The Misbegotten Son

By: Jack Olsen

Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

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

Dynamic Duo

The combination of Jack Olsen and Kevin Pierce is as close to true crime Audible heaven as you can get. Jack Olsen is able to go into immense details about the criminal, the crimes and the victims without bogging down the pace and readability of the story. It's no wonder he has such respect among other true crime authors. He's quite simply the best in my view. After thoroughly enjoying my 4th book with the Olsen and Pierce duo, I was compelled to finally write a review, which I typically don't do, in the hopes others will discover their work. Finally, Pierce is a master narrator, with or without Olsen.

Great story!

I hadn't heard of art shawcross until I read this book, it is an amazing book. I can't believe the stupidity of the women who have been with this guy. Idiots. The book really illustrates the hardships of the prostitutes in the story, and does a great job of showing the girls as human beings.

I may have found a new g

This was my first foray into true crime. I wasn't sure what to expect, but as an avid watcher of Investigation Discovery I was right at home. Surprisingly I was never bored even though it was just focused on one person. Pierce has one of those pleasant voices that still exudes authority without being abrasive. Olsen has clearly done his research and weaves a compelling illustration of the tragedy that was the life and actions of Arthur John Shawcross. Having no other experience with the genre for comparison I cannot tell you if this is an exceptional true crime experience or not/ Regardless I enjoyed it immensely. This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

Amazing story!

This was one of the best crime novels I have ever read. I loved the extensive details which gave me a fantastic understanding if the victims and the killer.

Well written and well read - VERY interesting!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely and already told my sister Leslie about it! Very informational

Which character – as performed by Kevin Pierce – was your favorite?

I really don't know because every one he did was different. Mr. Pierce is very good at this!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Fascinating in an unexpected way!

If you could sum up The Misbegotten Son in three words, what would they be?

Thorough, humanizing, complex.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

It is unusual to know the backgrounds and perspectives of the victims and their families so thoroughly. Sometimes we read true crime stories to know the mind of the criminal and the victim's stories become subservient to that examination. The well-woven addition of the perspectives of the families, detectives, psychologists, and even the criminal himself create a full picture rather than a cheap sensationalization of a horrific series of violent crimes.

What about Kevin Pierce’s performance did you like?

His performance brought each character to life. There was none of that odd phrasing, ill-fitted intonation, or monotonous tone that you sometimes find with various audiobooks. He nailed the local dialects.

If you could give The Misbegotten Son a new subtitle, what would it be?

A System of Injustice

Amazing True Crime

Fact is stranger than fiction. This is the story of a serial killer who was released from prison only to go on another killing spree. The details of the murders, some involving children, are chilling. But the author’s focus on the “why” is a fresh approach to the true crime genre. Well researched and written, this tale left me wanting to know more about the psyche of the killer. His strangeness will give me nightmares.

Haunting... Just so sad.

You can tell in the narrator's voice when telling the story about Mrs. Hill and her little daughter Karen Hill it was extremely hard for him to get through. It was so well done. You can't help but feel such anger and frustration for the family. That story crushed me. I had to stop listening for a bit and shake it off before continuing. God that was rough. I can't even imagine that families pain. Fantastic listen but so so sad. Brace yourself for each of these murders.

WOW!!

Well, the duo have done it again!! Jack & Kevin together make a great untouchable team , Jack is the very BEST of crime writers , he reels you in from the first sentence, his incredible research on the subjects he writes about is so in depth! Kevin brings it to life w/his fantastic narration abilities. Great book all the way around , you won’t be disappointed.
However , if you are a bit queasy when it comes to details re:death , rape, etc.. please be aware that many parts of this book is detailed
crime scenes and may make you uneasy..

Unhinged from Birth

A truly pathetic ,possibly preventable horror story. Read or listen to form your own opinion. I was always taught to think in terms like nature of nurture. Mother nature can be cruel from the moment of conception in cases like this. This is tough to listen to, but instructive if followed to the conclusion. Terrific research, and K.P. Narration great as usual.