The Devil You Know

A perspective-shattering work into the minds of violent criminals that reveals profound consequences for human nature & society at large.
A BBC RADIO 4 and OBSERVER BOOK OF THE WEEK

'Effortlessly readable & deeply moving.' JOANNA CANNON, GUARDIAN

'Brilliant . . . a powerful myth buster.'
SUNDAY TIMES

'Unmissable.' OBSERVER
'Leaves the reader with a nuanced, subtle understanding of "evil".'
HERALD

'Shocking & unflinching.'
i

'Compulsive reading.'
MIRROR

Serial homicide. Stalking. Arson. Gang crime. Who are the people behind these acts of terrible violence? What are their stories? And what is it like to sit opposite them?

Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain's leading forensic psychologists. She has spent over thirty years providing therapy inside secure hospitals & prisons for violent offenders. Whatever her patient's crime - serial homicide, stalking, arson - she helps them to better know their minds. 

Case by case, she takes the reader into the treatment room & reveals the complex & vulnerable humans behind these acts of terrible violence. These are stories of cruelty & despair, but also change & hope. The Devil You Know speaks to our shared humanity & makes the case for compassion over condemnation, empathy over fear.

'Urgent & invaluable.' DAVID LAMMY
'Remarkable . . . suffused with extraordinary compassion.' GAVIN FRANCIS

'Compelling . . . stories don't come any richer.' SARAH DUNANT

'Meticulous, elegant, provoking.' MARINA CANTACUZINO