Written by the forensic nurse who transformed the way the FBI profiles and catches serial killers, this thought-provoking book takes an intimate look at the creation of the Behavioral Science
Unit–the inspiration for Hulu’s Mastermind documentary.
In the 1970s, the FBI created the "Mindhunters" (better known as the Behavioral Science Unit) to track down the country's most dangerous criminals. In A Killer By Design, Dr. Ann
Wolbert Burgess reveals how her pioneering research on sexual assault and trauma helped the FBI capture some of history’s most violent offenders, including Ed Kemper (The Co-Ed Killer), Dennis
Rader (BTK), Henry Wallace (The Taco Bell Strangler), and Jon Barry Simonis (The Ski-Mask Rapist).
This book pulls us directly into the investigations as she experienced them, interweaving never-before-seen interview transcripts, crime scene drawings, and her personal insight about the minds of
deranged criminals and the victims they left behind.
Haunting and deeply human, A Killer By Design forces us to confront the age-old question that has long plagued our criminal justice system: "What drives someone to kill, and how
can we stop them?"
As Featured on ABC 20/20
One of Amazon's "Best True Crime" Books
A "Best Book of the Month" Pick for Amazon (December 2021)
An Apple Audio "Must-Listen" (December 2021)
Editorial Reviews
Editorial Reviews
“I’d recommend that everyone read A Killer by Design; not only is it a great page-turner but it’s about time Ann’s story was heard.” —John E. Douglas, former FBI criminal profiler and author of Mindhunter
“An affecting memoir about her crucial if largely unknown role in helping the FBI develop criminal profiling tools.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A trailblazing forensic and psychiatric nurse…takes care not to sensationalize serial murders and focuses instead on the development of criminal profiling and advocacy for victims. Burgess was often the only woman in these spaces, and she offers a refreshing perspective…[An] empathetic, insightful behind-the-scenes look.” —Library Journal (starred review)
Of all the colleagues I’ve worked with, Ann is one of the sharpest—and one of the toughest. Ann’s behind-the-scenes work had a profound impact on the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, since she taught us how to harness the chaos of serial killers’ minds and helped us decipher the undecipherable. I’d recommend that everyone read A Killer By Design; not only is it a great page-turner, but it’s about time Ann’s story was heard. —JOHN E. DOUGLAS, former FBI criminal profiler and bestselling author of Mindhunter
My career was shaped after reading the seminal text on sexual homicide co-authored by Dr. Ann Burgess—one of the original Mindhunters. Now, in A Killer By Design, Burgess shows how she helped refine the criminal profiling process, with an acute eye for detail and heartwarming compassion for the victims. This book has quickly become a permanent fixture on my bookshelf and is a must-read for anybody who wants to understand the history of exploring the predator's mind. Burgess is truly a hero in the fight against evil. —PAUL HOLES, FBI Task Force Officer, retired cold case investigator, and co-host of Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad podcast
I will never forget the first time I heard Ann Burgess speak about her work to a large audience at Penn. We all were mesmerized. Ann brought forensic nursing and her ground-breaking research on crime victims and trauma to the university. She completely upended how law enforcement thinks about victims of trauma and abuse, all while challenging long-held assumptions of American culture. Her story needs to be heard. —CLAIRE M. FAGIN, Former Dean, Professor Emerita of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Interim President 1993-1994
As a young FBI criminal profiler walking the halls of the renowned FBI Behavioral Science Unit, I quickly realized that to be successful it was critical to identify professional mentors who possessed the knowledge, skills, and abilities that I aspired to. Ann Burgess was then and still stands out as an icon for me. —GREGORY M. COOPER, Executive Director of the Cold Case Foundation, Former FBI Profiler
As the FBI Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) grew and evolved in the late 1970s, Ann Burgess led the way for the Unit’s training, research, and operational work to reach out to mental health professionals beyond the typical investigative/prosecutive perspective. She helped the BSU to add this new perspective and insight to its understanding of the behavior of both offenders and victims. Ann’s new book, A Killer By Design, tells the behind the scenes story of her long term work with the BSU from her unique perspective. I highly recommend this book. —KENNETH V. LANNING, 20-year member of the FBI BSU and author of Love, Bombs, and Molesters: An FBI Agent’s Journey
Countless investigators and detectives around the world do work every single day that is based on the research and discoveries of Dr. Ann Burgess—myself included. But here, for the first time, we are able to experience the fascinating—and often heart wrenching—stories behind these facts, figures, and procedures alongside Ann as she worked the cases that would serve as the foundation of criminal profiling. This is a riveting book and will become a staple on the shelves of both experts, and armchair detectives. —SARAH CAILEAN, Criminal Behaviorist
With her keen insight, decades of groundbreaking research in a male-dominated field, and relentless commitment to the victims of the worst imaginable crimes, Dr. Burgess has been a bona fide trailblazer in the forensic arena. This poignant, gripping, and long overdue account will soon prove a classic of the true crime genre. —MICHAEL H. STONE, M.D. & GARY BRUCATO, Ph.D., authors of The New Evil: Understanding the Emergence of Modern Violent Crime
One of my jobs at the BSU was to get the data that Dr. Burgess was analyzing in Boston to my Police Fellowship Program. I’d compare what the police fellows said on cases with what Dr. Burgess said. The foundational profiling tools we brought into the mix—which helped develop a well-defined, disciplined, and logical approach to the field of criminal profiling—stood the test of time. In A Killer By Design, readers get a behind-the-scenes look of what it was like to be at the forefront of such important work, and it’s a must-read for anyone who wants to know what criminal profiling is really like, outside of movies and tv shows. —JUDSON M. RAY, M.S., M.Ed., FBI Profiler (ret.)
Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess, DNSc., APRN, is a leading forensic and psychiatric nurse who worked with the FBI for over two decades. She is a professor at the Boston College Connell
School of Nursing.
Titles by Author
Author Bio: Steven Matthew Constantine
Titles by Author
Details
Details
Format:
Retail CD
Available Formats :
Retail CD
Category:
Nonfiction/True Crime
Publisher:
Hachette Books
CDs:
7
Runtime:
9.03
ISBN:
9781668604106
Audience:
Adult
Language:
English
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