Talking With Psychopaths and Savages: Beyond Evil: From the UK's No. 1 True Crime author

Friend loved it!

Bought as a Christmas present / my daughter finds this subject fascinating so can’t really review from a personal level but was requested by my daughter

I throughly enjoyed reading this book. There was many cases I hadn't heard of. Of Those I was aware of, the casual, but narrated style Christopher has used, added so much more interesting details. I would highly recommend giving it a read. Also I found , reading it while in public ( bus/ park/ waiting room) , helps to avoid any small talk ypu don't want!!!!!!

One of my favourite authors.

Adore Christopher lee berry collection.

So for the most part, I was interested in the case contained but the sheer amount of repetition regarding the author's other works actually had me rolling my eyes. I know you've written other works, I am quite capable of going and researching other works but mentioning it in every story was boring at best and took me out of the story at worst.

I really dont understand how soo many people gave bad reviews for this book:s im nearly finished and I really enjoyed it! Just this 1 book in the whole series taught me so much about psychopaths, serial killers etc. Gave me thrills!!!Cant wait to move on to the next😩

I share similar views to others who have given this book a low rating. It’s a shame I didn’t pay attention to them! Firstly, it’s clear from the beginning that the author is not going to forensically dissect his interview subjects. He, by his own words, prefers not to use “professional ‘psychobabble’”. Instead he resorts to tabloid cliche descriptions such as “pure evil”, “savages”, “monsters” or “lacking a soul”. These are not the words of a professional, objective psychoanalyst. I don’t need to be told that, actually serial killers are quite terrible people - ya think? This style of writing also gives the impression that these killers are somehow not human, which is lazy and unhelpful to laypeople like myself. At one point he uses the phrase “In my view, they are way beyond evil.” - what does that even mean?! Surely it’s because they are human, that makes their existence so fascinating, and forces us to seek out how they came to be. Another aspect I found off-putting was the fairly hypocritical nature of the author’s aims with the book. There are hints that he sees himself as some form of crusader (“I speak for the victims...”), but then makes a crass joke while describing the level of violence to one female victim - “she really really p*ssed him off, I guess!” Also, I could find not any acknowledgement of the fact that he’s making money off of these criminals, and their crimes. The fairly lurid descriptions of his subject’s appalling crimes reinforces the view, for me, that the selling of the stories are the real agenda. I assumed that his background would give him special insight into criminology and the justice system. But despite his exposure to it, this book makes him appear as just an enthusiastic amateur. For example, he compares prisoners behaviour to caged monkeys without acknowledging/discussing the effect that incarceration has on human behaviour. Finally, I started playing spot the cliche while reading. Here is a selection. If you like this kind of writing then you’ll love the book: “Time and again”, “you couldn’t make it up”, “in a nutshell”, “certainly not...rocket science” “up the proverbial creek without a paddle”, “in need of her head examined”, “it goes without saying” I recommend Brian Masters’ book on Dennis Nilsen “Killing for Company” for an example of how to write about this kind of subject.

Paper quality of the book is very low.

Headline “I’ve realized that psychopaths can act with savage brutality, devoid of remorse even in killing—yet they are born from the same society that shapes you and me.”

It's well written. He did interview some psychopaths. He does write about himself but that can be a good thing. I am glad he sets the record straight in regards to the Sunset Strip Killers. Likely the female was running the show. What I didn't like was if he did interview them, why doesn't he talk about that more? And include an analysis on body language, or deception analysis? The book is supposed to be about "talking with psychopaths" and "a deeper journey into the minds" but none of this is in his book. I would imagine all his books are the same? Is he really a best-selling author? What I am getting tired of is I am not sure who is real and who is fake anymore. For example, the behavior panel. I bought a book by the British guy. I rarely return a book. No matter how bad it is, I can find something in it. His book. Nothing. It was all theory about body language. There was nothing useable in it. Then I find out, the other guy on the behavior panel, he wrote a book when he was 27 about how to pick up women. How do you go from writing a book like that to being an "expert in body language"? I wonder if a lot of people lie to get where they are and their books are just a way to make money. They promise a book that does not deliver. All smoke and mirrors. Some people are just "brands" it seems. Is anyone genuine anymore? If you truely want to know about psychopaths, get The Mask of Sanity or Character Disturbance. The first one might be too technical for some or not. The second is an eye opener to deal with people in our everyday life that are like psychopaths. They are but they are just not in jail. We all need to protect ourselves from these people. Pick people to be in your life that are warm, love animals, are generous, kind and tell the truth. Thank you.

The book is written well but unfortunately I don’t want to read about the author I want to read about the people he interviewed.Pats him self on the back just a little too much.

This is not a book for the squeamish, but it is undeniably fascinating in its portrayal of just what one human being will do to others - while all too often moving among us unnoticed and unhindered. If their crimes seem as incomprehensible as they are horrific, it is undeniably true that the world's most savage killers may be much closer than we think...