True Crime Psychology

As acclaimed psychological researcher and author David Buss writes, "People are mesmerized by murder. It commands our attention like no other human phenomenon, and those touched by its ugly tendrils never forget." Though we may like to believe that murderers are pathological misfits and hardened criminals, the vast majority of murders are committed by people who, until the day they kill, would seem to be perfectly normal.

Revisiting Dr. Michael Stone's groundbreaking 22-level Gradations of Evil Scale, a hierarchy of evil behavior first introduced in the book The Anatomy of Evil, Stone and Dr. Gary Brucato, a fellow violence and serious psychopathology expert, here provide even more detail, using dozens of cases to exemplify the categories along the continuum. The New Evil also presents compelling evidence that, since a cultural tipping-point in the 1960s, certain types of violent crime have emerged that in earlier decades never or very rarely occurred.

The killer left no fingerprints. No witnesses. No motive. But behavior always leaves a trail. Step inside the minds of criminals, and the experts trained to catch them. In this gripping collection of true crime stories where psychology becomes the ultimate investigative tool. True Crime & Human Psychology delves into real unsolved cases, chilling cold cases, and breakthrough moments where criminal profilers uncovered what others had missed. From serial offenders to outliers, cult leaders to mission-driven killers, each chapter reveals how behavioral science, victimology, and human intuition...

In this groundbreaking book, renowned psychiatrist Michael H. Stone explores the concept and reality of evil from a new perspective. In an in-depth discussion of the personality traits and behaviors that constitute evil across a wide spectrum, Dr. Stone takes a clarifying scientific approach to a topic that for centuries has been inadequately explained by religious doctrines.

Ten years after the school massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, school shootings are a new and alarming epidemic. While sociologists have attributed the trigger of violence to peer pressure, such as bullying and social isolation, prominent psychologist Peter Langman, argues here that psychological causes are responsible. Drawing on 20 years of clinical experience, Langman offers surprising reasons for why some teens become violent. Langman divides shooters into three categories, and he discusses the role of personality, trauma, and psychosis among school shooters.

Chris Watts was a family man. Everybody, including his family, believed that. Yet, on August 13, 2018, he murdered Shanann, his pregnant wife, and two young daughters. As terrible as his story is, it is also a warning because to this day, living behind bars, Watts is still acting out the character traits that made him kill in the first place.

When madness strikes, the results are unforgettable. True Crime Madness by Logan Carter presents twenty chilling real-world cases where obsession, delusion, and darkness collided with deadly results. From killers who heard voices to crimes sparked by paranoia and betrayal, these gripping accounts dive into the minds of those who crossed the line—and never came back. Perfect for fans of true crime, criminal psychology, and the darkest corners of human nature. Read True Crime Madness today—and see how far madness can push a person.

Thirty-six true crime stories of murder and mayhem. Listeners love this three-book collection, containing volumes four, five, and six.

Three full-length true crime books in one disturbing collection — for less than the price of two. From bestselling author Logan Carter comes a dark and gripping omnibus that dives into obsession, Southern mayhem, and bizarre real-life crimes. True Crime: Disturbing includes three complete books, offering over 250 pages of shocking stories and criminal psychology — all for just $5.99 (each book sold separately at $2.99). Book 1: True Crime – Obsession Crimes fueled by obsession, fantasy, and desire gone wrong. These are the killers who couldn’t let go—and the victims who paid the ...

In the very depths of the human soul there is a darkness. It is an entity which most of us may never get to know; for others, however, this darkness grows for years until it takes hold of them and permeates every inch of their body. This darkness is evil incarnate, and it is in the hearts and minds of some of the most dangerous and despicable human beings to have walked this same earth we live in today. In the following volumes, you shall discover the stories of six murderers so tainted by darkness that their horrific accounts still bring fear to men and women of our present day.

Serial killers: Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Jeffrey Dahmer are often the first names that spring to mind. Many people assume serial killers are primarily an American phenomenon that came about in the latter part of the 20th century. But such assumptions are far from the truth. Serial killers have been around for a very long time and can be found in every corner of the globe - and they're not just limited to the male gender either. Some of these predators have been caught and brought to justice whereas others have never been found, let alone identified.

The mountains hold their secrets close. Within the shadowed hollers and quiet towns of Appalachia, a legacy of violence lies buried. This gripping collection unearths twenty of the region’s most disturbing true crime accounts, from baffling cold cases to the most infamous and brutal murders. Explore the darkest corners of human nature through meticulously researched stories of shocking depravity and justice long-awaited. For readers captivated by masterful storytelling and the psychology of evil, this unflinching journey into the heart of Appalachian darkness is a must-read.

True Crime Stories You Won't Believe-Omnibus Edition s brings together three critically acclaimed volumes—Books One, Two, and Three—into a single, unflinching collection of true crime stories that dig deeper than most. From forgotten killers and overlooked trials to psychological profiles and courtroom spectacles, this is a journey through the darkest corners of criminal history. Written by forensic psychologist and author Romeo Vitelli, Ph.D., this omnibus offers a sweeping look at real-life crimes that defy easy explanation. These aren’t just tales of murder—they are explorations ...

How do you defend your mind from those who exploit it without you even knowing? Serial killers, master manipulators—they don’t only happen on TV. By the time they’re part of a true crime documentary, it’s too late. Understanding the dark psychology behind them is your best defense.

The perfect heist exists only in fiction. The spectacularly failed heist? These are the unbelievable true stories. Forget meticulous masterminds and cat-like burglars. This is a jaw-dropping collection of real-life lawbreakers whose grand ambitions were foiled not by brilliant detective work, but by their own outrageous blunders. These are the tales of bungling robbers and would-be geniuses who prove that the weakest link in any criminal enterprise is the criminal himself. Inside, you’ll discover the bank robber who believed rubbing lemon juice on his face would make him invisible to ...

The sprawling highways and quiet small towns of Texas hide a dark and brutal history. Beyond the headlines and whispered local legends lie the definitive, blood-curdling stories of the state's most horrifying crimes. True Crime - Gore in Texas is not for the faint of heart. This meticulously researched anthology rips open the case files on the Lone Star State's most infamous and psychologically disturbing criminals. From the sadistic "Candy Man" Dean Corll to the shocking acts of family annihilators and the cold, calculated slayings of cartel hitmen, these accounts detail the manhunts that ...

In this fascinating, in-depth account of the hunt for serial killers, Colin Wilson, one of the world's leading authorities on the subject, examines the ways they can be tracked down and caught, from the tried-and-true methods of the early 20th century to the high-tech processes in use today. Wilson examines such areas as psychological profiling, genetic fingerprinting, and the launch of the Behavioral Science Unit. He delves into the importance of fantasy to serial killers, the urge to keep on killing, the desire to become notorious, and murder as an addictive drug.

In August 2015, Limerick man Jason Corbett was murdered by his wife, Molly Martens, and her father, ex-FBI agent Tom Martens, in the bedroom of their luxury North Carolina home. He had been savagely beaten to death with a baseball bat and brick while his children slept nearby. For his sister, Tracey Corbett-Lynch, and the rest of his family in Ireland, it was just the beginning of the nightmare that would involve a custody battle, an online hate campaign, and, ultimately, the gripping trial that would lead to her conviction.

They pulled the trigger to change the world. They were wrong. An assassin's bullet is the ultimate act of control, yet it almost always results in the absolute loss of it. This is the central paradox explored in True Crime - Assassins, a gripping investigation that goes beyond the headlines and into the hidden legacies of history's most infamous political murders. Forget what you think you know about the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. This book unearths the profound and often ironic consequences of these world-altering events, revealing how ...

At the heart of countless crimes lie the mysteries of the human mind. In this eye-opening book, Dr. Cheryl Paradis draws back the curtain on the fascinating world of forensic psychology, and revisits the most notorious and puzzling cases she has handled in her multifaceted career. Her riveting, sometimes shocking stories reveal the crucial and often surprising role forensic psychology plays in the pursuit of justice - in which the accused may truly believe their own bizarre lies, creating a world that pushes them into committing horrific, violent crimes.