True crime is a nonfiction genre that explores real criminal cases through investigative storytelling. It blends elements of journalism, psychology, criminology, and law enforcement.
This genre focuses on actual events—murder investigations, unsolved disappearances, courtroom dramas, and forensic breakthroughs. It provides readers with a deep dive into the motives, methods, and consequences of criminal behavior.
Best True Crime Books
The best true crime books go beyond surface-level reporting. They reconstruct timelines, examine evidence, and unpack the social, legal, and psychological dimensions of crime.
Whether you’re interested in profiling serial offenders, understanding the criminal justice system, or analyzing cold cases, true crime literature offers unmatched insight into the real world of crime and investigation.
American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
- Callahan, Maureen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 06/09/2020 (Publication Date) - Penguin Books (Publisher)
The Girl in the Leaves (Berkley True Crime)
- Scott, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 12/31/2012 (Publication Date) - Berkley (Publisher)
Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South
- Hardcover Book
- Harpootlian, Richard A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 12/16/2025 (Publication Date) - Citadel (Publisher)
Then She Was Gone: A Novel
- Then She Was Gone: A Novel Paperback – November 6, 2018
- Jewell, Lisa (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 11/06/2018 (Publication Date) - Atria (Publisher)
The Family Next Door: The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the Thirteen Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue
- Glatt, John (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 04/28/2020 (Publication Date) - St. Martin's True Crime (Publisher)
If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
- Audible Audiobook
- Gregg Olsen (Author) - Karen Peakes (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 12/01/2019 (Publication Date) - Brilliance Audio (Publisher)
The Rule of Crime and Me: An Intimate View of Ann Rule Shared By Her Friend of Thirty Years
- Jaeger, Anne (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 265 Pages - 04/14/2025 (Publication Date) - TrueCrime LLC (Publisher)
American Black Widow: The shocking true story of a preacher’s wife turned killer
- Olsen, Gregg (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 352 Pages - 01/16/2024 (Publication Date) - Grand Central Publishing (Publisher)
Our Little Secret: The True Story of a Teenage Killer and the Silence of a Small New England Town
- Flynn, Kevin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 05/04/2010 (Publication Date) - Berkley (Publisher)
The Most Bizarre True Crime Stories Ever Told: 20 Unforgettable and Twisted True Crime Cases That Will Haunt You
- Rosewood, Jack (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 176 Pages - 10/05/2023 (Publication Date) - LAK Publishing (Publisher)
Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions
- Hardcover Book
- Grisham, John (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 368 Pages - 10/15/2024 (Publication Date) - Doubleday (Publisher)
If I Can’t Have You: Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
- Olsen, Gregg (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 05/05/2015 (Publication Date) - St. Martin's True Crime (Publisher)
Small Sacrifices: The Shocking True Crime Case of Diane Downs
- Rule, Ann (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 07/05/1988 (Publication Date) - Berkley (Publisher)
While Idaho Slept: The Hunt for Answers in the Murders of Four College Students
- Appelman, J. Reuben (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 288 Pages - 10/03/2023 (Publication Date) - Harper Paperbacks (Publisher)
A Monster in Mount Pleasant: A Story of Murders and Justice
- Williams, CJ (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 318 Pages - 02/17/2025 (Publication Date) - Genius Book Publishing (Publisher)
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- Chicago Exposition
- Nineteenth Century
- True Crime
- Serial Killer
- Thriller
- Erik Larson (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 447 Pages - 02/10/2004 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)
Such Good Boys: The True Story of a Mother, Two Sons and a Horrifying Murder
- Dirmann, Tina (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 10/04/2005 (Publication Date) - St. Martin's Paperbacks (Publisher)
College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight
- Cohen, Shawn (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 05/28/2024 (Publication Date) - Sourcebooks (Publisher)
The Pale-Faced Lie: A True Story
- Crow, David (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 356 Pages - 10/14/2019 (Publication Date) - Sandra Jonas Publishing (Publisher)
True Crime Case Histories: Massive 15-Book Collection: 176 Disturbing True Crime Stories
- Audible Audiobook
- Jason Neal (Author) - Simon de Deney, Timothy G. Little, Steven Rostance (Narrators)
- English (Publication Language)
- 12/14/2024 (Publication Date) - iDigital Group (Publisher)
The best true crime books illuminate real stories that expose the complexities of human behavior and societal flaws. They bring together criminal profiling, forensic science, victim advocacy, and judicial processes in compelling narratives.
These stories don’t just inform—they provoke thought, raise awareness, and foster a deeper understanding of crime’s impact on individuals and communities.
If you’re drawn to criminal psychology, investigative procedures, or legal ethics, exploring this genre can be both educational and immersive.
True crime is not just about the crime—it’s about truth, justice, and the pursuit of understanding what drives people to commit unthinkable acts.
