Port Arthur 1996. Dunblane 1996. Utya 2011. Christchurch 2019. Lewiston 2023.

What drives someone to commit the unthinkable? In Running Amok, forensic psychiatrist Paul E. Mullen burrows into the minds of mass murderers to learn how and why they become spectres haunting modern communities.

Drawing on decades of experience assessing killers such as the perpetrator of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Australia, Mullen examines the key forces that unite them: obsessive rage, personal grievance, fascination with weapons and a quest for infamy often culminating in suicide. Mullen reveals these killers not as incomprehensible monsters, but as deeply disturbed individuals shaped by knowable forces. Crucially, he offers guidance on recognising warning signs and improving threat assessment. He also explores the corrosive role of media sensationalism, which fuels grandiose fantasies and inspires copycat violence.

Running Amok is both a searing investigation into mass murder and a call to action, urging society to confront these dark realities and prevent the next horror.

Emeritus Professor Paul E. Mullen is internationally recognised as one of the foremost experts in forensic psychiatry, with a distinguished career spanning clinical practice, research, teaching, and public service. Formerly the Foundation Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at Monash University and Clinical Director of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare), he played a pivotal role in shaping forensic mental health services in Australia and advancing the scientific understanding of the relationship between mental disorder, violence, and criminal behaviour.

Professor Mullen trained in psychiatry in the United Kingdom before relocating to New Zealand, and then Australia, where he became a leading figure in forensic mental health. His research has significantly influenced contemporary approaches to stalking, sexual offending, family violence, and threat assessment. Across his career, he authored hundreds of scholarly articles and book chapters, supervised numerous doctoral students, and contributed to major policy reviews both nationally and internationally.

Professor Mullen assessed many infamous offenders, including mass killers, and developed significant expertise in that area. He is renowned for his clinical insight, intellectual rigour, and commitment to evidence-based practice. As an Emeritus Professor, he continues to influence practice and scholarship through mentoring, consulting, and ongoing contributions to the academic and professional community.

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