Inside the Mind of the Backpacker Killer: Ivan Milat

by Tanya Farber, Jeremy Daniel

A gripping exploration of the life, crimes, and chilling psychology of Ivan Milat, Australia's backpacker murderer, one of the most infamous serial killers of the twentieth century.

Ivan Milat’s killing spree through the Australian outback left a trail of terror and cemented his legacy as one of the most ruthless serial killers in history. Targeting young backpackers seeking adventure, Milat turned the idyllic Belanglo State Forest into a nightmare, brutally murdering at least seven travellers. His horrifying crimes became the real-life inspiration for the hit horror film Wolf Creek, an iconic piece of Australian cinema.

This book unravels the shocking details of Milat’s brutality, the relentless investigation that brought him to justice, and the cultural effects that turned his story into both a cautionary tale and a dark fascination for true crime fans. Discover the unsettling truths behind the man who terrorized a nation.

Perfect for fans of Mindhunter, Making a Murderer, and anyone drawn to the real-life stories behind horror’s most haunting legends, this is the definitive account of a killer who terrorized the Australian Outback.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 21, 2025

Reviews

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with this killer. The start of the book gave insight in to his character and upbringing. the majority of the book was about the backpackers . It was a fairly short reader and could have been longer. The title needs to be reworked as this is more about the crimes than the mind. Everything is laid out perfectly and there is not any delving into the crimes or the why which was what i was expecting based on the title. I think the main issue is this is a basic insight read into a very dark killer with a hint of more crimes but due to its length it fails to do more than detail the childhood of the killer and his marriage and the backpackers and what happened to them. I would say this would appeal to any true crime readers who like a short read and basic on the surface information. Hopefully this killer will be revisited by the authors and more depth and detail added in any follow up or rewritten editions. This is however a 4 star read because it is easy to follow, informative and distrubing. Thank you netgallery, publisher, author ,

[Stacey Plumb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Huge sympathy for the victims and their families.

[Heidi Fait · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in my goal of reading 17 books in 2026 (a small goal, I know). Gifted to me by my grandma.

This was a good summary and a quick and easy read. It definitely makes me want to read something way more in depth. There were a few things repeated which seemed a waste of space in such a short book, and overall it seemed like the editing wasn't the best (in one part it is mentioned that Karen became pregnant and gave birth to Ivan's daughter, then when Karen made a run for it there was no mention of what happened with the daughter, only her son from a previous relationship). It was enjoyable though, and I would recommend it for a quick read or introduction to the topic.

Finished 13th January 2026

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks, Goodreads and Gemini, for giving me a copy of Inside the Mind of the Backpacker Killer by Tanya Farber in exchange for an honest review.

Having once been a backpacker in Australia, albeit in a time of mobile phones and internet, I was intrigued as to how Farber would report on Milat, who by all accounts was sadistic but with unresolved questions as to why he did what he did.

Farber's most interesting chapters are on his background, Milat, being one of 14, who grew up in an emotionally stunted family. Common in books of this quality, this is given as a factor but prefaced with a 'other kids suffered but didn't become sadistic serial killers' type of line.

Whilst I think Farber writes well about her subject, I think it is obvious that the book is fleshed out from other reports and books, thereby giving a perfect summary of what happened. It's three sections worked out quite well though and I think the descriptions of the flora were quite strong.

Perhaps I wanted a bit more about the supposed cooling-off period. There's a minor chapter about potential victims, which I would say tallies well with an opportunist who enjoyed hunting birds of prey. I always think it's sad that victims are left unaccounted for. This, for a future edition would be worthwhile to extend on to have contemporary information about the ongoing work bringing to light his villainous behaviour. Additionally, there is surely more information about Milat. This was quite light.

Was I glad to have read it? Of course, undoubtedly. Will I read others? Of course, undoubtedly.

[J Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inside the Mind of the Backpack Killer: Ivan Milat by Tanya Farber and Jeremy Daniel is a good detailed look at the killer and his victims as well as the acts themselves.

This is the type of true crime book that doesn't take too much effort to read, there is not a lot of analysis that might require understanding and everything is laid out nicely. If you enjoy books that give you the information and offers some surface level psychological assessment this will be up your alley. I usually prefer ones that delve deeper into the psychology and sociology of the crime(s) but I enjoyed this one as a break from some of the darkness those books can generate. The crimes here are certainly dark so maybe not getting too far into his mind is a good thing. I did like that we got to know the victims a little better than many books. In some ways that took this from potentially being a dark book into being more of a sad book.

I think most true crime fans will enjoy this. It is definitely more than some of the books that are really nothing more than previous articles paraphrased into a book. This has structure and a good voice, and will keep you turning pages.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[True Crime Bookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sentenced to six years for the attack on Paul Onions and seven consecutive life sentences for the murders of the backpackers. The door was shut, the key was thrown away and Ivan Milat would never even taste the possibility of freedom again in his lifetime.”

This book explores the crimes of Ivan Milat, one of Australia’s most infamous serial killers, diving into the abduction and murder of seven young backpackers in the Belanglo State Forest. The book not only recounts the case but also attempts to examine the fear his victims endured and the background that may have shaped him.

Even though I’ve read other books about Ivan Milat, I thoroughly enjoyed this version. It goes beyond simply retelling the facts and instead leans into the emotional weight of the crimes. Particularly the fear experienced by the seven young backpackers before their lives were so brutally cut short.

I have also read a few books in the Inside the Mind series now, and while they’re always interesting, they tend to focus more on the crimes themselves rather than deeply analysing the psychology of the killer. That said, I was surprised to still learn a few new things about this case through this book.

The book does touch on Milat’s family background and upbringing, offering some insight into how he may have developed into the person he became. While it doesn’t fully dive into his psyche, it adds an extra layer to the story.

Overall, I think this is a strong introductory read for anyone wanting to learn about one of Australia’s most notorious cases.

[Nena Heesakkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toen ik aan het backpacken was in Australië waren binnen 2-3 weken mijn drie meegebrachte boeken al uit. Omdat ik nog minimaal drie weken te gaan had, liep ik een locale boekhandel in. Dit boek sprak me aan vanwege de dikte van het boek (past gemakkelijk in de backpack) en het crime genre. Plus het verhaal ging over de vermissingen van backpackers rondom Sydney, een bestemming waar wij onze reis eindigen. Dit vond ik een leuke, 'grappige' bijkomstigheid.
Er worden niet heel veel details gegeven over de daden in dit boek, meer speculaties, maar naarmate er iets meer details worden gegeven na de vondst van enkele lichamen, kun je de gruwel daden zelf meer visualiseren.

Enkele verhalen uit deze reeks zijn verfilmd op Netflix. Ik zou best nieuwsgierig zijn hoe dit verhaal verfilmd zou worden.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Gemini Books Group for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

As an Australian I was always fascinated by this case and this book gave me so much more insight into the victims and their families.
It was written quite well and there were only a few times I felt it was a little repetitive.
Otherwise it is a very well written true crime book.

[Myah · Rating 4 out of 5]

he was a very evil man but given the way his childhood was he didn’t really stand a chance and definitely played a part into why he done what he done, i wouldn’t be shocked if it was true that one or more of his brothers were involved.

[Valerity (Val)]

DNF unable to get file to work on 2 different readers

[Princesspint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written with lots of information. Sad but good book. I have always liked reading true crime books. Do I like what people do? No, but it is interesting to find out information on it.

[Dorset_dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't ever heard of the backpack Killer before reading this book.
please check your triggers, but great true crime read 📚

[SD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some new details I hadn’t come across before. Doesn’t come close to Clive Small’s book which is still the definitive account of this horrendous episode IMO.

[River Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the better books in this series. Was much more of a page turner

[Alexia Schenck · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**This review DOES contain some spoilers**

TW - rape, murder, kidnapping, self harm, anorexia?, animal abuse, domestic violence

I went into this book without any knowledge on this case, I’ve never heard of it before. After reading, I just don’t understand how he was let off so many times. Holy shit, this guy is an evil POS, along with his attorney. I feel so horrible for every victim, if they were surviving or deceased. This was written in a way that I can easily understand, and it wasn’t confusing - straight to the point. Also the ending??