An extensive (and always growing) list of true crime novels from around the world.
Have you read all of these?
Which are on your ‘to read’ list?
Which are the best?
The worst?
Any we should add?
This list is frequently updated whenever we have time or read new novels. If you have any recommendations (from any country) please share in the comments!
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links or paid sponsorships. *Some works may deal with difficult / adult subjects or may be graphic to watch. You should read online reviews and listen at your own discretion. The Suitcase Detective is not responsible for any consequences that come from you viewing or reading the following works. You should read online reviews and select at your own discretion. Some of the content on the sit, listening,es or in the books listed may not be acceptable for minors. Incorporation into this list does not reflect the views or opinions of “The Suitcase Detective”; it is not a recommendation or endorsement.
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Genres: Anthology, Case Specific, Serial Killer, White Collar Crime, Espionage, Con and Hoaxes, Organized Crime, Homicide, Historical Crime, Criminal Law & Procedure, Investigation Techniques, Autobiography, Missing Persons, Detective Biography, General Crime
True Crime Novels
wdt_ID
Novel
About
Read
Author
Genre
1
Title: Gone Missing: A Guide for Those Left Behind Description:Thousands of people go missing each year, exceeding the combined number of traffic fatalities, suicides and all the injuries requiring hospitalization. In addition, each person reported missing affects at least twelve others emotionally or financially; immobilizing families as there can be no closure until the fate of their loved one is resolved. Based on decades of fieldwork, Gone Missing discusses the role of police and search agencies, how to deal with the media and the many organizations available to give support and assistance. The book gives a detailed account of the emotional trauma and grieving suffered by those left behind, the professional help available, and explains the role of counseling. It examines why people go missing, and deals with their return or the finding of remains. Author: Douglas Coop
Title: Our Little Secret: The True Story of a Teenage Killer and the Silence of a Small New England Town Description: For twenty years Daniel Paquette's murder in New Hampshire went unsolved. It remained a secret between two high school friends until Eric Windhurst's arrest in 2005. What was revealed was a crime born of adolescent passion between Eric and Daniel's stepdaughter, Melanie- redefining the meaning of loyalty, justice, and revenge. Author: Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie
Flynn, Kevin and Lavoie, Rebecca
Case Specific, Homicide
4
Title: The Iowa Murders: A Shocking True Crime Story Description: Two young women who had everything to live for, were killed by two men with nothing to lose. Completely random attacks. Neither case had anything else in common except they both shocked the nation and even the world. What’s worse, being murdered by a loved one or a stranger who jumps out of the bushes when you are most vulnerable? Previously published as We’ll Find You and Let’s Do Murder, The Iowa Murders tells the shocking true crime stories of the senseless deaths of Mollie Tibbetts and Celia Barquin Arozamena. Author: Rod Kackley
Kackley, Rod
Anthology, Homicide
5
Title: Blood & Ink: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder That Hooked America on True Crime Description: On September 16, 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills were found beneath a crabapple tree on an abandoned farm outside of New Brunswick, New Jersey. This provincial double murder on a lonely lover’s lane would soon become one of the most famous killings in American history—a veritable crime of the century. Blood & Ink freshly chronicles what remains one of the most electrifying but forgotten murder mysteries in U.S. history. Author: Joe Pompeo
Pompeo, Joe
Case Specific, Homicide, Historical Crime
6
Title: Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit Description: Discover the classic, behind-the-scenes chronicle of John E. Douglas’ twenty-five-year career in the FBI Investigative Support Unit, where he used psychological profiling to delve into the minds of the country’s most notorious serial killers and criminals. In chilling detail, the legendary Mindhunter takes us behind the scenes of some of his most gruesome, fascinating, and challenging cases—and into the darkest recesses of our worst nightmares. Author: John Douglas and Mark Olshaker
Douglas, John and Olshaker, M.
Detective Biography, Anthology
7
Title: Cold Kill: The True Story of a Murderous Love Description: Jack Olsen's Cold Kill is a stunning testament to the profoundly discerning eye of a grand master of true crime. To read Cold Kill is not to forgive David West. It is, however, to undergo the uncanny experience of feeling oneself slowly but surely moving into the shoes of a pathological killer. Author: Jack Olsen
Olsen, Jack
Case Specific, Homicide, Investigation Techniques
8
Title: I'm Missing - Please Find Me (Crime Stoppers: Missing Persons) Description: This book, the second in a series of Crime Stoppers appeals, focuses on the plight of missing people and their families. Families of missing people are left with a void and many unanswered questions and hopefully some of those reading this book will have information that they can provide to law enforcement agencies or Crime Stoppers that will help reunite the missing with their loved ones. Author: Cal Millar
Millar, Cal
Missing Persons, Anthology
9
Title: True Crime Trivia Description: •Did a serial killer roam the Titanic? •Which food is the most shoplifted? •How many killers get away with murder each year? •Did a fax machine identify the Black Dahlia? Discover the answers to 350 eye-opening questions like these in True Crime Trivia. Each question is multiple choice or true/false so you can play trivia against yourself or your friends. Correct answers include surprising stories and shocking details about true crime cases you thought you knew and ones you have never heard of before. Author: Michelle Tooker
Tooker, Michelle
10
Title: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals Description: Actors, musicians, TV personalities, and other public figures in the spotlight aren’t always who they appear to be. You might be surprised by just how many have led nefarious, double lives, and have become infamous criminals! Get the stories behind these public figures, both contemporary and historical, who have traveled down the murky pathway toward criminal activity. Author: Mitzi Szereto Series: The Best New True Crime Stories
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