When a Killer Calls (Cases of the FBIs Original Mindhunter, #2) by John E. Douglas

When a Killer Calls (Cases of the FBIs Original Mindhunter, #2) Reviews

• 
  MarilynW

  When a Killer Calls: A Haunting Story of Murder, Criminal Profiling, and Justice in a Small Town
  by John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker, Keith Sellon-Wright (Narrator)
  
  In 1985, seventeen year old Shari Smith was abducted from her driveway, two days before graduation. Her abductor toyed with her family, calling their home and taunting them with promises that he would release Shari, that he was "one with Shari", and that they would get a letter from Shari. The letter that arrived was Shari's “Last Will & Testament” and although the letter allowed the family to hope that Shari was still alive, the investigators working the case knew that Shari must be dead.
  
  A few days later the abductor called Shari's sister to tell her where her body could be found. The abductor also taunted Dawn, Shari's sister, that she would be his next victim. Instead, nine-year-old Debra May Helmick, was abducted out of her front yard and later found dead.
  
  We follow the investigators and families from the time the girls are abducted through to the capture and trial of their abductor. The facts are horrific and heartbreaking and the destruction brought by one man is widespread. Parents, children, everyone in the areas of the abductions were afraid to leave their houses, even their yards and driveways were not safe. The families and friends of the girls were tormented by their loss for the rest of their lives.
  
  And then there are the trials of the abductor. It's disgusting that his vile deeds could not be exposed from one trial to the next. Jurors don't get to hear the complete facts and instead must make their decisions with crucial evidence being withheld, all in the name of not prejudicing them against the murderer. This murderer was cruel and narcissistic, loved to hear himself talk, and loved an audience, and it was through the efforts of family, friends, and the investigators that he was finally brought to trial and made to pay for his crimes.
  
  Published February 1, 2022
• 
  JanB

  3.5 stars
  
  In 1985, 17-year-old Shari Smith was abducted in broad daylight at the end of her driveway while picking up the mail. The abductor made repeated taunting phone calls to the family, and a day later they received a haunting letter in the mail that contained Shari’s “last will and testament”. Knowing she was going to be murdered, Shari affirmed her love for them and appealed to her family to bravely carry on. Her body was found a few days later.
  
  A short time later, nine-year-old Debra Helmick was abducted and killed. The killer called the Smiths and told them where to find her body. That’s when authorities knew both of these deaths were at the hands of a serial murderer. The author, John Douglas, an FBI agent in the Behavioral Science Unit who pioneered criminal profiling techniques, and is most well-known to us as the author behind the book and TV show, Mindhunter, was called in to assist with the investigation.
  
  My heart went out to the Smith family, who, after a devastating loss, showed incredible courage and bravery. They endured the taunting cruel phone calls, going above and beyond to assist the investigators, in an attempt to bait the killer into unwittingly revealing himself.
  
  The first half of the book deals with the investigation and arrest of the perpetrator, and the second half detailed the trials for both his victims. His behavior in the courtroom was bizarre and he often blurted out inappropriate statements, refusing to answer questions, or offering rambling non-answers. His testimony lasted six hours due to his courtroom theatrics. Was he criminally insane or was this an attempt to be declared incompetent, thereby avoiding a sentence of death?
  
  I’m purposefully being vague, as this case was unfamiliar to me and I appreciated seeing the case play out as I read. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in true crime and investigative work. This was a buddy read with Marialyce, one that left us both slightly disappointed. My interest lies mostly with the psychology behind criminals/murderers. I want to know the WHY. I do wish we had been given more information about the perpetrator and why he was the way he was, and a bit less mundane details about the author himself.
• 
  Melissa (Way Behind Again!)

  I used to read a ton of true crime back in the day and haven't read much in recent years. Now I'm sad that I let this genre fall by the wayside because this book was incredibly gripping.
  
  I knew nothing about the Shari Smith case before starting this book, and that's what kept me intently reading in order to discover what happened to her and how the case was solved. I forced myself to stay away from Google so I could experience the case as it unfolded.
  
  Alternately chilling and gut-wrenching, this story is the ultimate picture of resilience and strength for the families who lost someone to this perpetrator. I especially felt for Shari's sister Dawn, who time and time again had to go through the ordeal of talking to the man on the phone so that they could gather every shred of evidence possible to catch him and bring him to justice.
  
  The book is also fascinating in the details that Douglas provides as a profiler. The techniques they used to capture the man and to get him to admit what he had done are astounding. It's amazing to see how, even in the 1980s before modern forensic technology developments, they were able to figure out who committed the crimes.
  
  If you're interested in true crime stories, this one is eerie and shocking, with the best elements of a good mystery solved by solid detective work.
  
  I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
• 
  jv poore

  I really like the way WHEN A KILLER CALLS was written. It reminds me of Ann Rule, wherein, we are given the facts but nothing is too graphic or explicit. But, it isn't "just the facts". The emotional turmoil of the victims, their families and almost everyone working the case is not ignored.
  
  Yes, I already have another Douglas/Olshaker book on my shelves.
• 
  Marialyce (absltmom, yaya)

  3.5 stars
  
  Sadly, the book When A Killer Calls, was not as good as I was hoping. Certainly, the case when FBI profilers were a fledgling operation was interesting as well as the case the author is called upon to to render expertise, but it did seem to go flat.
  
  Certainly, the man in question, Larry Gene Bell, was a devious and a hell sent individual. Accused of killing and murdering two young girls, he was cocky, sure of himself, and for all intents, (those of his own), he tried to paint himself as a mentally ill psychopath having among other things two personalities. Bell also phoned on numerous occasions the home of the older sister of the girl he kidnapped. Shari Smith, was a beautiful high school senior who was abducted while she collected the mail, from her home where she lived with her parents, a sister, and a brother.
  
  Along with the calls which were planned from various telephone locations, the family received letters. It was Bell taunting them, but when they received one that was marked, Last Will and Testament, the family knew that their beloved daughter and sister was dead. The police coupled with other law enforcement agencies were on the case and John Douglas and his team provided a profile of the killer which helped the police finally find him.
  
  In the meantime, a nine-year-old child playing in her yard with her siblings was abducted assuring law enforcement that Shari's kidnapping was not the sole one. As the profile came into play, it became very apparent that the killer fit the descriptions that John Douglas and his team put together.
  
  The case was harrowing as never before did the police come upon an unsub who was so calculating, devious, and criminal. Finally, in an effort to draw this maniac out, it was decided to use Shari's sister as bait as his modus operendi was blonde blue eyes girls to which Dawn fit the requirements. She bravely put herself forward and tackled the phone calls that came into the home. Bell was convinced he was destined to marry Dawn. The whole Smith family showed absolute courage and strength relying in large part on their strong faith in the determination to see the killer brought to justice.
  
  The Helmick family, parents and siblings of Debra, the young nine-year-old also sought the killer's capture and their day in court.
  
  After capture, Bell displayed bizarre behaviors but eventually it was decided this was a manipulative front to escape punishment. The first trial concluded, the one for Shari and was a disgusting spectacle as Bell made plays for Dawn and the pity of the jurors. He was deranged but knew the difference between right and wrong. His narcissistic personality gave him the grand illusion that he was smarter than everyone else. A second trial for Karen was held in another venue and the jury returned the same verdict guilty with a death sentence conferred. After many appeals and years spent in prison, Bell was executed. He chose the electric chair as his fate, one that was justly deserved.
  
  My issue with the book was that I thought the author inserted himself into everything, adding details such as how he dressed, what he ate, and so on, all of which weighed down the telling and created repetition and a tad phase of boredom on what should have been a riveting read.
  
  Jan and I have been into the true crime stories lately and were disappointed, when holding this one up to the likes of some others, it fell short. It was a five star topic with a three star style of writing.
  
  The bottom line however, is there are definitely some very sick people roaming about, and sometimes they seem to be the most harmless types of individual.
• 
  Erin

  This book is a doozy!
  
  I have never heard of this case but now I'm planning on listening to a podcast episode about it in a couple of days, because I need space. The murderer in this case is one of the most sadistic people I've ever read about. I didn't read the summary so I had no idea what I was getting into and wow yall!!!
  
  When A Killer Calls is by John Douglas who was one of the legendary Mindhunters who pretty much invented the FBI's Criminal Profiling Unit. The cases he covered were some of the most legendary in history. This case such in my opinion be more widely known.
  
  Don't read these if rape, kidnapping, child sexual assault, torture and murder are too much for you read about. It was wild and I devoured this book but it's not for everybody.
  
  I recommend this book to people who love Mindhunter or Criminal Minds.
• 
  Ruthy lavin

  Wow, I will never tire of reading anything written by John E Douglas…
  This book was the eagerly anticipated new release by this incredible criminal profiler who was the inspiration behind Netflix’s ‘Mindhunter’ - I have absolutely relished his previous books and have been counting the days until this new book was released. As predicted, it didn’t disappoint.
  Although I was already familiar with the story of the abduction of Shari Smith in the early 80’s, reading it in so much detail from the perspective of the behavioural science unit has been completely fascinating.
  I didn’t expect this book to feature just the one case, but to read about it with such attention to detail, has been a privilege - although it is quite harrowing at times.
  Fans of true crime or criminal psychology will just love this book, if this genre is your bag, read it!
  It cannot be awarded any less than 5 stars.
  
• 
  Johann (jobis89)

  Yet another gripping read from John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. They never disappoint!
• 
  BAM the enigma

  I really have some mouth words I’d like to use about John Douglas but way too many readers on here worship the ground he walks on (some think he can walk on water) and I really do not want to debate with anyone I’m tired
• 
  Sara

  At this point I've committed to reading all of John Douglas' books, but honestly I could just have read Mindhunter and been done because he repeats himself that much. I already knew about the Shari Smith case because of Mindhunter, and the particularly malicious way the killer phoned the victim's family after the event to taunt and control them. And to read about his behaviour on apprehension and at trial was despicable. But I didn't need a rehash of it in a separate book. Just read Mindhunyer instead, it's far better.
  
  And don't even get me started on Douglas' obsession with describe how attractive the victim and her sister are. His overall views of women are very.... dated in my opinion.
• 
  Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)

  4.0 Stars
  This was a gripping piece of true crime non fiction. I appreciated that this one focused on a specific case rather than covering multiple offenders. Thi made for a more cohesive narrative. Most of all, I respected that the book was very victim focused and did not glamorize the perpetrator. 
• 
  Valerity (Val)

  I enjoyed this book, despite having read another book about the case. Seeing it from the profilers’ perspective made this book for me. I’ve enjoyed several other books from these authors. This killer was just so reprehensible. Very good true crime. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Jeanette

  Review tomorrow. Blizzard today and beyond that this book is heart spearing.
  
  I'll read #1 if I can find it.
  
  It taught me difference between signature and MO category.
  
  So here it is, my reaction. Douglas will be an author (I find he has multitudes) that I read in the future.
  
  This was divided into parts and chronological. There is also quite a bit of FBI hierarchy and history for three or four service officers that may be "boring" for some readers. But this is from their beginnings of being entrenched to profiling as a whole- so I thought it was well worth the read.
  
  There is a letter than the victim wrote her family just minutes before the murderer (beyond evil) killed her. That is just soul wrenching. This girl was 17 and the very next day was her graduation from high school. She was to sing the Anthem. And she was due to leave on a Bahamas trip in two days for a week after that. And she KNEW her life was over within just a few hours of being abducted by her own mail box. He LOVED the control he was operating by ordering her to write them a goodbye letter. I cried. It's just beyond explanation what she wrote. Like a martyr.
  
  Honestly, if you read the psychological cognitions that can be ascertained from the signature or MO paths the killer repeats! That alone is worth this read.
  
  This man did the same to a 9 year old just a couple of weeks later. He was let out of prison and rehab places (mental health) at least 5 times before these events. He also can be assumed to have killed at least 4 more that are all still open cases, but that fit time/place and pattern of expanding activity.
  
  He received the death penalty after years and years of appeals. He absolutely deserved it. Electric chair and he got to pick his own method. He was an electrician by trade and could have had lethal injection.
  
  Right now they are letting out multiples of this perp's horror deeds again. They are. It is denied by the know betters. But such as he ARE being freed. Some after 25 years in IL. And they commit again. Most of these psychological states have no cures. NONE.
  
  This South Carolina tale is very, very close to one that happened in IL within the same period. I knew one of those nurses who was killed. Won't say the name.
  
  This Part I made me cry. Her family is far beyond the reaction long term that I would have had.
  
  Advice: Fight. It's better to be killed immediately than be dragged into a vehicle. And that I do know about first hand. Scars will heal. The ride you take won't have a good ending. Most of the worst killers will not shoot or stab if in a public place. Not all, but most.
• 
  Angela

  When a Killer Calls by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker
  
  Synopsis /
  
  On May 31, 1985, two days before her high school graduation, Shari Smith was abducted from the driveway of her family home in South Carolina. Based on the crime scene and the abductor’s repeated and taunting calls to the family, law enforcement quickly realized they were dealing with a sophisticated and highly dangerous criminal. A letter arrived the next day entitled “Last Will & Testament,” in which Shari, knowing she was to be murdered, wrote bravely and achingly of her love for her parents, siblings, and boyfriend, saying that while they would miss her, she knew they would persevere through their faith. The abduction rocked her quiet town, triggering a massive manhunt and bringing in the FBI, which enlisted profiler John Douglas. A few days later, a phone call told the family where they could find Shari’s body.
  
  Then nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was kidnapped from her yard, confirming the harsh realization that Smith’s murder was no random act. A serial killer was evolving, and the only way to stop him would be to use the study of criminal behaviour to anticipate his next move before he could kill again. Douglas devised a risky and emotionally fraught strategy to use Shari’s lookalike older sister Dawn as bait to draw out the unknown subject. Dawn and her parents courageously agreed.
  
  My Thoughts /
  
  — From case files of the original Mindhunter.
  — Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit.
  — A behind the scenes chronicle of John E. Douglas' twenty-five year career in the FBI Investigative Support Unit.
  
  When a Killer Calls: A Haunting Story of Murder, Criminal Profiling, and Justice in a Small Town
  (Cases of the FBI’s Original Mindhunter #2)
  
  This book has John Douglas delving into minds of killers, ones that most of us would shun in our worst nightmares. The result is this - his remarkable insight into what type of person perpetrates such heinous acts.
  
  In this particular book, Douglas relates the case of Shari Faye Smith. When a young woman disappears in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else, it's big news. On 31 May 1985, Shari Smith vanished. Her car was found by her father at the end of their driveway, doors open and still running. Her parents, once they realised Shari had gone missing, called the police and a search began. However, in spite of the full focus of local law enforcement, Shari cannot be found. When Mr and Mrs Smith start to receive cryptic phone calls from someone claiming to know where Shari is - the police then realised they were dealing with an abduction and not a runaway. The FBI was brought in to assist, and the Behavioural Science Unit was tasked with creating a profile of the kidnapper.
  
  As readers, we are taken through the inner workings of Douglas and his team as they begin the process of running the case - creation of a criminal profile that best represented the offender they hunted for the kidnapping (and subsequent murder) of Shari Faye Smith; the investigators and how their investigations led to solving the crime; the hunt for the (eventual) perpetrator, Larry Gene Bell and his capture, trial and subsequent prosecution.
  
  Sitting firmly in the genre of crime\true crime, readers will need to prepare themselves for some gut-wrenching situations. Shari’s [courageous] 'Last Will and Testament' which she wrote while being tortured will surely bring tears to the eyes. The authors go into meticulous detail regarding the victims, family members, and the interaction between all levels and jurisdictions of law enforcement. The difference between a killer's 'signature' and 'MO' or Modus Operandi. Court procedure - from the Judge to the Jury; their selection, how they view the evidence and the accused.
  
  You could be forgiven for the criticism that the book is 'boring'. It does get a little bogged down in the details, and you are taken along paths that are for the most part, dead-ends. However, if it wasn't for the dogged persistence of people like Douglas and his team, in pursuit of the truth, these crimes would remain unsolved, and ultimately, the perpetrators left free to continue their crime sprees. And that thought is nearly as shocking as the crimes themselves.
• 
  Denise

  Continuing my current true crime binge, I now focused on the kidnapping and murder cases of the serial killer Larry Gene Bell.
  
  Shari Smith was abducted and killed in 1985; this investigation and trial was not on my radar so all of the information was new to me without that historical background. Almost immediately, profiler John Douglas was involved in the massive manhunt along with the FBI and local law enforcement in South Carolina. Shortly after that murder, another local girl was kidnapped -- 9-year-old Debra May Helmick. The community was fearful and frantic and the police and forensic scientists worked nonstop to track the man behind these horrific crimes. The book details how the criminal justice system worked together to find and prosecute Larry Gene Bell.
  
  Another excellent piece of writing by this author and I am happy to rediscover a genre that fits my reading mood right now. The descriptions and details about the profile and investigation are extremely meticulous and quite absorbing. I feel that I got the facts with a very satisfying conclusion.
  
  Thank you to NetGalley and Dey Street Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. If you're tired of crime fiction, try this one for a change.
• 
  Alicia

  Another amazing book by John Douglas. I have come to realize I prefer his books on audio. Couldn’t tell you why…. 🤷🏻‍♀️
  
  This is the first one by him where I didn’t feel like his ego was in the way of the story telling at some point.
  
  Another great master in the field. 💀
  
  This one is out now.
• 
  Brad

  When a Killer Calls by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker is about a case that was first mentioned in Mindhunters - the Shari Smith kidnapping and murder by Larry Gene Bell.
  Shari Smith was abducted from the driveway of her family home a few days before her high school graduation. Bell called the family from multiple pay phones putting them through hell over the fate of Shari. Several days later he abducted 9-year-old Debra May Helmick from her front yard.
  
  The book shows the intense fear the community had - and the early lack of leads for Smith's killer. There's a lot of detail on the work of Douglas's profile group and just how close to describing Bell it was.
  There's a lot written about the courage and faith of the Smith family, especially Dawn Smith, Shari's older sister. (Bob Smith, Shari's father, was actually a prison chaplain.)
  
  Douglas was a big help in the interrogation of Bell, getting him as close to a confession as anyone.
  Douglas also testified in the trial where Bell's behavior was demonstrative and silly at times.
  
  A good choice for readers who want true crime and the impact and process of criminal profiling.
• 
  thereadingowlvina (Elvina Ulrich)

  The Case: This is a haunting case about the abduction of 17 year-old Shari Smith and 9 year-old Debra May Helmick in 1985, and how FBI profiler John Douglas' accurate profiling and investigations led to the arrest of Larry Gene Bell. He would later be convicted and electrocuted for both the murders of Shari Smith and Debra May Helmick.
  
  My thoughts: Oh boy, this was a heavy book! Any child abduction case is always difficult to read. It is every parent's nightmare. To be honest, I have never heard of this case before, so I am glad to learn about this case in this book. It was really well-written and well-researched. I liked reading the profiling and investigation parts and they were done well. It was so intense!
  
  This was a heartbreaking case and infuriating at the same time, especially how Bell taunted the family with his phone calls and what he said to them was appalling!
  
  I definitely would recommend this book if you want to learn more about this case.
  
• 
  Dirty Dayna

  Ehh my struggle with true crime right now bothers me I'm so bored of them.it seems I am on a hunt for one to really change my mind and showcase something special. My issue is that the .eat of the book is fantastic but they keep getting very over drawn out which takes away from the special and creates a boring vibe
• 
  Kisxela

  I didn’t feel the book was as interesting as the author’s previous works. Many times I couldn’t decide if I was reading a true crime story or an imaginary story while I know this story really happened. The author tried to write events for those who like fiction, and those who love true crime books, to follow the events from the perspective of the profiling. I would have preferred a drier, fact-only report. I would have been more interested in the sin, not in the profiling thoughts of the profiler, which seemed to sometimes make it not important for the perpetrator to catch him, but whether the profiling was true.
  Thanks to Edelweiss for the opportunity to read the book.
• 
  Sydney

  When a Killer Calls covers the dark, haunting, terrifying cases of Shari Smith and Debra May Helmick. I cannot believe all that the killer put these families through, especially with the taunting phone calls that they received after the kidnapping. The courage that Dawn and her parents had in order to draw out the killer was remarkable yet heartbreaking. John E. Douglas provides his perspective as a profiler with incredibly detailed information, if a bit repetitive at times. If you’re into true crime, I would definitely recommend picking this one up. Thank you Dey Street Books for my gifted copy!
• 
  Savannah Cathcart

  I love John Douglas so I’m a fan of this one too, but it felt very repetitive. He covers most of this case in Mindhunter and, as a result, this book doesn’t cover anything that hasn’t been written in his other books 10 times before.
• 
  Patches

  Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me a copy of WHEN A KILLER CALLS!
  
  Special thank you to Harper Collins for sending me the latest installment from John Douglas and Mark Olshaker, the brilliant minds who brought you the book Mindhunters.
  
  On May 31st, 1985, two days before her high school graduation, Shari Smith was abducted from the driveway of her family home in South Carolina.
  
  Because of the graduation, her planned trip to the Bahamas shortly after, and her car left running in the driveway with her pocketbook and medicine inside, investigators immediately knew she didn’t run away.
  
  To the Smith’s family surprise and dismay, they started getting anonymous phone calls from the killer himself, explicitly describing what had happened to Shari, and where to find her.
  
  The FBI at this point knew they were dealing with a meticulous and organized criminal. Most importantly though, they knew that if they didn’t catch him soon, he would strike again. Making it at the time the most intensive manhunt in the state of South Carolina’s history.
  
  Almost two weeks later, 9 year old Debra May Helmick was picked up from her front yard where she was playing with her brother, and placed in a strangers car.
  
  Investigators were able to place the two abductions together after the killer called the Smith family again, depicting the location of Debrah’s body.
  
  WHEN A KILLER CALLS describes in detail how these two cases shocked the small towns in SC and surrounding area. John Douglas with the help of Mark Olshaker pick apart the phone calls and put us in the mind of the killer. Who was this, and why would they do this?
  
  I found this incredibly informative and detailed, however some parts were pretty repetitive. If I had to give it a rating it would be 4/5.
  
  You can pick up WHEN A KILLER CALLS right now. Let me know if you read it and what you thought!
  
• 
  WM D.

  When a killer calls is a very good book. I really enjoyed reading it. It shows how the Fbi catches its most dangerous killers by profiling the killer. A must read for anyone who likes non fiction books
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Rach

  Chilling.
• 
  Liz

  I'm familiar with the case and have seen it covered before on various true crime shows. However, this book definitely held my interest and included bits I didn't know about. Hearing it from this particular angle as well was very interesting. It flew by.
• 
  Donna

  This is a chilling account of the murder of two young girls in rural South Carolina. It follows John Douglas, as the FBI special agent and profiler, as he investigates and delves into the mind of the suspect. The crimes are heinous, with a perpetrator that is deeply disturbed, but fully aware of his actions. I have to admit, the story line brought me to tears several times, in part, because I knew this was not fiction. It was very insightful into the profiling by Mr. Douglas, the efforts of law enforcement, and the workings of the judicial system in this case, as well as the prior failings of the various systems to incarcerate this man for previous crimes. The anguish and fear of the two families, and the phone calls the family of Shari Smith had to endure from her murderer are heart wrenching. It is a well written, totally absorbing book, even though it is not always easy to read. I did receive an ARC of this book through the publisher and Netgalley, through Scene of the Crime. I am very glad I did.
• 
  The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha)

  I liked that the book focused on one killer (and 2 cases) because it provided a focus that some of the previous books by Douglas lacked (imo). It was engaging to see a case from inception to final consequence. I had heard the story of Sheri Smith before, but getting Douglas' behind the scenes knowledge added a new layer to the story.
  Overall, this was a good listen that kept me engage.