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Experience Chasing Bin Laden

Discover the memoir taking readers on an emotional journey through the inner world of lay investigations. Finding the world’s most notorious terrorist was just the beginning.

What Readers are Saying

For all who relish a mystery and enjoy following the twists of a knotty, complex puzzle, this book is for you. Janik, a talented computer sleuth, has cast her hunt for the world’s most notorious killer as a diary of unexpected events on her journey with side notes about her personal world, her defeats, and her unexpected successes. So, Chasing Bin Laden is both a very personal memoir and a documentary that was six years in the making. The final chapter of bin Laden’s life, we all know, or do we? A must read.
Carolyn Evertson, PhD
Professor Emerita, Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
Chasing bin Laden is far more than a political book. Barbara Janik has written a deeply personal story of courage, determination, and bravery. Her journey will resonate with anyone who’s had to stand their ground, face down the disbelief of others, and find the strength to keep going even when the odds seem hopelessly stacked against you.
Carol Jacobanis
Staten Island, NY
Barbara Janik takes you with her as she sets out to find the world's most notorious terrorist. She introduces you to her family and recounts their reactions as she lets you in on a highly personal account of the emotional and physical effects of the chase. Not only suspenseful but heartbreaking as she comes up against those who refuse to believe her. Exciting and shocking as she reveals details no other author has.
Deborah Giacolleti
Niceville, FL
Everyone is in for a treat… I got hooked from the first page.

This is an explosive story so crazy that it has to be true. It's an intriguing, fascinating and emotional story that will blow your mind. Once you start to read you won't put it down until it's finished.
Petra Berg
Stockholm, Sweden
This is more than a story about a manhunt. It's a story of struggle, of hope, of family, of tenacity, of dreams and of dream takers. Her hunt will become your hunt; taking you down roads you never expected. The author's disarming honesty and openness about herself and her life makes you realize that there really might be more to this whole bin Laden narrative than you thought...
Alan Richards
Houston, TX
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Anxiety-Provoking FBI Collaborations

Gain a powerful window into the inner workings of the FBI—including how its agents interact with lay investigators.

Cryptic Arabic Message Boards

Join Barbara on her exploration of online message boards, riddled with both endless intrigue and critical clues.

Emotional, High-Stakes Puzzle Solving

Test your detective skills alongside an author with a meticulously honed method for hunting top terrorists online.

Join Barbara Janik on an emotional journey through the hidden world of lay investigations.

Author. Historian. Computer Geek.

About the Author

Barbara Janik is a quirky, middle-aged Texas woman full of grit and determination. In her debut memoir, Chasing bin Laden: My Hunt for the World’s Most Notorious Terrorist, she takes readers on an emotional journey through the high-stakes world of lay investigations. A masters-level historian and meticulous researcher, she cleverly integrates 177 citations into the manuscript to help corroborate this hidden history.