Eyes of a Monster

A Detective's Relentless Pursuit of a Serial Killer

By: Ron Peterson Jr.

Narrated by: Kyle Tait

Schoolteacher Olivia Dare Christian was murdered in her Hampton, Virginia, apartment in 1981. Her killer left few clues and the murder went unsolved.

Three decades later, in 2011, next-generation detective Randy Mayer re-opened Olivia's dusty cold case file and began unraveling the mystery. Mayer located a reluctant witness who was a teenager back in 1981. She recalled a suspicious man lurking outside Olivia's apartment the morning of the murder and provided a detailed description of the man.

Detective Mayer then researched hundreds of old cases, hunting for a person who fit the description and used a similar MO. He identified a prime suspect, a Smithfield Foods employee, by then in his 60s, previously convicted of several brutal sexual assaults. Digging further, Mayer linked him to two other unsolved Hampton homicides. Was this man a serial killer?

Mayer enlisted the help of FBI agent Liza Ludovico and special prosecutor Phil Figura. Could the team uncover enough evidence to bring Olivia's murderer to justice? Could the witness from 1981 identify him? And would a jury convict in a cold case based entirely on circumstantial evidence?

©2021 Ron Peterson, Jr. (P)2022 Tantor

A riveting, well paced true crime story

This one was well written and presented. I was really rooting for the victim’s justice, the crime was horrific. It’s well paced, not too long or drawn out. I recommend this audiobook.

Really kept me interested

This was a really well written book. It seems A LOT of research was done. Love the narrator. He's my favorite!

Killer Instinct

This is a moderately interesting account of a serial killer who manages to duck and weave his way through the justice system for decades. There is considerable repetition in the telling of the sordid tale, but not as much as in many other Audible offerings.

Narrator Kyle Tait does an ok job, except for his tendency to run through periods and jam up words from previous sentences into the next. Very confusing at times.

could not get into it!

this was well written, but the narrator was monotonous and stiff. I appreciated that the author didn't weigh the book down with extraneous material (like that the great great grandfather of the sister of the judges wife once ate a lemon). but I still couldn't really get into it

Narrators voice is very nice

Well told story. I’m a lover of true crime and this story was interesting. Kept me intrigued the whole time. Just when you think you have it figured out, you’re wrong. Great voice to top it all off. Thoroughly enjoyed. This type of book makes me feel for the victim much more than the podcasts I listen to. I appreciate that a lot, as that’s what’s important in my opinion- to tell the victims story.

unexpected emotion at the end

Not the most riveting book. I was unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion hearing the verdict. The credits were also emotional. Random people taking time out of their lives to stand up for someone who could not.

Another good true account

Ron Peterson does a great job of detailing all the steps and accounts of this true story. The reader too is great. It kept me engaged.

Awesome narrator!

A very well-researched true crime story set in Virginia. Narrator Kyle Tait does an awesome job with this true crime thriller.

Captivating and Compelling!

Captivating and excellent writing! This true story was so compelling from beginning to end. I believe the author honored the memory of the main victim, Olivia Christian, as well as other victims from the convicted serial rapist and killer (I do not want to type his name to give him any recognition). The details and pacing of the book was very well done. This is one of the few books I’ve ever listened to that made me emotional. I definitely recommend this book to any true crime enthusiast or just in general!

Love true crime, but…

This book was way too long with a great deal of repetition and unnecessary details. Enjoyed the story and happy for the ending.