I'm looking for serial killer novels that meet the following criteria:
- The serial killer is psychopathic (hedonistic lust type), and the killings are done to satisfy psychopathic appetites, and are probably ritualistic; they are not a series of killings done just for religious reasons, revenge or materialistic gains.
- The killer is not interested in playing cat and mouse with the police, for example, by taunting them by sending cryptic messages, or by making the murders themselves pieces of a puzzle. The killer probably doesn't even know anyone on the police team.
- The killer is not interested in the protagonist or anyone close to them. They don't want to make any of them their ultimate prey. No strange attraction between the lead and killer.
- There is no big twist to the identity of the killer. Believable, tastefully done twists are great, but a character so well established suddenly revealed at the end to be the killer for the sake of the big twist is a no-no.
Bonus if:
- the serial killings are not even identified as such until some inspired/dogged someone has an inkling about it and tries to find more.
- the protagonist is not recovering from any past tragedy or other such aspects that make them a walking cliché.
- there are no unnecessary romance or subplots.
I'm not looking for true crime or non-fiction.
Examples of books that meet the criteria:
- Headhunter by Michael Slade
- Invisible by James Patterson & David Ellis
- Mercy by David Lindsey
- The Alienist by Caleb Carr
- A Cold Mind by David Lindsey
Examples of books that don't meet the criteria:
- The Mermaids Singing, by Val McDermid
- Birdman by Mo Hayder
- The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza
- I'm Traveling Alone by Samuel Bjørk
- The Surgeon, by Tess Gerritsen
TL;DR I'm looking for believable characters and a believable plot where detective(s) track a psychopathic serial killer who just goes about their killings without getting the attention of anyone on the law or doing anything stupid, and the detectives find the killer through solid detective work.
by mitchmahon