I have to admit, I had this book on my TBR list when I was into Criminal Minds, but some less than stellar reviews caused me to take it off. Now, David Fincher’s new Netflix show of the same name caused me to pick it back again.

I’ve always thought profiling was fascinating, and Mindhunter is actually quite readable, despite its length. John Douglas does come across as cocksure, as those negative reviews suggested - but then again, I think you’d have to be in his job. I think anyone making life-or-death decisions would have to display strong mental fortitude - confidence, or cockiness - and anyone with such a strong personality is bound to have turned people off.

After I finished the book, I wanted another perspective, so I read an article by Malcolm Gladwell, which thoroughly eviscerated criminal profiling. Again, a fascinating read. I think Douglas represents the messy world of human behavior, while Gladwell sides with the science and the proven facts. There is probably a little truth in both of their stories.