Between Good and Evil

A Master Profiler's Hunt for Society's Most Violent Predators

By: Roger L. Depue, Susan Schindehette

Narrated by: David Povall

No one gets closer to evil than a criminal profiler, trained to penetrate the hearts and minds of society's most vicious psychopaths. And no one is a more towering figure in the world of criminal profilers than Roger L. Depue. Chief of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit at a time when its innovative work first came to prominence, he headed a renowned team of mind hunters that included John Douglas, Robert Ressler, and Roy Hazelwood. In a subbasement 60 feet under the Academy gun vault in Quantico, he broke new ground with analytical techniques and training programs that are still used today. After retiring from the FBI, he founded an elite forensics group that consulted on high-profile cases, including the Martha Moxley and JonBenet Ramsey murders, and the Columbine school shootings.

But coming face-to-face with the darkest deeds human beings are capable of took a horrific toll. After suffering a devastating personal loss, Depue, on the brink of despair, walked away from the outside world and joined a seminary. For three years this was his safe haven, a place where he exorcised personal demons and found a refuge from terrifying memories of real-life monsters. And it was there, while counseling maximum security inmates, that he rediscovered the capacity for goodness in people, and made the decision to return to the world to resume his work.

Here is Depue's extraordinary personal account, from growing up as a police officer's son to tracking down some of today's most brutal murderers. With its harrowing descriptions of human depravity and passionate call to fight against evil, Between Good and Evil is both a riveting dispatch from the front lines of a war against human predators...and the powerful story of one man's journey between darkness and redemption.

©2005 Roger L. Depue and Susan Schindehette (P)2005 Time Warner AudioBooks

He Can Talk the Talk - He is the Real Deal

Roger has come through his life's journey thus far and gives back to us all in this book. Perhaps some readers will only be curious about those who commit violent crimes. Roger's book is a Meta view for those who seek more knowledge about evil's origins and provides a thoughtful premise on how to bring about a more peaceful society. Roger speaks most empathically about the vulnerability of abused children. The book is engrossing as you see Roger go from public to private professional service and through a deep personal loss to three years seeking healing of his soul. He walks the walk and can therefore "talk the talk". I know from having worked with him professionally.

Very insightful and interesting

Well read and well written,gives a great insight into the world of profiling. Recommend this to any true crime fan

False advertising

Do not think, as I did, that this book is "A Master Profiler's Hunt for Society's Most Violent Predators". It's a mind numbing and frustrating autobiography about a comparatively non-notable career bureaucrat and wannabe mystic. The problem-solving and mystery angle I was hoping for makes up about 5 minutes of the book. Good investigator? Couldn't care less, since he was more interested in talking about anything but investigation. This book for me was mostly teeth-grinding while waiting for him to get somewhere other than himself. After dozens of audiobooks, "Between Good and Evil" is the one for which I finally sought out the "faster" option on my iPod.

Not what I expected

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I expected this book to be more about the cases he worked on and the overall experience. Instead, he writes about how his career developed and various roles he played. There is some information about the actual work he did, but it just wasn't very interesting.

Has Between Good and Evil turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not necessarily, I'll just be more cautious in reading the summaries before purchasing.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom