A Killer by Design Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind

I became aware of this book in a podcast from The Murder Squad. In that episode, Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess described her approach to how a serial killer ticks and I have hooked right away. It shows the beginning of her work to analyse criminal behaviour, which could help solve crimes. How the BSU inside the FBI was formed and developed. Right from the start, they were confronted with many challenges and scepticism. No one at the FBI thought such a unit would be ever necessary, but they all changed their opinion as soon as the first case got solved. From then on it was clear to everyone that the BSU’s database is needed more than ever to bring sophisticated serial killers behind bars. There will always be crimes to solve, but with being able to decipher a killer’s mind finding justice will occur much quicker. The scientific aspects behind the author’s study are very interesting to peruse. But other parts may not be for everyone as they are rather gruesome. Those parts describe in detail some of the most notorious killers around that time. How they committed the crime, and what they thought. I have read many true crime novels so far, but this one offers a deeper insight into crime investigation. It’s a little like seeing behind the curtain. With her work, the author has achieved to change something in understanding serial killers without forgetting the victims. A true masterpiece, it has earned a place on the true crime shelf. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys true crime and likes to dive deeper into crime investigation.