Mapping the Trail of a Crime: How Experts Use Geographic Profiling to Solve the World's Most Notorious Cases by Gordon Kerr

by Gordon Kerr

Why do some serial killers kill only in their own homes or only in the homes of their victims? Why do some kidnappers and rapists travel far and wide to commit their crimes while others stick close to home? This fully illustrated collection of true crime stories explores a range of well-known criminal cases from a fascinating perspective. It explores the chilling and audacious crimes of infamous serial killers, rapists, and child molesters, implementing the latest geographic profiling methods used by forensic experts. (Geographic profiling is a technique that analyzes the locations of a connected series of crimes and has proven to help investigators determine patterns and anticipate where future crimes may occur or where evidence from past crimes may be found.) Each case explores the criminal's pattern of behavior, gives an overview of the significant incidents of the crime, provides a timeline of how the crime progressed, and includes a map that charts the geography of each case. Exploring the most notorious cases of our day in this unique way provides a novel perspective and gripping narrative. You'll learn how observing such geographic patterns helped investigators catch the most infamous of criminals.

Genres: True Crime, Crime, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Gordon Kerr was born in the Scottish new town of East Kilbride and worked in the wine trade and then bookselling and publishing before becoming a full-time writer. He is the author of numerous books in a variety of genres, including art, history, true crime, travel and humour. He has a wife and two children and lives in Hampshire and—when he can—South West France.

Reviews

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is based on a very interesting device (creating a computer program to discover the area a serial killer will most likely live based on the crimes) however, the book does little to really talk specifically about this ... almost like they can't talk too much about it, though it's what the entire book is supposed to be about.

It is a rather disturbing sequence of crimes and a list of victims at the end of each criminal is a map of the victims and sometimes the criminal's home base.

Various systems are talked about in the book, and since computers are a more current invention it shows how a few individuals actually started to incorporate them into helping solve crime. Also, involved is the complication of people being even more mobile than previous groups due to better transportation methods.

So, while the book brings up an interesting topic, and also provides information it feels like this is a book that needs to be part of a class where the actual nuts and bolts of discussing how to use this information is done.

Somewhat split on how to really gauge this book, it has a great premise but doesn't deliver on how the details where used in creating a system... or the what specifics were used e.g.- where personality profiles used to help locate the type of place to find this person.

[Aaron Jura · Rating 2 out of 5]

A couple good points on geographic profiling, but mostly a compilation of serial murders with plot points for their crimes. Not what I thought based on the blurb. Very much a summary and then filler.

[David Blake · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rubbish -- misrepresented as a backgrounder on geo profiling. Not even close.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was good, but it didn't really cover geographical profiling alone, it was about cases that used geo profiling, but it is a good read

[Steven Townend · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected. I was expecting a detailed account of how a crime was actually mapped. Instead this was an account of a number of serial killers whereby mostly a geographical profile could be made after the fact.

[Cheyan Fite · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shows you the inner workings of how a serial criminal works and the laws to track them.

[Valq · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not very detailed. made it difficult to read in one go

[Lottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this really interesting and there were some cases that I'd never heard of or didn't know much about, there were some well known cases that I did now about.
I liked layout of the book with the maps which showed you visually the areas where the crimes were committed and where the victims bodies were found. Which is what this book was about how the police used geographical profiling to help them find the perpetrator of the crimes.
If you like true crime books this is one you should check out as it is different from any other crime books I've read.