True Crime & Legal

Perhaps few genres have benefitted as much from the rise of binge-watching culture as true crime. Any of these texts could be adapted as a streaming documentary series—and a few are already available. Dive into this collection for real drama ripped straight from the headlines.

Publication year 2022

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Tags US History, Politics & Government, Crime & Law, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Biography

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Revenge, Death, Environment, Self Discovery, Social Class, Economics, Justice

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Crime & Law

The legal thriller Gray Mountain (2014) is a #1 New York Times bestseller from John Grisham, an author known for his critiques of the American legal system. A former criminal defense attorney and Mississippi state legislator, Grisham draws on his legal background to craft narratives that often explore systemic corruption and social injustice. In Gray Mountain, the 2008 financial crisis serves as the catalyst for the story: After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, high-powered Wall... Read Gray Mountain Summary

Publication year 1974

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Family

Tags Crime & Law, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Religion & Spirituality, Biography

Vincent Bugliosi (1934-2015), the lead prosecutor in the case of the murders committed by Charles Manson and his followers, wrote the book Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders as a detailed account of the trial, evidence, and interviews with the witnesses that eventually put these horrific criminals behind bars. Written with the help of ghostwriter Curt Gentry, the book highlights Bugliosi’s insider’s perspective on the events, with detailed explanations of the gory... Read Helter Skelter Summary

Publication year 2002

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Language

Tags Crime & Law, Mystery & Crime Fiction

In Hole in My Life, Jack Gantos recounts the story of his time as an idle teenager turned drug smuggler, including his eventual capture by the government and his time spent in Ashford Federal Penitentiary, in Kentucky. The biography serves as much as a lesson to readers in how Gantos turns his own life around as it does the story of how Gantos developed his writing style. The story moves back and forth in time, starting... Read Hole In My Life Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Siblings, Family, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Crime & Law, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Biography

If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen is narrative nonfiction true crime book published in 2019. It documents the story of Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek, sisters who survived living with their mother, Shelly Knotek, who would ultimately be responsible for the infamous Raymond torture killings in Washington State. Olsen specializes in writing crime-related narratives about people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances... Read If You Tell Summary

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Crime & Law, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a true crime book written by Michelle McNamara about the Golden State Killer (GSK). The GSK committed his crimes—a series of rapes escalating to homicides—in Northern and Southern California during the 1970s and 80s. McNamara’s book describes both the GSK’s crimes and her own pursuit of the criminal some 30 years later. The book was published posthumously in 2018, nearly two years after McNamara’s death. The narrative describes how... Read I'll Be Gone in the Dark Summary

Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Justice, Music

Tags US History, Crime & Law, Race & Racism, World History, Social Justice, Politics & Government, Biography

Part memoir, part exhortation for much-needed reform to the American criminal justice system, Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy is a heartrending and inspirational call to arms written by the activist lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama-based organization responsible for freeing or reducing the sentences of scores of wrongfully convicted individuals. Stevenson’s memoir weaves together personal stories from his years as a lawyer with strong statements against racial and legal injustice, drawing a clear... Read Just Mercy Summary

Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Crime & Law, US History, Military & War, World History, Biography, Politics & Government

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever is a popular nonfiction historical narrative recounting the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The book was written in September 2011 by New York Times bestselling author and controversial conservative talk show host Bill O’Reilly, former anchor of The O’Reilly Factor. The book is also authored by New York Times bestselling author Martin Dugard, whose book Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone has been... Read Killing Lincoln Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Mental Health, Gender Identity, Art

Tags Crime & Law, Gender & Feminism, Women`s Studies, Biography

Published in 2019, Chanel Miller’s Know My Name: A Memoir is her first book. A harrowing account of surviving rape and reclaiming identity, Miller’s memoir documents her 2015 rape at Stanford University and its aftermath. A New York Times bestselling author, Miller provides a raw yet hopeful examination of sexual assault. Through the intersections of gender, race, and class, Miller, who is Chinese American, explores society’s treatment of survivors. Ultimately, Miller offers a hopeful journey... Read Know My Name: A Memoir Summary