Kindle Price: $10.99

Save $7.01 (39%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

eBook features:
  • Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
  • In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Peter Vronsky
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters Kindle Edition

by Peter Vronsky (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,430 ratings
See all formats and editions
A comprehensive examination into the frightening true crime history of serial homicide—including information on America’s most prolific serial killers such as:

Jeffrey Dahmer • Ted Bundy • “Co-ed Killer” Ed Kemper • The BTK Killer • “Highway Stalker” Henry Lee Lucas • Monte Ralph Rissell • “Shoe Fetish Slayer” Jerry Brudos • “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez • “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski • Ed Gein “The Butcher of Plainfield” • “Killer Clown” John Wayne Gacy • Andrew Cunanan • And more...

In this unique book, Peter Vronsky documents the psychological, investigative, and cultural aspects of serial murder, beginning with its first recorded instance in Ancient Rome through fifteenth-century France on to such notorious contemporary cases as cannibal/necrophile Ed Kemper, the BTK killer, Henry Lee Lucas, Monte Ralph Rissell, Jerry Brudos, Richard Ramirez, “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and the emergence of what he classifies as the “serial rampage killer” such as Andrew Cunanan, who murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace.

Vronsky not only offers sound theories on what makes a serial killer but also makes concrete suggestions on how to survive an encounter with one—from recognizing verbal warning signs to physical confrontational resistance. Exhaustively researched with transcripts of interviews with killers, and featuring up-to-date information on the apprehension and conviction of the Green River killer and the Beltway Snipers, Vronsky’s one-of-a-kind book covers every conceivable aspect of an endlessly riveting true crime phenomenon.

INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. ISBN-13
    978-0425196403
  2. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  3. Publisher
    Berkley
  4. Publication date
    October 5, 2004
  5. Language
    English
  6. File size
    7680 KB
  7. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This formidably comprehensive, brilliantly researched book must be the most wide-ranging work on serial killers that has been written so far. The fact that it sprang from the author’s brief encounters with two serial killers lends it a sense of personal urgency.”—Colin Wilson, author of Killers Among Us and Written in Blood.
 
“Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters is one of the most complete books I have read on serial killers. If you are fascinated by the human mind and by those who are abnormal, this is the book for you.”—Roundtable Reviews

About the Author

Peter Vronsky is the author of two bestselling true-crime histories: Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters and Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters. He is an investigative historian, author, filmmaker and new media designer. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in criminal justice history and espionage in international relations.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000OIZVEI
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (October 5, 2004)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 5, 2004
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 7680 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 496 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,430 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Peter Vronsky

Peter Vronsky

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Peter Vronsky is an author, filmmaker and investigative historian. He is the author of three definitive bestselling books on the history and psychopathology of serial homicide and its investigation: Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters (2004), Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters (2007) and Sons of Cain: A History of Serial Killers from the Stone Age to the Present (2018).

His new book, American Serial Killers: The Epidemic Years 1950-2000 is scheduled to be released on February 9, 2021. It focuses on the rise of serial murder in the United States and the critical "serial killer epidemic" era of 1970-2000 when 83 percent of known American serial killers made their appearance.

Peter Vronsky began writing about serial killers after he briefly randomly encountered two different serial killers before they were apprehended, one in New York City in December 1979 and the other in Moscow in October 1990 without knowing at the time they were serial killers.

Vronsky is also a historian of espionage, insurgency-terrorism and military history. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in the fields of espionage in international relations and criminal justice history. His book Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle that Made Canada (Penguin Books: 2011) is the definitive account of the hidden history of Canada's first modern battle fought against Irish-American Fenian insurgents invading from the United States in 1866.

He currently lectures in history of the Third Reich, the American Civil War, history of terrorism, espionage and international relations at Ryerson University in Toronto.

Prior to earning Ph.D. in history, Peter Vronsky worked for 25-years shooting and producing investigative documentaries and network television news specials, music videos and documentaries. He has worked extensively in Europe, the former Soviet Union, South Africa and in Canada and USA. He is the creator of a body of formal video art works exhibited internationally and a cited historian of the phenomenon of serial murder, of Lee Harvey Oswald's journey to the USSR in 1959-1962, the Siege of Montsegur during the Albigensian Crusade in 1244, the disappearance of Ambrose Small in Toronto in 1919, the early history of the Toronto Police and is an authority on the Battle of Ridgeway in 1866.

Peter Vronsky is co-editor with RJ Parker of the Crimes Canada book series of historical Canadian true crime cases. www.crimescanada.com

Peter Vronsky lives in Toronto and Venice, Italy. His websites include www.petervronsky.org, www.serialkillerchronicles.com, www.investigativehistory.com, www.ridgewaybattle.ca and www.fenians.org

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,430 global ratings
a++ (so far)
5 Stars
a++ (so far)
first, i'm going to dive into the packaging, & then the actual product. i got my book used from a seller called "kota books," & they took me through every step of the book being delievered! plus when it came it was wrapped in the plastic as it normally is but inside had a paper wrapping too. minimal marks and creases too. i bet if i wiped it with a washcloth it'd look newer. very much nice. now for the product— haven't read it yet actually haha. literally just got it. but, the book is sizeable & includes photos. i read the first page, where vronsky asserts that he is not any kind of professional. i think that including that, naming your own (for lack of a better word) shortcomings, is a very good thing that some authors fail to do. they are blinded by their own grandoise which may impede their work, create biases, other unpleasantness, etc (i know it sounds elementary but i've read books where the author tries to pretend like they're some expert on the topic when they aren't. & you don't have to be, just accept that you are or aren't haha). i have high hopes for this book, but will revise my review once i've finished reading it. also no i'm not sponsored, didn't receieve a discount, etc. although i should cough cough hint hint. anyway yeah i'd recommend the book so far. seems tight.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

M. Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and educational from start to finishing
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
I’m getting in to true crime. I like the human psychology of it and learning about the making of the killer, as opposed to learning about the killing exclusively, as that can start to feel a bit exploitative. It’s a very well-rounded book. It’s actually one of the first few non-fiction books I’ve ever read, and it’s the most entertaining one as well. He does a great job of telling the story and explaining killer classifications and how their childhoods made them into the monsters (no sugar coating it) they are. As a female, it’s also made me a lot more aware and I’m thankful for it. Awesome writing! Will be buying more of his stuff!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Phil Clapham
5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkably good book
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2018
Verified Purchase
This is a book that manages to combine good storytelling with a very informative, structured approach to examining every aspect of serial killers, including their origin, evolution, methods and classification. The topic is gruesomely fascinating, and Vronsky doesn't shy from detail. But at base this is a serious book that reviews the bigger picture in an academic way (but never in a manner that is dry and boring). The front cover promises that this is "The definitive history of the phenomenon of serial murder", and having read quite a lot of serial killer accounts I think I have to agree that that subtitle isn't an exaggerated claim.

As a chilling bedside read, it's fascinating. And as a text on the topic, it represents a significant achievement.
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
D'Bri
4.0 out of 5 stars Stranger than Fiction
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2013
Verified Purchase
They always say life imitates art, but its just the opposite - every serial killer book you've read that you think is a fantasy likely has some semblance of truth from one of the killers profiled in this book. This book is amazing, because it takes a disconnected look at the nature of a serial killer to show exactly why were fascinated by them. There is no glorification of the serial killer, just fact after fact to deconstruct the impossible - understanding the madness that drives a serial killer.

Cold and clinical, this book still was one of the scariest and most gripping books I've read, simply because you know there are people out there who do the unthinkable.

Also has some handy tips to stay alive when encountering a serial killer...

4 stars - a great read. If you like the subject matter, this is a must read. I've read a lot of fiction in this genre, and this non-fiction was one of the best.
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Mal
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down.
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2013
Verified Purchase
This was a very interesting and detailed, yet easy to understand book. Vronsky tells the reader from the beginning that he's no serial murder expert, but it does seem like he's spent a long time in the field. Just about all of his information is cited. He even chillingly tells you of his own experience of (unwittingly) meeting two famous serial killers shortly before they were captured.

He covers each killer with information on their childhood, adult life, crimes and victims and subsequently their capture. He even takes you through the FBI's process of finding them.

About 3-4 pages of the book feature black and white photos of crime scenes and victims, which are graphic.

I've brought this book with me everywhere in the course of reading it. It really captures people's attention and they immediately want to know all about it.
I highly recommend this book.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Duaa Anwar
5.0 out of 5 stars History, present, and future of serial killers
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2007
Verified Purchase
A lot of reviews focused on the history covered by this book, but what I found most compelling was in fact the second half, which discussed the "formation" of a serial killer.

In the first half, the author goes back a few centuries to uncover gruesome truths of serial killers across Europe. With every chapter, he steps forward in time, narrating the lives and biographies of famous and not-so-famous killers, from Jack the Ripper to the Boston Strangler. Every page delivers a shock, as the lives and practices of the killers are revealed.

If you manage to survive through the photos in the center without passing out at the gore, you'll find the second half even more gripping. It explains how a serial killer develops, how his behavior differs from others in childhood, how he strikes his first victim, and the pattern that dictates his life from there on. There is plenty on the many types of killers and their various approaches to murder.

A fair portion near the end of the book is dedicated to criminal profiling and crime scene investigation. The book closes with a chilling chapter on how to survive if you find yourself at the mercy of a serial killer.

A very engaging read if you have the heart for the gruesome details!
54 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Carlos Eduardo
3.0 out of 5 stars El libro es bueno pero esta dañado
Reviewed in Mexico on January 21, 2022
Verified Purchase
libro dañado en la pasta , no debería pasar con productos supuestamente nuevos
Customer image
Carlos Eduardo
3.0 out of 5 stars El libro es bueno pero esta dañado
Reviewed in Mexico on January 21, 2022
libro dañado en la pasta , no debería pasar con productos supuestamente nuevos
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well written, comprehensive and thought provoking. Highly recommend
Report
marieB.
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting reading
Reviewed in France on July 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
Interesting reading, I recommend it for those who like this kind of book.
Report
Nati & Carol
5.0 out of 5 stars Ótimo!
Reviewed in Brazil on December 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Muito bom! Como historiadora e apreciadora do gênero investigativo, achei o livro maravilhoso. O autor detalha não apenas os casos, mas questões sociais do período. Compreender esses quesitos é importante para entender o por quê desse fenômeno (assassinatos em série) ter ocoriddo em grande escala, em um período específico.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
True Crime Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars THE #1 book to own on Serial Killers
Reviewed in Canada on January 21, 2018
Verified Purchase
Although there are other compilation-type books available about serial killers (SKs), Peter Vronsky’s “Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters” goes far beyond the rest by placing SKs within a historical context. By doing so, Vronsky also puts them within a psychological timeframe (if you will) of their life and times, a brilliant and refreshing approach to the subject.

While even the layperson has heard of recent SKs Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy, Vronsky’s book goes back to Ancient Rome, and Medieval Europe, to the present in great detail. Chapters like ‘The Postmodern Age of Serial Homicide, 1970-2000’ provide a great background on society’s recent obsession with SKs (Bundy, for example), while other chapters like ‘Serial Killers as Children,’ ‘The Art and Science of Criminal Profiling,’ and ‘Surviving a Serial Killer’ reveal the very real likelihood of these monsters lurking among us. This book will appear to everyone with an interest in crime, serial killers, profiling, psychiatry, and policing. A must-have.
5 people found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report