Incendiary Audiobook By Michael Cannell cover art

Incendiary

The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling

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Incendiary

By: Michael Cannell
Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
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Long before the specter of terrorism haunted the public imagination, a serial bomber 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.

This program includes a prologue read by the author.

©2017 Michael Cannell (P)2017 Macmillan Audio
Biographies & Memoirs State & Local True Crime United States Criminology Americas Social Sciences Freedom & Security Politics & Government
Well-researched History • Fascinating Criminal Profiling • Perfect Narration • Engaging True Crime • Pleasant Voice

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Well done! A great story and glimpse into psychological profiling! The perfect balance of history, facts, and entertainment

Great Story

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I thought this was going to be a quick listening to fill time as I travel to and from work. I couldn't stop listening to it when I got home.

Mind blowing

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I stayed up most of last night listening to the the book, I finished it today. What an exciting read, if you lived on the east coast or near New York city or in New York city it would have been very scary to take your kids to radio city music music hall, unless you had my parents. we were always visiting relatives in NYC from our home in NJ. This book is unique, not just because it's so well written but because the author happened to come across a part of the story while the library! Well I am on to the next Michael Channel book.
Frances Payne

A true life thriller

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. Most of the words in this book served as padding. The actual info imparted could have been distilled down to a few chapters.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Eliminate unnecessary expeditions down tangential story lines, like the overly detailed descriptions of peripheral characters. Heavily edit or omit the lengthy story about the eventual demise of the NY City newspaper that corresponded with the Mad Bomber before his capture. There's the preface in which the author declares that all quotes in his book are genuine, except of course the actual thoughts of the bomber, which the author attempted to recreate. Turns out that a good portion of the book consists of these author-generated thoughts, which gave me a sense of fiction more so than of genuine insight. Most of all, the book leads to the edge of but does not explore in detail criminal profiling as it exists today. This was a topic where more words could have made for a better book.

What three words best describe Peter Berkrot’s voice?

A bit snide.

Did Incendiary inspire you to do anything?

Almost inspired me to stop listening. One sign of a poor book is its inability to hold my attention. During this one, my mind wandered often. Other times, especially when the author indulged in lengthy detours of subject matter and character description, I deliberately skipped ahead until the action resumed. The eventual discovery of the bomber's identity was less than thrilling, a let down more than anything else. The most interesting aspect of the story was the application of early profiling techniques by a uniquely imaginative, perceptive psychiatrist.

Any additional comments?

I'm returning this book to Audible.

Rambling, redundant and anti-climactic.

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The story is not only right on but the narration is one of the best I’ve heard so far. Sometimes history can be dry, but Peter Berkot did an awesome job with keeping the listen engaged. Highly recommend.

Incendiary is fantastic

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