I'll never believe it belonged to no dead whore."
Mr. Shawcross was no criminal mastermind. His transition from child victims to adult prostitutes is psychopathological when viewed in context—his driving force was sexual sadism, not pedophilia. He attributed his "sickness" to abuse by his mother, incest with his sister and the trauma of combat in Vietnam. None of these claims were ever documented—indeed, they were thoroughly discredited.
Interviewed by psychiatric experts before his last trial, Mr. Shawcross induced a "Rashomon" effect: one postulated that his condition resulted form post-traumatic stress disorder, another attributed his behavior to the infamous XYY chromosome (an extra Y, or male, chromosome that some scientists believe induces a proclivity to aggressive behavior), still another proclaimed him a classic sociopath. The author himself takes no position, standing back from the disagreements, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.
Mr. Olsen has the master interrogator's gift—he persuades people to open up to him. The reader's one wish is that he had got Mr. Shawcross to do so. "The Misbegotten Son" is a fascinating and forceful book that makes a genuine contribution to criminology and journalism alike.
December 31, 2016
A long haul - stick with it. There were times when I thought the amount of detail was excessive but I ended up appreciating the author's thoroughness.
October 20, 2022
Typical Jack Olden - well researched, beautifully wriiten, chilling.. Scary to think animals like this walk g us.
September 29, 2022
I really liked it!! It was very detailed and terrible things happened, but I guess I like to read about stuff like this🤷🏼♀️
February 20, 2021
An exceptionally detailed, yet gripping account of the so called Gennesee River Killer who murdered around 13 people in the States, and more in Vietnam before that.
Of course killing during war doesn't usually 'count' as murder, but from his recollections, it is clear that he tortured and killed out of more than just necessity. I appreciated the depth that the book went into regarding his background, including his childhood and his time as a soldier.
In addition, his prison time, psychiatric interviews and relationships with his wives and girlfriends are covered extensively. There are verbatim quotes from his family, lovers, wives, and also from the dedicated and not-so-dedicated law enforcement officers involved in the case. It is inconceivable that he was favourably evaluated and let out on parole early, after he had been incarcerated for killing kids. It seems clear from the observations of most correctional officers and psychology professionals during his time in prison, that he did not follow all their directions and did not show true core change.
It goes without saying that after he got out, he continued to kill, albeit a different profile of person. His violent and abusive tendencies, extreme sexual dysfunction and lack of empathy were clearly visible for all in his close circle to see. Yet the denial, especially on the part of the rescuer type women who adored him, is disturbing. As we know though, unfortunately such denial and devotion is not uncommon. This is part of what what made the book fascinating to me. It really lays bare all of the traits, all of the actions and thoughts of the psychopathic killer; but also those of his almost-victims and connections for us to sift through and draw what conclusions we will. I gained a profound awareness of the struggles of marginal people: the poor, the uneducated, the mentally ill, the addicted and the way the system deals or does not deal with them; among other things.
However, if it's not your thing to go on tangents of psycological, social and economic analysis you don't have to. Just the sequence of events told by the various voices is riveting in itself.
I will admit that my interest flagged towards the end, after he got caught for the second time. So I gave the book a break and went back later to read about his time in prison.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by one of the best in this genre, Kevin Pierce. The audio is over 20 hours long, but it didn't feel like it. I am sure the book reads very well too.
This is my first true crime biography by Jack Olsen, and i will definitely go on to read more!
Of course killing during war doesn't usually 'count' as murder, but from his recollections, it is clear that he tortured and killed out of more than just necessity. I appreciated the depth that the book went into regarding his background, including his childhood and his time as a soldier.
In addition, his prison time, psychiatric interviews and relationships with his wives and girlfriends are covered extensively. There are verbatim quotes from his family, lovers, wives, and also from the dedicated and not-so-dedicated law enforcement officers involved in the case. It is inconceivable that he was favourably evaluated and let out on parole early, after he had been incarcerated for killing kids. It seems clear from the observations of most correctional officers and psychology professionals during his time in prison, that he did not follow all their directions and did not show true core change.
It goes without saying that after he got out, he continued to kill, albeit a different profile of person. His violent and abusive tendencies, extreme sexual dysfunction and lack of empathy were clearly visible for all in his close circle to see. Yet the denial, especially on the part of the rescuer type women who adored him, is disturbing. As we know though, unfortunately such denial and devotion is not uncommon. This is part of what what made the book fascinating to me. It really lays bare all of the traits, all of the actions and thoughts of the psychopathic killer; but also those of his almost-victims and connections for us to sift through and draw what conclusions we will. I gained a profound awareness of the struggles of marginal people: the poor, the uneducated, the mentally ill, the addicted and the way the system deals or does not deal with them; among other things.
However, if it's not your thing to go on tangents of psycological, social and economic analysis you don't have to. Just the sequence of events told by the various voices is riveting in itself.
I will admit that my interest flagged towards the end, after he got caught for the second time. So I gave the book a break and went back later to read about his time in prison.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by one of the best in this genre, Kevin Pierce. The audio is over 20 hours long, but it didn't feel like it. I am sure the book reads very well too.
This is my first true crime biography by Jack Olsen, and i will definitely go on to read more!
September 16, 2022
Jack Olsen is an incredibly talented crime writer. This book is no different from his other books. He presents facts and renders no judgements. It's up to the reader to place judgement.
Books that involve the murder of vulnerable women and children are horrific and sad. The kids suffered agonizing deaths. They lost their futures. The subsequent pain Shawcross caused in the community and families of the children echoed across generations in Watertown. He should not have been released from prison, but with little legal recourse, the judge had no choice in his sentencing.
I'm a little proud of Binghamton, NY. I grew up near the town, although I wasn't living in the area when any of the narrative took place. Shawcross was run out of Binghamton/Delphi quickly by citizens and the press. Olsen's description of Binghamton was a bit overly nice though. It wasn't as neat and prosperous as he describes. It suffered from the same industrial decay as the rest of upstate NY from the 1970s onward.
The women he preyed upon in Rochester were vulnerable. They were victims of poverty, drug abuse and the streets of a dying small city at the end of a manufacturing heyday. Then they were the victims of Shawcross' bottomless rage and hatred of women. Their fates were sealed by societal attitudes in which they were seen as something less than human. They were the victims of laws and lawkeepers that keep them anonymous and hidden.
Every one of those women has a name and a story and Olsen puts them front and center. He interviews one woman who got away.
He also interviews the other victims from Shawcross' life - His many wives. I was appalled by the last two, Clara and Rose. It was hard for me to feel sympathy for them. The measure of delusional thinking and denial in which they had to engage is astounding.
The psychological bits about Shawcross were interesting. I'm interested in what further DNA testing would show up in his psychiatric profile, but the case is old, he is long dead and I doubt his lineage will be tested.
I haven't read a good true crime book for quite a while. I'm glad I picked this one up.
Books that involve the murder of vulnerable women and children are horrific and sad. The kids suffered agonizing deaths. They lost their futures. The subsequent pain Shawcross caused in the community and families of the children echoed across generations in Watertown. He should not have been released from prison, but with little legal recourse, the judge had no choice in his sentencing.
I'm a little proud of Binghamton, NY. I grew up near the town, although I wasn't living in the area when any of the narrative took place. Shawcross was run out of Binghamton/Delphi quickly by citizens and the press. Olsen's description of Binghamton was a bit overly nice though. It wasn't as neat and prosperous as he describes. It suffered from the same industrial decay as the rest of upstate NY from the 1970s onward.
The women he preyed upon in Rochester were vulnerable. They were victims of poverty, drug abuse and the streets of a dying small city at the end of a manufacturing heyday. Then they were the victims of Shawcross' bottomless rage and hatred of women. Their fates were sealed by societal attitudes in which they were seen as something less than human. They were the victims of laws and lawkeepers that keep them anonymous and hidden.
Every one of those women has a name and a story and Olsen puts them front and center. He interviews one woman who got away.
He also interviews the other victims from Shawcross' life - His many wives. I was appalled by the last two, Clara and Rose. It was hard for me to feel sympathy for them. The measure of delusional thinking and denial in which they had to engage is astounding.
The psychological bits about Shawcross were interesting. I'm interested in what further DNA testing would show up in his psychiatric profile, but the case is old, he is long dead and I doubt his lineage will be tested.
I haven't read a good true crime book for quite a while. I'm glad I picked this one up.
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