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Law & Disorder:: Inside the Dark Heart of Murder
"At the top of his form." –James Patterson
"The FBI's pioneer and master of investigative profiling." –Patricia Cornwell
The legendary FBI criminal profiler, inspiration for the hit Netflix show Mindhunter, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Killer Across the Table and The Killer’s Shadow offers a rare look into the workings not only of the justice system—but of his own heart and mind. Writing with award-winning partner Mark Olshaker for the first time since his retirement, Douglas opens up about his most notorious and baffling cases—and shows what it's like to confront evil in its most monstrous form.
No one is better acquainted with the subject of humanity’s most notorious crimes and the wrenching challenges of bringing those criminals to justice than John Douglas, the model for Agent Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs. In this provocative and deeply personal book, the most prominent criminal investigator of our time recounts his twenty-five year FBI career tracking down master criminals, write true crime bestsellers, developing forensic science and the art of criminal profiling, but previously he could never be as forthright as he is in this, his first book since retirement.
In his previous works, he wrote only about the guilty; in Law & Disorder, he writes about the guilty, innocents accused, and even innocents convicted as he addresses every law enforcement professional’s worst nightmare: those cases where, for one reason or another, justice was delayed…or even denied.
A deep glimpse into the mind of a man who has explored the heart of human darkness, he looks to unlock for his readers the ultimate mystery of depravity and the techniques and approaches that have countered evil in the name of justice throughout his career.
“An essential title for those interested in true crime stories, forensic science, or law enforcement.”- Library Journal (starred review)
"At his best describing terrible crimes." – Houston Chronicle
"A real genius." – Entertainment Weekly
"Douglas can claim a rare authenticity regarding the evil that men do." - Kirkus Reviews
“An essential title for those interested in true crime stories, forensic science, or law enforcement.” - Library Journal (starred review)
"The FBI's pioneer and master of investigative profiling." –Patricia Cornwell
The legendary FBI criminal profiler, inspiration for the hit Netflix show Mindhunter, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Killer Across the Table and The Killer’s Shadow offers a rare look into the workings not only of the justice system—but of his own heart and mind. Writing with award-winning partner Mark Olshaker for the first time since his retirement, Douglas opens up about his most notorious and baffling cases—and shows what it's like to confront evil in its most monstrous form.
No one is better acquainted with the subject of humanity’s most notorious crimes and the wrenching challenges of bringing those criminals to justice than John Douglas, the model for Agent Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs. In this provocative and deeply personal book, the most prominent criminal investigator of our time recounts his twenty-five year FBI career tracking down master criminals, write true crime bestsellers, developing forensic science and the art of criminal profiling, but previously he could never be as forthright as he is in this, his first book since retirement.
In his previous works, he wrote only about the guilty; in Law & Disorder, he writes about the guilty, innocents accused, and even innocents convicted as he addresses every law enforcement professional’s worst nightmare: those cases where, for one reason or another, justice was delayed…or even denied.
A deep glimpse into the mind of a man who has explored the heart of human darkness, he looks to unlock for his readers the ultimate mystery of depravity and the techniques and approaches that have countered evil in the name of justice throughout his career.
“An essential title for those interested in true crime stories, forensic science, or law enforcement.”- Library Journal (starred review)
"At his best describing terrible crimes." – Houston Chronicle
"A real genius." – Entertainment Weekly
"Douglas can claim a rare authenticity regarding the evil that men do." - Kirkus Reviews
“An essential title for those interested in true crime stories, forensic science, or law enforcement.” - Library Journal (starred review)
577 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2013
511 people are currently reading
3128 people want to read
About the author
John E. Douglas
34 books2,944 followersJohn Edward Douglas is a former United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, one of the first criminal profilers, and criminal psychology author. He also wrote four horror novels in the mid 1990s. -Wikipedia
During his twenty-five year career with the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, a name he later changed to The Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995), John Douglas became the leading expert on criminal personality profiling and the pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. Through his research with serial criminal’s, Douglas learned how criminals think and what makes them do the things that they do, and why. Douglas can determine many personal traits and habits of an offender just by examining the crime scene; it’s evidence and victimology (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Interviews John Douglas has conducted hundreds of interviews with some of the world’s most notorious serial offenders, which include: - Charles Manson, and three members of the Manson clan. - Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy. - John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer that killed 33 people. - David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam”. - James Earl Ray, assassin of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Ted Bundy - Unsuccessful assassins of Gerald Ford and George Wallace (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Captured In addition, Douglas’s profiles aided in numerous arrests of serial offenders, some of which include: - Wayne Williams, the .22 caliber killer. - Carlton Gary, the stalking strangler. - Robert Hanson, the Anchorage Alaska baker who would kidnap, hunt, then kill local prostitutes. These are just a few of the cases that John Douglas aided in throughout his twenty-five year career as a profiler with the Behavioral Science Unit, which he later renamed the Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Contributions to Psychology Douglas and his colleagues outlined in an article that explained the goals of a serial offender in the September 1980 issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. They are as follows: - What leads a person to become a sexual offender and what are the early warning signals? - What serves to encourage or to inhibit the commission of his offense? - What types of responses or coping strategies, by an intended victim are successful with what type of sexual offender in avoiding victimization, and - What are the implications for his dangerousness, prognosis, disposition and mode of treatment (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995)?
During his twenty-five year career with the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, a name he later changed to The Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995), John Douglas became the leading expert on criminal personality profiling and the pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. Through his research with serial criminal’s, Douglas learned how criminals think and what makes them do the things that they do, and why. Douglas can determine many personal traits and habits of an offender just by examining the crime scene; it’s evidence and victimology (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Interviews John Douglas has conducted hundreds of interviews with some of the world’s most notorious serial offenders, which include: - Charles Manson, and three members of the Manson clan. - Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy. - John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer that killed 33 people. - David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam”. - James Earl Ray, assassin of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Ted Bundy - Unsuccessful assassins of Gerald Ford and George Wallace (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Captured In addition, Douglas’s profiles aided in numerous arrests of serial offenders, some of which include: - Wayne Williams, the .22 caliber killer. - Carlton Gary, the stalking strangler. - Robert Hanson, the Anchorage Alaska baker who would kidnap, hunt, then kill local prostitutes. These are just a few of the cases that John Douglas aided in throughout his twenty-five year career as a profiler with the Behavioral Science Unit, which he later renamed the Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Contributions to Psychology Douglas and his colleagues outlined in an article that explained the goals of a serial offender in the September 1980 issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. They are as follows: - What leads a person to become a sexual offender and what are the early warning signals? - What serves to encourage or to inhibit the commission of his offense? - What types of responses or coping strategies, by an intended victim are successful with what type of sexual offender in avoiding victimization, and - What are the implications for his dangerousness, prognosis, disposition and mode of treatment (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995)?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
July 3, 2022
I found that a lot of this was just John rehashing cases he'd already discussed in his previous books - especially the JonBenet and Suzanne Collins murders. There's only so many times you can talk about a case without offering anything new, and to be honest I ended up skimming the JonBenet chapters as I'd read it all before. The controversy surrounding Sedley Alley's abuse of the criminal justice system to stay his execution, although discussed before, made more sense to include here due to it's comparisons with other death sentence cases.
However, far more interesting were Douglas's opinions on Amanda Knox and the West Memphis Three, where he offers a concise breakdown of the crimes and then why he thinks they're innocent. John has a very logical mind and I always enjoy the way he breaks down the crime scenes and discusses the behaviour of the killer. If anything I do think he could have expanded on the Amanda Knox chapters. And talked less about himself.
Not my favourite of his books, but some interesting insights nonetheless.
However, far more interesting were Douglas's opinions on Amanda Knox and the West Memphis Three, where he offers a concise breakdown of the crimes and then why he thinks they're innocent. John has a very logical mind and I always enjoy the way he breaks down the crime scenes and discusses the behaviour of the killer. If anything I do think he could have expanded on the Amanda Knox chapters. And talked less about himself.
Not my favourite of his books, but some interesting insights nonetheless.
February 21, 2022
John Douglas and Mark Olshaker’s novel, “Law and Disorder: Inside the Dark Heart of Murder With the FBI’s Legendary Mindhunter” is an interesting take on some of the most infamous murder cases in history, known not only for their level of celebrity but also for their extreme miscarriages of justice. In some instances, the suspects charged were released while in others, the suspects went to death row before they were exonerated.
Douglas and Olshaker’s novel is a true crime novel in every aspect, but what is the most interesting is that, when told from the standpoint of an FBI investigator (as opposed to that of a lawyer), the legal opinions are exempt. Douglas does not hint at whether he believes a specific suspect is guilty or innocent, but instead he breaks down the case from the beginning and makes hypotheses about the type of person who would have committed the crime, and how the investigation could have gone differently (and garnered a different, and perhaps more accurate, result). I was impressed with how professional Douglas’ writing was, and how he managed to stay subjective, even with some of the most renowned murder cases (such as JonBenet Ramsey and Amanda Knox).
Besides Ramsey and Knox, Douglas and Olshaker discuss William Heirens (incorrectly identified as the “Lipstick Killer”, according to the authors), Sedley Alley (convicted and rightly charged but his continuous fight for appeal held up the legal system for years) and of course, The West Memphis Three (three men who were charged with the murder of three young boys, wrongly, and released, but not after being coerced into admitting their guilt in a court of law). All of the cases are relevant and within the current era, and most of the readers will remember the grisly murder details and trials from the local news (not, of course, that the information on the news was correct- Douglas speaks to this, too).
The focus is more on the miscarriages of justice and the mistakes made within the law enforcement bodies that investigated, and I found the novel to be extremely interesting. A fan of Douglas’ work with the FBI, and his previous novels, I thoroughly enjoyed this new take on some of the most controversial crimes in our modern history.
Douglas and Olshaker’s novel is a true crime novel in every aspect, but what is the most interesting is that, when told from the standpoint of an FBI investigator (as opposed to that of a lawyer), the legal opinions are exempt. Douglas does not hint at whether he believes a specific suspect is guilty or innocent, but instead he breaks down the case from the beginning and makes hypotheses about the type of person who would have committed the crime, and how the investigation could have gone differently (and garnered a different, and perhaps more accurate, result). I was impressed with how professional Douglas’ writing was, and how he managed to stay subjective, even with some of the most renowned murder cases (such as JonBenet Ramsey and Amanda Knox).
Besides Ramsey and Knox, Douglas and Olshaker discuss William Heirens (incorrectly identified as the “Lipstick Killer”, according to the authors), Sedley Alley (convicted and rightly charged but his continuous fight for appeal held up the legal system for years) and of course, The West Memphis Three (three men who were charged with the murder of three young boys, wrongly, and released, but not after being coerced into admitting their guilt in a court of law). All of the cases are relevant and within the current era, and most of the readers will remember the grisly murder details and trials from the local news (not, of course, that the information on the news was correct- Douglas speaks to this, too).
The focus is more on the miscarriages of justice and the mistakes made within the law enforcement bodies that investigated, and I found the novel to be extremely interesting. A fan of Douglas’ work with the FBI, and his previous novels, I thoroughly enjoyed this new take on some of the most controversial crimes in our modern history.
August 10, 2016
This was a big, thick paperback, as thick as a medium-large Stephen King, but I flew through it. The authors focus on how crime-scene profiling can uncover miscarriages of justice and even help straighten them out. The book deals with a few less-well-known cases but mostly the loud, high-profile ones. (I had to smile when they pointed out that both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were agitating for the exoneration of Amanda Knox at one point.) I thought I would never want to read another word about the West Memphis Three or JonBenet Ramsey, but Douglas's reframing through the eyes of a profiler changed everything about those cases for me. Read this one.
February 4, 2025
An FBI profiler looks at cases and convictions. He studies the evidence to see if the correct verdicts were given to the defendants. The West Memphis 3, Amanda Knox, Johbenet Ramsey, and 3 defendants that were executed. Were the guilty verdicts and executions correct? 2 were innocent who were executed for crimes someone else committed. A very good read rewritten by a man who knew how to profile
October 24, 2014
It is interesting to contrast Douglas's strong stance in favor of the death penalty with the number of innocent death row inmates in this book. I understand his point of view that as a profiler, he believes that some killers are deeply predisposed to recidivism and a death sentence is practically the only way to keep that from happening. However, this book then goes on to detail a number of times that the wrong people have been given such sentences or pursued unfairly by law enforcement. As Douglas also says, shouldn't we be damn sure before a sentence like that is handed down. Personally, I don't know that we can ever be sure enough.
I also liked his use of the word unsub, because I wasn't sure it was a word that was used outside of TV shows.
Otherwise this book dealt with a lot of high profile cases that did not hold much novelty for me, despite Douglas's new perspective. Amanda Knox and JonBenet Ramsey don't hold much mystery for anyone who has owned a TV in the last ten years. The West Memphis Three absolutely deserved the public attention that finally secured their release from prison, but the case came across in the book as an excuse to name drop Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, and the Dixie Chicks.
Douglas does have an interesting perspective, and this is worth a read if you're either deeply invested in minutia of popular news stories or completely unfamiliar with the same.
I also liked his use of the word unsub, because I wasn't sure it was a word that was used outside of TV shows.
Otherwise this book dealt with a lot of high profile cases that did not hold much novelty for me, despite Douglas's new perspective. Amanda Knox and JonBenet Ramsey don't hold much mystery for anyone who has owned a TV in the last ten years. The West Memphis Three absolutely deserved the public attention that finally secured their release from prison, but the case came across in the book as an excuse to name drop Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, and the Dixie Chicks.
Douglas does have an interesting perspective, and this is worth a read if you're either deeply invested in minutia of popular news stories or completely unfamiliar with the same.
April 30, 2013
For twenty-five years, John E. Douglas worked for the FBI, where he headed the elite Investigative Support Unit. The real-life model for FBI Agent Jack Crawford in “The Silence of the Lambs”, he’s had a brilliant and terrifying career, getting inside the minds of notorious murderers and serial killers including Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and David Berkowitz (Son of Sam). Written with longtime collaborator Mark Olshaker, “Law & Disorder” is Douglas’ most provocative and personal book to date. In it, he addresses every law enforcement professional’s worst nightmare: those cases where, for one reason or another, justice was delayed …or even denied. Through a series of character-driven case histories – from the earliest trials in Salem, Massachusetts to the bungled trial of Amanda Knox – Douglas shows what happens when the system breaks down and bias, media coverage, and other influences get in the way of a dispassionate pursuit of the evidence. Here also are Douglas’ personal reflections on his ongoing search for the truth – from painful lessons learned early in his career to his controversial findings in the West Memphis Three and Jon Benet Ramsey investigations. Brimming with procedural detail, “Law & Disorder” is an eye-opening insider’s account of the exhilaration and frustration that attend the quest for justice.
This book is a fantastic read hands down. John Douglas, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in criminal profiling. In this new book he shows you several criminal cases where the police and prosecution got it all wrong in a rush to judgement. The book is really fascinating, and so is Mr Douglas’s wealth of knowledge about criminal justice.
If you only read one book this year make “Law and Disorder” that book. If you have any interest in the criminal justice system and wrongful convictions you will want to read this book.
This book is a fantastic read hands down. John Douglas, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in criminal profiling. In this new book he shows you several criminal cases where the police and prosecution got it all wrong in a rush to judgement. The book is really fascinating, and so is Mr Douglas’s wealth of knowledge about criminal justice.
If you only read one book this year make “Law and Disorder” that book. If you have any interest in the criminal justice system and wrongful convictions you will want to read this book.
January 26, 2015
I've read a few of Douglas & Olshaker's other books. They always leave me wondering about human nature. This book chronicles multiple crimes of both guilty and innocent imprisioned, including explaining both the JonBenet Ramsey and the Amanda Knox stories. There are moments when truth prevails and other times I was frustrated by the absence of it. This book reads very rapidly, despite how hard hitting it is. The writing is always clear and easy to follow. I don't recommend reading before bedtime...it's just too thought provoking. If you are a fan of cop-fiction, try this for a change of pace.
January 12, 2020
John Douglas is such an interesting author with a fascinating insight into the criminal mind. I respect his work massively and enjoy his no nonsense approach and the way he manages to break the crime down so throughly. This is another that I couldn’t put down. I found each and every case discussed to be highly interesting. I was especially intrigued to read about his experience working on the Robin Hood Hills (the Memphis 3/ Paradise lost) case as well as Amanda Knox’s trial. Another 5 star read.
May 22, 2022
Brilliant and insightful, especially the chapters about the JonBenet Ramsey case and the West Memphis 3. Definitely worth reading if you're a fan of true crime.
June 22, 2021
2.5! Douglas's notorious arrogance really jumped out in this one but it was still interesting. Audiobook narrator tried way too hard on his french accent though.
December 27, 2023
The blurb and the description of the book is a bit of false advertising. The title, however, reflects the content perfectly. With the emphasis on DISorder. The book basically explores four or five big cases in detail, either from the beginning or (when the author feels like it) from when he got engaged in them, usually in private capacity. Most are from the US but one was based in Italy, so not only the US justice system is so shitty.
The things we have here... railroading the case, interference from the high-ups, forcing out false confessions, planting evidence, beating and threatening suspects, using such evidence (in court!) as the number of black t-shirts someone was wearing, relying on 'experts' who got their degrees by mail... and it's not as if these are things from ancient past, the cases are from 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
A very informative look into how things work and, so that one doesn't accuse the author of being overly negative, he openly states he things American justice system is the best in the world but he notices it flaws. I know from the reviews of author's other books that he is thought to have a bit of an ego and yes, I could see that, but he was also quite honest about the situations where he made a mistake or that he would have made a mistake if he were involved in the case at that.
It's a great book to make someone drop idealized CSI-like images of crime cases being solved neatly and quickly, with innocent people often being in the prison for decades before being released (and the author openly admits that there must be many, many innocents still behind bars) and some cases never being solved.
The things we have here... railroading the case, interference from the high-ups, forcing out false confessions, planting evidence, beating and threatening suspects, using such evidence (in court!) as the number of black t-shirts someone was wearing, relying on 'experts' who got their degrees by mail... and it's not as if these are things from ancient past, the cases are from 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
A very informative look into how things work and, so that one doesn't accuse the author of being overly negative, he openly states he things American justice system is the best in the world but he notices it flaws. I know from the reviews of author's other books that he is thought to have a bit of an ego and yes, I could see that, but he was also quite honest about the situations where he made a mistake or that he would have made a mistake if he were involved in the case at that.
It's a great book to make someone drop idealized CSI-like images of crime cases being solved neatly and quickly, with innocent people often being in the prison for decades before being released (and the author openly admits that there must be many, many innocents still behind bars) and some cases never being solved.
March 28, 2024
This book presents a few cases in a very detailed way. Firstly, the author says how the case was investigated by the police and points out their mistakes. They usually consist in dismissing the evidence and holding on to first person they could find as a suspect. Next he presents the pursuit for the real culprit, often done by the family and friends of the suspects along with his own analysis of the case. It takes a lot of pages and is not exactly fascinating. There isn't done much profiling either, as the cases presented have been solved without it. If someone likes a tedious police job, it may be a good position, otherwise it is too long and rather boring.
February 28, 2022
I loved that the focus of this book was on wrongful prosecution or focus on wrong suspects. It was important to see that profiles can clear suspects.
May 20, 2018
So this was an interesting read, and by interesting I mean I am undecided on my thoughts. I gave this book 4 stars, but I'm not sure that's my real opinion. Here's what I mean...
Douglas does a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking in this book. "If I had been in on this case I would have..." And a lot of "I told you so's" about things that there is no actual proof he did provide these findings.
In other words, he comes off really pompous which I hate, but the information was really good. Here's an example...
We've been trained by crime scene programs such as CSI and Criminal Minds, and Law and Order to view certain pieces of evidence in a specific way. Douglas presents the same materials with the same information but... He has a totally different point of view on some of it. Let me offer an example. I know for certain that in Criminal Minds they repeatedly emphasize the idea that covering up the body is a sign of remorse. Douglas says, "Not So!" It is depersonalizing, it's not about the victim at all it is about the offender. You don't cover the face because you feel badly, you cover the face to depersonalize or to avoid looking at what you have done. It makes since, but... I'm just not sure.
Another example of where I am not at all sure that I think Douglas is on the mark is in discussing the JonBenet Ramsey case. He is convinced that the parents were not involved at all in the murder. His points are as follows:
1. Jon Ramsey if he had gone through the trouble of staging the crime scene would not have then disturbed it before investigators had viewed it.... I agree. That is an interesting discrepancy.
2. Joh Ramsey is not a career criminal and therefore not a rehearsed liar.... Disagree. He was a business man. Sorry, but I've worked in customer service for a lot of years. One thing I know is that there is what is known as "Positioning Statements" they aren't lies exactly... But they aren't exactly answering the question that was asked in the most upfront way.
3. The Ramsey's fully cooperated with the police at ever stage of the investigation... That's just bogus. They lawyered up separately and dodged the police for months. They avoided a formal interview for months. They controlled that investigation in a way that people without exceptional wealth would never have been able to achieve. Proof that our justice system performs differently depending on your net value.
On the other hand his analysis of the West Memphis 3 case makes complete since. Again, it sounded a lot like Monday morning quarterbacking, but he did get involved and help out (at least according to him) while these 3 young men were still in prison. I've opted to take his word on it.
His assessment of the Amanda Knox case is logical and reasonable, and still a lot of "If I had been involved blah blah blah"
So by now you must be asking yourself why the heck did I give this 4 stars? Well just because I don't agree with all of his analysis, or even his self important style of story telling doesn't mean there wasn't a lot of valuable information including how the real BAU analyzes information. On that basis I consider this book to be good and valuable.
Would I recommend it? I think so.
Will I buy more from this author? It's debatable, but I think probably yes I would.
Happy reading.
Douglas does a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking in this book. "If I had been in on this case I would have..." And a lot of "I told you so's" about things that there is no actual proof he did provide these findings.
In other words, he comes off really pompous which I hate, but the information was really good. Here's an example...
We've been trained by crime scene programs such as CSI and Criminal Minds, and Law and Order to view certain pieces of evidence in a specific way. Douglas presents the same materials with the same information but... He has a totally different point of view on some of it. Let me offer an example. I know for certain that in Criminal Minds they repeatedly emphasize the idea that covering up the body is a sign of remorse. Douglas says, "Not So!" It is depersonalizing, it's not about the victim at all it is about the offender. You don't cover the face because you feel badly, you cover the face to depersonalize or to avoid looking at what you have done. It makes since, but... I'm just not sure.
Another example of where I am not at all sure that I think Douglas is on the mark is in discussing the JonBenet Ramsey case. He is convinced that the parents were not involved at all in the murder. His points are as follows:
1. Jon Ramsey if he had gone through the trouble of staging the crime scene would not have then disturbed it before investigators had viewed it.... I agree. That is an interesting discrepancy.
2. Joh Ramsey is not a career criminal and therefore not a rehearsed liar.... Disagree. He was a business man. Sorry, but I've worked in customer service for a lot of years. One thing I know is that there is what is known as "Positioning Statements" they aren't lies exactly... But they aren't exactly answering the question that was asked in the most upfront way.
3. The Ramsey's fully cooperated with the police at ever stage of the investigation... That's just bogus. They lawyered up separately and dodged the police for months. They avoided a formal interview for months. They controlled that investigation in a way that people without exceptional wealth would never have been able to achieve. Proof that our justice system performs differently depending on your net value.
On the other hand his analysis of the West Memphis 3 case makes complete since. Again, it sounded a lot like Monday morning quarterbacking, but he did get involved and help out (at least according to him) while these 3 young men were still in prison. I've opted to take his word on it.
His assessment of the Amanda Knox case is logical and reasonable, and still a lot of "If I had been involved blah blah blah"
So by now you must be asking yourself why the heck did I give this 4 stars? Well just because I don't agree with all of his analysis, or even his self important style of story telling doesn't mean there wasn't a lot of valuable information including how the real BAU analyzes information. On that basis I consider this book to be good and valuable.
Would I recommend it? I think so.
Will I buy more from this author? It's debatable, but I think probably yes I would.
Happy reading.
March 30, 2016
I have to thank my brother again for this one. Former FBI profiler examines a number of high profile cases including JonBenet Ramsey, the West Memphis Three, and Amanda Knox. I was hooked after the first chapter. This is a must-read if you're a Dateline/48 Hours addict like me. Some of these stories are enraging, some are heart-breaking, but in each of these Douglas gives careful consideration regarding the recommendation of capital punishment. While he finds it is absolutely necessary in some cases, in others it has clearly been abused. His insight is astounding and some of the stories are as well. You won't be disappointed.
February 22, 2015
While at times this book drug on, I found most of it riveting. The cases he talks about being involved in, (Jon Benet, in particular) were such eye-opening as to how well the Boulder Police bungled that so badly.
All in all a super read. For True Crime Aficionados, this is a must read!
All in all a super read. For True Crime Aficionados, this is a must read!
July 25, 2019
Will admit this is pretty dry and boring until you get past halfway mark. West Memphis 3 part makes up for it though....
December 19, 2017
I’ve been thoroughly intrigued by John Douglas since hearing him as a keynote speaker at a conference I attended. He’s a wonderful speaker with a fascinating career. This book covers several death penalty cases, times when it went right and when it went wrong, and his opinions on the death penalty. Cases covered more in depth were Jon Benet Ramsay, Amanda Knox, and the West Memphis 3. I’ve heard a lot of details about some of these cases, but it was different to learn about them from an expert who actually had something to do with the cases. It was very intriguing and I’m looking forward to more of his books!
May 20, 2024
John Douglas was the former head of the FBI in charge of catching murderers. The character of John Crawford in Silence of the Lambs and Holden from the Netflix show Mindhunter are based off of him.
In this book he covers cases that have been tainted by media coverage that taints public perception, or when the police make assumptions and then twist and force the evidence to fit their narrative.
He covers (among others) Jon Benet, Amanda Knox, the West Memphis Three, and the American phenomenon that started it all: the Salem Witch Trials.
This is an interesting read but don’t read this as your first John Douglas book, read Mindhunter, a staple and classic of true crime.
In this book he covers cases that have been tainted by media coverage that taints public perception, or when the police make assumptions and then twist and force the evidence to fit their narrative.
He covers (among others) Jon Benet, Amanda Knox, the West Memphis Three, and the American phenomenon that started it all: the Salem Witch Trials.
This is an interesting read but don’t read this as your first John Douglas book, read Mindhunter, a staple and classic of true crime.
July 15, 2023
Will and I read (listened to) this book together, which is why it took so long to finish. The book is about several high-profile murder cases where the authorities made mistakes and innocent people suffered. Sometimes I feel that I just can’t get enough true crime. It just never gets boring. I would say the theme of this book is that if you have to stretch a scenario to arrive at a conclusion, you’re probably chasing the wrong conclusion.
January 6, 2024
Fascinating read on famous cases where there has either been a wrongful conviction in law, or wrongful conviction in the court of public opinion. I used to love reading these true crime books when I was younger, but now I find them very disturbing and depressing. Still a very good read though.
August 8, 2018
Totally absorbing, well written book. John Douglas explains some of the notorious cases he's worked on and explains how his profiling methods indicate the guilt or innocence of these perpetrators.
February 7, 2023
SECOND READ. From my research, a profiler is only as good as his intelligence, so I am going to raise the bar a bit on this book. However, my initial review stands. Douglas made a mess when he wrote this book, and he muddied the waters on the WEST MEMPHIS THREE CASE. And the waters have been muddied through and through by everyone's agenda. But even Douglas is human and he does his profiling on research. His research should not focus on the Hicks family or sisters. However, it could focus on new investigations and details about both stepfathers and also about the victimology of the young boys who were murdered. I wish Douglas would take a second look at the new data. The FBI had the right profile I believe, to begin with, but they wandered, like everyone else did over the years. This is a challenging, complex murder case, with a lot of history, innuendo, lies, and just noise. Even Callahan is something of a relic. But puzzles are made to be solved. I believe that.
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ORIGINAL REVIEW STANDS HERE.
I've been told that John Douglas is a genius, and I believe it. I know, from essays I've read over the years included in other texts, that he is a man of individual talents, but this is a terrible book. Up until page 83, I liked it a lot, but after that, Douglas descends into a kind of personal madness of his own, talking about the death penalty. I've seen, over decades, multiple debates on the use of the death penalty and criminal law on college campuses, among people with a general interest in how law and justice works. You would think that the genius John Douglas would be more convincing in his argument than protesting much ado about nothing that the death penalty being called "legalized state murder" is offensive to our society, that it is nonsense, and so forth. I think I about fell out of my chair reading that page, and then he goes on to use the Collins and Sedley case as an example of why the state should kill people. This is the same John Douglas who quoted previously that it is better to let ten guilty go than kill one innocent. Worse, he goes on to talk about who is worthy of killing, and I am just shaking my head as I read this because he loses all moral authority. He writes, "By the time he (Sedley) was executed on June 28, 2006, he had managed to postpone his sentence longer than Suzanne was alive."
By the time I read all that, I have a good idea of what John Douglas is like as a human being.
I can't discuss his emotional and I mean "emotional" comments on the JonBenet Ramsey case. I don't know who is guilty in that case but how Douglas framed that narrative is shameful.
Then, oh, lord, he goes on to describe the West Memphis Three Murder Case of 1993, and that is what I bought his book for. There are so many errors in this part that I just about cried, but it seems I am less emotional than John Douglas and way less biased. If there is anything I have learned about this case is that it is a "game changer" in the personal and social lives of so many people. Who would have thought that John Douglas isn't immune to the "spells" of the case and people. But hey, this is the same man who chose to use the Collins and Sedley case as his "frontpiece" for the death penalty and then went on to talk about why and who should be executed. Why should I have expected anything after reading that, because it's childish and when he gets to the WM3 case, it gets even more dumbed down. I am not a fan of the state of Arkansas and how they treated this case. It's a crime what the DOJ did with this case and with the WM3 boys, but Douglas cannot even get Ellington right, which is something I've spent months researching. Where Douglas was clever and intuitive and even skeptical with the beginning cases, he just simply rolls over and falls into line with with the Terry Hobbs and John Mark Byers comments. He once said a man is only as good as his information. How correct!!!! He spends so little time on the stepfathers that I am crushed and deflated. I mean, what the hell happened here? It's like he's reading Callahan documents and listening to family tell their folktales. Nothing scholarly about it. I read one paragraph over and over and over and thought, I am glad this guy retired and now he's writing a book published by Kensington, which says a lot in itself, since I have written for Kensington, too.
This book is bad. Just plain bad for so many reasons. It's thrown together to make money. John Douglas used a quote about Justice being a search for Truth. I believe he truly believes that, that he does search for truth, but I think he's tired and biased and likes making money a bit too much. He also is narcissistic as many of the killers he studies. I can't recommend this book. I know writing too well, I know why he began with the Salem Witch Trials and why he threw in the death penalty and why he felt compelled to throw in another few cases. Well, why Mark Olshaker did.
February 5, 2024
Agent FBI opowiada o sprawach, które zachwiały wiarą Amerykanów w sprawiedliwość wymiaru sprawiedliwości. Dużo tu rozważań na temat zasadności kary śmierci (autor jest jej zwolennikiem). Bardzo ciekawa książka, ale trzeba mieć świadomość, że Douglas bywa pompatyczny, zakochany w sobie i irytujący. Ja zdążyłam się do tego przyzwyczaić. Dobra literatura true crime.
February 21, 2017
When I first started this audio book, I was disappointed. I was thinking it was Law and Order, like the TV show. Once I got into it, however, it is so much more since the cases he describes are real cases I've read about or heard about in the media.
Cases like Jeffery Dahmer, Amanda Knox, and JonBenet Ramsey were fascinating to here about from a professional's point of view. He tells what the officers did correctly and, more importantly, what they did incorrectly. Amanda Knox, for example, should never have been tried much less convicted and imprisoned.
Again, I listened to this book on tape and now want to go to the library to see if I can find another book by John E. Douglas. His ethics, investigatory skills, professionalism, and writing style are extremely impressive.
Cases like Jeffery Dahmer, Amanda Knox, and JonBenet Ramsey were fascinating to here about from a professional's point of view. He tells what the officers did correctly and, more importantly, what they did incorrectly. Amanda Knox, for example, should never have been tried much less convicted and imprisoned.
Again, I listened to this book on tape and now want to go to the library to see if I can find another book by John E. Douglas. His ethics, investigatory skills, professionalism, and writing style are extremely impressive.
June 1, 2023
I've always been a fan of John Douglas books since the famous "mindhunter" started publishing them. But I hadn't picked one up for a while. I was delighted to find this one on sale thanks to BookBub.
Law & Disorder recounts several cases to which Douglas was connected and on which he consulted or otherwise contributed. Among them, the Amanda Knox case and the West Memphis 3 case.
What I liked most about the book is that he went into great detail about his analysis of the cases and kind of let you pop into his head and be the profiler.
A must-have for any true crime buffs and crime writers. Highly recommend.
Law & Disorder recounts several cases to which Douglas was connected and on which he consulted or otherwise contributed. Among them, the Amanda Knox case and the West Memphis 3 case.
What I liked most about the book is that he went into great detail about his analysis of the cases and kind of let you pop into his head and be the profiler.
A must-have for any true crime buffs and crime writers. Highly recommend.
August 28, 2024
Eye opening.
Having read nearly all of Douglas' books to this point, I was interested in his views on miscarriages of justice. So many people assume so much about many cases--with knee jerk guilty assumptions--and do not bother to find out the facts. Douglas presents the facts of each case so clearly that the reader will wonder how we got it so wrong at first. Douglas goes very deep into some pretty sensational cases, ones that the majority of the world either screams "GUILTY!" at the accused or accuses somebody else who is very likely innocent (West Memphis Three, Amanda Knox, and the Jonbenet Ramsey murder, respectively) and analyzes why and how the justice system got it wrong.
One thing that I think that Douglas points out--probably unintentionally, though perhaps not--is that there is a very real human flaw in the justice system that comes from society as a whole. It is best summarized by saying that when somebody is arrested for something, the immediate response is normally "guilty!" by anybody but perhaps those closest to the accused. It is probably because there is the assumption that police would not make an arrest without good evidence or some other false notion. Anytime there is a quick verdict brought back I assume that it's likely a guilty one, because our reaction appears to be "guilty until proven innocent," quite the opposite of the actual law. That seems to be an overriding theme in this book.
The only sticking point for me is when Douglas makes an unsubstantiated claim that has nothing to do with what he is arguing--stating something that is actually opinion as fact with nothing to support it. That goes against the nature of what he does (and it is a bit of pandering). Other than that, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Having read nearly all of Douglas' books to this point, I was interested in his views on miscarriages of justice. So many people assume so much about many cases--with knee jerk guilty assumptions--and do not bother to find out the facts. Douglas presents the facts of each case so clearly that the reader will wonder how we got it so wrong at first. Douglas goes very deep into some pretty sensational cases, ones that the majority of the world either screams "GUILTY!" at the accused or accuses somebody else who is very likely innocent (West Memphis Three, Amanda Knox, and the Jonbenet Ramsey murder, respectively) and analyzes why and how the justice system got it wrong.
One thing that I think that Douglas points out--probably unintentionally, though perhaps not--is that there is a very real human flaw in the justice system that comes from society as a whole. It is best summarized by saying that when somebody is arrested for something, the immediate response is normally "guilty!" by anybody but perhaps those closest to the accused. It is probably because there is the assumption that police would not make an arrest without good evidence or some other false notion. Anytime there is a quick verdict brought back I assume that it's likely a guilty one, because our reaction appears to be "guilty until proven innocent," quite the opposite of the actual law. That seems to be an overriding theme in this book.
The only sticking point for me is when Douglas makes an unsubstantiated claim that has nothing to do with what he is arguing--stating something that is actually opinion as fact with nothing to support it. That goes against the nature of what he does (and it is a bit of pandering). Other than that, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
May 7, 2018
I expected a different book; I expected lots of profiling and there was some. There are repeated pleas to use the death penalty more often and then explanations of how Douglas came in and rescued white people from miscarriages of justice. So without him, the death penalty would be used on innocent people, but it should be used more often? Not at all clear what his point is.
August 15, 2013
Retired FBI profiler John Douglas tackles some famous criminal cases “after the fact”. Examining headline -making judgments such as Amanda Knox, The West Memphis Three, JonBenet Ramsey and several others Mr. Douglas draws on his 44-year career to try and explain the phenomenon of false confessions, wrongful convictions and miscarried justice.
Mr. Douglas begins his book with the Salem Witch trials – probably the most notorious case of miscarried justice in American history. The witch trials did, however, spawn the famous concept of “innocent until proven guilty”. That mission statement often proves to be easier said than done.
This was an interesting book, as Mr. Douglas does not shy away from topics such as police ineptitude, courtroom blunders and out-and-out lying by witnesses, prosecutors and even judges. Preconceived notions have sent more innocent people to prison than should be believable. Innocent people who subsequently face the death penalty. Mr. Douglas does not mince words on the topic of capital punishment either. Although I may not agree with all of his views on the subject, he did present them in a rational and thought-provoking manner. For anyone who has followed any of the cases examined in this book, it makes for an interesting “wrap-up”. I even learned a few interesting tidbits about the cases that I had not seen mentioned in other accounts.
Mr. Douglas begins his book with the Salem Witch trials – probably the most notorious case of miscarried justice in American history. The witch trials did, however, spawn the famous concept of “innocent until proven guilty”. That mission statement often proves to be easier said than done.
This was an interesting book, as Mr. Douglas does not shy away from topics such as police ineptitude, courtroom blunders and out-and-out lying by witnesses, prosecutors and even judges. Preconceived notions have sent more innocent people to prison than should be believable. Innocent people who subsequently face the death penalty. Mr. Douglas does not mince words on the topic of capital punishment either. Although I may not agree with all of his views on the subject, he did present them in a rational and thought-provoking manner. For anyone who has followed any of the cases examined in this book, it makes for an interesting “wrap-up”. I even learned a few interesting tidbits about the cases that I had not seen mentioned in other accounts.
April 25, 2015
This book is a must to anyone who follows true crime. John Douglas is a former FBI profiler. This book is his attempt to show that the justice system is not perfect and often we as people judge people based on "information" presented by the always fair and reliable medi. He tackles some very famous cases in this book including the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey, the West Memphis Three, Amanda Knox and Suzanne Collins. He uses his expertise to show how crimes we think we know so well are a far cry from how the media portrayed them. It's quite scary to think that innocent men have been put to death for crimes they didn't crime, spend decades in prisons, or have the harsh public stigma of being a murderer. I really enjoyed this book. He really goes over some facts of the cases as well as the lies the media portrayed.
The West Memphis Three was a case that gave me chills as I read the chapters on them. The JonBenet Ramsey case was extremely sad. All the media seemed to care about was the disturbing pageant videos that splashed all over the news. There were many facts that came about that I was not aware of that really made me rethink what I thought I knew about the case. The Suzanne Collins murder was tough to read.
The West Memphis Three was a case that gave me chills as I read the chapters on them. The JonBenet Ramsey case was extremely sad. All the media seemed to care about was the disturbing pageant videos that splashed all over the news. There were many facts that came about that I was not aware of that really made me rethink what I thought I knew about the case. The Suzanne Collins murder was tough to read.
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