In light of all darkness Inside the Polly Klaas kidnapping and the search for America's child

For this stirring account of the 1993 kidnapping and murder of Californian 12-year-old Polly Klaas, a tragedy that captured America's heart, Cross leveraged family connections to gain extraordinary access to primary sources and investigative teams. She assiduously avoids including unverified facts and dramatization and places emphasis on how the Klaas case directed the development and refinement of investigative methods used by local and federal law enforcement. The case's notoriety meant that every moment of the search fell under nationwide scrutiny, and all elements of the investigation underwent an exhaustive review to identify needed improvements. An epilogue describes the degree of collateral suffering experienced by the family, investigators, and those who followed the case in the news. Cross condemns the persistent unequal amounts of resources and media coverage devoted to similar crimes when the victim belongs to a minority or marginalized group. Cross' coverage is polished and respectful, with a clear expression of ideas and heartfelt but dispassionate reporting. True crime and police procedural aficionados will find her treatment thoroughly informative and incredibly moving.

An in-depth account of the lengthy investigation into the 1993 abduction of 12-year-old Polly Klaas from her home in Petaluma, California. Cross, author of What Stands in a Storm, writes, "I am the daughter-in-law of Eddie Freyer, the FBI case agent in charge of the [Klaas case]," a connection that granted the author unprecedented access. She was drawn to this project in part because of the case's significance in terms of how it used technology "at the dawn of the Internet age" and investigative skills that, as one agent told her, "changed the way the FBI does business." Over 42 tight chapters, each as searing as the next, Cross chronologically pieces together the narratives: the knifepoint "stranger abduction" during a slumber party at Klaas' house; reports from neighbors and police of a trespasser the same night; and forensics work of the FBI's Evidence Response Teams ("these mavericks were initially considered rogues") and their lifting of a partial palm print that ultimately helped to convict. The author accounts for all of the investigative angles and tactics, worthwhile and otherwise, in addition to logistics--e.g., reports being "handwritten or typed" and the challenge of a "paper-based lead-tracking system." Word of Klaas' disappearance spread via the news, word of mouth, and flyers. This suspenseful narrative includes the trails of clues that led to the arrest and conviction of Richard Allen Davis, who was found guilty of abducting and murdering Klaas. Cross points to the "brutal interrogation" of the victim's two sleepover guests as "one of the biggest mistakes of the case." Despite her family's involvement with the case, the author comes across as objective. Her credibility stems from her criticisms of systematic failures and her orchestration of innumerable personal and technical details, and she effectively humanizes the victim and others involved in the case. A riveting tale that demonstrates the investigation's effect on solving cases even three decades later. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.