Manhunters

Criminal Profilers and Their Search for the World’s Most Wanted Serial Killers

By: Colin Wilson

Narrated by: Brandon Massey

Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

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. He includes his own correspondence with serial killers and follows the career of FBI Special Agent Robert Ressler, the man who coined the term "serial killer" in 1977.

Including the worst murderers in Britain and America, such as Peter Sutcliffe, Fred and Rosemary West, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Paul Bernardo, this book is essential for true-crime enthusiasts. This book will appeal to anyone morbidly fascinated by these gruesome murders but especially by the techniques used to bring those responsible to justice.

©2007, 2014 olin Wilson (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Misleading Title

Informative, yet the book has little to do with profiling and is more of an encyclopedia of serial killers and a retelling of their crimes.

Good listen

the book is good, wasn't a fan of the narrator. very flat and dry sounding.

Disappointed

More a voyeuristic look at serial killers than a look at their psychology and the criminal profilers that investigate them.

Epilogue

The epilogue in this book is fire. But I enjoyed the book as a whole as well.

Kinda interesting

Pretty interesting. I'd like a little more detail as far as interviews go. The narrator was HORRIBLE!!! Geez. I was reminded of being in 2nd grade reading class.

Fantastic

Probably the best serial killer book there is. Highly recommend this book. Going to listen again

Excellent read.

All in all a very good read into the mind of the wicked. it did ramble at some points. Excellent job of delving back through the history of the people who committed such horrible crimes.

TRUE CRIME AT ITS BEST

I thought I knew everything about these human monsters until I listened to MANHUNTERS. It’s a great GREAT listen and very graphic. Not for weak stomachs! If you don’t enjoy this true crime book I will give you one of my own credits. It’s just that good. Thanks for reading my review. I could not stop listening even at the risk of getting in trouble at work. Steve

I learned something valuable

Would you listen to Manhunters again? Why?

There are real patterns to deviant behavior - it's not evil, it's not dramatic, it's just that people are fragile when they are young and sometimes it's nature but often it's just awful parenting which is monstrous and malformed humanity which we see as monsters. This book's power lies in the unadorned, factual and dry tone. The constant, emotionally overwhelming repetition of dozens of the most unspeakable acts that people commit on others takes on a very unexpected effect - a certain clarity about human nature. There is also a real sense of the genius behind the early serial killer profilers like Robert Ressler and John Douglas. The psychological picture they can paint comes from the close examination of thousands of cases, but it still seems brilliant and unexpected given their unique study.

What does Brandon Massey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought that the reader kept the recitation of the details of dozens of truly stomach-churning crimes very sober and thankfully undramatic. It really helped in not sensationalizing a subject which all to easily is rendered in a lurid or dramatic tone (The Serial Killer Whisperer is a book which does this, and made it impossible to for me finish.) Brandon Massey is terrific

Any additional comments?

Be warned - it's overwhelmingly horrific in what it describes. But it is true and needs to be known and the audiobook presents it in the most mature and sober way possible. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the subject.

good all the way through...

this book is good all the way through and has a great epilogue. very interesting ideas about morphogenetic resonance.