The book's intent is to theoretically and empirically investigate violence, particularly homicide, using the conceptual tools of both attachment theory and object relations theory. Instead of applying attachment and object relations theory to more commonly perceived modes of violence, the author has selected idiosyncratic and, in some cases, bizarre forms of homicidal violence that, despite their rarity, implicate a psychopathology of attachment. Five chapters address clinical theory and research. One chapter summarizes the current status of empirical research on violence and erotomania, which pertains to violent behavior toward self or others in the context of unrequited love. It notes that the unconscious psychodynamics of such violence usually involve a retaliatory response to narcissistic wounding and a wish to destroy the envied goodness in the victim. Another chapter in this section focuses on catathymic homicide. First introduced into the psychiatric literature by Maier (1912, 1923), "catathymia" is defined as a psychological process in which an intense affect-idea complex temporarily overwhelms internal equilibrium and disrupts secondary process thought. Catathymic homicide is the sudden, inexplicable murder of someone by an intimate, without apparent motive. Other chapters in this section address the psychopath as love object and the involvement of pathological attachment in assassinations. The second part of the book contains four chapters on clinical diagnosis and treatment of erotomanic and other nondelusional attachments as well as borderline and psychotic catathymia. Also discussed are the female victim of the psychopath and the Rorschach test of Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin who killed Robert Kennedy. Case studies are used in these chapters. The appendixes discuss erotomania, culture, and the insanity defense as well as the weapons history assessment method. 418 references and a subject index