Nonfiction Mysteries

Check out this list of historical real-life mysteries!

Updated September 5, 2024
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Chariots of the gods : unsolved mysteries of the past
D©Þniken, Erich von
Paper Book
AS SEEN ON ANCIENT ALIENS * Now in a beautiful 50th anniversary edition with a new foreword and afterword by the author, this is the groundbreaking classic that introduced the theory that ancient Earth established contact with aliens. Immediately recognized as a work of...
The darkest places : unsolved mysteries, true crimes, and harrowing disasters in the wild
Paper Book
In the wilderness, something can go horribly awry at any moment. And sometimes the truth really is stranger than fiction. In The Darkest Places, the editors of Outside chronicle mysterious disappearances, unsolved murders, and deadly disasters. The collection takes us to far-flung places no sane...
The Forest City killer : a serial murderer, a cold-case sleuth, and a search for justice
Brown, Vanessa
Paper Book
Combing through the files the late Detective Alsop - assigned to the Forest City Killer case - left behind, researcher Vanessa Brown reopens the investigation, revealing previously unpublished witness statements, details of evidence, and astonishing revelations about how this serial killer got away....
The forever witness : how DNA and genealogy solved a cold case double murder
Humes, Edward
Paper Book
When Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were murdered during a trip to Seattle in the 1980s, detectives had few leads. They assumed Tanya and Jay were victims of a serial killer - but without any leads, the case seemed doomed. In deep-freeze, long-term storage, biological evidence from the crime sat...
The golden thread : the Cold War and the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjöld
Somaiya, Ravi
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE ALCS "GOLD DAGGER" AWARD FOR NON-FICTION CRIME WRITING Uncover the story behind the death of renowned diplomat and UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld in this true story of spies and intrigue surrounding one of the most enduring unsolved...
Lay them to rest : on the road with the cold case investigators who identify the nameless
Norton, Laurah
Paper Book
Take a fascinating deep dive into the dark world of forensic science as experts team up to solve the identity of an unknown woman by exploring the rapidly evolving techniques being used to break the most notorious cold cases. Fans of true crime shows like CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds,<...
The less people know about us : a mystery of betrayal, family secrets, and stolen identity
Betz-Hamilton, Axton
Paper Book
AN EDGAR AWARDS 2020 WINNER AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER In this powerful true crime memoir, an award-winning identity theft expert tells the shocking story of the duplicity and betrayal that inspired her career and nearly destroyed her family. ...
Loch Ness monsters and raining frogs : the world's most puzzling mysteries solved
Jack, Albert.
Paper Book
FOOLED BY FABLES? LED ON BY LEGENDS? MYTH-GUIDED? WONDER NO MORE, MYSTERY-PHILES: THE TRUTH IS IN HERE! What in the world (or out of it) made those giant crop circles? Did skydiving skyjacker D. B. Cooper really get away with it? Is Bigfoot a big fake? Are ETs just BS? If you&...
The princes in the tower : solving history's greatest cold case
Langley, Philippa
Paper Book
In 1483, Edward V (age twelve) and his brother Richard, Duke of York (age nine), disappeared from the Tower of London. History has judged they were murdered on the orders of Richard III. This new book reveals the truth behind the greatest unsolved mystery in English history. ...
Talking pictures : images and messages rescued from the past
Riggs, Ransom.
Paper Book
"I'm absolutely fascinated by Ransom Riggs's [series] Talking Pictures--themed collections of found photographs that happen to have writing on them. Usually, there's just enough written to make each image more powerful, and leave you wanting more." --Boingboing.com
Trailed One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders
Miles, Kathryn.
Ebook
The FBI just announced it has identified a suspect in the long-unsolved Shenandoah Murders. Read the full story behind this tragic crime against two free-spirited young women in the wilderness, a case that has haunted all who knew their story. 2023 CrimeCon...
Unmasked : my life solving America's cold cases
Holes, Paul
Paper Book
**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** "It's a mark of the highest honor when I say it's even more riveting than an episode of 'Dateline'."--The New York Times From Paul Holes, the detective who found the Golden State Killer,...
Who killed these girls? : cold case : the yogurt shop murders
Lowry, Beverly
Paper Book
From the author of Crossed Over, another masterful account of a horrible crime: the murder of four girls, countless other ruined lives, and the evolving complications of the justice system that frustrated the massive attempts--for twenty-five years now--to find and punish those who...

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