When a seven-year-old girl is abducted from her bed in a Chicago suburban murdered,

investigators suspect those closest to her.

A tumultuous search for her killer takes a series of shocking turns in this episode of Last Seen Alive is brought to you by Audible.

Audible offers a robust selection of true crime audio books, which I often indulge in when driving to and from work, and even when cooking dinner at home.

Right now, I'm listening to Unanswered Cries by Thomas French, and I've got to admit, this book has really sunk its hooks into me.

I'm going to be honest with you, and please know that I mean this in the best way possible.

This book gave me horrible nightmares

the day I started it, which is weird for me because I'm constantly exposed to stories of violent

crime, both through my listening choices and my actual job managing the evidence of real-life crime.

Nevertheless, I'm usually out the second my head hits the pillow, and I just don't dream

about these things. But this story is different. This story is head hits the pillow, and I just don't dream about these things.

But this story is different. This story is taken me by surprise and settled deep down into my

subconscious, apparently. I thought about it, and I think I know why this story is stuck with me.

It's not because of the writing or the narration, although they're high quality. It's because

of Karen, the homicide victim

who this story is all about. Karen stands out because she doesn't stand out, at least not in the

way we usually see in the news. She wasn't especially young or especially old, or helpless in any way.

She wasn't a mother, and she wasn't a bright young co-ed with her entire life on the horizon.

She was 36 years old, with a nuanced, past, and a hopeful future.

She loved and was loved in return, but when she was killed, it didn't make the headlines.

The truth is, she could have been any of us, and that, I think, is why her story really resonates with me.

So check out Karen's story.

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