«Bogeyman» by Steve Jackson

The inspirational true crime story describing in dramatic detail the efforts of tenacious Texas lawmen to solve the cold case murders of three little girls and hold their killer accountable for his horrific crimes. An incredible police procedural that begins in January 1985 and in a very real sense continues to this day as police detectives push to bring other cases against serial child killer David Elliott Penton.

From the book:
«For years he'd stalked elementary schools, neighborhoods and playgrounds looking for young girls to abduct, rape and murder. With some exceptions, he concentrated on black, Asian or Hispanic girls living in low-income areas. He thought of them as "throwaway kids"-hardly missed, and soon forgotten, except by those who loved them; just sad cold case files gathering dust in police records rooms. As though invisible, he brazenly struck in broad daylight, pulling children into his van or cars, or he crept into homes in the dead of night to carry away little girls while their families slept. He was every parent's worst nightmare. The bogeyman they warned their children about disguised as the friendly stranger who offered candy, cookies and ice cream to entice his victims close enough to grab. The fiend who lurked in the shadows outside of bedroom windows."

«Jackson gives a master class on true crime reporting in BOGEYMAN. He writes with both muscle and heart.» –Gregg Olsen, New York Times bestselling author of IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU "Absorbing and haunting! BOGEYMAN spills creepily across the page with Steve Jackson's hellacious verve and insight, reminding us there are few better explorers of the American berserk."–Ron Franscell, bestselling author of THE DARKEST NIGHT

«Steve Jackson's latest, BOGEYMAN, reveals a living, breathing nightmare that haunted parents, as well as detectives. Be sure to add it to your reading list if you're a fan of true crime books.» Aaron Habel, host of Generation Why Podcast

«Jackson writes deeply… It's all in BOGEYMAN, a fascinating, well-paced read about the lows and highs of cold case investigations.»–bestselling author and forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland in Psychology Today.

«After having read his riveting MONSTER non-stop, I didn't see how Steve Jackson could top Steve Jackson with BOGEYMAN. I can't say he has, as they are both equally riveting. In BOGEYMAN, he doesn't so much focus on the monster he calls “the darkness,” but on the fine detectives who made it their life mission to put an end to his reign of terror. I highly recommend both fine works!”– Diana Montane, bestselling co-author of MISSING & PRESUMED DEAD.

From the Author:
«I think what made BOGEYMAN unique for me as a writer wasn't the killer's story, or even the exceptional detective work that went into bringing David Penton to justice. The book gives us a poignant and powerful inside look at the emotional, psychological and physical toll a case like this has on the men and women of law enforcement, as well as on their families; those usually unseen, and rarely revealed, stories of courage, faith and sacrifice on behalf of the victims, the victims' families, and their communities.»