Interest in cults, sects and radical religions has grown exponentially over the course of the last few decades, although they have always been with us in one form or another. Rarely a week passes without some reference in the media to cult-related activity, though behind the attention-grabbing headlines, the wider picture of such incidents is rarely analysed.

In 'Cults: Secret Sects and Radical Religions', Robert Schroeder seeks to uncover the truth about these mysterious and powerful organizations, and the charismatic, sometimes mesmeric figures who front them. Tracing the existence of sects back to the very beginning of humanity, he provides a historical and cultural context, along with a compelling insight into the workings of such groups, past and present.