This recommended reading list is representative of my personal library. If you have any suggestions for additions, please email me with title, author, publisher, date and a brief comment as to content along with a note whether the book has an index. As a general recommendation, when doing research on serial killers, look for titles by the now famous former FBI agents/profilers, Douglas and Ressler. Unfortunately, these authors' most recent mass market titles have been, in my opinion, less 'meaty', more self indulgent and too lacking in details and facts of interest to researchers than their earlier works.

Murder Machine by G. Mustain and J. Capeci; Penguin, 1993 -- about the DeMeo gang, hit men whom FBI agents thought they could be classified as serial killers. Index. (Thanks to Hugh for recommending this title.)
Underboss by P. Maas; Harper Collins, 1997 -- Gravano, who confessed to participating in 19 murders, is highest ranking Mafia member to break silence oath and testify against his boss, Gotti. Index. (Thanks to Hugh for recommending this title.)
The New Murderers Who's Who by J.H.H. Gaute and R. Odell; Dorset Press, 1989 -- Encyclopedia format. Covers hundreds of murderers spanning more than the last 160 years. Bibliography. Index.
Black Widow by R.R. McDonald; St.Martin's, 1986 -- Marie Hilley... wife, mother, daughter, murderer. No index.
Precious Victims by D.W. Weber and C. Bosworth, Jr.; Signet, 1991 -- Illinois native Paula Sims convicted of murdering her own children. No index.
Fatal Vision by Joe McGinnis; Signet, 1988 -- A classic. Jeffery McDonald, convicted of slaughtering his family. No Index.
Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule; Signet, 1988 -- Diane Downs, convicted of shooting her children. No index.
Bitter Blood by Jerry Bledsoe; Onyx, 1988 -- Murder among a southern family. No index.
From Cradle to Grave by Joyce Egginton; Jove, 1990 -- One by one, Marybeth Tinning's children die, leaving 9 gravestones in all. SIDS? No index.
A Criminal History of Mankind by Colin Wilson; Carroll & Graf, 1984 -- Overview of crime throughout history. Index.
Almanac of World Crime by J.R. Nash; doubleday, 1981 -- Organized alphabetically according to topic. Index.
The Silent Brotherhood by K. Flynn and G. Gerhardt; Signet, 1990 -- Chilling look at the anti-government militia movement. Index.
Son: A Psychopath and His Victims by Jack Olsen; Dell, 1983 -- Serial rapist Fred Coe whose mother attempted to murder the judge and prosecutor who put "Son" away. No index.
Cellar of Horror by Ken Englade; St. Martin's, 1988 -- Psychopath Gary Heidnik kept 'love slaves' in the basement and body parts in the freezer. No index.
Murderous Innocents: True Stories of Children Who Kill by Frank Jones; Headline, 1994 -- Not all children are 'little angels'. No index.
The Killer Department by Robert Cullen; Pantheon, 1993 -- Andrei Chikatilo attibuted with more than 52 murders over a period of 8 years. Interesting recounting of Soviet bureaucratic bumbling and red tape. No index.
Deviant by Harold Schechter; Pocket Books, 1989 -- Ed Gein, the inspiration for Bloch's Psycho, who dug up female bodies in order to wear their skin. No index. (Note: In my opinion, Mr. Schechter's books lean toward the sensational, but he often covers crimes/criminals not commonly found in mass market selections.)
Deranged by Harold Schechter; pocket Books, 1990 -- Albert Fish, masochistic and sadistic killer of children. No index.

Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives by Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, et al; Lexington Books,1988 -- In this excellent book you will find, chapters such as The Study of Murder and Criminal Profiling From Crime Scene Analysis, and a copy of the VICAP Crime Analysis Report. Index. (Excellent.)
Alone With The Devil: Famous Cases of a Courtroom Psychiatrist by R. Markham and D. Bosco; Bantam Books, 1990 -- interesting cases, including Richard Chase, the Vampire of Sacramento. No index.
Serial Killers by Joel Norris; Doubleday Anchor Books,1988 -- readable and interesting, presents studies and examines the mind of serial killers. No index.
Unquiet Minds: The World of Forensic Psychiatry by H. Miller; Headline Book Publishing, 1994 -- this book examines the question of "Mad? Or just downright bad?" Short glossary. Brief index.
The Murdering Mind by D. Abrahamsen; Harper Colophon Books, 1973 -- while some of Dr. Abrahamsen's conclusions may be a bit dated, the case studies and details presented are invaluable. Bibliography. No index.
Crime and the Mind: An Outline of Psychiatric Criminology by W. Bromberg; Lippincott Co., 1948 -- Certainly old fashioned in some of his conclusions, many of the basic evaluations remain viable. Criminal psychiatry in its infancy. Bibliography. Index.
Psychopathia Sexualis by Krafft-Ebing; Stein & Day, 1965 -- This hard to find classic presents case studies of sexual perversion. Please note, this textbook is not suitable for all readers. Recommended for serious researchers only. Brief index.
Sexual Anomalies and Perversions: Physical and Psychological Development and Treatment by M. Hirschfeld; Aldor, no date -- This textbook is old, I'm guessing it was published in the 1940's. It is quite dated, particularly regarding treatments, but the case studies are well worth reading. Please note, this textbook is not suitable for all readers. Recommended for serious researchers only. No index.
Signature Killers by R. D. Keppel (with W. J. Birnes); Pocket Books, 1997 -- clearly defines the difference between a killer's M.O., which can greatly vary, and his signature which remains basically the same. No index.

Salvation on Sand Mountain by Dennis Covington; Addison-Wesley, 1995 -- A very personal story of a writer who returns to Alabama and visits snake handling churches.Interesting. No Index.
Questioning the Millennium: A Rationalist's Guide to a Precisely Arbitrary Countdown by Stephen Jay Gould; Harmony Books, 1997 -- This little book takes takes the end of time doomsayers by the scruff of the neck and gives them a very sensible shake. Beware, you will find logic and reason abound in this small volume. Index. Highly Recommended.
The Bleeding Mind by Ian Wilson; Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd., 1988 -- Takes a close look at stigmata, the people who experience it, and the implications of the 'mind over matter' theory. Appendix. Notes & References. Index.
Stigmata: A Medieval Phenomenon in a Modern Age by Ted Harrison; St.Matin's Press, 1994 -- Another look at Stigmata. Interesting anecdotes, but not as lively a presentation as Mr. Wilson's book. No Index.
Sister Aimee: The Life of Sister Aimee Semple McPherson by Daniel Mark Epstein; Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1993 -- Biography of one of the first internationally famous evangelists.