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Book Riot's 50 Must-Read True Crime Books

"What is it about true crime books that are so addicting? Is it a voyeuristic, "train wreck" sort of reading experience? Is it an opportunity to understand trauma and the dark impulses of human nature? Is it the chance to play detective and investigate real crimes?"
How many of these books have you read?
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For the Thrill of It (Simon Baatz)
For the Thrill of It
1
Simon Baatz
My Friend Dahmer (Derf Backderf)
My Friend Dahmer
2
Derf Backderf
Beyond the Body Farm (Jefferson Bass)
Beyond the Body Farm
3
Jefferson Bass
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt)
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
4
John Berendt
Helter Skelter (Vincent Bugliosi)
Helter Skelter
5
Vincent Bugliosi
The Night Stalker (Philip Carlo)
The Night Stalker
6
Philip Carlo
Adnan's Story (Rabia Chaudry)
Adnan's Story
7
Rabia Chaudry
The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City & Sparked the Tabloid Wars (Paul Collins)
The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City & Sparked the Tabloid Wars
8
Paul Collins
Midnight in Mexico: A Reporter's Journey Through a Country's Descent Into Darkness (Alfredo Corchado)
Midnight in Mexico: A Reporter's Journey Through a Country's Descent Into Darkness
9
Alfredo Corchado
Columbine (Dave Cullen)
Columbine
10
Dave Cullen
Death in the Air (Kate Winkler Dawson)
Death in the Air
11
Kate Winkler Dawson
Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit (John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker)
Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit
12
John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker
Black Dahlia, Red Rose (Piu Eatwell)
Black Dahlia, Red Rose
13
Piu Eatwell
Death of Innocents (Richard Firstman)
Death of Innocents
14
Richard Firstman
Cartel Wives: A True Story of Deadly Decisions, Steadfast Love, and Bringing Down El Chapo (Mia Flores)
Cartel Wives: A True Story of Deadly Decisions, Steadfast Love, and Bringing Down El Chapo
15
Mia Flores
News of a Kidnapping (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
News of a Kidnapping
16
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Good Nurse (Charles Graeber)
The Good Nurse
17
Charles Graeber
Killers of the Flower Moon (David Grann)
Killers of the Flower Moon
18
David Grann
The Road to Jonestown (Jeff Guinn)
The Road to Jonestown
19
Jeff Guinn
American Fire: Love, Arson and Life in a Vanishing Land (Monica Hesse)
American Fire: Love, Arson and Life in a Vanishing Land
20
Monica Hesse
Death in the Lucky Holiday Hotel (Pin Ho)
Death in the Lucky Holiday Hotel
21
Pin Ho
The Midnight Assassin (Skip Hollandsworth)
The Midnight Assassin
22
Skip Hollandsworth
Green River Killer: A True Detective Story (Jeff Jensen)
Green River Killer: A True Detective Story
23
Jeff Jensen
A Mother's Reckoning (Sue Klebold)
A Mother's Reckoning
24
Sue Klebold
Lost Girls (Robert Kolker)
Lost Girls
25
Robert Kolker
Missoula (Jon Krakauer)
Missoula
26
Jon Krakauer
Ugly Prey (Emilie Le Beau)
Ugly Prey
27
Emilie Le Beau
Truevine (Beth Macy)
Truevine
28
Beth Macy
The Beast (Oscar Martinez)
The Beast
29
Oscar Martinez
The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir (Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich)
The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir
30
Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
I'll Be Gone in the Dark (Michelle McNamara)
I'll Be Gone in the Dark
31
Michelle McNamara
The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century (Sarah Miller)
The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century
32
Sarah Miller
A False Report (T.Christian Miller)
A False Report
33
T.Christian Miller
Three Minutes to Doomsday (Joe Navarro)
Three Minutes to Doomsday
34
Joe Navarro
The Grim Sleeper (Christine Pelisek)
The Grim Sleeper
35
Christine Pelisek
The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers Who Inspired Chicago (Douglas Perry)
The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers Who Inspired Chicago
36
Douglas Perry
After the Eclipse: A Mother's Murder, a Daughter's Search (Sarah Perry)
After the Eclipse: A Mother's Murder, a Daughter's Search
37
Sarah Perry
Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic (Sam Quinones)
Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic
38
Sam Quinones
The Story of Vicente, Who Murdered His Mother, His Father, and His Sister: Life and Death in Juárez (Sandra Rodriguez Nieto)
The Story of Vicente, Who Murdered His Mother, His Father, and His Sister: Life and Death in Juárez
39
Sandra Rodriguez Nieto
The Daughters of Juarez (Teresa Rodriguez)
The Daughters of Juarez
40
Teresa Rodriguez
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