Many profiles of serial killers, as well as vignettes, attract students" interest and prepare them for class discussions. * The text provides a thorough analysis of the lives of male, female, and team serial killers through examination of individual cases, typology construction, and explanatory models. * Profiling the offenders as well as the offended, the author addresses the victims and survivors of serial murder and its impact on communities. * An in-depth, research-based account of serial murderers introduces students to the seriousness of the topic and debunks myths and stereotypes surrounding the perception of serial killers. * Profiles of the various types of serial killers introduce students to the assorted patterns of killing.