I love these types of books and was so excited to read this one. Apparently my opinion is not a popular one so I still encourage anyone to give this book a try. For me this was all about sensationalizing and had no real substance or research or facts to go along with it. Thats a huge turn off for me.

I was so excited to find this book. Ann Burgess is a forensic nurse, who helped shaped the FBI's BSU into what it is today. She helped come up with how to interview serial killers, as well as spent over a decade studying the psychology of these convicts. I'm a nurse, who also looked into forensic nursing. I almost quit nursing school to try to join the FBI and get into the BSU. The minds of these people baffle me, and she is basically living my life's dream.
I loved hearing how she helped shape the BSU. I loved hearing the nursing tidbits thrown in. The story was intriguing and I finished in a day. I couldn't put it down. This is a must read for true crime fans, or anyone who wants to go into forensic nursing. This book has again ignited my interest in this field.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An incredible book about a pioneer who not only was asked to partner with the FBI on their newly formed Behavioral Science Unit in the 1970"s - but also was the one who through her research was able to dispel the myths about rape at the time and instead found it is about power and control. She also identified rape trauma syndrome as a condition (PTSD) and trained the FBI and other law enforcement to have more empathy for the survivors. The book does contain trigger warnings up-front and even though I read true-crime books, I even found some of the passages gruesome. Part of this is because she trained FBI agents on how to identify and then interview serial killers and offenders -- and some of these interviews are in the book. I recommend this book because I love reading about overlooked heroes. I am so impressed with Ann Burgess and thank her for all she has done to advance research and techniques in the solving of heinous violent crimes.

A Killer by Design is an absolutely fascinating book on the beginning of profiling and the organization of the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit). This book is exceptionally well done and a must read fir anyone interested in the field of behavioral psychology and analysis. I love true crime novels and police procedural’s so this book was a very interesting and thought provoking read. The author worked to help analyze some of the most deranged and dangerous killer’s behind bars in an attempt to understand how to catch others that were like them and actively victimizing society. The authors work took her into the heart of the BAU were she worked with steadfast colleagues to find killers before they could strike again and continue to evolve their process of creating accurate profiles for each killer to help law enforcement.

The crimes depicted in the book are horrific and being about true crime if you have triggers be mindful as you read it. But I can honestly say this is the best book on truly understanding the motives of killers and how they were captured I have ever read. It is gripping, and intense but filled with the knowledge that thru these criminals acts law enforcement has learned and evolved to help find and catch these killers. I highly recommend reading this book it was fantastic!

Ann Burgess one of the original people involved with the FBI BSU presents a very interesting take on working and trying to come to grasp with serial killers and getting into their minds during the early days of profiling. She does an excellent job and it's a fascinating tale.

This is an interesting look at the first group of people to introduce the profiling of murderers, and the authorities who refused to believe this was a thing and relied on the good old detective work. This book is proof that time and time again that it really works with lots of dedication and research. I also commend the author of this book for not only coming up with this idea, but also being a woman in a man's world and never giving up. So if you are interested in psychology and the criminal mind, this is a very intriguing read.

I've always been a little obsessed with the BSU/FBI. I've listened to Mindhunter by !!! and loved the behind-the-scenes look I got at the creation of the BSU. This was another great addition to that idea. What an amazing "behind the curtain" book at the creation of one of our government's greatest assets. Ann Burgess gives us true crime lovers what we all want: the nitty-gritty details.

The other two most famous members of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, John Douglas and Robert Ressler, have chronicled their experiences already (Douglas did so multiple times, and continues to do so), so it makes sense that Dr. Ann Burgess would finally pen her own account of her experiences. A KILLER BY DESIGN takes true crime readers through stories that Burgess's colleagues have already told (and a handful they haven't) but does so from an a more analytical perspective.

It's valuable to have Burgess's view on killers like Ed Kemper and Dennis Rader, the oft-cited bogeymen of these narratives. But her book is most intriguing in its discussion of Henry Lee Lucas, a man who in many ways breaks the serial killer mold but was still categorized as one.

One thing this book very much is not is a memoir. It's strictly about Burgess's work, not her personal life, and I think that's the right approach. The most personal she gets is in talking about the responsibility she has to the victims of these crimes, though even there she is somewhat matter of fact.

Anyone with an interest in this subject matter at all will appreciate A KILLER BY DESIGN in one way or another. Those new to the subject will likely find themselves confused. It should go without saying that the accounts of violence are detailed and hideous, at times near unreadable, in part because Burgess describes everything so directly and without hyperbole.

One detail that will likely split readers: Throughout the book, Burgess describes conversations as detailed dialogue scenes, including situations that she likely didn't recall verbatim or even close to it (as they were 40 or 50 years ago). Some will appreciate this and think it makes the discussions between profilers seem less academic and more real, while others may think of it as something more like screenwriting, especially because Burgess gives herself and Douglas all of the best lines. But it shouldn't be a deal-breaker by any means.

The author, Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess, is a forensic nurse and profiler who helped capture Ed Kemper, BTK, and many others, as well as being the inspiration for Dr. Carr in the Mindhunter series. In A Killer By Design, she gives her readers a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and the evolution of criminal profiling, and how she and her colleagues worked to establish and refine profiling as an accepted practice to catch predators and get justice for their victims by studying and interviewing serial killers. While definitely not a book for the faint of heart, A Killer by Design is a fascinating and penetrating look at the BSU and law enforcement which I would wholeheartedly recommend. I was hooked from the first page.

I've read John Douglas' books and it was nice to have another person's, especially a woman's, perspective on the BSI and the FBI. She discussed enough of cases that were familiar, but provided different insight and also reminded that these killers should not be celebrated.

It was refreshing to hear from a female perspective about criminal profiling. I enjoy John Douglas’s books but I also appreciate seeing the cases and department through Ann’s eyes with her experiences as a nurse and her revolutionary role in the creation and development of the unit at a time when females were not offered as many opportunities in the FBI.

Loved this book. So informational on how this was developed and makes me want to be part of the FBI. There was so much to learn and what she did is what I have always wanted to do. It is interesting on how she broke into a "mans field" and did so much good.

In my field of work, Ann Burgess is everything. A forensic goddess. So I was so so excited to be able to read this book. Once again she simply wows me with her knowledge. Highly highly recommend this book.

I don't read a ton of true crime, I am a total wuss- but I REALLY liked this book! The personal stories from the author regarding her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field made this book stand out me.

I am also a total nerd for this kind of thing- so I really appreciated the science and detailed explanations of how the profiling system was created.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

Ever since reading John Douglas’ “Mindhunter,” I’ve been waiting for Ann Burgess to write her own book & this one does not disappoint! She provides different perspectives on many known cases, and also talks about cases I had never heard of before. Reading about the BSU, the investigations, and the FBI, in general, was extremely interesting and honestly, a nice change hearing it all from the only woman who worked so closely with the BSU. Would love to read more from her about other cases and work she’s done!

Thank you to NetGalley & Hachette Books for providing me with a copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review!

As a massive fan of Netflix's "Mindhunter," I was afraid that the true story behind the birth of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit wouldn't live up to the show. While Netflix certainly took MANY liberties, Ann Wolbert Burgess's version is just as captivating. Burgess's deep dive into the psyche of America's most despicable criminals is eloquent, introspective, and well balanced. Instead of focusing on the science and/or the most horrific details of the killers' crimes and traumatic upbringings, she infuses sympathy and provides a sophisticated depth to them and their varying diagnoses. Her final argument that serial killers are not one-dimensional, inhuman disgraces, but are instead complex individuals with varying degrees of culpability is well contextualized and insightful. Such a perspective is admittedly hard to swallow. However, if someone who has seen the darkest corners of the minds of some of history's most violent offenders can find compassion and at least some degree of understanding, then perhaps the rest of us could too. To what benefit, I'm still not sure, but it sure is interesting to consider.

I want to start out by thanking Ann for her important work. I was not aware of her before this book, and her dedication to the profession is definitely awe-inspiring. Obviously, it was not easy to study and research the disturbing actions of these criminals (or even speak to them in person). Ann is considered a pioneer in developing FBI profiling, and she offered a female perspective never before utilized. I appreciated the detail this book went into regarding the processes outlined in profiling. Attention was paid to the fact that sometimes there will be outliers that do not adhere to the similar profiles of other criminals, and that portion was very interesting. I enjoyed reading the interactions with Mindhunter John Douglas and other colleagues at the FBI. This book would appeal to any fan of true crime, the X-Files, and detective stories. I would say this book doesn't focus on any one crime or situation, and it really is more about the art of criminal profiling and the history of how the FBI came to rely more upon this ideation and gain more funding for it. All in all, a great read! Thanks, Netgalley, for the ARC!

For fans of the Netflix show Mindhunters, this one was a deeper dive into the task force created to investigate and arrest violent criminals. I blew through this book so fast that I'm not sure I even stopped to eat or live my life. I was engulfed into the information and gruesome details.

Delighted to include this title in Crimes & Misdemeanours, the true crime and mystery list in my thematic seasonal Christmas holiday gift books guides for Zoomer magazine. It appeared in the Books section in December. (The listicle is online at related link.)

I enjoyed this book by FBI criminal profiler Ann Burgess, however, I have read most of John Douglas’s books- as well as some other FBI profiler accounts- so much of the material was familiar to me, as were some of the cases. I was also a fan of the Mindhunter series, so I felt like much of it I had already read about. I was far less interested in the background of the behavioural science department as again I have heard it before and found myself skimming these parts. However, I recommend this book to anyone interested in behavioural science, criminal psychology, and true crime. The author details some highly disturbing crimes of an upsetting nature and the FBI approach in these cases to identifying the perpetrator is fascinating.