Rinek’s In the Name of the Children is a gritty walk on the dark side of humanity. For decades, Rinek worked as an FBI agent, devoted to bringing to justice some of the most depraved among the criminal element- those who would abuse and exploit children. Kidnapping, assault, sexual abuse, torture, murder, and more, Rinek has seen it all.

The first chapter- Jeffrey- is a mini-autobiography for Rinek himself, detailing how he became an agent, and niched himself into this particular division. Each chapter after discusses various cases the author worked on, except for the last which covers Rinek’s own family, and how the cases affected him and them. You cannot fight monsters and not suffer from the trauma of it. It costs you, leaving behind a sticky mental residue that never fully comes clean. In Rinek’s case, working on cases of missing, exploited, or murdered children left him suicidal at times, and gripped by PTSD. With a unique empathy-oriented interrogation style, and fierce determination, Rinek has succeeded in bringing some of the worst offenders to justice. This is hard work, the ugliest side of humanity, a side no-one should ever be exposed to. Yet it exists, and it is people like Agent Rinek who help keep it under control. It is work that take a toll on the soul, affecting not just the investigators, but their families as well.

I’m an empathetic person myself, and have an interest in forensics. Medical complications put paid to that career path, but I realise now how good a thing that was. I would have burnt out quickly from the onslaught of such heinous acts as one human can afflict upon another. I have the greatest respect for Rinek, and those like him, who keep up the fight despite its toll.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and BenBella Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.