Between Good and Evil: A Master Profiler's Hunt for Society's Most Violent Predators [Hardcover]

Roger L. Depue (Author), Susan Schindehette (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2005

He was a pioneer in modern law enforcement, a trailblazing leader in the hunt for serial killers. But after decades of staring deep into the darkness, he entered a seminary to search for the good... BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL No one gets closer to evil than a criminal profiler, trained to penetrate the hearts and minds of society's most vicious psychopaths. And no one is a more towering figure in the world of criminal profilers than Roger L. Depue. Chief of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit at a time when its innovative work first came to prominence, he headed a renowned team of mind hunters that included John Douglas, Robert Ressler, and Roy Hazelwood. In a subbasement sixty feet under the Academy gun vault in Quantico, he broke new ground with analytical techniques and training programs that are still used today. After retiring from the FBI, he founded an elite forensics group that consulted on high-profile cases, including the Martha Moxley and JonBenet Ramsey murders, and the Columbine school shootings. But coming face-to-face with the darkest deeds human beings are capable of took a horrific toll. After suffering a devastating personal loss, Depue, on the brink of despair, walked away from the outside world and joined a seminary. For three years this was his safe haven, a place where he exorcised personal demons and found a refuge from terrifying memories of real-life monsters. And it was there, while counseling maximum security inmates, that he rediscovered the capacity for goodness in people, and made the decision to return to the world to resume his work. Here is Depue's extraordinary personal account, from growing up as a police officer's son to tracking down some of today's most brutal murderers. With its harrowing descriptions of human depravity and passionate call to fight against evil, BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL is both a riveting dispatch from the front lines of a war against human predators...and the powerful story of one man's journey between darkness and redemption.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Roger L. Depue grew up in Detroit and today lives in Virginia. He has been a consultant to Thomas Harris, author of such bestsellers as Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon. Susan Schindehette is a senior writer at People magazine.

From AudioFile

In a fascinating but frightening book, Depue, retired chief of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, provides descriptions of some of the worst in human behavior. He also shows how his work investigating serial killers affected him and others. David Povall carefully communicates the intensity of the author. Reading at a pace that is perfectly appropriate to the text, he sounds like a seasoned law enforcement agent. The text is an engaging narrative that combines intriguing details on heinous criminals with Depue's scientific and emotional perspectives. It is a cautionary tale about a man's contact with evil. M.L.C. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books (February 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446532649
• ISBN-13: 978-0446532648
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,076,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Pleasure, January 27, 2005

By 

Chris (Florida) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Between Good and Evil: A Master Profiler's Hunt for Society's Most Violent Predators (Hardcover)

Wow. Not what you expect. Between Good and Evil is true crime, profiling, biography, and like a modern Crime and Punishment-a book to leave you thinking. The professional and personal life of Roger Depue is woven into a seamless series of stories-more like great fiction than non-fiction. If you ever wondered how police officers survive unrelenting evil, the conclusion will give you an appreciation and a hope that good men like Depue really do out number the evil-doers.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awe-inspiring, February 15, 2005

By 

J. Taeschler "book raven" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between Good and Evil: A Master Profiler's Hunt for Society's Most Violent Predators (Audio CD)

I can't remember the last time I was so moved by a book, as I was by this one. After I finished reading it, I had to be alone, just to collect my thoughts. The author seems to be present at the scene of the crime, making the reader feel eerily that he/she, too is not only witnessing the event, but feeling the emotions of all parties involved. The beautiful prose rivets the attention, (which wants to, but cannot escape from the horrendous subject matter). This is not your typical crime story- this is an exploration of the deepest, darkest areas of the human brain; yet it manages to leave one with a sense of hope, for after all, there is goodness and innocence, too.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating......, May 22, 2005

By 

Vickie S. (Coral Springs, FL) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Between Good and Evil: A Master Profiler's Hunt for Society's Most Violent Predators (Hardcover)

What an excellent book. Besides what has already been said, it is extremely well written and not self-indulgent in the least. It is easily as good as John Douglas's books and maybe better, from a different standpoint. It's more autobiographical, as opposed to a case by case study. For those of us who enjoy this subject, you won't be disappointed.