Best True Crime Books
Gripping accounts of real murders, heists, cults, and criminal masterminds.
Top Picks
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Michelle McNamara
28,000 reviews
All True Crime Books
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
John Berendt
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
Ronan Farrow
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
Hallie Rubenhold
Columbine
Dave Cullen
Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties
Tom O'Neill
Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery
Robert Kolker
The Killer Across the Table: Unlocking the Secrets of Serial Killers and Predators with the FBI's Original Mindhunter
John E. Douglas
Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
Lawrence Wright
Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires
Selwyn Raab
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land
Monica Hesse
The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America
Erik Larson
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people enjoy true crime books?+
True crime appeals to readers' interest in psychology, justice, and the limits of human behaviour. Readers want to understand how ordinary-seeming people commit extraordinary crimes, how investigators piece together cases, and what motivates criminal behaviour. It is less about the crime itself and more about the people behind it.
Are true crime books suitable for sensitive readers?+
Many true crime books include graphic descriptions of violence. Books on this page vary significantly in their graphic content — check reader reviews for warnings before starting. Some focus more on investigation and psychology than on crime details, which suits readers who want the story without the disturbing imagery.
What is the most popular type of true crime book?+
Serial killer profiles and cold case investigations attract the largest audiences. Books that combine psychological profiling with investigative journalism tend to be the most critically acclaimed — they explain the 'why' as well as the 'what.'
Do true crime books change how cases are investigated?+
Sometimes significantly. Several cold cases have been reopened after true crime books or podcasts brought new attention or evidence. In rare cases, authors have discovered key evidence through their research. True crime writing has also driven reforms in wrongful conviction cases.