Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling by Michael Cannell details the search for a serial bomber who stalked the streets of 1950s New York. The race to catch him would give birth to a new science called criminal profiling.
Grand Central, Penn Station, Radio City Music Hall—for almost two decades, no place was safe from the man who signed his anonymous letters “FP” and left his lethal devices in phone booths, storage lockers, even tucked into the plush seats of movie theaters. His victims were left cruelly maimed. Tabloids called him “the greatest individual menace New York City ever faced.”
In desperation, Police Captain Howard Finney sought the help of a little known psychiatrist, Dr. James Brussel, whose expertise was the criminal mind. Examining crime scene evidence and the strange wording in the bomber’s letters, he compiled a portrait of the suspect down to the cut of his jacket. But how to put a name to the description? Seymour Berkson—a handsome New York socialite, protégé of William Randolph Hearst, and publisher of the tabloid The Journal-American—joined in pursuit of the Mad Bomber. The three men hatched a brilliant scheme to catch him at his own game. Together, they would capture a monster and change the face of American law enforcement.
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Incendiary Audiobook Comment Sweepstakes: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of 50 United States, D.C., and Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 years or older as of the date of entry. To enter, complete the “Post a Comment” entry at https://www.criminalelement.com/stories/2017/05/incendiary-audio-excerpt-comment-sweepstakes beginning at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) May 9, 2017. Sweepstakes ends 1:59 p.m. ET May 16, 2017. Void outside the United States and Canada and where prohibited by law. Please see full details and official rules here. Sponsor: Macmillan, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010.
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Michael Cannell is the author of The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit and I.M. Pei: Mandarin of Modernism. He was editor of the New York Times House & Home section for seven years and has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and many other publications. He lives in New York City.
Weird. There was nothing in that chapter about what to do if the bus goes below 50. Huh.
Thanks for Chapter 1 – now I need the rest of the book.
1950’s New York City is a particularly redolent time for setting fiction and a period that is pretty much neglected. So I’m happy to see Cannell setting his new book there.
I really want to read this book. It sounds so enthralling.
I love audio books, I would love to hear this one!
Would love to win this audiobook!
Would love to add this to the top of my audio TBR pile!
Sounds like a good audio for a long trip!
This sounds really interesting!
Sounds great!
Yes, please enter me in this sweepstakes.
Thanks —
Please give me the opportunity to listen to this fascinating story.
I want to hear! Yes!
We seldom take the time to consider the developement of law enforcement as we know it today. We are used to hearing about bomb squads, profiling, fingerprinting, etc. We don’t think about how, why, or when they came into being. INCENDIARY sounds like will be a good explortion of the how and why some of these law enforcement tactics and tools came into being. The audio book has a gritty, no nonsense quality to it that fits well with the topic. [b] [/b]
I would love to listen to this book.
Thanks
I would like to know more about how profiling was developed
Sounds fascinating!
I love audiobooks! This sounds like a great read!
Have not been exposed to audiobooks much in the past, would like to give this one a shot.
Very visually evocative audiobook sample. I’m sure the book and audiobook would provide a very interesting and educational ‘reader’ experience.
looks interesting
Sounds great so far 🙂
I remember The Mad Bomber but information was vague back then. It’s truly amazing how accurate profiling just really is.
Sounds good. Profiling is fascinating!
Sounds so exciting! I can’t wait to listen to the entire book.
Count me in, please!
I’d love to add Incendiary to my audio library!
I’ve never ‘read’ an audio book. This one sounds exceptional.
I love audio books!
on the road often, would love to get this audiobook. It has my attention!
interesting
Sounds interesting
Hope to listen .
Thank you for the chance to win.
Ooooo sounds like a super good book. Thanks for a chance!
Always enjoy a good mystery
I love good audio books! Thanks!
Police and others who seek to capture or otherwise put criminals out of business often suffer from thinking the criminal cannot possibly be as smart as they are. A problem our cyber designers have today in their relations with hackers.
This book/audio book will fit nicely into my true crime/law enforcement non-fiction section of my library.
Audiobooks are great while traveling.
Audiobooks are great while traveling.
Fantastic! I need to hear the rest of it please!!!
My favorite way to read books: audio!!!
this one sounds really good!!!
thanks for this giveaway!!
So interesting to explore the real beginning of the process of criminal profiling. I’ve never listened to audio books before, but I really like it!
This would be great for my next road trip!
This would be great for my next road trip!
Getting ready for that 1,000+ mile road trip to visit family. This audiobook would be a great way to maximize enjoyment of our time on the road!
Getting ready for that 1000+ mile road trip to visit family. This audiobook would be a great way to maximize enjoyment of our time on the road.
looks like a great listen
I love a good book!
I love a good book!
I”ve always been fascinated by criminal profiling!
I would be glad to give an audiobook a try!
I would like to hear the rest of the story.
This would be great to listen to when I clean out my closets. Wish me luck!
Sounds exciting!