Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence, emotional abuse, sexual violence, rape, and child abuse.

Career of Evil’s depiction of investigations into crime explicitly focuses on men’s violence against women. The narrative is steeped in gendered brutality, exploring the many ways women are harmed by men both physically and psychologically. As well as exploring the psychology of predatory men and the lasting trauma inflicted on women, the author exposes the existence of sexism in all sectors of society.

The novel begins with a shocking episode of violence when a woman’s severed leg is sent to Robin. The dismembered limb vividly speaks of the suffering inflicted on its unknown owner. This grotesque act also serves as a direct psychological assault on Robin, aiming to instill fear and assert dominance. For Robin, the symbolic message evokes fear, rage, and a confrontation with her past trauma as a rape survivor. As the case unfolds, Robin suffers not only physical danger from the killer who stalks her but also increasing emotional strain, which manifests in nightmares. As a woman who has survived sexual assault, Robin feels an intimate personal connection to the case that makes her feel isolated in her empathy: “A woman had died in what were likely to have been terrible, brutal circumstances, and nobody seemed to care as much as Robin did” (101).

All three primary suspects have histories of misogyny and abuse. Galbraith’s depiction of Donald Laing and Jeff Whittaker exposes how men can disguise their hatred of women beneath a veneer of charm. Meanwhile, Noel Brockbank’s threats to the girls he abuses illustrate the tactic of control through intimidation and fear. The killer’s internal monologues provide a chilling first-person insight into an individual who views women with a combination of contempt, entitlement, and rage. Laing (the murderer) perceives murder as the ultimate form of control over women: “They were entirely yours then, unable to argue or struggle or leave, yours to do with whatever you liked” (2). Although they aren’t serial killers, Brockbank and Whittaker also leave a trail of abused female victims in their wake. Robin’s determination to warn Brockbank’s girlfriend, Alyssa, of the danger he poses to her daughters illustrates Robin’s frustrated desire to help all the victims of male violence. Acknowledging that it is too late to save the murdered women, she focuses on “two young girls who faced God knows how much suffering if nobody acted” (516).

Drawing attention to a range of misogynistic behavior, Galbraith highlights that the abuse of women is not limited to domestic violence, sexual assault, and murder. While Robin is stalked by the killer, she also experiences more mundane sexual threats every day: She is targeted by workmen’s lewd comments and strange men interpret her solitude as a sexually provocative invitation. Meanwhile, Robin’s memories of her experiences in court after being raped highlight how female victims are often blamed or disbelieved.

Matthew’s character also contributes to this theme. By diminishing Robin’s professional achievements, he illustrates an impulse to belittle her to soothe his insecurities. Furthermore, monitoring his fiancée’s emails and phone calls demonstrates his desire to control Robin. Although more subtle than the actions of the suspects, Matthew’s behaviors expose the insidious nature of misogyny, highlighting how it manifests in daily life as well as in the darkest crimes. The author ultimately critiques society’s failure to protect women from all forms of abuse.