★The television rights have been sold, and the TV series is currently in active production.

★ This book is written by Lai Ji, a scholar of criminal psychology and a postdoctoral fellow in law. With over 15 years of dedicated work in the field, he has served as part of expert teams, participating in and assisting the investigation of several shocking and bizarre cases. His professional criminal psychological profiling provided crucial support in solving these crimes. This book draws upon these invaluable, real-world frontline experiences to unveil the true nature of this mysterious profession within the Chinese context.

★ This is not a work of detective fiction, but a piece of documentary popular science that interweaves ture cases with expert knowledge. From the perspective of a firsthand participant, the author guides readers back through cases such as "family annihilation homicides", "unsolved serial cases", and "dismemberment murders", revealing the unique "psychological signatures" left by the perpetrators in these shocking crimes.

★ It serves as both an introductory and intermediate guidebook for the general public to understand the core methodologies of criminal psychology. Readers can gain insight into the methods of psychological profiling, thereby learning to more effectively interpret others' intentions, improve interpersonal relationships, and enhance logical thinking and observational acuity in daily life.

★ In the code of one's words and actions lies the story of a lifetime.

The criminal profiler is a figure frequently featured in many film and television productions, particularly American and Korean dramas, depicted with almost miraculous skill in "profiling" suspects and cracking major cases. Like many viewers, have you ever wondered:
1. What exactly is a criminal profiler? Are they police investigators or forensic personnel?
2. How does a criminal profiler actually work? How do they decipher the invisible traces left at a scene?
3. If you understand the principles of criminal psychological profiling, do you gain a superpower to see into people's hearts?
...

Through cases, this book narrates the journey of a rookie criminal psychology master's graduate as he grows into a "professional player" in criminal profiling. It offers readers an accessible popular science introduction to the criminal profiler, lifting the veil on these "magical profilers" from screen dramas.

Mastering the essence of behavioral analysis not only satisfies our curiosity about the abyss of human nature but can also be transformed into practical life wisdom. This book explains the principle that "words and actions are a code" in a clear and engaging manner, teaching how to enhance logic and insight through observation: you might choose safer routes home late at night; you might better understand how to guard against hostility and malice to protect yourself; you might also become more cautious about revealing personal privacy in front of others, and so on.

Lai Ji

A well-known Chinese writer and screenwriter, he holds a postdoctoral degree in law and serves as a graduate supervisor. As a contracted writer at the Ba Jin Academy of Literature under the Sichuan Writers Association (a provincial-level professional literary institution in China), Lai Ji is deeply engaged in literary creation and film/TV adaptation, excelling at balancing storytelling with market appeal.

A highly prolific and versatile writer, Lai Ji has published 15 full-length novels and 6 collections of short and medium-length stories, covering a wide range of genres including espionage, suspense, legal thrillers, science fiction, adventure, and cultural fantasy. His works are renowned for their gripping plots, profound themes, and strong adaptability to film and television. Widely regarded in the industry as one of the leading writers in terms of film and TV adaptation success, 11 of his novels have already been adapted into films and TV series.

Lai Ji has been deeply involved in screenwriting and project planning, with notable works including:
"The Hidden World", which was adapted into the film "Absolute Loyalty: For the Sake of the Nation" (2021). This film, a key tribute production marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China commissioned by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, won awards at the Beijing International Online Film Festival and other events.
Novels such as "Dawn" (endorsed by forensic expert Qin Ming) and "The Master Defender" (highly praised by author Chang Shuxin) have both been secured for film and TV adaptation.
He served as a script planner for "Kunlun Shrine" and "The Return to the South China Sea" (starring Pan Yueming and Zhang Yuqi), a series that has been streamed globally on Netflix.
He also served as a literary consultant or chief editor for major TV series such as "Joyful Faces" (starring Dong Zijian and Zhang Yi) and "No Man’s Land" (starring Jin Dong and Wang Zhiwen).
He wrote the screenplay for the theatrical film "Fortress of Money" (directed by Pang Fa, starring Wang Qianyuan and Feng Shaofeng, released in 2024).

Prologue: An Unexpected Turn for a Criminal Psychology "Rookie"
I. The "Daily Life" of a Criminal Profiler
1. What is Criminal Psychological Profiling?
2. In Search of the Criminal Profiler
3. Being the "Wingman" for Homicide Detectives
4. What Use is a "Skill for Slaying Dragons"?
5. The Making of a "Master Detective"
II. Let Me Tell You Some Stories: Are You Afraid of Facing Death?
1. The First Time Tackling a Shocking Major Case
2. The "Murderer" Who Insisted He Didn't Kill
3. The Abyss of Desire: Special Dates on the Calendar
4. Sadistic Rape-Murder and Serial Unsolved Cases
5. The Family Annihilation Scene: The Most Pronounced Sense of Discomfort
6. The Gold Earring in the Dismemberment Case: The Psychological Signature
7. A Few Additional Points
III. Decryption: The Invisible Code of Words and Actions
1. The Consistency of Psychology and Behavior
2. Can You Erase Physical Traces? Can You Erase Psychological Traces?
3. Psychological Stability: A Leopard Cannot Change Its Spots
IV. Deduction or Inference? When Behavioral Analysis Becomes a Scientific Method
1. The FBI's Crime Scene Analysis (CSA)
2. Behavioral Evidence Analysis (BEA)
3. Common Steps in Criminal Psychological Profiling Practice
4. A Practice Case
V. What to Profile: Your Words and Actions Reflect Your Inner Self
1. Property Crime: Crushing Debt or Extreme Hatred of the Wealthy?
2. Indirect Characterization: The Young Man Who 'Liberated' the Nike Shoes
3. The Social Imprint: A Surgeon's Incision Differs from a Butcher's Cut
VI. Why Crime Exists—An Unavoidable Topic
1. The "Born Criminal" and Lombroso
2. A Mirror of Society
3. A Dynamic Situation: Imbalance vs. Loss of Control
VII. The Portrayal in Crime Dramas: Effects Influencing Criminal Psychology
1. The Path of Justice in Police Story & SPL
2. Rational Judgment in Operation Mekong
3. Infernal Affairs: Returning to the Origin
VIII. Looking Ahead: The Future of the Criminal Psychology Profession
1. Will the Criminal Profiler Become Obsolete?
2. The Challenge of AI Technology and Big Data
3. The Power of the Present Moment
Epilogue: Why Continue? Just to Give Victims a Voice