Top products from r/serialkillers

My interest is mainly in texts that are, (even if sometimes taken from context) as direct from the horse's mouth as I can get. The products of killers are of extreme importance in understanding them. I may just post it as another separate post so it can gain greater exposure if the list goes well, but the prizes of my shelf include:

• The Gates of Janus, by Ian Brady. Two hundred and fifty pages of masturbatory self-justification and gratification, full of utterly perverted interpretation of philosophy and reeking of utter genius in its own hideous, solipsistic way. It is superb, and I would recommend it for anyone interested in further understanding the mind of a serial killer, because in it he does not just profile other killers, but in doing so, builds an unparalleled self-portrait. http://www.amazon.com/The-Gates-Janus-Killing-Analysis/dp/0922915733/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1408762290&sr=8-1
  
  
• Face to Face With Evil by Dr. Chris Crowley has been skewered in the Amazon reviews for some reason, but I thought it was quite interesting. Not necessarily new information, but there were some good Brady conversations in there, and it offers a fine counterpoint to Gates. http://www.amazon.com/Face-Evil-Conversations-Ian-Brady/dp/184454981X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408764445&sr=1-2&keywords=face+to+face+with+evil
  
  
• Carl Panzram: A Journal of Murder has been mentioned a few times in the odd comment here or there, but I cannot recommend it enough. I find him to be a quite sympathetic figure, all told. The story is compelling as anything you'd see in a film, and horrible, because it is (at least, mostly) truth. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=carl%20panzram&sprefix=carl+pan%2Caps
  
  
• Killing for Company by Brian Masters, about poor, lonely Dennis Nilsen. Dennis, who the British government is preventing from publishing his autobiography, History of a Drowning Boy (http://dennisnilsen.blogspot.com/ contains fragments). This is a terrible shame. Isn't his story just as important? Shouldn't we seek to learn from it, and understand why these things happened? But, nonetheless, Killing for Company is a fine and fascinating book, which shares its title with one of my favorite songs. http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Company-Case-Dennis-Nilsen/dp/0099552612/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1408764106&sr=1-2
  
  
• The Sexual Criminal: A Psychoanalytical Study is not only fascinating, but full of fantastic photographs. http://www.amazon.com/Sexual-Criminal-Psychoanalytical-Study/dp/0965032426/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408764526&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Sexual+Criminal
  
  
• Apocalypse Culture, Books I and II, though particularly II, which has a very compelling story about the cannibal Issei Sagawa, (who, incidentally, is now a free man and food critic in Japan). Beware, however, that the books are highly subversive and some of the articles may curdle your stomach--though, much like reading de Sade, sometimes it's worth it to come out the other side, yourself still clean. http://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-Culture-II-Adam-Parfrey/dp/0922915571/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408764639&sr=1-2&keywords=Apocalypse+Culture
  
  I'm sure I'm leaving things out. I may update another time.

I love the Mindhunter TV series, but you should really read the book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, for the best telling of Kemper's story. I was an English teacher and I gave away at least half a dozen copies of that book to high school Seniors that were interested in forensics or law enforcement. It's a great read.

Hijacking my comment to let everyone know about a new subreddit we've launched. r/RedditCrimeCommunity is a hub for all the case specific subs and a forum for high quality self posts on crime. I'd love it if you'd join me there and help us build it.

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Mark has been verified by the mods and we've added a Verified flair.

Here's a link to his Amazon Author page

The new book, The Killer Across the Table on Amazon

Mindhunter on Amazon

Edit: The AMA is now concluded. Thanks again to everyone who came to the thread and either asked a question or lurked and read.

I hope you guys got as much out of this as I did. Thank you again to u/Mark_Olshaker for agreeing to do this. I've extended an open invitation to him to join us in the future if he so chooses.

Edit2:

Archive of the AMA - Archive.is

Archive of the AMA - Archive.org

There should be 7 editions of this book...it’s a series.

https://www.amazon.com/Serial-Murderers-their-Victims-Hickey/dp/0495600814

FBI Basics:

https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/serial-murder

You can also look for research by Enzo Radsic who I think has some great progressive thoughts on the subject. Just use his name + the word publication or research and you’ll get some good reading material.

I seen some special on TV about Dahmer maybe last month or so it mentioned a highschool friend wrote a comic book about it called My friend Dahmer...Seemed interesting so I just downloaded it and I read a few pages of it and I was thinking they could make a film about this except it's kind of glorifying a serial killer...but hey people are into it apparently...so I was about to post it here but seen you posted this about a Film of the same name it must be based on..


The comic (book) https://www.amazon.com/My-Friend-Dahmer-Derf-Backderf/dp/1419702173

Looks great.This is the book I have on the subject,and it's honestly my favorite.

Here's another. I'll definitely be checking this one out it looks really good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Albert-Fish-His-Own-Words/dp/0692263756

Great read

https://www.amazon.com/Whoever-Fights-Monsters-Tracking-Killers/dp/0312950446

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Truth-Autobiography-Mass-Murderer/dp/0963242202

There you go. When you read it give me a lend of it after you 😂😂 Seriously twisted.

He has a book entitled “Final Truth” in which he claims he used to drive up and down the South Carolina coast picking up hitchhikers and submerged the bodies in the swamps of that area. I’d highly recommend it. Possible classic case of claiming a body count far higher than the actual. He’s quite an interesting study. Beyond his heinous acts that we do have evidence of his upbringing provides some insight on the psyche of a serial murderer. Thank you so much for your response Mr. Olshaker, you made my day!

https://www.amazon.com/Final-Truth-Autobiography-Serial-Killer/dp/0963242202

http://www.amazon.com/People-Who-Eat-Darkness-Tokyo/dp/0374230595

Just watched a doc on this case as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fj0ArZ_3r0&list=WL&index=2

Perspectives from the parents, police, lawyers, made it a good watch.

Amazon, my friend

Check out the book: Why We Love Serial Killers by Scott Brown. He does an amazing job explaining the psychology behind it all from communities like us, to the media's love for them, to the collection of 'murderablia' and more. The author also features interviews with Dennis Rader and David Berkowitz to show an interesting juxtaposition between a remorseful vs remorseless killer; one paying penance and one who would kill again.

--Fox

​

The People Who Eat Darkness- It is a look at not only a disturbing crime but the culture that gave rise to it and a legal system as confusing as a labyrinth. Came highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/People-Who-Eat-Darkness-Tokyo/dp/0374230595

Yeah it's kinda depressing especially because the book ends on an inspiring note.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Serial-Killer-Letters-Penetrating/dp/091478384X

This seems similar I don't know much about it though.

A Fathers Story by Lionel Dahmer

https://www.amazon.com/dp/068812156X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_TZ7XBbAE5X64W

By Jeffrey’s dad about what he thinks led to him being a murderer, and how he’s tried to come to terms with it. Not the worlds best written book but fascinating.

This book has the most comprehensive info about him I've come across- last statement and other interviews included

Agreed. Here is a link to the book. I have read many SK books and this one has always stayed with me. Also, 2nd I would recommend this one of Albert Fish. Crazy all this guy became and did in his old age.

I have always enjoyed books of lists so my favorite is The Encyclopedia of serial killers. http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Serial-Killers-Michael-Newton/dp/0816061963/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314240019&sr=1-1

this was pretty complete at the time. i am really hoping they update soon since at the time Dennis Raider was unknown as BTK

Here's a amazon link mate : https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Friend-Dahmer-Derf-Backderf/dp/1419702173

I might suggest going a different way. In order to get into the mind of a serial killer, it might be helpful to first understand some of the psychology behind the fascination. This book gives an excellent overview of not only why we as people get very interested in serial murder, but also dives into a lot of other areas that would be essential in authoring a story, in my opinion. I write as well and was glad to have discovered this book. You also might want to check out Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer, as this book offers a unique look not only into Bundy's mind, but also into the essence of serial murder in general.

The book you want is this one by Roy Wenzl... lots of interviews with Ken Landwehr and others who were around during Rader's spree.

https://www.amazon.com/Bind-Torture-Kill-Inside-Serial/dp/0061373958/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511931510&sr=8-2&keywords=btk

Rader's daughter Kerri is also writing a book: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article134979419.html

"Panzram: A Journal of Murder" Thomas E. Gaddis & James O. Long https://www.amazon.com/Panzram-Journal-Murder-Thomas-Gaddis/dp/1878923145

It's a highly interesting read, very thought-provoking. The reviews I've seen often put it in about the same way; The story of Carl Panzram truly is one that you would never think of yourself, and once you read about it, it never really leaves you.

A Father's Story https://www.amazon.com/dp/068812156X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_bGWcBbE623EJC or check your local library

• The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer (Brian Masters)
  
  
• Killling for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen (Brian Masters)
  
  
• Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper (Michael Bilton)
  
  
• The Riverman (Robert Keppel)
  

Albert Fish

http://www.amazon.com/Deranged-Shocking-Americas-Fiendish-Killer/dp/0671025457/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1372892759&sr=8-3&keywords=albert+fish

Have you read Schechter's book, Deranged? If the info you're looking for isn't in there, I can't imagine where it would be.

I have this one!

I found this one by the authors you mentioned so I'm guessing yours was published in 1995

The book "Panzram: A Journal of Murder" is well worth the price if you're interested in his story.

http://www.amazon.com/Panzram-Journal-Murder-Thomas-Gaddis/dp/1878923145

Carl Panzram.

Also this book:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Serial-Killer-Letters-Penetrating/dp/091478384X

It's hard to find such books due to the Son Of Sam Law.

Yeah, I figure most of us have read the main books on the main serial killers like BTK. They go into Shirley Vian in a lot of detail in the BTK book.

killing for company is an excellent book

http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Company-Case-Dennis-Nilsen/dp/0099552612

https://www.amazon.com/Bundy-Murders-Comprehensive-History/dp/0786444266

https://www.amazon.com/Only-Living-Witness-serial-killer/dp/1928704298


If you like a bit of fictional drama, read Rules book. Kind of funny how a nobody becomes a writer. she simply took known data in a multitude of killings, took gossip, had it printed and housewives ate it up.

It's no wonder reality TVB is so big :)

Stick with the meat and the people who had access. Those are the people the other 2 books use for their narrative.

Check out the graphic novel My Friend Dahmer, by, well, a friend of Dahmer's who went to school with him. It's disturbing in a special kind of way. No big revelations or anything, but gives you an oddly uncomfortable insight into events in Dahmer's life as an awkward highschooler.

http://www.amazon.com/My-Friend-Dahmer-Derf-Backderf/dp/1419702173

In the Wake of the Butcher

It's about the Butcher of Kingsbury Run, who is (officially) a person who beheaded/dismembered 12 or so people in Cleveland between 1934-1938. But on the full scale, it's very likely he started committing murders in Philadelphia back in the 1920s and continued into the 40s and early 50s. He was never officially identified.

Precisely. Kemper was also murdering his mother, before he murdered her properly.

Ian Brady is the author. Frankly I'm surprised it was published at all. He conveniently glosses over his and Myra's own murders, of course, and is constantly justifying and lauding every little thing these killers do, but that just makes his perspective all the more interesting. http://www.amazon.com/The-Gates-Janus-Killing-Analysis/dp/0922915733/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335321137&sr=8-1

self pimping here.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/resonanteye/collections/191441-serial-killer-and-true-crime-portraits

nonself pimping: encyclopedia of serial killers, or http://www.amazon.com/Whoever-Fights-Monsters-Tracking-Killers/dp/0312950446

The book is called "Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World's Most Savage Murderers" by Scott Bonn and here is the amazon link to buy it! https://www.amazon.com/Why-Love-Serial-Killers-Murderers/dp/1629144320

"Serial Murderers and their Victims" by Eric W. Hickey (https://www.amazon.com/Serial-Murderers-their-Victims-Hickey/dp/0495600814)

The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers (Facts on File Crime Library) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0816061963/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tFjKBbPCBJ2BN

A faaaantastic, well written, fact-packed encyclopedia. I've had it for a while and haven't made it through all of it, it's all so interesting.

Ahhh yes!!! Mindhunter: Inside the FBI elite serial crime unit.
This guy is one of the 1st FBI'S profilers.He narrates his experiences and interviews with serial killers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501191969/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_yx4zCbQECQJ5K

I don't know about google books, but here are some good reads.

Sudden Terror by Larry Crompton (East Area Rapist)

The Search for the Green River Killer by Carlton Smith

Cries in the Desert by John Glatt (David Parker Ray)

In the Wake of the Butcher

Though Murder Has No Tongue

Hell's Wasteland all three by James Jesson Badal (Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run)

Sons of Cain

Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters

Ted Bundy : Conversations with a Killer

I recommend these all the time, they are great:


Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit Its by John Douglas who founded the profiling unit for the FBI. Jack Crawford from the Silence of the Lambs was based off of him. Goes into all sorts of gory details and psychological analysis of well known and lesser known serial and spree killers.

Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI Written by the guy who coined the term "serial killer." Advised Thomas Harris when writing the Silence of the Lambs. Similar book with a different perspective. Has a few more first hand interview accounts with other serial killers.

Mind hunter is a great book if you like hearing stories of a profiler’s exploits.

But John Douglas, Robert Ressler, and Ann Burgess DID kinda write the book on this subject.

Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives


It presents the findings from their years studying, and interviewing convicted murderers. It’s full of statistics and tables of data. Some of the material is kinda dry, it’s difficult to make statistical analysis of questionnaires into a page turner. But, it does show how they began to be able to ‘profile’ an unsub. They put in a lot of work into studying crime scene and circumstance of the crime and correlating the background the actual criminal that CREATED that crime scene.

It reads like a college textbook. It’s worth a look.

Try reading A journal of murder, telling the messed up story of Carl Panzram in his own words when he was on death row.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1878923145/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_qpLGDbZZQA851

When I was very young and living in Colorado I remember my family getting stopped at a road block during the manhunt after Ted broke out of Jail. At the time of the manhunt, Ted was not the infamous person he is now and his legacy was still unknown.

Years later, when I was in college, I borrowed a book from a friend about Ted Bundy. That book was The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule. Only having a basic understanding of Ted, and serial killers in general, I was shocked and fascinated.

I've since read another 5 books, most recently The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer by Robert Keppel. I found this one very interesting particularly if you have any background of the Green River Killer.

But my favorite by far is The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History by Kevin M. Sullivan. While other books are written from the perspective of the author in relation to Ted; this author, Kevin, has no relationship with the murderer or murders and therefore writes an objective account. In summary, I found it well researched with a lot of details, and very chilling. A must read.

Try 'Final Truth: Autobiography of a serial killer' by Wilton Earle and Peewee Gaskins. It's a very disturbing read. Very graphic. Very, very graphic.

There's some debate about the veracity of the claims by Gaskins as he seems to be claiming killings that he couldn't have committed, but what is clear is that he is a serial killer and a depraved motherfucker.

Other books worth reading are (in no particular order):

10 Rillington Place by Ludovic Kennedy (John Reginald Halliday Christie)

Evil Beyond Belief by Wensley Clarkson (Dr Harold Shipman)

Beyond Belief by Emlyn Williams (Ian Brady and Moira Hindley)

Killing for Company by Brian Masters (Denis Neilsen)

The Murder of Childhood by Ray Wyre and Tim Tate (Robert Black)

My reading recommendations include, mainly, a lot of textbooks! Unlike a lot of the true crime novels, I've found that criminal psychology, criminology, victimology, forensics and other academic textbooks and research journals are generally far less sensationalistic than the true crime novels tend to be. here are some of the ones that I highly recommend.

Serial Murderers and Their Victims by Eric W Hinkley is a fantastic resource for the latest studies concerning serial murder, focusing on both the perpetrators and their victims. Now in its seventh iteration, this text has some of the most up to date statistics on serial killers in the US and worldwide.

Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters by Peter Vronsky is another similarly great book full of real life case studies of serial and spree killers and delves into the motives behind such aberrant behavior.

The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers by Michael Newton has entries on hundreds of convicted serial killers.

The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World's Most Terrifying Murderers by Harold Schechter undoubtedly possesses a sensational bent, but I can't deny that the book is certainly thrilling to read in a morbid way, and I think any fan of true crime will like it very much.

Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters by Peter Vronsky explores the rare phenomenon of female serial killers.

Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives by Ressler, Burgess and Douglas is an important and easily-read psychological textbook on the sexual impulses that lead to violence.

Sexual Murder: Catathymic and Compulsive Homicides by Louis B Schlesinger is a similar book by a prominent forensic psychologist.

Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation: Practical and Clinical Perspectives, Second Edition: Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations by Vernon J Geberth is a manual for law enforcement professionals investigating sexually-motivated homicides by a renowned former-detective. The images and case studies are directly from the author's archive of case files. I will warn readers that some of the content in this book is highly disturbing, even for I, a person with an interest in the psychology of serial killers. All in all, a fascinating book for those who can stomach it.

"Angel of Darkness" by Dennis McDougal, about Randy Kraft and the other serial killers in the 1970s and very early 1980s in Southern California.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Darkness-Story-Heinous-Murder-ebook/dp/B002PXFY42

"Freed to kill", by Gera-Lind Kolarik (Author), Wayne Klatt (Author). A book about Midwestern serial killer Larry Eyler.
https://www.amazon.com/Freed-Kill-Story-Serial-Murderer-ebook/dp/B00USC6V8K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896023&sr=1-1&keywords=freed+to+kill

"Bluebeard" by Valerie Odgen, a book about Gilles De Rais.
https://www.amazon.com/Bluebeard-Valerie-Ogden-ebook/dp/B07H9KKXSY/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896221&sr=1-4&keywords=Bluebeard

The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science by Douglas Starr.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Little-Shepherds-Forensic-Science-ebook/dp/B003F3PMK2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1536895941&sr=1-1&keywords=killer+of+little+shepherds

The man with the candy, by Jack Olsen.
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Candy-Jack-Olsen/dp/0743212835

"Deranged" by Harold Schechter, about Albert Fish.
https://www.amazon.com/Deranged-Shocking-Americas-Fiendish-Killer/dp/0671025457/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JHBKDXB0BVQEGP8KN1A2

"Killer Clown: the John Wayne Gacy murders" by Terry Sullivan.
https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Clown-John-Wayne-Murders-ebook/dp/B00BPVV2T6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896171&sr=1-1&keywords=killer+clown+Gacy

"The Want-Ad killer" by Ann Rule.
https://www.amazon.com/Want-Ad-Killer-True-Crime/dp/0451166884/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896281&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=want+ad+killer

"Lust Killer" by Ann Rule about Jerry Brudos.
https://www.amazon.com/Lust-Killer-Updated-Ann-Rule/dp/0451166876/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896309&sr=1-2&keywords=lust+killer+Ann+Rule

"Monsters of Weimar: The Stories of Fritz Haarmann and Peter Kurten" by Theodor Lessing / Karl Berg / George God.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Monsters-Weimar-Stories-Haarmann-Kurten/dp/1897743106/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896338&sr=1-1&keywords=monsters+of+weimar

"Strangers On The Street - Serial homicide in South Africa" by Micki Pistorius.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Street-Serial-homicide-Africa-ebook/dp/B06XDPS3DL/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896393&sr=1-1&keywords=strangers+on+the+street+South+Africa

"Gruesome: The crimes and criminals that shook South Africa" by De Wet Potgieter.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gruesome-crimes-criminals-shook-Africa-ebook/dp/B015JFIQH4/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896451&sr=1-8&keywords=south+Africa+crime+ebook

"Profiling Serial Killers: And other crimes in South Africa" by Micki Pistouris.
https://www.amazon.com/Profiling-Serial-Killers-crimes-Africa-ebook/dp/B06XDCNQGR/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896451&sr=1-6&keywords=south+Africa+crime+ebook

"Murder in Tamden: when two people kill." by Paul Wilson.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Tandem-Paul-Wilson/dp/0732267730

"Australia's serial killers: Never to be released." by Paul B. Kidd.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Australias-Serial-Killers-Never-Released/dp/1743532253/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536896675&sr=1-13