Tracking a Serial Killer tells the stories of 25 murderers, from Jack the Ripper right up to modern-day slayers like David Berkowitz (Son of Sam), the Yorkshire Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, and the Beltway Sniper. It delves into the minds and motivations of criminals such as Ted Bundy, who stalked university dorms; Andrei Chikatilo, the "Butcher of Rostov," who mutilated at least 52 women and children; Randy Kraft, the "Freeway Killer"; Volker Eckert, a German truck driver who for three decades killed prostitutes across western Europe. There's also an inside look at women murderers and serial killer couples like the Hillside Stranglers. Two timelines offer unique views of the killers and their crimes: one provides a visual overview of the major developments of the murderer's life, both before the killing began and after, covering killing sprees, trials, incarcerations, escapes, releases, and repeat offenses, up to their death. A second timeline draws the reader into the events of each particular murder, showing how it developed over 24 hours, how close the killer was to getting caught, how the plan for the murder came to be, and how the murderer escaped capture.