Killer Charm: The Double Lives of Psychopaths by Linda Fairstein
(Kindle) Only
2009, Jul. 10 2012, Open Road, 11 pgs
Age: 18+
"The 2009 “Craigslist Killer” murder case shocked America, not just because of the heinous nature of the crimes but because their perpetrator—a handsome young law student with an unsuspecting girlfriend—seemed a very unlikely suspect. This killer, like others before him, had learned to leverage his charm and golden-boy looks to lure his victims, a skill many psychopaths learn to master. In Killer Charm, legal expert Linda Fairstein draws on her decades of experience in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to uncover what traits psychopaths often share, and how to spot them. She illustrates these points with the stories of some of America’s most notorious sex criminals, such as Ted Bundy and Marvin Teicher. Originally published in Cosmopolitan, this essay is now available in digital format for the first time and features a new introduction by the author."
I'm not exactly sure of the purpose of publishing this short essay, originally published in a magazine, as a standalone. It would be better served to publish a book's worth collection of such essays but nevertheless it was an entertaining read on how psychopathic serial killers can seem to be very charming people in their everyday "normal" lives. The addition of a new introduction to the essay by the author also adds to the reading experience.
It's always the quiet ones, the ones the neighbors would never suspect. Some of the best villians I read have been the charming, beautiful ones. There is true in fiction.
ReplyDeleteso very true!
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