Everyone loves a good mystery or crime novel. Bonus points if it features a serial killer, psychopath/sociopath, or another antagonist who shows us the darker side of human nature. Audiences love it. You love it too, which is why you write it.
But did you write it right? Do you know what psychological forces drive serial killers? Are you calling your villain a sociopath when you really mean psychopath? Would you know what kind of backstory to give a narcissistic character?
The internet is bursting with articles claiming to answer these questions. Unfortunately, much of the information is oversimplified or dead wrong. Pop psychology sources aren’t authoritative and shouldn’t be trusted.
Let’s consider narcissistic personality disorder. Many articles just regurgitate the criteria that psychologists use for diagnosis. Without a background in psychology, it’s difficult to know what grandiosity or identity disturbance means. Other sources either paint all difficult people as a narcissists, or describe narcissists as if they behave alike and follow the same patterns.
Here’s where I come in: to get you the right information. I have a Master’s degree in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While there, I was part of a psychopathy research lab. I also had my Master’s thesis published in The Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Hire me as an expert reviewer for your book, and I’ll make sure you get the psychology right.