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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
A common thread that pulls Holes' book together is the humanity of police work when taken up by professionals wired to serve and protect. Holes' ability to see the big picture, the small picture-- to break mammoth tasks into steps-- to keep a mental filing cabinet of research from which to draw from and make connections make this book a must-read for anyone embarking on a career in law enforcement. Holes creates no illusions about all of the personal failings and costs his family paid as he struggled with his obsession to solve cases, his work life often dominating his focus even "off the clock."
Holes' forthrightness about the way his anxiety and obsessiveness both helped and hindered his work and private life is a gracious touch to a book about true crime. Holes' deep empathy for others while struggling to meet the emotional needs for people in his immediate circles resonated too. Having watched and read a lot of true crime content, there are many times when professionals at the top of their game use language that portrays segments of society as less than; Holes does not.
This book is conversational and easy to follow. If you've seen Holes interviewed for true crime shows, that's exactly the cadence and pace that this book follows.
Holes' forthrightness about the way his anxiety and obsessiveness both helped and hindered his work and private life is a gracious touch to a book about true crime. Holes' deep empathy for others while struggling to meet the emotional needs for people in his immediate circles resonated too. Having watched and read a lot of true crime content, there are many times when professionals at the top of their game use language that portrays segments of society as less than; Holes does not.
This book is conversational and easy to follow. If you've seen Holes interviewed for true crime shows, that's exactly the cadence and pace that this book follows.
I was really nervous this book wouldn't live up to the hype but I enjoyed it!
After listening to Holes on podcasts for so many years it was great to read his story in his own words. I also just really appreciate that he didn't try to show himself only in golden light. He was honest about his failures not only in his work life but in his family life too.
I really liked seeing how cases were solved from the eyes of someone in forensics, not just from a detectives pov. I feel like that is a perspective that is not often the main voice in true crime but is definitely one of the most important ones.
I do truly love all the attention to cold cases (and the solving of them!) that Holes has brought in his life and this book is just one instance of that.
After listening to Holes on podcasts for so many years it was great to read his story in his own words. I also just really appreciate that he didn't try to show himself only in golden light. He was honest about his failures not only in his work life but in his family life too.
I really liked seeing how cases were solved from the eyes of someone in forensics, not just from a detectives pov. I feel like that is a perspective that is not often the main voice in true crime but is definitely one of the most important ones.
I do truly love all the attention to cold cases (and the solving of them!) that Holes has brought in his life and this book is just one instance of that.
Sorry guys, it’s unpopular opinion time! I’m a federal criminal prosecutor who loves true crime content. I was thrilled to receive this arc and had extremely high hopes. I just watched a documentary on Nightstalker prior to reading so I was amped up with the serial killer theme and ready to dive in. However, the execution just didn’t hit the mark for me. First what I didn’t enjoy about this book was that there were a lot of dead ends, just recaps of gruesome and serious cases and no end result - not exactly in line with the theme of “solving cold cases.” I also did not enjoy the sort of style/tone/demeanor the book was written in. It just read to me like a long-winded apology and explanation piece to his first wife and everyone in his life that he put second after his job. By all means, if someone wants to spin their own memoir/biography in this way, they absolutely can. It just wasn’t the exhilarating story of cracking cold cases and bringing overdue justice to grieving families I thought I was signing up for, more of a negative and depressing vibe like his life was wasted away to catch GSK and he’s sorry but also not sorry.
Thank you so much @celadonbooks for this gifted copy! A book that's heavily tabbed is greatly loved, and I did just that with Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases by Paul Holes
What a brilliant true crime memoir from start to finish. The writing!! I buddy read this with my good friend and I text her directly after reading the first couple of chapters in near tears, that's how beautiful and vibrant the words are.
I grew up reading/watching the cases mentioned and this book had me on edge the entire time! As I got further in and close to the end it took my breath away. I had to sit on my thoughts and collect myself because this is one hell of a captivating read.
His dedication is unreal and sacred. I loved that we got chapters of his family life. I felt so sad that he had trouble giving the people that mattered most in his life the love that they needed. I couldn't imagine juggling my personal life with that line of work. I felt awful for all parties. I could feel his pain jumping out from the pages. Holes is a special man, never arrogant and always humble.
If you're into cold cases, forensics, and seeing how it affects a person in all aspects of their life please pick it up. I can't say enough good things!! Under 300 pages, you won't put this down.
My rating? All the stars.
You can pick up Unmasked this coming Tuesday 4/26
What a brilliant true crime memoir from start to finish. The writing!! I buddy read this with my good friend and I text her directly after reading the first couple of chapters in near tears, that's how beautiful and vibrant the words are.
I grew up reading/watching the cases mentioned and this book had me on edge the entire time! As I got further in and close to the end it took my breath away. I had to sit on my thoughts and collect myself because this is one hell of a captivating read.
His dedication is unreal and sacred. I loved that we got chapters of his family life. I felt so sad that he had trouble giving the people that mattered most in his life the love that they needed. I couldn't imagine juggling my personal life with that line of work. I felt awful for all parties. I could feel his pain jumping out from the pages. Holes is a special man, never arrogant and always humble.
If you're into cold cases, forensics, and seeing how it affects a person in all aspects of their life please pick it up. I can't say enough good things!! Under 300 pages, you won't put this down.
My rating? All the stars.
You can pick up Unmasked this coming Tuesday 4/26
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I loved his role in the Golden state Killer. I was hoping this would be more about cases he worked over the years.
Instead we got a woe is me, no one really lsitens to me, failed marriages, estranged from his children and once in a while a cold case got thrown in, but when you got invested in that he went off in another direcrtion
Instead we got a woe is me, no one really lsitens to me, failed marriages, estranged from his children and once in a while a cold case got thrown in, but when you got invested in that he went off in another direcrtion
If you're only going to read one book about the Golden State Killer, read I'll Be Gone in the Dark. Mr. Holes tells an orderly, linear tale, but without the details of McNamara's book. He also sounds like a very difficult man to know.