The Very Best True Crime (62 books)

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These books go far beyond what most readers associate with true crime. The writing is beautiful. The people are so 3-dimensional you almost feel you know them. And the case is placed in the context of what is going on in the community or the world to help us understand why it all happened and how it changed, or reflected, the world.

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1	Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi 4.06 avg rating — 156,287 ratings score: 296, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Doomsday Mother: Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, and the End of an American Family by John Glatt (Goodreads Author) 3.77 avg rating — 3,946 ratings score: 199, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule 4.13 avg rating — 114,976 ratings score: 196, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara 4.11 avg rating — 271,000 ratings score: 191, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 72,315 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI by Robert K. Ressler 4.06 avg rating — 13,443 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	And Never Let Her Go: Thomas Capano: The Deadly Seducer by Ann Rule 4.12 avg rating — 9,426 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The New York Ripper: The True Story of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham by Peter Vronsky (Goodreads Author) 3.22 avg rating — 67 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century by Geoff Plunkett (Goodreads Author) 4.43 avg rating — 77 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Golden Boy: A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite by John Glatt (Goodreads Author) 3.75 avg rating — 2,915 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Ted Bundy: A Life from Beginning to End by Hourly History 3.99 avg rating — 529 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking by Brendan I. Koerner (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 4,475 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters by Peter Vronsky (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 6,058 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	All That Is Wicked by Kate Winkler Dawson (Goodreads Author) 3.57 avg rating — 3,305 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	In the Name of God: The True Story of the Fight to Save Children from Faith-Healing Homicide by Cameron Stauth 4.11 avg rating — 249 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Green River, Running Red by Ann Rule really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 21,114 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters by Peter Vronsky (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 2,091 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	A Need to Kill: The True-Crime Account of John Joubert, Nebraska's Most Notorious Serial Child Killer by Mark Pettit (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 354 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy by Andrea Dunlop (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 9,046 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Lost Paradise by Kathy Marks 3.78 avg rating — 522 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Black Widow: The True Story of Giggling Granny Nannie Doss by Ryan Green (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 1,290 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Real Bluebeard: The Life of Gilles de Rais by Jean Benedetti 3.46 avg rating — 97 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Death at the Harbourview Cafe: A True Crime Story by Fred Humber 3.50 avg rating — 92 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Urge to Kill by Ward Damio 3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Clues From Beyond: True Crime Stories from Australia's #1 Psychic Detective by Debbie Malone 3.65 avg rating — 82 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Sex-Crime Panic: A Journey to the Paranoid Heart of the 1950s by Neil Miller 3.86 avg rating — 77 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	The Family Next Door: The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the Thirteen Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue by John Glatt (Goodreads Author) 3.61 avg rating — 8,420 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Dummy by Ernest Tidyman 3.82 avg rating — 55 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Road to Yuba City: A Journey into the Juan Corona Murders by Tracy Kidder 3.76 avg rating — 38 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard 3.97 avg rating — 151,338 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Disco Bloodbath: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland by James St. James 4.07 avg rating — 9,857 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	American Murder Houses: A Coast-to-Coast Tour of the Most Notorious Houses of Homicide by Steve Lehto 3.48 avg rating — 1,334 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk by Randy Shilts 4.15 avg rating — 4,551 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer 3.98 avg rating — 7,357 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White, the Birth of the "It" Girl and the Crime of the Century by Paula Uruburu (Goodreads Author) 3.74 avg rating — 3,130 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Not Lost Forever: My Story of Survival by Carmina Salcido 4.06 avg rating — 988 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Manhunt: The Night Stalker: How I Brought Serial Predator Delroy Grant to Justice (2) by Colin Sutton 4.23 avg rating — 773 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 11,008 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	The Murders at White House Farm: Jeremy Bamber and the killing of his family. The definitive investigation. by Carol Ann Lee (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 1,238 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	History of a Drowning Boy by Dennis Nilsen 3.76 avg rating — 515 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Our Story by Reggie Kray 4.09 avg rating — 2,218 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Babes in the Wood by Graham Bartlett (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 888 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise by Dave Holloway 3.64 avg rating — 579 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Yorkshire Ripper - The Secret Murders: The True Story of Serial Killer Peter Sutcliffe's Reign of Terror by Chris Clark 4.23 avg rating — 808 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Pembrokeshire Murders by Steve Wilkins 4.07 avg rating — 999 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Beyond Evil - Inside the Twisted Mind of Ian Huntley by Nathan Yates 4.06 avg rating — 1,683 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Fred & Rose by Howard Sounes (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 4,096 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Harold Shipman: Mind Set On Murder: Why Shipman Killed And Killed Again, The True Story by Carole Peters 3.49 avg rating — 76 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Vanished: The Truth About the Disappearance of Madeline McCann by Danny Collins 3.26 avg rating — 372 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Killing For Company by Brian Masters 3.77 avg rating — 4,374 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 10,635 ratings score: 74, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	I'm Not Guilty: The Development of the Violent Mind: The Case of Ted Bundy by Al Carlisle 3.66 avg rating — 278 ratings score: 73, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez by Philip Carlo 4.02 avg rating — 15,222 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy by Elizabeth Kendall 4.18 avg rating — 15,602 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	The Encyclopedia of the Ted Bundy Murders by Kevin M. Sullivan 4.10 avg rating — 40 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Unbelievable: The shocking truth behind the hit Netflix series by T. Christian Miller 4.19 avg rating — 9,310 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer by Brian Masters really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,986 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	Manhunt: How I Brought Serial Killer Levi Bellfield to Justice by Colin Sutton 4.21 avg rating — 1,625 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer: The Death Row Interviews by Stephen G. Michaud 3.79 avg rating — 5,035 ratings score: 66, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Facing the Yorkshire Ripper: The Art of Survival by Mo Lea 3.89 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 65, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Chase Darkness with Me: How One True-Crime Writer Started Solving Murders by Billy Jensen (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 17,344 ratings score: 64, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray by James Renner (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 8,776 ratings score: 63, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars