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In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agent's Relentless Pursuit of the Nation's Worst Predators
"The voice that narrates In the Name of the An F.B.I. Agent's Relentless Pursuit of the Nation's Worst Predators , which Rinek wrote with the journalist Marilee Strong, sounds warm and humane, qualities missing from much crime writing. Their book is a professional job, filled with illuminating details about the day-to-day operations of the bureau."
— New York Times Book Review
FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek had a gift for getting child predators to confess. All he had to do was share a piece of his soul . . .
In the Name of the Children gives an unflinching look at what it's like to fight a never-ending battle against an enemy far more insidious than the predators, lurking amongst us, who seek to harm our children.
During his 30-year career with the FBI, Jeff Rinek worked hundreds of investigations involving crimes against from stranger abduction to serial homicide to ritualized sexual abuse. Those who do this kind of work are required to plumb the depths of human depravity, to see things no one should ever have to see—and once seen can never forget. There is no more important—or more brutal—job in law enforcement, and few have been more successful than Rinek at solving these sort of cases.
Most famously, Rinek got Cary Stayner to confess to all four of the killings known as the Yosemite Park Murders, an accomplishment made more extraordinary by the fact that the FBI nearly pinned the crimes on the wrong suspects. Rinek's recounting of the confession and what he learned about Stayner provides perhaps the most revelatory look ever inside the psyche of a serial killer and a privileged glimpse into the art of interrogation.
In the Name of the Children takes readers into the trenches of real-time investigations where every second counts and any wrong decision or overlooked fact can have tragic repercussions. Rinek offers an insider's perspective of the actual case agents and street detectives who are the boots on the ground in this war at home. By placing us inside the heart and mind of a rigorously honest and remarkably self-reflective investigator, we will see with our own eyes what it takes—and what it costs—to try to keep our children safe and to bring to justice those who prey on society's most vulnerable victims.
With each chapter dedicated to a real case he worked, In the Name of the Children also explores the evolution of Rinek as a Special Agent—whose unorthodox, empathy-based approach to interviewing suspects made him extraordinarily successful in obtaining confessions—and the toll it took to have such intimate contact with child molesters and murderers. Beyond exploring the devastating impact of these unthinkable crimes on the victims and their families, this book offers an unprecedented look at how investigators and their loved ones cope while living in the specter of so much suffering.
— New York Times Book Review
FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek had a gift for getting child predators to confess. All he had to do was share a piece of his soul . . .
In the Name of the Children gives an unflinching look at what it's like to fight a never-ending battle against an enemy far more insidious than the predators, lurking amongst us, who seek to harm our children.
During his 30-year career with the FBI, Jeff Rinek worked hundreds of investigations involving crimes against from stranger abduction to serial homicide to ritualized sexual abuse. Those who do this kind of work are required to plumb the depths of human depravity, to see things no one should ever have to see—and once seen can never forget. There is no more important—or more brutal—job in law enforcement, and few have been more successful than Rinek at solving these sort of cases.
Most famously, Rinek got Cary Stayner to confess to all four of the killings known as the Yosemite Park Murders, an accomplishment made more extraordinary by the fact that the FBI nearly pinned the crimes on the wrong suspects. Rinek's recounting of the confession and what he learned about Stayner provides perhaps the most revelatory look ever inside the psyche of a serial killer and a privileged glimpse into the art of interrogation.
In the Name of the Children takes readers into the trenches of real-time investigations where every second counts and any wrong decision or overlooked fact can have tragic repercussions. Rinek offers an insider's perspective of the actual case agents and street detectives who are the boots on the ground in this war at home. By placing us inside the heart and mind of a rigorously honest and remarkably self-reflective investigator, we will see with our own eyes what it takes—and what it costs—to try to keep our children safe and to bring to justice those who prey on society's most vulnerable victims.
With each chapter dedicated to a real case he worked, In the Name of the Children also explores the evolution of Rinek as a Special Agent—whose unorthodox, empathy-based approach to interviewing suspects made him extraordinarily successful in obtaining confessions—and the toll it took to have such intimate contact with child molesters and murderers. Beyond exploring the devastating impact of these unthinkable crimes on the victims and their families, this book offers an unprecedented look at how investigators and their loved ones cope while living in the specter of so much suffering.
300 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
July 4, 2018
This book by a former FBI agent Jeff Rinek was really eye-opening as to what he went through while he performed his job. It’s really informative about many things agents go through as they learn their duties, become agents, and depending on what area of the job they end up in, some of the stresses that they can face. This particular agent ended up dealing with some of the worst, and he detailed how it affected his life. He shares some of his cases in his book, and they are really gut-wrenching as he takes you along. It’s a hardcore trip, so be prepared. He has quite a knack for getting bad guys to confess, and his interviews often got amazing results. He also was able to talk to victims and get them to open up with gentle empathy, taking great care not to do further damage, but elicit what was needed to help put their accused behind bars for as long as possible. A very moving story that I was rather blown away by, and glad I had read. My thanks to Netgalley, authors Jeffrey L. Rinek, & Marilee Strong, and the publisher for providing me the ebook in return for my fair review.
BenBella Books
Pub. Date: July 17th, 2018
BenBella Books
Pub. Date: July 17th, 2018
July 11, 2019
Their killers tried to erase them, their abusers to silence their voices, their exploiters to reduce them from a flesh-and-blood human being to an object that existed purely to serve and satisfy others. I want these children to be remembered. I want the loss of each and every one of their lives to be mourned as the tragedy it is. I want society to reckon with what happened to these kids, how we failed to protect them, and what we need to do to prevent other kids from becoming victims.
Jeffrey Rinek worked for the FBI for over thirty years, primarily on cases against children. This book outlines some of the cases he worked on, and yes, it's absolutely heart-wrenching at times. But their stories are told with sensitivity, focus on the victims, and such clear care at the core that I came away from this comforted that people like Mr Rinek exist and are out there doing everything they can to help.
Sometimes I struggle with true crime, because as much as it holds such interest for me, it can often be presented in a way that leaves me feeling voyeuristic, or absolutely despairing over the state of a society that thinks there should be a statute of limitations on things like rape or child molestation. But there's something about Mr Rinek's writing that manages to communicate the depth of his compassion (while noting that 22 years of talking to parolees has left him without meeting even one who was successfully rehabilitated), even resulting in a chapter dedicated to the effects this life have had on his family. This is the kind of family, that though their father may have spent a great deal of their lives working and away from them, move into the living room with him when he's confined downstairs for 6 months with a serious knee injury. As much as he laments his absences, I think that speaks volumes for the relationships they have.
In the end, I left this book feeling hopeful. And given how absolutely bleak some of these cases were - again, the majority deal with children, I cannot overemphasise that this gets extremely sad - I think that's another testament to a man who embodies everything we need to oppose the worst in humanity.
Jeffrey Rinek worked for the FBI for over thirty years, primarily on cases against children. This book outlines some of the cases he worked on, and yes, it's absolutely heart-wrenching at times. But their stories are told with sensitivity, focus on the victims, and such clear care at the core that I came away from this comforted that people like Mr Rinek exist and are out there doing everything they can to help.
Sometimes I struggle with true crime, because as much as it holds such interest for me, it can often be presented in a way that leaves me feeling voyeuristic, or absolutely despairing over the state of a society that thinks there should be a statute of limitations on things like rape or child molestation. But there's something about Mr Rinek's writing that manages to communicate the depth of his compassion (while noting that 22 years of talking to parolees has left him without meeting even one who was successfully rehabilitated), even resulting in a chapter dedicated to the effects this life have had on his family. This is the kind of family, that though their father may have spent a great deal of their lives working and away from them, move into the living room with him when he's confined downstairs for 6 months with a serious knee injury. As much as he laments his absences, I think that speaks volumes for the relationships they have.
In the end, I left this book feeling hopeful. And given how absolutely bleak some of these cases were - again, the majority deal with children, I cannot overemphasise that this gets extremely sad - I think that's another testament to a man who embodies everything we need to oppose the worst in humanity.
July 5, 2022
I really enjoyed listening to this book. That part from the blurb that says the voice that narrates In the Name of the Children is warm and humane is entirely true, probably one of the best narrators I've ever listened to. You can tell he's not just mindlessly narrating words, but has empathy for what the book is talking about.
I like that this was partially a biography and partially about the cases, both solved and not. There was a good balance, and I feel for all those poor children.
The author, Rinek, is either intentionally or unintentionally funny, I can't tell. Mostly in the beginning/fbi chapters, some sentences paired with the narrator's excellent delivery had me laughing out loud.
This is one of those books that I don't just want but need physically, it's that good. All the stars.
I like that this was partially a biography and partially about the cases, both solved and not. There was a good balance, and I feel for all those poor children.
The author, Rinek, is either intentionally or unintentionally funny, I can't tell. Mostly in the beginning/fbi chapters, some sentences paired with the narrator's excellent delivery had me laughing out loud.
This is one of those books that I don't just want but need physically, it's that good. All the stars.
July 9, 2018
This book is a hard one for me to review. As a huge lover of true crime books I wanted to love this book, but I didn't. My rating is more like 2.5 stars and I'm rounding up. The subject matter of the book gives it 3.5 stars, the writing is what brings the rating down for me.
Jeffrey Rinek has one of the toughest jobs ever. Not only is he an FBI agent, but he specializes in kidnappings and horrific crimes against children. What he had to see every day and help solve is what makes horror movies. I cannot even begin to imagine what it takes to handle that kind of job and keep focus to find these missing children and bring their abductors and murderers to justice without breaking down emotionally. For that I want to give him credit and admiration.
The stories themselves were fascinating and at times hard to read. As a mother, this is my worst nightmare. If you are a fan of true crime, even a fan of the CSI type shows on tv then you will appreciate the stories. He even gives a little background into a fundamental shift in the FBI that put tactical teams in place for these type of crimes. The cases he worked are haunting and his instincts and superb detective work lead to the arrest and capture of some of the world's worst monsters.
Here is where I had a problem with the book - I felt that the author spoke too much about the "politics" behind decisions made with cases. In some instances it felt like he had a bone to pick with the higher ups and was airing those grievances versus focusing on telling the story of the case at hand. Each case was a child's face, a child's memory, their story. Some the FBI won and some they lost. Those grievances he speaks about takes away from the true story - the children.
The title of the book is spot on, the author did relentlessly pursue the nation's worst predators. He didn't give up, even if it took 15 years. Had the book been scrubbed a little tighter to remove some of his personal commentary on people he worked with and focused more on the heart of the story - the children and the pursuit, then this would be a 4 star book for me.
My thanks to Netgalley, authors Jeffrey L. Rinek, & Marilee Strong, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Jeffrey Rinek has one of the toughest jobs ever. Not only is he an FBI agent, but he specializes in kidnappings and horrific crimes against children. What he had to see every day and help solve is what makes horror movies. I cannot even begin to imagine what it takes to handle that kind of job and keep focus to find these missing children and bring their abductors and murderers to justice without breaking down emotionally. For that I want to give him credit and admiration.
The stories themselves were fascinating and at times hard to read. As a mother, this is my worst nightmare. If you are a fan of true crime, even a fan of the CSI type shows on tv then you will appreciate the stories. He even gives a little background into a fundamental shift in the FBI that put tactical teams in place for these type of crimes. The cases he worked are haunting and his instincts and superb detective work lead to the arrest and capture of some of the world's worst monsters.
Here is where I had a problem with the book - I felt that the author spoke too much about the "politics" behind decisions made with cases. In some instances it felt like he had a bone to pick with the higher ups and was airing those grievances versus focusing on telling the story of the case at hand. Each case was a child's face, a child's memory, their story. Some the FBI won and some they lost. Those grievances he speaks about takes away from the true story - the children.
The title of the book is spot on, the author did relentlessly pursue the nation's worst predators. He didn't give up, even if it took 15 years. Had the book been scrubbed a little tighter to remove some of his personal commentary on people he worked with and focused more on the heart of the story - the children and the pursuit, then this would be a 4 star book for me.
My thanks to Netgalley, authors Jeffrey L. Rinek, & Marilee Strong, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2020
In The Name Of The Children by Jeffrey L. Rinek is an extremely dark and heartbreaking book about a retired FBI agents career in looking for missing, abused and murdered children.
How this man continued to do his job for 30 years I've no idea because just reading about the handful of cases he has written about was to much for me the heartbreak and the hatred for the offender's was unbelievable.
The people who do these jobs are amazing but you also feel for them because it must feel like a little of themselves die a little with each case.
This book is very detailed but not in a grotesque way and the sadness and up-downs of Jeffrey's personal are just as moving.
How this man continued to do his job for 30 years I've no idea because just reading about the handful of cases he has written about was to much for me the heartbreak and the hatred for the offender's was unbelievable.
The people who do these jobs are amazing but you also feel for them because it must feel like a little of themselves die a little with each case.
This book is very detailed but not in a grotesque way and the sadness and up-downs of Jeffrey's personal are just as moving.
August 5, 2018
It’s impossible to review this book without describing it in epic, biblical proportions. So here goes.
When a child is hurt, missing, or abused, it’s an assault on all that’s innocent and righteous. Any child, anywhere. Even one. Sadly, this broken world is full of exploited children. Our troubles are Legion.
Shouldn’t we ALL drop what we’re doing and root out such evil? In our fallen reality, only a few special souls are willing and legally authorized to pursue justice in these most heinous of crimes.
Jeffrey Rinek is one such individual, a former FBI agent who spent his career investigating homicides, disappearances, and cases of abuse, mostly involving children. This book is an account of those years. While it touches on Jeffrey’s childhood, his own family, his attempt to conduct this business humanely, and his struggles with PTSD, the book isn’t about the author. It’s about the victims.
In the Name of the Children isn’t entertainment. It’s a vigil and a reckoning. A vigil for the children who “refuse to be erased from the book of life,” and a reckoning for our society.
A society that will allow multiple counts of molestation to go unprosecuted. A society that will force a victim to approach three different police departments before allegations of horrific abuse are taken seriously. A society that will enable the egos of law enforcement personnel to interfere with the facts of a case. A society that will essentially offer lesser punishment (a “domestic discount”) to parental offenders who abuse or even murder their own children, as opposed to strangers who commit the same crimes. A society that places a statute of limitations on cases of child molestation. A society that will allow a defense lawyer to openly accuse dozens of child victims of sexual abuse of “mass hysteria.”
I cried a bucket of tears over this book, but I’m ending it dry-eyed and in a fury.
Jeffrey Rinek, thank you for the work you’ve done to cast light in the darkest shadows. None of us want to look into those corners, but how dare we turn away? You’re in a unique position of knowledge to inspire and enable change. Because of this book, I’m investigating which proposed laws, if any, will better serve victims and keep offenders in prison. Because of this book, I’m researching which organizations I can contribute to that provide mental health care to victims of abuse. Because of this book, I talked to my children today about safety, and I hugged them tighter.
Our world isn’t civilized until our children are safe and loved.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
When a child is hurt, missing, or abused, it’s an assault on all that’s innocent and righteous. Any child, anywhere. Even one. Sadly, this broken world is full of exploited children. Our troubles are Legion.
Shouldn’t we ALL drop what we’re doing and root out such evil? In our fallen reality, only a few special souls are willing and legally authorized to pursue justice in these most heinous of crimes.
Jeffrey Rinek is one such individual, a former FBI agent who spent his career investigating homicides, disappearances, and cases of abuse, mostly involving children. This book is an account of those years. While it touches on Jeffrey’s childhood, his own family, his attempt to conduct this business humanely, and his struggles with PTSD, the book isn’t about the author. It’s about the victims.
In the Name of the Children isn’t entertainment. It’s a vigil and a reckoning. A vigil for the children who “refuse to be erased from the book of life,” and a reckoning for our society.
A society that will allow multiple counts of molestation to go unprosecuted. A society that will force a victim to approach three different police departments before allegations of horrific abuse are taken seriously. A society that will enable the egos of law enforcement personnel to interfere with the facts of a case. A society that will essentially offer lesser punishment (a “domestic discount”) to parental offenders who abuse or even murder their own children, as opposed to strangers who commit the same crimes. A society that places a statute of limitations on cases of child molestation. A society that will allow a defense lawyer to openly accuse dozens of child victims of sexual abuse of “mass hysteria.”
I cried a bucket of tears over this book, but I’m ending it dry-eyed and in a fury.
Jeffrey Rinek, thank you for the work you’ve done to cast light in the darkest shadows. None of us want to look into those corners, but how dare we turn away? You’re in a unique position of knowledge to inspire and enable change. Because of this book, I’m investigating which proposed laws, if any, will better serve victims and keep offenders in prison. Because of this book, I’m researching which organizations I can contribute to that provide mental health care to victims of abuse. Because of this book, I talked to my children today about safety, and I hugged them tighter.
Our world isn’t civilized until our children are safe and loved.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
January 27, 2021
A great read, full of well-told stories of true crime cases. Most of these cases are not especially famous, but all of them are tragic and important to know about. The author is not your sterotypical tough-guy FBI agent. He struggles right on the page with the pain and sorrow and vulnerability stirred up by these atrocious crimes. Don't miss this memoir. I couldn't put it down.
July 17, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
“To handle the horrors we must deal with on a daily basis, many in law enforcement become hardened and compartmentalize their emotions, which has its own deleterious effects. I was not able to do that, nor could I stand at a clinical distance and rely on some technique or one-sixe-fits-all theory of criminality and remain untouched by the horrors I saw.”
During his 30 year career working as a FBI agent, Jeff Rinek witnessed the most vile crimes against children from sexual abuse, torture, abduction, murder and child abuse, sometimes from their family members. I had to read this book in parts, human depravity is beyond belief at times and I had the option of putting it down until I could catch my breath, Rinek and other’s in his line of work don’t have that privilege. I have the utmost respect for the brave men and women that work in this particular field. Not many have the stomach for it, and it isn’t surprising that the work he has done has stayed with him, for how could it not? This is the stuff of nightmares, but Rinek isn’t writing in the vein of sensationalism. This is a man who has kept every victim and their families within his heart, everything he has experienced has touched his own wife and children. Jeff shares not only the horrific cases he has helped solve, but the troubling ways it effected his family life. How could he not be overwhelming concerned for the safety of his own sons, having seen the darkness that befell so many innocent children? How could he sleep peacefully at night with the images of crime scenes floating in his mind, just as horrible the confessions of child molesters and serial killers thundering in his ears? It’s impossible to truly separate the two worlds.
Jeff Rinek had a way about him that made the criminals feel comfortable enough to confess, I think it is most evident in his dealings with Cary Stayner. Not many could keep their emotions in check enough to empathize with someone who has committed monstrous acts. I know when we label something evil or monstrous it makes it impossible to understand how someone can commit such atrocities and maybe prevent them, but it’s hard not to feel this way. Without his ability to reach into whatever humanity resides in the criminal, we may never know the truth. It is important to be able to understand the psyche of man as much as we can, whether we’re repulsed or not. It matters to the victim’s family, particularly when bodies are missing. Maybe there is truly no such thing as closure, maybe the ‘knowing’ is more horrifying than what the mind can imagine, but living without answers is to be further victimized.
In reading about these tragic, horrifying crimes, it made me think about why it is so important for people to report crimes that happen to them, or things they witness that don’t sit well within them. Nothing truly happens in a bubble, and often in abusive relationships, be they physical or sexual, often men or women go further in victimizing others, especially children (the most helpless and vulnerable of us all). The hard truth is, if someone has harmed you, you aren’t the first, nor likely to be the last. One of the most shocking realities is how often child molestation is enabled by other adults, such as wives. I’m not surprised children don’t come forward more often, the feelings of shame involved, the stigma boys in particular (especially as they become adults) are met with in coming foreward about sexual abuse is heartbreaking. I’m reading another book right now about Evil, it’s more from a psychological standpoint, but when I read true crime books, or listen to a victim recount their harrowing experiences it is damn hard to want to understand the psyche of criminals. How do you remain removed from cases, its human nature to empathize, particuarly being a mother or father yourself. Of course seeing the body of a child that has been defiled in every way imaginable one would think of their own son or daughter, fear would be rooted inside your being. Rinek dealt with the worst of human nature, how could he not imagine the worse if a phone line home is busy, or his child doesn’t get off his bus?
The violence, ritualized sexual abuse, physical, and mental trauma, torture the children suffered under the ‘religion’ Allen Harrod (their own father) started is as hard to stomach as every story within yet it is with the tenderest of care Rinek, along with others, helped the children find their strength to seek justice and have kept watch over the children long after the case ended. The bravery of Harrod’s eldest daughter in coming forward is incredible, though shocking that it took her going through three different police agencies to get anyone to look into the matter. Without her, who knows how long Harrod and Labrecque’s crimes would have continued, under the guise of religion. Much like the people involved in seeing justice served, it’s gut wrenching to know the truth of how the children suffered, but worse to imagine being the children involved. Human depravity is boundless but it’s knowing the children (their victims) will carry not just physical evidence of their nightmare for the rest of their lives, but have to cope with PTSD, have to navigate the world without an example of healthy family relationships, and in a sense deprogram from what for them was ‘normal’ that remains with you long after reading their story. That these things happen in our so-called ‘modern times’ is worse than any fictional horror I can conjure. You don’t have to be close to the case to feel the frustration and anger at the justice system, how easy it seems for criminals to continue their abuse once captured, still victimizing everyone involved through ‘legal manipulation.’ Then there is the game of going to trial. Evidence is a peculiar thing, what is left out as to not ‘prejudice the jury against the defendant.’ Ridiculous in many cases, such as pictures of adults raping children in this situation shouldn’t it be admissible, doesn’t the victim deserve to see justice served? It’s one thing to hear it, but when there are photos to back the child’s confession, well? Statute of limitations is infuriating in and of itself, if a child comes into adulthood and finally has the ability to seek help, to expose the abuser only to find out they can’t be charged anymore, how is that just? Something is certainly broken. It’s hard not to feel like children don’t matter enough, it certainly feels like criminals often get a slap on the wrist, are released only to commit even more gruesome crimes. But I feel heartened that men and women like Rinek work hard for them, it seems to even the balance, at least a little.
Retired now, Rinek remains just as passionate about making the world a safer place for children and for us all, as he did when he was working full-time. He has remained in contact with the children victimized by Harrod and Labrecque. It is obvious his job was his life, and he is the sort of agent the world needs, someone who puts all of his being into solving crimes, and caring for the victims. It’s hard to review this type of memoir, because it comes from a deeply personal part of Rinek’s life. It’s enough to say that if you can’t even read it, because it’s our natural instinct to close our ears and eyes to terrors, imagine how the victim’s loved ones feel, how the men and women in law enforcement have to go home every night with the knowledge of such horrors branded in their minds. It’s important to be a voice for those who have been silenced, and to see those who have harmed children caught, so they can’t leave more families destroyed.
This truly is an unflinching look into the life of FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek and how his job effected every facet of his life.
Out today!
BenBella Books
“To handle the horrors we must deal with on a daily basis, many in law enforcement become hardened and compartmentalize their emotions, which has its own deleterious effects. I was not able to do that, nor could I stand at a clinical distance and rely on some technique or one-sixe-fits-all theory of criminality and remain untouched by the horrors I saw.”
During his 30 year career working as a FBI agent, Jeff Rinek witnessed the most vile crimes against children from sexual abuse, torture, abduction, murder and child abuse, sometimes from their family members. I had to read this book in parts, human depravity is beyond belief at times and I had the option of putting it down until I could catch my breath, Rinek and other’s in his line of work don’t have that privilege. I have the utmost respect for the brave men and women that work in this particular field. Not many have the stomach for it, and it isn’t surprising that the work he has done has stayed with him, for how could it not? This is the stuff of nightmares, but Rinek isn’t writing in the vein of sensationalism. This is a man who has kept every victim and their families within his heart, everything he has experienced has touched his own wife and children. Jeff shares not only the horrific cases he has helped solve, but the troubling ways it effected his family life. How could he not be overwhelming concerned for the safety of his own sons, having seen the darkness that befell so many innocent children? How could he sleep peacefully at night with the images of crime scenes floating in his mind, just as horrible the confessions of child molesters and serial killers thundering in his ears? It’s impossible to truly separate the two worlds.
Jeff Rinek had a way about him that made the criminals feel comfortable enough to confess, I think it is most evident in his dealings with Cary Stayner. Not many could keep their emotions in check enough to empathize with someone who has committed monstrous acts. I know when we label something evil or monstrous it makes it impossible to understand how someone can commit such atrocities and maybe prevent them, but it’s hard not to feel this way. Without his ability to reach into whatever humanity resides in the criminal, we may never know the truth. It is important to be able to understand the psyche of man as much as we can, whether we’re repulsed or not. It matters to the victim’s family, particularly when bodies are missing. Maybe there is truly no such thing as closure, maybe the ‘knowing’ is more horrifying than what the mind can imagine, but living without answers is to be further victimized.
In reading about these tragic, horrifying crimes, it made me think about why it is so important for people to report crimes that happen to them, or things they witness that don’t sit well within them. Nothing truly happens in a bubble, and often in abusive relationships, be they physical or sexual, often men or women go further in victimizing others, especially children (the most helpless and vulnerable of us all). The hard truth is, if someone has harmed you, you aren’t the first, nor likely to be the last. One of the most shocking realities is how often child molestation is enabled by other adults, such as wives. I’m not surprised children don’t come forward more often, the feelings of shame involved, the stigma boys in particular (especially as they become adults) are met with in coming foreward about sexual abuse is heartbreaking. I’m reading another book right now about Evil, it’s more from a psychological standpoint, but when I read true crime books, or listen to a victim recount their harrowing experiences it is damn hard to want to understand the psyche of criminals. How do you remain removed from cases, its human nature to empathize, particuarly being a mother or father yourself. Of course seeing the body of a child that has been defiled in every way imaginable one would think of their own son or daughter, fear would be rooted inside your being. Rinek dealt with the worst of human nature, how could he not imagine the worse if a phone line home is busy, or his child doesn’t get off his bus?
The violence, ritualized sexual abuse, physical, and mental trauma, torture the children suffered under the ‘religion’ Allen Harrod (their own father) started is as hard to stomach as every story within yet it is with the tenderest of care Rinek, along with others, helped the children find their strength to seek justice and have kept watch over the children long after the case ended. The bravery of Harrod’s eldest daughter in coming forward is incredible, though shocking that it took her going through three different police agencies to get anyone to look into the matter. Without her, who knows how long Harrod and Labrecque’s crimes would have continued, under the guise of religion. Much like the people involved in seeing justice served, it’s gut wrenching to know the truth of how the children suffered, but worse to imagine being the children involved. Human depravity is boundless but it’s knowing the children (their victims) will carry not just physical evidence of their nightmare for the rest of their lives, but have to cope with PTSD, have to navigate the world without an example of healthy family relationships, and in a sense deprogram from what for them was ‘normal’ that remains with you long after reading their story. That these things happen in our so-called ‘modern times’ is worse than any fictional horror I can conjure. You don’t have to be close to the case to feel the frustration and anger at the justice system, how easy it seems for criminals to continue their abuse once captured, still victimizing everyone involved through ‘legal manipulation.’ Then there is the game of going to trial. Evidence is a peculiar thing, what is left out as to not ‘prejudice the jury against the defendant.’ Ridiculous in many cases, such as pictures of adults raping children in this situation shouldn’t it be admissible, doesn’t the victim deserve to see justice served? It’s one thing to hear it, but when there are photos to back the child’s confession, well? Statute of limitations is infuriating in and of itself, if a child comes into adulthood and finally has the ability to seek help, to expose the abuser only to find out they can’t be charged anymore, how is that just? Something is certainly broken. It’s hard not to feel like children don’t matter enough, it certainly feels like criminals often get a slap on the wrist, are released only to commit even more gruesome crimes. But I feel heartened that men and women like Rinek work hard for them, it seems to even the balance, at least a little.
Retired now, Rinek remains just as passionate about making the world a safer place for children and for us all, as he did when he was working full-time. He has remained in contact with the children victimized by Harrod and Labrecque. It is obvious his job was his life, and he is the sort of agent the world needs, someone who puts all of his being into solving crimes, and caring for the victims. It’s hard to review this type of memoir, because it comes from a deeply personal part of Rinek’s life. It’s enough to say that if you can’t even read it, because it’s our natural instinct to close our ears and eyes to terrors, imagine how the victim’s loved ones feel, how the men and women in law enforcement have to go home every night with the knowledge of such horrors branded in their minds. It’s important to be a voice for those who have been silenced, and to see those who have harmed children caught, so they can’t leave more families destroyed.
This truly is an unflinching look into the life of FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek and how his job effected every facet of his life.
Out today!
BenBella Books
November 28, 2020
Former FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek is my hero!!
In the Name of the Children begins by telling of Rinek's childhood, his experiences with some disfiguring birth defects caused by mild cerebral palsy, and his corrective surgeries. This was followed by a description of his convoluted path to becoming an FBI agent. (He definitely paid his dues!) It then told of his meeting and marrying the love of his life, and then the births of his sons, including his first son's diagnosis of pediatric nephrotic syndrome. Every detail of this backstory was fascinating.
The next chapters in the book tell of some of the cases Rinek worked in his effort to bring justice for the victims of the most depraved among the criminal element. Reading this book was incredibly difficult at times, as Rinek didn't shy from sharing details that were devastating - ESPECIALLY so because they related to innocent children. It's no wonder these cases left him suicidal at times and struggling with PTSD. By the end of the book, I felt so much respect for him and what he’s contributed. As I wrote earlier, Former FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek is my hero!!
Trigger warnings: Child abuse, torture, and sex crimes
In the Name of the Children begins by telling of Rinek's childhood, his experiences with some disfiguring birth defects caused by mild cerebral palsy, and his corrective surgeries. This was followed by a description of his convoluted path to becoming an FBI agent. (He definitely paid his dues!) It then told of his meeting and marrying the love of his life, and then the births of his sons, including his first son's diagnosis of pediatric nephrotic syndrome. Every detail of this backstory was fascinating.
The next chapters in the book tell of some of the cases Rinek worked in his effort to bring justice for the victims of the most depraved among the criminal element. Reading this book was incredibly difficult at times, as Rinek didn't shy from sharing details that were devastating - ESPECIALLY so because they related to innocent children. It's no wonder these cases left him suicidal at times and struggling with PTSD. By the end of the book, I felt so much respect for him and what he’s contributed. As I wrote earlier, Former FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek is my hero!!
Trigger warnings: Child abuse, torture, and sex crimes
January 19, 2022
Anyone who is interested in true crime…. Please read this. Now, this book is not for the faint of heart and does depict graphic crime scenes and horrific abuse situations, however, these descriptions are included for good reason. This book written by FBI agent Jeff Rinek is his story about the cases that have affected him the most in his career, not just by shock value, but by victim’s resilience, perpetrator’s ruthlessness and how his team helped him through it all. This book was such a moving read and I throughly enjoyed it
July 22, 2021
One of those books where it is hard to say that one liked reading it. A very tough topic to actually enjoy but the writing and information provided were great.
Jeffrey Linek is a retired FBI agent who did cases of crimes against children. Murder, sexual abuse, physical abuse. All the horrifying things one can think of. In this book he tells us about some cases that he remembers the most. He tells us about the case and also a bit about what was going on behind the curtains and how FBI were handling those cases.
One of the chapters is about a confession of one of the killers and Jeffrey Rinek does a great job getting into details, telling us about the man who committed crimes, his life and mindset and how he was motivated to admit what he did. This was an especially interesting part of the book.
He also describes very well how this job affected him and his own mental health. Reading this book and his descriptions of how these children suffered was already hard one can imagine how it feels to deal with it on a daily basis for decades. I would say his emotional portrayal of what went on adds a lot to how painful reading it is as it describes so well what the kids have suffered in their last hours and in some cases also through their whole life.
Really good book on this topic and very informative.
Jeffrey Linek is a retired FBI agent who did cases of crimes against children. Murder, sexual abuse, physical abuse. All the horrifying things one can think of. In this book he tells us about some cases that he remembers the most. He tells us about the case and also a bit about what was going on behind the curtains and how FBI were handling those cases.
One of the chapters is about a confession of one of the killers and Jeffrey Rinek does a great job getting into details, telling us about the man who committed crimes, his life and mindset and how he was motivated to admit what he did. This was an especially interesting part of the book.
He also describes very well how this job affected him and his own mental health. Reading this book and his descriptions of how these children suffered was already hard one can imagine how it feels to deal with it on a daily basis for decades. I would say his emotional portrayal of what went on adds a lot to how painful reading it is as it describes so well what the kids have suffered in their last hours and in some cases also through their whole life.
Really good book on this topic and very informative.
November 17, 2020
This book sort of had the same pluses and minuses as every other FBI agent autobiography out there. It has interesting cases and interesting details about how the FBI functions. But a huge chunk of this book is basically Jeff Rinek vs. The FBI. He discusses how slighted he was by the bureau and by managers ad nauseum. If he had focused on the topic and the cases, this would have been a really solid book, but huge chunks of it involve whining about who got credit for which case, who was lead case agent and who wasn't, and political in fighting. I do want to give credit - this book is a nuanced look at the secondary trauma that first responders go through, and Rinek is honest and unflinching about the toll his job took. Interesting cases, glad he's encouraging others to get help, but a good editor could have pared down the griping about office politics a lot.
November 25, 2020
*Listened to audiobook*
I'm so disgusted. It is unfathomable to me. How the fuck are people attracted to children? Infants?
If you want to learn about some vile fucking humans, read this. I can see why the author had a mental breakdown. We're animals.
I'm so disgusted. It is unfathomable to me. How the fuck are people attracted to children? Infants?
If you want to learn about some vile fucking humans, read this. I can see why the author had a mental breakdown. We're animals.
August 8, 2022
GOOD. LORD. WHAT A BOOK….. Let me start by saying that I always write short reviews but this book just gripped me in a way I can’t even describe. The book is so well written through the eyes of the Author, that you swear you are right there with him trying to solve the case.
The plethora of information you get about the case, the perpetrator , the proceedings, the legality, the tactics used by the FBI and the criminals is just outstanding. The author goes into great detail and shares his love/hatred/empathy/anger all the emotions that he recounts during the cases and you feel it too.
I will say this book is not for everyone because he does go into detail about the crimes committed, and will make your stomach turn, as to how someone could do those things to children. Sadly, this book does remind us what kind of world we live in, but it also makes us happy to know that there are people like Jeffrey L. Rinek, (the author and agent) who dedicate their life to helping the children.
In the beginning of the book he wrote: “This book is written quite literally in the name of the children to whom I tried to bring justice…Their killers tried to erase them, their abusers to silence their voices, their exploiters to reduce them from a flesh-and-blood human being to an object that existed purely to serve and satisfy others. I want these children to be remembered.”
By the the time I was done reading it, I can say he did exactly that. Excellent, excellent book, highly recommend reading it.
The plethora of information you get about the case, the perpetrator , the proceedings, the legality, the tactics used by the FBI and the criminals is just outstanding. The author goes into great detail and shares his love/hatred/empathy/anger all the emotions that he recounts during the cases and you feel it too.
I will say this book is not for everyone because he does go into detail about the crimes committed, and will make your stomach turn, as to how someone could do those things to children. Sadly, this book does remind us what kind of world we live in, but it also makes us happy to know that there are people like Jeffrey L. Rinek, (the author and agent) who dedicate their life to helping the children.
In the beginning of the book he wrote: “This book is written quite literally in the name of the children to whom I tried to bring justice…Their killers tried to erase them, their abusers to silence their voices, their exploiters to reduce them from a flesh-and-blood human being to an object that existed purely to serve and satisfy others. I want these children to be remembered.”
By the the time I was done reading it, I can say he did exactly that. Excellent, excellent book, highly recommend reading it.
June 15, 2024
A great book about awful people doing horrible things to others. But it’s also a book about the men and women who fights to get justice for the people that lost their lives or are about to.
Really recommend reading this but it is heavy and has a lot of graphic details which might not be fit for everyone.
Really recommend reading this but it is heavy and has a lot of graphic details which might not be fit for everyone.
February 19, 2022
It felt like I was having coffee with the author and talking about his life! It was such a genuine perspective.
June 21, 2021
The most disturbing thing I have ever read.
But also a very fascinating look at FBI processes and one agent’s relentless pursuit of bringing justice to children and their families.
But also a very fascinating look at FBI processes and one agent’s relentless pursuit of bringing justice to children and their families.
February 21, 2023
Some of the story was really interesting. The narrator sounds like a bot much of the time. I honestly questioned whether it actually was automated a few times. The book should be read, not listened to. That may have changed my rating; but I can’t get past how much the narration made me not feel anything when I think I was supposed to feel deeply about what he was saying.
October 14, 2025
4.5/5
This was a really good read. I was familiar with most of the cases he described working on but also learned about some new ones. It was really interesting to hear about his perspective as a case agent as well as his personal experience dealing with the effects of investigating crimes against children.
This was a really good read. I was familiar with most of the cases he described working on but also learned about some new ones. It was really interesting to hear about his perspective as a case agent as well as his personal experience dealing with the effects of investigating crimes against children.
July 23, 2018
Emotional to read but important lesson on safety of our children
First I have to say this is a well written book I only put it down to take a deep breath and regroup before continuing. It was the most emotional book I've ever read and beyond hard to believe there's that kind of evil in our world the lesson is a strong one for parents, grandparents heck any human being to pay closer attention to our children and other children there are signs that we must see and then say something even when afraid just think about how afraid the children going through hell are.
First I have to say this is a well written book I only put it down to take a deep breath and regroup before continuing. It was the most emotional book I've ever read and beyond hard to believe there's that kind of evil in our world the lesson is a strong one for parents, grandparents heck any human being to pay closer attention to our children and other children there are signs that we must see and then say something even when afraid just think about how afraid the children going through hell are.
July 4, 2019
This was a good book. I am interested in true crime but normally the stories tell how the predator did what he/she did but not very much about the victim they killed or what was left behind. I think that Jeffrey L. Rinek did a good job of telling about the victims and what happened to them.
The story that got me the most was the one about the Lebreques and the Harrod's. Two families (one in Sacramento and the other in Ft Worth TX) who were trading their children back and forth for the purposes of molestation! The Sacramento DA had charged the local couple with hundreds of crime while the family in Fort Worth had not been charged at all! The person who brought it up to Jeffrey Rinek was hopeful that their crimes could be prosecuted at the federal level so the FBI got involved.
All of the stories he wrote about were heart wrenching and took a bite out of his life. After being in touch with these kinds of people over the years, it took a toll on his family life, his health and his marriage. I think this book tells the background to how these cases impact the life of the officers who have to deal with these people all the time.
Some of the predators had been abused by others and continued to abuse others. Those people, I felt a kind of sorry for, but in the end, they were the ones who made the decision to continue to molest and victimize people who were unable to fight for themselves.
I recommend this book to anyone who has an idea they want to work for the FBI or in law enforcement and try to rid the world of these predators.
The story that got me the most was the one about the Lebreques and the Harrod's. Two families (one in Sacramento and the other in Ft Worth TX) who were trading their children back and forth for the purposes of molestation! The Sacramento DA had charged the local couple with hundreds of crime while the family in Fort Worth had not been charged at all! The person who brought it up to Jeffrey Rinek was hopeful that their crimes could be prosecuted at the federal level so the FBI got involved.
All of the stories he wrote about were heart wrenching and took a bite out of his life. After being in touch with these kinds of people over the years, it took a toll on his family life, his health and his marriage. I think this book tells the background to how these cases impact the life of the officers who have to deal with these people all the time.
Some of the predators had been abused by others and continued to abuse others. Those people, I felt a kind of sorry for, but in the end, they were the ones who made the decision to continue to molest and victimize people who were unable to fight for themselves.
I recommend this book to anyone who has an idea they want to work for the FBI or in law enforcement and try to rid the world of these predators.
August 22, 2021
It’s really difficult to review a book that covers in so much depth and detail some of the most harrowing crimes known.
How can you say you “enjoyed” a book that at times is at times so incredibly upsetting?
It starts slowly, with an introduction to the author and his ambition to become an FBI agent, and the hoops he had to jump through to make that happen, and the drudgery of roles within the agency that really weren’t for him.
When it gets to the point that he finds his passion, the book explodes. It is definitely interesting and enlightening and the level of detail is astonishing. The lengths that the author went to whilst investigating cases, the people he encounters, and the undeniable drive that kept him going. It was intriguing and humbling and absolutely devastating all at the same time.
I wondered as I was reading how he could continue to dedicate himself in this way and not feel the mental strain and toll this must take on him, and indeed towards the end of the book this all becomes apparent.
It’s a great book, and I did enjoy it, but it was tough in lots of places and it’s absolutely not an easy read.
Worth it though? Absolutely.
How can you say you “enjoyed” a book that at times is at times so incredibly upsetting?
It starts slowly, with an introduction to the author and his ambition to become an FBI agent, and the hoops he had to jump through to make that happen, and the drudgery of roles within the agency that really weren’t for him.
When it gets to the point that he finds his passion, the book explodes. It is definitely interesting and enlightening and the level of detail is astonishing. The lengths that the author went to whilst investigating cases, the people he encounters, and the undeniable drive that kept him going. It was intriguing and humbling and absolutely devastating all at the same time.
I wondered as I was reading how he could continue to dedicate himself in this way and not feel the mental strain and toll this must take on him, and indeed towards the end of the book this all becomes apparent.
It’s a great book, and I did enjoy it, but it was tough in lots of places and it’s absolutely not an easy read.
Worth it though? Absolutely.
June 12, 2019
I have been taking a fairly consistent respite from the True Crime Genre since Christmas--which I thought would continue into the summer--except that I attended a session presented by Jeff Rinek and Marilee Strong at Crime Con in New Orleans. What sets this work apart from others in the True Crime genre is that the authors are able to poignantly communicate the humanity of the victims, investigators and even the perpetrators of heinous crimes. Rinek goes above and beyond the mystery aspect of solving murders, even attending group sessions of sex offenders in treatment where he discovers that "many, if not most have been victims themsleves." In an age when it sometimes seems that the last "monster" who can be killed with (as someone once helped me articulate) "impunity," Rinek looks for redemption and hope wherever he can find it--but often as not at the cost of his own well-being. This book is a fascinating study of human motivations as much as it is a call for us all to recognize the humanity in ourselves and others.
March 26, 2021
The Cary Styner part was the most interesting, and I feel like the author talked too much about himself, I just want to read the true crime cases, not his autobiography. I also found he seemed to want to give himself the credit he didn't receive as a FBI agent for getting the Styner confession, he did get it, but he really threw that Maddock dude under the bus(even if he did deserve it).
This was half his cases and half his life story. I just want the true crime.
This was half his cases and half his life story. I just want the true crime.
kindle
July 18, 2018This was a really interesting read. I am majoring in Psychology and want to assist trauma victims, so it was interesting to read this former FBI agent's account of his experiences dealing with the horrible individuals that commit crimes against children,
September 7, 2021
This book doesn’t sit right with me. It’s not about crime but an autobiography which seems driven forward through just horrific crimes.
This could have been so much more all thought out, meaningful and important but instead uses graphic details to move it forward.
It feels so exploitive.
This could have been so much more all thought out, meaningful and important but instead uses graphic details to move it forward.
It feels so exploitive.
September 16, 2020
If you are interested in a true crime book, this is probably not for you. This is an autobiography—a strange one. Even when the author is talking about someone’s murder, there are so many I-statements...So. Many. I. Statements.
Plus so many inappropriate actions. As a former therapist, I cringed many times. Befriending victims. Bringing victims and victims’ families into his family. Giving victims’ family members information about the crime that he did not have permission to do so, in his family’s hotel’s room.
Then, after all this: the final chapter is a recap of the entire book from a more intense version of his viewpoint: more ME and I. I was so stressed, I solved these crimes, I have a lot of pets...I read this book because I wanted to learn about, with respect, crimes that have occurred, how they had been solved (or not), and to honor how the victims had suffered. As I type this, I am listening to the last chapter and the author is describing in detail about how he had knee surgery. It is taking all of my willpower to finish this last chapter—sheer stubbornness.
As a therapist who worked with children and adolescents in dire situations, who understands compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization, I am still deeply put off—disgusted—by this author’s navel gazing, by his making others’ suffering about him. Example: he claims that nurses say that everything he comes out of anesthesia, they tell him he screamed a certain murder victim’s name, all these years later. Poor FBI agent. That child died friendless and alone, terrified, sexually violated by the only people he spent time with. But by all means, it’s about you.
Never mind, I am not finishing this last chapter. I can’t.
Plus so many inappropriate actions. As a former therapist, I cringed many times. Befriending victims. Bringing victims and victims’ families into his family. Giving victims’ family members information about the crime that he did not have permission to do so, in his family’s hotel’s room.
Then, after all this: the final chapter is a recap of the entire book from a more intense version of his viewpoint: more ME and I. I was so stressed, I solved these crimes, I have a lot of pets...I read this book because I wanted to learn about, with respect, crimes that have occurred, how they had been solved (or not), and to honor how the victims had suffered. As I type this, I am listening to the last chapter and the author is describing in detail about how he had knee surgery. It is taking all of my willpower to finish this last chapter—sheer stubbornness.
As a therapist who worked with children and adolescents in dire situations, who understands compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization, I am still deeply put off—disgusted—by this author’s navel gazing, by his making others’ suffering about him. Example: he claims that nurses say that everything he comes out of anesthesia, they tell him he screamed a certain murder victim’s name, all these years later. Poor FBI agent. That child died friendless and alone, terrified, sexually violated by the only people he spent time with. But by all means, it’s about you.
Never mind, I am not finishing this last chapter. I can’t.
August 22, 2018
In the Name of the Children
An FBI Agent's Relentless Pursuit of the Nation's Worst Predators
by Jeffrey L. Rinek; Marilee Strong
BenBella Books
Biographies & Memoirs , True Crime
Pub Date 17 Jul 2018
I am reviewing In the Name of the Children through BenBella Books and Netgalley:
This book gives us an unflinching look at what its like to fight a never ending battle against the one who terrorize children, the predators who lurk among us wanting to hurt children.
Retired FBI agent Jeff Rinek worked many investigations, hundreds involving children everything from stranger abductions to serial homicide as well as ritualized sexual abuse. Like all who find themselves doing this kind of work Jeff Rinek was required to plumb the depths human depravity he was forced to see things no one wants to see. The job is both the most brutual as well as the most important job in Law Enforcement, Rinek had a great success rate in solving these cases.
Most famously he is known for getting Cary Stayner to confess to killing the four women and girls in the Yosemite Park Murders. This was made more extraordinary by the fact that the FBI nearly pinned the murders on the wrong suspects.
This book is both painful to read and powerful it speaks of one mans quest to bring the victims of monsters the justice they deserve.
I give In the Name of Children five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
This book gives us an unflinching look at what its like to fight a never ending battle against the one who terrorize children, the predators who lurk among us wanting to hurt children.
Retired FBI agent Jeff Rinek worked many investigations, hundreds involving children everything from stranger abductions to serial homicide as well as ritualized sexual abuse. Like all who find themselves doing this kind of work Jeff Rinek was required to plumb the depths human depravity he was forced to see things no one wants to see. The job is both the most brutual as well as the most important job in Law Enforcement, Rinek had a great success rate in solving these cases.
Most famously he is known for getting Cary Stayner to confess to killing the four women and girls in the Yosemite Park Murders. This was made more extraordinary by the fact that the FBI nearly pinned the murders on the wrong suspects.
This book is both painful to read and powerful it speaks of one mans quest to bring the victims of monsters the justice they deserve.
I give In the Name of Children five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
February 11, 2019
I revived a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for a review.
I was both excited and hesitant to dive into this book when it arrived in my mailbox. I knew it would be a tough read because of the topic, but I'm also always eager to learn more about this sort of stuff. It certainly was a tough read and more than once I found myself fighting back tears with a turning stomach due to some of the details that Rinek shared throughout the books. It isn't often that a book, whether it's fiction or nonfiction, manages to really make me emotional. But Rinek's almost expert skill with words and the details he shares with readers managed to draw out a number of emotions. As difficult as it is to read about a topic like this, and as hard as it can be to process the information given on such a topic, I still found myself hard pressed to put this book down with how well written it was.
I was both excited and hesitant to dive into this book when it arrived in my mailbox. I knew it would be a tough read because of the topic, but I'm also always eager to learn more about this sort of stuff. It certainly was a tough read and more than once I found myself fighting back tears with a turning stomach due to some of the details that Rinek shared throughout the books. It isn't often that a book, whether it's fiction or nonfiction, manages to really make me emotional. But Rinek's almost expert skill with words and the details he shares with readers managed to draw out a number of emotions. As difficult as it is to read about a topic like this, and as hard as it can be to process the information given on such a topic, I still found myself hard pressed to put this book down with how well written it was.
February 13, 2024
The book seems like a cross between crime writing and the author's attempt at cathartic release. This reader was happy he made it. Aside from the horrific stories he told, the book has a couple other noteworthy takeaways:
1. One of the best at obtaining confessions (the author) did not see most of the perpetrators as mere monsters. His genuine empathy for them is what he believes gained the confessions. There's a lesson there for all of us about how to save a soul.
2. It shouldn't have surprised me that even in the FBI there are power-hungry people who subvert the actions of good agents to get a piece of a high-profile case or to make themselves look good, but it did. It's disgusting. I'm glad there are good agents who will continue to do the right thing even when betrayed by their leadership.
1. One of the best at obtaining confessions (the author) did not see most of the perpetrators as mere monsters. His genuine empathy for them is what he believes gained the confessions. There's a lesson there for all of us about how to save a soul.
2. It shouldn't have surprised me that even in the FBI there are power-hungry people who subvert the actions of good agents to get a piece of a high-profile case or to make themselves look good, but it did. It's disgusting. I'm glad there are good agents who will continue to do the right thing even when betrayed by their leadership.
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