I don't read a lot of true crime. I remember reading Tim Cahill's book,
Buried Dreams: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer, and getting incredibly depressed. I later read that writing it depressed Cahill also. (I'm a big fan of his adventure essays, particularly the collection
Jaguars Ripped My Flesh.) When I was researching Whipping Boy, I watched a lot of
Forensic Files and Youtube videos on various subjects. But I had never heard of Lt. Joe Kenda,
Homicide Hunter, until Thanksgiving last year when the family gathered to binge-watch the program.
In a world where so much crime goes unsolved, it's comforting to know that
Kenda (retired from the Colorado Springs police department) had a phenomenal "clearance rate." He solved nearly 400 homicides during his career and watching the show is kind of like a master class in investigative procedure and criminal psychology. Plus, the man's bone-dry sense of humor tickles me and has inspired dozens of memes. I got caught up on
Homicide Hunter this Thanksgiving. Can't wait until next year!
