Obsession

John Douglas · Mark Olshaker

Nov 1998 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

The bestselling authors of Mindhunters examine violent crimes and their consequences, profiling the criminals, victims and law enforcement agents involved.

World-renowned FBI profiler John Douglas, the model for Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs, brilliantly probed the serial killer psyche in the international bestsellers Mindhunter and Journey Into Darkness. Now, he takes us further on this compelling tour, to unlock the minds and souls of both the hunter and the hunted—in a shattering look at the two sides of obsession.

His legendary ability to become both predator and prey has brought John Douglas to the edge of a killer’s madness in some of the most famous criminal investigations of our time. With a deep sense of compassion for the victims and an uncanny understanding of the perpetrators, he draws from these cases to portray the chilling obsessions that compel the murderers, rapists, and stalkers in our midst. Behind the scenes, Douglas portrays the obsessions that drive him and his law enforcement colleagues as they unravel the motives behind these terrifying acts—and shows how America can fight back against violent crime. Obsession is a powerful exploration of the darkest human behavior—and an urgent call to action.

“Eye-opening. . . . Douglas’s compassion for the survivors of violent crimes seems to equal his understanding of the criminals themselves.” —Publishers Weekly

“I rarely use the phrase “must read”…but I can’t think of a book that deserves it as much as Obsession. It’s a survival handbook.” —Eaton Register-Herald

Ratings and reviews

Recommended for all

About the author

John Douglas is the legendary FBI criminal profiler and former Chief of the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit where he researched, investigated, and conducted interviews of some of America’s most violent criminals. Over the past half-century, he either directly worked on or had overall supervision in over 5,000 violent crime cases. He is one of the foremost experts of the criminal mind, its methods, and motivations. Douglas is a veteran of the United States Air Force and holds a doctorate degree in Education, and lives with his wife, Pamela, in the Washington, DC, area.