Whoever Fights Monsters

My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI

By: Robert K. Ressler, Tom Shachtman

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Face-to-face with some of America's most terrifying killers, FBI veteran and ex-Army CID colonel Robert Ressler learned from them how to identify the unknown monsters who walk among us - and put them behind bars. Now the man who coined the phrase "serial killer" and advised Thomas Harris on The Silence of the Lambs shows how he has tracked down some of the nation's most brutal murderers.

Just as it happened in The Silence of the Lambs, Ressler uses the evidence at a crime scene to put together a psychological profile of the killers. From the victims they choose, to the way they kill, to the often grotesque souvenirs they take with them, Ressler unlocks the identities of these vicious killers for the police to capture.

Join Ressler as he takes you on the hunt for America's most dangerous psychopaths. It is a terrifying journey you will not forget.

©1992 Robert K. Ressler and Tom Shachtman (P)2016 Tantor

Not for the faint of heart

This book is a great peek into the world of 'profiling'. The book was originally written and published in 1992 so you will not find any reference to 'newer' killers beyond Jeffrey Dahmer from Milwaukee, WI. However, it still gives great insight into how the FBI and its affiliates formed the BAU (then called the BSU) as well as how the brand of serial murderer from the 70's and 80's thought. However, if you are made uncomfortable by descriptions of murders, torture, dismemberment, and/or child abuse, this book is best left on the shelf. At times (as with John Douglas' books) Ressler gets quite graphic. This is certainly not a book for children or early teens. If, however, you are a law enforcement professional, interested in true crime and/or abnormal psychology, (and the last paragraph did not sufficiently frighten you) this is a great book. I enjoyed it quite thoroughly. Not that Ressler would ever read this review XD but I would love to thank him and Douglas for their works, offering laymen (and women) a better understanding of these subjects from the lips of the men that molded modern profiling. Honestly I think the only real con was the narrator has a voice that is perfectly suited for noir crime stories and perhaps he found the material a bit dry? I had to rewind a few chapters because I started tuning him out. Still, definitely a book I will revisit and listen to again. <3

Extremely Interesting

This book kept me listening every chance I had, with clear and concise explanations of criminal behavior. It was fascinating.

Very Interesting

This was a very interesting book. If you like true-crime and especially, if you want to understand more about why serial killers do the things they do, and how they became the way they are, this is the book for you.

Egotistical narrator limits enjoyment

Very interesting look into history of FBI's behavioral science unit and America's relationship with serial murderers.

However the pompous, condescending narration gets old fast. Written as if he knows more than everyone and is the only one who could figure out the patterns in criminal behavior. At times I could almost hear the childish "I told you so" being said in the background.

Additionally, the narrator's cadence was tiresome. Finished but had to take numerous breaks along the way.

First True Crime Novel

This is the first true crime novel I've ever read/listened to. I found about it through the podcast &quot;My Favorite Murder&quot;. This is a good listen for those interested in less chatter (which I normally enjoy) and more facts.

Excellent source of information on serial killers

Excellent source of information on serial killers and how the study of them started. Great insight and knowledge of how and why. I had a lot of my own questions answered. I also enjoyed the history of the study and profession of profilers.

Great info

The facts and information was really interesting. I loved hearing about the interviews with the serial killers. Robert Ressler obviously did some amazing things and was great at his job, but it got really annoying very quickly, his constant patting myself on the back. Yes you did great things, but we could figure that out on our own without you pointing it out at every turn.

Excellent memoir

This is a fascinating history for fans of true crime. I wish the rest of his books were available on audible too.

Captivating

Loved all the detail involved in all the experiences. Very vivid in the theories you provided.

Criminal Minds, real criminal minds

This book was written in 1991 and it is amazing to hear how the author worked to understand serial killers and implement computer systems to link violent crimes across borders.

I wonder if the author watches the criminal crime shows on today and laughs. He is the reason they exist. He is the reason their computer systems exist. He is the reason why the public took notice.

It is a cursory overview of the birth of the BSU of the FBI and a fun look into the motives of some of the most notorious serial killers from someone who was active in their cases and in studying their crimes first hand. The book won’t teach you to profile or go into a lot of detail about each case, but it is a satisfying listen.