Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent's Search for Hope and Justice

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The memoir blends the procedural details of a true crime investigation with supernatural events. How did this combination of genres affect your reading experience and your perception of the story’s credibility?

2. Robert Hilland is a classic, evidence-based detective whose worldview is shattered by his experiences. How does his journey compare to the journalistic, fact-driven style of other true crime narratives, such as Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood (1965)? What does Chasing Evil gain or lose by embracing the paranormal?

3. What was the most memorable or chilling moment in the book for you, and why did it stand out?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Before reading this book, what were your thoughts on psychic abilities, and did Hilland’s journey from skeptic to believer influence your perspective in any way?

2. Hilland’s obsession with the John Smith case is a driving force in the narrative, but it comes at a great personal cost. Have you ever felt a similar all-consuming dedication to a goal or project, and how did you balance that with other parts of your life?

3. When has your own intuition or “gut feeling” guided a decision you’ve made?

4. Consider the book’s depiction of evil, from the insidious manipulation of John Smith to the large-scale tragedy of 9/11. How do you personally define “evil”?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The guide notes law enforcement’s deep-seated skepticism toward using psychics. Why do you think this institutional attitude exists, and does this memoir make a convincing case for why police agencies should be more open to unconventional methods?

2. The investigation was complicated by a media frenzy during the Grace Lane excavation, with false reports about Jimmy Hoffa. How does this incident reflect the role of the media in modern true-crime cases, and what are the potential benefits and drawbacks of such public attention?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What is the effect of the choice to employ Hilland’s first-person perspective throughout most of the memoir? How does this technique shape your understanding of his partnership with John Edward and the central theme of intuition versus evidence?

2. The memoir describes John Smith as a “chameleon” who masterfully performs different identities. How do the authors build this characterization through the accounts of witnesses like Janice Miller and Terry Poszier?

3. Why do you think the authors chose to open the book with the 2015 Noah Thomas case instead of starting the John Smith investigation chronologically?

4. The narrative dynamic between the skeptic Hilland and the believer Edward is central to the book. How does their partnership compare to other famous investigative duos who represent logic and intuition, such as Mulder and Scully from The X-Files?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were creating a museum exhibit titled “Chasing Evil,” which three objects from the investigation would you choose as centerpieces, and what story would each tell about the book’s themes?

2. Hilland grapples with bizarre and frightening events while trying to remain a grounded FBI agent. If you were in his shoes, what personal ritual or coping mechanism might you have developed to manage the psychological stress of living in both the logical and spiritual worlds?