True Crime Addict

February 8, 2016
In this in-depth crime exploration, journalist Renner (The Serial Killer’s Apprentice) pursues the truth behind the disappearance of Maura Murray, a University of Massachusetts student who vanished in 2004 after a car accident in the mountains of New Hampshire, while tying his interest in the case to his own troubled life. The conflicting evidence surrounding Murray’s disappearance and the events leading up to her last sighting have baffled investigators and authorities for over a decade, with theories ranging from abduction to suicide to a voluntary disappearance on her part. Renner describes his own private investigation, which borders on obsessive, as he tracks down Murray’s friends and family, often contacting them despite their wishes to be left alone, running down cold trails and wild leads. He recounts the years of research, utilizing the collective efforts of amateur sleuths on the Internet, and his own inexhaustible skills, all of which leads him to some sort of conclusion. While this is clearly the definitive write-up on Murray’s story to date, Renner’s personal involvement in the case—and his self-destructive, relentless dedication to confronting the darkness at the heart of it—is the more noteworthy component of the narrative. Agent: Yishai Seidman, Dunow, Carlson, and Lerner.

Starred review from March 1, 2016

Former investigative journalist Renner (The Great Forgetting) takes the reader on his dark journey unraveling the disappearance of University of Massachusetts Amherst student Maura Murray, who went missing in 2004. Having to sift through over a decade's worth of stories and evidence, Renner keeps digging until the toll of his obsession creeps into his personal life. The author first heard of Murray's story on a 20/20 episode and, having experience with similar cases, dives right in. Renner shares snippets of his own life while collecting bits of Murray's, almost balancing out the scales of information. The mystery of Murray's whereabouts is baffling. From descriptions of her father who doesn't want to talk about the case to potential ties to Dennis Rader, the BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill) serial killer, Renner keeps searching for the truth before the case consumes him. His chipping away at the facts of a ten-year-old case makes the reader hope that, in the end, the answers will be uncovered. VERDICT An entrancing, brilliant next step for fans of the podcast Serial, Netflix's Making a Murderer, and other true crime cases.--Ryan Claringbole, Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison, WI

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