Paul Holes was a criminologist for Contra Costa County, near San Francisco, CA. His work largely involved collection and processing of physical evidence, mostly for rapes and homicides. Some of the higher profile cases he worked on were Laci Peterson’s murder, the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard, and his obsession with the Golden State Killer, made famous in Michelle McNamara’s book, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. McNamara was a journalist and blogger on true crime and worked on the case for several years. She collaborated with Holes, and with many in law enforcement, until her untimely death. Thanks to the development of DNA, and in particular the cooperation of DNA-collecting companies like Ancestry.com, a relative of the predator led to the identification of Joseph Deangelo.

Holes demonstrates the single-mindedness and dedication required to see these cases to successful resolution. He feels a deep sense of commitment to the victims and their families, to give everything he can to help them receive as much peace as is possible. Unfortunately, Holes has no sense of work-life balance— his first wife and two children are completely ignored and virtually abandoned as he spends all his time working, and the relationship ends in divorce. His second marriage, with two more children almost suffers the same fate. Holes retires, and his wife makes it clear to him that it is time to be with his family, and to seek therapy. This relationship could have suffered the same fate as his first if it wasn’t for the timing of his retirement.

The problem is largely Holes’ extreme commitment to his work, but also the great difficulty of seeing horrific scenes and needing to stay analytical, cool-headed and rational in order to collect evidence and pursue perpetrators. It is a common problem for people dedicated to their careers in law enforcement, to constantly be exposed to the very worst humans inflict on each other, and trying to handle post traumatic stress while performing their jobs effectively. Who can listen to their experiences, so they can unload the emotional burdens? This book was written with raw honesty, and is fascinating for those who love true crime stories. Recommended.