For starters, the authors and editor should reconsider their calling in life. The entire book is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. In some cases they omit words or just make them up. As an academic, I have seen some truly horrible writing, but this is right up there among some of my most abysmal students. Don't even get me started on their version of "citation." The authors of this book have made sure to give their readers not only the mere childhoods of these individuals, they’ve made sure to include the psychological ramifications of their childhoods on their actions as adults. But writing about their childhoods merely sets the stages for these actions, gruesome details about their insidious murders have not been avoided as doing so would lessen the severity of their dastardly deeds.

So what’s the problem? Well, it’s written in outline form, making it difficult fully appreciate in audio. The author presents each killer in a non-chronological database form, which references and cross-references their crimes, which is often redundant. Also, he lists “Murder Victims” (by name and age), “Offenses” (including murder), and a “Timeline of Murders”. This is alright, albeit redundant, if there are less than 5 victims. However, in the case of prolific serial killers like Ted Bundy, Gary Greenway, and John Wayne Gacy, you will zone out by victim 10. Lord help you if there are 30+ victims! Or, in the case of Chinese, Korean, or South American killers (don’t ask me their names!) who killed as many as 100 people in their native countries......well, I think you get where I’m going with this. Here is an intriguing fact, one of the BTK victims is a relation to someone I know. I tend to forget the I only live an hour away from where he 1. committed such heinous acts and 2. from where he is incarcerated. Even scarier the friend I mentioned once worked in a corrections facility and has a former co-worker who presides over the wing that BTK is held. He says the man is still one of the most polite people he’s encountered in the prison system. It’s hard to believe such a man was capable of the things he did. There were several that peaked my interest for sure. You could easily relisten to this one again, because there is SOOO much information. I also thought the narrator was pretty well suited for this audiobook. :) Anything counter or subcultural has been a focus of my personal studies for years. Organized crime, musical movements, serial murderers, etc. With that said, I am always devouring as much source material as I can. This book was a very sweet gift from a friend, but unfortunately, their good intentions could not save this book from its authors. There is little more terrifying than those who hunt, stalk and snatch their prey under the cloak of darkness. These hunters search not for animals, but for the touch, taste, and empowerment of human flesh. They are cannibals, vampires and monsters, and they walk among us.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it and don’t really get as critical with biography’s as I do with other fiction novels. I liked it. Like many of the crime shows we’ve watched on television, the manhunts for these individuals are also included, along with their trials and ultimate outcomes which finally brought some justice to the families of those that been the unfortunate victims at the hands of these murderous individuals. I think the author did a lot of things well for this book. The author started each chapter with how each serial killer became known throughout that area. After, the author would describe each of their major kills until they were caught. They would show some sympathy for the serial killer by sharing their extremely rough childhood, which led them to their murderous ways. The author would then finish the chapter off with their sentence by the court, and if they’re still alive where they are today. I think the was a perfect sequence to explain each serial killer’s story. After hearing the horrific things they’ve done; the author would explain what could’ve possibly caused them to become like this. These serial killers are not mythical beasts with horns and shaggy hair. They are people living among society, going about their day-to-day activities until nightfall. They are the Dennis Rader's, the fathers, husbands, church-going members of the community. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers is something every true crime enthusiast should have on their shelves.

Third, as the book progresses you can see the effort and quality (what minimal amount there is) waning. Chapters get shorter and shorter, details become fewer and fewer, and the inaccuracies multiply ten fold. Also, the odd guessing games that are thrown in as if to just take up space with no introduction are clunky and, again, oversimplified and inaccurate. I selected this book because it was seemed very interesting at the time. It talked about all the inside stories of America’s worst serial killers. It is disturbing, but yet thrilling to read at the same time. This A-Z encyclopedia of 150 serial killers is the ideal reference book. Included are the most famous true crime serial killers, like Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and Richard Ramirez, and not to mention the women who kill, such as Aileen Wuornos and Martha Rendell. There are also lesser known serial killers, covering many countries around the world, so the range is broad. I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.this is a 5-Star PRINTED book but just a 2-Star AUDIOBOOK. You get all the serial killing that you could hope for, with several spree killers thrown in. Narrator Kevin Kollins is absolutely perfect for this genre. This book covers intricate details about each individual, including their stalking/hunting habits, their trials, things they said, and so forth.You don't get a thumbnail, you get a complete rundown on these people. It almost comes across as one of those alphabet agencies dossiers. I don't you could ask for more information, even if you had an individual book done on these monsters, one by one. Each profile is concise and tight, but not bare-bones by any means. For someone who has a reasonable level of familiarity with American serial killers, I wanted a little more depth, or for certain particulars to be dug into a little deeper, in some cases. However, this book did provide a solid overview of each of the American serial killers featured, and is more than adequate for someone beginning their reading or research. Brrrr.This is a great resource for anyone interested in serial killers. Like the title says it covers 150 of these cold-hearted killers. There are killers from all over the world profiled here, many famous, many not so well know. All I can say is that you had really better have a strong constitution as this is not for the faint-hearted or those of the weak stomach. It can be down right chilling. These serial killers are not mythical beasts with horns and shaggy hair. They are people living among society, going about their day to day activities until nightfall. They are the Dennis Rader’s, the fathers, husbands, church going members of the community.