Summary
- True crime books have the power to captivate readers with their exploration of the dark side of humanity and the impact of crimes on victims and their families.
- With the rise of TV, movies, and streaming services, true crime books have gained popularity and are now seen as more than just factual reporting, often providing emotional depth and storytelling.
- From infamous serial killers to cults and unsolved cases, the best true crime books offer a diverse range of narratives that blend journalism, history, and personal memoir to shed light on some of the most compelling criminal stories.
The best true crime books have the ability to scintillate and fascinate the reader, and they often speak to the dark heart of humankind that has always enthralled the general public. Humanity's obsession with true crime is nothing new, and salacious media has covered the grisly exploits of society for ages, with the popularity of the genre coming and going in waves. The rise of TV and movies has helped to make true crime popular again, and streaming services are practically clogged with miniseries, movies, and documentaries that tackle many of the toughest cases found in best-selling true crime books.
Even as true crime journalism has improved, so too has the approach to storytelling in film and TV, with a more serious tack being taken that eschews earlier, less respectful approaches. Much in the same way that the best true crime shows have helped crack cases, true crime books are no longer relegated to simply reporting the facts, and some have even had a real impact. While many excellent true crime stories have been published, a truly memorable non-fiction book not only tells the story with academic rigor, but also explores the emotional heart behind the terrible crimes, and the real-life effect they have on the victims and their families.
26 Bad Blood: Secrets And Lies In A Silicon Valley Startup (2018)
Much in the same way there are great true crime documentaries not about murder, John Carreyrou's fascinating true crime book Bad Blood is a story where no one loses their lives. The book recounts the rise and fall of the Silicon Valley startup Theranos, and its enigmatic leader Elizabeth Holmes who defrauded investors and presented medical tech that didn't actually work. Engaging and journalistic, Bad Blood is snappy and imminently readable because it captures Holmes better than many other s. Though the book itself didn't serve as inspiration, the series The Dropout told Holmes' story.
25 Last Call: A True Story Of Love, Lust, And Murder In Queer New York (2021)
Elon Green's Last Call recounts the harrowing days in the 1990s when a serial killer preyed on gay men, with very little help coming from law enforcement. Unlike older true crime books, Green's writing does nothing to glorify the killer and puts the emphasis on the victims. In 2023, a four-part documentary series was released on HBO which expanded upon Green's book and told the victims' stories in more depth.
24 Midnight In Mexico: A Reporter's Journey Through A Country's Descent into Darkness (2013)
While many of the best true crime books focus on only one case, Alfredo Corchado's Midnight in Mexico explores the collapse of a nation. The celebrated journalist goes on a journey through Mexico to investigate the governmental corruption and vicious power struggle that has resulted in thousands of deaths and disappearances. So much more than just one thing, Midnight in Mexico is part organized crime story, part true crime epic, and part journalistic exploration of the human toll of Mexico's drug war.
23 Devil's Knot: The True Story Of The West Memphis Three (2002)
Mara Leveritt approached the highly controversial West Memphis Three case with a sympathetic heart and told the story of three teenage boys who were railroaded into prison for a series of murders that they didn't commit. Because the documentary series Paradise Lost encapsulated the case years earlier, Leveritt's book also tells the true story of the satanic panic of the '80s and '90s that led to the arrests. A 2013 feature film of the same name was produced and starred Reese Witherspoon.
22 Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery (2013)
Unsolved cases are often some of the most compelling, and Robert Kolker's Lost Girls put a human face on the unsolved murder of several women who performed sex work on Long Island. Atmospheric and heartfelt, Kolker's journalistic background makes his succinct writing powerful and brief. The book was adapted into an eponymous 2020 film starring Amy Ryan.
21 The Red Parts: A Memoir (2007)
The Red Parts is unique among true crime books because it is part memoir, and part exploration of the dehumanizing effect of the trial system. While writing a book about her aunt's murder, author Maggie Nelson explores the facts to put forward the case that her aunt wasn't actually killed by the notorious serial killer who took the rap for the crime. Unflinching and heartbreaking, the book posits that justice is a fickle thing, and even a solved case could still hold secrets.
20 People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story Of A Young Woman Who Vanished From The Streets Of Tokyo--And The Evil That Swallowed Her Up (2010)
Despite its cumbersome title, Richard Lloyd Parry's The People Who Eat Darkness is a fast-paced read that tells the story of the murder of Lucy Blackman, a British student visiting Japan. Parry's personal experience in Japan makes the book factual but never xenophobic, and it offers a terrifying glimpse into the underworld of the "safest city in the world" as it really is. With plenty of American true crime stories explored in the best true crime books, the distinctly international true crime tale is a diverse alternative.
19 The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder And The Birth Of Forensic Medicine In Jazz Age New York (2010)
The process of investigation is often the most fascinating part of any true crime book, and Deborah Blum's The Poisoner's Handbook tells the story of the origins of modern forensic techniques. Without skimping on the true crime elements, the book balances its historical narrative with compelling cases to offer a hybrid true crime/historical experience. PBS produced an eponymous documentary based on the book which debuted on TV in 2014.
18 The Grim Sleeper: The Lost Women Of South Central (2017)
After exposing the lesser-known serial killer case in 2008, Christine Pelisek published The Grim Sleeper, an enthralling true crime book that recounts the story of murderer Lonnie Franklin and his black female victims who were treated as the less-dead by Los Angeles police. Besides its true crime narrative, the book is also an exploration of the criminal justice system, and how certain victims are not taken seriously by the law enforcement that are paid to protect them.
17 The Journalist And The Murderer (1989)
The popularity of true crime podcasts, documentaries, books, and movies have always sparked debate about the ethics of sensationalizing crime, and Janet Malcolm's The Journalist and the Murderer put the onus on journalists. The book explores the role of journalism in true crime cases, and how the approach to telling the stories can be harmful to both the victims and the truth itself.