Serial Killers and Sadistic Murderers

[Maddie]

I read “Serial Killers and Sadistic Murderers” by Jack Levin and I greatly enjoyed it. Each chapter focuses on a different topic such as spree killers, people who kill for company, and people who have a large following. Each chapter also focuses on one or two killers, and some witness accounts. The book also has pictures, which is always a bonus, and the pictures were not graphic. They were pictures of killers in court, some scenery, and other things. The author also offers personal experiences throughout the book, since he is a criminologist. The book offers a lot of information on various serial killers and offers new insights on them.
This book had many strengths, and a few weaknesses. One weakness is the notes on the pages. The author references things through the book and will superscript reference numbers. Then the reader has to flip to the back of the book to read the notes. Other then that, I did not really have any issues with the book. It was very easy to read and everything was explained well. The storyline was interesting. Also I liked the way it was laid out, with each chapter discussing a different topic. I feel like anyone from age sixteen and older could easily understand this book, even if they know nothing about criminology. The book does not move too fast where you do not know what is going on, but it also does not move too slow where you are bored by it. This book is more geared toward anyone who enjoys criminology, psychology, or just wants to learn more about serial killers. I would definitely recommend this book to others because it is a really interesting topic and it reads really well.