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Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us
Written from a never-before-seen perspective, a real-life Mindhunter’s provocative true crime memoir takes readers inside the prison interview room—and the minds—of serious sex offenders, as she assesses the fates of those charged with the most disturbing acts imaginable.
Once inside the prison system, how can a pathological, sexual sadist who needs to be confined to a mental institution, be distinguished from the perpetrator of a sexual crime who is unlikely to ever transgress again? And who can say?
Working under California's Sexually Violent Predator Law, Samantha Stein, PsyD, faces such offenders alone, one by one, in a prison interview room. As a forensic psychologist, her high-stakes decisions can determine the difference between a life lived back in society or one condemned to indefinite incarceration. For Dr. Stein, despite the science she relies on, it’s a profound responsibility that comes with a “Please don’t let me have been wrong.”
Confronting evil, yet never approaching an evaluation with damning preconceptions, Dr. Stein opens her mind to her subjects’ life stories—their crimes, their grim pathologies, their frustrations and demons, their childhoods, their sociopathic reasoning, and often, too, their genuine and civilized regret. She doesn’t hesitate to hold them accountable, but she acknowledges their humanity. She studies the face, eyes, posture, and the lies, yet admits that predicting human behavior can be dicey.
Part forensics, part exploration of human nature, Evil at Our Table is the first in-depth account by a treatment provider and evaluator in the field. Here, Dr. Stein not only reveals the details of specific cases—and the outcomes—but also delves into the sometimes-overwhelming impact on her personal life.
Told with empathy, uncompromising honesty, and insight from a unique and experienced perspective, in this important book, Dr. Stein investigates salient issues of our the intersection of good and evil, crime, punishment, law, and psychology, and our very humanity, as well as how to achieve a sane balance between community safety and civil liberties—all the while facing the monsters among us.
Once inside the prison system, how can a pathological, sexual sadist who needs to be confined to a mental institution, be distinguished from the perpetrator of a sexual crime who is unlikely to ever transgress again? And who can say?
Working under California's Sexually Violent Predator Law, Samantha Stein, PsyD, faces such offenders alone, one by one, in a prison interview room. As a forensic psychologist, her high-stakes decisions can determine the difference between a life lived back in society or one condemned to indefinite incarceration. For Dr. Stein, despite the science she relies on, it’s a profound responsibility that comes with a “Please don’t let me have been wrong.”
Confronting evil, yet never approaching an evaluation with damning preconceptions, Dr. Stein opens her mind to her subjects’ life stories—their crimes, their grim pathologies, their frustrations and demons, their childhoods, their sociopathic reasoning, and often, too, their genuine and civilized regret. She doesn’t hesitate to hold them accountable, but she acknowledges their humanity. She studies the face, eyes, posture, and the lies, yet admits that predicting human behavior can be dicey.
Part forensics, part exploration of human nature, Evil at Our Table is the first in-depth account by a treatment provider and evaluator in the field. Here, Dr. Stein not only reveals the details of specific cases—and the outcomes—but also delves into the sometimes-overwhelming impact on her personal life.
Told with empathy, uncompromising honesty, and insight from a unique and experienced perspective, in this important book, Dr. Stein investigates salient issues of our the intersection of good and evil, crime, punishment, law, and psychology, and our very humanity, as well as how to achieve a sane balance between community safety and civil liberties—all the while facing the monsters among us.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published August 26, 2025
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August 16, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 26, 2025
It is Dr. Samantha Stein’s job to assess sexual offenders and recommend whether they deserve to be incarcerated for life, due to their risk of re-offending. Her memoir, “Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us”, is a terrifying yet honest depiction of just how she gets her job done, and done well, with so much riding on the line, all while raising her own family and trying to keep her two worlds separate.
Stein introduces readers to three of her “patients” (names changed for legal reasons), as she goes through the detailed and rigorous interview process. Readers learn about who these men are and what they’ve done, then Stein explains what her recommendations are. Of course, the process is clearly outlined, leaving Stein with specific protocol within which to make her recommendations. In the state of California, where Stein resides, after she submits her recommendation, there are several other legal steps taken by others, so Stein does not have the final and only say, in order to keep things as fair and unbiased as possible.
Many times throughout “Evil”, Stein talks about how and why she does the job she does and, although I could never do it myself, I can see Stein’s reasoning and it makes sense to me. She talks about how she compartmentalizes, and how she relies on meditation and yoga to help her cope with the stress of her day, and rationally and reasonably provides insight on how she parents young children after facing evil all day.
The hardest part to get behind for me, and many readers likely, is how Stein depicts the patients she works with as humans first, flawed humans who have committed a violent and senseless act, of course, but who still have people who love and support them. I struggled with seeing things the same was as Stein did, and I think a lot of readers, especially those who have experienced sexual violence against them or someone close to them, will struggle with this, too. But this is one of the biggest reasons why Stein is the perfect choice to do this job.
“Evil” is a shocking look at the darkest parts of humanity that most of us purposely avoid thinking about in our daily lives but at its root, it is about humanity and justice. Stein makes absolutely no excuses for her patients, acknowledging their horrendous crimes and the harm they caused (and continue to cause), while maintaining the seriousness and professionalism that her job entails. Honest, disturbing and informative, “Evil” is not an easy read, but it is a fascinating one.
Expected publication date: Aug. 26, 2025
It is Dr. Samantha Stein’s job to assess sexual offenders and recommend whether they deserve to be incarcerated for life, due to their risk of re-offending. Her memoir, “Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us”, is a terrifying yet honest depiction of just how she gets her job done, and done well, with so much riding on the line, all while raising her own family and trying to keep her two worlds separate.
Stein introduces readers to three of her “patients” (names changed for legal reasons), as she goes through the detailed and rigorous interview process. Readers learn about who these men are and what they’ve done, then Stein explains what her recommendations are. Of course, the process is clearly outlined, leaving Stein with specific protocol within which to make her recommendations. In the state of California, where Stein resides, after she submits her recommendation, there are several other legal steps taken by others, so Stein does not have the final and only say, in order to keep things as fair and unbiased as possible.
Many times throughout “Evil”, Stein talks about how and why she does the job she does and, although I could never do it myself, I can see Stein’s reasoning and it makes sense to me. She talks about how she compartmentalizes, and how she relies on meditation and yoga to help her cope with the stress of her day, and rationally and reasonably provides insight on how she parents young children after facing evil all day.
The hardest part to get behind for me, and many readers likely, is how Stein depicts the patients she works with as humans first, flawed humans who have committed a violent and senseless act, of course, but who still have people who love and support them. I struggled with seeing things the same was as Stein did, and I think a lot of readers, especially those who have experienced sexual violence against them or someone close to them, will struggle with this, too. But this is one of the biggest reasons why Stein is the perfect choice to do this job.
“Evil” is a shocking look at the darkest parts of humanity that most of us purposely avoid thinking about in our daily lives but at its root, it is about humanity and justice. Stein makes absolutely no excuses for her patients, acknowledging their horrendous crimes and the harm they caused (and continue to cause), while maintaining the seriousness and professionalism that her job entails. Honest, disturbing and informative, “Evil” is not an easy read, but it is a fascinating one.
October 29, 2025
I used to have this postcard tacked up in my office cubicle - back when they still did cubicles - that said, “Compassion is Invincible.” I still really like the sentiment, but this book was a bit of a challenge for me as I found myself scraping at the gritty and gravelly bottom of my typically sufficient compassion and empathy well.
Like the author, I spent most of my career until just recently working at the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system. However, while I worked exclusively with (way too many) victims of abuse and assault, the author works with imprisoned perpetrators - serial violent sexual offenders of women and children in particular - primarily performing psychological assessments in an effort to fish for some slippery factors such as their readiness for change, remorse for the harm they have caused, ability to safely re-integrate into public life, and likelihood of reoffending.
I fully acknowledge that perpetrators have often experienced trauma and behavioral heath issues themselves, and I admire the author’s ability and willingness to try to see these offenders as human beings and to hold hope for them and their future, but I am afraid that I don’t possess these gifts myself and did not find myself motivated by this book to cultivate them: I’ve just heard too. many. damn. survivor stories in my day, and I have little capacity left for hope of positive change on the part of those who have caused harm. I just really haven’t ever seen it, if I’m being honest. I realize I’m not offering any answers here, and at least she’s trying to do something about this social problem of interpersonal and sexual violence, but my well has nearly dried up just trying to alleviate the destruction and chaos that these perpetrators have caused and have not ever seemed to take any responsibility for or be sorrowful or regretful about.
That’s my own story, and I’m sticking to it, and unfortunately this book did nothing to change my mind. There are a few other features of the book that I felt also weakened the author’s case. First, as expressed in many books by professionals who work with crime and criminals, the author’s career clearly takes a toll on her personal mental health and wellbeing, and requires rather an iron grip to manage, and I think it’s important to listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Along with this, the book also aims for that difficult hybrid of both personal and professional memoir, and I think this is just tricky business. It’s jarring to read about intimate dinner convos with your children after daily family meditation hour when these bits are nestled within the context of addressing the significant social problem of interpersonal violence, facts and statistics about offending, and long biographical narratives recounting a perpetrator’s life and crimes.
Second, there seem to be many instances of overly rationalizing and minimizing an abuser’s behavior or affording them excessive benefit of the doubt. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think sexually assaulting your daughter is some kind of hiccup fluke that accidentally happened because you’re going through a bit of a rough patch.
As a third example, the author seems to undermine her own argument at the very end of the book when she identifies that not only the larger system, but also the specific program in which she has been working, which basically ends up getting dismantled due to factors including but not limited to cost-saving and political wrangling, is deeply flawed. The eleventh-inning whistleblowing just hits strangely: she’s spent most of the book extolling the virtues of her role and how rewarding and meaningful it all is, but then suddenly when the job is on the wane, it’s all kind of bullshit?
Finally - none of the offenders she profiles in the book really seem to change or to avoid re-offending, and the dearth of effective treatment approaches or access to them is also mentioned.
I respected the author’s efforts, both in her career and in this work, enough that it was important to me to try to consider and understand the whole book and really give it a chance to the best of my ability - just as she extended this same courtesy and respect to her own clients. Although I was ultimately left overall unmoved and found aspects of the book off-putting, I think it was a good challenge/comfort edge-pushing read, and I could recommend it on that basis.
Like the author, I spent most of my career until just recently working at the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system. However, while I worked exclusively with (way too many) victims of abuse and assault, the author works with imprisoned perpetrators - serial violent sexual offenders of women and children in particular - primarily performing psychological assessments in an effort to fish for some slippery factors such as their readiness for change, remorse for the harm they have caused, ability to safely re-integrate into public life, and likelihood of reoffending.
I fully acknowledge that perpetrators have often experienced trauma and behavioral heath issues themselves, and I admire the author’s ability and willingness to try to see these offenders as human beings and to hold hope for them and their future, but I am afraid that I don’t possess these gifts myself and did not find myself motivated by this book to cultivate them: I’ve just heard too. many. damn. survivor stories in my day, and I have little capacity left for hope of positive change on the part of those who have caused harm. I just really haven’t ever seen it, if I’m being honest. I realize I’m not offering any answers here, and at least she’s trying to do something about this social problem of interpersonal and sexual violence, but my well has nearly dried up just trying to alleviate the destruction and chaos that these perpetrators have caused and have not ever seemed to take any responsibility for or be sorrowful or regretful about.
That’s my own story, and I’m sticking to it, and unfortunately this book did nothing to change my mind. There are a few other features of the book that I felt also weakened the author’s case. First, as expressed in many books by professionals who work with crime and criminals, the author’s career clearly takes a toll on her personal mental health and wellbeing, and requires rather an iron grip to manage, and I think it’s important to listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Along with this, the book also aims for that difficult hybrid of both personal and professional memoir, and I think this is just tricky business. It’s jarring to read about intimate dinner convos with your children after daily family meditation hour when these bits are nestled within the context of addressing the significant social problem of interpersonal violence, facts and statistics about offending, and long biographical narratives recounting a perpetrator’s life and crimes.
Second, there seem to be many instances of overly rationalizing and minimizing an abuser’s behavior or affording them excessive benefit of the doubt. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think sexually assaulting your daughter is some kind of hiccup fluke that accidentally happened because you’re going through a bit of a rough patch.
As a third example, the author seems to undermine her own argument at the very end of the book when she identifies that not only the larger system, but also the specific program in which she has been working, which basically ends up getting dismantled due to factors including but not limited to cost-saving and political wrangling, is deeply flawed. The eleventh-inning whistleblowing just hits strangely: she’s spent most of the book extolling the virtues of her role and how rewarding and meaningful it all is, but then suddenly when the job is on the wane, it’s all kind of bullshit?
Finally - none of the offenders she profiles in the book really seem to change or to avoid re-offending, and the dearth of effective treatment approaches or access to them is also mentioned.
I respected the author’s efforts, both in her career and in this work, enough that it was important to me to try to consider and understand the whole book and really give it a chance to the best of my ability - just as she extended this same courtesy and respect to her own clients. Although I was ultimately left overall unmoved and found aspects of the book off-putting, I think it was a good challenge/comfort edge-pushing read, and I could recommend it on that basis.
May 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fascinating look at assessments of sex offenders and the sample report at the end was informative. While the majority of sex offenders are men, it would've been interesting to read about a woman sex offender and her evaluation.
This is a fascinating look at assessments of sex offenders and the sample report at the end was informative. While the majority of sex offenders are men, it would've been interesting to read about a woman sex offender and her evaluation.
August 14, 2025
Firstly I’d like to thank Kensington Publishing; Citadel and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Stein brought a wealth of knowledge with her while writing “Evil at Our Table”. I enjoyed reading about her time as an SVP evaluator. She shared a handful of stories about her interviews with inmates who’ve perpetrated a violent sexual offense. I enjoyed her articulation and nuance when explaining the process of completing an SVP evaluation. Furthermore, I really appreciated that she provided complete examples of the exact evaluation looks like, at the end of the book. I appreciated her candor and honesty while discussing the balance between her personal life and professional life. I am aspiring forensic psychologist so this read was very insightful for me.
However, the use of “stream of consciousness” as a literary device is something that I struggle to enjoy; i felt there was an over reliance on it to a point where it felt like it was filler, I would’ve preferred a in-depth explanation on the court proceedings and how she managed that. I feel like the portion of book that was dedicated to the court proceedings were rushed.
Overall, I enjoyed the read, but it left me wanting more.
Dr. Stein brought a wealth of knowledge with her while writing “Evil at Our Table”. I enjoyed reading about her time as an SVP evaluator. She shared a handful of stories about her interviews with inmates who’ve perpetrated a violent sexual offense. I enjoyed her articulation and nuance when explaining the process of completing an SVP evaluation. Furthermore, I really appreciated that she provided complete examples of the exact evaluation looks like, at the end of the book. I appreciated her candor and honesty while discussing the balance between her personal life and professional life. I am aspiring forensic psychologist so this read was very insightful for me.
However, the use of “stream of consciousness” as a literary device is something that I struggle to enjoy; i felt there was an over reliance on it to a point where it felt like it was filler, I would’ve preferred a in-depth explanation on the court proceedings and how she managed that. I feel like the portion of book that was dedicated to the court proceedings were rushed.
Overall, I enjoyed the read, but it left me wanting more.
April 22, 2025
I typically enjoy reading books that attempt to explore the workings of the human mind. What makes people choose to do wrong vs right? Are we born as bad seeds or are we a product of our environment? This book deals with a very sensitive topic but didn't deliver. I'm not looking for details on the specifics of the crimes, but more on her interviews which barely skimmed the surface. There was more information on her personal life which I really wasn't interested in and found it distracting from the story. I don't look to give negative reviews but this book left me no choice. Thanks to Netgalley, author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 19, 2025
This was not a book I thought I’d be reading this year, but it popped up on someone’s list and I was instantly intrigued. Warning- it’s very triggering for any sex related crimes against women and children.
This is a memoire from a psychologist who works with sexually violent criminals who have served their time in prison, and are looking to be released into society. Stein is the person who meets them in prison and conducts an hours long interview to determine if they need further mental health support, or if they are deemed safe to release. She notes that this is the only crime that undergoes this process, which I found very surprising.
She walks us through some of her interviews which range from intense to explicit to mild. Throughout, she attempts to have empathy and truly understand what got them there; in other words, she seeks out their humanity, which is often lost on people that commit sexual crimes.
This was a difficult book to digest. Not only for its triggering content, but for its curiosity and openness about the process and what it all means for a human being. It begs the reader to be open minded and see the human underneath. Stein confronts her own tendencies and wonders, is it all inside us, even if we don’t act on it? Can we connect a common thread to our humanness?
Stein also connects her career to being a parent of young children, and how she deals with her intense work subject and then parenting in a world where things seem so black and white, us vs them. She shows us what healthy conversation, critical thinking in the open, and meditating all have a purpose in helping us make sense of our world.
This is a memoire from a psychologist who works with sexually violent criminals who have served their time in prison, and are looking to be released into society. Stein is the person who meets them in prison and conducts an hours long interview to determine if they need further mental health support, or if they are deemed safe to release. She notes that this is the only crime that undergoes this process, which I found very surprising.
She walks us through some of her interviews which range from intense to explicit to mild. Throughout, she attempts to have empathy and truly understand what got them there; in other words, she seeks out their humanity, which is often lost on people that commit sexual crimes.
This was a difficult book to digest. Not only for its triggering content, but for its curiosity and openness about the process and what it all means for a human being. It begs the reader to be open minded and see the human underneath. Stein confronts her own tendencies and wonders, is it all inside us, even if we don’t act on it? Can we connect a common thread to our humanness?
Stein also connects her career to being a parent of young children, and how she deals with her intense work subject and then parenting in a world where things seem so black and white, us vs them. She shows us what healthy conversation, critical thinking in the open, and meditating all have a purpose in helping us make sense of our world.
August 22, 2025
A Riveting and Reflective Look Inside a Forensic Psychologist's World
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing an advanced listener copy of Evil at Our Table in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Samantha King's Evil at Our Table is a compelling and deeply personal memoir that explores her experiences as a forensic psychologist working with sex offenders. Rather than a dry, academic text, the book reads like an engaging narrative that delves into the profound impact this work has on her life, both personally and professionally. King masterfully intertwines her professional insights with candid reflections on how her career affects her family, her relationships, and her own sense of safety in the world.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its nuanced approach to its subjects. King humanizes the offenders she works with, not to elicit sympathy, but to foster a more profound understanding of the complex factors at play. She argues that we can never truly know someone's capabilities, regardless of predictive metrics or perceived character. This perspective is particularly powerful and makes for a thought-provoking listen. As an educator, I found the section on child safety to be particularly crucial and believe it's a must-listen for any parent or professional who works with children.
As a true crime enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed the book's engaging style. My favorite sections were chapters 11 and 12, where King offers a moving and introspective look at the motivation behind her challenging career. I also appreciated her personal anecdotes from her therapy practice, which were consistently insightful and engaging. My only criticism is that the final three chapters, which detail a specific report, were repetitive in the audio format and might be better suited for a physical book.
The audiobook narration was absolutely perfect for the content. The narrator's voice was clear and easy to listen to, with a tone that appropriately shifted from professional to reflective, conveying joy and sadness as needed. The story-telling style makes it feel like a compelling podcast, perfect for listening to while on the go.
Overall, I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in psychology, true crime, or the intricacies of predictive policing and policy. It's a powerful and memorable listen.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing an advanced listener copy of Evil at Our Table in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Samantha King's Evil at Our Table is a compelling and deeply personal memoir that explores her experiences as a forensic psychologist working with sex offenders. Rather than a dry, academic text, the book reads like an engaging narrative that delves into the profound impact this work has on her life, both personally and professionally. King masterfully intertwines her professional insights with candid reflections on how her career affects her family, her relationships, and her own sense of safety in the world.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its nuanced approach to its subjects. King humanizes the offenders she works with, not to elicit sympathy, but to foster a more profound understanding of the complex factors at play. She argues that we can never truly know someone's capabilities, regardless of predictive metrics or perceived character. This perspective is particularly powerful and makes for a thought-provoking listen. As an educator, I found the section on child safety to be particularly crucial and believe it's a must-listen for any parent or professional who works with children.
As a true crime enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed the book's engaging style. My favorite sections were chapters 11 and 12, where King offers a moving and introspective look at the motivation behind her challenging career. I also appreciated her personal anecdotes from her therapy practice, which were consistently insightful and engaging. My only criticism is that the final three chapters, which detail a specific report, were repetitive in the audio format and might be better suited for a physical book.
The audiobook narration was absolutely perfect for the content. The narrator's voice was clear and easy to listen to, with a tone that appropriately shifted from professional to reflective, conveying joy and sadness as needed. The story-telling style makes it feel like a compelling podcast, perfect for listening to while on the go.
Overall, I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in psychology, true crime, or the intricacies of predictive policing and policy. It's a powerful and memorable listen.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
September 17, 2025
To say that Stein had a hard job to do in writing this book is an understatement! WOW. What a topic. I have no issue in reading about heavy real-world topics because I do find it helps build my empathy and understanding of deeper world issues. This book managed to do just that.
Stein managed to convey how complex these issues are, while showing respect for each individual, no matter how hard that can be in some situations. I know that some people will read this and have VERY strong opinions - which is each person's choice. I, myself, have strong opinions as well but, Stein was able to share the information and her pathway in a manner that made me reflective, sad, thoughtful, etc. without wanting to stop reading from anger. She has gone above and beyond in conveying a message about a (nearly) impossible topic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book.
Stein managed to convey how complex these issues are, while showing respect for each individual, no matter how hard that can be in some situations. I know that some people will read this and have VERY strong opinions - which is each person's choice. I, myself, have strong opinions as well but, Stein was able to share the information and her pathway in a manner that made me reflective, sad, thoughtful, etc. without wanting to stop reading from anger. She has gone above and beyond in conveying a message about a (nearly) impossible topic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book.
September 2, 2025
Content warnings: sexual assault, child sexual abuse and violence.
A true crime memoir, Samantha Stein is a forensic psychologist who invites you into her world as she assesses sexually violent predators. She discusses some of the client’s that she has worked with in her career, what has contributed to their behaviour and give you insight into the US legal system. She discusses the positives and negatives of the current law, the ethical implications she faces in her work and that everything is not black and white. She challenges stereotypes and believes about offenders and provides interesting statistics.
I found it to be a fascinating read as I enjoy true crime and getting Into the minds of criminals. I particularly enjoyed how she explains how her job affects both her own mental health, understanding of human behaviour and the impact it has on raising her family.
However, it is a heavy and emotionally draining read and won’t be for everyone as it contains traumatic sexual content. It can be a little dry and repetitive with the legal aspects but ideal if this is an area you are interested in particularly for students in psychology.
A true crime memoir, Samantha Stein is a forensic psychologist who invites you into her world as she assesses sexually violent predators. She discusses some of the client’s that she has worked with in her career, what has contributed to their behaviour and give you insight into the US legal system. She discusses the positives and negatives of the current law, the ethical implications she faces in her work and that everything is not black and white. She challenges stereotypes and believes about offenders and provides interesting statistics.
I found it to be a fascinating read as I enjoy true crime and getting Into the minds of criminals. I particularly enjoyed how she explains how her job affects both her own mental health, understanding of human behaviour and the impact it has on raising her family.
However, it is a heavy and emotionally draining read and won’t be for everyone as it contains traumatic sexual content. It can be a little dry and repetitive with the legal aspects but ideal if this is an area you are interested in particularly for students in psychology.
August 29, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audioARC.
Samantha Stein’s Evil at Our Table is a fascinating and chilling dive into the psychology of those we label as “monsters.” Rather than sensationalizing, Stein dissects the darker corners of human behavior with precision and empathy, making the reader confront the unsettling reality that such individuals often look and act like anyone else until the mask slips.
With my background in psychiatry, I found this book particularly compelling. Stein’s ability to weave clinical insight with accessible storytelling makes it both engaging for the lay reader and satisfying for those with a professional interest in psychology, criminology, or human behavior. She balances the science with narrative, leaving you both informed and unsettled—in the best way possible.
What stood out most was how Stein doesn’t just catalog evil acts, but explores the “why” and “how” behind them. This book pushes you to think critically about the human mind, morality, and the systems that sometimes fail to recognize warning signs.
Overall, Evil at Our Table is an engrossing, thought-provoking read for anyone interested in psychology, true crime, or simply understanding the shadows that exist within our communities. Highly recommended.
Samantha Stein’s Evil at Our Table is a fascinating and chilling dive into the psychology of those we label as “monsters.” Rather than sensationalizing, Stein dissects the darker corners of human behavior with precision and empathy, making the reader confront the unsettling reality that such individuals often look and act like anyone else until the mask slips.
With my background in psychiatry, I found this book particularly compelling. Stein’s ability to weave clinical insight with accessible storytelling makes it both engaging for the lay reader and satisfying for those with a professional interest in psychology, criminology, or human behavior. She balances the science with narrative, leaving you both informed and unsettled—in the best way possible.
What stood out most was how Stein doesn’t just catalog evil acts, but explores the “why” and “how” behind them. This book pushes you to think critically about the human mind, morality, and the systems that sometimes fail to recognize warning signs.
Overall, Evil at Our Table is an engrossing, thought-provoking read for anyone interested in psychology, true crime, or simply understanding the shadows that exist within our communities. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2025
This was an enjoyable insight into an interesting area. Had lots of personal insights and odd tales thrown in, it was good to hear the human side of how dealing with these types of criminals affects you. The case study at the end was fascinating. I was a bit disappointed as this left me wanting more as it seems to circle around stories and situations including court attendance and issues. The only real meat on the bone was the study at the end. it was well worth a listen but for me it needed more case studies like at the end and greater detail. it was very personal to the author which was nice but it still needed more meat on the bones. Hopefully there is another one from her in the pipeline with more case studies. This is perfect for anyone who has a general interest in true crime and likes a general view, the case study at the end may catch you off guard. Also the subject matter is tough going and courage is needed to write and read. The typical offender maybe male but it would be good to have a female case study or tales as im sure they are overlooked. Thank you, netgallery, puclisher, author and narrator 3.5 rounded to 4
July 28, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review the trigger warnings before reading!
This is a great read for true crime junkies and was very insightful for society (especially women) to see what goes on behind the scenes to institutionalize sexual offenders.
I have a new appreciation to the work that goes into interviewing these criminals to determine the next steps after they complete their sentence. It’s a job I couldn’t imagine doing and one I wouldn’t have the empathy for.
This book gives a good life lesson of empathy and how broad your actions in everyday life can impact those around you even when you just feel you’re doing your normal day to day routine.
Review the trigger warnings before reading!
This is a great read for true crime junkies and was very insightful for society (especially women) to see what goes on behind the scenes to institutionalize sexual offenders.
I have a new appreciation to the work that goes into interviewing these criminals to determine the next steps after they complete their sentence. It’s a job I couldn’t imagine doing and one I wouldn’t have the empathy for.
This book gives a good life lesson of empathy and how broad your actions in everyday life can impact those around you even when you just feel you’re doing your normal day to day routine.
September 15, 2025
This was a great book, especially if you are a forensic psychology aficionado like me. Dr. Stein does a great job describing the balance between work and her personal life, balancing the evil criminals that she has met with and identifying their humanness along with their stories.
Being that I’m forensically trained, I resonated so much with Dr. Stein’s story and how she takes it all in. Again, if you’re into this subject you should totally snag this one! It’s a great read and gets five stars from me.
I should warn you, if you a weak stomach for sex offense talk, this may not be the book for you.
#EvilatOurTable #NetGalley
Being that I’m forensically trained, I resonated so much with Dr. Stein’s story and how she takes it all in. Again, if you’re into this subject you should totally snag this one! It’s a great read and gets five stars from me.
I should warn you, if you a weak stomach for sex offense talk, this may not be the book for you.
#EvilatOurTable #NetGalley
September 13, 2025
Powerful and insightful. With my degree in psych, I was looking forward to reading this book and it did not disappoint. Stein shares an in-depth look at the California state prison system for the most heinous sexual predators. At times this book was upsetting and shocking, but Stein was careful in writing tactfully to analyze the topic at hand and not upset the reader. I recommend this for all interested in psychology.
October 28, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook.
A really interesting perspective on how we view, categorise and deal with a specific group of sexual offenders in the American prison system, I really enjoyed the fact that the author was so honest throughout - even as an expert, she doubts herself at times (which is, I believe, completely normal!) and worries about the consequences of her decisions in the future. Very hard hitting in places, as you would expect, but done in a very human way. The authors interactions with her family, and how this helps her to cope with her work is very touching as well.
A really interesting perspective on how we view, categorise and deal with a specific group of sexual offenders in the American prison system, I really enjoyed the fact that the author was so honest throughout - even as an expert, she doubts herself at times (which is, I believe, completely normal!) and worries about the consequences of her decisions in the future. Very hard hitting in places, as you would expect, but done in a very human way. The authors interactions with her family, and how this helps her to cope with her work is very touching as well.
May 15, 2025
With all those “dirty jobs” that no one wants to do, I’d never thought about those people who work with sexual predators and in Evil At Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us, the author, Samantha Stein, PSYD, shares from the inside, what working with people who have committed those types of crimes is like, as she helps to determine (along with a judge and jury, later at a trial), whether they will possibly spend the rest of their lives, or certainly an indefinite time locked up, if they are deemed a danger to society (and she shares that about 10% of those that fall into the category to be interviewed, are).
I was unaware that in California (where the author lives), and in fifteen other states, the federal prison system and the District of Columbia, when an offender serves time in prison serves time for a serious sex offense, whether it be a few months to twenty years, it is necessary that they are evaluated before they are release back into the community. The author continues, at Evil at Our Table, that “if they pose a serious risk of perpetrating future predatory sexual offenses, they can be committed- indefinitely- to a sex offender treatment at a state-run medical hospital instead of being released or paroled.”
The author spends days, as it is her career (as a forensic psychologist), to sit at a table, in a prison, with individuals who have committed a sexual atrocity, and then has to explain that the interview (sharing an example of one she has given at the end of her book, so that readers see the reality of what the interview entails)- that they are about to do, if they do not “pass”- holds them from becoming paroled or released (from prison or jail after their sentence), and sends them to a medical facility where they will stay- with no release date. She then has to listen, and ask them to explain their life and crimes, so that she can “pass judgement”:- which she has been well trained to do, keeping up on all the current research on the topic (and she does know current stats on crimes and criminal behavior facts, sharing them throughout the book).
In fact, as I read this memoir, many times I thought, what a life that must be with a job like that (because when her children want to go to the park themselves, the fact that stranger abductions rarely occur anymore are the types of things that run through her mind- helping her to give her children a “yes” or “no” answer). However hard the topic may seem to read- the book was very entertaining, albeit horrific at times (as one chapter is titled “bend em and send em”)- but very educational- because unfortunately, these are the things we need to know (and read about)- living in the world we live in.
The author tells readers that the photos that are included at the beginning of each chapter are ones that she takes on her way to work. Shown in black and white, they present a stark contrast to the colorful world we live in and made me think (constantly)- what has this job done to the author? However she shares that information in this book (in great detail, what this job has done to her- the good, the bad and the ugly), especially when reading about the rules she has for her children and the Internet.
Stein also shares a story with readers about a twenty five year old patient that came into her office (this was outside her work with prisoners), and who shared with her that he wanted to be rid of his addiction- which was- looking at child pornography. He further shared that he had discovered rape pornography at the young age of eleven and doing what young men do while looking at it, it became something he liked to look at. Then, while filing sharing, he accidentally downloaded explicit photos of children. While he knew it was wrong, it was a sudden rush for him and something forbidden- but then he couldn’t stop himself.
With some insight, practice and time, doing everything the therapist told him, while they couldn’t undo the past (and she made this clear to him), she could make it a part of his past. With her treatment he was able to stop.
This therapist shares the same beliefs as I do about sexuality, that whatever we discover is exciting, arousing and pleasurable at a young age- this is the time when we are coming into our sexuality- has a sort of “imprint” on an individual. Therefore in these tender years we need to watch out for our children and what they see at this age- because this situation shared in the previous paragraph are the types of outcomes that can easily happen. Luckily this young man sought help and knew what he was doing was wrong- all people aren’t that lucky- and all people don’t have that sort of resolve, to want to stop. That’s when things get scary- and dangerous- for society (and our children).
When this author shares her strict Internet rules for her children, with the work she does- all the things she has heard from victims (she worked with in the past), all the things she has to hear that predators do to adults- and children during interviews she does, all the statistics she has to know, all the research she has to read- it becomes understandable, I thought, to me, as a reader. The author constantly shares how her job impedes her life- but then someone has to do it. And however much damage it can do, she shares that she does find it to be greatly rewarding. The author walks a fine line- but seems to do it as well as anyone could. To me, she seems like a heroine.
When the author talks about why she ultimately does this work, she explains it with something someone said to her, who was also a forensic psychologist at a conference (and it’s a direct quote from the book): “Many sex offender treatment providers began with victims’ work. Then we get tired of pulling bodies out of the water, she said, so we decide to go upstream and try to prevent them from going in, in the first place.” So, instead of counseling the victims of sex offenses, these brave persons go to the root of the cause- those who inflict the damage- and try to prevent these persons from doing it (and, it seems, they do this however they can, even with imprisonment forever, if necessary).
While Evil At Our Table is a hard read- and one that might scare you, especially if you have children- it’s a book that needs to be read- especially if you have children (as you will most definitely learn something you need to know). Samantha Stein is a brave woman- in fact, she’s a heroine in my book- and her own, IMO- as she goes into battle each day. Reader’s definitely don’t want to miss this different sort-of war story, a battle against the predators that society fears. It seems that the author can either help them- or put them away indefinitely- but that’s seemingly their choice, in the end- she just has to decipher it each day like a mystery.
However there are those people, like the young man who sought help for “his issue”- and as hard as some people may find to feel bad for this young man, that these photos were out there, that at eleven he had to see on the Internet- that shouldn’t be something, that as a parent or child- that we should have to worry about. But in this world that we live in, we do have to worry like that. And that’s why this book is so necessary to read- to be in “the know”. Because hopefully- with the knowledge of people out there like this, we can find a way to ultimately defeat them- or at least, keep them far at bay from those they prey on.
Read with Caution & try to Read Happily (always ;)!
Release Date: August 26, 2025
I was unaware that in California (where the author lives), and in fifteen other states, the federal prison system and the District of Columbia, when an offender serves time in prison serves time for a serious sex offense, whether it be a few months to twenty years, it is necessary that they are evaluated before they are release back into the community. The author continues, at Evil at Our Table, that “if they pose a serious risk of perpetrating future predatory sexual offenses, they can be committed- indefinitely- to a sex offender treatment at a state-run medical hospital instead of being released or paroled.”
The author spends days, as it is her career (as a forensic psychologist), to sit at a table, in a prison, with individuals who have committed a sexual atrocity, and then has to explain that the interview (sharing an example of one she has given at the end of her book, so that readers see the reality of what the interview entails)- that they are about to do, if they do not “pass”- holds them from becoming paroled or released (from prison or jail after their sentence), and sends them to a medical facility where they will stay- with no release date. She then has to listen, and ask them to explain their life and crimes, so that she can “pass judgement”:- which she has been well trained to do, keeping up on all the current research on the topic (and she does know current stats on crimes and criminal behavior facts, sharing them throughout the book).
In fact, as I read this memoir, many times I thought, what a life that must be with a job like that (because when her children want to go to the park themselves, the fact that stranger abductions rarely occur anymore are the types of things that run through her mind- helping her to give her children a “yes” or “no” answer). However hard the topic may seem to read- the book was very entertaining, albeit horrific at times (as one chapter is titled “bend em and send em”)- but very educational- because unfortunately, these are the things we need to know (and read about)- living in the world we live in.
The author tells readers that the photos that are included at the beginning of each chapter are ones that she takes on her way to work. Shown in black and white, they present a stark contrast to the colorful world we live in and made me think (constantly)- what has this job done to the author? However she shares that information in this book (in great detail, what this job has done to her- the good, the bad and the ugly), especially when reading about the rules she has for her children and the Internet.
Stein also shares a story with readers about a twenty five year old patient that came into her office (this was outside her work with prisoners), and who shared with her that he wanted to be rid of his addiction- which was- looking at child pornography. He further shared that he had discovered rape pornography at the young age of eleven and doing what young men do while looking at it, it became something he liked to look at. Then, while filing sharing, he accidentally downloaded explicit photos of children. While he knew it was wrong, it was a sudden rush for him and something forbidden- but then he couldn’t stop himself.
With some insight, practice and time, doing everything the therapist told him, while they couldn’t undo the past (and she made this clear to him), she could make it a part of his past. With her treatment he was able to stop.
This therapist shares the same beliefs as I do about sexuality, that whatever we discover is exciting, arousing and pleasurable at a young age- this is the time when we are coming into our sexuality- has a sort of “imprint” on an individual. Therefore in these tender years we need to watch out for our children and what they see at this age- because this situation shared in the previous paragraph are the types of outcomes that can easily happen. Luckily this young man sought help and knew what he was doing was wrong- all people aren’t that lucky- and all people don’t have that sort of resolve, to want to stop. That’s when things get scary- and dangerous- for society (and our children).
When this author shares her strict Internet rules for her children, with the work she does- all the things she has heard from victims (she worked with in the past), all the things she has to hear that predators do to adults- and children during interviews she does, all the statistics she has to know, all the research she has to read- it becomes understandable, I thought, to me, as a reader. The author constantly shares how her job impedes her life- but then someone has to do it. And however much damage it can do, she shares that she does find it to be greatly rewarding. The author walks a fine line- but seems to do it as well as anyone could. To me, she seems like a heroine.
When the author talks about why she ultimately does this work, she explains it with something someone said to her, who was also a forensic psychologist at a conference (and it’s a direct quote from the book): “Many sex offender treatment providers began with victims’ work. Then we get tired of pulling bodies out of the water, she said, so we decide to go upstream and try to prevent them from going in, in the first place.” So, instead of counseling the victims of sex offenses, these brave persons go to the root of the cause- those who inflict the damage- and try to prevent these persons from doing it (and, it seems, they do this however they can, even with imprisonment forever, if necessary).
While Evil At Our Table is a hard read- and one that might scare you, especially if you have children- it’s a book that needs to be read- especially if you have children (as you will most definitely learn something you need to know). Samantha Stein is a brave woman- in fact, she’s a heroine in my book- and her own, IMO- as she goes into battle each day. Reader’s definitely don’t want to miss this different sort-of war story, a battle against the predators that society fears. It seems that the author can either help them- or put them away indefinitely- but that’s seemingly their choice, in the end- she just has to decipher it each day like a mystery.
However there are those people, like the young man who sought help for “his issue”- and as hard as some people may find to feel bad for this young man, that these photos were out there, that at eleven he had to see on the Internet- that shouldn’t be something, that as a parent or child- that we should have to worry about. But in this world that we live in, we do have to worry like that. And that’s why this book is so necessary to read- to be in “the know”. Because hopefully- with the knowledge of people out there like this, we can find a way to ultimately defeat them- or at least, keep them far at bay from those they prey on.
Read with Caution & try to Read Happily (always ;)!
Release Date: August 26, 2025
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2025
I want to start this off by saying that I think Dr. Stein's point of view in this book is valuable and that I agree with her ultimate thesis. However, the presentation of this book took a lot away from it, in my opinion. Starting with the title and subtitle - Stein's point of view in the book is well-rounded and empathetic, but the way the book is marketed does not differentiate it from a more sensational or one-sided true crime narrative, which does the content a disservice. This is an important and nuanced conversation, and I would have liked to see that reflected in the title and cover art in a way that it simply is not.
Secondly, Stein oscillates wildly between writing a personal memoir and a professional accounting of her work. The memoir sections give good insight into her life and how her work affects her, but they do little to bolster the point that she's making in the professional sections. It's not that either story isn't valuable, necessarily - it's that it feels like they are two distinct works, and the reader is forced to jump between them instead of being allowed to fully take in either, weakening both.
Speaking of the memoir sections, these lack the rigorous reporting of her professional work (obviously she's not taking notes during every moment of her family's lives, but she presents the conversations and scenarios with her family as though she was) and feel incredibly sanitized in an "Instagram versus real life" sort of way. I truly hope that Stein is living as blissful of a life as she portrays in the book, but the writing makes it feel as though these anecdotes have been manufactured in the same way that a "motivational" Facebook post might be, smoothing out any flaws and hardships until only a Mary Sue, supermom psychologist and her perfect, warm, loving stick family on the back of a minivan are left.
As a side note, having the official report she includes in the back of the book read out by the audiobook narrator was EXCRUCIATING - I ended up skipping through it because it just started to sound like a mess of numbers and repeated phrases.
Overall, I appreciated the perspective and clear passion Stein brings to this book, but there were elements of the writing and presentation that I couldn't overlook.
Secondly, Stein oscillates wildly between writing a personal memoir and a professional accounting of her work. The memoir sections give good insight into her life and how her work affects her, but they do little to bolster the point that she's making in the professional sections. It's not that either story isn't valuable, necessarily - it's that it feels like they are two distinct works, and the reader is forced to jump between them instead of being allowed to fully take in either, weakening both.
Speaking of the memoir sections, these lack the rigorous reporting of her professional work (obviously she's not taking notes during every moment of her family's lives, but she presents the conversations and scenarios with her family as though she was) and feel incredibly sanitized in an "Instagram versus real life" sort of way. I truly hope that Stein is living as blissful of a life as she portrays in the book, but the writing makes it feel as though these anecdotes have been manufactured in the same way that a "motivational" Facebook post might be, smoothing out any flaws and hardships until only a Mary Sue, supermom psychologist and her perfect, warm, loving stick family on the back of a minivan are left.
As a side note, having the official report she includes in the back of the book read out by the audiobook narrator was EXCRUCIATING - I ended up skipping through it because it just started to sound like a mess of numbers and repeated phrases.
Overall, I appreciated the perspective and clear passion Stein brings to this book, but there were elements of the writing and presentation that I couldn't overlook.
October 28, 2025
This book gets down and dirty with the incredibly hard things doctors and psychiatrists have to deal with everyday! Let a repeated sexual offender go free or be sent to a mental institution, indefinitely? Some would say that's a hard decision to make, me on the other hand, I don't think it's difficult at all. A three strike rule would be more than sufficient to get these disgusting criminals off the streets! The author shows and explains just how much paperwork and psychological intervention goes into making these decisions. There's even a case study at the end of the book, that shows the exact questions that must be answered by the doctors and it comes out to over 40 pages (if my memory serves me right)! Not to mention the hours and hours of interviews they must do face-to-face, with these absolutely disgusting "human beings". It's absolutely asinine how much work must go into whether these REPEAT offenders (and I don't mean just like twice, I'm talking huge numbers of very horrific and violent crimes) get to go back out into society on parole or not. How many chances are we supposed to give these people to harm others? Sexual abuse of this kind RUINS the lives of the women who have to endure it! They have to deal with a LIFE sentence, with all the memories and PTSD, that comes along with it! So, I truly don't understand why the rules are so strict to determine whether these criminals will or will not be repeat offenders, in the future! Most of them have already done a good deal of time and were released and DID IT A SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH TIME and so on! Why are we even giving them a second chance? Reading this book made me so angry for the victims of these crimes! More and more women are getting hurt because these ANIMALS are being let back out onto the street, and just repeating their behavior! It's just astonishing to me that these doctors have to put so much physical and mental work into learning everything there is to know about these animals, to decide whether they go out on parole or are sent to a mental institution, indefinitely. The mental health system has a big enough problem finding resources to treat people with mental health disorders, the kinds that don't scar other people for life, so why are we putting more of a strain on the mental health system for these pieces of garbage? If you ask me, send them all to hell, where they belong. These women who are victims don't get a second chance at life, where they can completely forget and move on from what happened to them (I don't see how they could ever forget it!), so why is it even an option for these disgusting criminals?! Am I the only one that thinks killing these people would better society at large, in a very big way?! And the book just talks about male offenders, so I'm not just being biased, FYI. I will say that the amount of emotional control that these doctors have to exhibit, to be able to go home and live normal lives, while doing this kind of work is astonishing! Astonishing! How they can compartmentalize so well and leave everything in the office, the way they do, the way they have to, is amazing to me! I think the author did a great job of really showing us what goes on inside of the justice system, if you want to call it that, more like the injustice system! it was a good read, but did get a little graphic at some points, so, if you can't handle that sort of information, this probably isn't a good book for you to read!
May 31, 2025
Book Review: Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us by Samantha Stein, PsyD
Dr. Samantha Stein’s Evil at Our Table is a gripping and unsettling memoir that plunges readers into the morally fraught world of forensic psychology. Unlike traditional true crime narratives that sensationalize violence, Stein’s work is a nuanced exploration of the human beings behind heinous crimes—and the system tasked with judging their potential for redemption or recidivism.
Emotional Impact and Personal Reflection
Reading this book was an emotional rollercoaster. Stein’s candid accounts of interviewing incarcerated sex offenders left me oscillating between revulsion, curiosity, and unexpected empathy. Her ability to humanize these individuals—without excusing their actions—challenged my preconceptions about evil and mental illness. The sections detailing her internal struggles—balancing professional detachment with the visceral horror of her subjects’ crimes—were particularly haunting. I often found myself pausing to reflect on the weight of her decisions, which could mean the difference between community safety and further victimization.
Strengths: Empathy, Clarity, and Ethical Depth
Stein’s writing shines in its accessibility. She distills complex psychological and legal concepts (e.g., California’s Sexually Violent Predator Law) into digestible prose, avoiding jargon without sacrificing depth. Her ethical dilemmas—such as whether indefinite confinement is just or merely punitive—are presented with striking honesty. The memoir’s greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers, instead inviting readers to grapple with the same questions that haunt the justice system.
Constructive Criticism
While the book is profoundly thought-provoking, two aspects gave me pause. First, the title (Evil at Our Table) feels somewhat misleading, as Stein explicitly argues against labeling offenders as purely “evil,” emphasizing mental illness and societal failures instead. Second, though the graphic content is necessary for context, the vivid descriptions of abuse could be retraumatizing for some readers—a caveat that warrants even clearer trigger warnings upfront.
Final Thoughts
Evil at Our Table is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a vital read for anyone interested in the intersections of psychology, justice, and morality. Stein’s unflinching empathy and intellectual rigor transform a dark subject into a meditation on what it means to confront—and contain—the worst of human behavior. Despite its harrowing moments, I closed the book with a deeper understanding of the fragile line between protecting society and preserving humanity.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5) — A masterclass in compassionate yet clear-eyed forensic storytelling.
Note: Readers sensitive to depictions of sexual violence should approach with caution. Thank you to Citadel Publishers for a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. These opinions are my own.
Dr. Samantha Stein’s Evil at Our Table is a gripping and unsettling memoir that plunges readers into the morally fraught world of forensic psychology. Unlike traditional true crime narratives that sensationalize violence, Stein’s work is a nuanced exploration of the human beings behind heinous crimes—and the system tasked with judging their potential for redemption or recidivism.
Emotional Impact and Personal Reflection
Reading this book was an emotional rollercoaster. Stein’s candid accounts of interviewing incarcerated sex offenders left me oscillating between revulsion, curiosity, and unexpected empathy. Her ability to humanize these individuals—without excusing their actions—challenged my preconceptions about evil and mental illness. The sections detailing her internal struggles—balancing professional detachment with the visceral horror of her subjects’ crimes—were particularly haunting. I often found myself pausing to reflect on the weight of her decisions, which could mean the difference between community safety and further victimization.
Strengths: Empathy, Clarity, and Ethical Depth
Stein’s writing shines in its accessibility. She distills complex psychological and legal concepts (e.g., California’s Sexually Violent Predator Law) into digestible prose, avoiding jargon without sacrificing depth. Her ethical dilemmas—such as whether indefinite confinement is just or merely punitive—are presented with striking honesty. The memoir’s greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers, instead inviting readers to grapple with the same questions that haunt the justice system.
Constructive Criticism
While the book is profoundly thought-provoking, two aspects gave me pause. First, the title (Evil at Our Table) feels somewhat misleading, as Stein explicitly argues against labeling offenders as purely “evil,” emphasizing mental illness and societal failures instead. Second, though the graphic content is necessary for context, the vivid descriptions of abuse could be retraumatizing for some readers—a caveat that warrants even clearer trigger warnings upfront.
Final Thoughts
Evil at Our Table is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a vital read for anyone interested in the intersections of psychology, justice, and morality. Stein’s unflinching empathy and intellectual rigor transform a dark subject into a meditation on what it means to confront—and contain—the worst of human behavior. Despite its harrowing moments, I closed the book with a deeper understanding of the fragile line between protecting society and preserving humanity.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5) — A masterclass in compassionate yet clear-eyed forensic storytelling.
Note: Readers sensitive to depictions of sexual violence should approach with caution. Thank you to Citadel Publishers for a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. These opinions are my own.
April 15, 2025
🚨Please read below before reading my review.🚨
This is a true crime, nonfiction book that highly talks about sex offenders. Trigger warnings include violence, death, abuse, sexual sadism, pure evil, substance abuse, bigotry, racism, self harm, fear, child abuse, sexual assault, psychopath behavior, locations in prisons, domestic violence, sociopath behavior, explicit sexual content, misogyny, religious beliefs and rape.
Knowing these trigger warnings beforehand is a must before reading my honest review of this book. Read my review at your own discretion.
Review:
This was my first true crime, memoir book that I have read. I have watched a lot of true crime on television. It is something that interests me. I’m not sure why, but it does. It gives me anxiety, fear, sadness, etc. However, true crime stories give me insight and knowledge.
This book was extremely hard for me to read. I wanted to throw up at times, cry at times, and ended up having nightmares. I had to put the book down many times, before continuing on reading it. This book is one I did not and could not read straight through. Having said all of that, I did get through the book entirely and will give you my honest opinion on it. This book gives the reader a look into evil and the true horror that happens in real life.
This memoir is based on scientific research and evidence. This is about a woman named Samantha Stein, who has her doctor of psychology degree, and how she digs deep into the minds of sexual offenders. She also discusses her personal life in this book and goes over different ways she overcomes her own fears and struggles with this career. All of the names and places in this book were changed, so she can keep her family’s names and the inmates names she talks about in this book safe and protected. However, all of her stories in this book are all true. Ultimately, she decides whether or not the inmate she speaks to is entirely okay to return to society, after they have done their time in prison. If they are ineligible to return to society, they are condemned to indefinite incarceration. This book is divided into parts and explains why an inmate should or should not be allowed back in our society.
This book is very well written, thought provoking, scientific based and well researched. Even though this book was disturbing to me, it gave me knowledge on what she does in her career. All emotions put aside, I found this to be a great and informative memoir. I rate this a 5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Samantha Stein and Kensington Publishing | Citadel for this advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This memoir is expected to be published on August 26, 2025.
This is a true crime, nonfiction book that highly talks about sex offenders. Trigger warnings include violence, death, abuse, sexual sadism, pure evil, substance abuse, bigotry, racism, self harm, fear, child abuse, sexual assault, psychopath behavior, locations in prisons, domestic violence, sociopath behavior, explicit sexual content, misogyny, religious beliefs and rape.
Knowing these trigger warnings beforehand is a must before reading my honest review of this book. Read my review at your own discretion.
Review:
This was my first true crime, memoir book that I have read. I have watched a lot of true crime on television. It is something that interests me. I’m not sure why, but it does. It gives me anxiety, fear, sadness, etc. However, true crime stories give me insight and knowledge.
This book was extremely hard for me to read. I wanted to throw up at times, cry at times, and ended up having nightmares. I had to put the book down many times, before continuing on reading it. This book is one I did not and could not read straight through. Having said all of that, I did get through the book entirely and will give you my honest opinion on it. This book gives the reader a look into evil and the true horror that happens in real life.
This memoir is based on scientific research and evidence. This is about a woman named Samantha Stein, who has her doctor of psychology degree, and how she digs deep into the minds of sexual offenders. She also discusses her personal life in this book and goes over different ways she overcomes her own fears and struggles with this career. All of the names and places in this book were changed, so she can keep her family’s names and the inmates names she talks about in this book safe and protected. However, all of her stories in this book are all true. Ultimately, she decides whether or not the inmate she speaks to is entirely okay to return to society, after they have done their time in prison. If they are ineligible to return to society, they are condemned to indefinite incarceration. This book is divided into parts and explains why an inmate should or should not be allowed back in our society.
This book is very well written, thought provoking, scientific based and well researched. Even though this book was disturbing to me, it gave me knowledge on what she does in her career. All emotions put aside, I found this to be a great and informative memoir. I rate this a 5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Samantha Stein and Kensington Publishing | Citadel for this advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This memoir is expected to be published on August 26, 2025.
July 24, 2025
I received this as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an eARC of this book!
I absolutely loved this book. I was excited to read this one because I love learning about psychology and forensics. I was thrilled that this was written by a Forensic Psychologist and I thought it was so cool that she specifically discussed her work and how it impacted her life.
There were many things that I enjoyed about this book. To start, Stein did a fantastic job with descriptions and with setting the scenes. At numerous points, she describes the prisons where she is conducting evaluations and she did a fantastic job describing the rooms and the prisons at a whole. It really set the scene for the evaluations she continued on to describe.
I think that Stein also did a great job with explaining all of the laws, practices, and technical terms. Even though there is a lot of psychological background used, Stein took to time to explain everything that was being talked about which I think was really helpful for anyone wanting to read the book but that may not have any background knowledge in psychology. She broke everything down really well and made the book extremely comprehensible.
I also thought it was great how honest she was about everything. She could have easily sugarcoated her experiences and said that it was easy and she handled everything perfectly, etc. Instead, she took the reader and laid out her feelings and experiences in their full honesty. She was very raw in her stories and she took the time to be completely transparent with her work and the toll it took on her. I thought her honesty added to the book and made it a more compelling read. It was really interesting to me to see how the job impacted her life and the way she interacted with others and raised her kids.
Lastly, I want to give a trigger warning. This book contains a lot of difficult material that may be triggering. The main premise of this book is that she is talking about her work with sex offenders. Stein does include a trigger warning page at the beginning but I do believe it is important to include in my review as well.
Overall, this was an extremely captivating book that I found to be very enlightening and informational. I feel like I learned a lot from Stein and I enjoyed reading this book. I would highly recommend this book but do take a look at the trigger warnings!
I absolutely loved this book. I was excited to read this one because I love learning about psychology and forensics. I was thrilled that this was written by a Forensic Psychologist and I thought it was so cool that she specifically discussed her work and how it impacted her life.
There were many things that I enjoyed about this book. To start, Stein did a fantastic job with descriptions and with setting the scenes. At numerous points, she describes the prisons where she is conducting evaluations and she did a fantastic job describing the rooms and the prisons at a whole. It really set the scene for the evaluations she continued on to describe.
I think that Stein also did a great job with explaining all of the laws, practices, and technical terms. Even though there is a lot of psychological background used, Stein took to time to explain everything that was being talked about which I think was really helpful for anyone wanting to read the book but that may not have any background knowledge in psychology. She broke everything down really well and made the book extremely comprehensible.
I also thought it was great how honest she was about everything. She could have easily sugarcoated her experiences and said that it was easy and she handled everything perfectly, etc. Instead, she took the reader and laid out her feelings and experiences in their full honesty. She was very raw in her stories and she took the time to be completely transparent with her work and the toll it took on her. I thought her honesty added to the book and made it a more compelling read. It was really interesting to me to see how the job impacted her life and the way she interacted with others and raised her kids.
Lastly, I want to give a trigger warning. This book contains a lot of difficult material that may be triggering. The main premise of this book is that she is talking about her work with sex offenders. Stein does include a trigger warning page at the beginning but I do believe it is important to include in my review as well.
Overall, this was an extremely captivating book that I found to be very enlightening and informational. I feel like I learned a lot from Stein and I enjoyed reading this book. I would highly recommend this book but do take a look at the trigger warnings!
May 29, 2025
The title of this book is ‘Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us’ is a little misleading. Just based on the title alone, one might be led to believe that this would fit in nicely in the True Crime section of your local book dealer. However, this is not your average tale of catching a killer/rapist/thief. Evil at our table is more of an exploration of the process of identifying sex offenders and their likelihood to reoffend if released from prison. Basically, the author, Samantha Stein, is tasked with interviewing these offenders, reviewing their history, and determining if they should be released or be remanded into a secure treatment facility after their sentence has been served. You might think that the idea of continuing incarceration for people who have served their time is ethically questionable, and you would be right, but Dr. Stein does address this in the book and her thoughts on it make you think. The title also makes me squirm a bit because it seems to me that the subjects in the book are not really evil, they are simply mentally ill. It seems a bit strange to have that title and then spend nearly 300 pages explaining why these people are not really evil, but maybe that was the point. Either way, this is an interesting read, if not necessarily an enjoyable one.
There are graphic (but not overly so) depictions of sexual abuse contained herein, so if that kind of thing is triggering for you, use caution. I spent 20 years doing child abuse investigations, so nothing here was really shocking to me, but your average person may find it upsetting. Also, if you want to try to understand the inner workings of the mind of a sex offender, this might not be your book. There is a lot of time spent with these particular people, but you gain little insight into what they’re thinking. Instead, what we have here is a book about the evaluation of criminals and what makes an offender likely or not to reoffend. There is also insight into the home life of someone who does this kind of work and the toll it takes on their mental health. As a social worker by trade, I can tell you that the toll is high, but Dr. Stein seems to be managing it well. The secondary trauma experienced by those in this line of work is often overlooked but is very real and very serious. It’s a topic that really should receive more attention.
Overall, Evil at Our Table is well-written and Dr. Stein does a good job of explaining things in laymen’s terms and not falling into the trap of using jargon and acronyms that your average reader won’t understand. She is also fairly concise and to the point, but I honestly wish that the interviews would have been detailed a little more thoroughly. That may be simply because of my background, though, and this book is really written for people who don’t know anything about this topic. That’s not to say that I didn’t find it interesting even after having worked with sex offenders for years. For example, I found the California system described to be very interesting and made me think about how it could be improved or instituted elsewhere.
In closing, I would like to thank Dr. Stein, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for sending me an
Advance Copy of Evil at our Table. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about sex offenders and the process involved in maintaining public safety while attempting to remain ethical and unbiased.
There are graphic (but not overly so) depictions of sexual abuse contained herein, so if that kind of thing is triggering for you, use caution. I spent 20 years doing child abuse investigations, so nothing here was really shocking to me, but your average person may find it upsetting. Also, if you want to try to understand the inner workings of the mind of a sex offender, this might not be your book. There is a lot of time spent with these particular people, but you gain little insight into what they’re thinking. Instead, what we have here is a book about the evaluation of criminals and what makes an offender likely or not to reoffend. There is also insight into the home life of someone who does this kind of work and the toll it takes on their mental health. As a social worker by trade, I can tell you that the toll is high, but Dr. Stein seems to be managing it well. The secondary trauma experienced by those in this line of work is often overlooked but is very real and very serious. It’s a topic that really should receive more attention.
Overall, Evil at Our Table is well-written and Dr. Stein does a good job of explaining things in laymen’s terms and not falling into the trap of using jargon and acronyms that your average reader won’t understand. She is also fairly concise and to the point, but I honestly wish that the interviews would have been detailed a little more thoroughly. That may be simply because of my background, though, and this book is really written for people who don’t know anything about this topic. That’s not to say that I didn’t find it interesting even after having worked with sex offenders for years. For example, I found the California system described to be very interesting and made me think about how it could be improved or instituted elsewhere.
In closing, I would like to thank Dr. Stein, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for sending me an
Advance Copy of Evil at our Table. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about sex offenders and the process involved in maintaining public safety while attempting to remain ethical and unbiased.
August 26, 2025
First off, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was really looking forward to Evil at Our Table because with a BA in psychology and finishing my Master’s in criminal justice this semester, this is exactly the kind of book that usually grabs my attention. Forensic psychology has always been a big interest of mine, and the idea of seeing inside the prison interview rooms where these high-stakes evaluations happen sounded fascinating. Samantha Stein’s work under California’s Sexually Violent Predator Law is intense—her decisions can literally determine whether someone goes free or spends the rest of their life locked up. I appreciated how she wrote about that responsibility honestly, and how she balanced empathy with accountability. She doesn’t excuse her subjects, but she also doesn’t dehumanize them, and that perspective really stood out.
There were moments when the pacing felt a little slow, and I kept waiting for it to grab me more. But I realized that might be more about my expectations than the book itself. Nonfiction like this doesn’t always read like a thriller or a TV drama—because it’s real life, and real life doesn’t always have that kind of intensity. What Stein offers instead is a raw, unfiltered view of her work, and in that sense it’s very authentic.
Overall, I found this to be an insightful and thought-provoking read. Even though it didn’t fully hook me the way I hoped, it gave me a lot to reflect on. With my academic background and career goals, I especially valued the rare inside look at the challenges and responsibilities of evaluating offenders. It’s a perspective you don’t often see, and I think it makes the book an important contribution for anyone interested in the intersection of psychology, crime, and justice.
I was really looking forward to Evil at Our Table because with a BA in psychology and finishing my Master’s in criminal justice this semester, this is exactly the kind of book that usually grabs my attention. Forensic psychology has always been a big interest of mine, and the idea of seeing inside the prison interview rooms where these high-stakes evaluations happen sounded fascinating. Samantha Stein’s work under California’s Sexually Violent Predator Law is intense—her decisions can literally determine whether someone goes free or spends the rest of their life locked up. I appreciated how she wrote about that responsibility honestly, and how she balanced empathy with accountability. She doesn’t excuse her subjects, but she also doesn’t dehumanize them, and that perspective really stood out.
There were moments when the pacing felt a little slow, and I kept waiting for it to grab me more. But I realized that might be more about my expectations than the book itself. Nonfiction like this doesn’t always read like a thriller or a TV drama—because it’s real life, and real life doesn’t always have that kind of intensity. What Stein offers instead is a raw, unfiltered view of her work, and in that sense it’s very authentic.
Overall, I found this to be an insightful and thought-provoking read. Even though it didn’t fully hook me the way I hoped, it gave me a lot to reflect on. With my academic background and career goals, I especially valued the rare inside look at the challenges and responsibilities of evaluating offenders. It’s a perspective you don’t often see, and I think it makes the book an important contribution for anyone interested in the intersection of psychology, crime, and justice.
August 27, 2025
The author evaluates sex offenders prior to release to determine whether they fit the profile of a sexually violent predator who is likely to commit additional sexual assaults. Her job is challenging, and it impacts her personal life as well.
In this book that's part memoir, part true crime, part informative nonfiction, the reader learns about sex offenders and is given the opportunity to see them beyond the horrific crimes they commit. They are people, and there is more to them than their crimes.
I have always had compassion for the upper elementary teacher who sexually abused me. If she told the truth, she had a very traumatic childhood filled with violence. This book showed me that she is not an anomaly with that or in other ways. She's very like other sexual predators. So in a strange way, this book helped with my healing.
Some people think it's strange that I have compassion for someone who caused me so much damage. This book helps validate my compassion, as the author shows compassion for what the individuals she evaluates went through too. There is no excuse for what they (or my teacher) did, but there are explanations, and there are risk factors and warning signs for at least some of the sex offenders. There's a chance that prevention measures can be put into place, though of course, it's up to the individual to do the work.
I learned a lot from this book, and it's helped me heal a bit. I am going to re-read it and take notes.
Verdict: This is a highly readable book that's challenging to read and important to read. It gives a lot of food for thought. It also shows how we all need to work together to help prevent violence. It shows the humanity of those who commit horrific crimes, and it holds them accountable as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! All opinions are my own.
In this book that's part memoir, part true crime, part informative nonfiction, the reader learns about sex offenders and is given the opportunity to see them beyond the horrific crimes they commit. They are people, and there is more to them than their crimes.
I have always had compassion for the upper elementary teacher who sexually abused me. If she told the truth, she had a very traumatic childhood filled with violence. This book showed me that she is not an anomaly with that or in other ways. She's very like other sexual predators. So in a strange way, this book helped with my healing.
Some people think it's strange that I have compassion for someone who caused me so much damage. This book helps validate my compassion, as the author shows compassion for what the individuals she evaluates went through too. There is no excuse for what they (or my teacher) did, but there are explanations, and there are risk factors and warning signs for at least some of the sex offenders. There's a chance that prevention measures can be put into place, though of course, it's up to the individual to do the work.
I learned a lot from this book, and it's helped me heal a bit. I am going to re-read it and take notes.
Verdict: This is a highly readable book that's challenging to read and important to read. It gives a lot of food for thought. It also shows how we all need to work together to help prevent violence. It shows the humanity of those who commit horrific crimes, and it holds them accountable as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! All opinions are my own.
September 2, 2025
Trigger warnings: honestly if you are sensitive to reading about sex crimes or looking at the world through an offenders eyes, it’s not helpful for you to read this book. It will just further traumatize you and solidify your judgment.
I mostly enjoyed this book no have very similar professional experience with nearly 29 years of professional work as a licensed therapists with trauma survivors and perpetrators alike. I have seen the best, the everyday, the insanely rare, and the worst. I think 80% of this book is accurate and I would wholeheartedly agree with. But the rest is of her opinion based on her years of this dark work which has clearly left her pretty jaded. I feel like the truth that nearly all offenders are just regular human beings and not some kind of monster was ignored here. I also think we need to separate teen and young adult offenders (brains 25 yrs or less and therefore not fully developed) from others. There is a RARE and small subset of offenders that will always be dangerous and need to be kept from the public. But most of them are just further traumatized and hardened in prison. It takes away what empathy they went in with. Anyway…I digress. The book was written well and the audiobook was well narrated. She does sensationalize her work to an unnecessary degree but I understand that’s what get views. She makes many important points and I think most people need to understand how our justice system works. I think this book will help bridge that gap. I just can’t get over the over painting of the offenders as unchanging monsters when I know from both research and my own experience that is simply not true. Not that I am pro offenders or sa. I’m a victim myself. But people are just people for the most part making good and bad and terrible decisions and living with the consequences the best they can. That should have been a take home message and it just wasn’t.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tanyor Media for this ARC in exchange for my honest views in an especially grateful for this one as this is also my life’s work and passion-helping people heal from trauma they endured or caused and becoming better people. These perspectives need to be published far more than they are. Keep elevating voices speaking for the ones no one in society listens to. Kudos to you for this one!
I mostly enjoyed this book no have very similar professional experience with nearly 29 years of professional work as a licensed therapists with trauma survivors and perpetrators alike. I have seen the best, the everyday, the insanely rare, and the worst. I think 80% of this book is accurate and I would wholeheartedly agree with. But the rest is of her opinion based on her years of this dark work which has clearly left her pretty jaded. I feel like the truth that nearly all offenders are just regular human beings and not some kind of monster was ignored here. I also think we need to separate teen and young adult offenders (brains 25 yrs or less and therefore not fully developed) from others. There is a RARE and small subset of offenders that will always be dangerous and need to be kept from the public. But most of them are just further traumatized and hardened in prison. It takes away what empathy they went in with. Anyway…I digress. The book was written well and the audiobook was well narrated. She does sensationalize her work to an unnecessary degree but I understand that’s what get views. She makes many important points and I think most people need to understand how our justice system works. I think this book will help bridge that gap. I just can’t get over the over painting of the offenders as unchanging monsters when I know from both research and my own experience that is simply not true. Not that I am pro offenders or sa. I’m a victim myself. But people are just people for the most part making good and bad and terrible decisions and living with the consequences the best they can. That should have been a take home message and it just wasn’t.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tanyor Media for this ARC in exchange for my honest views in an especially grateful for this one as this is also my life’s work and passion-helping people heal from trauma they endured or caused and becoming better people. These perspectives need to be published far more than they are. Keep elevating voices speaking for the ones no one in society listens to. Kudos to you for this one!
June 27, 2025
This book wasn't what I was expecting. I think I expected something along the lines of Robert Ressler's "Whoever Fights Monsters," except it would be discussing working face-t0-face with sex offenders. However, I was surprised by how insightful this book was. Samantha Stein, a forensic psychologist, specialized in the assessment of sex offenders, deciding if they were still dangerous to society and needed to be sent to a psychiatric hospital or if they were safe enough to be let out of jail.
Dr. Stein had originally worked with victims of sexual assault but decided to work with offenders in the hopes of preventing new victims. Before reading this book, my opinion was that all sex offenders needed to be kept in jail, that they would all reoffend. Dr. Stein shows that there are very few cut and dry cases. She wants to break that stereotype and I think she does that well in the book.
Dr. Stein also speaks about her family, a husband and 3 children. With all that she sees everyday, it would be easy to succumb to fear and teach her children to be afraid. Instead, she tries to teach her children to be independent and confident.
Another thing that I wasn't expecting was that I would feel hopeful reading this. Dr. Stein speaks of some of her cases and how some of these men are able to feel remorse about their crimes and get help through therapy and group support and are given the opportunity to become a decent person in society. The book shows that sex offenders should be held accountable for their actions and be punished appropriately but that most don't re0ffend and can change. That's my biggest takeaway from this book.
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
Dr. Stein had originally worked with victims of sexual assault but decided to work with offenders in the hopes of preventing new victims. Before reading this book, my opinion was that all sex offenders needed to be kept in jail, that they would all reoffend. Dr. Stein shows that there are very few cut and dry cases. She wants to break that stereotype and I think she does that well in the book.
Dr. Stein also speaks about her family, a husband and 3 children. With all that she sees everyday, it would be easy to succumb to fear and teach her children to be afraid. Instead, she tries to teach her children to be independent and confident.
Another thing that I wasn't expecting was that I would feel hopeful reading this. Dr. Stein speaks of some of her cases and how some of these men are able to feel remorse about their crimes and get help through therapy and group support and are given the opportunity to become a decent person in society. The book shows that sex offenders should be held accountable for their actions and be punished appropriately but that most don't re0ffend and can change. That's my biggest takeaway from this book.
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
July 25, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up.
Until this book I had no idea that 16 states, Washington D.C., and the Federal Prison system had a law where inmates convicted of violent sexual assaults had to go through psychological evaluations before parole to determine if they were going to get out of prison or be sent indefinitely (or for a long period of time at least) to a mental health hospital for treatment as a sexually violent predator. As Stein points out throughout the book this is not a perfect system (and government cutbacks are making it even more flawed) and it made for some great discussions in my house while I read.
Stein's book is well written and she does a great job of marrying the tragic, sometimes stomach turning, aspects of her job with compassion and empathy. I loved hearing how her job has changed her home life and how she parents. I've always been curious how people with jobs that are this mentally and morally straining compartmentalize to have a balanced life.
Stein explains the laws, practices, diagnoses, and steps she must take very clearly so anyone can understand. My one complaint is actually the title of the book. The author talks at length in the book about trying to move away from labels such as evil and monsters when she knows there are so many inmates who can be rehabilitated. It just seems a bit weird to name it that although I can say the name is what drew me to the book so there is a point for marketing.
This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about psychology and forensics in the realm of sexual assaults and predators. It is very hard to read at times as it can be graphic so be sure to keep that in mind.
Until this book I had no idea that 16 states, Washington D.C., and the Federal Prison system had a law where inmates convicted of violent sexual assaults had to go through psychological evaluations before parole to determine if they were going to get out of prison or be sent indefinitely (or for a long period of time at least) to a mental health hospital for treatment as a sexually violent predator. As Stein points out throughout the book this is not a perfect system (and government cutbacks are making it even more flawed) and it made for some great discussions in my house while I read.
Stein's book is well written and she does a great job of marrying the tragic, sometimes stomach turning, aspects of her job with compassion and empathy. I loved hearing how her job has changed her home life and how she parents. I've always been curious how people with jobs that are this mentally and morally straining compartmentalize to have a balanced life.
Stein explains the laws, practices, diagnoses, and steps she must take very clearly so anyone can understand. My one complaint is actually the title of the book. The author talks at length in the book about trying to move away from labels such as evil and monsters when she knows there are so many inmates who can be rehabilitated. It just seems a bit weird to name it that although I can say the name is what drew me to the book so there is a point for marketing.
This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about psychology and forensics in the realm of sexual assaults and predators. It is very hard to read at times as it can be graphic so be sure to keep that in mind.
September 4, 2025
Thank you GoodReads Giveaways and Kensington Publishing Corp for a early copy of Evil at our Table by Samantha Stein, psyD.
After the authors note in the beginning of book there is a content advisory-triggers. Read with caution.
A little about the author. Dr. Stein is in her 25th year of a career in forensic psychology. As a forensic psychologist she treats addiction and does court ordered evaluation. She interviews the worst of the worst which is discussed in this book. Rapist. Sexual predators. Etc. She does a very hard job evaluating these men to see if they are able to be released back into society by following an Act known as SVP (Sexually Violent Predator). Are they going to get out and do the same crime again?
SVP act requires assessing sex offenders who had served their prison sentences, but who might still pose a serious threat of committing a sex crime if released into society. As stated on page 3. Was the crime due to the criminal on drugs? How violent? Did it involve a burglary?
On the back of the book jacket it reads: A gripping and provocative true crime narrative that opens a window in the methods of a real-life Mindhunter tasked with helping to assess the fates of those charge with the most disturbing acts imaginable. This pretty much sums up the book. I could not imagine having a job like that and have a family of daughters.
This book was gripping as I've never knew what it takes to keep someone behind bars that does an illegal violent act like these. It was eye opening to say the least.
This book was released August 26, 2025.
After the authors note in the beginning of book there is a content advisory-triggers. Read with caution.
A little about the author. Dr. Stein is in her 25th year of a career in forensic psychology. As a forensic psychologist she treats addiction and does court ordered evaluation. She interviews the worst of the worst which is discussed in this book. Rapist. Sexual predators. Etc. She does a very hard job evaluating these men to see if they are able to be released back into society by following an Act known as SVP (Sexually Violent Predator). Are they going to get out and do the same crime again?
SVP act requires assessing sex offenders who had served their prison sentences, but who might still pose a serious threat of committing a sex crime if released into society. As stated on page 3. Was the crime due to the criminal on drugs? How violent? Did it involve a burglary?
On the back of the book jacket it reads: A gripping and provocative true crime narrative that opens a window in the methods of a real-life Mindhunter tasked with helping to assess the fates of those charge with the most disturbing acts imaginable. This pretty much sums up the book. I could not imagine having a job like that and have a family of daughters.
This book was gripping as I've never knew what it takes to keep someone behind bars that does an illegal violent act like these. It was eye opening to say the least.
This book was released August 26, 2025.
December 15, 2025
“Evil doesn’t arrive announcing itself; it slides in, smiling, and takes a seat next to you.”
Mind. Blown. Shivers. All the things.Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us
I didn’t know what to expect going into Evil at Our Table, but Samantha Stein immediately pulled me in. From the first scene, I felt like I was sitting right there at the table with the characters, watching everything twist and turn in ways I didn’t see coming. Some parts literally had me holding my breath, and I found myself reading later than I intended because I couldn’t stop.
The thing that really got me wasn’t just the suspense... it was the characters. They feel real, messy, and human, and that makes the darkness hit even harder. There’s a slow, creeping tension throughout that makes you question what people are capable of and who you can actually trust. It’s psychological in a way that lingers, not just in shocking moments but in the quiet, creeping unease that builds perfectly through the story.
By the time I finished, I felt like I’d been along for a ride I didn’t want to end. Evil at Our Table is dark, gripping, and unforgettable. For anyone who loves thrillers that get under your skin and refuse to let go, this is absolutely one to read.
Mind. Blown. Shivers. All the things.Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us
I didn’t know what to expect going into Evil at Our Table, but Samantha Stein immediately pulled me in. From the first scene, I felt like I was sitting right there at the table with the characters, watching everything twist and turn in ways I didn’t see coming. Some parts literally had me holding my breath, and I found myself reading later than I intended because I couldn’t stop.
The thing that really got me wasn’t just the suspense... it was the characters. They feel real, messy, and human, and that makes the darkness hit even harder. There’s a slow, creeping tension throughout that makes you question what people are capable of and who you can actually trust. It’s psychological in a way that lingers, not just in shocking moments but in the quiet, creeping unease that builds perfectly through the story.
By the time I finished, I felt like I’d been along for a ride I didn’t want to end. Evil at Our Table is dark, gripping, and unforgettable. For anyone who loves thrillers that get under your skin and refuse to let go, this is absolutely one to read.
September 10, 2025
I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my honest review.
A quick read that made me think about sex crimes in a way I'd never had to before. I'll admit to being a bit harsh in my judgments of people who'd commit this particular atrocity. This book has taught me to have a little more empathy for these specific offenders. I'd never realized how much their civil liberties were endangered compared to other types of criminals.
This book was easy to get through, and the narrator was likable. The text is interspersed with some of her simple, but dynamic, photographs (pictures of everyday settings and items that manage to fit the mood or tone). I liked reading the parts with her family interaction.
My only complaint about this book is that I wish it were longer. A good portion of the end of the book is the detailed analysis files of one of her 'patients', and I had a hard time getting through that. It was dry, like reading a textbook, while the rest of the book had been a more comfy memoir in feel and was much more to my tastes.
What I took from this is that no matter how much I love psychology, I could never do that job. I'd never want to be one of the people choosing whether someone is safe to be released into society. I'd never want to have to hear such awful things day in and day out (not from either side: victim or perpetrator.)
A quick read that made me think about sex crimes in a way I'd never had to before. I'll admit to being a bit harsh in my judgments of people who'd commit this particular atrocity. This book has taught me to have a little more empathy for these specific offenders. I'd never realized how much their civil liberties were endangered compared to other types of criminals.
This book was easy to get through, and the narrator was likable. The text is interspersed with some of her simple, but dynamic, photographs (pictures of everyday settings and items that manage to fit the mood or tone). I liked reading the parts with her family interaction.
My only complaint about this book is that I wish it were longer. A good portion of the end of the book is the detailed analysis files of one of her 'patients', and I had a hard time getting through that. It was dry, like reading a textbook, while the rest of the book had been a more comfy memoir in feel and was much more to my tastes.
What I took from this is that no matter how much I love psychology, I could never do that job. I'd never want to be one of the people choosing whether someone is safe to be released into society. I'd never want to have to hear such awful things day in and day out (not from either side: victim or perpetrator.)
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