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The Misbegotten Son

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The Misbegotten Son

By: Jack Olsen
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
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About this listen

An account of the crimes of Arthur Shawcross describes how the paroled child killer shot, stabbed, suffocated, and strangled 16 Rochester, New York, prostitutes and examines how the legal system failed his victims.

©2014 Jack Olsen (P)2015 Evan Olsen, Su Olsen Murder True Crime Crime Mental Health
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I couldn’t stop listening. Such a well researched book, I love that we hear the backgrounds on a lot of the people. Very well narrated. I had watched documentaries on this madman before, but this was something else, it just gave you the whole story. A very sad story at that.

AMAZING

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Definitely have to give this book 5 stars all round, Kevin Pierce is a brilliant narrator, Jack Olsen brilliant crime writer. Enjoyed the book thoroughly. There’s nothing at all I didn’t like about. Highly recommended.

Brilliant

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I could listen to Kevin Pierce all day I have listened to a few books he has narrated. This was a horrible, sad story.

misbegotten son

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I was very quickly addicted to this book and found myself putting it on every chance I had. Narrator was great.

Highly Recommend

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Again..HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
Jack Olsen plus Kevin Pierce what more can you ask for…this incredibly researched story of true crime will have you captivated from start to finish
Can’t fault it any way

Now my problem is what to listen to next that won’t be disappointing after such an incredible listen
Thank you Audible

Sad, fascinating, brilliantly presented

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Well read and well written. Makes for great listening. Very hard to put down once you start.

Detailed and gripping

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A well researched story with a diagnosis at the end explaining what was wrong with this guy

Very interesting story with a surprising ending

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What made the experience of listening to The Misbegotten Son the most enjoyable?

Combination of a terrifically written book and great narrator.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Arthur Shawcross and the confounding psychological case study he represented.

What does Kevin Pierce bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I thought he did a great job finding the voice of the myriad characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Hearing about the mother of Shawcross' first (known) victim and the special bond that existed between that mother and the boy.

Any additional comments?

There's a lot of crappy or generic writing in the true crime genre.

This is definitely not the case with this book. Olsen is an excellent writer and brings gravitas, offering an incredibly layered and exhaustive account of all the people involved in the story, from the killer & his family, the investigators involved in tracking and apprehending him, as well as the victims and their families.

There was so much pathos in Olsen's writing that I found it more affecting than your average true crime book.

The book sometimes flits around through different times in the killer's life and writing in the voice of different characters, which some readers might find off-putting. I did not as I found it contributed to the rich mosaic of the world inhabited by these characters.

Great True Crime book

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An interesting insight once you get used to the writing style of jumping from one interview to another. Well narrated.

Interesting insight into a disturbed mind.

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Another fascinating work by Mr Olsen, and wonderfully narrated by Kevin Pierce. Some parts difficult to listen to but only because of the sheer vulgarity of the crimes that Shawcross committed. Not for the faint of heart. But that being said, highly recommended for true crime fans!

Brilliant.

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