John Crutchley seemed to be living the American Dream. Good-looking and blessed with a genius level IQ, he had a prestigious, white-collar job at a prominent government defense contractor, where he held top secret security clearance and handled projects for NASA and the Pentagon. To all outward appearances, he was a hard-working, successful family man with a lavish new house, a devoted wife, and a healthy young son. But, he concealed a hidden side of his personality, a dark secret tied to a hunger for blood and the overriding need to kill. As one of the most prolific serial killers in American history, Crutchley committed at least twelve murders, and possibly nearly three dozen. His IQ elipsed that of Ted Bundy, and his body count may have as well. While he stalked the streets hunting his unsuspecting victims, the residents of a quiet Florida town slept soundly, oblivious to the dark creature in their midst, unaware of the vampire next door. J.T. Hunter is an attorney with over fourteen years of experience practicing law, including criminal law and appeals, and he has significant training in criminal investigation techniques. He is also a college professor in Florida where his teaching interests focus on the intersection of criminal psychology, law, and literature. This is his debut true crime novel.

本作は、アメリカンドリームを体現するエリート技術者の仮面の下で、血を求める「吸血鬼」として生きた実在の殺人鬼、ジョン・クラッチリーの闇を暴く衝撃のノンフィクションです。IQ160を超える知性と政府機関での輝かしい経歴が、凄惨な犯行を覆い隠す隠れ蓑となっていた事実に、読者は背筋の凍るような戦慄を覚えるでしょう。知性と狂気が同居する人間の底知れぬ深淵が、克明に描き出されています。 刑事法と心理学に精通した著者J・T・ハンターは、単なる事件の記録に留まらず、社会の中に潜む「隣人の怪物」という普遍的な恐怖を文学的な鋭さで問いかけます。平穏な日常のすぐ隣で、冷徹な捕食者が息を潜めているという絶望的なパラドックスこそが本作の真骨頂です。真実が持つ凄みと、緻密な調査に裏打ちされた心理描写は、既存のクライムノベルを凌駕する重厚な読書体験を約束します。