Serial Killers: The Insatiable Passion [Paperback]

David Lester (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1995

This bestselling book has become a staple of every serious true crime book collector s library. One of the most reliable concise sources of information available about serial killers and their crimes, this book offers a psychological and sociological analysis of this most frightening yet fascinating criminal. Psychologist David Lester, recognized worldwide as a leading authority on death both in the fields of suicide and homicide offers a much-needed assessment of whether or not there is a dependable and useable psychological profile of the serial killer. Separating the facts from the myths by combining documented case histories of notable serial killers with behavioral research, Serial Killers: The Insatiable Passion has been welcomed and applauded as an important addition to the literature on serial killers by criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, law enforcement and true crime buffs alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This very exciting book explores the known facts and proposed theories for serial murder and presents multiple case studies of serial murder. The purpose is to present a comprehensive look at the psychological and sociological aspects of the perpetrators of serial murder. This is a very important and timely contribution and the book meets its objectives well. The targeted audience is that of law enforcement and psychology. I recommend it as a text for forensic psychiatry fellows and others who are specializing in the study of murderous behavior. Additionally, I recommend it to attorneys who either represent or prosecute those accused of serial murder. The references are excellent, practical and current. The index is also useful. This volume lends itself nicely as a text for a course. It is also an excellent book for healthcare practitioners and students dealing with serial murder. The author does a service to the readers by bringing together into one volume a review of current theories regarding serial killing as well as reviewing what we actually know. Another noteworthy achievement is the lack of sensationalist tone so prevalent in the literature on the topic. I recommend it to those who work with serial killers whether in jails or prisons, to courts, to those working on apprehending serial murderers, and to mental health professionals studying to provide mental health services to serial murderers. --Alexander E. Obolsky, MD Northwestern University Medical School for Doody s Health Sciences Book Review

About the Author

British by birth and educated at Cambridge University and Brandeis University, David Lester, PhD, is currently Professor of Psychology at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He has devoted most of his distinguished career to the study of suicide and murder. Recognized worldwide as a leading authority on these subjects, he has written over 1000 articles and over 50 books including Making Sense of Suicide: An In-Depth Look at Why People Kill Themselves; The Cruelest Death: The Enigma of Adolescent Suicide; and Now I Lay Me Down: Suicide in the Elderly.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: The Charles Press, Publishers (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0914783777
• ISBN-13: 978-0914783770
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,477,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in London in 1942 and slept in an air raid shelter for my first three years. I wanted to be a physicist, but I got my BA at Cambridge University in psychology. I emigrated to the USA in 1964 for graduate study with Abraham Maslow at Brandeis University. I've researched and written about suicide since then, but also about topics such as murder, the death penalty, life after death and the fear of death. I have a badly written, unpublished detective story (on www.drdavidlester.net), so I decided that I had better stick to scholarly writing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very useful resource for research., February 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Serial Killers: The Insatiable Passion (Paperback)

This book was extremely helpful in my research on serial murder. It is a good, concise, rendition of research, theories, and paradigms of multiple homicide. I recommend this book to anyone writing a research paper or who wants a synopsis of major research conducted on the topic of serial murder.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for research ! Highly recommend!!!, March 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Serial Killers: The Insatiable Passion (Paperback)

This book was such an enormous help to me while I gathered information for a study I am doing on serial killers. The way it is organized and divided into different types of killers was very useful and helped me get a good handle on what types of people commit serial crimes and their personal characteristics. Also helpful is the info on different theories people have had on serial murderers. I also liked that it was to the point and without a lot of unnecessary information. Well written, easy to read (and quick to read!) and full of very useful information, this book is not a sensationalist look at this subculture but a well-researched, well-balanced review of serial killers written by a psychologist with many many books to his name. Extremely helpful and very interesting indeed.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly researched, straight to the point and fascinating, October 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Serial Killers: The Insatiable Passion (Paperback)

Even though there isn't any groundbreakingly new info in this book, it contains all of the research that has been done on serial killers and there is no other book that does that. It is full of really interesting information and I highly recommend it. I read it from cover to cover!