Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas

4 (5)
$19.99

Product details

Web ID: 15843587

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 killers of our time- the man who hunted prostitutes for sport in the woods of Alaska, the Atlanta child murderer, and Seattle's Green River killer, the case that nearly cost Douglas his life. As the model for Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs, Douglas has confronted, interviewed, and studied scores of serial killers and assassins, including Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, and Ed Gein, who dressed himself in his victims' peeled skin. Using his uncanny ability to become both predator and prey, Douglas examines each crime scene, reliving both the killer's and the victim's actions in his mind, creating their profiles, describing their habits, and predicting their next moves.

  • Product Features

    • Suggested age range - Adult
    • Format - Paperback
    • Product dimensions - 8.8" W x 5.9" H x 1.2" D
    • Genre - True Crime
    • Publisher - Gallery Books, Publication date - 10-24-2017
    • Page count - 448
    • ISBN - 9781501191961
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Ratings & Reviews

4/5

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8 months ago
from Laurelville, Ohio

Are Killers Born or are Killer Made?

In "Mind Hunter" by Mr. John Douglas sparks the question. Are Killers Born or are Killers Made? In this 1st of 3 amazing books by John Douglas, he allows you to decide but also gives his professional and personal opinion. This is an amazing book, even for a seasoned "True Crime Junkie" like myself. If you are just starting to dip your toes into true crime this would make a great introductory book. Just a warning, there is some graphic content. I had to take a break from reading it a few times ( the reason it took me almost 2 months to read it) due to the graphic nature of the crimes. This book is definitely beyond a 5 star read!

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

4 years ago

Mindhunter Review

Such an interesting book front to back.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

5 years ago
from IL

Needs more focus on the topic, less J. Douglas

The first 3rd of the book is an auto biography of John Douglas. About his personal life - his screw ups as a young man, his relationships, his many attempts at getting an education, his biased (and often incorrect) opinions of others, and frivolous details such as the name of apartments and streets he lived in, clothing he wore, etc. There was very little about the beginnings of the FBI profiling or any criminal investigations. The man himself isn't likable in my opinion. He comes across as an arrogant, self centered, know it all who isn't all that intelligent. At one point in the book he talks about sitting in on a psychology class and that no one was talking to him. When he asked them about it it turns out they thought he was spying on them. He then writes “The paranoid self-importance of these people never ceased to amaze me”. No, John Douglas. I think you have that wrong. They were thinking an FBI agent is there for a reason. They think someone in the room may have done something very bad. That put them on the defensive. Wouldn't that be the most likely reason they weren't talking to you? Most of the book is written in this style. Ironic that the one who come across as self-important often sees others as having the same character flaw. I found it unpleasant to read so I stopped. Perhaps the rest of the book focuses on the FBI and his activities relating to the crime unit and less about himself?

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

5 years ago

Very interesting

I love true crime and there were a few cases in this book that will stick with me forever! Also used it as references in my college papers! 10/10

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

5 years ago
from Lake Oswego, OR

Watch the Netflix series instead

My reading of this book may have been too sporadic, but I finish it feeling underwhelmed. It's tough subject matter - serial killers are, as a whole, a pretty sick group, and case after case of gory details starts to wear, but at the very least should inspire empathy for those who actually have to investigate these types of criminals. The tone of the book is casual and conversational - these are the memories of an experienced agent who trained himself and others in an entirely new branch of criminology. Nevertheless, I feel as if I got much less out of the book than I'd anticipated (though I ask myself if I really want to understand the minds of people that can commit such crimes). I think the lives of the agents, their relationships, the development of the unit at the FBI, and the evolution of the science of psychological profiling is communicated much better in the Netflix series of the same name that was inspired by this book - in this rare instance, my recommendation is that the show is better than the book.

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com