sams84 's review for:

Talking with Female Serial Killers: A chilling study of the most evil women in the world by Christopher Berry-Dee

2.0

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While this book did cover a number of female murderers that I haven't heard of before, although I'm sure a few were covered by a series I watched on Netflix (Deadly Women), I found the book to be a bit of a disappointment overall. The title, more so the sub-title is rather misleading as while there is a little bit about his conversations with female serial killers (and one-off murderers), there isn't much in the way of an actual study of them, more a running commentary of their crimes and how wicked they are (not surprising really). I did like his use of more relaxed and colourful language and his unforgiving approach to some of the excuses made for their crimes but I did feel that it was unnecessary to keep referring to them as 'monsters' since this is an entirely subjective view and one that undermines the fact they did know better and lessens their crimes, they are people that did evil things not monsters that didn't know any better. I also found the repeated references to his various other works increasingly tiresome, particularly the book and subsequent film adaptation. I also wonder at the use of Hindley and West on the cover as both of these women are only ever referred to and not actually covered in any of the chapters.