What I am Reading

I just started reading this book last night and so far it is a really interesting read.  It isn't a Criminal Minds story but a study of the many of the real-life serial killers mentioned in various Criminal Minds episodes.  As I was reading about some of the heinous serial killers around midnight last night, I thought, maybe I should put the book down so I don't have bad dreams about serial killers trying to do me in! 

Fortunately, I didn't have any nightmares.  I am about halfway done with the book, and I like the way the author, Jeff Mariotte,  put the book together.  He separates out the different types of deviants, such as anger-excitation killers, mission based killers, etc., and not only does he give real-life examples, he also indicates episodes that are similar to some of the horrible murders comitted by the real-life serial killers.  He also lists which epiosdes the real-life serial killers or their victims are mentioned, such as family annihilators John List and Mark Barton are mentioned in "Children of the Dark", and victim Danielle Van Dam, a seven year-old girl who was abducted from her home and later found murdered, was mentioned in "What Fresh Hell" and "Seven Seconds."  And, to alleviate all the dark subject matter, the book is interspersed with pictures of the Criminal Minds Team from various episodes.

One really interesting tidbit - the book, The Collector, by John Fowles, which was used in Fisher King 1 and 2 to decipher the code left by Randall Garner, was avidly read by at least two of the real-life serial killers profiled in this book.  In fact, the book was found in the car of one of them when he was arrested, and he could quote large passages of the book.  Of course, the serial killers intepreted the book as kidnapping women to become their personal sex slaves.  According to a review I read about The Collector, it is about a man named Frederick, a butterfly collector who decides to "collect" the object of his desire, Miranda.  He keeps Miranda in the basement of his home   All he wants is for Miranda to love him and, other than keeping her prisoner, he treats her like a queen, fulfilling her every need or want, except of course, her freedom.  Maybe I should put The Collector on my list of books to read.


From what I have read so far, I recommend this book