Book excerpt: What could possibly incite parents to kill their own children? This collection of "Filicidal Killers" provides a gripping overview of how things can go horribly wrong in once-loving families. Parents Who Killed their Children depicts ten of the most notorious and horrific cases of homicidal parental units out of control. People like--Andrea Yates, Diane Downs, Susan Smith, and Jeffrey MacDonald--who received a great deal of media attention. The author explores the reasons; from addiction to postpartum psychosis, insanity to altruism, revenge and jealousy. Each story is detailed with background information on the parents, the murder scenes, trials, sentencing and aftermath. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - "{A} valuable resource and reference book for Criminologists and Psychologists on the fraught subject of maternal filicide, supported with ten case studies. A clear-eyed view on the most heartbreaking of crimes." SUSPENSE MAGAZINE - "Parents Who Kill Their Children is a great read for aficionados of true crime. The way the author laid the cases out made the hair on the back of my neck stand up." INSIDE THE BOOK Andrea Yates Darlie Routier Susan Eubanks Lianne Smith Alan Bristol Jeffrey MacDonald Deanna Laney Susan Smith Tonya Thomas Diane Downs "Acclaimed true crime author, RJ Parker, has a knack for collecting high-profile cases under specific themes. This collection about parents who kill their children provides a fast-paced, gripping overview of how things can go horribly wrong in once-loving families. From Andrea Yates to Jeffrey MacDonald to Susan Smith, Parker reports on the stunning case details and suggests reasons why the parental bond can get so twisted. The updates at the end of each chapter add a lot, since popular media rarely follows up. An important reference for true crime readers." -- (Dr. Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D.), bestselling author of "The Mind of a Murderer" and "The Ivy League Killer." "Is there anything more reprehensible than filicide--that is, the intended act of a parent killing his or her own child? In "Parents Who Killed Their Children," the award-winning true crime author RJ Parker shines a powerful light on this dark and sordid phenomenon. First, Parker offers a number of possible psychological and environmental causes (or at least correlates) of filicide. Then he presents ten shocking, real life case histories of parents who murdered their children. The result is a book that is bound to make you rethink the absolute sanctity of motherhood and reflect on why some mothers do indeed "eat their young." This is a powerful read and another hard-hitting, compelling entry by RJ Parker." -- (Dr. Scott Bonn, Ph.D), criminologist, professor and author of the forthcoming "Why We Love Serial Killers" NOTEWORTHY This book has been selected by several Universities in their upcoming courses in Criminology, Sociology and Forensic Psychology, including, the University of Utah and Penn State University. Keywords: Andrea Yates Killer Book Darlie Routier Killer Book Susan Eubanks Killer Book Lianne Smith Killer Book Alan Bristol Killer Book Jeffrey MacDonald Killer Book Deanna Laney Killer Book Susan Smith Killer Book Tonya Thomas Killer Book Diane Downs Killer Book