The Kentucky Cannibal: The True Story of an Outlaw, Murderer and Man-Eater

True Crime

By: Ryan Green

Narrated by: Steve White

Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1850, following a divorce and a number of encounters with the law, Boone Helm headed "Out West" to chase the Californian Gold Rush with his cousin. When his cousin pulled out at the last minute, Helm was incensed, and brutally stabbed him to death. Helm was detained in an asylum for the mentally disturbed but managed to escape.

Helm continued his journey west with renewed vigour, where he opportunistically killed and consumed the flesh of adversaries and travelling companions, earning him the nickname "The Kentucky Cannibal". After several brutal months in the wilderness, he finally made it California. At a time where violence was the law of the land, Helm’s savage set of skills could finally be recognized and rewarded.

The Kentucky Cannibal is a riveting account of Boone Helm and his bloody exploits across the Wild West. Ryan Green’s entrancing narrative draws the listener into the real-live horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.

Caution: This book contains descriptive accounts of abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to listen any further.

©2020 Ryan Green (P)2020 Ryan Green

Great

Enjoyed every second of listening . I recommended it to some of my friends and they also enjoyed it. Keep up the good work.

If you like gruesome this is it

Narration is excellent - story is good too.... sometimes itc was hard to follow along bc I wasn't sure who he was talking about....sometimes things were unclear but good story.

Omg! Best *climax* eva!

I've come to expect greatness from the Green/White duo (I have every one of their audiobooks so far) and they certainly did not let me down this time. It's magic every time they put out a new story. I can't really explain it but it's as if Mr. White was born to read Mr. Green's work. White's voice is Green's work come to life. It's a perfect union. Now, as for KC - this book has the most crazy "OMG!" climax moment. You will be thinking and talking about it for weeks! And that's ALL I'm going to say about it. Trust me, you want to listen to this audiobook.

The wild west at its worst...

The Commonwealth of Kentucky has contributed such legendary historical figures as Judge Roy Bean, Jim Bowie, Kit Carson, and Abraham Lincoln. Less venerable figures include contemporary serial killers Donald Harvey and Charles Manson but also a truly contemptible frontiersman, the subject of this book, Boone Helm. The heinous acts of this man earned him an absolutely grisly but tragically appropriate moniker, the Kentucky Cannibal.

The harsh reality of the American frontier, in truth, had little in common with the highly glamorized depictions favored by Hollywood. Hardships and misfortune plagued the settlers who had to be made of grit and sheer determination to survive. The lawless, the vicious, and the greedy were only part of the peril that confronted the intrepid frontiersmen. (Think less Little House on the Prairie and more Bone Tomahawk). It is against this rugged backdrop that a boy grew into a man of extreme violence and perverse proclivities. The life and misdeeds of Boone Helm are thoroughly explored in this book and the author, Ryan Green, provides his customary blend of meticulously researched background with his astute psychological insight to provide an exceptional and riveting account of one of America’s most reprehensible contributions to history. Once again, I must comment on the stellar performance of Steve White as the narrator. He always brings a story and the characters alive and is a joy to listen to. I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone with an interest in true crime, historically accurate westerns, and students of criminology and behavioral sciences.

I was provided with a copy of this audiobook by the author and I am voluntarily offering my honest and unbiased review.

Wild West Man Eater

I just wish it was longer. What a GREAT story. bla bla bla bla

The Kentucky Cannibal

Boone Helm was a very interesting killer to learn about. The descriptions of the killings are very detailed and gory, but I feel that they needed to be to get the full picture of just how savage Boone was. I can't say this is a book that all True Crime fans would love, but if you are not the squeamish type, it is a very interesting and enjoyable book.

Wild West Murderer

Another great true crime tale written by Ryan Green. Boone Helm was born in Kentucky, but carried out a crime spree across the American frontier in the late 1800's. In the days before instant news and media, it is hard to know how many serial killers might have been active in those times.

Mr. Green has a knack of writing about true crime that is different than a lot of books in this genre. He takes the facts and writes them in a way that makes the story come alive instead of just writing dry facts. As you read this book, you can almost hear, feel and smell the story in your mind.

If you are squeamish, this might not be the book for you. But, since it IS titled with the word "Cannibal", you have been warned! Some of the images from this story will stick with me for a long time.

The narrator, Steve White, does a great job and adds a lot to the listener's enjoyment. I hope that Mr. Green continues to write true crime books for a long time for those of us who can't get our fill of them!

written like Biography

Love the Ryan writes! he rights his books like he is the person telling his story. This book is one of my favoites. Real american outlaw that ate what it took to stay alive amd shot who got in his way. A true honest outlaw in American history. Fasinating how he justified to himself his own actions! Really intriging to listen to. Bravo Ryan keep them coming!