As a young man, Arthur J. Shawcross killed two young children in his hometown of Watertown, New York. After serving only 15 years, he was released and moved to Rochester.
It was there that Shawcross would go on to kill eleven women – becoming known as The Genesee River Killer - before being captured.
Why would New York prison officials release a sadistic child killer despite psychiatric reports recommending otherwise?  And how could a man who seemed to have an otherwise ordinary upbringing turn into a vicious killer?
True crime author Jack Olsen shifts his usual  West coast focus eastward stories to introduce readers to the evil that lurked among the streets of Rochester in The Misbegotten Son.
Readers are given an in-depth look into the life of Arthur J. Shawcross; from his early proclamations of childhood abuse to his prison interviews while awaiting trial as a 45-year-old serial killer.
I have read numerous Jack Olsen books and have always considered him to be one of the best true crime writers out there. Unfortunately, with The Misbegotten Son, I found myself getting a little bogged down with the detective interviews. While interesting, at times they were a bit repetitious and full of useless information.
That petty complaint aside, I highly recommend reading The Misbegotten Son as it is most definitely an interesting true crime case.
Other books on this case:Â Arthur Shawcross: The Genesee River Killer : The Grisly True Crime Account of the Rochester Prostitute Murders by Joel Norris.
Updates on Arthur J. Shawcross and others involved in this case:  On the evening of November 10, 2008, Arthur Shawcross passed away at the Albany Medical Center, where he was taken after complaining of chest pains to New York prison officials. His cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest.
He was cremated in a private ceremony and his ashes placed in possession of his only daughter, Margaret Deming of Brooklyn, New York.
Before his death…. In 1994, his wife at the time of his divorce, Rose Marie Wallace, filed for and was subsequently granted a divorce. In 1997, he married his long time mistress, Clara D. Neal.  They divorced several years later due to her infidelity.
Mary Blake, mother of Shawcross’ first known victim Jack Blake, passed away on January 1, 2004, at the age of 69. Cause of death was listed as congestive heart failure.
