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

Awesome book

I really enjoyed this book. Kept me going. Explained a lot of this killer. The back and forth and the lives of the victims were a great part of understanding this killer.

So interesting...

What a great and disturbing book. I couldn't stop listening. Hard at points because of the graphic nature but so insightful and interesting. The reader does a fantastic job by subtlety changing his voice for each person in the book. Great work.

Thought provoking

Arthur Shawcross was about as contemptible as a human being can be. In addition, and contrary to many psychiatrists assertions, and assertions of people who were actually romantically involved with him (go figure) he doesn't come across as particularly likable in any context. In fact, he comes across as quite the idiot. The type of person you would not want anything to do with under the best of circumstances.

The end of the book however, yields some thought provoking insights about his health, genetic make up, organic brain issues, as well as a strange biochemical condition. Makes his overall condition much more interesting.

excellent

this book was a good surprise. .ive read many true crime stories and not expected much from this one..but it was excellent

the serial just I never knew

being from nyc I took a dim view of Arthur Shawcross, killers like Dahmer, Gacy, and Bundy were much more interesting, I thought, than some guy from Rochester and some nowhere town way upstate.

I couldn't have been more wrong. narrated by the excellent as always Kevin Pierce, the misbegotten son takes on the challenge of telling the story of one of the worst serial killers the Empire State has ever known.

I especially enjoyed how so many big players in the story of the Genesee river killer got to say their piece. with so many rotating characters, success, narratives, and directions, it would've been easy to get lost in the shuffle, but Jack Olsen managed to be clear, concise,vs sensitive, and powerful.

I found out a lot about this brutal series of killings, and enjoyed the scientific theories behind why shawcross became the killer he was.

equal parts charming, gruesome, and yes, sad. sad for everyone involved, even shawcross to some extent. it kept my attention. if you like true crime books, then this one is a steal.

Stayed up all night to finish it.

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

The narration was impeccable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The mother of the little boy Jack. She was a force of nature.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt totally betrayed as a listener when I was suddenly forced to listen to the psychiatric report. Painful. I almost did not finish the book. I would never have dreamed in a million years someone could lay out a West Virginian for full display, but I have family there and it is on full volume here. Hilarious!

Any additional comments?

Onto reading the next Jack Olsen book. Consider me a fan.

great read if not his best book.

Son was better (same author and narrator), but still a great true crime novel. interesting look at how the system can fail.

My thoughts on this book...

Besides few mispronounced names of local (to me) communities where Shawcross lived after being released from killing the two kids, it is VERY obvious that the author put MANY countless hours of research in for the writing of life and crimes of this vile serial killer. While his life was enough to make anyone sick, there is a lot of insight in this book. I'm sure I will have nightmares for a very long time.

Awesome writing!

I began listening to the Misbegotten Son with the feeling that this book was
going to be good. It was great! Well written with a lot of informational facts. The Narrator did a really good job.
The only thing I wasn't keen on was the different voices he used. This was not a turnoff but a little distracting (for me).
Jack Olsen is an author I will follow. I looked forward to listening to more of his titles but I wasn't too sure of the narrator. Olsen's other books are read by the same Kevin Pierce.
A disappointment but I sampled a few other titles and Piece sounds perfect.
So I will be listening to as many as I find.
If you can stomach true crime you'll love the Misbegotten Son.

Could not stop listening

Probably the best Non-fiction book I've ever listened to. We listened to this book in awe.