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50 Essential True Crime Books

We're compelled by our desire to understand how the criminal mind works, and can't help but wonder what we'd do in a similar situation. It's what makes true crime books one of the most popular non-fiction genres, and it certainly explains why we binge watch true crime documentaries like Making a Murderer and obsessively listen to true crime podcasts like My Favorite Murder and Serial. There's no shortage of fascinating true crime books out there - this list of the 50 best true crime books only scratches the surface. How many have you read? Which true crime books did we miss?
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1
In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote
2
Mind Hunter (John Douglas and Mark Olshaker)
Mind Hunter
John Douglas and Mark Olshaker
3
Adnan's Story (Rabia Chaudry)
Adnan's Story
Rabia Chaudry
4
Who Killed These Girls (Beverly Lowry)
Who Killed These Girls
Beverly Lowry
5
The Road to Jonestown (Jeff Guinn)
The Road to Jonestown
Jeff Guinn
6
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson
7
Killers of the Flower Moon (David Grann)
Killers of the Flower Moon
David Grann
8
The Executioner's Song (Norman Mailer)
The Executioner's Song
Norman Mailer
9
The Devil in the White City (Erik Larson)
The Devil in the White City
Erik Larson
10
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt)
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
John Berendt
11
Shot in the Heart (Mikal Gilmore)
Shot in the Heart
Mikal Gilmore
12
Killings (Calvin Trillin)
Killings
Calvin Trillin
13
The Stranger Beside Me (Ann Rule)
The Stranger Beside Me
Ann Rule
14
Helter Skelter (Vincent Bugliosi)
Helter Skelter
Vincent Bugliosi
15
Lucky (Alice Sebold)
Lucky
Alice Sebold
16
Green River Running Red (Ann Rule)
Green River Running Red
Ann Rule
17
Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed (Patricia Cornwell)
Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed
Patricia Cornwell
18
Zodiac (Robert Graysmith)
Zodiac
Robert Graysmith
19
The Innocent Man (John Grisham)
The Innocent Man
John Grisham
20
Popular Crime: Reflections on the Celebration of Violence (Bill James)
Popular Crime: Reflections on the Celebration of Violence
Bill James
21
Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime (Val Mcdermid)
Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime
Val Mcdermid
22
People Who Eat Darkness
People Who Eat Darkness
23
Orchid Thief (Susan Orlean)
Orchid Thief
Susan Orlean
24
A Death in Belmont (Sebastian Junger)
A Death in Belmont
Sebastian Junger
25
A Long Walk Home (Judith Tebbutt)
A Long Walk Home
Judith Tebbutt
26
THE JOURNALIST AND THE MURDERER by Janet Malcolm
THE JOURNALIST AND THE MURDERER by Janet Malcolm
27
Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three
Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three
28
Lost Girls (Robert Kolker)
Lost Girls
Robert Kolker
29
A Mind for Murder (Alston Chase)
A Mind for Murder
Alston Chase
30
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith (Jon Krakauer)
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
Jon Krakauer
31
Gomorrah (Roberto Saviano)
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano
32
For the Thrill of It (Simon Baatz)
For the Thrill of It
Simon Baatz
33
Truevine (Beth Macy)
Truevine
Beth Macy
34
The Last Victim (Jason Moss)
The Last Victim
Jason Moss
35
American Heiress (Toobin)
American Heiress
Toobin
36
The Run of His Life (Jeffrey Toobin)
The Run of His Life
Jeffrey Toobin
37
While the City Slept (Eli Sanders)
While the City Slept
Eli Sanders
38
A Daughter's Deadly Deception (Jeremy Grimaldi)
A Daughter's Deadly Deception
Jeremy Grimaldi
39
Murder in the Bayou (Ethan Brown)
Murder in the Bayou
Ethan Brown
40
Dreamland (Sam Quinones)
Dreamland
Sam Quinones
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