Serial Killers. Most of us cannot begin to imagine what it is like to kill, let alone brutally kill a ‘series’ of people.
Criminologists call them psychopaths. Although we have been plagued through history with serial killers ranging from criminal masterminds to opportunistic killers, we still know very little whether nature or nurture is the driving force.
Are some people just born evil, or molded into killers from abuse?
‘Evil Serial Killers’ by Charlotte Greig investigates the minds of some of the most sadistic serial killers. Charlotte has chosen fifty of the worst, most depraved killers.
Tweet
She examines ‘Angels of Death’, ‘Crazed Cannibals’, ‘Demon Lovers’, ‘Gold Diggers’, ‘Highway Hunters’, ‘Maniacal Murderers’, ‘Paedophile Killers’, ‘Psycho Snipers’, ‘Rape Slayers’, ‘Ruthless Rippers’, ‘Sadistic Stranglers’, ‘Skid-Row Slashers’, and ‘Vampire Killers’.
Yes, there are some pretty dark chapters in this book. However, our dark history can make a fascinating muse for your next crime thriller.
“I was looking for the perfect mate, the real romance of life.
” Nannie Doss, a woman that murdered four husbands and six other people.
From the infamous Elizabeth Bathory in the 1600s who supposedly tortured and killed over six hundred girls, to Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy, The Zodiac killer and many more.
Belle Gunness, perhaps the first female serial killer in modern times, and defined the Black Widow archetype, killed men for money. She easily attracted men, killing them by means of cyanide or an axe.
Jeffrey Dahmer is probably a name most of us have heard of connected with necrophilia and cannibalism, potentially killing at least 15 men.
Perhaps one of the most terrifying is the combination of two sexual sadists, whose psychopathic tendencies arouse one another to kidnap, assault and kill multiple women. Ian Brady and Myra Hindley are known for the ‘Moor Murders’, kidnapping young girls and burying them on the Moors. This story is an example of what might have been if Myra and Ian had not met. Together their obsession resulted in brutality and horror.
Monster. Yes, we probably all associate these killers as monsters. However, there is a Highway Hunter whose life was so horrendous that Hollywood had to make it into a movie. Aileen Wuornos. A prostitute who claimed she killed to defend herself against brutal assaults. Regardless whether this was true, she was eventually convicted for multiple killings due to Tyria Moore’s co-operation with the police.
David Berkowitz, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Dennis Nilsen, Moses Sithole, Juan Corona, and Dean Corll known as the ‘Candy Man’ all made their mark in history. Most of us are fascinatingly disgusted by their acts. Some of us want to understand what drives these people to such horrifying lengths.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It examines the grotesque nature of humans, that sometimes these people do not come from an abusive background, but simply because they want to hurt.
Our history might be horrible; however, we can learn from what has occurred. And if you have a bit of a morbid sense of imagination, learning about how a person ends up as a serial killer might help you to understand your own antagonist.
What are your favourite non-fiction books that inspire you, or help you in your research? Interested in getting more content like this? My up-coming newsletters will cover a part 1 and part 2 of non-fiction books I use to aid me in my research – http://eepurl.com/ghyNAH
Writing, Health, and CBD 