Well writen and interesting

Not a job I would want speaking to sex offenders in prison.

Couldn't put it down

My thanks to Harper Collins and Dr Rebecca Myers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

True crime fans this is the book for you!!! A fascinating book that goes behind the scenes of a prison psychologist and the treatment programmes used for the most serious offenders.

I was gripped from page 1 and could not put this down.
Highly recommend.

I have unfortunately had to ‘DNF/Not right now’ this read. It is absolutely fascinating however when I reached the extended part of the psychology programme I found the book really became too intense and graphic for me. There is a content warning at the beginning of the book which is most definitely needed as this book would be very triggering for some. Personally, I found myself becoming anxious walking alone out and about so decided to stop reading this book at 70% for now. I may well return to this book at another time as I found the psychology interesting. Whilst the author states the offenders stories are not sensationalised out of respect for the victims, it did feel somewhat sensationalised to me but maybe that’s just from giving this awful acts a platform.

This would be a highly interesting read for anyone interested in pursuing forensic psychology and I have recommended it to people who are studying psychology currently but a strong stomach definitely required!

An important read on horrendous acts of aggression.

Dr Rebecca Myers is a newly qualified psychologist when she joins the team of psychologists working together with the prison officers to run programmes aimed at helping rapists, paedophiles, murderers, and other serious crime offenders come to terms with their pasts and through a designated programme, learn how to turn their urges for rape, murder, or grooming youngsters into living normal lives.

Her memoir is based on the first SOTP (Sex Offender Treatment Programme) which she supervised shortly after starting at the prison. I found it hard to read why each prisoner was on the programme. Their crimes were all vicious and difficult to absorb.

Dr Myers’s writing was so vivid that I honestly felt as if I could smell the prison smells emitting from the confinement of the men. I came away knowing that one would have to be utterly committed to helping these men gain their independence one day after taking part in SOTP. Can people change their past?

Rony

Elite Reviews received a copy of the book to review.

OMG, riveting but scary all at the same time. Inside the life of a prison psychologist who covers some very harrowing stories. Behind the bars of some of the most damaged offenders. Fascinating.

I love books of this genre which gives us an insight into something we probably would not have knowledge of in our day to day lives. This one is no exception. It follows a newly qualified psychologist who is working in one of Britains notorious prisons with men who commit awful crimes such as rape, child abuse and murder.It explores in great depth the therapy sessions they can undergo and what they look like if you are taking part. The book hides nothing and at times is very difficult to read, especially when the men are encouraged to re-enact what they did and how they might have behaved differently by viewing it in a different way. An outstanding book which pulls no punches.

Having worked in mental health before I have an interest in psychology, in particular forensic psychology so I’ve read a few books in a similar vein to this one. Inside Job doesn’t deviate too much from those I’ve read before but it still manages to be fascinating.

The writing style started off a little shaky and the flow was clunky in places but it got better as the book went on. It’s not an easy read but the author asks some very thought provoking questions, especially towards the end. I admire her strength and resilience to do such a difficult job. I also appreciated her honesty about how her job affected her life outside of work. Well worth a read, however, be aware that the content is graphic in places and quite disturbing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm fascinated by life in prisons and intrigued by their ability to rehabilitate (or not) and support prisoners. Inside Job: Treating Murderers And Sex Offenders - My Life As A Prison Psychologist really feeds my curiosity. It focuses on the author's early days as a psychologist in the 1990s and 2000s when she is relatively young. Her account and reflection on her work is incredibly interesting and I learnt a lot from the book as well as being fully engaged from beginning to end.

As suggested by the title, the author describes her experience of working with sex offenders and this means that some of the prisoners' crimes, particularly rape and murder, are described in significant detail. This makes some parts of the book quite difficult to read and it may not be for everyone, but it does serve a purpose in that it helps to provide context for the work and allows us to see the circumstances which brought each prisoner to prison and, more specifically, the Sex Offender Treatment Programme.

Dr Myers' account is very reflective as she applies some of the psychological theories she uses in the group to her own life. I found this really insightful and it also helped me think about my own life.

The book ends with an epilogue, which explains, as far as the author is able, what happened to the people who are featured. I found this interesting, but as her career has clearly developed further, I would have liked to know a little more about what she is doing now.

Fascinating. That's all I can say really. I can't understand why a psychologist hasn't written a book about prisoners before. Aren't we all at least a little bit curious what goes on in the mind of criminals?!

Inside Job by Dr Rebecca Myers.
HMP Graymoor. One of the UK’s most notorious prisons. Home to nearly 800 murderers, rapists and child molesters.
Reporting for her first shift inside is Rebecca: twenty-two, newly graduated – and about to sit down with some of the country’s most dangerous criminals.
A really interesting and Horrific read. I just couldn't put it down. 5*.

What a read!

This really appealed to the psychologist within me. It’s a subject I’ve been passionate about since I was 16 and have my degree in. I could never gave a done a job like Rebecca but I truly enjoyed the insight she provided throughout this book.

From her expansive career she has gone into depth about the beginning of her career and how the prisoners she worked with on the sexual offender treatment programme and what a ride! She’s done a great job of making you see these awful criminals in the same way she did whilst going through the SOTP. You can’t help but see them as people separate from their crimes.

This is an incredible insight into some tough work and I commend Rebecca, firstly for doing the work but secondly for putting it so eloquently throughout this book to inform the world about rehabilitating criminals.

I highly recommend.

This was a very interesting read. Dr Rebecca Myers is a forensic psychologist. She started out as a 22 year old, still wet behind the ears, working at HMP Graymoor, which houses some of the worst offenders. She writes about the programme she worked on with some inmates who had committed some terrible crimes , including serious sexual assault and murder. I found it interesting to get to know these prisoners as people and see how they reacted to the programme. I'd recommend this book as it is so far removed from most people's experience. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Dr Rebecca Myers, physiologist in one of the most notorious prisons in Britain, housing sex offenders, rapists and murderers!
Brilliant read, graphic detail into the horrendous crimes some people are capable of

I received an ARC of this book from Harper Collins and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love true crime, I’ve been fascinated for years by it, and can’t resist a good book or TV show about various offenders, and the psychology behind their crimes.

I was not sure what to expect from this book, whether it would be very psychology based (and how easy is that to follow), or whether it would be told from more of a personal perspective.

What I found, was a good mix of both, we start the book with Rebecca as a ‘fresh out of the classroom’ psychologist, and thrust into the harsh reality of the UK prison system in the late 1990s.
The government has a big drive on the rehabilitation of sex offenders, and is throwing money into the system.

We follow one of Rebecca’s groups as they undertake their treatment programme.
I really enjoyed this approach, as we were able to ‘get to know’ offenders on a more personal basis rather than a passing glance at a random case.

We also find out more about Rebecca’s own psychology and traits, and changes she needs to make in her own life to be happy.

I’d definitely read more by this author, the book flowed well, and was concise, I wasn’t left swimming in a sea of psychology terminology.

There are some potential triggers in this book due to the subject matter, and I’d include the following as frequently discussed;
Sexual Offences including rape and murder.
Sexual abuse of a wide range of age groups including children
Murder as above.
Domestic Abuse
Criminal Activity (it is set in prison after all)
Drug/alcohol abuse
Self Harm and Suicide.

Arc gratefully received from NetGalley. Thank you.

Well Dr Rebecca Myers captivated me instantly. I never thought I would say that I could relate to men who have committed atrocious crimes against children, but here we are. I found the way she told each of the mens stories compelling. I couldn’t stop myself from looking at my own Schema and my attachment style. I also related to Rebecca a lot myself. I was also abandoned by my mother along with my two sisters in my formative years and like Rebecca this shaped both my attachment style and my Schema. I also have a keen interest in forensic psychology and find the whole subject area fascinating. If like me you have an interest in the macabre and want to learn about the treatment sex offenders receive while in prison, then this might be the book for you.

A really fascinating and eye opening read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book & would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of true crime.

I enjoy reading about true crime and criminal psychology. This book is incredibly insightful about the job of criminal psychologist Dr.Rebecca Myers. This book is brutally honest about her time working with most despicable people. This book lets you follow her journey in her work and the various therapies: re-enacting the offences, Victim therapy role plays and more. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in true crime and psychology. I have a lot of admiration for the author.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolutely fascinating book to see all of the inner workings of Psychologists within the prison setting. I have encountered sex offenders as part of my job, but knowing what they go through is insightful and will help me understand a bit more about what they go through before they come to me.

Great read

A really fascinating insight into the daily working life of a prison psychologist treating murderers and sex offenders. It was of course a tough read, but seeing the prisoners develop and change throughout the programme helped me to see them as flawed humans, not monsters.

A really interesting book that would appeal to fans of true crime.

A really interesting read. It was fascinating to see the rehabilitation programmes that are offered to serious offenders. Highly recommended.