Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases by Paul Holes and Robin Gaby Fisher
Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases is the autobiography of retired detective Paul Holes. Holes shares details of his early life and how he was drawn to the police investigation career. In 1990, Holes was offered a forensic toxicologist position at Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. After a year in that position, he trained at the police academy and became a criminal profiler. He worked on many high-profile cases throughout his career, including Laci Peterson, Jaycee Dugard, and the Golden State Killer (Joseph James DeAngelo). Holes played a crucial role in using DNA analysis and genetic genealogy in solving cold cases. These methods have been used to identify suspects in unsolved cases for years. The Golden State Killer Case, in which Holes played a key role, is an example of this technology's power. Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases is a remarkable book that offers a fascinating glimpse into a forensic investigation. Holes' dedication to his work and determination to bring closure to victims' families is truly inspiring, and his insights into the criminal mind are both chilling and enlightening.
Holes' writing style is clear and concise, making complex subjects easy to understand. He is honest about his law enforcement career's toll on his personal life. The long, stressful work hours he had resulted in one divorce, a second strained marriage, and becoming a distant father to his four kids. Holes turned to alcohol to cope with the nightmares and PTSD that came with the daily trauma of the job. His honesty and dedication to the victim make the book intriguing and hard to put down.
Chase the Darkness with Me by Billy Jensen
Billy Jensen opens his autobiography with the description of Marques Gaine's murder with no suspects in custody. Jensen weaves this case throughout his story to explain how he uses the power of the media to provide exposure to cold cases. Jensen relays memories of his father sitting with him each evening in 1977 and relaying the daily news to him. At the time, the Son of Sam killer, David Berkowitz, was just apprehended.
Jensen started his writing career as a freelance crime reporter for the New York Times. His first homicide story was about a pregnant woman's body being discovered in a barrel in a homeowner's crawlspace. Jensen's phone call to the former homeowner, Howard Elkins, broke the case open. The woman was later identified as Reyna Angélica Marroquín. Elkins' suicide has been viewed by many as a confession. Jensen would pursue many other unsolved homicides, including the Golden State Killer case. While many still go unsolved, it has not diminished Jensen's desire to help families find justice.
Jensen seamlessly weaves together his pursuit of justice with his own story of anxiety and how his work as an investigative journalist helped him find meaning in his life. He also provides insight into the complex issues surrounding the criminal justice system and the impact of cold cases on victims' families. Jensen also does not shy away from telling the emotional toll his work has taken on himself and those around him.
My thoughts...
Paul Holes and Billy Jensen became friends through a mutual friend, Michelle McNamara. Michelle McNamara extensively researched the East Area Rapist/Original Nightstalker cases. An unknown perpetrator was tied to over 120 burglaries, 51 rapes, and 13 murders in California, spanning 12 years. McNamara was writing I'll Be Gone in the Dark when she unexpectedly passed away in 2016, before the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. in 2018. Holes and Jensen contributed to the completion of her book.
Holes and Jensen went on to host the podcast Jensen & Holes: The Murder Squad from 2019-2022. Individually, they pursued other podcast opportunities such as Unraveled, True Crime Daily, Buried Bones, and A Devil in the Valley.
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