The steely-eyed gaze. The sudden glint of a hidden blade. The hulking contours of an ominous figure. Immediately you think: psychopath, serial killer. And rightfully so. But think again, for there exists a spectrum of psychopaths out there beyond that classic incarnation

There’s nothing like a serial killer to stir a little community excitement. And as long as you don’t have to worry about becoming a victim yourself, it’s actually kind of thrilling. That’s the dirty little secret about the news that DNA has linked one individual to the murder of at least six prostitutes...

Years before Jeffrey Dahmer, many in Wisconsin wondered if the state hadn’t nurtured more than its normal share of demented killers. In the 1960s the great Wisconsin writer August Derleth even devoted a book to the subject.