True story crime books are some of the most fascinating reads out there. As interesting as crime fiction is, books that delve into real crimes and the people involved in them are captivating, simply because they are true. It is bewitching to learn about real-life serial killers, bank robbers, spouse murderers, and even unsolved crimes. While there are numerous true crime writers out there, here are a few of the most interesting.
Ann Rule
Ann Rule was a prolific writer and her books are available almost anywhere books are sold. This author is most known for her book written about Ted Bundy, the notorious serial killer that she actually worked with for a time. Rule had a background in law enforcement and wrote about Diane Downs, she shot her own children, and the Green River killer, among others.
Joe McGinniss
McGinnis is known for his political and true crime books, most notably, Fatal Vision. This book was about the Jeffrey MacDonald case. MacDonald was convicted for killing his wife and children. The back story of this book is also interesting, the author actually pretended that he thought the killer was innocent in order to get his story. The author was actually sued by the killer for this deception.
Jon Krakauer
Krakauer is known for his book about Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild. However, he also wrote a book about the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter by her brothers-in-law, who believed that they had received a revelation from God that she should be killed. This book examines the murders and also the Fundamentalist Mormon sect.
Mara Leveritt
Mara Leveritt is the author of Devil’s Knot, which told the study of three teenagers who brutally murdered three eight-year-olds. The case was controversial as the lead witness changed his story multiple times and it was believed that the jury was biased due to pretrial publicity. Some felt that the murders were a part of a satanic ritual while others compared the arrests and trial to the Salem Witch trials.
Robert Graysmith
Graysmith wrote about the unsolved Zodiac killings that occurred in San Francisco during the 60s and 70s. The book delves into the investigations into the murders and possible suspects. It also examines the evidence; Graysmith felt that the murderer should be brought to justice and that the story should be written to raise awareness of the crimes and to consolidate the evidence for future use.
There are numerous other true crime writers outside of these five, such as Dave Cullen, who wrote about the Columbine school shootings. Masha Gessen wrote about the Boston marathon bombing, while Timothy B. Tyson published a book about the lynching of Emmett Till in the 1950s. A quick Internet search will allow anyone to locate true crime books and their authors; some books have also been made into movies that are definitely worth watching. True story crime books can be found online and in many brick and mortar bookstores and big box stores. Most are also available in electronic formats for those with e-readers.