What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAmerican Psycho
Film · 2000
If you loved American Psycho, start with African Psycho (Alain Mabanckou, 2007) — a book on the same thread. Below: 1 book, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to American Psycho across media.
What hooked you in American Psycho was the unsettling way a carefully curated public facade masks a hollow, predatory internal reality.
Books on the same thread
African Psycho
Alain Mabanckou · Book · 2007
Explores: Serial Killers, Mental Instability, Social Commentary.
Like American Psycho, this razor-sharp satire uses a protagonist's descent into violent madness to dismantle the social structures and identity crises found within a specific, rigid cultural environment.
Series on the same thread
Dexter
James Manos Jr. · Series · 2006
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Double Life, Justice vs. Revenge.
If the dual life of the executive in American Psycho fascinated you, this series offers a similar exploration of a man hiding a dark, murderous secret behind professional normalcy.
Monster
Series · 2004
Explores: Moral Dilemma, Existentialism, Nature vs. Nurture.
This psychological thriller mirrors the existential dread of American Psycho by centering on a protagonist whose life is irrevocably shattered by the presence of a truly remorseless, enigmatic psychopath.
The Sopranos
David Chase · Series · 1999
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Existential Crisis, Family Dynamics.
Fans of the toxic masculinity and moral ambiguity in American Psycho will recognize the same existential crisis and professional pressures in Tony Soprano's struggle to maintain his criminal empire.
Mad Men
Matthew Weiner · Series · 2007
Shares 2 threads with American Psycho: Corporate Culture, Identity Crisis.
While less violent than American Psycho, this drama perfectly captures the same hollow corporate culture and identity crisis experienced by those navigating the ruthless, high-stakes world of New York business.
Podcasts on the same thread
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
The dark, observational humor found in American Psycho is reflected in these narrative stories, which peel back the surface of human behavior to reveal the unsettling realities underneath.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Existentialism, Individual Responsibility, Cultural Critique.
If the philosophical underpinnings of American Psycho left you wanting to explore the nature of individual responsibility and cultural decay, these lectures provide a deep dive into those exact themes.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is American Psycho about a serial killer?
American Psycho follows a wealthy New York investment banking executive who hides an alternate psychopathic ego from his peers. As the narrative progresses, he descends into increasingly illogical and gratuitous fantasies while maintaining his facade within the high-stakes world of finance.
What is the premise of American Psycho?
American Psycho centers on a successful investment banker in New York City. The story tracks his struggle to conceal his dark, psychopathic nature from friends and co-workers as he engages in escalating acts of violence and disturbing fantasies that define his hidden life.
Does American Psycho focus on the main character's professional life?
Yes, American Psycho focuses on a protagonist who works as an investment banking executive. The film explores the contrast between his professional environment in New York and the secret, violent fantasies he pursues away from his colleagues and social circle.
Is American Psycho set in New York?
Yes, American Psycho is set in New York. The narrative depicts the life of an investment banking executive navigating his career and social obligations while secretly indulging in an alternate psychopathic ego that leads him into a series of illogical and gratuitous fantasies.