The Guilty One

By: Bill Schweigart

Narrated by: Matt Godfrey

Every town needs a hero, and Detective Cal Farrell fits the bill. He stopped an active shooter six months earlier, and now he’s become the darling of the Alexandria press. The problem is that Cal remembers nothing from that day. He’s working with a psychiatrist to recover his memories, but hasn’t had much luck.

Then, on one of his morning runs, he is once again the first on scene for a grisly discovery—a body hanging impossibly high on a tree. Soon there’s another victim, killed by a blade and dumped in a ravine. As the bodies begin to stack up, each staged more gruesomely than the last, Cal sees a baroque pattern to the crimes that no one else seems to understand—something out of legend.

As Alexandria dubs the serial killer “Old Town Jack,” Cal learns that the only thing a city loves more than creating a hero is tearing one down. And if he can’t get to the truth, this hometown hero might just be next in line for destruction.

©2023 Bill Schweigart (P)2023 Dreamscape Media

Critic reviews

"Narrator Matt Godfrey brings Schweigart’s wry humor to life through Cal’s narrative. He matches each character’s voice perfectly, making it easy for listeners to discern who is speaking by inflection alone [...] Schweigart’s first foray into mystery and suspense is recommended for readers of Michael Connelly, David Baldacci’s “Memory Man” series, and T. Jefferson Parker."—Library Journal

First experience with this author

I enjoyed the style of writing. I was engaged from the beginning. I loved the narrator’s style and voice. Not the sappy ending of many books.

really interesting. good story line.

suspenseful, well read. good story line, interesting plot, enjoyed the performance. interesting twist at the end

Never quite sure who did it until the end.

I didn’t like how it ended. No guy gets girl, she runs home to her family far away.

What a treat!

As a mom of 6-year and 2 year old boys, a book needs to be fast-paced, engaging, and entertaining for me to finish it. This fit the bill nicely. I can’t wait for the sequel.

I really enjoyed Matt Godfrey’s performance, too! His voice was easy on the ears.

I highly recommend this book!

Great story

This book kept my interest throughout! I loved the twists. The narrator did an excellent job. Will look for more from the author and the narrator.

Yes and No

There were long moments of boredom with too much talking when just a few words would have sufficed. It could become longwinded. Some very entertaining moments which kept me listening to the very end. The ending was not satisfactory. I won't listen to this book again - however, I did enjoy the narrator.

lots of violence

and suspense. makes one wonder just how much pain and suffering people can actually endure.

Great book!

I really enjoyed this. The characters are well developed and interesting, and the main character drew me in. The plot kept me on my toes with it’s twists and turns and I couldn’t stop listening. There is just enough murder/mystery to be engaging but not so gruesome that I was put off. I enjoyed all the research and landmarks of the city of Alexandria- real places one could visit. The narrator did a great job. I look forward to more books from this author!

Fast paced

Enjoyed this audiobook. Chasing a serial killer while being framed himself. Likable main character. Murderer not obvious. Enjoyed narration too.

Loved it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - from the plot to the characters to the narration!