Midnight Son Audiobook By James Dommek Jr., Josephine Holtzman, Isaac Kestenbaum cover art

Midnight Son

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Midnight Son

By: James Dommek Jr., Josephine Holtzman, Isaac Kestenbaum
Narrated by: James Dommek Jr.
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James Dommek, Jr., an Alaska Native writer and musician, sheds new light on a real-life mystery that pits Native American folklore against the US justice system. In the vast Alaskan Arctic, legend has it there once lived a mythic tribe—Iñukuns—that only existed in rumors and whispers. This changed forever when an actor-turned-fugitive, Teddy Kyle Smith, had an encounter that brought Iñukuns from myth to reality. Smith was an aspiring actor with a promising career until it all came quickly crashing down with a gunshot, a manhunt, bloodshed, and other frightful events.

The story of Smith’s tragic downfall has long haunted James Dommek, Jr., the great-grandson of the last of the Iñupiaq story-tellers. Midnight Son is his journey in discovering who Teddy Kyle Smith was, what he did, and what he really saw. Along the way, listeners will experience the soul of the real Alaska as narrator Dommek, Jr. brings this multilayered and sprawling tale to life.

Please Note: Midnight Son contains adult language and violent themes. Discretion is advised.

©2019 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC. Biographies & Memoirs Indigenous Creators True Crime Alaska Celebrity Scary Funny Nonfiction Crime

Midnight Son is being adapted by Hulu into a true-crime documentary streaming on September 4th. Watch the trailer for Blood & Myth now:

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Our favorite moments from Midnight Son

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Just a mama’s boy
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The movie audition
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He’s holding a gun.
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Looks more like a house than a cabin.
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  • Midnight Son
  • Just a mama’s boy
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  • The movie audition
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  • He’s holding a gun.
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  • Looks more like a house than a cabin.
James Dommek, Jr.
Josephine Holtzman
Isaac Kestenbaum

About the Creator and Performer

James Dommek, Jr. is an Alaska Native musician and audio producer. He has played drums with Alaskan bands The Whipsaws, Pamyua, Meg Mackey Band, and Medium Build, as well as Tim Easton. He is a member of the Iñupiaq tribe and the great-grandson of one of the last Iñupiaq story-tellers, Palangun. James has worked in film and audio production for over a decade. In 2013, he scored an Emmy award-winning documentary. He also composed the soundtrack to Frontiers of Change, an award-winning audio art walk in downtown Anchorage that focused on climate change. Additionally, he co-created (with Anchorage public radio) "The RIVR" (Rising Indigenous Voices Radio), an international online radio station that provides a platform for Alaska Native and American Indian singers, songwriters, and musicians.

James resides in Anchorage, Alaska where he and his girlfriend, Kelsey, focus on raising their four kids, rooted in Alaska Native culture, foods, and traditions. He enjoys subsistence hunting, fishing, and the Alaskan way of life.

About the Creator

Josephine Holtzman is an audio documentarian, podcast producer, and multimedia artist. Her work includes an award-winning multimedia piece about the effects of climate change on Alaska's rural indigenous communities, and a multi-platform project exploring the modern-day impacts of treaties on Native American communities in the US (with NPR's Storylab and the Pulitzer Center). Josephine also hosted an interactive podcast about miscarriage for The Guardian US. With Isaac Kestenbaum, she runs the production company, Future Projects Media. Josephine lives in Portland, Maine with her husband and son.

About the Creator

Isaac Kestenbaum is an independent audio producer and journalist. He was previously the production manager at StoryCorps. He has also worked as a commercial lobsterman, a farmer, and a robotics instructor. He is the recipient of a Peabody Award and an Alaska Broadcasters Association "Goldie" Award, among other honors. Kestenbaum lives in Portland, Maine.

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Authentic Cultural Perspective • Immersive Storytelling • Authentic Narration • Cultural Insights • Unique Structure

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The beginning had me hooked. Then then the story went down hill as did the writing. Just felt like the author was grasping for material IE he'd run out. I hoped there would be more exploration into the myth. A decent podcast.

Solid narration by Dommek.

Started off interesting...

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I enjoyed learning about the history, and the legends. But I felt like it didn’t have any real direction. It started out about the native people, and then focused on the guy for a while, then went back to being about the tales. So, I didn’t feel like it was wrapped up well. But the book was still interesting. Wouldn’t have paid for it.

No direction

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Excellent performance and a fascinating story! I was fully engaged the whole time and just could not press pause! Usually I do something else while listening to an audio book, but this time I found myself SO many times just sitting or standing still completely hypnotized. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

A must listen!

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Well told story, that kept me enthralled throughout. James Dommeck Jr definitely inherited the gene for storytelling.

Great story

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"Midnight Son" is a true crime investigative journalism tale, produced in a similar vein as the Serial podcast form This American Life and Audible Original's "West Cork". Written and narrated by Alaska Native storyteller James Dommek Jr., "Midnight Son" seeks to uncover the facts and man behind Teddy Kyle Smith's manhunt and trial that took place in rural Alaska.

Smith, at times charismatic contributor to the community and other times raging alcoholic, seems to snap under pressures of trying to make it as a Hollywood actor while wrestling inner demons. After his Mom dies under dubious circumstances, Smith almost kills many people as he runs from State Troopers. During his trial, Smith claims that little people of the forest--Inukuns--which come straight out of Native Alaskan folklore, were haunting him and whispering things at him while he was running through the brutal Alaskan wilderness for days.

The back and forth to Smith's story and personal behavior during his trial was puzzling, so I can see how the fuzziness of this tale made for good material. My favorite part of this audio production was when Dommek hires a backpacking guide to try and retrace Smith's steps through brush. The background music, indigenous language recordings, and transition between sections were also done really well.

There were interesting discussions of how fair the jury could have been if none of the jurors were village people and why Smith refused to plead not guilty by reasons of insanity. But there remain many things that I didn't think were adequately addressed, which is why I only give this 4 out of 5 stars. Why did Dommek never get to talk to Smith himself? Why aren't Alaska Natives allowed to serve as jurors in US courts if they can be tried in US courts? If Smith is trying to blame his behavior on the Inukuns, then why does he only mention them once or twice? Has Smith received treatment for his alcoholism while in prison, and if so, has his personality or story changed at all?

Nevertheless, I enjoyed listening to this and recommend it to anyone who likes the Alaskan wilderness, Alaska Native persons & culture, true crime tales, and investigative journalism. This is an engaging and memorable production.

True Crime set in Brutal Alaskan Wilderness

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