MAKING A PSYCHOPATH by Mark Freestone

What a page turner this book was, a read that opens up a window onto the world of those with most dangerous minds.

For me it was truly intriguing to read about some of the most disturbing psychopath cases and what brought them to this point in their lives.

Written in a very accessible way, Dr Freestone picked a couple of cases that outline the many ways psychopathic behaviour can manifest itself.

I’ve learnt that psychopathy refers to a condition that is partly genetically based, and partly the kind of environment we encounter as we grow up, that results in some areas of the brain under-developing, usually those that control emotions such as fear, sadness and empathy.

There is clearly the subject of nature vs nurture which can be debated here, however, the book ends with a hopeful example of a clinic in Netherlands where instead of putting such people in prison, they rehabilitate them within a community where they have the opportunity to discover the worth and meaning of love, compassion and empathy.

On a similar note, the author convincingly concludes that “it is the environment the child grows up in that makes the difference in creating a criminal psychopath.”

To me it’s such an interesting field of work and anyone who’s captivated by true crime and psychology will definitely enjoy this book too.