Book Synopsis

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND A LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2025

How a skeptical FBI agent reached out to a famous psychic for help on a baffling case - and the twenty-five-year crime-solving journey that followed

In the summer of 1998, FBI agent Bob Hilland reluctantly picked up the phone to call the famous psychic John Edward. Bob didn't expect much from the call, but he was working on an unsolvable cold case and had nowhere else to turn.

What Bob never imagined was that the call would lead to a shattering of all his preconceived notions, a huge break in the cold case, and an unlikely crime-solving partnership that spanned twenty-five years.

As Bob and John took on more cases together, they slowly learned how to rely on each other and trust their skills, ultimately finding not only justice for the crimes they solved, but resolution and healing in their own lives.

Centering on the investigation of the gruesome John Smith murders that rocked the nation, Chasing Evil is a heart-stopping story of murder, justice, and finding help in unexpected places.

Review Quotes

"Hilland's story is so unbelievably captivating, it almost doesn't seem real . . . in more ways than one. [...] Even doubters will appreciate this action-packed memoir. The psychic inclusions are earnest, no efforts are made to convert readers, and the friendship between the two men is touching. True crime fans and cynics alike won't be able to put this riveting story down." --Booklist, starred review

"This riveting true crime book is a thriller, a memoir, and a meditation on the unknown, with all the intensity of a big-screen drama and the soul of deeply personal reckonings. [...] The tension is relentless, the writing cinematic, and the tone urgent. What truly sets this work apart is its grappling with the nature of evil. [...] An intensely honest and visceral journey into darkness, intuition, and the pursuit of justice; a must-have." -Library Journal, starred review

"An amazing story about the unique relationship between an FBI agent and a psychic who team up to solve crimes together. Stranger than fiction, but all true. A secret relationship that was even secret from the FBI. You won't want to put this book down." -John Miller, CNN Chief Law Enforcement Analyst, former NYPD Deputy Commissioner

"Storytelling at its best. Agent Hilland and psychic medium John Edward make an unlikely crime-solving duo in this riveting account of one law enforcement officer's undying determination to stop a serial killer. As a lover of true crime, I was on the edge of my seat for all 300 plus pages. I read this in one sitting!" -Lisa Pulitzer, New York Times bestselling author

"Put the coffee on, lock the doors and settle in, because it's going to be a long night. Chasing Evil grabs you by the lapels from the first page, holding firm until the very end. For true crime fans, this is the Holy Grail. John Edward and Robert Hilland take readers with them, step by terrifying step, as they painstakingly chase down clues to solve some of the most notorious, bone-chilling crimes the U.S. has ever seen. What comes through most: the passion and caring of both men for the victims in their quest for justice." -K.C. Baker, senior crime writer for PEOPLE Magazine and reporter on ID/Investigation Discovery's true crime series, People Magazine Investigates

"Chasing Evil opens with the near-frantic hunt to rescue a missing five-year-old named Noah. It maintains its urgent tone to the final page, through a variety of cases for a real-life FBI officer, involving terrorists, mobsters, domestic abusers and the criminally insane. Chasing Evil is tough to put down and even tougher to forget." -Peter Edwards, Toronto Star criminal justice reporter and bestselling author of A Gangster's Life

About the Author

ROBERT HILLAND is a former police officer and FBI Special Agent who worked in law enforcement for thirty years. He worked a number of high-profile cases including the investigation of serial killer John Smith. Bob has appeared on several television series including Dateline, 20/20, Cold Case Files, and On the Case with Paula Zahn. He presently provides training to other U.S. government agencies and dedicates himself to preparing the next generation of investigators.

JOHN EDWARD is a psychic medium, lecturer, and multiple New York Times bestselling author who has connected people to Other Side energies for nearly four decades. In 2000, Edward's syndicated Syfy show, Crossing Over with John Edward, launched the now-popular television psychic genre, followed by John Edward Cross Country in 2006 on the WE network. His bestselling books, One Last Time, Crossing Over: The Stories Behind the Stories, What if God Were the Sun?, After Life: Answers from the Other Side, Practical Praying: Using the Rosary to Enhance Your Life, Final Beginnings, Infinite Quest, and Fallen Masters, have been translated into dozens of languages. In 2011, Edward created the digital network "Evolve"--an online platform delivering metaphysical lifestyle content to his one million-plus social media followers. He launched wwww.evolveplus.tv, where he gives readings, goes live, and helps people discover their intuition. Edward continues to tour and teach in person around the world in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK and Ireland.