Books like The New Predator — picked by fans

Award-winning author Patricia Pearson has a no-nonsense knack for finding and reporting truths, no matter how unsettling these are. Pearson doesn’t hesitate to express her own viewpoints but does so from the wealth of evidence she carefully collects. And she doesn’t care if this flies the face of “popular” opinion! I appreciate that she avoids sensationalism. She is dedicated and bright. I respect her enormously. She’s also been a kind and supportive colleague! When talking about Pearson’s work in my book, I noted it interesting that many efforts underscoring that women can do just as horrible things as men can have largely come from women, like Patricia, myself, Debra Schurman-Kauflin (mentioned below), and sociobiologist Amanda Farrell from Old Dominion University. 

Erik Hickey is the pioneer in serial killer research. His renowned book is the gold standard for those wishing to gather the facts about serial murderers, their crimes, and their victims. He does not include “gore” (his word) in his writings. His work is methodical, evidence-based, and respectful, and his results have been consistently replicated by my team and others. With respect to my recommendation theme, in this book, Hickey describes his lengthy research on both male and female serial killers and emphasizes that the crimes of male serial killers (MSKs) are starkly different than those of FSKs. I know him to be a great supporter of other researchers in their empirical pursuits. His book is a must-have for scholars and students of psychology and criminal justice interested in this topic.

Enzo Yaksic has been my colleague and friend for years. However, I am not recommending his book because of this. Rather, my certainty of his research acumen, integrity, and dedication is why I am grateful I know him. I always jump at the chance to work with him and to read his latest findings. As co-founder and Director of the Atypical Homicide Research Group, he is known as a go-to expert for serial murder facts. This book does not feature drama or sensationalism. Yaksic wrote this book as a no-nonsense presentation of serial homicide offender patterns. This is not light or casual reading—it’s a professional, hardcore, research exploration of the frightening world of serial murderers. As always, Yaksic pays keen attention to detail and presents his work eloquently.

Frederick Toates has been studying and writing about serial murder for many years. As a biological psychologist, he has authored many works about arousal and motivation. In this book, he and Olga Coschug-Toates, a fellow clinical scholar and noted author, present a biopsychosocial perspective of sexually motivated serial murders. They also highlight important concepts through case studies, making the presentation interesting and applicable. Although my recommended list revolves around elucidating the motives and means of FSKs, understanding how male serial killers commonly operate illustrates the stark differences between FSKs and MSKs.

Thematically, my book explores the evolution of the FBI during its most transformative decades. This exceptional work takes us deeper into one area where the FBI can bring to bear remarkable capabilities unlike any other agency: the introduction of Criminal Profiling. 

Douglas delivers a rare insider’s account as one of the FBI’s original profilers in ways that are as informative as they are provocative, all within the harrowing high-stakes context of pursuing some of the most heinous and ultra-violent criminals imaginable. 

Douglas wisely balances this complex, historical, technique-driven accounting with narrative portrayals rife with real consequences that this select group of trailblazing investigators absorbed due to such intimate immersion pursuing these worst-of-the-worst criminal minds. The sheer emotional weight and toll on them are stunning, heightening the sense of debt we as a society owe to them for their invaluable service. 

These sacrifices underscore the reality that protecting and serving for… show more.

From the very first pages describing one of the most brutal killings I’ve ever read about, I was hooked on this story.

I love how the author effortlessly weaves together different perspectives, giving me a holistic view of the story from multiple angles. What I found most intriguing were the subtle elements of the paranormal interspersed throughout, adding layers of unreliability to the narrative that made this book simply unputdownable.

This is a great read for anyone who loves psychological thrillers with a hint of horror and the supernatural. 

This infamous child killers work remains banned in my home country (UK) but is widely available online. Brady and Hindley (his partner) were child killers, both incarcerated for life and both died in prison.

This book was read for curiosity only, whilst writing my own ‘inside the mind of a psychopathic killer’ narrative, I wanted to understand how a ‘real serial killer’ would really think. He wrote The Gates of Janus whilst incarcerated at Ashworth high-security psychiatric hospital.

Brady’s intention was that it be published anonymously, however, this could never be allowed to happen. It is in 2 parts 1) He describes his involvement in the 6 murders from the perspective of ‘understanding himself’ and part 2) His advice as offered to law enforcement in solving such future cases (in this it falls flat).

I recommend it only if you want to understand his thought process – just as Hitler’s Mein… show more.

It was hard to pick a book in Michael Slade’s Special X series, as the first few books work together like a symphony. I’ve always been fascinated with serial murder, like so many people who get into psychology.

This book sets up a twisted narrative and a shocking ending that sets the stage for more surprises in the books that follow. I’d let the series drop after one particular loop got closed, but I'm looking forward to picking it up again soon!

This isn’t the easiest of reads, but it is the Real Thing – the work of the man who discovered the Triangle itself.

I love its density and the fact that I can come back to it over and over again and find new ideas. Dr Karpman’s long experience as a working therapist speaks out from every page. 

Firstly, I absolutely love that this book is presented in the form of a podcast!

Maybe it’s just me, but epistolary novels always makes me feel the story is more “real”! I love how Wesolowski cleverly blurs the lines between madness, evil, and the paranormal, asking whether “monsters” really exist or are simply manifestations of our human selves.

This resonates so much with me as a clinical psychologist, because mental illness have been demonised and “monstered” throughout history, and I am always working to educate and defeat stereotypes and stigma.