Review
"This is the best single volume text for the coverage of both mass murder and serial homicide at the undergraduate level and as an introductory text on the subject matter."
-- Mitchel P. Roth
"Fox and Levin are the best in the business at interpreting these rare, but tragic, multiple murder events. Accessibly written, yet analytically rich, Extreme Killing provides critical insight into subject matter that typically elicits a response between fear and fascination and is sensationalized and politicized in equal measure. For the cold hard facts on murder in cold blood (or otherwise), look no further."
-- James A. Densley
"Excellent overall―engaging cases and yet stays on making important analytic points or generalizations without getting overly bogged down by case details (although many often horrific facts related to crimes are noted in a very matter-of-fact way) The authors manage to make their points while citing grisly case details in a very professional way without appealing to any sensationalism for its own sake. They navigate this fine line and manage a balancing act between sharing case details while also keeping a theoretical and conceptual focus. Superb job and the best of the three editions by far." -- Kenneth Colburn Jr.
"Extreme Killing offers a succinct and fascinating overview of historical and contemporary serial and mass murder addressing known prevalence, demographic characteristics, motives, and etiological factors associated with the perpetrators of the crimes. Additionally, the role of the victims and their families are discussed in relation to the high profile nature of these types of multiple murders especially in relation to role of the media, fascination by the public, and the seemingly motiveless nature of these types of crimes. James Allen Fox and Jack Levin use engaging case studies, illustrations, photos and commentary in their book, which no doubt students will find extremely interesting." -- William E. Thornton
"The writing style of all of the chapters is excellent and will truly capture the interest and imagination of students. The book could easily be used in either an upper level undergraduate or a graduate level course (as a supplemental text). It is versatile. The photos are quite interesting and will keep the student engaged." -- Robert Worley
"This is a well-written organized text on serial killing and mass murder. Content is appropriate and presented in a way that would be understandable to the average college student…" -- Shelly Grant
"This text will provide your students with a comprehensive overview of serial and mass murder. This is a student-friendly text that is well-written and organized." -- Mark Winton
"It is a well thought out, put together book for this type of class because it touches on all aspects of both the organized and disorganized SK as well as delving into the mind of the mass murderer." -- Bert Ouderkirk About the Author
James Alan Fox is the Lipman Family Professor of Criminology, Law, and Public Policy at Northeastern University. He has published 18 books, dozens of journal and magazine articles, as well as hundreds of freelance columns in newspapers around the country, primarily in the areas of multiple murder, youth crime, school and campus violence, workplace violence, and capital punishment. As a member of its Board of Contributors, his opinion column appears frequently in USAToday. Fox led the investigation of Seattle's Capitol Hill mass shooting and was part of the task force investigating the serial murder of college students in Gainesville, Florida. He also served on President Clinton's advisory committee on school shootings, and a Department of Education Expert Panel on Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools. In addition, he has been retained as an expert witness/consultant in several mass shooting cases, including the recent massacres at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Fox is one of the principals in maintaining the Associated Press/USA Today/Northeastern University Mass Killing Database. Finally, he has received several awards and honors for his work, including the Hugo Adam Bedau Award for excellence in capital punishment scholarship. Jack Levin is the Brudnick Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology at Northeastern University, where he codirects its Center on Violence and Conflict. He has authored or coauthored more than 30 books, most recently The Violence of Hate: Understanding Harmful Forms of Bias and Bigotry and The Allure of Premeditated Murder: Why Some People Plan to Kill. Levin has also published more than 250 articles and columns in professional journals, books, magazines, and newspapers, such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Dallas Morning News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Christian Science Monitor, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and USA Today. Levin was honored by the Massachusetts Council for Advancement and Support of Education as its "Professor of the Year" and by the American Sociological Association for his contributions to the public understanding of sociology. He has also received awards from the Eastern Sociological Society, New England Sociological Association, Association of Clinical and Applied Sociology, and Society for the Study of Social Problems. Moreover, he has spoken to a wide variety of community, academic, and professional groups, including the White House Conference on Hate Crimes, the Department of Justice, OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (a membership of 59 countries), and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Emma E. Fridel is an assistant professor in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University. She primarily studies the intersection of lethal violence and community context, focusing specifically on homicide, homicide-suicide, gun violence, serial and mass murder, intimate partner violence, and police use of lethal force. Her work has recently been published in Criminology, Social Forces, the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Justice Quarterly, the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Homicide Studies, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Significance Magazine.
