Killer Charm: The Double Lives of Psychopaths

Linda Fairstein unmasks the true face of psychopathy, and reveals the warning signs that every woman should know
The 2009 “Craigslist Killer” murder case shocked America, not just because of the heinous nature of the crimes but because their perpetrator—a handsome young law student with an unsuspecting girlfriend—seemed a very unlikely suspect. This killer, like others before him, had learned to leverage his charm and golden-boy looks to lure his victims, a skill many psychopaths learn to master. In Killer Charm, legal expert Linda Fairstein draws on her decades of experience in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to uncover what traits psychopaths often share, and how to spot them. She illustrates these points with the stories of some of America’s most notorious sex criminals, such as Ted Bundy and Marvin Teicher. Originally published in Cosmopolitan, this essay is now available in digital format for the first time and features a new introduction by the author.