This is the Profiling Bible

John Douglas and Robert Ressler remain the first and the best. They pioneered criminal profiling and their work enabled law enforcement to take a quantum leap in understanding and apprehending violent criminals. This is John Douglas' first profiling book. It should be considered Profiling Serial Killers 101, and any agent of the law who has neglected to read this and Mr. Douglas' other books is doing himself and his profession a dishonor. 30 years after the research was first begun, modern psychology has still not caught up with the cutting-edge criminal psychology in John Douglas' series of books. So if you are a psychology major and you think you know criminals, think again and read the real textbook on criminal behavior, written by a man who knows more about it than anyone on earth. I would encourage all women, especially to read this and the rest of his books. It may seem unlikely, but there is truly no one who has done more for women than John Douglas by exposing the fairly predictable traits of predators. You will never think about anyone the same after learning what his books will teach you. If it were up to me, this would be on the mandatory reading list for every high school senior in America.

A non-fiction book you actually can't put down

This was a great book. It focused on the cases that helped build the serial crime unit of the FBI and gave some insight into the basis for the breakdown of the social skills of serial killers. While some of the cases were more gruesome than others, it was interesting to see how they were similar and different from one another. This is a non-fiction book, which I don't normally read because I find them boring. But I couldn't put this one down. The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 was because it didn't really have a story line that was clear. Having said that, I still read the entire thing in days.

a true eye opener for personal safety

I think what I took away from reading this book was really a lesson in personal safety. I found myself really paying attention to everything going on around me and walking a little bit taller. This isn't for everyone but I found it a critical read living and working in the city at night. I actually was able to identify a bad scene unfolding in front of me and got my feet moving to avoid it. John Douglas presents the facts in a non-alarmist way while still putting great emphasis on what bad dudes are all about. This is a must read for anyone in law enforcement and anyone who likes to gain power through knowledge.