(Reviewed by JD Jung)
Don’t be fooled by the book cover! You may think it was taken right out of a tabloid headline. No, Serial Killers takes a mostly objective look at some of the world’s darkest and most notorious serial killers.
The author first goes into some of the common characteristics and psychological traits of serial killers on an admittedly “shallow level”. This is because for each common trait and history, he notes one man or woman who defies it. He then explores the difference between serial killers and mass murderers.
The subsequent chapters each go into individual serial killers: The Long Island Killer, The Zodiac Killer, Genene Jones, The Boston Strangler, Richard John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Luis Garavito, Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgway, Andrei Chikatilo “The Butcher of Rostov” and Harold Shipman “Dr. Death”. Though I found these stories fascinating, the author fell into the trap of sensationalizing at the conclusion of each chapter, like including warnings to “Keep your doors locked…” on those killers who are still at large. I think this takes away from the objectivity that I mentioned earlier.
He briefly discussed how Richard Ramirez and Ted Bundy attracted groupies while on death row. I wish he would have spent more time on how and why women were obsessed with them. Then he could have eliminated the last two chapters: “Fascinating Facts” and “Famous Last Words”.
That said, at only fifty eight pages, Serial Killers will keep you glued to the pages. Some of these killers histories prompted me to explore them further. Warning: this is not for those with weak stomachs.
