Calling all true crime junkies! We know there are tons of podcasts out there for true crime lovers, as the genre has gained immense popularity over the recent years. While TV shows and podcasts have always been popular, today we’re uncovering some of the best true crime books, which cover a range of dark crimes and misdeeds.
Trigger Warning: Because of the nature of the true crime genre, there will be discussions of murder and violence. Please exercise personal care when reading.
Last Call by Elon Green
Last Call is the true historical account of the Last Call Killer, who terrorized the streets of New York City in the 80s or 90s, preying on young gay men during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Unlike most true crime narratives, Green focuses on the innocent victims of the serial killer instead of the perpetrator and the vibrant gay community to which the victims belonged while weaving a gripping procedural narrative in the decades-long hunt for the killer. Green breaks the silence on this tragedy that’s long been forgotten because of the victim’s sexuality, but they deserve to be remembered.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
Trigger Warning: The book discusses sexual assault and rape which may be triggering for some readers. Please exercise personal care when reading.
Michelle McNamara, a true crime journalist and founder of the popular website, TrueCrimeDiary.com, chronicles her obsessive search for the Golden State Killer, a sadistic murderer and serial rapist that terrorized Northern and Southern California. In her research, McNamara leaves no stone unturned; she interviews victims, studies police reports, and embeds herself in the online community that was as obsessed with catching the perpetrator as she was. Tragically, Michelle McNamara suddenly died while investigating the case, so I’ll Be Gone in the Dark was completed by her close colleague and head researcher. It offers us a glimpse into a dark moment in American history and one woman’s pursuit of the truth.
Never Saw Me Coming by Tanya Smith
Trigger Warning: This memoir discusses domestic violence, which may be triggering for some readers. Please exercise personal care when reading.
Never Saw Me Coming is a true crime memoir by Tanya Smith, who initially defrauded banks to help the poor and needy. By the time she was eighteen, she had taken $40 million from US banks. Eventually, she knew she was good enough to keep some of the money herself, but the FBI was hot on her tail. When they take her in for questioning, it’s clear they assume she was working for someone else. That a young Black woman like her wasn’t smart enough to dupe the FBI and the American banking system. Her crimes led her to federal prison, as Smith details the toll her sentence took on her family, how it strained her relationship with two of her three daughters, how she escaped twice, and how she eventually settled down in California.
A Gentleman and a Thief by Dean Jobb
Arthur Berry was a skilled con artist and one of the most successful burglars in history, who could charm anyone out of their jewels. A Gentleman and a Thief follows the notorious crimes and life and downfall of the Jazz Age thief who was known for charming and conning the famous and wealthy elite of America. Some of his targets included the Royal Family when they visited the States, a wealthy heiress, and Wall Street bigwigs, among others. In the end, he confessed to countless burglaries to protect his wife and staged a prison riot to escape after his wife fell seriously ill. Part love story and part true crime drama, this book is perfect for anyone looking for a thrilling read.
The Midnight Assassin by Skip Hollandsworth
This novelistic, true crime story follows America’s first serial killer in Austin, Texas, in 1885. For one year, this killer terrorized the city, using steel rods, knives, and axes to rip women apart regardless of race or class under the cover of darkness. The country couldn’t yet grasp the concept of a serial killer, but as the murders kept happening, the citizens’ panic kept growing. It’s no wonder that people started speculating that the Midnight Assassin had crossed over the pond when Jack the Ripper began terrorizing the streets of London.
A Passion for Poison by Carol Ann Lee
A Passion for Poison is a true account of Graham Young, a British serial poisoner who stood trial in 1962 and was found guilty of poisoning family members and classmates at fourteen years old. He was sent to the Broadmoor and released in 1970 under the assumption that he had been “cured” and was ready to be released back into society. But he quickly started poisoning again, targeting coworkers by spiking their drinks until he was arrested again and sentenced to four life sentences. Lee paints a full picture of Young’s life from his childhood, the loss of his mother, and later the shortcomings of Young’s supervision after the Broadmoor, leading to another string of poison murders.
A Murder in Hollywood by Casey Sherman
Trigger Warning: The book discusses domestic violence—both physical and emotional abuse— which may be triggering for some readers. Please exercise personal care when reading.
Set in the golden age of Hollywood, Sherman tells the true story of Lana Turner. She’s a Hollywood starlet who seems to have it all: a thriving film career, a beautiful daughter, Cheryl, and fame most could only dream of. Then she starts dating Johnny Stompanato, who’s a thug for Micky Cohn, the West Coast mob boss. Suddenly, her starlet life isn’t so pretty as Johnny becomes violent and unpredictable. He emotionally and physically abuses Lana, but Cheryl is tired of watching her mother’s life fall apart at the hands of her violent boyfriend. When Lana tries to break it off one night, she isn’t sure what happens. All she knows is that Stompanato is dead on her bedroom floor, and Cheryl claims he stabbed him to protect her mother. The following trial rivals any Hollywood drama, as Sherman peels back the dark underbelly of celebrity life for women.
The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson
Part memoir, history, and true crime, The Feather Thief follows Edwin Rist, who robbed the Tring museum, home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world, in 2009 and disappeared with hundreds of bird skins. For those like Rist who are obsessed with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying, those feathers on the stolen specimens are worth a lot of money. Two years later, Kirk Wallace Johnson hears about the heist and launches a years-long investigation to find out why and how such a crime occurred.
Not only are these great true-crime reads, but they are also outstanding general nonfiction and crime thrillers. Many of these books read like fiction narratives that keep you engaged while learning about something new.
Want more true crime? Check out our recommendations for great true crime podcasts here!
Itching for more thrillers? Click here for our Nail-Biting YA Thrillers, Mysteries, and Horror Reads shelf on Bookshop.
