-| The Dark Side of the Mind… Blog Tour |-

A big thank you to Anne from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for The Dark Side of the Mind by Kerry Daynes.

Welcome to the world of the forensic psychologist, where the people you meet are wildly unpredictable and often frightening.
The job: to delve into the psyche of convicted men and women to try to understand what lies behind their often brutal actions.
Follow in the footsteps of Kerry Daynes, one of the most sought-after forensic psychologists in the business and consultant on major police investigations.
Kerry’s job has taken her to the cells of maximum-security prisons, police interview rooms, the wards of secure hospitals and the witness box of the court room.
Her work has helped solve a cold case, convict the guilty and prevent a vicious attack.
Spending every moment of your life staring into the darker side of life comes with a price. Kerry’s frank memoir gives an unforgettable insight into the personal and professional dangers in store for a female psychologist working with some of the most disturbing men and women.
-Goodreads-

I did have a basic understanding of forensic psychology due to my studies in criminal justice before opening the book which made me even more fascinated to see the world through the lens of a professional.

This is an extremely honest and pretty shocking account of her role as a Forensic Psychologist. There are incidencess of the terrible sexism she faced during her time working in HMP Wakefield in the 90’s such as the disgusting reaction to her requesting a rape alarm (which resulted in her leaving without one). I really appreciated her sharing parts of her own story as they affected her outlook both personally and professionally. At the end of the book Kerry says that ‘our criminal justice system is not fit for purpose’ and I completely agree with this, it’s actually the reason I decided against pursing a career within the criminal justice system.

“If you are considered bad, all your behaviour is construed as bad.”

Each of the stories are so fascinating and thought-provoking I would love to be able to pick Kerry’s brain about the topic. I enjoyed the dark humour spread throughout, however this was done in a respectful way to the participants in the story.

This is a must read for those interested in Crime and Psychology.

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So who is Kerry Daynes?

Kerry Daynes is a Consultant and Forensic Psychologist, speaker and media commentator. For over twenty years her average week has involved working with everything from stressed-out parents to serial killers and she is a sought-after court-appointed expert witness. Kerry regularly appears on international television networks and in the media; she was ‘The Profiler’ over three series of Discovery’s top-rated ‘Faking It’ documentaries. Kerry is Patron of the National Centre for Domestic Violence and Talking2Minds. She is an advocate for better conversations about mental distress and alternatives to the culture of psychological ‘disorder’. Kerry lives in Cheshire with two huge dogs and yes, she is a proud natural ginger.

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