Deadlier Than the Male

The phenomenon of the female serial killer has been increasingly capturing the public's attention. This book examines the motivation of, among others, the revengeful Aileen Wournos, the materialistic Dorothea Puente, the sexually abused Terri Rachals, the psychologically disturbed nurse Beverley Allitt and the obsessive lover Karla Teale. An even more complex creature than her male counterpart, the female serial killer rarely taunts the police nor revels in her sinister "superiority", making her capture more difficult. This book tells the stories of these women, from early childhood to their obsession to kill. From the court case to the psychiatrist's reports, it explores the caverns of the female serial killer's mind.