Inside The Mind... 🧠

By Gemini Books.

True crime readers, brace yourselves!

Gemini Books delivers two haunting additions to the Inside the Mind series that explore the twisted psyches of two of the most notorious serial killers in history: Inside the Mind of the Backpacker Killer by Tanya Farber and Jeremy Daniel, and Inside the Mind of the Golden State Killer by Brad Hunter.

These books are not only investigations into unthinkable acts but deep dives into the pathology of violence, control, and long-lasting terror.

I’ve previously explored Inside the Mind of Rose West, Ted Bundy, and The Yorkshire Ripper, so when Melanie at Gemini Books invited me to continue the series, I jumped at the chance.

Inside the Mind of the Backpacker Killer by Tanya Farber and Jeremy Daniel:

Ivan Milat is a name that strikes fear into the heart of every Australian. In the 1990s, his crimes in the Belanglo State Forest became a symbol of the country’s darkest fears: that innocence and wanderlust could meet evil on a lonely back road.

This book strips back the mythology and media noise surrounding Milat and instead offers a razor-sharp psychological profile.

It chronicles his early life, abusive upbringing, behavioural patterns, and eventual descent into full-fledged serial murder. The authors do not sensationalise. Instead, they ask us to consider how someone so seemingly unremarkable could become one of the most dangerous predators in modern history.

A standout aspect is how the book places the reader inside the investigative process. It’s not only about who Milat was, but how he was caught, and how he maintained a chilling silence throughout.

Inside the Mind of the Golden State Killer by Brad Hunter:

Joseph James DeAngelo wore many faces - decorated veteran, police officer, husband.

Behind closed doors, he was the Golden State Killer, responsible for over 50 rapes and 13 murders spanning more than a decade in California.

Brad Hunter approaches this monster not with shock and awe, but with clear-eyed analysis.

What makes DeAngelo’s case especially fascinating is the way he was finally caught: through a revolutionary use of forensic genealogy. Hunter explains this breakthrough in accessible, fascinating detail while still weaving a narrative that is equal parts crime thriller and psychological case study.

The book also highlights the detectives and victims who refused to be forgotten. It places their perseverance at the centre of a decades-long search for justice, reminding us that while monsters exist, so do those who will not stop fighting to defeat them.

For true crime readers who crave a psychological edge, these books are an essential addition.

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