Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

Book 1 in the series:Mindhunter

Save:
Find on Amazon

"Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit" by John E. Douglas delves into the world of criminal profiling within the FBI, focusing on the psychological analysis of serial killers. It provides a detailed account of the formation and evolution of the FBI's criminal profiling unit in the 1970s, showcasing how real cases influenced popular culture portrayals of criminals like Hannibal Lecter. offers readers a dark and fascinating insight into the psychology of serial killers, exploring the methods used by the FBI to understand and catch these criminals.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is straightforward and memoir-like, punctuated by moments of self-congratulation, making the narrative accessible yet reflective.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative details the origins of the FBI's profiling unit, highlighting a series of interviews with infamous serial killers and the psychological insights gained from these encounters.

Setting:

The setting spans multiple prison environments and the early days of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit in the late 20th century.

Pacing:

The pacing is steady, blending case studies with detailed explorations of criminal psychology, which may feel methodical to some readers.
That’s what I have to do. Think of one of those nature films: a lion on the Serengeti plain in Africa. He sees this huge herd of antelope at a watering hole. But somehow —we can see it in his eyes— th...

Notes:

John E. Douglas is a legendary FBI criminal profiler.
He was one of the first agents to establish criminal profiling in the FBI.
Douglas studied and interviewed many notorious serial killers, including Ted Bundy and Charles Manson.
Mindhunter details Douglas's experiences in the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit.
The book was published in 2017 and is based on real events and interviews with murderers.
The Netflix series Mindhunter is inspired by Douglas's work and the book.
Douglas has also authored several other books on criminal psychology and profiling.
Mindhunter explores the psychological aspects of serial killers and their methodologies.
The book is detailed and can be quite graphic in its descriptions of crimes.
Douglas’s work has influenced popular culture, including films like Silence of the Lambs.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains graphic descriptions of violent crimes and psychological trauma, making it potentially distressing for sensitive readers.

From The Publisher:

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.

Ratings (36)

Incredible (13)
Loved It (11)
Liked It (9)
It Was OK (2)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (95):

Read It (36)
Want To Read (43)
Not Interested (16)

1 comment(s)

It Was OK
1 month

It had some really interesting bit sprinkled trough out it but I had a hard time focusing on the book, my mind keept wandering, might not have been interesting enough for me or I read it in a bad time. But it did awaking my interest in true crime and I might read other books like that

 

About the Author:

John E. Douglas is a former FBI special agent, the Bureau's criminal profiling pioneer and one of the creators of the Crime Classification Manual. He is currently a consultant on criminal investigative analysis and the author, with Mark Olshaker, of Journey Into Darkness, The Anatomy of Motive, The Cases That Haunt Us, and Law & Disorder, among others.

Mark Olshaker is a novelist, nonfiction author, and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker. He has written and produced numerous documentaries, including the Emmy-nominated PBS NOVA program Mind of a Serial Killer.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.