social sciences

This book is the best resource for broad information on the subject of serial killers I have yet read.

If you are looking for a wide variety of fact on the subject but don't want to put the effort into a lot of research this is the book.

This book is not as indepth or as comprehensive as some of the single subject serial killer books I have read, but it does provide a wealth of information for starting out.

For those interested in serial killers or in understanding the human condition in some of its darkest forms, this book offers a number of wonderful insights. Details from interviews with many of the most notorious killers of our time including John Wayne Gacey, Henry Lee Lucas & Karl "Kropsey" Morgan are both fascinating and truly repulsive.

I bought this book because of morbid fascination with the minds of those who find it necessary or enjoyable to seek alternate, though immoral, ways to spend their time. I wanted to find a book that had easily digestible snippets on some of the more, and less, infamous serial killers. I am glad that I was able to find such a book.

The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers is a great book because it gives the reader just enough information to tempt the palate with regards to each killer. Michael Newton does a great job of giving us not too much detail, and not too little detail about each case study. Nor does he gloss over the facts regarding each case. Each individual (whether killer or killed) is looked at from a very professional standpoint. Newton looks at a killer's upbringing and other social factors that may lead to why they have done what they have done, in addition to the mere facts. Newton also addresses what has happened to these people, if they were caught and convicted. It is interesting to see how society's law enforcement has changed over the years.

Some of those included are:
Jack the Ripper
Ed Gein
Son of Sam
The Zodiac Killer
Ted Bundy
The Manson Family

If you are looking for a book that gives you a peek into the mind of not one, but many serial killers then this is the book for you. From these intriguing portrayals, one can decide which cases and killers are most interesting and buy more in-depth books about each. It's great as a reference, to read from cover to cover, or to pull out when you simply want to leaf through to kill some time. Highly recommended to fans of the true crime genre.