What Norman Bates was to the '60s, Lecter was to the '80s. And, doubtless, his reign of terror will continue. He is the man we love to hate. His appeal was obvious from the start. He came into the picture when troubled FBI agent Will Graham approached him for help in solving the murders.
Word is that at least a million copies are headed for the shelves.
But that's jumping ahead. Biographer and Hollywood journalist Pat H. Broeske has written about popular culture's fascination with serial killers for publications including the New York Times.