Listen free for 30 days

  • In Light of All Darkness

  • Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child
  • Written by: Kim Cross
  • Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
  • Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
In Light of All Darkness cover art

In Light of All Darkness

Written by: Kim Cross
Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $45.74

Buy Now for $45.74

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Paced like a thriller and full of insider information on the history and science of Crime Scene Investigation, In Light of All Darkness embeds listeners in one of the most famous true-crime stories of our generation—the kidnapping of Polly Klaas—a case as pivotal in the history of the FBI as the Unabomber or Oklahoma City bombing.

On October 1, 1993, a 12-year-old girl was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom in Petaluma, California, during a sleepover with two friends, while her mother slept soundly in the room next door. This rarest of all kidnappings—a stranger abduction from the home—triggered one of the largest manhunts in FBI history.

Many Americans remember Polly's face, which appeared on the national news every night, on the cover of People magazine, and on more than 8 million flyers distributed as far as China. The emotional gravity of Polly’s story touched every agent, police officer, and forensic technician who worked on her case. Many of these investigators have never shared their stories—until now.

New York Times bestselling author Kim Cross has written the first comprehensive account of what happened on that fateful night in October, as well as how the case forever transformed the Bureau’s approach to solving crimes. With unprecedented access to case files, crime scene photos, a videotaped murder confession, and inside sources, In Light of All Darkness follows the investigators who pieced together the evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of the kidnapper—and made the victim a household name and a girl who will never be forgotten.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Kim Cross (P)2023 Grand Central Publishing

What the critics say

“Kim Cross has taken a story we thought we knew and shown so much more, a life beyond the headlines. I cut myself on parts of it, as the author put a human face—and spirit—on this great sadness, and the mystery that haunted us. It is written without adornment, but still rich in details. That is a hard thing to do.”—Rick Bragg, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

"Riveting… reported with empathy and Cross’s signature combination of unflinching detail and gut-punching revelations."—Beth Macy author of Dopesick and Raising Lazarus

"A terrifying story told with compassion, empathy, and insight. Meticulously researched, In Light of All Darkness illuminates a murder that stunned the nation and the complex forensic science used to solve the case. Try as I might, I couldn’t turn these heart-thumping pages fast enough–and neither, I suspect, will you."—Kathryn Miles, author of Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders

What listeners say about In Light of All Darkness

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.