Hunter of the Damned: A walk through Hell

by Kevin J. Laws

There are few jobs more heart-wrenching than investigating crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Nationally, the typical investigator doesn't work these types of crimes more than three to five years. Kevin J. Laws, now retired, was a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, having worked nearly 20 years investigating the sexual exploitation of children. Almost 11 of those years were spent as an online undercover agent, resulting in the arrests of some of the worst offenders imaginable. Honing his skills working online undercover investigations in the earliest years of the Internet, email, and chat rooms. Laws served as a case agent (lead investigator), undercover agent, and computer forensic agent, all revolving around the sexual exploitation of children. As his sophistication as an investigator grew, so did the terrible actions of the child molesters. These are his stories.
This fascinating account of Kevin's career will pull back the covers, take off the blinders, and show you what it's really like to investigate these horrific crimes. After reading this you'll understand the gravity of the crimes, and be able to read between the lines of the news reports that can't mention even ten percent of what you are about to read. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to investigate these types of crimes. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride!

418 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2022

Reviews

[Anika Tater · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is a riveting and horrifying tale of the things that go on in the dark. A memoir from Kevin’s point of view as an HSI agent. I loved every bit of this book. The pictures and comments throughout and at the end of the chapters really tie it together.

[Michelle Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very graphic. Needs a warning label- too much details for the average citizen. Contains graphic details about sadistic Child sexual abuse and the special agent who tried to protect our children from perpetrators.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this book wouod be a hard read. I found the author on tiktok talking about his experience as an undercover agent investigating child sexual abuse cases. Either in exchange of csa, or people who were actually willing to do such acts. He warned on the live that the book was graphic. I knew what I was getting into. But holy hell. The last few chapters were something I wasn't mentally prepared for. I powered through and I can't imagine how he kept his composure. Not to mention the loss of the person he loved the most stabbed me in the heart like it was me going through it. My only qualm is that some of the formatting was confusing. Some paragraphs were in a right sided alignment instead of a left sided alignment. Some words were hyphenated when they didn't need to be indicating they were originally hyphenated in an original document and when put into book form the hyphen stayed even when it wasn't needed. And there were some typos. One being a date that I confirmed with his was I correct because it was messing with the time line in my head while reading. And some other small typos but nothing that made reading it less educational. I will say though. The chapters towards the end were LONG. I almost wish each case would have had its own chapter. But that's a me problem. I am a fan of short chapters so my brain can process something before I love on to the next chapter. Overall a good book. Educational and just what I wanted. A raw unedited look Into the underbelly of the darkness. Kevin's work was so admirable. I hope he knows how many people he has saved and helped. And how his book isost likely changing people's minds to what csa is and what it really means for it to be made and spread. And I for one am glad you didn't go through with the thoughts friend. You are still needed here. And you are appreciated.

[Martti Orson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Hunter of the Damned, and I have to say, it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. Kevin J. Laws doesn’t sugarcoat a thing, this book pulls you straight into the dark and disturbing world of investigating the sexual exploitation of children. What struck me most was the depth of experience he shares; having spent nearly 20 years in the field, with over a decade undercover online, Laws provides insights that go far beyond what you’d ever see in the news.

The book is chilling but also incredibly informative. Laws describes not just the crimes themselves, but the evolution of online predators and the techniques he used to catch them. You really get a sense of the emotional and mental toll this work takes on investigators, and it’s clear why most people don’t stay in this line of work for long.

Despite the grim subject matter, the book is gripping from start to finish. Laws has a way of telling stories that makes you feel like you’re right there with him, navigating chat rooms, tracking offenders, and piecing together evidence. It’s a sobering look at the dark side of the internet, but also a testament to the dedication and skill of law enforcement agents who fight these crimes.

If you’re interested in true crime, especially the online investigations that most of us never hear about, this book is a must-read. Be warned: it’s intense, eye-opening, and not for the faint of heart, but it’s also an important and compelling read.

[Betty Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first got to know the author on Tik Tok. He is an amazing person who in my eyes is a hero. This book although disturbing, was something I could not put down. It opened my eyes to a world of chat room exploitation of children, that I knew existed but never to the extent in this book. Kevin's career, as a Homeland Investigator of Child exploitation, led him to meet some very sick & disturbing individuals. He worked as an undercover investigator searching out predators while playing one himself. This was not something he did without anguish. This book will make you realize that children everywhere need our protection more than ever. If nothing else, it will hopefully open the eyes for parents to monitor the activities of their children on the internet. Know who they are chatting with and set parameters.

[JennJoWa · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this book may reflect an admirable life dedicated to taking very bad guys off the street, I cannot support it due to the author's harmful statements. Claiming to be “I will admit at that time and to a lesser extent now, I was a bit of a homophobic” is still an admission of prejudice, and then later using the word “midget” to describe a person of interest shows disregard for respectful, inclusive language. This was just on pages 2 and 3 before I decided to DNF and not support this author.

Authors influence culture beyond their stories. Supporting someone who normalizes discrimination—however subtly—sends the wrong message.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a powerful, unflinching account of one of the most difficult jobs imaginable. Kevin J. Laws offers a raw, eye opening look into nearly two decades of investigating the sexual exploitation of children, including more than a decade working undercover online. His stories are harrowing, deeply unsettling, and profoundly important. Written with honesty and authority, this book reveals the realities behind the headlines and the emotional toll these investigations take on those tasked with protecting the most vulnerable. A must read for law enforcement professionals and anyone seeking to understand the true scope of these crimes.

[Niamh Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A harrowing read. Kevin really brings to light how heinous this crime type is and how disgusting these criminals are. A very insightful read, but a difficult one. I recommend the book for sure, but I know I had to take breaks between reading sessions. God bless people like Kevin that choose this career path and put these scum bags away. If you have been a victim of S.A. especially as a child, I suggest to read with caution. But again, I think it was a good read.

[Floyd Davey · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an LEO it reads like a report. Which for me, isn’t terrible at all. It’s a sad glimpse into a terrible world and thankfully there are people like Laws out there doing what they can to take predatory people off the streets.

The formatting can be distracting at first but you get used to it.

I would recommend this to any LEO’s looking at hone how they speak to suspects and work UC investigations.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin at a book convention and he told me about his journey and what his book entailed. If you’re into true crime…. This book is for you but be warned it is some of the most disturbing things I’ve read. I give credit to Kevin for doing this kind of work, his personality really shows through the book. He has probably saved thousands of kids from trauma.

[Stephanie Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no words for how God damned horrifying some of this shit is. I often found myself wanting to puke and having to put the book down. I could not ever do this sort of job, so I am glad that we have people like the author who fight to take down these monsters.

I mainly took some stars off due to the poor formatting of the text and the occasional repetitive statements.

[Erin Ayling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very truthful and honest book to the world we live in. I had to put the book down once and cried a few times.