Task #2: A book of true crime

[Book Riot]

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the second Read Harder task.

[Rayne]

I found both of these very interesting:
1. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper - Case Closed
2. Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: The Uncensored Story of the JonBenet Murder and the Grand Jury's Search for the Truth

[Jordan]

Okay, so, does anyone have any suggestions for something lighter for this one? Like maybe a crazy caper kind of true crime?

[Rayne]

What about something like a version of the Darwin awards...world's dumbest criminals or something?

[D.L.]

I was thinking In Cold Blood but now I'm leaning towards this one: The Ax Murders of Saxtown: The Unsolved Crime That Terrorized a Town and Shocked the Nation -- it's a case I never heard of before.

[Jordan]

Brooklyn wrote: "What about something like a version of the Darwin awards...world's dumbest criminals or something?"

I would definitely be interested in something like that!

[D.L.]

Jordan wrote: "Brooklyn wrote: "What about something like a version of the Darwin awards...world's dumbest criminals or something?"

I would definitely be interested in something like that!"
Here's one I found:

Weird but True: Stupid Criminals: 100 Brainless Baddies Busted, Plus Wacky Facts

[Karen]

I have Mrs Sherlock Holmes on my list for true crime books. I don't know much about it but the thought of a female detective was intriguing.

[Amber]

Jordan wrote: "Okay, so, does anyone have any suggestions for something lighter for this one? Like maybe a crazy caper kind of true crime?"

Maybe something like Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts ?

[Rachel]

Brooklyn wrote: "What about something like a version of the Darwin awards...world's dumbest criminals or something?"

That's a great idea! I wouldn't have even thought of that. I actually have this prompt twice, in this challenge and one other that I'm doing, so I was planning on reading My Friend Dahmer for one. I get that it's not really about his crimes, but it's his backstory so I think it can still work.

[Teresa]

The only book I found that interested me is The Arsenic Century: How Victorian Britain Was Poisoned at Home, Work, and Play and that's really stretching the definition of true crime, in my opinion. I'm glad to see some less murderous options.

[Sarah]

I’ll probably go with In Cold Blood since it has been on my to read list so long, but I’d love to find something with a similar feel to The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America (serial killer plus historical backdrop), which I really enjoyed.

[Jordan]

Amber wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Okay, so, does anyone have any suggestions for something lighter for this one? Like maybe a crazy caper kind of true crime?"

Maybe something like [book:Ballad of the Whiskey Robber:..."

That definitely sounds good, thanks!

[Cassandra]

I have had The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America for so long that I think I’ll use it for this or The Black Dahlia

[D.L.]

Sarah, here's another suggestion with a historical backdrop -

The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer

[Sarah]

Daph wrote: "Sarah, here's another suggestion with a historical backdrop -

The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer"

Thanks!

[Theresa]

I've DNF'd In Cold Blood a couple times, so maybe I'll give that one another chance to see if I can finally get through it. It's more likely that I'll go with Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI which I've been dying to get to.

[Brandyn]

Jordan wrote: "Okay, so, does anyone have any suggestions for something lighter for this one? Like maybe a crazy caper kind of true crime?"

I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard great things about Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts and I’m pretty sure it’s a lighter true crime read.

[Bonnie G.]

One of Us: The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway has been on my list for a while.

[Stina]

Theresa wrote: "I've DNF'd In Cold Blood a couple times, so maybe I'll give that one another chance to see if I can finally get through it. It's more likely that I'll go with Killers of the Flo..."

Don't feel bad about DNFing In Cold Blood. I finished it, but it was a slog, even with a good audiobook narrator.

I think one of my book clubs is planning to read Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, so I expect that is what I'll go with.

[Jenny]

Yeah, I'm definitely after a non-murderous one, too!

[Jeremiah]

The Innocent Man by John Grisham is a fantastic true-crime read. Grisham does excellent research but writes the story with his abilities to write fiction. Very approachable and enjoyable true crime book.

[Maryam]

I'm going with Columbine for this task. I'm not sure if I can actually finishing considering the heart-breaking subject but I'd like to give it a try.

[Jesica]

I'm also after something non-murderous/violent.

[Sam]

I'm thinking of reading The Map Thief for this. It might help out folks looking for non-violent true crime

[Bonnie G.]

Maryam wrote: "I'm going with Columbine for this task. I'm not sure if I can actually finishing considering the heart-breaking subject but I'd like to give it a try."

This book was amazing. I followed it with A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy. It was heartbreaking, but I learned so much not jsut about what happened, but about how truly shocking it was for those who knew the Klebold and to a lesser extent Harris.

[Candace]

Maryam wrote: "I'm going with Columbine for this task. I'm not sure if I can actually finishing considering the heart-breaking subject but I'd like to give it a try."

Same. Either Columbine or Disco Bloodbath (I loved the movie)

[Amanda]

For those that are looking for less gruesome options:
The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft

There are also several other books about the Gardner heist.

[Chickadee]

Jordan wrote: "Okay, so, does anyone have any suggestions for something lighter for this one? Like maybe a crazy caper kind of true crime?"

I'm with you on this one. Not looking forward to reading this category.

[Chickadee]

Bugamok wrote: "For those that are looking for less gruesome options:
The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft

There are also several other books about the Gardne..."

Thank you!!!

[Rainey]

Jordan wrote: "Okay, so, does anyone have any suggestions for something lighter for this one? Like maybe a crazy caper kind of true crime?"

Heist: The Oddball Crew Behind the $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft

[Katrisa]

Theresa wrote: "I've DNF'd In Cold Blood a couple times, so maybe I'll give that one another chance to see if I can finally get through it. It's more likely that I'll go

True crime isn't usually my genre - but I REALLY enjoyed Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. I read it for an alphabet challenge in 2017 where the K book was a book about a killer. It was a great read!

[Jesica]

I've been looking around for more non-violent true crime and I think I'm going to go with Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History

[Elizabeth]

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America - meant to read it last year for my set-within-100-miles item, but didn't. On the list again. :)

[emalee]

I read The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit this year, or it would have made an excellent pick!

I won't sleep if I read about murders, which is what a LOT of true crime is about, so I'm probably going to go with either The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld or Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.

[Rachel]

I'm probably going to go with Absolute Madness: A True Story of a Serial Killer, Race, and a City Divided because I grew up around Buffalo and the history of that city is really something else, although if I can't get my hands on a copy, I have a few books about the early days of the FBI on my list.

[Riah]

I've never read true crime before, but I think Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI or Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith look interesting.

[Susan]

I'll add my recommendation for Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI as an excellent read.

I also would suggest American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road, a fascinating dive into online crime and bitcoin and how government agencies work (or don't work) together.

I'd argue for The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession as well. If you haven't read it, here is a great opportunity.

[Tracie Margaret]

I loved the Serial podcast that featured this case and the book has been on my TBR. This is the perfect chance.

Adnan's Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial

[Yrinsyde]

Jesica wrote: "I've been looking around for more non-violent true crime and I think I'm going to go with Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History"

You could read a autobiography of Tom Keating, a notorious art forger. That's not violent crime, just violence against the wallet! The book is rather fun to read too! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Tracy]

Riah wrote: "I've never read true crime before, but I think Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI or [book:Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith|1..."

Under the Banner of Heaven was a great book- Jon Krakauer is an excellent writer.

[Megan]

Greentown: Murder and Mystery in Greenwich, America's Wealthiest Community is the one I've chosen.

[Michelle]

I've got The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York earmarked for this one.

[Courtney]

I'm thinking of reading Jane: A Murder by Maggie Nelson for this one, though I'm not sure it fits exactly.

[Tori]

I was looking at Columbine for this one... I remember when it happened (I was a freshman in high school at the time) and it's taken on a very monolithic place in history, so I feel like it fits... but it`s not like a potboil-y dissection as far as I can tell. So would it still count?

[Caroline]

I haven't started it yet, but I picked up City of Light, City of Poison: Murder, Magic, and the First Police Chief of Paris from the library recently and it's a bit of a detour from modern true crime, so it might be an interesting read for this one.

[Debra]

Riah wrote: "I've never read true crime before, but I think Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI or [book:Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith|1..."

I've read both of those and they are excellent!

[Bonnie G.]

Debra wrote: "Riah wrote: "I've never read true crime before, but I think Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI or [book:Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Vi..."

Both 5-star reads for me as well.

[Kara]

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara could count for this one AND task #1, a book published posthumously!

[Megan]

Tori wrote: "I was looking at Columbine for this one... I remember when it happened (I was a freshman in high school at the time) and it's taken on a very monolithic place in history, so I feel l..."

I don't see why not. Just says "A book of true crime".