My Life Among the Serial Killers

Inside the Minds of the World's Most Notorious Murderers

By: Helen Morrison M.D., Harold Goldberg

Narrated by: Helen Morrison

Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Dr. Helen Morrison has profiled more than 80 serial killers around the world. What she has learned about them will shatter every assumption you've ever had about the most notorious killers known to man.

Morrison, a leading expert on serial killers, has spent as many as 400 hours alone with depraved murderers. In My Life Among the Serial Killers, Dr. Morrison relates how she profiled Richard Otto Macek, who chewed on his victims' body parts, stalked Dr. Morrison, then believed she was his wife. She conducted the last interview with Ed Gein, the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. John Wayne Gacy, the clown-obsessed killer of young men, sent her crazed Christmas cards, and gave her his paintings as presents. Dr. Morrison has received letters from killers, read their diaries and journals, evaluated crime scenes, testified at their trials, and studied photos of the gruesome carnage. She has interviewed the families of the victims, and the spouses and parents of the killers.

Through it all, Dr. Morrison's goal has been to discover the reasons why serial killers are compelled to murder, how they choose their victims, and what we can do to prevent their crimes in the future. Her provocative conclusions will stun you.

©2004 Helen Morrison and Harold Goldberg (P)2004 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Listen with the lights on

This is a terrifying audiobook. Gruesome--and it isn't just the gore and behavior of the killers that made me at times take a pause in the reading. Clearly, the author has restrained herself. But the real terror comes in some of the conclusions she has reached after a career of studying these people: serial killers kill without motive; they have no developed personality structure; they can ACT like healthy people; serial murder for them is an addiction. That being said, the author has some very strong opinions about these people and how to regard them: not as retarded, not as monsters per se, but as very complex puzzles to be understood---not out of academic interest but becuase we might better respond to serial killers in the future.Her most controversial statements have to do with whether nature or nurture creates serial killers---and she comes down firmly and totally on biology. "The serial killer is created before conception..."---she believes the role of DNA is key. And, this audiobook touches on the ethical implications of knowing that early whether a child has a propensity for serial murder. This audiobook would have been better if it had spent more time on those issues.

An Interesting Theory

One you get past Dr. Morrison's bragging about her life and lifestyle, this is a very interesting and detailed study of serial killers. Her reading style is bit stiff, but not difficult for listening. Following Dr. Morrison's experiences and watching them build into her theory about serial killer behavior is interesting and educational.

Interesting stories, but nothing insightful

I greatly respect the author's experience and research, but for me this book did little to offer up any new information on what makes serial killers tick. It's more of a review of some of the author's experiences of her more high profile cases she's done over her career than an actual study of serial killers themselves. If want to learn more about the author, this is a good book. But if you are looking to learn more about serial killers, then I would recommend looking elsewhere.

Alright

This book was alright. It could have went more in details. That is why you buy a book like this!

kept me interested

he also kept me interested during the entire book very well-read and written would recommend to any crime fan

Credibility questionable

I found this author's talents for perhaps profiling credible, but I can't remember even one instance where her profiling led to an arrest, or a "gotcha" moment. Most of her conclusions were, in her words, "Here is what I believe happened..." which in my opinion is just her opinion; nothing more, nothing less. Of course I could be just prejudiced against someone who did not hesitate to malign law enforcement....

Loved it!

Worth every penny. I couldn't put it down! Informative and insightful. If you are interested in why or how serial killers become killers then this one is for you.

Fascinating Insight

The author's recount of her experiences with serial killers and views of past notorious killers makes for a great read.

Just ok

Interesting but it felt braggy in several parts, a bit mystical in others. I found myself not able to really believe everything. The writer established an authoritative background, but I didn't trust her account of things.

Insightful but not exciting

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The book provided some interesting insights into the personality of serial killers. Their interaction with the author during interviews was fascinating. Unfortunately, the book had parts that were surplusage, including passages about the author's personal life that were uneccessary and trite. Overall the book lacked a focus and intensity appropriate to the subject.