The truth can be stranger than fiction. This is certainly the case in this list of the 30 best true crime books. There has been a fascination surrounding true crime for decades, but the genre has absolutely exploded in recent years.
This can make it difficult to know where to begin, or where your favorite true crime book may land in the grand scheme of things. This list looks at books published in the 1960s up until 2022. The result is a list of the best true crime books spanning generations and geography.
Best True Crime Books
The best true crime books will give a slice of humanity back to the victims of these, often, horrific crimes. Many of the books on this list do just that, focusing on the lives of the victims before their murders.
However, there are some exceptions. There are some books that are iconic within the genre and are must reads. These books may focus more on the crime and murderer, but are influential within the true crime genre.
It is a genre that feeds into people’s natural desire for justice and to solve puzzles and mysteries. This is partly what makes true crime so popular and so fascinating.
Furthermore, watching true crime unfold across a screen or a page keeps it at a safe distance to consume. It also, again often, neatly categorizes the world into good vs. evil.
Our list looks at some of the most gruesome murder cases that terrorized communities from the 1800s into modern day. It also looks at pivotal moments surrounding crime from lynching to corporate fraud.
So, keep reading to find out more about which books made our list of the 30 best true crime books.
1. The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
First is a book about a crime that fascinated and stumped the world for generations. However, this book flips the narrative. Instead of being about the elusive Jack the Ripper, Rubenhold tells the story of his five victims.
Through meticulous research Rubenhold breathes life back into these women. For years their identities began and ended with their murder, but Rubenhold returns to them a sliver of humanity.
However, there is a tinge of moral judgement in this book in the way she discusses addiction and alcoholism. This directly contradicts her efforts and reduces the women further. This also bleeds into the way she describes their actions and assumes motivations, which is an impossible endeavor.
Despite this, Rubenhold does manage to shift a narrative that has persisted for decades. Rather than reciting the facts surrounding their deaths at the hand of Jack the Ripper, Rubenhold reveals everything that can be known about Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Catherine, and Mary Jane through public record.
She destroys the myth that these women were prostitutes. Instead, Rubenhold reveals how poverty and misogyny led to their homelessness. This book is a must read for anyone who has been fascinated by the allure of Jack the Ripper at some point in their life.
2. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
The next book on our list of the best true crime books is another recommendation that is perfect for fans of both true crime and historical genres. However, The Devil in the White City jumps across the pond to the setting of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
It follows the lives of two men. One was an architect helping to construct the buildings of the fair: Daniel Hudson Burnham. The other was a young doctor, who built a hotel outside the fairgrounds: Henry H. Holmes.
But the hotel Holmes built was a different sort of horror. It was a torture palace with all the bells and whistles to murder and dispose of his victims.
The way Larson recounts the stories of Burnham and Holmes almost reads as fiction, but the facts are shockingly true.
3. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Like our previous recommendation, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt is another book that reads a bit like fiction. This makes it all the more haunting.
It is important to note, however, that Berendt did add embellishments to allow the narrative to flow more smoothly, so it is not a cut-and-dry nonfictional recount. But it is a classic within the true crime genre.
Berendt brings the atmosphere of Savannah, Georgia to life. In addition to the residents of Savannah, the city itself feels like a looming character. Berendt revisits an early May morning in 1981 that became a landmark murder case.
4. Columbine by Dave Cullen
While there have, tragically, been many school shootings that both precede and follow the Columbine school shooting of 1999, it is one that evokes great significance. Columbine has become synonymous with school shootings.
In the aftermath of the shooting many rumours spread throughout the media. Dave Cullen was one of the first journalists on the scene at the school. In the decade following the event he stayed with the story and its effects. This book is the result of his work.
Cullen parts through the rumours that took hold of public perception and reveals the facts surrounding April 20, 1999. He uses evidence to piece together what took place in the lead-up to the shooting and interviews the survivors to starkly contrast the horror of that day.
5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Despite the criticisms it has received in more recent years, no list of the best true crime books would be complete without the book that arguably created the genre as we know it today.
In Cold Blood is credited as launching the true crime genre. However, it is important to understand the criticism of this book before reading it. Capote’s goal was to write a nonfiction novel, therefore he fabricated or embellished details of the case in order to make the narrative flow better.
Capote reconstructs, in his own way, the events of November 15, 1959. On that day, in the small Kansas town of Holcomb, four family members were shot at close range. Police could not immediately determine a motive for the Clutter killings, nor were there many clues.
Capote depicts the police investigation and subsequent death sentence for the killers. He manages to create suspense and empathy while providing insights into violence.
6. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
Our next recommendation for one of the best true crime books tackles more recent events. The Harvey Weinstein sexual assault investigation is one of the biggest in recent years. This book, by the journalists who broke the story, reveals their investigation.
Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey were not the first journalists who tried to unveil the truth around Harvey Weinstein. Like those who came before them, they had to fight against his power in their pursuit of the truth.
This book recounts their reporting techniques and the interviews which allowed them to confront Weinstein with their disturbing exposé. It also recounts the battle that took place as Weinstein fought with the New York Times.
Then, Kantor and Twohey recount the aftermath of their initial publication on October 5, 2017. They never anticipated the surge of women who would come forward with stories of sexual assault and abuse, or tidal wave of change which followed.
7. Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow
In a similar vein as the above recommendation is Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow. If you are a fan of the podcast of the same time, then you should absolutely read this book.
While Farrow recounts some of the same events as Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey in his investigation into Harvey Weinstein, the two books are complimentary to one another. It’s worth reading both books if you have an interest in this particular crime.
Around the same time as Kantor and Twohey’s investigation, Farrow heard the same rumours about Weinstein and decided to investigate. He too wanted to pierce through the veil of power and wealth that allowed a predator to operate untouched.
In his book about his investigation, Farrow goes into detail about the attempts to stop him and the intimidation techniques that were used. He reveals for the first time the tactics that were used against him and the victims to keep them silent. Tactics which ultimately did not succeed.
8. The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule
The authors of our previous best true crime books have either been historians or journalists, but this book shifts gears. The Stranger Beside Me is an autobiographical account from Ann Rule. She was a coworker of Ted Bundy’s, and this book documents her struggle to reconcile with the truth.
Rule recounts the time she worked alongside Bundy at a crisis hotline, then the moment when she realized he was a serial killer. She leverages her own knowledge as a professional instructor for police officer training to reveal how Bundy evaded capture and deceived so many.
While this book was first published in 1980, there have been several updates and edits throughout the years.
9. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry
This next recommendation for one of the best true crime books features another infamous murderer: Charles Manson. Once again, this book, Helter Skelter, features someone close to the case. That’s because Vincent Bugliosi was one of the prosecuting attorneys in the Manson trial.
This book was written with the help of Curt Gentry and reveals details about how Bugliosi constructed his case against Manson. This is another murderer that had a firm grasp on public perception and remains a pivotal case. Therefore, while this is an older book that focuses more on the murderer than his victims, it is still a classic true crime book.
10. Scoundrel: How a Convicted Murderer Persuaded the Women Who Loved Him, the Conservative Establishment, and the Courts to Set Him Free by Sarah Weinman
One of the next best true crime books on our list is Scoundrel by Sarah Weinman. She has written other popular true crime books as well. However, this book takes a deep dive into the case of Edgar Smith.
Despite being imprisoned and a convicted murderer, Smith managed to convince the public he was innocent. He was released from prison and wrote books before attempting another murder.
Rather than berate the people who Smith fooled, Weinman shows just how deep his deception and manipulation went. But she also analyzes how the public can become complicit in such stories while focusing on the victims of Edgar Smith.
11. Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
Next up is an analysis of an Alabama serial killer and the true-crime book that author Harper Lee worked on for years. It is equally the story Lee wanted to write, and the story of why she couldn’t.
Cep recounts the case of Willie Maxwell from the 1970s. Maxwell was a preacher who stood trial for the murders of five family members, evaded conviction, and was then shot by a family member during the funeral of another victim to his insurance money scheme. The same lawyer who represented Maxwell defended his murderer, and the family member was acquitted.
The trial took place in Alabama and grabbed the attention of Harper Lee. America’s most famous writer had the hopes of writing something akin to Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Capote was a close friend of Lee, and she had helped him in researching his true crime classic.
Lee began work on a book about the case, The Reverend, but despite years working on recounting the Maxwell case, it was never published. Cep now brings to life Lee’s struggle alongside this fascinating case.
12. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Unlike the previous titles on our list of the best true crime books, this next recommendation does not feature murder. Rather it features a swindling scheme of epic proportions. It is the full inside story of the breathtaking rise and subsequent shocking collapse of a multibillion-dollar startup by the journalist who first broke the story.
Many will recognize the context of this book with Elizabeth Holmes’s recent conviction for fraud. This book winds the clock back to 2014 when the founder of Theranos was still well-regarded within tech circles and the Silicon Valley.
At her peak, Holmes was a billionaire with a startup worth $9 billion. However, the technology at the center of Theranos was false. It didn’t work.
Holmes mislead the public, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, investors, and employees for years. Then Carreyrou broke his story casting doubt upon Theranos and the fall-out began. This book reveals the lawsuits against Carreyrou and the Wall Street Journal, the denials, and the subsequent proof of corporate fraud.
13. Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green
This next book is a recent publication, but it shines a light on events from nearly 30 years ago. The Last Call Killer preyed upon the gay community of New York City. Elon Green paints a portrait of his victims as well as the vibrant community that navigated the threat and their resilience.
This book begins in July 1992 at a bar in midtown. It is there where an inconspicuous man picks out his next victim.
The Last Call Killer murdered gay men during the 1980s and 1990s in New York. Many factors contributed to how he has slipped from public memory in a way that other notorious killers haven’t. Part of the reason is the sexuality of the victims, how high murder rates were at the time, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Green brings attention back to these victims and the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community in New York.
14. Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession by Rachel Monroe
As we near the halfway mark of our list of the best true crime books, this is an important book to note and read for any true crime fanatic. It is an investigation into the fascination that surrounds the true crime genre.
In Savage Appetites, Rachel Monroe links the four archetypes of detective, victim, attorney, and killer. For each archetype she explores a true story about a woman driven by obsession. The result is a stunning analysis of the connections between women, violence, and obsession.
Monroe walks through time from the 1940s and the exploration of forensic science to the 21st century and an online obsession with the Columbine murderers. Her stories also explore the aftermath of the Manson murders and a women who married a convicted murderer in the 1990s.
She uses these four examples to depict the history of crime in America, empathy, the allure of true crime.
15. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
Then, coming in at the halfway point on our list of the best true crime books is an investigative book that actually helped in arresting the killer. This account of the Golden State Killer was published posthumously following Michelle McNamara’s death.
McNamara coined the moniker of “the Golden State Killer” in her pursuit of this violent psychopath thirty years after his crimes. He committed numerous sexual assaults and murders before disappearing and continuing to evade capture.
McNamara, an investigative journalist, recounts his modus operandi in her analysis of this killer.
16. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale
With this next best true crime book we are once more winding the clock back to the 1800s. In The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, Kate Summerscale paints the portrait of the real-life figure behind the birth of modern detective fiction.
At the time of Saville Kent’s murder there were eight detectives in England and they were all in London. But with the discovery of the three-year-old’s corpse, Jonathan Whicher was sent to investigate.
He immediately suspected that a member of the family killed Saville, but he couldn’t prove it. The failure broke him, even though his suspicions were later proven to be correct.
However, for anyone who loves detective fiction, this book is a must-read. Jonathan Whicher is the inspiration behind many of the beloved detective figures in popular culture.
17. The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy by Masha Gessen
This next book brings us back stateside and into the twenty-first century. It is an analysis of the Boston Marathon Bombing by Masha Gessen. This book is similar in scope and scale to Columbine by Dave Cullen.
It begins with the facts of the tragedy. Two bombs made from pressure cookers exploded on April 15, 2013. The explosion killed three and wounded 264 more.
One brother, the eldest, died during the manhunt, but the other stood trial and was convicted of terrorism. Gessen tries to piece together the why and the how of this act of terror.
She looks at the dislocation of the family and how that impacted the brothers and left them longing for a sense of belonging. This then resulted in them becoming homegrown terrorists. Masha Gessen is Russian-American herself, which gives her the necessary context and understanding to tell this story.
18. The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson
Similar to other titles on this list of the best true crime books, this book takes on a significant cultural moment. In this case it is the Civil Rights Movement in America. The book then pieces together the moments from the event to provide more humanity back to the victim.
While many will recognize the name Emmett Till as the symbol he became following his murder at the hands of four white men in 1955, many may not know more about the fourteen-year-old boy.
He was a harbinger of the Civil Rights Movement, but before that he was just a boy. This book provides the history of Till’s lynching and the movement that followed in its wake alongside more information about Till himself.
19. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker
As the title would suggest, this next recommendation for the best true crime books is an unsolved mystery. Robert Kolker depicts the lives of the five young women who are linked through their deaths at the hand of the Long Island Serial Killer.
The five women were escorts who advertised online. Perhaps because of their profession their disappearances went largely unnoticed, until four bodies were found. One woman’s body, Shannan, was missing, but she shared similar features to the other women.
Kolker recounts the lives of these five women, the dangers of the Internet, and the secrets society keeps.
20. Missoula: Rape and Justice in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
Another one of our picks for the best true crime books is a stark, powerful, meticulously reported narrative about a series of sexual assaults at the University of Montana.
Krakauer interviews several women who were raped in Missoula, Montana. He documents the experiences of those who went to the police and those who didn’t, those who pressed charges and those who didn’t.
The result is a sickening analysis of the justice system and its failures, as well as the horrific consequences of speaking out and the subsequent public vilification.
21. American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan
In American Predator, Maureen Callahan reveals a terrifying and ambitious serial killer that many will not recognize. Israel Keyes was described as pure evil with unprecedented methods.
Across the US, Keyes buried kill kits which contained everything he needed to murder and dispose of his victims. He chose remote locations for his kits, would return to that area years later, and select his victims at random.
Keyes would then return to his home in Alaska and masquerade as a doting father. While Keyes was later caught by the FBI, many of his crimes are still unsolved.
Callahan interviewed law enforcement officials and utilized FBI documents to piece together everything that is known about this serial killer.
22. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker
This next recommendation for one of the best true crime books may be familiar. That’s because it was the inspiration for a popular TV show of the same name. Once more this book tells the story of some of the most notorious and sadistic criminals, but from a different perspective: That of the investigator.
John Douglas has confronted, interviewed, and researched dozens of serial killers and assassins. His investigations include Charles Manson, Richard Speck, John Wayne Gacy, and James Earl Ray. Douglas led a landmark study to understand their motives, to get inside their minds.
He is the model for fictional law enforcement legends. He is also the man who ushered in a new age in behavioral science and criminal profiling. This autobiographical work was published after Douglas retired followed 25 years of service.
23. Wise Guy by Nicholas Pileggi and Henry Hill
Wise Guy by Nicholas Pileggi is another piece of investigative nonfiction. But this time it is into the secretive world of the mafia. It details the life of Henry Hill, which was the basis for Martin Scorsese’s film Goodfellas.
Wise Guy brings to life the violence, the payoffs, the paybacks, and the jail time that create the mafia lifestyle. This book is truly a journalistic endeavour as Pileggi wrote it through interviews with Hill. It also includes sections of narration directly from Hill that will be familiar to any fans of Goodfellas.
This book is a must-read for anyone who has an interest in the world of mobsters and organized crime.
24. The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber
The account in this true crime book proves that truth is stranger, and far more terrifying, than fiction. Charles Graeber does a deep dive into the murderer Charlie Cullen, named “The Angel of Death” by the press.
He was a registered nurse, son, father, husband, and best friend. He also may have been one of the most prolific serial killers in US history. That’s because Cullen has been implicated in the murders of potentially 300 patients.
His murders took place across 16 years and nine hospitals in multiple states. It was only thanks to a coworker who risked everything and two relentless detectives that his murderous rampage was stopped.
Graeber utilizes police records, recordings, and exclusive interviews to piece together this horrific story.
25. Highway of Tears: A True Story of the Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid
As we near the end of our list of the best true crime books, these books are no less important or impactful than the previous recommendations. Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid is about the missing and murdered Indigenous women in British Columbia, Canada. It is also an indictment of the country and society which failed them.
Highway 16 is isolated and the last known location for many Indigenous women. For decades women have been found murdered or disappeared from this area.
McDiarmid is an investigative journalist and she analyzes the impact this has had on the communities. She also looks at the role systemic racism has played in this tragedy which spans decades and continues into the present.
She interviews friends and family members of victims, which offers a searing account of their fight for justice. Across Canada up to 4,000 Indigenous women have gone missing or been found murdered. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn more about this tragic reality and ongoing failure.
26. If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen
Our next recommendation for one of the best true crime books is a harrowing survivor’s story about absolute evil. Gregg Olsen recounts the upbringing of the Knotek sisters: Nikki, Sami, and Tori.
Their mother abused, degraded, and tortured them throughout their childhood in Raymond, Washington. But more than just being a story about the horrific abuse they underwent, If You Tell is a story about their resilience. Now, they tell their story of freedom and who they are today after having found the courage to escape.
27. Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of the Hunt for the Nation’s Most Elusive Serial Killer by Robert Graysmith
The Zodiac Killer is another infamous murderer that has maintained a grasp on society while evading the authorities. Robert Graysmith worked at the San Francisco Chronicle during the Zodiac Killer’s reign. He spent the subsequent years until the publication of this book researching and piecing together everything that he could find about the killer.
While the official count of his victims is six, the Zodiac Killer claimed 37 and may have even reached 50. He was a sexual sadist and evaded capture while mocking authorities.
This book includes reproductions of the Zodiac Killer’s letters, as well as hundreds of facts from someone inside a newsroom during the Zodiac’s reign of terror.
28. Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial by Rabia Chaudry
Fans of true crime podcasts might immediately recognize the story behind this book. It is about the conviction of Adnan Syed in early 2000. His life sentence would later be the basis for the popular podcast Serial.
Adnan Syed was found guilty of the murder of Hae Min Lee, his ex-girlfriend. He received a life sentence, but Rabia Chaudry always maintained his innocence alongside Adnan himself. Chaudry was a family friend that wanted to prove his innocence to others as well.
This is what lead to the Serial podcast, but Chaudry had more to say. This book presents evidence to dismantle the State’s case against Adnan as well as a new suspect. It also features letters and Adnan’s personal reflections from prison.
Adnan’s murder conviction was overturned in September 2022.
29. Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson
Our penultimate best true crime book is another great recommendation for fans of the historical and true crime genres. This book harkens back the mid-twentieth century.
In 1952, the effects of the War was still a reality in London. Then, a deadly smog descended on the city for five long days. It halted transit and killed thousands of people.
It was also the perfect cloak for a serial killer. John Reginald Christie was responsible for the deaths of multiple women. When he was finally caught, even more bodies were found in his home.
This raised the question of whether Christie was responsible for a double murder which sent another man to the gallows three years previously. This book simultaneously looks at the environmental catastrophe and a horrific serial killer.
30. The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
Finally, but by no means least, the last book on our list of the best true crime books is The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich. In this book, the author brings their lived experience of sexual abuse into the discussion of a convicted murderer.
Marzano-Lesnevich thought they didn’t believe in the death penalty when they began a summer internship at a law firm. But when they hear Ricky Langley talk about the murders he committed, things change.
They want nothing more than for this man to die, which makes them examine their own past and this case more closely.
In addition to being about Langley’s crimes, this is a book about how personal histories can impact and influence our reactions. It also examines the nature of forgiveness and the complexity of the truth within narratives.
Final thoughts on the best true crime books
In conclusion, here is the list of our 30 best true crime books to review once more.
These titles span a variety of decades and generations, from brutal serial killers to corporate fraud. It was incredibly difficult to whittle down the hundreds of phenomenal true crime books into a succinct list. So, if your favorite book didn’t make the list, leave your recommendation in the comments below.
- The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold (2019)
- The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson (2003)
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (1994)
- Columbine by Dave Cullen (2009)
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1966)
- She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey (2019)
- Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow (2019)
- The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule (1980)
- Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry (1974)
- Scoundrel: How a Convicted Murderer Persuaded the Women Who Loved Him, the Conservative Establishment, and the Courts to Set Him Free by Sarah Weinman (2022)
- Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep (2019)
- Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou (2018)
- Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green (2021)
- Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession by Rachel Monroe (2019)
- I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara (2018)
- The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale (2008)
- The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy by Masha Gessen (2015)
- The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson (2017)
- Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker (2013)
- Missoula: Rape and Justice in a College Town by Jon Krakauer (2015)
- American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan (2019)
- Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker (1995)
- Wise Guy by Nicholas Pileggi and Henry Hill (1985)
- The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber (2022)
- Highway of Tears: A True Story of the Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid (2019)
- If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen (2019)
- Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of the Hunt for the Nation’s Most Elusive Serial Killer by Robert Graysmith (1986)
- Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial by Rabia Chaudry (2016)
- Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson (2017)
- The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich (2017)