What do you think?
Rate this book
The Best American Crime Writing 2005
The 2005 edition of The Best American Crime Writing offers the year's most shocking, compelling, and gripping writing about real-life crime, including Peter Landesman's article about female sex slaves (the most requested and widely read New York Times story of 2004), a piece from The New Yorker by Stephen J. Dubner (the coauthor of Freakanomics) about a high-society silver thief, and an extraordinarily memorable "ode to bar fights" written by Jonathan Miles for Men's Journal after he punched an editor at a staff party.
But this year's edition includes a bonus -- an original essay by James Ellroy detailing his fascination with Joseph Wambaugh and how it fed his obsession with crime -- even to the point of selling his own blood to buy Wambaugh's books. Smart, entertaining, and controversial, The Best American Crime Writing is an essential edition to any crime enthusiast's bookshelf.
But this year's edition includes a bonus -- an original essay by James Ellroy detailing his fascination with Joseph Wambaugh and how it fed his obsession with crime -- even to the point of selling his own blood to buy Wambaugh's books. Smart, entertaining, and controversial, The Best American Crime Writing is an essential edition to any crime enthusiast's bookshelf.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2005
69 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
James Ellroy
138 books4,218 followersLee Earle "James" Ellroy is an American crime fiction writer and essayist. Ellroy has become known for a telegrammatic prose style in his most recent work, wherein he frequently omits connecting words and uses only short, staccato sentences, and in particular for the novels The Black Dahlia (1987) and L.A. Confidential (1990).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 14, 2022
Another great read from this great series. This one focuses much more on nonviolent crimes like drug trafficking and white-collar finagling but there is lots of variety here as always. There is even a mini-memoir by James Ellroy comparing his own down-at-the-heel, crime-fixated life to the exploits of his hero and role model, Joseph Wambaugh. But much more. Burglary! Terrorism! Cybercrime! Brawling! Warmly recommended.
April 9, 2009
A very solid set of true-crime stories. There's a wide range here from murderer to white collar scammers to professional thieves to an essay by James Ellroy explaining how Joseph Wambaugh influenced his life and crime writing. Good reading for true crime fans.
February 6, 2012
Of the four books I've read from this series this was by far the most disappointing collection. I strongly recommend reading other installments from the series, but can't recommend this year specifically.
Read
August 6, 2018This is the best of the series (and it is too bad that this series was discontinued). The writing is outstanding, the range of subjects is wide, almost every story is of great interest, and the writers are excellent storytellers.
The Girls Next Door. I hesitate to criticize this essay because what the writer exposes is something that needs to be addressed. I have two problems. First, whenever someone writes on such a topic there is a danger of people being attracted to it because of the subject matter. There is a bit of that. Second, as noted in the afterword, there has been criticisms of this article with suggestions that the level of sex trafficking may not be at the level the author claims.
The Ones That Got Away. An excellent account of the aftermath of the attack on USS Cole. The author displays a somewhat irritating desire to become a central part of the story.
The Family Man. The best article in this volume. Skip Hollandsworth is an amazing author and his tale of a suburban father who was a successful thief is a great story. It is filled with wonderful details and the author does not judge the person but presents what happened in his life.
Mysterious Circumstances. Another first rate story about someone obsessed with the author of Sherlock Holmes and how that person fought the heirs of Doyle for control over Doyle's work. The ending is one that is sad as we realize how obsessions can lead people to do some inexplicable things.
The Virus Underground. A fascinating account of people who write viruses. I was surprised to learn that because of the penalties people face that many people design a virus and post it on-line but they do not infect systems with the virus. Others will then see that virus and decide to let it loose.
Punch Drunk Love. Since I feel compelled to read all the articles in the volume I forced myself to complete this article. It is the worst in the book with the author coming across as a jerk who wants to demonstrate to the reader that while he is still quite a man he realizes that his antics of previous years are not something to be proud of.
The Terror Web. This article, published before his masterpiece The Looming Tower, is a terrifying account of the role of radical Islamic terrorists in Europe after 9/11. The author does an excellent job of presenting the lives and beliefs of the terrorists and the different organizations that make up Al Qaeda. His discussion of Spain's background and the effects of The Crusades is outstanding. He also does a great job of discussing how after the attack on Spain there was some signals that perhaps Al Qaeda might be developing into an organization that used terror to advance political ends (e.g., getting Spain to withdraw from the Iraqi war) or whether terror was the reason for the existence of the organization--terror used to eliminate Westerners and Jews.
Anatomy of a Foiled Plot. This story shows how pathetic some of the people are who are involved in terror plans. It also demonstrates that the government engages in actions that appear designed to trap people and get them to do things they otherwise might not do.
To Catch an Oligarch. The author tries to do too much and as a result there is a superficial quality to this story.
A Long Way Down. An excellent article about how someone became involved in defrauding investors. The author presents his protagonist in a sympathetic light and shows how people can easily engage in criminal behavior.
The Girls Next Door. I hesitate to criticize this essay because what the writer exposes is something that needs to be addressed. I have two problems. First, whenever someone writes on such a topic there is a danger of people being attracted to it because of the subject matter. There is a bit of that. Second, as noted in the afterword, there has been criticisms of this article with suggestions that the level of sex trafficking may not be at the level the author claims.
The Ones That Got Away. An excellent account of the aftermath of the attack on USS Cole. The author displays a somewhat irritating desire to become a central part of the story.
The Family Man. The best article in this volume. Skip Hollandsworth is an amazing author and his tale of a suburban father who was a successful thief is a great story. It is filled with wonderful details and the author does not judge the person but presents what happened in his life.
Mysterious Circumstances. Another first rate story about someone obsessed with the author of Sherlock Holmes and how that person fought the heirs of Doyle for control over Doyle's work. The ending is one that is sad as we realize how obsessions can lead people to do some inexplicable things.
The Virus Underground. A fascinating account of people who write viruses. I was surprised to learn that because of the penalties people face that many people design a virus and post it on-line but they do not infect systems with the virus. Others will then see that virus and decide to let it loose.
Punch Drunk Love. Since I feel compelled to read all the articles in the volume I forced myself to complete this article. It is the worst in the book with the author coming across as a jerk who wants to demonstrate to the reader that while he is still quite a man he realizes that his antics of previous years are not something to be proud of.
The Terror Web. This article, published before his masterpiece The Looming Tower, is a terrifying account of the role of radical Islamic terrorists in Europe after 9/11. The author does an excellent job of presenting the lives and beliefs of the terrorists and the different organizations that make up Al Qaeda. His discussion of Spain's background and the effects of The Crusades is outstanding. He also does a great job of discussing how after the attack on Spain there was some signals that perhaps Al Qaeda might be developing into an organization that used terror to advance political ends (e.g., getting Spain to withdraw from the Iraqi war) or whether terror was the reason for the existence of the organization--terror used to eliminate Westerners and Jews.
Anatomy of a Foiled Plot. This story shows how pathetic some of the people are who are involved in terror plans. It also demonstrates that the government engages in actions that appear designed to trap people and get them to do things they otherwise might not do.
To Catch an Oligarch. The author tries to do too much and as a result there is a superficial quality to this story.
A Long Way Down. An excellent article about how someone became involved in defrauding investors. The author presents his protagonist in a sympathetic light and shows how people can easily engage in criminal behavior.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
April 4, 2025Synopses are Spoiler Free.
1. The Girls Next Door (The New York Times Magazine) by Peter Landesman - an article on sex trafficking across the Mexico-US Border used by Eastern Europe as an easy path into America. This was a groundbreaking essay which caused both controversy and discussion in the States and brought about policy changes in the US and Mexico. Written in 2005, of course, the data is now out of date, but the crime is still at large, and this brings humanity to the issue. (4/5)
2. The Ones That Got Away (GQ) by Robert Draper - This is about Al-Qaeda's push into Yemen and the war that ensued. The author investigated as a reporter just after ten suspects had been detained. I'm not into war and don't understand much of the ins and outs. It just left me feeling bored and confused. (2/5)
3. The Family Man (Texas Monthly) by Skip Hollandsworth - This is the story of Todd Becker. You're more than the average upper-middle-class suburbanite. He takes his kids to schools, goes to church, helps the neighbours out, and is all around. He is a nice guy. That is until he's arrested for being the mastermind of a family-run burglary crew plaguing Texas and Florida businesses for several years. This was entertaining and a lot of fun to read. ,(4/5)
4. Mysterious Circumstances (The New Yorker) by David Grann - Richard Lancelyn Green, the world's foremost expert on Sherlock Holmes, was found dead. His death is ruled a suicide, but controversy screams about how a man could strangle himself with a shoelace. David Grann investigates the case and the man for a very interesting look at obsession, madness, and Arthur Conan Doyle. I love David Grann. Having read his books to date, I also loved this gem. (5/5)
5. The Virus Underground (from The New York Times Magazine) by Clive Thompson - BORING out of date (0/5)
1. The Girls Next Door (The New York Times Magazine) by Peter Landesman - an article on sex trafficking across the Mexico-US Border used by Eastern Europe as an easy path into America. This was a groundbreaking essay which caused both controversy and discussion in the States and brought about policy changes in the US and Mexico. Written in 2005, of course, the data is now out of date, but the crime is still at large, and this brings humanity to the issue. (4/5)
2. The Ones That Got Away (GQ) by Robert Draper - This is about Al-Qaeda's push into Yemen and the war that ensued. The author investigated as a reporter just after ten suspects had been detained. I'm not into war and don't understand much of the ins and outs. It just left me feeling bored and confused. (2/5)
3. The Family Man (Texas Monthly) by Skip Hollandsworth - This is the story of Todd Becker. You're more than the average upper-middle-class suburbanite. He takes his kids to schools, goes to church, helps the neighbours out, and is all around. He is a nice guy. That is until he's arrested for being the mastermind of a family-run burglary crew plaguing Texas and Florida businesses for several years. This was entertaining and a lot of fun to read. ,(4/5)
4. Mysterious Circumstances (The New Yorker) by David Grann - Richard Lancelyn Green, the world's foremost expert on Sherlock Holmes, was found dead. His death is ruled a suicide, but controversy screams about how a man could strangle himself with a shoelace. David Grann investigates the case and the man for a very interesting look at obsession, madness, and Arthur Conan Doyle. I love David Grann. Having read his books to date, I also loved this gem. (5/5)
5. The Virus Underground (from The New York Times Magazine) by Clive Thompson - BORING out of date (0/5)
July 29, 2022
True Crime mag articles are always fun to read...I chose year 2005 of this collection only because James Ellroy wrote the Prologue and the final story. First the bad...This collection included a number of foreign political stories, most of them dated & boring. You know, the post 9/11 let's hunt down the terrorists genre....But...On the plus side....The stories that centered on the crime world of the lone-crazed evil-doer were for the most part excellent...That would include "The Silver Thief" about burglar Blane Nordahl (son of famed western artist David Nordahl)...and..."Mysterious Circumstances" about the death of Sherlock Holmes researcher Richard Green was a favorite...and Ellroy's entry is a mini-auto-bio that's an eye-opener....-You can't go wrong picking any year of The Best American Crime Writing anthology. You'll find some great-edgy-but-casual-reading stories any of the volume/year you may pick...3.0 outta 5.0
February 25, 2023
Disappointing, mostly for the uninspired style and the lack of balance between disturbing content and downright stupid content. Professional bar fighters? The introduction by James Ellroy is, as usual, a lot of show-offy writing and unwelcome autobiography about how sexy crime is. This is followed by a horrifying chapter about sex traffickers. Real sexy. Later, Ellroy gets to exploit his perverted youth and lifestyle to re-emphasize the tie between sex and crime again. I guess all the county jail time counts, too? The only article that qualify as a "Best" is a profile of a malpractice-drenched surgeon. Otherwise, this is a sorry year for the collection.
January 31, 2021
These annual essay collections are always excellent.
December 1, 2023
I don't really do true crime, but this was OK. Weak as hell review, but I just want this out of my in folder
January 21, 2026
Some excellent pieces in this, including Peter Landesman's absolutely horrifying exposé of international sex trafficking "The Girls Next Door", and David Grann's investigation into murky and murderous goings-on in the Sherlock Homes fandom community, "Mysterious Circumstances". Pretty much everything here is comprehensively blown out of the water, however, by the concluding essay, James Ellroy's "Choirboys", the author's paean to another LA crime fiction titan, Joseph Wambaugh, and how his books helped save the oversexed, drug-addled young Ellroy from a grim life of thievery, homelessness and state penitentiaries. I immediately added three or four Wambaughs to my hopelessly bloated and unmanageable must-read list.
August 6, 2015
- from the jacket: "The 2005 edition of The Best American Crime Writing offers the years most shocking, compelling, and gripping writing about real-life crime, including Peter Landesman's article about female sex-slaves (the most-requested and widely-read New York Times story of 2004), a piece from The New Yorker by Stephen J. Dubner (the co-author of Freakonomics) about a high-society silver thief, and an extraordinarily memorable 'Ode To Bar Fights' written by Jonathan Miles for Men's Journal after he punched an editor at a staff party.."
January 28, 2009
Who knew? These are fascinating stories from major magazines and newspapers. I have been reading them as I can get them on ILL. In the one I'm about to finish there is a story about David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam serial killer who has become a sort of cult figure, having "found Christ" and quoting favorite verses from the Bible. He hasn't read the whole book, just selected parts. He has a website and fans, proving once again that anything is possible.
March 30, 2007
Any one of these annual series is well worth the read. A compilation of the top crime stories from such venerable publications as the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Rolling Stone, and the like. Don't assume it's all about murder. These stories are about anything to do with breaking the law, from murder to burglary to terrorism to embezzlement to impersonation. All fascinating.
June 26, 2012
My favorite piece was "The Family Man" by the amazing Skip Hollandsworth, about a straight-arrow suburban husband and father who is actually a highly skilled burglar and who feels compelled to hire ne'er-do-well friends and relatives on his jobs. "The Silver Thief" by Stephen J. Dubner and "The Self-Destruction of an M.D." by Neil Swidey were also excellent.
October 23, 2007
The writing in here is amazing, and, since truth is stranger than fiction, there are some pretty compelling stories. My favorite so far is the death of the one of the foremost experts on Arthur Conan Doyle.
July 2, 2012
Like a lot of these anthologies, some essays better than others. A few I'd already read in the New Yorker, but if you like short bursts of true-life crime in your reading diet, these are fun and easy.
December 13, 2007
Stories range from the famous NYT Magazine piece about human trafficking to New England's master silver thief. Good stuff.
April 7, 2008
I enjoyed the first half of this book and then it went downhill. The articles just didn't hold my interest.
April 21, 2022
Interesting as always. Most of the stories were about white-collar crime, so not quite as interesting as I usually like.
May 18, 2013
All the volumes in this series are good. Non-fiction crime from a variety of sources, and covering a multitude of sins.
August 21, 2015
Very interesting vignettes.
September 23, 2023
too many men and few women
Want to read
November 16, 2007Ooh, James Ellroy...
May 5, 2009
Some of the stories were lame. The Ellroy story at the end was really good.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews