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The Cases That Haunt Us
Violent. Provocative. Shocking.
Call them what you will...but don't call them open and shut.
Did Lizzie Borden murder her own father and stepmother? Was Jack the Ripper actually the Duke of Clarence? Who killed JonBenet Ramsey? America's foremost expert on criminal profiling and twenty-five-year FBI veteran John Douglas, along with author and filmmaker Mark Olshaker, explore
...moreMass Market Paperback, 512 pages
Published
January 23rd 2001
by Pocket
(first published January 1st 2000)
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One of my all-time favorite books, and definitely not for the squeamish. The authors cover--in unbelievably great detail and depth--the crimes, aftereffects, motives, evidence and suspects involved in the periphery of the Jack the Ripper killings in Whitechapel in 1888, the Jonbenet Ramsay trial, the Lizzie Borden case, the Zodiac Killer, The Black Dahlia (see the James Ellroy novel of the same name) and a few others. The writing about these cases is inspired, impressive, thorough and intense....more
I read this some time ago...after my "true crime" period. Occasionally something will click and I'll look up a book on a given subject. Douglas was an FBI Special Agent and one of the earliest criminal pro filers.
Here he takes a look at several "interesting" high profile cases form the past and (the book's) present. The Zodiac Killer (a case never solved), The Black Dalia (also never solved), Bambi Bembenek (accused of murder, escaped, recaptured and awarded a ne...more
Here he takes a look at several "interesting" high profile cases form the past and (the book's) present. The Zodiac Killer (a case never solved), The Black Dalia (also never solved), Bambi Bembenek (accused of murder, escaped, recaptured and awarded a ne...more
I really liked this book but it's definitely not for everyone. Very graphic and disturbing, it reviews unsolved murder cases. The author is basically the father of criminal profiling. Very violent. Douglas profiles famous unsolved mysteries including Jack the Ripper, Lindbergh kidnapping, Lizzie Borden case, & Jon Benet Ramsey.
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From what I understand John Douglas is one of the first FBI behavior profilers for murderers. He is one of the reasons we have the TV shows like Criminal Minds, Psych, The Profiler etc. Like the rest of the world, I am fascinated with behavior and the accompany reasons of what it takes for "normal" people to get involved in tragic events such as murder. There but for the grace of God go most of us, pray hard that most of us never have to to be involved in something so ugly. This book...more
This book was by far one of the best true crime books I've ever read.
John Douglas is one of the pioneers of criminal profiling and worked at Quantico for a number of years. Here he describes in detail several unsolved crimes, firstly giving us the details of the crime, then the suspects, then going through every point from a behavioural analysis point of view, enabling him to come to some conclusions which the original investigative teams sometimes never did.
It is truly fasci...more
John Douglas is one of the pioneers of criminal profiling and worked at Quantico for a number of years. Here he describes in detail several unsolved crimes, firstly giving us the details of the crime, then the suspects, then going through every point from a behavioural analysis point of view, enabling him to come to some conclusions which the original investigative teams sometimes never did.
It is truly fasci...more
Mr. Douglas brings modern profiling techniques to famous true crime stories. It's a good read. Not only do you get a sense of how modern profiling works, but you get a good review of the specific histories of cases that you might have heard of but didnt know about.
In the conclusion, he writes of why true crime fascinates: "it's the dark side of something elemental and potent." I think there is something to that. Crime histories inevitably bring up philosophical questions and...more
In the conclusion, he writes of why true crime fascinates: "it's the dark side of something elemental and potent." I think there is something to that. Crime histories inevitably bring up philosophical questions and...more
You do not know what you think you know.
I thought that I had some reasonable knowledge of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the theories on Jack the Ripper, and Lizze Borden, but I did not. Although the JonBenet Ramsey case happened when I was reasonably young, I read enough of it to think I knew how it had happened. And I watched the movie Zodiac, so how could I not understand it?
Going back to dig through the facts of these cases, and a few others, was quite a revelation as to ...more
I thought that I had some reasonable knowledge of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the theories on Jack the Ripper, and Lizze Borden, but I did not. Although the JonBenet Ramsey case happened when I was reasonably young, I read enough of it to think I knew how it had happened. And I watched the movie Zodiac, so how could I not understand it?
Going back to dig through the facts of these cases, and a few others, was quite a revelation as to ...more
I don't read true crime like I used to, because I'm older, I have a kid, and reading about sex murders isn't fun any more, and thanks to C.S.I. crap, everybody thinks forensics is cool, and that makes it less cool. But I've read all of John Douglas' books (except the Unabomber one--yawn, and the novel, because who cares?), and this has been in my "to read" pile for years, and I thought it would be a creepy Halloween season read.
John Douglas is the inspiration for the Scott...more
John Douglas is the inspiration for the Scott...more
"Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden, and the Lindbergh kidnapping… Douglas has a few surprise conclusions in his modern analysis of these gripping crimes. By applying criminal personality profiling techniques he developed while stalking more current killers, Douglas provides a fresh, sage outlook on some disturbing history. He also sheds new light on San Francisco's Zodiac Killer, the Black Dahlia murder, Bambi Bembenek, the Boston Strangler, and the continuing mystery of who killed 6-year-old...more
Famous criminologist gives his theories on my notorious unsolved cases. I usually don't real true crime books but this one caught my eye. Profiled here are Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden, Lindbergh kidnapping, Zodiac, Jon Benet Ramsey, Boston Strangler and a few others.
Very interesting section on modern criminal profiling. I'll look for his other books.
His co author Mark Olshaker has some interesting sounding books too.
Very interesting section on modern criminal profiling. I'll look for his other books.
His co author Mark Olshaker has some interesting sounding books too.
Bz
added it
Douglas is one of the first criminal profilers in the country--and he lets you know it. He should have called this one "The Me Me That Me Me." This book is full of statements like "I flew across the country (at my own expense--I had since refused any and all payment for my services) to interview so and so. . " It starts out well, but soon devolves into Douglas patting himself on the back and talking over your head.
Well written by an author who pioneered criminal profiling. Details famous unsolved cases including Lindberg, Zodiac, Lizzy Borden, Ramsey, and Jack the Ripper. I liked it because it wasn't about all the gorey details or the sensationalism that accompanied these famous crimes- instead, it was a matter-of-fact description of what had happened focusing on the type of criminal that must have committed the crime.
i flew through this book - really enjoyed. i think i had a past life as a forensics expert or something, this stuff really fascinates me. i wanted to read it mostly for the piece on the jonbenet ramsey case but found the others almost as interesting (jack the ripper, lindbergh baby kidnapping, lizzie borden, etc). the author's arrogance comes through a bit too much, but hey, if i had his credentials i think i'd be arrogant too.
A great psychological profile look into some of the most famous unsolved mysteries. The presentation of the JonBennet Ramsey case was an example that changed what I thought I knew to what is presented in the book. A must read for people who like true crime books or profilers.
I only read one chapter in this book because I needed the information for a research paper. By the time I finished my paper it was due back at the library and I wanted to get back to reading New Moon. Hopefully I can finish the books I have now and then I can read it again.
Love the section on JonBenet Ramsey! Profiling is so fascinating...couldn't read one of the stories in the middle...too graphic, but if you are interested in learning the psyche of a killer in a logical/professional kind of way, this book is must!
Compulsive reading. My only complaint was that in the final case of Jonbenet Ramsey he seemed to be overly defensive and less objective, which, due to his participation in the case and his subsequent criticism for his involvement and the conclusions that he drew, is somewhat understandable.
I picked this up to read the section about the JonBenet Ramsey case but read the rest of the book as well. The cases it deals with are complex and compelling. However, I don't think this "speed-investigation format" does them justice.
This was the book that sat in my bottom drawer to remind me the cases I was investigating were as bad as some. Don't read if you don't have a stomach for discriptions of violence (though they have been sanitized or depersonalized through an investigator's unique perspective.) A good read to remind you to not jump to conclusions or make your mind up before you have seen all there is to see on a case.
Another engaging delivery from the father of criminal profiling.
Douglas talks us through many of the most famous cases of kidnapping and murder in recent history - both those that he was personally involved in investigating, and some that he wasn't.
Having read Mindhunter, is it interesting to review these cases with the skills that Douglas himself taught us. While he applies a very even hand to his analysis of the cases dealt with here, a keen eye will spot bias in one or...more
Douglas talks us through many of the most famous cases of kidnapping and murder in recent history - both those that he was personally involved in investigating, and some that he wasn't.
Having read Mindhunter, is it interesting to review these cases with the skills that Douglas himself taught us. While he applies a very even hand to his analysis of the cases dealt with here, a keen eye will spot bias in one or...more
I've read a lot of true crime, and this is one of the best. FBI guru John Douglas analyzes the case files of a series of famous unsolved murder cases, from Jack the Ripper to the Zodiac to JonBenet, and offers his own "profiles" of the perpetrators, blasting through much of the received thinking on the subject. Don't get me started on the flaws of profiling (which has done a fair share of damage on the "received thinking" front), but this is a fascinating book, probably bec...more
Very interesting book that gave Grant and I nightmares. Eek! Interesting facts about some of the most famous unsolved murder cases but the author comes across as a little arrogant...
Great book by one of the original profilers. Fascinating info about some of the major unsolved crimes and how profiling could have helped resolve some of them.
If you like to read about real life murder cases, especially an account by an FBI profiler, then this book is for you!
John Douglas in a great author, giving the facts and criminal profile of each case. It was a page turner.
What can I say? I am fascinated by FBI profiling techniques. John Douglas is brilliant.
Great book with many vivid details of the crimes portrayed in this book.
Book about profiling serial killers.Scary enough psychos
OK - author wasn't very clear or compelling in many places.
Completely horrifying. What nightmares are made of.
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John Edward Douglas is a former United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, one of the first criminal profilers, and criminal psychology author. He also wrote four horror novels in the mid 1990s.
-Wikipedia
More about John E. Douglas...
-Wikipedia
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“I've come out many times publicly in support of the death penalty. I've stated that I'd be more than willing personally to pull the switch on some of the monsters I've hunted in my career with the FBI. But Bruno Hauptmann just doesn't fit into this category -- the evidence just wasn't, and isn't, there to have confidently sent him to the electric chair. To impose the one sentence for which there is no retroactive correction requires a far higher standard of proof than was seen here. Blaming him for the entire crime was, to my mind, an expedient and simpleminded solution to a private horror that had become a national obsession.”
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