True Crime, June 2015

[Carnegie-Stout Public Library]

Did you know we have a Saturday book club? The second Saturday of every other month we meet to discuss our favorite books, and for Saturday, June 13th we're discussing True Crime. Find out more about the Book Buffet discussion on our Facebook page.

Can't make the discussion on Saturday the 13th? No worries! Share your thoughts on the best and worst of True Crime here!

Not sure what we mean by True Crime? These are books, usually nonfiction, biography, or memoir about actual crimes, criminals, murders, etc. Examples include:

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule

Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland by Amanda Berry & Gina DeJesus

[Andrea]

I finished Helter Skelter. It was rather long (over 600 pages) and I'll admit that I didn't finish it all. I just read about 2/3 of it because I didn't want to read about the trials, but still good overall.

[Amy]

Hey folks, just to clarify...you can read any True Crime book, it absolutely does not have to be one of 4 listed above. Those are just examples. True Crime is fascinating for a number of reasons. I'm personally drawn to the well known stories, and also to non-fiction that reads like fiction (i.e Erik Larson). When I find out that someone well known is actually a criminal, well that just makes it more interesting. For instance, did you know that bestselling Mystery author Anne Perry was involved in a murder? The Search for Anne Perry tells the story of her hidden life and past crime.

What draws you to true crime? Is it the possibility of getting a glimpse into the mind of a criminal? Is it the investigative process? Is it a sense of satisfaction when the criminal gets caught? Is it the disbelief that monsters like this exist?

[Michelle]

Manhunt by James L Swanson is the true story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated Lincoln. The book outlines the whole conspiracy to overthrow the government but it reads like historical fiction. I feel like this one can be considered true crime with a historical bent. It is a real page turner and even though I knew what happened, this book gave me so much more information that I had previously learned in any of my history classes.

[Amy]

The books we talked about on Saturday, June 13th were The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson, The Search for Anne Perry by Joanne Drayton, Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas, A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer, and Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists by Anthony M. Amore.

It was an interesting mix of books, the story of a serial killer as told by his father, a well known Mystery author who is also a murder, the inspiration for the tv show "Criminal Minds", and a man determined to find out who is stealing Rembrandt paintings all over the world.

True crime is varied, it doesn't have to be blood and guts. It can be told from different viewpoints and include information that may be new to you.

[Amy]

As a side note I have to say that The Search for Anne Perryis probably not the best book if you are only interested in her past crime. However, if you are a fan of the writer and want to know more about how someone can go from being convicted of a murder as a teenager, to a well known Mystery author, this is a great choice. This biography goes into great detail about Anne's books and characters.