What do you think?
Rate this book
Making a Psychopath: My Journey into 7 Dangerous Minds
What makes a psychopath?
‘I have eaten with psychopaths, laughed and cried with them. I have seen them bleed and, in one case, die. They have manipulated me; I have probably manipulated them. And many words have been said - usually not by me - that should never be said by one human to another.'
Dr Mark Freestone, a leading psychiatry consultant, has worked on some of the most disturbing psychopath cases of recent times. Join him on this extraordinary journey, as he uncovers secrets of the most dangerous minds.
Are psychopaths evil?
Are they born or made?
Can psychopaths feel?
With its page-turning true crime storytelling and searing first-hand experience that will leave you reeling, this book opens up a window onto the unseen world of those who operate in a void of human emotion….. and asks how we will stop them.
‘I have eaten with psychopaths, laughed and cried with them. I have seen them bleed and, in one case, die. They have manipulated me; I have probably manipulated them. And many words have been said - usually not by me - that should never be said by one human to another.'
Dr Mark Freestone, a leading psychiatry consultant, has worked on some of the most disturbing psychopath cases of recent times. Join him on this extraordinary journey, as he uncovers secrets of the most dangerous minds.
Are psychopaths evil?
Are they born or made?
Can psychopaths feel?
With its page-turning true crime storytelling and searing first-hand experience that will leave you reeling, this book opens up a window onto the unseen world of those who operate in a void of human emotion….. and asks how we will stop them.
- GenresNonfiction
284 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
2 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 16, 2025
‘Making a Psychopath’ was fascinating and very easy to understand. Dr Freestone explains psychopathy through seven different studies of people - a ‘hitman’, a ‘conman’, a ‘liar’, a ‘parasite’, a ‘borderline’ a ‘remorseless’ and finally a ‘redeemed’.
I found the subject of women and psychopathy particularly interesting as females who come under this ‘umbrella’ are very few and far between. This certainly begs the question as to whether gender has anything to do with diagnosis, as well as the more common theory of how these individuals were brought up as children, more often than not ending up in the care system, going on to become criminals and eventually getting a diagnosis whilst being in the criminal justice system. It also touches on the subject of neurodivergence, in particular, autism, which seems to be a keyword for a few of the cases here.
Are psychopaths evil? Are they born or made? Can psychopaths feel? This is recommended reading which doesn’t necessarily answer those questions entirely, but certainly gives an insight into what professionals like Dr Mark experience in their field of work and how treatment has to change and mould itself to these troubled individuals.
I found the subject of women and psychopathy particularly interesting as females who come under this ‘umbrella’ are very few and far between. This certainly begs the question as to whether gender has anything to do with diagnosis, as well as the more common theory of how these individuals were brought up as children, more often than not ending up in the care system, going on to become criminals and eventually getting a diagnosis whilst being in the criminal justice system. It also touches on the subject of neurodivergence, in particular, autism, which seems to be a keyword for a few of the cases here.
Are psychopaths evil? Are they born or made? Can psychopaths feel? This is recommended reading which doesn’t necessarily answer those questions entirely, but certainly gives an insight into what professionals like Dr Mark experience in their field of work and how treatment has to change and mould itself to these troubled individuals.
January 16, 2024
An intriguing and at times startling insight into what makes a psychopath. This is also intriguing in that it looks at how tv and books view psychopathy and why this term might also be quite misleading. It also didn’t feel too patronising in its tone, it felt easy to read (in that it flowed well) even if the subject matter can be quite tough at times. All in all I was fascinated.
March 12, 2025
Short book with descriptions of different ways psychopaths can present. Interesting quick read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews