Gripping accounts of some of Australia’s worst murder cases – and insights into the men and women who committed the crimes.

Why do some people cross the threshold from rational behaviour to cold blooded murder?

What could motivate a mother to kill her own children? How could a man kill his own pregnant wife and toddler with a spear gun? How could someone kill a political rival - and think they could get away with it?

All these questions and many more are answered in this collection of the most monstrous cases to hit the headlines in Australia in recent times. Well-known journalist and author Malcolm Brown goes into cases such as the Snowtown murders; the killing of Dr Margaret Tobin, Maria Korp, Melbourne's society murders, and the frightful case of Kathleen Folbigg killing her own four young children.

These are not only gripping accounts of the terrible crimes themselves - but they look into what would lead someone to commit them.