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The Garage Guerrilla
When the motiveless killing of a woman in her garage confuses the investigators of Riverwood, Colorado, Detective Sean Kennedy begins to move on from the case. But after another woman is found, followed by a third, he quickly realizes that he's onto something much bigger than he had ever anticipated. With the body count rising, Sean does everything he can to end the nightmare.
Nearly fifty years later, Detective Jake Caldwell walks onto his first day on the job. Assigned with reviewing cold cases, the young detective becomes inspired by the apprehension of the Golden State Killer and genetic genealogy. As he reads through his city's files, he stumbles upon the paper trail of a forgotten serial killer of his own. But in order to uncover the truth, Jake learns that he'll need the blood from the past.
Nearly fifty years later, Detective Jake Caldwell walks onto his first day on the job. Assigned with reviewing cold cases, the young detective becomes inspired by the apprehension of the Golden State Killer and genetic genealogy. As he reads through his city's files, he stumbles upon the paper trail of a forgotten serial killer of his own. But in order to uncover the truth, Jake learns that he'll need the blood from the past.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 12, 2021
We live in a world where privacy has become a dying virtue. Be it for the sake of convenience, braggadocio, the despicable overshare culture, neediness or overblown self importance, there is more personal information floating out there than ever before. And sure, everyone blames the evil commerce giants and data collectors, but really the largest contributors to this are people themselves. It seems that no one can get enough of themselves out there shared with the world be it through candid pictures, random babblings, etc. Everyone’s just frantic with the idea of being known, know me, know what’s for lunch, know my dreams, goals, etc.
And while I do try to rise above it all, here I am writing a review, putting personal thoughts into the universe and, though this is mostly for me to maintain a reading record, it does in a way feed the system. Anyway…I believe it’s safe to say that most of it, most of the things people put online, are useless and meaningless. My reviews might help someone chose or pass on a book, but no one needs to know my favorite foods.
There’s one thing, something that’s become very popular lately, that can in fact provide use and meaning. DNA. Nowadays that discovering your own strands is easy and affordable, people are doing it more and more, essentially creating a huge database of DNA previously unknown to law enforcement, a database that can be used to find criminals. That’s how Golden State Killer got nabbed after all those years. So a huge deal, but also a hugely controversial subject, because, you know, privacy.
And that’s what this book is about, finally getting there despite the obscenely long preamble. Inspired by a real life series of crimes, it’s a story of a (did it and got away with it) serial killer from 1969 whose cases get found and aggressively revisited by a young detective some 50 years later, now featuring DNA searches.
It’s a fairly plain, straight forward story, basically a police procedural with split timeline. It doesn’t really get into things like character development and the killer tragically remains a complete mystery, but decent writing and good pacing make it a quick reasonably entertaining read. The star attraction here is the theme. In fact, it almost seems like the author had a message to deliver and used real life fact based foreword and afterword and the fictionalized story in between to do that. (Kind of how I used this review to just riff on the themes instead of actually analyzing the narrative structure of the book itself.) Which I fine, because it is a good and important message and it makes for a great debate subject. In this day and age of privacy violated left and right like a drunk girl at a frat kegger, is police using DNA databases to potentially solve crimes and find criminals a place to draw the line? The websites offer options. We are, after all, an option based society. So yeah, you know, discuss among yourselves. Who knows, it might give you an opinion worth posting on social media. Paired with a meme, of course.
And while I do try to rise above it all, here I am writing a review, putting personal thoughts into the universe and, though this is mostly for me to maintain a reading record, it does in a way feed the system. Anyway…I believe it’s safe to say that most of it, most of the things people put online, are useless and meaningless. My reviews might help someone chose or pass on a book, but no one needs to know my favorite foods.
There’s one thing, something that’s become very popular lately, that can in fact provide use and meaning. DNA. Nowadays that discovering your own strands is easy and affordable, people are doing it more and more, essentially creating a huge database of DNA previously unknown to law enforcement, a database that can be used to find criminals. That’s how Golden State Killer got nabbed after all those years. So a huge deal, but also a hugely controversial subject, because, you know, privacy.
And that’s what this book is about, finally getting there despite the obscenely long preamble. Inspired by a real life series of crimes, it’s a story of a (did it and got away with it) serial killer from 1969 whose cases get found and aggressively revisited by a young detective some 50 years later, now featuring DNA searches.
It’s a fairly plain, straight forward story, basically a police procedural with split timeline. It doesn’t really get into things like character development and the killer tragically remains a complete mystery, but decent writing and good pacing make it a quick reasonably entertaining read. The star attraction here is the theme. In fact, it almost seems like the author had a message to deliver and used real life fact based foreword and afterword and the fictionalized story in between to do that. (Kind of how I used this review to just riff on the themes instead of actually analyzing the narrative structure of the book itself.) Which I fine, because it is a good and important message and it makes for a great debate subject. In this day and age of privacy violated left and right like a drunk girl at a frat kegger, is police using DNA databases to potentially solve crimes and find criminals a place to draw the line? The websites offer options. We are, after all, an option based society. So yeah, you know, discuss among yourselves. Who knows, it might give you an opinion worth posting on social media. Paired with a meme, of course.
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January 7, 2022A page Turner!
I was on the edge of my seat, almost hearing the garden hose running outside of my house. I live in a mobile home, so thankful I don't have a garage. Although I do miss the storage. Wonderful characters. I felt like they were folks I actually knew. Good read!
I was on the edge of my seat, almost hearing the garden hose running outside of my house. I live in a mobile home, so thankful I don't have a garage. Although I do miss the storage. Wonderful characters. I felt like they were folks I actually knew. Good read!
October 4, 2020
For a debut novel, I thought this book was great. It's an easy-to-read exciting page turner! I'm looking forward to more books from this author.
January 22, 2021
This story straddles between 1969 and 2018.
The facts are fiction but some elements actually happened. The names are fiction but some of what occurred is real. As a long time mystery reader, I enjoyed taking this story from start to almost finished. I have always enjoyed police procedurals and true crime books. This was a good read.
The facts are fiction but some elements actually happened. The names are fiction but some of what occurred is real. As a long time mystery reader, I enjoyed taking this story from start to almost finished. I have always enjoyed police procedurals and true crime books. This was a good read.
January 17, 2021
The Garage Guerrilla
This story was based on a true story with many things mentioned being real. The book is about a murderer of women when they were alone in there garages or hearing their hoses on outside and going out to shut them off. Looking for a connection to cold cases and with the help of the retired detective who 50 years prior had worked these cases, the killer was identified.
Donna P.
This story was based on a true story with many things mentioned being real. The book is about a murderer of women when they were alone in there garages or hearing their hoses on outside and going out to shut them off. Looking for a connection to cold cases and with the help of the retired detective who 50 years prior had worked these cases, the killer was identified.
Donna P.
January 5, 2021
Set in Riverwood, Denver when Abigail Thompson is shot to death in her garage while taking out the trash, detectives Sean Kennedy and David Maxwell with the Riverwood Police Department are called in to investigate.
Two months later another woman is stabbed to death in her garage while on a smoke break.
As the detectives try to establish a connection between the victims, a third victim is found stabbed to death in her garage.
Almost five decades later, Jake Caldwell has just accepted a job as a Riverwood Detective after working for the last five years as a patrolman.
His boss Police Chief Mason Kelly has assigned him to work with a veteran named Captain Alonzo Spears. The DA, Deborah Kettner thinks it would be a good idea for new recruits to review old cases with a police veteran.
While reviewing some old case files, Jake stumbles on the three cases from 1969 noting the similarities between the cases. He then brings his discovery to his partner’s attention whereupon they start investigating. They manage to get ahold of one of the detectives assigned to the cases and things move forward from there.
The story alternates between the past and the present. Overall a fast-paced detective
Two months later another woman is stabbed to death in her garage while on a smoke break.
As the detectives try to establish a connection between the victims, a third victim is found stabbed to death in her garage.
Almost five decades later, Jake Caldwell has just accepted a job as a Riverwood Detective after working for the last five years as a patrolman.
His boss Police Chief Mason Kelly has assigned him to work with a veteran named Captain Alonzo Spears. The DA, Deborah Kettner thinks it would be a good idea for new recruits to review old cases with a police veteran.
While reviewing some old case files, Jake stumbles on the three cases from 1969 noting the similarities between the cases. He then brings his discovery to his partner’s attention whereupon they start investigating. They manage to get ahold of one of the detectives assigned to the cases and things move forward from there.
The story alternates between the past and the present. Overall a fast-paced detective
January 8, 2021
The Garage Guerrilla
The book didn’t catch my interest at first. However my New Years Resolution for 2021 is to read more. So I gave it a few more chapters. I’m glad I did. It is an interesting read and with the new GED matches it makes you think about all the cold case murders that could be solved.
The book didn’t catch my interest at first. However my New Years Resolution for 2021 is to read more. So I gave it a few more chapters. I’m glad I did. It is an interesting read and with the new GED matches it makes you think about all the cold case murders that could be solved.
January 5, 2021
A Bit Dry
A series of murders in 1969 baffled detectives,. Decades later fresh eyes and new science may help. The original lead detective is hopeful but haunted.
This book was okay. It is dry and a bit dull. Little empathy is generated for the victims and the ending is a bit unbelievable. It is based on a true story.
A series of murders in 1969 baffled detectives,. Decades later fresh eyes and new science may help. The original lead detective is hopeful but haunted.
This book was okay. It is dry and a bit dull. Little empathy is generated for the victims and the ending is a bit unbelievable. It is based on a true story.
May 21, 2021
Oh dear......I'm unsure whether English is perhaps not the author's first language but he does have some very peculiar phraseology here and there and I happened upon one too many mistakes along with this and called it a day at only 14%.
Right from the off I spotted the odd wording even in the disclaimer BEFORE I started it when he wrote "This is the work of fiction".....then on page 1 he refers to a track home which I believe he meant as a tract home.
When the woman who was killed went into her garage we read, "Cold, and blind in the dark, she tried her best to remember where the switch was," this bearing in mind she'd lived there for 5 years !! Then the "hairs on the back of her neck stand" losing the up.
She hears the sound of metal sliding over her car which made no sense at all, and neither does, "....the crime scene was beginning to circulate questions throughout Riverwood"....I just wrote 'Huh ?' One cop says to another, "....let's go get Christopher's two cents first before we start scheming anything" and again this is very strange wording. He writes shined and not shone, site not sight (!!), Coroner is capitalised in one instance then it isn't and then it is once again. I reached page 41 and he writes mark and not Mark and I packed this in !!
It sounded like it would be a neat story and the type of thing that appeals to me but if you're going to self-publish then I think you need to get somebody to give it a good read-through before you do.
Right from the off I spotted the odd wording even in the disclaimer BEFORE I started it when he wrote "This is the work of fiction".....then on page 1 he refers to a track home which I believe he meant as a tract home.
When the woman who was killed went into her garage we read, "Cold, and blind in the dark, she tried her best to remember where the switch was," this bearing in mind she'd lived there for 5 years !! Then the "hairs on the back of her neck stand" losing the up.
She hears the sound of metal sliding over her car which made no sense at all, and neither does, "....the crime scene was beginning to circulate questions throughout Riverwood"....I just wrote 'Huh ?' One cop says to another, "....let's go get Christopher's two cents first before we start scheming anything" and again this is very strange wording. He writes shined and not shone, site not sight (!!), Coroner is capitalised in one instance then it isn't and then it is once again. I reached page 41 and he writes mark and not Mark and I packed this in !!
It sounded like it would be a neat story and the type of thing that appeals to me but if you're going to self-publish then I think you need to get somebody to give it a good read-through before you do.
February 12, 2021
A really good book
This is a really good book. The story was very compelling. And the way the chapters bounced between 1969 and 2018 worked quite well. Give it a try.
This is a really good book. The story was very compelling. And the way the chapters bounced between 1969 and 2018 worked quite well. Give it a try.
February 7, 2021
Predictable, enjoyable
From the start, I knew this story was based on real events. So maybe I subconsciously raised the bar. Because this story is told from the point of view of the police, I expected lots of flashes of insight, lucky guesses, etc. But the story is not like that. In both time periods (1960's and 2018) the police do old-fashioned detective work, unaided by modern technology which was non-existent or unusable. The story is well-written and the characters are all likable(imagine that!). It's fast to read because a lot of it feels familiar. I learned some about gene mapping.
t I think you'll enjoy it!
From the start, I knew this story was based on real events. So maybe I subconsciously raised the bar. Because this story is told from the point of view of the police, I expected lots of flashes of insight, lucky guesses, etc. But the story is not like that. In both time periods (1960's and 2018) the police do old-fashioned detective work, unaided by modern technology which was non-existent or unusable. The story is well-written and the characters are all likable(imagine that!). It's fast to read because a lot of it feels familiar. I learned some about gene mapping.
t I think you'll enjoy it!
September 24, 2021
This story has 2 main stories that are told in alternating chapters. First, we follow 2 detectives in 1969 as a man starts hiding in garages of houses then kills women as they come into the garage, earing him the name of Garage Guerilla. The other story takes place in 2018 where a new detective to the police department goes through old cold cases and wants to try to find a case that he can put through genetic testing in the new way that caught the Golden State Killer. The timelines cross as this new detective tries to solve the cold case with this new testing. It was an OK book, but it was a bit dry and not overly exciting, just kind of underwhelming honestly.
January 17, 2021
A new way of using DNA.
Fifty year old murders solved using geology site. By taking the DNA of the killer, 50 years ago, police use the DNA of Americans from a geology website to find relatives of the killer to track down the killer himself. Privacy slippery slope or good police work?
Fifty year old murders solved using geology site. By taking the DNA of the killer, 50 years ago, police use the DNA of Americans from a geology website to find relatives of the killer to track down the killer himself. Privacy slippery slope or good police work?
January 22, 2021
Well done
At first I was not sure about jumping back and forth in time following the cases. But following the cases play out, then jumping ahead to being able to solve cold cases was interesting. I enjoyed following the technique to pull information from the old cases and what technology was now available.
At first I was not sure about jumping back and forth in time following the cases. But following the cases play out, then jumping ahead to being able to solve cold cases was interesting. I enjoyed following the technique to pull information from the old cases and what technology was now available.
April 7, 2021
GOOD POLICE PROCEDURAL COVERS A SPAN OF ABOUT 5YRS, SIMULAR TO THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER. THIS BOOK MAKES YOU THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THE USE OF DNA BANKS AS A TOOL TO CATCH VERY HORRIBLE PEOPLE. IT’S TOO BAD THAT SOMETHING SO HELPFUL COULD ALSO BE USED FOR HARM. BUT ISN’T THAT THE REAL WAY OF THE WORLD, GOOD INTENTIONS. . . . . ;D
September 12, 2021
Surprise??
Loved the story. Loved the plot and the timeline and the back and forth over a fifty year span. However I hate surprise endings that leave you hanging. I want to hear the rest of the story. Did he confess to more killings after his arrest? What was the force that caused him to kill so casually? I want theclosure for the story to end.
Loved the story. Loved the plot and the timeline and the back and forth over a fifty year span. However I hate surprise endings that leave you hanging. I want to hear the rest of the story. Did he confess to more killings after his arrest? What was the force that caused him to kill so casually? I want theclosure for the story to end.
December 3, 2021
This was a very good read. The author taking the reader back and forth between 1969 and present day, the detectives that worked the murders back then and the ones that stumbled into the investigation present day. Eventually with the help of the old timer cop getting the murders solved. Interesting reading. Good job, Mr. Pearce.
January 7, 2021
Very interesting
Good storyline, my favorite genre too. I liked Sean and Dave i think other books with these two dynamic cops in their early years and cases would be well worth the read.
Good storyline, my favorite genre too. I liked Sean and Dave i think other books with these two dynamic cops in their early years and cases would be well worth the read.
January 10, 2021
Interestingly quite good
Not fast paced, but dogged determination over a long time to track down a murderer. It was very interesting to read the authours notes at the end of the book. I believe it gave a realistic look at policing and policing a cold case. I enjoyed it very much.
Not fast paced, but dogged determination over a long time to track down a murderer. It was very interesting to read the authours notes at the end of the book. I believe it gave a realistic look at policing and policing a cold case. I enjoyed it very much.
January 11, 2021
Good story, good plot. The author created very believable characters and wove the original cast in with the present day cast. The book had a surprise ending, but one that leaves the reader with a satisfied feeling
January 13, 2021
Excellent read!
I highly recommend this book. Well written with excellent insight on on a highly debated subject. I'm excited and looking forward to reading more from Collin Pearce.
I highly recommend this book. Well written with excellent insight on on a highly debated subject. I'm excited and looking forward to reading more from Collin Pearce.
January 14, 2021
A very different mystery
Was a very interesting read.
how it developed answers to cold cases. The characters are we!l written and I would recommend this book for those who enjoy mysteries for this one is quite different.
Was a very interesting read.
how it developed answers to cold cases. The characters are we!l written and I would recommend this book for those who enjoy mysteries for this one is quite different.
April 16, 2021
Excellent first novel. Well written with interesting characters. Loved the fact that it was based on a true story. And of course being from Denver loved the local setting. The ending was nicely wrapped up and believable. Hoping there is a second book featuring Jake.
August 24, 2021
Cracker
First time I have read a book like this. It leads you through a cold case and the process the police go through, what makes this a brilliant story is it follows the case in the original age. Believe me this is an absolute cracker of a read.
First time I have read a book like this. It leads you through a cold case and the process the police go through, what makes this a brilliant story is it follows the case in the original age. Believe me this is an absolute cracker of a read.
January 3, 2022
A very good murder mystery that ends up with a 50-yr old cold case being re-activated. The murderer is found through the combined work of detectives from different time periods. The story is well crafted and intriguing to follow the developments in the two time periods. Very good reading.
June 23, 2022
Excellent ending
While it took me a while to finish this book because of time constraints, it was entertaining. I enjoyed the flashing of time back and forth and really liked the ending.
While it took me a while to finish this book because of time constraints, it was entertaining. I enjoyed the flashing of time back and forth and really liked the ending.
January 12, 2023
Great police thriller
This story kept you on your toes until the end. Loved the way the author went back and forth from the past to the present. What a twist that a chance encounter would solve the case.
This story kept you on your toes until the end. Loved the way the author went back and forth from the past to the present. What a twist that a chance encounter would solve the case.
February 11, 2023
Very interesting story of police investigating a crime
More and more crime investigation tools are described in this story. Techniques and tools are developed over time and much headway is seen in solving cold cases. An unbelievable surprise ending. Highly recommended.
More and more crime investigation tools are described in this story. Techniques and tools are developed over time and much headway is seen in solving cold cases. An unbelievable surprise ending. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2024
This was a good read. I didn’t know it was based on a somewhat similar case in Colorado until I finished the story. I liked the split timeline, and although the characters weren’t very developed, I liked the young new detective having the ambition to work through the cold case.
January 5, 2021
Very interesting and fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews