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
S
Saskatchewan Information & Library Services Consortium Regina Public Library
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Murderland : crime and bloodlust in the time of serial killers
—Fraser, Caroline
Paper Book
A National Bestseller "Scorching, seductive . . . A superb and disturbing vivisection of our darkest urges." --Los Angeles Times "This is about as highbrow as true crime gets." --Vulture "Fraser has outdone herself, and just about everyone else...
Submersed: Wonder, Obsession, and Murder in the World of Amateur Submarines
Matthew Gavin Frank
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
J. Reuben Appelman
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...
The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
Shari Franke
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), with a foreword by Georgia Hardstark.  In 1971, while working the late-shift at a...
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...
Helltown : the untold story of a serial killer on Cape Cod
—Sherman, Casey, 1969- author.
Paper Book
**Soon to be an Amazon limited series directed by Academy Award winner Ed Berger from Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey** Before Charles Manson, there was Tony Costa--the serial killer of Cape Cod 1969: The hippie scene is vibrant in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Long-haired teenagers...
I know who you are : how an amateur DNA sleuth unmasked the Golden State Killer and changed crime fighting forever
—Rae-Venter, Barbara
Paper Book
EDGAR AWARD FINALIST ."A true-crime masterpiece written by a cold-case-cracking master."-John Douglas, New York Times bestselling co-author of Mindhunter "Barbara Rae-Venter isn't just the genealogy expert who helped capture the Golden State Killer-she's an...
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...
Tremors in the blood : murder, obsession, and the birth of the lie detector
—Katwala, Amit
Paper Book
BEWARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE: This "rollicking true crime" story reveals the surprising origins of the lie detector through shocking murders and dramatic trials (WIRED). "Everything a reader wants in a true crime book--murder, mystery, gunfights, courtroom theatrics and...
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...
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Michelle McNamara
Paper Book
THE BASIS FOR THE MAJOR 6-PART HBO® DOCUMENTARY SERIES #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Washington Post | Maureen Corrigan, NPR | Paste | Seattle Times | Entertainment Weekly | Esquire | Slate | Buzzfeed | Jezebel | Philadelphia Inquirer | Publishers Weekly |...
Starkweather : the untold story of the killing spree that changed America
MacLean, Harry N.
Paper Book
THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF CHARLES STARKWEATHER, often considered to be the first mass killer in the modern age of America "Starkweather is a story about a different time in a different America . . . [A] grim story, and that grimness is the paradoxical joy of reading MacLean--the...
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 greed...
Behold the monster : confronting America's most prolific serial killer
—Lauren, Jillian
Paper Book
Jillian Lauren had no idea what she was getting into when she wrote her first letter to prolific serial killer Samuel Little. All she knew was her research had led her to believe he was good for far more murders than the three for which he had been convicted. While the two exchanged dozens of...
A murder in Hollywood : the untold story of Tinseltown's most shocking crime
—Sherman, Casey, 1969- author.
Paper Book
The dark story behind the bright lights of Tinseltown From the outside, Hollywood starlet Lana Turner seemed to have it all-a thriving film career, a beautiful daughter, and the kind of fame and fortune that most people could only dream of. But when the famous femme fatale began dating...
A taste for poison : eleven deadly molecules and the killers who used them
—Bradbury, Neil
Paper Book
"A fascinating tale of poisons and poisonous deeds which both educates and entertains." --Kathy Reichs A brilliant blend of science and crime, A TASTE FOR POISON reveals how eleven notorious poisons affect the body--through the murders in which they were used.
The case of the murderous Dr. Cream : the hunt for a Victorian era serial killer
—Jobb, Dean, 1958- author.
Paper Book
A true crime page-turner about a Victorian doctor, a serial killer ahead of his time, using poison for an international murder spree that kept ahead of the burgeoning field of forensics. "A tour de force of storytelling." --Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author...
The perfect father : the true story of Chris Watts, his all-American family, and a shocking murder
—Glatt, John
Paper Book
In The Perfect Father, New York Times bestselling author John Glatt reveals the tragedy of the Watts family, whose seemingly perfect lives played out on social media--but the truth would lead to a vicious and heartbreaking murder. In the early morning...
Blood in the water : a true story of revenge in the Maritimes
—Cameron, Silver Donald, 1937-2020
Paper Book
"Fascinating! [A] must-read for all concerned about how humans manage to live together. Or not." --Margaret Atwood "Superb... an instant true crime classic." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) A masterfully told true story, perfect...
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...
Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks
Patrick Radden Keefe
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the award-winning author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing--and one of the most decorated journalists of our time--twelve enthralling true stories of skulduggery and intrigue "An excellent collection of Keefe's detective...
A thread of violence : a story of truth, invention, and murder
—O'Connell, Mark, 1979- author.
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES AND ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * From the award-winning author comes the gripping tale of one of the most scandalous murderers in modern Irish history, at once a propulsive work of true crime and an act of literary subversion. "A...

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