In a gripping discussion at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair, authors Araminta Hall and Mirna Al-Mahdi dissect what makes psychopaths terrifying and irresistible.
Sharjah, November 11, 2025
What drives an audience’s fascination with psychopaths? Why do characters who are completely devoid of empathy, like Hannibal Lecter or Dexter, command our attention? A panel discussion featuring British author Araminta Hall and Egyptian novelist Mirna Al-Mahdi delved into these questions at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025).
Titled “Crafting Fear in Thrillers: Unmasking the Psychopathic Character” and moderated by Aisha Almaazmi, the session explored how writers understand, humanise, and translate psychopathy into fiction.
Hall explained that the distinction between a psychopath and a sociopath is more than semantic. It shapes how she writes. “A psychopath is someone who doesn’t have a moral compass, nor do they play by the rules of society, while a sociopath knows right from wrong and chooses to be bad,” she said. Her interest, she added, lies in exploring the moral grey areas; those moments when ordinary people make choices they know are wrong.
Meanwhile, Al-Mahdi highlighted how popular culture often misrepresents psychopathy. “People think psychopaths are all murderers, but that’s a misconception,” she said. “Some lack empathy, but that doesn’t make them evil. In fact, some can stay calm and act decisively in dangerous situations.”
Both authors agreed that literature’s obsession with the “psychopath” reflects society’s own need for control. “It’s almost a defence mechanism,” said Al-Mahdi. “We read about killers and tell ourselves we’re safe because we’re not like them.”
When asked how they step into the mind of a psychopath, and more importantly, how they step back out, Hall said writing is an act of imagination, not immersion. “When I write, I don’t become the character,” she said. “The beauty of imagination is that it allows us to step into other people’s minds and come out more compassionate.”
Al-Mahdi described a more intense process. “I completely become the character while I’m writing,” she said. “When I finish a book, I have to detox by starting a new one. Otherwise, I’d stay with that character. Thankfully, my protagonist is a detective and not a murderer, or we would have a big problem!”
As thrillers increasingly overlap with true-crime entertainment, Hall expressed unease at how violence is often sensationalised. “True crime can glamorise murder, especially the idea of the female victim,” she said. “We’ve become desensitised. Taking a life should never be casual. If you’re going to make someone kill in a book, you need a very good reason.”
Al-Mahdi echoed the sentiment. “People start empathising with the killer instead of the victim,” she said. “Writers have a responsibility to challenge that.”
Ultimately, both authors agreed that empathy is at the heart of storytelling even when writing about those who lack it. “I can never hate my villain,” said Al-Mahdi. “If I hate him, I can’t write him fairly. Every character deserves understanding.”
Hall concluded: “No one is entirely good or bad. The writer’s job is to find humanity, even in darkness.”
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