True crime’s got a bad reputation for exploiting victims, and rightfully so. The genre has made a habit of dehumanizing those affected by violent crime in its glamorization of rapists and killers, paying little to no mind about the lives they’ve ruined and ended. Victims seldom if ever receive even a sliver of the attention devoted to poring over every last detail about their attackers. What stands out most about “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” HBO’s docuseries based on Michelle McNamara’s 2018 best-selling true crime book of the same name, is that it honors the late author’s obsessive search for the serial rapist and murderer known as the Golden State Killer. That search was inspired by McNamara’s passion for telling the story of the victims, and helping them find justice.

McNamara first started investigating the cold case in a blog. Few were familiar with the Golden State Killer despite his prolific crimes. Her husband, Patton Oswalt, explains that she ultimately wanted to get him caught. By reinserting the victims into the story and personalizing them, McNamara’s book — and the docuseries —  bring their voices to the forefront, as well as a greater sense of urgency to the case.

The docuseries, directed by Emmy-winning helmer Liz Garbus, also highlights important conversations about how sexual assault was dealt with when the crimes began in the ’70s.

McNamara died in 2016. Her work proved instrumental in the 2018 arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo, the alleged Golden State Killer.

“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” premieres June 28 on HBO.