A Killer by Design

Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind

By: Ann Wolbert Burgess, Steven Matthew Constantine

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

Written by the forensic nurse who transformed the way the FBI profiles and catches serial killers, this thought-provoking book takes an intimate look at the creation of the Behavioral Science Unit–the inspiration for Hulu’s Mastermind documentary.

In the 1970s, the FBI created the "Mindhunters" (better known as the Behavioral Science Unit) to track down the country's most dangerous criminals. In A Killer By Design, Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess reveals how her pioneering research on sexual assault and trauma helped the FBI capture some of history’s most violent offenders, including Ed Kemper (The Co-Ed Killer), Dennis Rader (BTK), Henry Wallace (The Taco Bell Strangler), and Jon Barry Simonis (The Ski-Mask Rapist).

This book pulls us directly into the investigations as she experienced them, interweaving never-before-seen interview transcripts, crime scene drawings, and her personal insight about the minds of deranged criminals and the victims they left behind.

Haunting and deeply human, A Killer By Design forces us to confront the age-old question that has long plagued our criminal justice system: "What drives someone to kill, and how can we stop them?"

As Featured on ABC 20/20

One of Amazon's "Best True Crime" Books

A "Best Book of the Month" Pick for Amazon (December 2021)

An Apple Audio "Must-Listen" (December 2021)

Critic reviews

“Of all the colleagues I’ve worked with, Ann is one of the sharpest—and one of the toughest. Ann’s behind-the-scenes work had a profound impact on the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, since she taught us how to harness the chaos of serial killers’ minds and helped us decipher the undecipherable. I’d recommend that everyone read A Killer By Design; not only is it a great page-turner, but it’s about time Ann’s story was heard.”—JOHN E. DOUGLAS, former FBI criminal profiler and bestselling author of Mindhunter

“My career was shaped after reading the seminal text on sexual homicide co-authored by Dr. Ann Burgess—one of the original Mindhunters. Now, in A Killer By Design, Burgess shows how she helped refine the criminal profiling process, with an acute eye for detail and heartwarming compassion for the victims. This book has quickly become a permanent fixture on my bookshelf and is a must-read for anybody who wants to understand the history of exploring the predator's mind. Burgess is truly a hero in the fight against evil.”—PAUL HOLES, FBI Task Force Officer, retired cold case investigator, and co-host of Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad podcast

“I will never forget the first time I heard Ann Burgess speak about her work to a large audience at Penn. We all were mesmerized. Ann brought forensic nursing and her ground-breaking research on crime victims and trauma to the university. She completely upended how law enforcement thinks about victims of trauma and abuse, all while challenging long-held assumptions of American culture. Her story needs to be heard.”—CLAIRE M. FAGIN, Former Dean, Professor Emerita of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Interim President 1993-1994

“As a young FBI criminal profiler walking the halls of the renowned FBI Behavioral Science Unit, I quickly realized that to be successful it was critical to identify professional mentors who possessed the knowledge, skills, and abilities that I aspired to. Ann Burgess was then and still stands out as an icon for me.”—GREGORY M. COOPER, Executive Director of the Cold Case Foundation, Former FBI Profiler

“As the FBI Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) grew and evolved in the late 1970s, Ann Burgess led the way for the Unit’s training, research, and operational work to reach out to mental health professionals beyond the typical investigative/prosecutive perspective. She helped the BSU to add this new perspective and insight to its understanding of the behavior of both offenders and victims. Ann’s new book, A Killer By Design, tells the behind the scenes story of her long term work with the BSU from her unique perspective. I highly recommend this book.”—KENNETH V. LANNING, 20-year member of the FBI BSU and author of Love, Bombs, and Molesters: An FBI Agent’s Journey

Love Ann Burgess!

Great to finally get the woman’s perspective on serial criminals! Best book I’ve listened to this year!

Knowledgable

I liked everything about the book! Love Anne Burgess she's very knowledgeable. Her work is very important to the future victims and helping these killers caught!

Ann Burgess is such an inspiration

This is a solid read for anyone curious about Ann Burgess or the criminal minds.

Thank you Ann

I love learning from Dr. Burgess! I watched the four part series on television along with watching this and was astonished by how much she was able to contribute to the work of victomology.

Riveting book on profiling of serial killers

The book is about the beginning and progression of criminal profiling at the FBI. I had already seen the TV portrayal, Mind Hunters. The book is much less graphic than the show, which I liked. It was fun to remember how the show portrayed the different FBI agents and the early days of the BAU while listening to the first-hand version in this audiobook.
The book is fascinating and well-narrated. I usually don’t bother to do reviews, but I really enjoyed this book. I also really appreciate the amazing work the author has done to catch serial killers.