The Devil You Know
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The Devil You Know
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Narrated by:
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Gwen Adshead
About this listen
A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week.
A perspective-shattering work into the minds of violent criminals that reveals profound consequences for human nature and society at large.
Serial homicide. Stalking. Arson. Gang crime. Who are the people behind these acts of terrible violence? What are their stories? And what is it like to sit opposite them?
Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain's leading forensic psychiatrists, and she has spent 30 years providing therapy inside secure hospitals and prisons. Whatever her patient's crime, she aims to help them to better know their minds by helping them to articulate their life experience.
Through a collaboration with co-author Eileen Horne, Adshead brings her work to life in these fascinating, unflinching portraits of individuals who newspaper headlines, TV dramas and crime fiction label 'monsters'.
Case by case, Adshead takes us into the treatment room and reveals these men and women in all their complexity and vulnerability. She sheds new light on the unpredictable nature of the therapeutic process as doctor and patient try to find words for the unspeakable. These are stories of cruelty and despair, but also of change and recovery.
In a time of increasing polarisation, in the face of overcrowded prisons and devastating cuts to mental health care, Adshead speaks to our shared humanity and makes the case for compassion over condemnation, empathy over fear. The Devil You Know challenges what we think we know about evil. It is a rare book that has the power to change minds.
©2021 Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne (P)2021 Audible, LtdWhat listeners say about The Devil You Know
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sophie Ellis
- 15-12-2021
Brilliant
A book that will resonate within me for a long time. Read by the author. Beautiful, touching.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Andrew
- 31-08-2023
Insightful, engaging and heartfelt.
As a professional who also works with offenders I found this riveting. This isn't a true crime story full of gory details, this delves further to ask why and how these things came to happen. There's a good array of offence types as well as personality and mental health disorders too. I loved the descriptive language used which was so effective at placing the listener right there in the room. Not a book for true crime fans but great for those intrigued by human behaviours. There were one or two chapters closer to the end that I didn't find as interesting as the others.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trish
- 06-01-2023
Informative and inspires some hope
Very interesting book that manages to humanise people who many may view as 'evil'.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 25-06-2023
Fascinating, Optimistic Genuinely Heart Felt
Great narration and excellent story telling.
Very engaging the whole way through.
Recommend for everyone - those working in the industry and general public alike.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 22-01-2024
Absolutely fascinating
I really enjoyed this. Her voice is lovely to listen to. The stories are so insightful, and I think it’s so interesting to hear a Psychiatrist perspective on the people committing sometimes shocking crimes. She’s incredibly patient with her patients, despite some shocking scenarios. I did laugh at her dozing off in some sessions. I’m sure I would have done the same. Overall a fantastic listen. It’s always worth hearing another perspective on common assumptions we make.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- rek
- 03-04-2024
Well written and fascinating hoping for a 2nd book
Fantastic listen. I sincerely hope Dr Adshead and Eileen Horne consider writing a second book, I suspect Dr Adshead has many more stories. It's very well written and it narrated brilliantly. It delves beyond the shock factor of just detailing crimes and in no way resembles the tabloid or voyeuristic nature of some true crime. It's more about the human experience. It also does not forget the victim, sensationalize the crimes of her patients and the massive impact those actions have. Dr Adshead seems to practice radical compassion for both her patients and their victims which is very beautifully written into each chapter. I am crossing my fingers for that second book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- antonio Simonelli
- 18-07-2021
Unique insight into a hidden world
Dr Adshead has been most generous with her experience and knowledge in providing the general public with a rare and most important insight into a world most people run away from. Thank you.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 14-11-2021
A really good and worthwhile read.
i intend to give it a second listening. The performance is excellent as well.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-02-2023
Bland
I was expecting deep insights into crimes, mental health conditions and unique experiences but found the book rather bland. Wouldn’t recommend for anyone expecting true crime.
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