Character studies are common in literary fictional genres, and they also have a role in non-fiction. While it is true that the characters are “real” people, it is also true that they are being presented to advance a narrative. They’re present for a reason, so the author needs to make them as round (multifaceted the way people are) as possible. The people need to be described, they need dialog, they need to be presented from a point of view, etc.

It is clear by page 95 that Cullen is a serial killer and is using his position as a nurse to identify victims. However, it is also clear that there are other signs that he exploits and victimizes.

Rather than using the Department of Justice definitions for victim, I want to use the definition provided by the Oxford Dictionary of English:

“noun a person harmed , injured , or killed as a result of a crime , accident , or other event oraction [emphasis added] : victims of domestic violence | earthquake victims .

• a person who is tricked or duped: the victim of a hoax .

• a person who has come to feel helpless and passive in the face of misfortune or ill-treatment: I saw myself as a victim | [as modifier] a victim mentality .

• a living creature killed as a religious sacrifice: sacrificial victims for the ritual festivals .