True Crime

True crime is surging in popularity these days thanks in large part to an explosion of true crime podcasts and documentaries, and is known for dealing with such dark subjects as domestic violence, sex crimes, and serial murders. Other aspects of crime feature prominently too such as corporate malfeasance (Dopesick), fraud (Bad Blood, My Friend Anna) and cults (The Road to Jonestown).

Updated August 27, 2025
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Murderland : crime and bloodlust in the time of serial killers
—Fraser, Caroline
Paper Book
A National Bestseller * A Washington Post Notable Book * Named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, Forbes, NPR, Vulture, Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, Slate, LitHub, Kirkus Reviews, and The Nerve * A finalist...
The Tragedy of True Crime : Four Guilty Men and the Stories That Define Us
Lennon, John J.
Paper Book
A New York Times Notable Book of 2025 * An NPR Best Book of the Year * A Kirkus Best of 2025 In 2001, John J. Lennon killed a man on a Brooklyn Street. Now he's a journalist, working from behind bars, trying to make sense of it all. The Tragedy of True...
Submersed : wonder, murder, and the beguiling world of amateur submarines
Frank, Matthew Gavin
Paper Book
An exquisite, lyrical foray into the world of deep-sea divers, the obsession and madness that oceans inspire in us, and the story of submarine inventor Peter Madsen's murder of journalist Kim Wall--a captivating blend of literary prose, science writing, and true crime "[A]...
The Idaho four : an American tragedy
—Patterson, James, 1947- author.
Paper Book
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! "A vivid portrait...a sensitive tribute...a paean to youth, community, and the tenacity of local law enforcement." --New York Times  "A mesmerizing read and a great detective...
While Idaho slept : the hunt for answers in the murders of four college students
Appelman, J. Reuben
Paper Book
The author of the acclaimed true-crime memoir, The Kill Jar, tells the inside story of the "University of Idaho Murders," offering a memorable, thoughtful dive into our societal fascination with true crime, the media's seeming blood-frenzy, and the future of homicide investigations, while...
Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter : The True Story of a Small-Town Accountant, an Elite Group of Detectives, and Arizona's Most Terrifying Cold Case.
—Hillman, Troy A.
Paper Book
The stranger-than-fiction story of the terrifying "Zombie Hunter" whose brutal crimes nearly went unsolved until an unconventional detective and his team solved the mystery of a real-life monster hiding in plain sight. Bryan Miller aka The Zombie Hunter, was a cavalier character...
The House of My Mother : A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
Franke, Shari.
Paper Book
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Heart-wrenchingly personal...dizzying." --Rolling Stone From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog--now the subject of a new Hulu...
The stranger beside me
Rule, Ann
Paper Book
A new edition of the iconic, best-selling account of America's most fascinating serial killer, "perhaps the most unnerving true-crime book ever published" (Victoria Beale, The New Yorker). In 1971, while working the late-shift at a Seattle crisis clinic, true-crime writer Ann...
Helter skelter : the true story of the Manson murders
—Bugliosi, Vincent
Paper Book
A national bestseller--over 7 million copies sold. "[A] social document of rare importance."--The New Republic. Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial, Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the twentieth...
The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America
—Larson, Erik.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death. A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century Two...
Tangled vines : power, privilege, and the Murdaugh family murders
—Glatt, John
Paper Book
2024 EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST FACT CRIME NOVEL In Tangled Vines, bestselling true crime author John Glatt reconstructs the rise of the prestigious Murdaugh family and the shocking double murder that led to the downfall of its patriarch, Alex Murdaugh. <...
Say nothing : a true story of murder and memory in Northern Ireland
—Keefe, Patrick Radden, 1976- author.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NOW AN FX LIMITED SERIES STREAMING ON HULU * NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER * From the author of Empire of Pain--a stunning, intricate narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions. One...
The art thief : a true story of love, crime, and a dangerous obsession
Finkel, Michael
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * One of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of the twenty-first century * "The Art Thief, like its title character, has confidence, élan, and a great sense of timing."--The New Yorker A...
The Witch of New York : The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice
Hortis, Alex.
Paper Book
Before the sensational cases of Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony--before even Lizzie Borden--there was Polly Bodine, the first American woman put on trial for capital murder in our nation's debut media circus. On Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten...
The five : the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper
—Rubenhold, Hallie
Paper Book
Winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction Five devastating human stories and a dark and moving portrait of Victorian London--the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine...
Dopesick : dealers, doctors, and the drug company that addicted America
Macy, Beth
Paper Book
A Hulu limited series inspired by the New York Times bestselling book by Beth Macy.  Journalist Beth Macy's definitive account of America's opioid epidemic "masterfully interlaces stories of communities in crisis with dark histories of corporate...
Hearts of darkness : serial killers, the behavioral science unit, and my life as a woman in the FBI
—Monroe, Jana
Paper Book
For fans of Mindhunter, Criminal Minds, and My Favorite Murder, a riveting memoir of a trailblazing woman's life hunting down serial killers as one of the first female profilers of the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit and the real-life model for Clarice Starling in The Silence...

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