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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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In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)
In Cold Blood
1
Truman Capote
Mind Hunter (John Douglas and Mark Olshaker)
Mind Hunter
2
John Douglas and Mark Olshaker
Adnan's Story (Rabia Chaudry)
Adnan's Story
3
Rabia Chaudry
Who Killed These Girls (Beverly Lowry)
Who Killed These Girls
4
Beverly Lowry
The Road to Jonestown (Jeff Guinn)
The Road to Jonestown
5
Jeff Guinn
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson
6
Killers of the Flower Moon (David Grann)
Killers of the Flower Moon
7
David Grann
The Executioner's Song (Norman Mailer)
The Executioner's Song
8
Norman Mailer
The Devil in the White City (Erik Larson)
The Devil in the White City
9
Erik Larson
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt)
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
10
John Berendt
Shot in the Heart (Mikal Gilmore)
Shot in the Heart
11
Mikal Gilmore
Killings (Calvin Trillin)
Killings
12
Calvin Trillin
The Stranger Beside Me (Ann Rule)
The Stranger Beside Me
13
Ann Rule
Helter Skelter (Vincent Bugliosi)
Helter Skelter
14
Vincent Bugliosi
Lucky (Alice Sebold)
Lucky
15
Alice Sebold
Green River Running Red (Ann Rule)
Green River Running Red
16
Ann Rule
Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed (Patricia Cornwell)
Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed
17
Patricia Cornwell
Zodiac (Robert Graysmith)
Zodiac
18
Robert Graysmith
The Innocent Man (John Grisham)
The Innocent Man
19
John Grisham
Popular Crime: Reflections on the Celebration of Violence (Bill James)
Popular Crime: Reflections on the Celebration of Violence
20
Bill James
Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime (Val Mcdermid)
Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime
21
Val Mcdermid
People Who Eat Darkness
People Who Eat Darkness
22
Orchid Thief (Susan Orlean)
Orchid Thief
23
Susan Orlean
A Death in Belmont (Sebastian Junger)
A Death in Belmont
24
Sebastian Junger
A Long Walk Home (Judith Tebbutt)
A Long Walk Home
25
Judith Tebbutt
THE JOURNALIST AND THE MURDERER by Janet Malcolm
THE JOURNALIST AND THE MURDERER by Janet Malcolm
26
Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three
Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three
27
Lost Girls (Robert Kolker)
Lost Girls
28
Robert Kolker
A Mind for Murder (Alston Chase)
A Mind for Murder
29
Alston Chase
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith (Jon Krakauer)
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
30
Jon Krakauer
Gomorrah (Roberto Saviano)
Gomorrah
31
Roberto Saviano
For the Thrill of It (Simon Baatz)
For the Thrill of It
32
Simon Baatz
Truevine (Beth Macy)
Truevine
33
Beth Macy
The Last Victim (Jason Moss)
The Last Victim
34
Jason Moss
American Heiress (Toobin)
American Heiress
35
Toobin
The Run of His Life (Jeffrey Toobin)
The Run of His Life
36
Jeffrey Toobin
While the City Slept (Eli Sanders)
While the City Slept
37
Eli Sanders
A Daughter's Deadly Deception (Jeremy Grimaldi)
A Daughter's Deadly Deception
38
Jeremy Grimaldi
Murder in the Bayou (Ethan Brown)
Murder in the Bayou
39
Ethan Brown
Dreamland (Sam Quinones)
Dreamland
40
Sam Quinones
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