ShadowMan

An Elusive Psycho Killer and the Birth of FBI Profiling

By: Ron Franscell

Narrated by: Patty Nieman, Chris Berger

"Mindhunter crossed with American Gothic. This chilling story has the ghostly unease of a nightmare." (Michael Cannell, author of Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling)

The pulse-pounding account of the first time in history that the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit created a psychological profile to catch a serial killer.

On June 25, 1973, a seven-year-old girl went missing from the Montana campground where her family was vacationing. Somebody had slit open the back of their tent and snatched her from under their noses. None of them saw or heard anything. Susie Jaeger had vanished into thin air, plucked by a shadow.

The largest manhunt in Montana’s history ensued, led by the FBI. As days stretched into weeks, and weeks into months, Special Agent Pete Dunbar attended a workshop at FBI Headquarters in Quantico, Virgina, led by two agents who had hatched a radical new idea: What if criminals left a psychological trail that would lead us to them? Patrick Mullany, a trained psychologist, and Howard Teten, a veteran criminologist, had created the Behavioral Science Unit to explore this new "voodoo" they called “criminal profiling”.

At Dunbar’s request, Mullany and Teten built the FBI’s first profile of an unknown subject: the UnSub who had snatched Susie Jaeger and, a few months later, a 19-year-old waitress. When a suspect was finally arrested, the profile fit him to a T....

©2022 Ron Franscell (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Ron Franscell has written criminal profiling’s origin story, an urgent and obsessive true-crime tale that transcends the genre. ShadowMan ramps up to an almost unbearable pitch, Mindhunter crossed with 'American Gothic.' This chilling story has the ghostly unease of a nightmare—as atmospheric and unnerving a story as you’ll ever read."—Michael Cannell, author of Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling

“If any modern crime writer should bear the mantle of the late, great Jack Olsen it is Ron Franscell. He’s one of our most provocative authors in any genre. . . Here, he does his usual splendid job of weaving fear, monstrosity, and place into a vivid, harrowing story about an epic moment in forensic history. Nobody does it better.”—Dr. Vincent DiMaio, celebrated medical examiner and author of Forensic Pathology

“A thrill ride through the entangled brutality and brilliance that gave birth to one of the FBI’s most intriguing forensic tools: criminal profiling."—John Douglas, legendary FBI profiler and author of Mindhunter

montana least unknown serial killer

I live in Montana, I've heard some stories about the church potluck in the story.

Great complete narrative of this kidnapping

I remember this kidnapping very well. I was 11 at the time and we had stayed in the same campground the week prior to Suzie's kidnapping. It brought home to me that terrible things could REALLY happen to little kids like me. I'm glad the complete story has finally been documented.

Horrifying Events

This is a clear, concise narrative about the kidnapping and murder of little 7yo Susie Jaeger who was taken during a camping trip in Montana. David Meirhofer was eventually arrested in this case as well as three others.

Excellent True Crime Account

First, the writer is gifted in his craft and he produced a literary work and not just a book. He pulls you into the story in many ways. You will become connected with the victims' families. You will learn along side of the FBI behavioral analysis agents. You will be disgusted by the insane acts of the killer.

As there were only a few reviews of this book I was concerned that it would be mediocre. It was excellent and could not stop listening thereby finishing it in two days.

Engaging

If not for needing sleep I would have listened straight through. This story illustrated how cops can easily get it wrong by tunnel vision, but if they just follow the evidence they get it right.

Sick Psycho

This is a gripping account of murder most foul. Author Ron Franscell walks us through the killings that rattled the town of Manhattan, Montana in the early seventies. As law enforcement struggles to solve the murky disappearances of unrelated victims, the FBI's nascent profiling unit attempts to delve into the mind of the "unsub", the unknown perp.

For those unfamiliar with the case, the author instills in the narrative a gripping tension that is resolved only when the killer is unmasked.

Narration is good.

Wow!

Great research work!! Spellbinding story, truth stranger tan fiction. No more pot luck meat dishes.

In depth investigation

The book delves deeply into the solving of 2 murders with FBI profiling development.

It's Good!

It is a true story about a serial killer that will have you listening for more and more. This story was narrated very well that I was intrigued and imagined the scenes. I cannot wait to get the hard copy.

Excellent True Crime Story!

Story 5/5
Narration 5/5

Disclosure - I won a Kindle copy of this book on Goodreads, but I'm reviewing the Audiobook version which should apply to any version. In any case my review has not been influenced by this win.

Wow! This is the best new TC book I've read in a while!
The early parts, when all the murders take place, was thrilling and parts of it reminded me of a campground horror movie. The investigatory portion was very interesting, too. The afterward was about how this case was a watershed moment for the FBI's BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit)
The only thing this book lacked was the killer's background and psychological analysis, but through no fault of the author.

Highly recommended!