By Naomi
As the true crime genre explodes on screens, audio devices and bookshelves, there are many theories why it’s one of today’s fasting-growing genres. For starters, crime plays a big role in our society, and it’s natural to want to know the who-why-what-how’s of it. There’s also an element of wanting to be able to protect yourself: if you know why someone did what they did and how a victim escaped, you might feel more empowered to protect yourself. Some people enjoy the problem-solving aspect of true crime, while others simply want to disappear into a gripping tale. Whatever the reason, below you’ll find some of my true crime recommendations.
Happy sleuthing!
The Menendez Murders, Updated Version by Robert Rand
There’s much to-do about the Menendez brothers, convicted of murdering their parents in 1996. There have been many documentaries and shows looking at different aspects of the case. Thanks to renewed interest on TikTok after the Netflix documentary Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the case is back in the public’s mind as the brothers might get their sentences revisited.
The Con Queen of Hollywood: The Hunt for an Evil Genius by Scott C. Johnson
Veteran reporter Johnson followed the years-long investigation of a private investigator into the mysterious figure of the Con Queen, who lured victims to Indonesia by impersonating Hollywood’s most powerful women with the promise of life-changing career opportunities. Once there, the victims were drained financially and used in a psychological game that ruined their lives.
This book is part true crime investigation and part memoir about the author’s own family story, the latter of which some readers have found unnecessary. It contains exclusive interviews with victims, as well as recordings of the Con Queen herself. A documentary about Johnson’s investigation was released on Apple TV+ earlier this year.
Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
It’s been many years since John Grisham published his last non-fiction book, The Innocent Man. Recently, he partnered with Jim McCloskey of the Centurion Ministries, an innocence group that works to free those who have been wrongly incarcerated. In Framed, they write about 10 cases in which someone has been wrongfully convicted. These are tragic yet powerful stories that question every aspect of the United States justice system: police, judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys, witnesses and experts. In alternating chapters, you get a real feel for Grisham’s excellent storytelling and McCloskey’s passion for the cause. Readers say this book is very well written and engaging, but they had to take breaks since the injustice felt so heartbreakingly real.
Evidence of Things Seen by Sarah Weinman
This anthology of crime journalism articles and essays looks at how the true crime genre can be a catalyst for social change. Instead of asking if we should even engage with true crime, this book assumes that readers are already invested in the genre. The essays explore how to engage more responsibly with it and focuses on systemic issues within the American justice system and crime reporting. Evidence of Things Seen challenges you to think about the societal and cultural impact of crime and its consumption and is highly recommended for fans of true crime.
The Book Forger by Joseph Hone
The Book Forger tells the true story of how two book dealers in the 1930s uncovered the largest case of forgery. It reads like a detective novel, as the author sets out how the president of the Bibliographical Society of London became the most prolific book forger of the late 19th century. Hone explores how he created false provenance for rare books and then managed to “discover” them, and how he then passed off the forgeries as originals. Hone also traces the lives of the booklovers that caught on to his fraud and how they set out to expose him in this true detective story that explores the history of books and bookselling in a well-researched and entertaining manner.
