25 True Crime Books That’ll Make You Want to Sleep with the Lights On

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True crime is having a renaissance right now, but the genre has been popular long before the Serial podcast made its debut. The best true crime books read like thrillers, with twists and turns to keep you hooked. But they also tell a story larger story, contextualizing the crime as if they were gripping works of historical fiction. While serial killers and grisly murders might immediately come to mind when discussing the true crime genre, there's more to this literary motif than that. The books are elegant explorations of the criminal justice system, and crimes' effects on individuals. Further, these books also make for excellent book club picks, each a springboard for questions. We guarantee your book club will be absorbed while talking about the central murder in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, or Lacy Johnson's painful experiences in her memoir, The Other Side. Whether it’s art forgery, white collar sins, or political traitors, this list captures the best nonfiction true crime books of all time.

Down City, by Leah Carroll

True crime books often focus on crimes—but this poignant memoir focuses on even more on aftermath, and how people are caught in their pangs long after the headlines have moved on. Leah Carroll was only 4 when her mom, a talented photographer, was murdered by her drug dealers, both figures in Providences crime underworld. After a childhood spent shuttling between homes, Carroll then endured her father's death when she was 18. Now an adult, Carroll looks into the circumstances surrounding her parents' beginnings, and their ends. She tells the story of her parents with honesty and grace, and without an ounce of self-pity.

The Other Side, by Lacy M. Johnson

Lacy M. Johnson is a gorgeous, powerful, eloquent writer. And with that style, she is able to voice an experience so harrowing it's almost hard to believe. Johnson was kidnapped by her abusive ex-boyfriend, and had to fight to escape from his grasp. The Other Side features personal narrative alongside the stuff of true crime: police reports and clinical details.

The Real Lolita, by Sarah Weinman

Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita is a cultural touchstone, repulsing readers with a story of child abduction and assault, yet keeping them turning the page anyway. Sarah Weinman's tour de force prompts a necessary reexamination of the Lolita phenomenon. In The Real Lolita, Weinman presents the convincing evidence that Lolita was inspired by a real case: the 1948 abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is true crime that reads like a novel. John Berendt showcases the many colorful characters adjacent to a murder that shook up Savannah in May 1981. The bestselling book about a male sex worker, shot and killed by an antiques dealer, was later turned into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.

Road to Jonestown, by Jeff Guinn

In the 1950s, an idealistic minister named Jim Jones amassed a following. And in 1978, that 900-strong following—now living on a compound in the jungles of Guyana—died after being forced to imbibe a cyanide-laced drink. The Road to Jonestown is the definitive account of how Jones's cult, the Peoples Temple, culminated in the massacre at Jonestown.

American Predator, by Maureen Callahan

One of the deadliest serial killers of the 21st century is someone you’ve probably never heard of. Journalist Maureen Callahan takes readers into the case of Israel Keyes, a diabolical man who broke all the rules and was only caught because of some serious missteps. It's as much a story of this terrifying murderer as it is the tale of how law enforcement bungled the case.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark, by Michelle McNamara

Michelle McNamara’s account of her search for the Golden State Killer has become a modern-day true crime classic. It’s all the more poignant because of its unfinished nature: McNamara died unexpectedly before she could complete the book. But after her death, the Golden State Killer was caught, thanks, in part, to McNamara’s tireless work on the case. Pair this one with the Audible Original Evil Has a Name for the complete story.

The Lazarus Files, by Matthew McGough

In 1986, a young woman named Sherri Rasmussen was murdered in the home she shared with her husband, John. The police initially suspected that it was a random occurrence, that Rasmussen had interrupted a burglar. But the truth was much more sinister: Years later, a test matched DNA from the crime scene to a female police officer, Stephanie Lazarus. This investigation takes a close look at the murder, the case, and how Lazarus’s status as a police officer protected her from becoming a suspect.

Black Edge, by Sheelah Kolhatkar

It’s easy to overlook financial crimes when you’re listing out true crime books, but Sheelah Kolhatkar’s Black Edge shouldn’t be missed. This work of investigative journalism takes the reader into the dangerous world of insider trading on Wall Street. It takes on Stephen A. Cohen, a brilliant hedge fund founder who was willing to break any rule in order to succeed, and the ensuing FBI investigation that delved into this man’s unchecked power and wealth.

The Fact of a Body, by Alex Marzano-Lesnevich

Some of the best true crime books are intensely personal, and that’s just what The Fact of a Body gives us. When Marzano-Lesnevich—who, since this memoir's publication, has come out as nonbinary—began working at a law firm in Louisiana, they were assigned a case defending Ricky Langley, a man accused of murder. But Marzanoa-Lesnevich experiences such a visceral reaction to the man that they must sift through his case and their own buried family history to understand what it was about his horrific crime that called to them on such an instinctual level.

Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann

In the 1920s, thanks to the oil on their land, the Osage Indian nation were the amongst the richest people per capita in the world. When the tribe members began dying under strange circumstances, the newly created FBI investigated the murders as one of their first large cases. In this incredible story, Grann takes the reader through history, looking at new evidence and tracing how the case would have gone differently if it was handled today. This book is definitely worth the read even if you have already seen the all-star film; even three and a half hours isn't long enough to capture all the twists and turns of this remarkable story.

The Feather Thief, by Kirk Wallace Johnson

When writer Kirk Wallace Johnson first learned about the bizarre robbery from the British Museum of Natural History’s ornithological collection, he was immediately intrigued. He knew that a 20-year-old American flautist, Edwin Rist, was responsible for the heist. But Johnson’s question was “Why?” What kind of strange obsession leads a person to steal bird skins that are over a century old? This magical account answers this and so much more.

Columbine, by Dave Cullen

This harrowing, yet eye-opening, document of the Columbine tragedy and its chaotic aftermath may seem out of place on a list of true crime books. However, this incredibly well-researched account of the school shooting that shocked an entire country deserves its place on this list. Cullen takes readers into Columbine High School, discussing the motives for the shooting and how everything we thought we know about this terrible piece of history could be wrong.

The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule

There have been countless stories about Ted Bundy, but this account is one of the most interesting—and gripping. Ann Rule—who launched a career as a well-loved true crime author after this 1980 book—was a young writer on the trail of a serial killer. She was sure she could figure out who was behind the killings. What she didn’t realize was that her coworker, the charming and personable Ted Bundy, was responsible for the brutal attacks.

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

As the journalist who broke the story of the rise and fall of tech startup Theranos, John Carreyrou is uniquely positioned to take the reader on the journey of the much-lauded company creating devices that, quite simply, didn’t work, and how CEO Elizabeth Holmes defrauded investors and the public with her secrets and lies.

The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson

The 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago was a spectacle, to say the least. Designed and overseen by Daniel Hudson Burnham, the White City was a masterpiece of skill and planning, but there was a darkness lurking within this shining beacon. Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor, used the fair as a hunting ground, preying on the people who came from near and far to witness the event.

Mindhunter, by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker

Mindhunter, which is now a Netflix series, isn’t a traditional true crime story. Instead, it takes readers inside the Investigative Support Unit of the FBI, where John Douglas is a legend. Over the course of his 25-year career, Douglas profiled countless criminals, helping their victims’ families find some sense of closure. This book explores the investigations he assisted in, from the Green River Killer to the Atlanta child murderer and beyond.

The Spy Who Couldn't Spell, by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee

Before there was Edward Snowden, there was Brian Regan, who was a gifted code breaker working for the U.S. government, but he also had a secret: He was stealing classified intelligence in order to sell it to the highest international bidder. This book dives into Regan’s actions, how he was eventually caught thanks to his dyslexia, and the difficulty the FBI faced in building a case against the criminal who would come to be called “the spy who couldn’t spell.”

Helter Skelter, by Vincent Bugliosi

Fascination with the story of the Manson Family murders has endured since 1969. Writer Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor on the case, sheds light on the possible motives behind the gruesome crimes committed against Sharon Tate and the other unlucky victims who happened to be at 10050 Cielo Drive that fateful night.

The Orchid Thief, by Susan Orlean

Susan Orlean introduced many an unsuspecting reader to the wild, wonderful, and seductive world of orchids in this modern classic. The Orchid Thief tells the story of John Laroche, who was obsessed with rare orchids. Through Laroche, who is larger than life, Orlean explores the orchid subculture and the people who are driven to criminal activity in order to possess these majestic, delicate flowers.

Truevine, by Beth Macy

In 1899, George and Willie Muse, two Black brothers living in the antebellum South, were kidnapped and forced to perform as part of a circus that toured Europe and the U.S. Back home, their mother never stopped fighting to get her boys back, despite the extraordinary inequality she faced as a Black woman. Macy not only examines the kidnapping itself but also tackles the larger questions surrounding it in this exploration of race relations in the U.S.

Dead in the Water, by Penny Farmer

In 1978, Penny Farmer’s brother was brutally murdered. His body was found, along with that of his girlfriend, hooded, bound, and weighed down with engine parts off the coast of Guatemala. Over the next four decades, his family worked tirelessly to bring the killer to justice. This account by Farmer is intimate but also the dispassionate, clear version you’d expect from a journalist.

Provenance, by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo

Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo share the story of one of the biggest art frauds in history. John Myatt was a single father struggling to make ends meet as a painter, doing reproductions of famous works. John Drewe, a supposed art collector, decided to pass Myatt’s canvases off as the real thing, and sold over 200 fakes to the world’s best museums and galleries, some of which still hang today.

Secrets of a Marine's Wife, by Shanna Hogan

This chilling book chronicles the life of Erin Corwin, a 19-year-old military wife who was expecting her first child. That is, until the day she disappeared. Her body was found two months later, and it was clear she had been murdered. Shanna Hogan pays tribute to this young victim by bringing her story to the page.

The Five, by Hallie Rubenhold

We know the names of so many serial killers, yet we often forget their victims. Hallie Rubenhold is trying to change that with this tale of the women undone by the infamous murderer. In The Five, Rubenhold paints a portrait of Victorian England and the ordinary lives of these women, who were not, despite popular belief, all sex workers.

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