The Hunt: The True Story of Alaska's Most Notorious Serial Killer, Robert Hansen

True Crime

By: Ryan Green

Narrated by: Steve White

In the 1970s, a local baker harbored a dark secret that plunged Anchorage into a state of terror. Robert Hansen transformed the pristine Alaskan wilderness into his personal hunting ground.

For 12 years, Hansen lured his victims onto a plane and flew them to a remote cabin. He raped them and released them into the wild before hunting them down.

As the remains of women began to surface, the authorities assembled to track down this merciless murderer.

The Hunt is a chilling account of Robert Hansen's reign of terror. It delves deep into the psyche of a serial killer and captures the reality of his monstrous acts. Ryan Green provides a suspenseful narrative that draws the listener into the real-life horror experienced by the victims with all the elements of a captivating thriller.

CAUTION: This book contains descriptive accounts of abuse and extreme violence. If you are sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to read further.

©2024 Ryan Green (P)2024 Ryan Green

The Hunt

The author has once again written a chilling account of a notorious serial killer that most people have never heard of. It is unsure how many women were raped, tortured and murdered by Robert Hanson, but this book personalizes the victims and makes the reader feel their terror. The opening chapter is one of the most horrific accounts of the terror that was inflicted by a deranged monster that I have ever read.

In the wilds of Alaska during the oil boom, many women went missing and the truth about their demise will probably never be known. Most of Hanson's victims were sex workers and lived a transient life, so they were often forgotten or unmissed. At least one of his known victims still remains anonymous after decades and her family will never know what actually happened to her.

The author takes the facts of this case and writes it in such a way that it feels like a novel. But, the atrocities inflicted by Hanson are definitely not fiction. Hanson's upbringing and abuse are presented, not as an excuse for his crimes, but as a possible explanation of his thought process. The author gives names and details of his known victims and presents them in a sympathetic and heartbreaking way.

The narrator does his usual excellent job with this performance. His reading is perfect with just the right amount of emotion while maintaining the factual nature of the book.

If you are a "fan" of true crime, Ryan Green is one of the best writers in the genre. He writes in an easy to read manner, presenting facts and giving the victims dignity. Hopefully, his presentation of this type of case will bring peace to these victim's families.

The whole story

Everything about this story is accurate to the tee, with details filled in making the story another amazing piece of work by Ryan Green. And Steve White goes perfect with this style of writing. I am looking forward to what you’re gonna write about next. Cheers to Ryan and Steve for an another amazing collaboration, and thank you for what you do.

Into the mind of a killer

Ryan Green’s The Hunt is a gripping, spine-chilling experience that takes you deep into the world of Robert Hansen, one of America’s most notorious serial killers. The narration is incredibly well-done, capturing the eerie atmosphere and amplifying the horror of Hansen’s monstrous crimes. Listening to this story unfold adds an extra layer of intensity, immersing the listener fully in the terror faced by Hansen’s victims and the relentless pursuit by authorities to bring him down. It’s not only a powerful look at a shocking case but also a reflection on the resilience of those who worked to end Hansen’s reign of terror. For fans of true crime, the Hunt is an unforgettable journey into the darkest corners of the human mind.

Happy hunting...

In this utterly compelling examination of the life and crimes of a modern serial killer, Ryan Green offers up a detailed look at Robert “Bob” Christian Hansen, a seemingly gentle, slightly awkward family man who ran a bakery in Anchorage, Alaska. Other than his hunting skills, for which he won many awards, he might have passed through life with relatively little notice. All of that changed in the early 80s when his “hunting” became the news story that shocked the world. Robert was not limiting his sport to the abundant game so prevalent in Alaska, he was hunting human beings, specifically, he hunted women. If, like me, you remember the horrific news stories that dominated the media at that time or if you watched the 2013 movie titled The Frozen Ground starring John Cusack and Nicolas Cage, you may think you know Robert Hansen’s story. You would be mistaken. None of this provides as much unvarnished reality as this book. Fans of the author will recognize the exquisite attention to detail and the thoroughness of the research required to provide such a vivid picture of the monstrous deeds of this heartless killer. While Ryan Green is well-known for his unique approach to the true crime genre by transporting the reader into the mind of the killer, this book offers a slightly different perspective. Less time is spent in Robert Hansen’s mind than in the minds of the many victims he dispatched in the wilds of Alaska. Their experiences, brought to life by the exceptional narration of Steve White, paint a poignant and graphic mental image that will linger long after finishing this story. If you have an interest in true crime this book, whether you choose to read or listen, is an absolute must.

While I did purchase a copy of this book, I gratefully accepted an audio copy from the author, but I am sharing my honest and unbiased review on a completely voluntary basis.

Excellent coverage

It's a bizarre story, told well, well read. Enough detail and background to fill in the cracks.

Some humans are monsters

Amazingly written story about a depraved sick man. Ryan knocks another one out of the park with this story of a real life monster who walked among us.

Interesting story

Found it to be a little repetitious at the end, but overall very interesting. I like Ryan Green have enjoyed all of his books.

Glaring errors

I found the retelling of this case highly convoluted and grossly inaccurate. The first chapter drones on with a ridiculously elaborate and stereotypical imagery of Alaska including abundant “elk” pursued by hunters. Alaska has no elk save on one island near Kodiak where they were imported and raised.

The search of the Hansen’s home depicted by the author is horridly flawed. Darla Hansen did NOT tearfully watch from her bedroom doorway state troopers dug through her underwear drawer, she was asked to leave prior to the start of the search. The aviation map behind the headboard was NOT the clinching discovery and nobody stubbed their toe and located a secret compartment. The aviation map was meaningless without the murder weapon and trophies tying Hansen to the victims which was found afterward in the attic along with a 2nd map showing X’s where bodies had been found.

It was also known Hansen lied about having a cabin on the Knik River, that was a story he concocted to reassure women he was taking them somewhere “safe” yet the author chose to describe a fictitious scene with one of his victims inside a cabin with Hansen. The confession section of this book with the map as the central piece is a complete work of fiction when in reality the interrogation and confession took place at completely different times. Very disappointed at how haphazardly the facts are woven together with conjecture and fabricated details. I was excited for new insights into this case and instead came away feeling like it was a waste of time & money.

Average

Only finished because it was short. Author spent the first 20 minutes of a 4.5 hour book on mindless fluff about the same situation. Final 15 minutes just went on and on saying the same stuff. Some decent stuff in the middle. Audiobook narrator sounded like Casey Kasem which is not a good fit for a serial killer book.