Under California's Sexually Violent Predator Law, Samantha Stein, PsyD interviews sex offenders to see if they require confinement in a mental hospital or can be released into society as being no further threat to anyone. She is one of a number of people who make this decision as a team. This a a meticulous, precise, and careful procedure in which input from a variety of sources is painstakingly
weighed, measured and evaluated. Stein described all this and its effect on her personal life in this memoir.

It makes a remarkable story.

Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who live Among Us by Samantha Stein

This is an incredible book, is written from a perspective I haven't had the privilege to read before. This book takes you into the prison interview room and into the minds of serious sex offenders and Samantha is tasked with assessing the fates of those charges with these distributing acts.

Samantha Stein PsyD is a forensic psychologist who works under the California Sexually Violent Predator law. Her job is to meet with each offender and decide if they are fit to go back to society or to be incarcerated indefinitely.

Dr. Stein gives us an in depth, behind the scenes account of being a treatment provider and evaluator in the field. If you are interested in Forensic psychology or the why behind why people do the depraved things they do, then this is the book for you.

Huge thank you to Samantha for writing your story and partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This incredible book comes out August 26 2025!

Evil at Our Table was an interesting look at another facet of the American justice system which actually occurs near the end of an offender’s incarceration, at least in the case of sexual predators. The recidivism rate is currently 11.1% for treated offenders and 17.5% for untreated, and through multiple interviews and intense screening, professionals such as the author, had to make decisions as to which inmates would likely not reoffend once released from either penal systems or mental health facilities. Their recommendations could actually prolong a sentence. Stein is very frank about trying to keep the dark aspects of her job separate from her home life, and through a series of events, begins a new career later. Several case histories are shared, but sadly only one person seemed to truly be remorseful. Others were quick to manipulate and blame, even their victims. The book is eye-opening and more than a bit disturbing.

The title of this book is ‘Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us’ is a little misleading. Just based on the title alone, one might be led to believe that this would fit in nicely in the True Crime section of your local book dealer. However, this is not your average tale of catching a killer/rapist/thief. Evil at our table is more of an exploration of the process of identifying sex offenders and their likelihood to reoffend if released from prison. Basically, the author, Samantha Stein, is tasked with interviewing these offenders, reviewing their history, and determining if they should be released or be remanded into a secure treatment facility after their sentence has been served. You might think that the idea of continuing incarceration for people who have served their time is ethically questionable, and you would be right, but Dr. Stein does address this in the book and her thoughts on it make you think. The title also makes me squirm a bit because it seems to me that the subjects in the book are not really evil, they are simply mentally ill. It seems a bit strange to have that title and then spend nearly 300 pages explaining why these people are not really evil, but maybe that was the point. Either way, this is an interesting read, if not necessarily an enjoyable one.

There are graphic (but not overly so) depictions of sexual abuse contained herein, so if that kind of thing is triggering for you, use caution. I spent 20 years doing child abuse investigations, so nothing here was really shocking to me, but your average person may find it upsetting. Also, if you want to try to understand the inner workings of the mind of a sex offender, this might not be your book. There is a lot of time spent with these particular people, but you gain little insight into what they’re thinking. Instead, what we have here is a book about the evaluation of criminals and what makes an offender likely or not to reoffend. There is also insight into the home life of someone who does this kind of work and the toll it takes on their mental health. As a social worker by trade, I can tell you that the toll is high, but Dr. Stein seems to be managing it well. The secondary trauma experienced by those in this line of work is often overlooked but is very real and very serious. It’s a topic that really should receive more attention.

Overall, Evil at Our Table is well-written and Dr. Stein does a good job of explaining things in laymen’s terms and not falling into the trap of using jargon and acronyms that your average reader won’t understand. She is also fairly concise and to the point, but I honestly wish that the interviews would have been detailed a little more thoroughly. That may be simply because of my background, though, and this book is really written for people who don’t know anything about this topic. That’s not to say that I didn’t find it interesting even after having worked with sex offenders for years. For example, I found the California system described to be very interesting and made me think about how it could be improved or instituted elsewhere.

In closing, I would like to thank Dr. Stein, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for sending me an Advance Copy of Evil at our Table. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about sex offenders and the process involved in maintaining public safety while attempting to remain ethical and unbiased.

This true crime memoir written by Dr. Samantha Stein provides an insightful examination of the psychology of serious sex offenders. She draws from her experiences as a forensic psychologist in California. In this book, she provides insight into interactions with these sex offenders (identifying features/information removed). She holds a powerful position, as the information that she provides will either allow the individual to reenter society or continue with incarceration or institutionalization. While relating this dark information, Samantha Stein does it with empathy and nonjudgmentalness. Dr. Stein shares detailed case studies and reflects on the profound impact her work has on her life, and that of the larger community and public. It is amazing that she is able to sit across the table from dangerous individuals and hear horrible stories, but yet, possess compassion, and truly try to uphold the rights of these individuals and those of the larger community. While this was a difficult read due to the subject matter discussed, it is an important view into these individuals and the struggles of individuals working within the penal system. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fascinating look at assessments of sex offenders and the sample report at the end was informative. While the majority of sex offenders are men, it would've been interesting to read about a woman sex offender and her evaluation.

With all those “dirty jobs” that no one wants to do, I’d never thought about those people who work with sexual predators and in Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us, the author, Samantha Stein, PSYD, shares from the inside, what working with people who have committed those types of crimes is like, as she helps to determine (along with a judge and jury, later at a trial), whether they will possibly spend the rest of their lives, or certainly an indefinite time locked up, if they are deemed a danger to society (and she shares that about 10% of those that fall into the category to be interviewed, are).

I was unaware that in California (where the author lives), and in fifteen other states, the federal prison system and the District of Columbia, when an offender serves time in prison serves time for a serious sex offense, whether it be a few months to twenty years, it is necessary that they are evaluated before they are release back into the community. The author continues, at Evil at Our Table, that “if they pose a serious risk of perpetrating future predatory sexual offenses, they can be committed- indefinitely- to a sex offender treatment at a state-run medical hospital instead of being released or paroled.”

The author spends days, as it is her career (as a forensic psychologist), to sit at a table, in a prison, with individuals who have committed a sexual atrocity, and then has to explain that the interview (sharing an example of one she has given at the end of her book, so that readers see the reality of what the interview entails)- that they are about to do, if they do not “pass”- holds them from becoming paroled or released (from prison or jail after their sentence), and sends them to a medical facility where they will stay- with no release date. She then has to listen, and ask them to explain their life and crimes, so that she can “pass judgement”:- which she has been well trained to do, keeping up on all the current research on the topic (and she does know current stats on crimes and criminal behavior facts, sharing them throughout the book).

In fact, as I read this memoir, many times I thought, what a life that must be with a job like that (because when her children want to go to the park themselves, the fact that stranger abductions rarely occur anymore are the types of things that run through her mind- helping her to give her children a “yes” or “no” answer). However hard the topic may seem to read- the book was very entertaining, albeit horrific at times (as one chapter is titled “bend em and send em”)- but very educational- because unfortunately, these are the things we need to know (and read about)- living in the world we live in.

The author tells readers that the photos that are included at the beginning of each chapter are ones that she takes on her way to work. Shown in black and white, they present a stark contrast to the colorful world we live in and made me think (constantly)- what has this job done to the author? However she shares that information in this book (in great detail, what this job has done to her- the good, the bad and the ugly), especially when reading about the rules she has for her children and the Internet.

Stein also shares a story with readers about a twenty five year old patient that came into her office (this was outside her work with prisoners), and who shared with her that he wanted to be rid of his addiction- which was- looking at child pornograpy. He further shared that he had discovered rape pornography at the young age of eleven and doing what young men do while looking at it, it became something he liked to look at. Then, while filing sharing, he accidentally downloaded explicit photos of children. While he knew it was wrong, it was a sudden rush for him and something forbidden- but then he couldn't stop himself.

With some insight, practice and time, doing everything the therapist told him, while they couldn't undo the past (and she made this clear to him), she could make it a part of his past. With her treatment he was able to stop.

This therapist shares the same beliefs as I do about sexuality, that whatever we discover is exciting, arousing and pleasurable at a young age- this is the time when we are coming into our sexuality- has a sort of “imprint” on an individual. Therefore in these tender years we need to watch out for our children and what they see at this age- because this situation shared in the previous paragraph are the types of outcomes that can easily happen. Luckily this young man sought help and knew what he was doing was wrong- all people aren’t that lucky- and all people don’t have that sort of resolve, to want to stop. That’s when things get scary- and dangerous- for society (and our children).

When this author shares her strict Internet rules for her children, with the work she does- all the things she has heard from victims (she worked with in the past), all the things she has to hear that predators do to adults- and children during interviews she does, all the statistics she has to know, all the research she has to read- it becomes understandable, I thought, to me, as a reader. The author constantly shares how her job impedes her life- but then someone has to do it. And however much damage it can do, she shares that she does find it to be greatly rewarding. The author walks a fine line- but seems to do it as well as anyone could. To me, she seems like a heroine.

When the author talks about why she ultimately does this work, she explains it with something someone said to her, who was also a forensic psychologist at a conference (and it’s a direct quote from the book): “Many sex offender treatment providers began with victims' work. Then we get tired of pulling bodies out of the water, she said, so we decide to go upstream and try to prevent them from going in, in the first place.” So, instead of counseling the victims of sex offenses, these brave persons go to the root of the cause- those who inflict the damage- and try to prevent these persons from doing it (and, it seems, they do this however they can, even with imprisonment forever, if necessary).

While Evil At Our Table is a hard read- and one that might scare you, especially if you have children- it’s a book that needs to be read- especially if you have children (as you will most definitely learn something you need to know). Samantha Stein is a brave woman- in fact, she’s a heroine in my book- and her own, IMO- as she goes into battle each day. Reader’s definitely don’t want to miss this different sort-of war story, a battle against the predators that society fears. It seems that the author can either help them- or put them away indefinitely- but that’s seemingly their choice, in the end- she just has to decipher it each day like a mystery.

However there are those people, like the young man who sought help for “his issue”- and as hard as some people may find to feel bad for this young man, that these photos were out there, that at eleven he had to see on the Internet- that shouldn't be something, that as a parent or child- that we should have to worry about. But in this world that we live in, we do have to worry like that. And that’s why this book is so necessary to read- to be in “the know”. Because hopefully- with the knowledge of people out there like this, we can find a way to ultimately defeat them- or at least, keep them far at bay from those they prey on.

Read with Caution & try to Read Happily (always ;)!

I typically enjoy reading books that attempt to explore the workings of the human mind. What makes people choose to do wrong vs right? Are we born as bad seeds or are we a product of our environment? This book deals with a very sensitive topic but didn't deliver. I'm not looking for details on the specifics of the crimes, but more on her interviews which barely skimmed the surface. There was more information on her personal life which I really wasn't interested in and found it distracting from the story. I don't look to give negative reviews but this book left me no choice. Thanks to Netgalley, author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

🚨Please read below before reading my review.🚨

This is a true crime, nonfiction book that highly talks about sex offenders. Trigger warnings include violence, death, abuse, sexual sadism, pure evil, substance abuse, bigotry, racism, self harm, fear, child abuse, sexual assault, psychopath behavior, locations in prisons, domestic violence, sociopath behavior, explicit sexual content, misogyny, religious beliefs and rape.

Knowing these trigger warnings beforehand is a must before reading my honest review of this book. Read my review at your own discretion.


Review:

This was my first true crime, memoir book that I have read. I have watched a lot of true crime on television. It is something that interests me. I’m not sure why, but it does. It gives me anxiety, fear, sadness, etc. However, true crime stories give me insight and knowledge.

This book was extremely hard for me to read. I wanted to throw up at times, cry at times, and ended up having nightmares. I had to put the book down many times, before continuing on reading it. This book is one I did not and could not read straight through. Having said all of that, I did get through the book entirely and will give you my honest opinion on it. This book gives the reader a look into evil and the true horror that happens in real life.

This memoir is based on scientific research and evidence. This is about a woman named Samantha Stein, who has her doctor of psychology degree, and how she digs deep into the minds of sexual offenders. She also discusses her personal life in this book and goes over different ways she overcomes her own fears and struggles with this career. All of the names and places in this book were changed, so she can keep her family’s names and the inmates names she talks about in this book safe and protected. However, all of her stories in this book are all true. Ultimately, she decides whether or not the inmate she speaks to is entirely okay to return to society, after they have done their time in prison. If they are ineligible to return to society, they are condemned to indefinite incarceration. This book is divided into parts and explains why an inmate should or should not be allowed back in our society.

This book is very well written, thought provoking, scientific based and well researched. Even though this book was disturbing to me, it gave me knowledge on what she does in her career. All emotions put aside, I found this to be a great and informative memoir. I rate this a 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Samantha Stein and Kensington Publishing | Citadel for this advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This memoir is expected to be published on August 26, 2025.