Why did I love this book?
"What kind of person could have done such a thing?" That was the question Douglas and his fellow FBI agents and crime-scene analysts tried to answer when developing criminal-personality profiles for the Behavioral Science Unit.
This book pulls the reader into prison interview rooms as he talks to infamous serial killers like Ed Kemper, Richard Speck, and David Berkowitz and conferences with detectives working on cases like the Trailside Killer in San Fransisco and the Atlanta child murders. It also reveals Douglas' story, from his early life in New York, his military service, and his career with the FBI.
You should read this book even if you've seen the TV version. The series is fictionalized and doesn't fully depict Douglas or his accomplishments.
Before the creation of internet tools like NCIS and VICAP, catching serial killers was formidable. These monsters frequently crossed state lines, and law enforcement agencies couldn't—or wouldn't—share information. John Douglas provided them with a way to "picture" a perpetrator and connect him to the crime scene.
He's one of my heroes.
4 authors picked Mindhunter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
Now a Netflix original series
Discover the classic, behind-the-scenes chronicle of John E. Douglas’ twenty-five-year career in the FBI Investigative Support Unit, where he used psychological profiling to delve into the minds of the country’s most notorious serial killers and criminals.
In chilling detail, the legendary Mindhunter takes us behind the scenes of some of his most gruesome, fascinating, and challenging cases—and into the darkest recesses of our worst nightmares.
During his twenty-five year career with the Investigative Support Unit, Special Agent John Douglas became a legendary figure in law enforcement, pursuing some of the most notorious and sadistic serial…