Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases
- Downloads：6379
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-04-20 19:21:36
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Paul Holes
- ISBN：1250622794
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
From the detective who found The Golden State Killer， a memoir of investigating America’s toughest cold cases and the rewards--and toll--of a life solving crime。
I order another bourbon， neat。 This is the drink that will flip the switch。 I don’t even know how I got here， to this place， to this point。 Something is happening to me lately。 I’m drinking too much。 My sheets are soaking wet when I wake up from nightmares of decaying corpses。 I order another drink and swig it， trying to forget about the latest case I can’t shake。
Crime-solving for me is more complex than the challenge of the hunt， or the process of piecing together a scientific puzzle。 The thought of good people suffering drives me， for better or worse， to the point of obsession。
People always ask how I am able to detach from the horrors of my work。 Part of it is an innate capacity to compartmentalize; the rest is experience and exposure， and I’ve had plenty of both。 But I had always taken pride in the fact that I can keep my feelings locked up to get the job done。 It’s only been recently that it feels like all that suppressed darkness is beginning to seep out。
When I look back at my long career， there is a lot I am proud of。 I have caught some of the most notorious killers of the twenty-first century and brought justice and closure for their victims and families。 I want to tell you about a lifetime solving these cold cases， from Laci Peterson to Jaycee Dugard to the Pittsburg homicides to， yes， my twenty-year-long hunt for the Golden State Killer。
But a deeper question eats at me as I ask myself， at what cost？ I have sacrificed relationships， joy—even fatherhood—because the pursuit of evil always came first。 Did I make the right choice？ It’s something I grapple with every day。 Yet as I stand in the spot where a young girl took her last breath， as I look into the eyes of her family， I know that， for me， there has never been a choice。 “I don’t know if I can solve your case，” I whisper。 “But I promise I will do my best。”
It is a promise I know I can keep。
“Paul Holes takes you on a fascinating and sometimes disturbing journey inside the mind of someone who hunts monsters for a living—and in order to live。 And his insights on Michelle McNamara—whose loss I still feel every day—are incredible。”
—Patton Oswalt
"Paul Holes is a natural criminal profiler with a talent for describing how the process works。 In his book， Unmasked， he marches the reader into the real world of criminal behavior and blends his forensic expertise with his unfiltered personal life experiences as he tackles both cold cases and modern crimes。 This is a book you will not be able to put down。”
—Dr。 Ann Wolbert Burgess， author of A Killer by Design and co-author of Sexual Homicide
I order another bourbon， neat。 This is the drink that will flip the switch。 I don’t even know how I got here， to this place， to this point。 Something is happening to me lately。 I’m drinking too much。 My sheets are soaking wet when I wake up from nightmares of decaying corpses。 I order another drink and swig it， trying to forget about the latest case I can’t shake。
Crime-solving for me is more complex than the challenge of the hunt， or the process of piecing together a scientific puzzle。 The thought of good people suffering drives me， for better or worse， to the point of obsession。
People always ask how I am able to detach from the horrors of my work。 Part of it is an innate capacity to compartmentalize; the rest is experience and exposure， and I’ve had plenty of both。 But I had always taken pride in the fact that I can keep my feelings locked up to get the job done。 It’s only been recently that it feels like all that suppressed darkness is beginning to seep out。
When I look back at my long career， there is a lot I am proud of。 I have caught some of the most notorious killers of the twenty-first century and brought justice and closure for their victims and families。 I want to tell you about a lifetime solving these cold cases， from Laci Peterson to Jaycee Dugard to the Pittsburg homicides to， yes， my twenty-year-long hunt for the Golden State Killer。
But a deeper question eats at me as I ask myself， at what cost？ I have sacrificed relationships， joy—even fatherhood—because the pursuit of evil always came first。 Did I make the right choice？ It’s something I grapple with every day。 Yet as I stand in the spot where a young girl took her last breath， as I look into the eyes of her family， I know that， for me， there has never been a choice。 “I don’t know if I can solve your case，” I whisper。 “But I promise I will do my best。”
It is a promise I know I can keep。
“Paul Holes takes you on a fascinating and sometimes disturbing journey inside the mind of someone who hunts monsters for a living—and in order to live。 And his insights on Michelle McNamara—whose loss I still feel every day—are incredible。”
—Patton Oswalt
"Paul Holes is a natural criminal profiler with a talent for describing how the process works。 In his book， Unmasked， he marches the reader into the real world of criminal behavior and blends his forensic expertise with his unfiltered personal life experiences as he tackles both cold cases and modern crimes。 This is a book you will not be able to put down。”
—Dr。 Ann Wolbert Burgess， author of A Killer by Design and co-author of Sexual Homicide
Reviews
Breanne Mefford
，
4。5 stars if I have to rate but feels odd rating this memoir - wow what a ride。 I’ve always been fascinated by true crime in the Golden State color case。 This memoir was absolutely fantastic and takes you through the life of Paul holes who was a criminologist and investigated cold cases throughout his career。 It was extremely fascinating to read about him and Michelle McNamara‘s relationship after I have previously read I’ll be gone in the dark。 This book is definitely not for the faint of heart 4。5 stars if I have to rate but feels odd rating this memoir - wow what a ride。 I’ve always been fascinated by true crime in the Golden State color case。 This memoir was absolutely fantastic and takes you through the life of Paul holes who was a criminologist and investigated cold cases throughout his career。 It was extremely fascinating to read about him and Michelle McNamara‘s relationship after I have previously read I’ll be gone in the dark。 This book is definitely not for the faint of heart at some points I even was nauseated reading about the lives of the victims of not only the golden state killer but also other murderers throughout Paul’s career。 It was also fascinating to read and learn more about genealogy and how it is helping solve cold cases。 I loved being so in tune with Paul throughout this book， it truly shows you the toll that investigators go through and the heartache that they go through when they’re unable to solve a case and how that heartache also impacts their own families。 。。。more
thereadingowlvina （Elvina Ulrich）
，
READ THIS BOOK。 That's all I want to say about this book！ Ha！ Okay， seriously， this is a must read book for all true crime aficionados！ In this part true crime part memoir， former cold case investigator of Contra Costa County， Paul Holes， shares his journey as a detective investigating many cold cases， including one of the most notable cases - The Golden State Killer。 It was really interesting reading the investigation of this case from his point of view especially after reading I'll Be Gone In READ THIS BOOK。 That's all I want to say about this book！ Ha！ Okay， seriously， this is a must read book for all true crime aficionados！ In this part true crime part memoir， former cold case investigator of Contra Costa County， Paul Holes， shares his journey as a detective investigating many cold cases， including one of the most notable cases - The Golden State Killer。 It was really interesting reading the investigation of this case from his point of view especially after reading I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara a couple of years earlier。 They definitely complement each other！ The cases mentioned in this book are not for the faint of heart。 There are graphic details of the crimes and I find the case of Emmon Bodfish is one of the most bizarre cases I've heard。 Paul also shares the personal aspect of his life in this book。 He is passionate about his job especially， investigating cold cases。 His determination and hard work in investigating cases is really admirable but at the same time it was heartbreaking too as it took a toll on his marriage and family life。 I loved how honest and open he was when sharing this part of his life。 Overall， this is a fantabulous book！ I loved it and will re-read it at some point！ Pub。 Date: April 26th， 2022***Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for this gifted ARC to read and review。 All opinions expressed are my own。*** 。。。more
Krista
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 What true crime lover doesn’t love a cold case？ This memoir follows the really interesting life of Paul Holes， a former detective who had a big role in solving the Golden State Killer case。 Holes’s memoir spends a lot of time delving into his interest in cold cases， and really mixes that business with his own personal life。 Mainly how it affected his marriages， and how he feels it affected his parenting。 I thought that was really different from a lot of of other true crime type of memoirs I’ve r What true crime lover doesn’t love a cold case？ This memoir follows the really interesting life of Paul Holes， a former detective who had a big role in solving the Golden State Killer case。 Holes’s memoir spends a lot of time delving into his interest in cold cases， and really mixes that business with his own personal life。 Mainly how it affected his marriages， and how he feels it affected his parenting。 I thought that was really different from a lot of of other true crime type of memoirs I’ve read。 Most people know that jobs like that take a toll on personal relationships， but Unmasked really goes into the details and really takes ownership of his obsession with solving these cases。 I was surprised that this book was so personal， in a good way。 It wasn’t just a recap of the cases he’s solved， there was a little recap and a lot of reflection。 You could tell how personal these cases were to him。 。。。more
Riché
，
First， huge thanks to @CeladonBooks for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book and giving me the chance to read and review Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases。I've read a lot of true crime and memoir and this book definitely stands with the best of them。 Paul Holes really struck me with how much he shared about his personal struggles with anxiety and alcohol use as well as difficulties in his family life that have come from being so dedicated to a career full of so much traged First， huge thanks to @CeladonBooks for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book and giving me the chance to read and review Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases。I've read a lot of true crime and memoir and this book definitely stands with the best of them。 Paul Holes really struck me with how much he shared about his personal struggles with anxiety and alcohol use as well as difficulties in his family life that have come from being so dedicated to a career full of so much tragedy and darkness。 So often， we expect to hear stories from investigators and detectives that support the trope of the "strong， unemotional， detached" male investigator who gets through his job and goes home to his life like everything is fine， when in reality， that investigator likely isn't as common as we think he is。 It's also just not that common for men in today's society to be willing to share that much vulnerability with anyone， let alone the entire public。 It added an important element to the story and， in my opinion， showed why Mr。 Holes has been able to be such a successful investigator for as long as he has been。Mr。 Holes also shares details about numerous cases he's worked over the years， some of which were huge cases with national news coverage， and others that I definitely hadn't heard about。 But， he talks about each case with the same amount of care and the same level of interest。 All of his cases mattered to him and were important to him， and he sought the truth in each case with the same vigor， even cases that fell out of view of the public decades ago。 Holes also， on more than one occasion， shows the reader his empathy for not only victims of these violent crimes， but also their families。 His retellings， despite being graphic and accurately depicting the very gruesome nature of some of these crimes， never come off as exploitative in the way some other true crime books might; they read as if telling the story hurts Paul Holes himself。 Because the story shouldn't exist to tell。If you're a fan of true crime and memoir， if you enjoy stories that focus on the experiences of victims or investigators rather than those of perpetrators， and if you prefer true crime media that has a less exploitative flavor， I absolutely recommend Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases by Paul Holes。 I also hope to see more written by him in the future。 。。。more
Melissa （In Catch-Up Mode）
，
This is an incredibly fascinating memoir by Paul Holes， detailing his career as a criminologist and his obsession with finding justice for those victims whose cases have gone cold。 He is most famous for his work with the East Area Rapist （Golden State Killer） case。Although I found the book decently fast paced and intriguing， I had a couple of issues that prevented me from rating it higher。 One is personal--I both read and watched the TV series for I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive This is an incredibly fascinating memoir by Paul Holes， detailing his career as a criminologist and his obsession with finding justice for those victims whose cases have gone cold。 He is most famous for his work with the East Area Rapist （Golden State Killer） case。Although I found the book decently fast paced and intriguing， I had a couple of issues that prevented me from rating it higher。 One is personal--I both read and watched the TV series for I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer， so I was very， very familiar with the Golden State Killer case， how everything transpired over the years， and how the culprit was eventually caught and arrested。 So much of this book felt like a re-hashing of that account， albeit from a different perspective， although Holes and Macnamara did collaborate so there is some overlap。 The parts about how exactly the DNA sequencing took place was incredibly detailed and made me glaze over a bit。Also， I know that life is messy and there are many cases out there that just aren't ever solved。 Yet I was left wanting more from the cases that Holes worked on that were solved。 Instead we get more of a personal account of the tolls his job and obsession with finding solutions took on his marriages and relationships。 I admire his dedication to learning and to finding justice， but it's a bit depressing when we learn of the cost of that dedication。Overall though， this is a gripping book and if you aren't as familiar with the ins and outs of the Golden State Killer case， you will be all the more captivated by the book and how that case was solved。 Totally a worthwhile read， I am always enthralled with true crime and those who do the work to get those cases solved。 I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book， all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Casey
，
Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases is a powerful read for fans of memoirs and true crime。 Thank you @celadonbooks for the gifted copy。In this memoir， detective Paul Holes recounts his work on a variety of well known cases。 The main thread of his book is the one which haunted him for decades， the Golden State Killer。You should know from the start that this includes blunt and often graphic descriptions of crimes。 I found much of it difficult to read。However this is not solely a narrati Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases is a powerful read for fans of memoirs and true crime。 Thank you @celadonbooks for the gifted copy。In this memoir， detective Paul Holes recounts his work on a variety of well known cases。 The main thread of his book is the one which haunted him for decades， the Golden State Killer。You should know from the start that this includes blunt and often graphic descriptions of crimes。 I found much of it difficult to read。However this is not solely a narrative of famous cases。 Holes describes how his career impacted him mentally， emotionally， and interpersonally。 Investigations consumed his life and he intimately reflects on the painful experiences that went along with his relentless work。I appreciated his vulnerability and think it’s important to recognize the emotional toll of the field， especially considering how crime is sensationalized for entertainment。Other notable pieces: fellow science geeks will enjoy his talk of critical forensic techniques and fans of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark will appreciate the chapter about working with the tenacious author and researcher Michelle McNamara。Unmasked is getting a lot of buzz and I think folks will appreciate this honest account of a rewarding， yet personally demanding profession。 。。。more
Stephanie
，
In his memoir， Paul Holes takes us through his career investigating cold cases and the rewards and toll of a life solving crime。Paul's story is so fascinating but disturbing as he recounts details of the horrific crimes he has investigated。 I appreciated his vulnerability and self awareness as he addresses the impact his career has had on his relationships and mental health。 He shared his struggles with panic attacks and nightmares， but we also witnessed his fierce determination to solve crimes In his memoir， Paul Holes takes us through his career investigating cold cases and the rewards and toll of a life solving crime。Paul's story is so fascinating but disturbing as he recounts details of the horrific crimes he has investigated。 I appreciated his vulnerability and self awareness as he addresses the impact his career has had on his relationships and mental health。 He shared his struggles with panic attacks and nightmares， but we also witnessed his fierce determination to solve crimes and give victims and their families some peace。I loved learning how he worked a case， the progression in technology and DNA testing， and how his years of experience and following his gut led him to approach things with a different perspective than newer criminalists。 I also loved hearing his perspective on his partnership with Michelle McNamara to catch the Golden State Killer。 His story is heartbreaking to read， but also rewarding to see his successes。True crime fans will love this book， and I highly recommend picking it up when it's out April 26。 Thank you Celadon Books for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Piepie
，
Any true crime buff needs to read this。 It's compelling and hard-core and gritty。 I loved the tribute to Michelle McNamara （a name any one familiar with the capturing of the Golden State Killer should know）。 I liked how the author made it a point to say that his career is NOT glamorous -- it's not what is portrayed on fictional shows like NCIS。 He went through divorce， marital problems， many sleepless nights， heartbreak， stress， etc。 Many times he thought he was just a step away from catching a Any true crime buff needs to read this。 It's compelling and hard-core and gritty。 I loved the tribute to Michelle McNamara （a name any one familiar with the capturing of the Golden State Killer should know）。 I liked how the author made it a point to say that his career is NOT glamorous -- it's not what is portrayed on fictional shows like NCIS。 He went through divorce， marital problems， many sleepless nights， heartbreak， stress， etc。 Many times he thought he was just a step away from catching a perpetrator， just to see his hopes dashed。 This book is super interesting and I found it hard to put down， even when I found some scenes hard to read， due to graphic content。 But I appreciated how it ended with hope。Many thanks， Netgalley， for my e-arc！ 。。。more
Sharon
，
I received an advanced reader copy from Celadon Books in exchange for an honest reviewThis book details Paul Holes career as he is a criminalist who is passionate and obsessed with solving cold cases。 It is something he feels is one of his primary purposes in life - to solve cases。 He is always thinking about cases to the point where it's been really challenging for his family because it doesn't feel like he is present in their lives。 The book describes some of the cases that he has worked on an I received an advanced reader copy from Celadon Books in exchange for an honest reviewThis book details Paul Holes career as he is a criminalist who is passionate and obsessed with solving cold cases。 It is something he feels is one of his primary purposes in life - to solve cases。 He is always thinking about cases to the point where it's been really challenging for his family because it doesn't feel like he is present in their lives。 The book describes some of the cases that he has worked on and some of the strategies that he employs to solve the cases。 He gives us a sense of the complexity involved in evaluating a crime scene to try to determine what happened at the scene。 The material in the book is hard to read but my curiosity kept me reading until I finished the book over a few days。 I felt that I was also getting a sense of the investigator and his own demons and struggles that his career has had on him。 I found reading about the transition and progress that has been made using DNA and Gedcom fascinating。 I enjoyed reading this book - I thought I would because I enjoy watching series on Netflix or TV about true crimes which I have to do in small doses so I don't have nightmares。 Reading up about many of the victims of the Golden State Killer was terrifying at times。 I am glad he was caught。 It was also interesting to get a bit of insight into the Jaycee Dugard case but that in itself is probably a whole book。 The advantage of this book over books is I was able to get some insight but not having to be fully immersed in all the details。 If you like this genre of book I would recommend it; it's also a bit of a memoir which is also one of my favourite genres to read。 I would rate this book 9。5/10， I know it's not for everyone but it is a great read that keeps you reading。 。。。more
Madi Garcia
，
I was already a Paul Holes fan before this but wow what a perfect true crime read！ A beautiful telling of different cases， the EAR， and his life all wrapped up in one。 We’ll written and a beautiful read。
Natalie （readswithnatalieb）
，
This book is gruesome。 I mean， I’m sure you could have guessed it based on the title alone， but as someone who can devour books in a handful of days， reading this one took me a while。 I read 40 pages a day at most， with others only reading 10 because of the content。And before you assume， you are correct， I am not a true crime junkie。 I don’t listen to the podcasts， nor watch the shows， it’s not for me。 Unless it’s THE DROPOUT。 Is that true crime？ If so， that’s my exception。The format of the book This book is gruesome。 I mean， I’m sure you could have guessed it based on the title alone， but as someone who can devour books in a handful of days， reading this one took me a while。 I read 40 pages a day at most， with others only reading 10 because of the content。And before you assume， you are correct， I am not a true crime junkie。 I don’t listen to the podcasts， nor watch the shows， it’s not for me。 Unless it’s THE DROPOUT。 Is that true crime？ If so， that’s my exception。The format of the book is interesting。 For the most part， the reader is being presented chapters in chronological order of Holes’ life， but there are a few zigzags here and there。 Although UNMASKED is considered true crime， readers learn a lot about Holes’ upbringing， career path， and personal life。 As assumed， this job took a toll on his personal life， which I was most curious how he balanced it。 I think he’ll be the first to admit， he didn’t balance his work and life aspects well。Content warnings: rape， murder， panic attacks， gun violence， eating disorder， graphic crime scene detailsHoles recounts all the cold cases he helped crack。 From Laci Peterson to Jaycee Dugard to The Golden State Killer。 If you want all the details， Holes provides them。 I also found it interesting he included cases that still remain cold， given the title of course。 But I think he did that to show the wide range of cases he worked on， and how each differed and required outside-the-box thinking to solve or， not solve。Besides being completely grossed out， I think above all， I felt a lot of sadness。 Sadness for the victims of these crimes who suffered， but also the families who went so long without knowing the truth， or those who still don’t。Big thank you to Celadon for the ARC。 This one publishes April 26。 。。。more
Katie
，
OOF。 My 'Paul Holes fangirl/ True Crime Addict' is about to come out strong。I love Paul Holes。 I have been obsessed with the Golden State Killer case since before JJD was arrested in 2018。 In fact I was still terrified of him， and couldn't read Michelle McNamara's book until GSK was apprehended。Paul Holes is VERY intelligent， and VERY dedicated to his work。 DO NOT READ if you are squeamish。 This book has a lot of graphic detail about a lot of previous cases he has worked （i。e。 murder， rape， etc。 OOF。 My 'Paul Holes fangirl/ True Crime Addict' is about to come out strong。I love Paul Holes。 I have been obsessed with the Golden State Killer case since before JJD was arrested in 2018。 In fact I was still terrified of him， and couldn't read Michelle McNamara's book until GSK was apprehended。Paul Holes is VERY intelligent， and VERY dedicated to his work。 DO NOT READ if you are squeamish。 This book has a lot of graphic detail about a lot of previous cases he has worked （i。e。 murder， rape， etc。- all the content warnings here）。 However， if you consume a lot of true crime， this is a fascinating read。I could hear myself reading this in Paul's voice。 I could picture him just starting his career， with his family， etc。 It was a fantastic memoir。I will say that my take away from this book is that Holes needs a proper retirement and a solid vacation。 It is a lot for one person to take on。Out April 26- this is a must read for The Murder Squad， and any other fans！ 。。。more
Kea4
，
I thought was a very good book。 I had never heard of Paul Holes。 But this book gives a very good look at trying to solve crimes on day-to-day bases。 It’s hard， slow work and at the end of the day that family life will suffer。Not to mention there is always going to be just one more case。 It never ends。The book had a good flow and it was interesting to see some of the cases he was involved with。 How DNA has come a long way and how genealogy websites are being used。Only thing missing is I would lik I thought was a very good book。 I had never heard of Paul Holes。 But this book gives a very good look at trying to solve crimes on day-to-day bases。 It’s hard， slow work and at the end of the day that family life will suffer。Not to mention there is always going to be just one more case。 It never ends。The book had a good flow and it was interesting to see some of the cases he was involved with。 How DNA has come a long way and how genealogy websites are being used。Only thing missing is I would like to know what happened to some of the people he worked with。 I do feel like there should be a website or a phone number in case you have something new to add to some of the cold cases he talks about in the book。https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade。。。 。。。more
Brianas_best_reads
，
🕵🏻Review🕵🏻Thank you so much @celadonbooks for the gifted copy of UNMASKED。 Readers can grab a copy on 4/26/22。 “From the detective who found the Golden State Killer， a memoir of investigating America’s toughest cold cases and the rewards-and toll-of a life solving crime。” I’m obsessed with this book the way Paul Holes is obsessed with solving cold cases。 This was such a fantastic read。 Equal parts fascinating and terrifying， I just couldn’t put it down！ Paul’s determination to find the truth ble 🕵🏻Review🕵🏻Thank you so much @celadonbooks for the gifted copy of UNMASKED。 Readers can grab a copy on 4/26/22。 “From the detective who found the Golden State Killer， a memoir of investigating America’s toughest cold cases and the rewards-and toll-of a life solving crime。” I’m obsessed with this book the way Paul Holes is obsessed with solving cold cases。 This was such a fantastic read。 Equal parts fascinating and terrifying， I just couldn’t put it down！ Paul’s determination to find the truth bleeds through these pages and it is heartbreaking to learn about the toll his career took on his family and his mental health。 As I write this review I’m already thinking about how I cannot wait to research everything I can about Paul。 UNMASKED provides a great glimpse into his life solving cases， but now I want to know everything！ If you’re a fan of true crime and memoirs you absolutely must get this one on your list。 Paul， thank you for never giving up。 Thank you for bringing closure to so many families。 Thank you for your compassion， heart， and drive。 5/5 ⭐️ 。。。more
Annette
，
This book follows the author’s passion for cold cases。He’s pretty obsessed with figuring out who the bad guy is。I found parts of the book really interesting。 Some parts were too technical and drawn out。 He obviously loved his job and it seems to consume his life。Lovers of true crime will certainly find this book interesting。Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy
Brittany
，
I've been waiting to read this since I heard he was writing it。 He did a great job of really making you understand how he feels。 And how he works the way he does。 His career is incredible。 I do believe he was put on Earth to do this work。 Work that most people wouldn't be able to comprehend。 Thank you Paul for letting us into your life now！ A great read if you like true crime and biographies。 Also， The Murder Squad is an excellent podcast with Paul！ I've been waiting to read this since I heard he was writing it。 He did a great job of really making you understand how he feels。 And how he works the way he does。 His career is incredible。 I do believe he was put on Earth to do this work。 Work that most people wouldn't be able to comprehend。 Thank you Paul for letting us into your life now！ A great read if you like true crime and biographies。 Also， The Murder Squad is an excellent podcast with Paul！ 。。。more
Heather - hturningpages
，
SO SO GOOD！Full review to come！
Melanie Gordon
，
Who doesn’t love a great true crime thriller？ I am a HUGE fan of all things Paul Holes-from his tv shows， podcasts， books， EVERYTHING！ I use to want to be a forensic investigator or a criminal profiler， so I find his work to be so incredibly fascinating and intriguing。 This book did not disappoint！ It was so interesting， especially to read about The Golden State Killer who was in Sacramento area， where I use to live。 I love the details that Holes uses throughout the book， although it may not be Who doesn’t love a great true crime thriller？ I am a HUGE fan of all things Paul Holes-from his tv shows， podcasts， books， EVERYTHING！ I use to want to be a forensic investigator or a criminal profiler， so I find his work to be so incredibly fascinating and intriguing。 This book did not disappoint！ It was so interesting， especially to read about The Golden State Killer who was in Sacramento area， where I use to live。 I love the details that Holes uses throughout the book， although it may not be suitable for all， I definitely felt that it was essential to this book and brought it to life for the reader。 It is so scary and heartbreaking that all of these horrific crimes actually happened in real life， and is not just some sort of fictional writing。 It is a very descriptive， engaging， gripping， captivating， yet emotional read。 I love how dedicated Holes was to his career， to capturing justice for those effected by these horrendous crimes， and how hard he worked to find closure for the families of the victims of these crimes。 This book is a MUST for all my thriller and true crime friends out there！Thank you to Celadon Books for my gifted copy！ 。。。more
Jennifer Lauren
，
I’m a Paul Holes stan， so getting this arc made my day。 I’m fascinated by him & how his mind works。 This book was such an interesting read & I highly recommend it to any crime junkies out there！
Audra
，
As a true-crime podcast listener whose playlist includes Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad， I figured I knew what to expect with this book。 I wasn’t wrong， but I wasn’t completely correct either。 Holes’s memoir digs into his career as a cold case investigator。 He describes his progression through the ranks and takes readers along as he works on various cases， at times describing crime scenes in very graphic detail。 However， he also reveals his personal struggles with mental health， from anxiety As a true-crime podcast listener whose playlist includes Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad， I figured I knew what to expect with this book。 I wasn’t wrong， but I wasn’t completely correct either。 Holes’s memoir digs into his career as a cold case investigator。 He describes his progression through the ranks and takes readers along as he works on various cases， at times describing crime scenes in very graphic detail。 However， he also reveals his personal struggles with mental health， from anxiety that began in his youth to PTSD developed after exposure to numerous grisly crime scenes。 We learn how his obsession with cases impacted his personal relationships， including his relationship with his own family。 I appreciated that Holes mentions seeking treatment for these issues at several points throughout his life。I took some time to listen to the audio of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark for comparison。 McNamara’s book is almost entirely focused on GSK’s victims and the hunt to bring him to justice。 Holes definitely spends a good chunk of his book on that case， but he also describes other cases and focuses on his personal life。 His book feels like a memoir， while hers is more narrative nonfiction。Unmasked is a great introduction to several of Holes’s cases and the advancements in DNA technology that have increased law enforcement’s ability to find and apprehend violent offenders。 It would be an excellent starting point for someone just beginning to look into those topics， but further reading would be necessary for those seeking more detail about individual cases。 I very much enjoyed my reading experience with this book。Thank you so much to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for the ARC of Unmasked in exchange for my unbiased review！ 。。。more
Amie
，
RTC
Thebestdogmom
，
I read I’ll Be Gone in the Dark so I know the obsession that was involved with hunting down the GSK （EAR/ONS）。 Paul’s story really added some new dimension to that path。 But also it really showed how a career that you put your entire self into can have effects on your family that are not what you wanted。 It must have been hard for his family to deal with the obsessions of him being so committed to his work， but also I cannot imagine the stress of the pull he had to help solve these unsolved case I read I’ll Be Gone in the Dark so I know the obsession that was involved with hunting down the GSK （EAR/ONS）。 Paul’s story really added some new dimension to that path。 But also it really showed how a career that you put your entire self into can have effects on your family that are not what you wanted。 It must have been hard for his family to deal with the obsessions of him being so committed to his work， but also I cannot imagine the stress of the pull he had to help solve these unsolved cases。 I really enjoyed learning more about how the technology/science changed in analyzing DNA and solving crimes。 Thank you Paul for sharing your story。 。。。more
Katie/Doing Dewey
，
The intro to my review copy of this book was terrible - full of cliches that made me nervous about what I was getting into。 I'm guessing this section will be revised， because the rest of the book was at least well written enough to stay out of the way of the story。 It did have a few other problems throughout。 I'm not sure Paul Holes is sensitive enough in how he talks about victims of terrible crimes。 I also didn't love how often he told us how awesome he is at solving crimes and his emphasis on The intro to my review copy of this book was terrible - full of cliches that made me nervous about what I was getting into。 I'm guessing this section will be revised， because the rest of the book was at least well written enough to stay out of the way of the story。 It did have a few other problems throughout。 I'm not sure Paul Holes is sensitive enough in how he talks about victims of terrible crimes。 I also didn't love how often he told us how awesome he is at solving crimes and his emphasis on how amazingly empathetic he is。 However， these are problems I also had with his podcast， so if you like that， I think you're likely to enjoy his book。 Holes was very open about his personal life， including his marriage problems。 That made me a little less annoyed at how much he exposed details about the victims of crimes he discusses， because it seems like that might just be how he is， even about his own secrets。 He also shares an insider perspective of the capture of the Golden State Killer and his side of his relationships with Michelle McNamara。 Those were the highlights for me。 The other crimes he covered weren't particularly interesting and many were unsolved。 This isn't anything spectacular， but I think it delivers everything fans of Paul Holes would most want。This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey 。。。more
Rhiannon Johnson
，
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review。If it were possible to give this book more than 5 stars， I would。 I'm not someone who stays up late reading。 I just can't do it。 No matter how good the story is， my eyes are closing when my bedtime rolls around。 Not the case with Unmasked！ This book was exponentially better than I expected。。。and I already expected it to be good。 Readers are given insight into Holes' personal （nightmares， anxiety， marital problems） I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review。If it were possible to give this book more than 5 stars， I would。 I'm not someone who stays up late reading。 I just can't do it。 No matter how good the story is， my eyes are closing when my bedtime rolls around。 Not the case with Unmasked！ This book was exponentially better than I expected。。。and I already expected it to be good。 Readers are given insight into Holes' personal （nightmares， anxiety， marital problems） and professional （incompatible technologies， reluctant assistance from other counties and bureaus， unwanted promotions） struggles throughout his career。 He shares his successes （small and large）， but I found it fascinating that he shared his mistakes。 When we hear about solved cases， we are almost always given the timeline of a crime and a successful story of how the detectives connected the dots。 Rarely do we hear about the dead ends or how different departments/people prioritize themselves over the cases and victims。 Holes brings the inside scoop on the bureaucratic red tape blocking the genetic matching， arrest， and final conviction of the Golden State Killer。 I stayed up way too late reading this because I literally could not stop。 It might only be April， but I'm pretty sure this will be my favorite nonfiction book of 2022。 I'll be pushing this one on anyone who will listen。 Come chat with me about books here， too: Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest 。。。more
B。
，
I received an ARC of this book through the Celadon reader's program。 I've got to say that the tone of the book was really offputting。 Holes was very much in his own head， and the book is rife with allusions to the hard boiled detective of the 1940s。 Many of the cases covered in this book have been covered in other places， by better writers。 Add on to that Hole's constant self-justification for coloring outside of the lines and he comes across as rather a bit of an ass。 This dude's definitely no I received an ARC of this book through the Celadon reader's program。 I've got to say that the tone of the book was really offputting。 Holes was very much in his own head， and the book is rife with allusions to the hard boiled detective of the 1940s。 Many of the cases covered in this book have been covered in other places， by better writers。 Add on to that Hole's constant self-justification for coloring outside of the lines and he comes across as rather a bit of an ass。 This dude's definitely no John Douglas and it shows。 。。。more
Tamara
，
This memoir of the life and career of Paul Holes was amazing for a true crime fan like myself。 I followed and have read about several of the high profile cases that he worked on and his story give a whole other perspective。 Laci Peterson， Jaycee Dugard， and of course the Golden State Killer were just a few of the cases discussed。 I would have liked a deeper dive into some of the cases but I understand it’s a memoir and not a true crime documentary！Thanks to Celadon Books for the ARC！
Stacy40pages
，
Unmasked by Paul Holes with Robin Gaby Fisher。 Thanks to @celadonbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The detective that found the Golden State Killer takes us into his career and the toughest cases he’s cracked。 I am not a big true crime fan。 I’ve read a few but it’s never been my thing。 I still wanted to try this because of the reviews。 It was an incredible read！ Not a dull or boring moment， which in my opinion is rare for a non-fiction。 It was very fast paced and I flew through it。 Of course it Unmasked by Paul Holes with Robin Gaby Fisher。 Thanks to @celadonbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The detective that found the Golden State Killer takes us into his career and the toughest cases he’s cracked。 I am not a big true crime fan。 I’ve read a few but it’s never been my thing。 I still wanted to try this because of the reviews。 It was an incredible read！ Not a dull or boring moment， which in my opinion is rare for a non-fiction。 It was very fast paced and I flew through it。 Of course it was a difficult read， as it is graphic and reviews details of cases。 I loved how not only did we get into the cases， but Paul Holes allowed us to see a lot about himself as well。 “Few people know the pressures of the woeful world of homicide。 It’s a dreadful place， and not one to be entered lightly。 No one leaves unscathed， even the hardened professionals。”“That’s the thing about these tragedies。 There are so many victims。 So many shattered lives。 So many families torn apart。”Unmasked comes out 4/26。 。。。more
Monika
，
If you have read about Golden State Killer， you know who Paul Holes is。 No introduction needed for this cold case and forensic investigator。 Unmasked is his memoir。 He talks about the cases he has worked on， the procedures， profiling and his mental health。 We often don’t realise the toll these high stress jobs take！ There are a lot of crime investigative details that were fascinating to read， put together in small simple words！ A must read for true crime aficionados。 Thank you Celadon books for If you have read about Golden State Killer， you know who Paul Holes is。 No introduction needed for this cold case and forensic investigator。 Unmasked is his memoir。 He talks about the cases he has worked on， the procedures， profiling and his mental health。 We often don’t realise the toll these high stress jobs take！ There are a lot of crime investigative details that were fascinating to read， put together in small simple words！ A must read for true crime aficionados。 Thank you Celadon books for the arc。 。。。more
Kristi | Hidden Staircase |
，
This is one of those books where I think I need to tell you where I sit before I tell you where I stand。 First up…the genre。 I’ve been a true crime fan for decades。 （I blame A&E， I got hooked on true crime in the late 1990s/early 2000s。） Secondly – I’m a fan of Paul Holes。 I really enjoy his podcast （The Murder Squad） and I’ve watched several shows on TV that he’s involved in。 Also I should tell you that if you’re not into true crime， this is probably not the book for you。I first stumbled across This is one of those books where I think I need to tell you where I sit before I tell you where I stand。 First up…the genre。 I’ve been a true crime fan for decades。 （I blame A&E， I got hooked on true crime in the late 1990s/early 2000s。） Secondly – I’m a fan of Paul Holes。 I really enjoy his podcast （The Murder Squad） and I’ve watched several shows on TV that he’s involved in。 Also I should tell you that if you’re not into true crime， this is probably not the book for you。I first stumbled across the name Paul Holes in Michelle McNamara’s book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark; Michelle meets and befriends Paul in her search for the Golden State Killer。 I was really interested to pick up this book and learn more about Paul Holes’ career with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office， his work hunting for the Golden State Killer， and his work/life balance。 How do you witness these horrific scenes， hunt for the killer， and then put all that aside and come home to your family？Unmasked is really interesting， but a tough read at times。 Paul briefly touches on a lot of different cases throughout his career， spending the most time on his decades long passion to find the Golden State Killer。 At times， I would have liked more information on some of the cases。 Although I know that an in-depth look at some of these cases probably could be a whole book just by itself。 We see them from Paul’s perspective， which at times can be pretty graphic and unflinching。 Paul describes in the book his ability to compartmentalize his emotions and separate from the case， and I think his reflections in this memoir reflect that。Paul gets very involved in his cases， and his obsession in finding justice for the victims takes a huge toll on his family。 Throughout this memoir we see his lack of work/life balance， and his struggle to be there for his family while keeping his private promises of justice for the victims and their families。This memoir is a great look into the life of a criminologist who is obsessed with finding justice。 Paul is empathetic， dedicated， and detailed， and this book takes you through his lifelong journey to find answers and solve the toughest cases。 。。。more
Shelby
，