One year out of law school, 25-year-old Wisconsinite Wendy Patrickus found herself defending the most infamous, vile, and beastly man in the world--not just any serial killer, but a cannibal, necrophiliac, and homophobic predator.

Jeffrey Dahmer.

Having given just one brief interview in the 30 years since she represented Dahmer, Patrickus tells all in Defending the Devil--which mines more than 20 hours of previously unreleased private recordings of her conversations with the infamous killer.

Defending the Devil offers the most revelatory account yet of Dahmer's methods of attack, the why and how of his cannibalism, the shrines built of human remains in his apartment, and more. But Patrickus's story goes beyond true crime to convey the tale of a principled young attorney tasked with representing the world's most notorious criminal, her motivations, the uncomfortable bond she formed with her client, and why she still believes the conviction and sentence (rejecting his insanity plea) were wrong.

Patrickus vividly captures the volatile trial backdrop: the national media spotlight shining on her in a way she never wanted; her family, friends, and fellow lawyers turning on her; and an entire community of law enforcement neglecting to protect her from the mobs of Milwaukeeans who routinely terrorized her for doing her job.

The most intimate possible view of Jeffrey Dahmer, his crimes, and his trial, Defending the Devil is also a poignant memoir and insightful look at the criminal justice system.