Non-fiction lovers know that the truth isn't just stranger than fiction -- it can be a whole lot scarier, as well.
If you'd like to peer into the dark heart of true crime, you can't do better than this list of the 50 best true crime novels ever written. Serial killers, famous murder cases, bizarre nightmares of human cruelty, mobsters, gangsters, police procedurals, and courtroom dramas -- find the best of the bunch here.
A Word to the Wise: Some of these titles include a decent amount of explicit violence and sexuality, as well as just being plain freaky. They are, perhaps, not the best choice of reading matter for the Young and Impressionable or those who are afraid of Things That Go Bump in the Night. Proceed with caution, a dose of common sense, and triple Yale locks on all doors.
50 best true crime books
1. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences - Truman Capote
The granddaddy of the modern true crime genre, In Cold Blood's detailed account of the murder of the Clutter family in 1959 rural Kansas is as good today as it was in 1965. Not only is it an admirable true crime book, it is non-fiction writing at its best. I included it in my list of 20 best non-fiction books for people who think they hate to read non-fiction.
2. The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez - Philip Carlo
The satanic motivations of the rapist and murderer the "Night Stalker" are discussed in chilling detail in this book.
3. Confessions of Son of Sam - David Abrahamsen
Classic scare-yourself-silly reading.
4. A Rip in Heaven: A Memoir of Murder and Its Aftermath - Jeanine Cummins
Highly emotional account of the 1991 rape and murder of Robin and Julie Kerry and the attempted murder of their cousin, Tom Cummins who, for some time after the crime, remained wrongfully targeted as the prime suspect by the police.
5. Murder in the Family - Burl Barer
Details the 1987 Anchorage, Alaska murders of a mother, Nancy Newman, and her two daughters by the 23-year old nephew of Nancy's husband.
6. The Mammoth Book of Women Who Kill - Richard Glyn Jones
Sounds hokey, I know, but it's the sort of book you pick up and find yourself reading for hours on end. Covers every murderess of note in detail from ancient Rome to the 1930s. If you can't get enough, don't fret: you've still got The Mammoth Book of Illustrated Crime; The Mammoth Book of Unsolved Crimes; and The Mammoth Book of True Crime.
7. The Executioner's Song - Norman Mailer
A gutsy hybrid of fiction and non-fiction, this book relates the crimes and execution of Gary Gilmore.
8. Shot in the Heart - Mikhail Gilmore
Tells the Gary Gilmore story from the perspective of Gilmore's brother, who relates the abusive background that contributed to the murders Gary committed.
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9. Perfect Victim: The True Story of 'The Girl in the Box' by the D.A. that Prosecuted her Captor - Christine McGuire and Carla Norton
One of those totally-normal-looking-couple-keeping-a-sex-slave-imprisoned-in-the-basement tales. Yikes.
10. Cries in the Desert - John Glatt
Lots and lots of horror and torture in New Mexico.
11. Dead and Buried: A Shocking Account of Rape, Torture, and Murder on the California Coast - Corey Mitchell
Like the two books above, this isn't for the faint of heart. The title says it all.
12. My Life among the Serial Killers: Inside the Minds of the World's Most Notorious Murderers - Helen Morrison and Harold Goldberg
Helen Morrison was a forensic psychologist who interviewed some of the most infamous serial killers of the past several decades. A lot of the details here are not for the squeamish.
13. I: The Creation of a Serial Killer - Jack Olsen
Highly detailed story of the rapist and murderer Keith Hunter Jesperson. Be warned: some of the story is told from Jesperson's point of view and can be more than a little disturbing.
14. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
Explores Ann Rule's friendship with Ted Bundy while working with him at a crisis hotline service, her shock at learning of his murderous tendencies, and her search to understand what makes killers like Bundy tick.
15. Deranged: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Fiendish Killer - Harold Schechter
And you thought Silence of the Lambs was scary. This tale of Albert Fish, allegedly the real-life inspiration for Hannibal Lecter, makes Silence of the Lambs look like Little Bo Peep.
16. Lethal Intent - Sue Russell
Tells the story of female serial killer Aileen Wuornos, the subject of the film "Monster."
17. Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders - Terry Sullivan
Terry Sullivan divides Killer Clown into three parts: the search for the missing 15 year-old Rob Piest; the focusing of the investigation on Gacy and the discovery of bodies buried on his property; and Gacy's trial. Lurid details abound -- Gacy was a truly sadistic, horrific individual.
18. The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: An American Nightmare - Donald A. Davis
Not high literature, but hard to put down, nonetheless.
19. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho - Harold Schechter
Like Mr. Schechter's Deranged, Deviant contains details that a casual crime reader might find too much to handle.
20. Fatal Vision - Joe McGinniss
Relates the story and trial of Jeffrey MacDonald, accused of murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters. One of the unusual aspects of this book is that the author actually lived with MacDonald in the months leading up to the murder trial.
21. Angels of Death: A True Story of Murder and Innocence Lost - Gary C. King
Disturbing story of 12 year-old Alex King and his 13 year-old brother, Derek, accused of murdering their father.
22. Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, a Mother's Sacrifice - Ann Rule
Detailed account of the 1995 house fire in which two of Debora Green's three children died. The book includes details of Green's later trial, where she was accused of arson, leaving her children to die, and attempting to poison her husband prior to the fire.
23. Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone - John Kobler
A biography of the Chicago mob boss that includes some graphic details of the crimes he supervised.
24. Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia - Peter Maas
A suspenseful, inside look at the Mafia, based on Mr. Maas's interviews with Gravano.
25. Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax - Gregory Ahlgren and Stephen Monier
A detailed account of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby son and the trial that followed.
Ready for more, blood-thirsty book fiends? Slink on over here to see #26 - 50 of the best true crime books of all time. And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Book Examiner for ridiculously opinionated bookish news delivered straight to your lit-loving inbox.
Comments
Nice article, Michelle. Nice and creepy. Looks like I've got some catch up reading to do. I may start with the one I've wanted to read forever: In Cold Blood. Especially after recently watching the brilliant movie version, as well as the films Capote and Infamous -- all highly recommended.
I thought Gary C. King's "Bloodlust" and "An Early Grave" were very cool true crime books.
Can anyone help me find a book? A lady I worked with told bits and pieces of a true story of her family. We live in Ohio, and she said she moved "away and started a new life" after this happened, so assuming another state. She was contacted by a male author this spring, and was very distraught by a book written about her family, but was told it was a matter of public record and she couldn't do anything about it. The book was supposed to be released on Aug 15, 09. What I know is that her mother died in a house fire, believed to be set by her sister. There was also something with a young girl, when asked who would profit from the book,she replied "The little girl's family, and I know they DO deserve it" She was sent a chap. 4,5 or 6, I can't remember to "proofread" but this was the chptr describing her Mother's death. I am heartbroken for her but wondering what the whole story is? Please email me telam002@cinci.rr.com if you know of a book this may be. Thanks
Tommy Thompson's Serpentine should be on any list of best true crime books.
what about carr 5yrs of rape and murder? Edna Buchanans only true crime story.
Im looking for a book about a woman in the south, mississippi or Alabama I beleive who poisioned some members of her family then disappeaeed and turned up in some new england state trying to do the same thing. A t.v. movie was made of it staring Kristy Mcnichols .
Okay -- but you can't leave off "Devil in the White City", "The Corner", "Education of a Felon", "Manhunt", "American Brutus", "Gangs of New York", "Lowlife"...in fact, there are a whole lot of top-tier titles left off this list, and at least a dozen that are very surprising to find on a "best of" book. Even "Helter Skelter", which is certainly one of the most well-known true crime books, was extremely poorly written. Bugliosi makes the story basically unintelligible with a poorly organized book that cuts back and repeats things and jumps from scene to scene with no regard for transition. That and "Zodiak" are (unfortunately) two of the dryest, least exciting true-crime books I've ever read -- even thought they had interesting subject-matter to work with.
How could you not include the granddaddy of them all.. Helter Skelter.
Best True crime book I've read (which may be the one John is looking for was "BitterBlood" by Jerry Bledsoe.....Kentucky, North Carolina.....family killings by a woman - edge of your seat stuff.
I love to read nothing but true crime. The book Cries In The Desert. That book was hard core very graphic and it was hard to put down once you statred to read it.
how about undying love by ben harrison? truely creepy!
I only ever read true crime, I have over 800 books now and one of the best ever has to be Green River running Red by Anne Rule, she really is the mother of non fiction crime, I have every book she has written and this is definetely No. 1. I agree with Stephanie, Cries in the Desert was brilliant too, hard to stomach sometimes but couldn't put it down!!
Mortal Remains by Henry Scammell is also very good. Cult murders in New England.
who was the girl killed by her father with hotsauce and made to walk around a table. her mother testified against the father saying he gave the child hotsauce when she asked for water this happened in the mid to late 70's or early 80's the child was about 18 mo. old
"Zebra" by Clark Howard is a real page turner A group of black men murdering whites in San Francisco to gain favor with Allah. They made up a point system where killing white women and children gets more points than killing grown men. They sure as hell killed a lot more people than Zodiac or the Manson family.
what is the name of the man who gave his daughter hotsauce and made her walk around a table til she died . her mother testified in court the fater gave the child hotsauce when she asked for water. the incident took place in the 70s and the judge sentenced the dad to ninety nine years and one dark day in prison
Murder Machine, Night Stalker, The Ice Man, Boss of Bosses, Contract Killer,
For the Sins Of My Father, The Innocent Man, Dreams Of Ada, Cold Storage
a good book to read that i cannot remember the title to is about a Cult in Rulo,Nebraska....sick & twisted but i couldn't put it down and read it in one day!
can't wait to read some of the above suggestions!
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