The Pursued
- Judith D Collins
- Dec 1
- 4 min read
A True Story of Stalking, Memory, and Madness in America's Heartland
By: Corey Mead
Narrator: Nikki Zakocs
Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 978-1662527814
Publisher: Little A
Publication Date:12/01/2025
Format: e-book
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
The terrifying true story of a woman at war with a violent stalker who eluded the police for years―until they found the truth in the last place anyone would have dared to look.
From 1977 to 1981, Ruth Finley, an ordinary wife and mother from Kansas, was tormented by an elusive maniac known as the Poet. The police, already on edge from BTK’s reign of terror, spent years searching for the stalker. Meanwhile, his cryptic letters in rhymed verse grew more disturbing and violent, spilling into deeds like stabbing and kidnapping.
In this propulsive nonfiction account, as Ruth is surveilled from all sides, her nightmare takes a chilling turn: The stalker is no stranger at all. It’s someone the police have been close to for years, someone nearer to home than Ruth dared to admit. The revelation recasts what seemed like a cruel twist of fate as something far more disturbing.
The Pursued is not just a gripping true-crime story. It’s also a darkly textured portrait of the deceptions that drive us and the explosive reckonings that occur when they finally tumble down.
My Review
THE PURSUED: A True Story of Stalking, Memory, and Madness in America's Heartland by Corey Mead is a chilling non-fiction narrative that chronicles the harrowing true story of Ruth Finley, a seemingly ordinary woman from Kansas whose life is turned into a living nightmare by a relentless stalker known ominously as "The Poet."
Set against the unsettling backdrop of the BTK killer's terror in Wichita during the late 1970s, the book unfurls a tale of escalating psychological torment and physical violence that captures the reader's attention and heart.
About...
In Wichita, Kansas, from 1977 to 1981, Ruth Finley, a 48-year-old devoted wife to her husband Ed and mother of two grown sons, Brent and Bruce, finds herself plunged into fear and dread. As an empty nester, Ruth’s life takes a dark turn when she is targeted by an anonymous individual, who identifies himself as "The Poet."
The stalker’s sinister communications consist of cryptic letters, hauntingly penned in rhyming verse, which begin innocuously but soon spiral into increasingly violent and unsettling threats. As his audacious actions progress from mere words to horrific physical acts, including stabbing and kidnapping attempts, Ruth's world shrinks further into the shadows of terror.
Law enforcement becomes deeply entwined in the search for The Poet, but their efforts are complicated by the chilling reality of the active BTK serial killer terrorizing the same region. The eerie overlap of these two terrifying narratives creates a palpable tension, as the elusive stalker continues to evade capture for years.
The Revelation: The heart-stopping twist of the story comes when the stalker’s identity is finally uncovered. In a shocking turn of events, it is revealed that the perpetrator is someone intimately connected to Ruth's life—someone who has been lurking in the shadows, existing close to her home and her sense of safety all along.
My Thoughts...
THE PURSUED is not a light read; it bears the weight of trauma and unsettling truths that may trigger deep emotions. Corey Mead crafts the narrative with exquisite skill, painting vivid images and emotions with his prose. The exploration of deception and the scars of trauma is profound, raising questions about why such horrors can remain hidden even when they are right before our eyes.
The narrative delves deeply into the psychological turmoil of both the victim and the perpetrator, providing a nuanced character study that is both moving and unsettling. As the story unfolds to its disturbing conclusion, the reader is left grappling with the heavy themes of mental illness, obsession, and the fragility of human memory.
Rich in psychological complexity, the writing immerses the reader in an atmosphere that is both absorbing and intense, maintaining an almost thriller-like quality that leaves you questioning the boundaries between reality and fiction. Mead’s meticulous research lends authenticity to this powerful true-crime account, culminating in a shocking revelation for those unfamiliar with the events before diving into the pages. A story that will remain with you long after the book ends.
The Author...
Corey Mead is an Associate Professor of English at Baruch College, City University of New York. He is the author of Angelic Music: The Story of Benjamin Franklin’s Glass Armonica and War Play: Video Games and the Future of Armed Conflict. His work has appeared in Time, Salon, The Daily Beast, and numerous literary journals.
Recommendations...
THE PURSUED is an essential read for true crime enthusiasts. Once you start this gripping account, you may find yourself drawn into a profound examination of the nature of fear and crime, especially when drawing comparisons between the BTK murders—perpetrated by Dennis Rader, a man living a duplicitous life as a family man and church leader—and the ominous figure of The Poet in the Ruth Finley case.
This gripping true story has not only been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show but is also depicted in the 2024 Lifetime movie, The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story, a cinematic exploration of Ruth Finley’s life during this terrifying chapter, featuring Teri Hatcher in the role of Ruth.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Dec 1, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
From the Publisher
This true crime story about a Midwestern family woman who is terrorized amid the search for the BTK killer leads the reader down a twisting pathway of mental illness in a race to uncover the truth. Written by celebrated author Corey Mead, this story reads like a thriller and had me hooked to the very end.
—Laura Van der Veer, Editor
About the Author
Corey Mead is an associate professor of English at Baruch College, City University of New York. He is the author of four books, including The Hidden History of the White House and Angelic Music: The Story of Benjamin Franklin’s Glass Armonica. His work has appeared in Time, Salon, The Daily Beast, and numerous literary journals. READ MORE
