• The Thief of All Light

  • Santero and Rein Thriller Series, Book 1
  • By: Bernard Schaffer
  • Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
  • Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Thief of All Light  By  cover art

The Thief of All Light

By: Bernard Schaffer
Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

"It was one thing to fantasize about evil, to reach into the darkness and play with it a little...."

Rookie cop Carrie Santero has always been fascinated by serial killers. As a teenager, she wrote a letter to Charles Manson in prison - and received a chilling reply. Then she came face to face with a child murderer in her small Pennsylvania town, an encounter that haunts her to this day.

Now, as a detective in training, she finally has her chance to make a difference; to hunt down a psychopathic sadist who embodies the very nature of evil itself.

"...but it was something different when it knew your name."

The killer draws inspiration from the most twisted minds in modern crime. Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Ed Gein. The Green River Killer. As the body count rises, Carrie and her boss, Chief Bill Waylon, realize they're dealing with an unpredictable "omnikiller" who cannot be profiled. Their only hope is to enlist the help of Jacob Rein, a brilliant but tarnished former detective who has plumbed the darkest recesses of the soul. Who has seen the heart of darkness. And whose insights on evil could lead Carrie to the point of no return.

©2018 Bernard Schaffer (P)2018 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

What listeners say about The Thief of All Light

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    26
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it, need a sequel

I purchased this book 2 days ago. Let me just say, I am no longer an avid reader but think The Thief of All Light book has just made me rethink TV vs reading . I am a huge baby when it comes to the dark so I started reading the book as soon as we got home and had to put it down at bedtime. I was so into the book I got up at 5:30 to walk 2 miles with the dogs and purchased the audio version so I could listen to the rest of it without delay. It is definitely full of suspense, horror, and reality. Of course my favorite character was Sgt. Kenderdine since I live with him but in reality your heart attaches to each and every character in this book and I can't see where the Nextbook take Carrie and the other officers.
it was a quick reading book because you get sucked in from the first chapter to the last. I hope the next book is released relatively fast. definitely could see this being a mini series!! I highly suggest you check out this book bye Bernard Schaffer.

Paula Burns

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating thriller, great narration

The Thief of All Light is a fascinating read. This is not your typical police procedural thriller as the author with his own experience as a cop has given both the characters and the plot a realism you rarely find in fiction. The story follows Carrie Santero a rookie cop and aspiring detective. Carrie is a smart and well developed character with some personal baggage. Then there's Jacob Rein a former detective disgraced and living in a self imposed hell. As the two get together along with Carrie's mentor and police chief Bill Waylon to catch a serial killer the story becomes a race against the clock and much more thrilling. The author did a great job building the story and developing all of the characters. 

The narrator in the audible version did an excellent job breathing life into the story and keeping me interested. I look forward to the next installment.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

WOW!

This was an exceptional book. Great storyline and action throughout. Characters are realistic and I loved the funny sarcasm between Santero and Rein.
Narration was also excellent. I hope this author comes out with #2 in the series quickly. After listening to it, I looked up the author and wasn't surprised to see he was indeed a police officer. I recommend this book to anyone who loves police procedurals and great amounts of suspense. JC

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

I cannot believe a real Detective wrote this!

You cannot suspend enough reality to enjoy this book!! A rookie detective woman who is a immature twit with impulse control issues is put in charge of her best friend’s murder case??? A man’s throat is cut but he gets up and keeps going and later still may live??!!! These issues took away from what could have been a good story. The dialogue was funny at times. But the story veers off into an alternate reality that kills it. The cop enters a house with a door that suddenly opens with no back up. Just stupid!
I really thought this would be an excellent book. I will stick to real writers !

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

4

I stuck with this until the end. It's
pretty good. If you wish to skip the boggy parts where the boy fallen from grace,and the lady cop
get to know one another - during the insane pace of the search for a crazed but cunning killer, feel free. excellent narrator. Good book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Miserable and offensive

I only finished it because I was in a book club, but if this is how police act during investigation, it's no wonder there's such a call to defund the police.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting, kept me wanting to listen to more.

This book will pull you in and have you wanting to know what happens next. Well written.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!