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Nonfiction that makes even the most terrifying thriller seem tame by comparison True crime is so popular because it allows us to explore the dark side of human nature from a safe distance, but the best true crime writers do not sensationalize terror and suffering; they put their subjects in context and treat the crimes they cover with care and professionalism. Click the titles of these staff-recommended selections to place holds or find electronic copies to download.
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I'll be gone in the dark : one woman's obsessive search for the Golden State Killer
by Michelle McNamara
An account of the unsolved Golden State Killer case, written by the late author of the TrueCrimeDiary.com website and featuring an afterword by her husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, traces the rapes and murders of dozens of victims and the author's determined efforts to help identify the killer and bring him to justice.
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Killers of the Flower Moon : the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI
by David Grann
The best-selling author of The Lost City of Z presents a true account of the early 20th-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
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Helter skelter : the true story of the Manson murders
by Vincent Bugliosi
Revealing the story behind the Manson family, conspiracy, and investigation, a twenty-fifth anniversary edition narrates Deputy D.A. Vincent Bugliosi's determined prosecution, the psychological profiles on the case, and its impact on the nation.
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The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America
by Erik Larson
A compelling account of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 brings together the divergent stories of two very different men who played a key role in shaping the history of the event--visionary architect Daniel H. Burnham, who coordinated its construction, and Dr. Henry H. Holmes, an insatiable and charming serial killer who lured women to their deaths. Reader's Guide available.
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The stranger beside me
by Ann Rule
From the perspective of the former policewoman, crime writer, and unknowing personal friend, tells the story of Ted Bundy, a brilliant law student executed for killing three women, who confessed to killing thirty-five others
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The fact of a body : a murder and a memoir
by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
A National Endowment for the Arts fellow documents the story of how a summer job at a Louisiana law firm and the case of a convicted murderer and child molester changed her views about the death penalty and forced her to confront traumatic secrets in her own family.
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Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
by John Berendt
In charming, beautiful, and wealthy old-South Savannah, Georgia, the local bad boy is shot dead inside of the opulent mansion of a gay antiques dealer, and a gripping trial follows.
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The five : the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper
by Hallie Rubenhold
Researched portraits of the five women murdered by Jack the Ripper in 1888 challenge popular beliefs to reveal each victim's historically relevant and diverse background while discussing the cultural and gender disadvantages that rendered them vulnerable.
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The blood of Emmett Till
by Timothy B Tyson
Draws on previously untapped firsthand testimonies and recovered court transcripts to present a scholarly account of the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till and its role in launching the civil rights movement. By the award-winning author of Blood Done Sign My Name.
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American fire : love, arson, and life in a vanishing land
by Monica Hesse
Documents the trial of a man charged with dozens of counts of arson in a rural Virginia county, sharing insight into his struggles with addiction, his relationship with his accomplice girlfriend, and the impact of the fires on their community
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Under the banner of heaven : a story of violent faith
by Jon Krakauer
Traces the events that surrounded the 1984 murder of a woman and her child by fundamentalist Mormons Ron and Dan Lafferty, exploring the belief systems and traditions, including polygamy, that mark the faith's most extreme factions and what their practices reflect about the nature of religion in America. 500,000 first printing.
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Columbine
by David Cullen
Discusses the school shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, reflecting on the killers' histories and and the portrayal of the event by the media
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The red parts : autobiography of a trial
by Maggie Nelson
After investigating the murder of an aunt who was thought to be the victim of a serial killer, the author discusses how she and her family dealt with feelings of grief and trauma when the discovery of a DNA match identifies the real killer
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Washoe County Library System | 301 S. Center St. Reno, NV
89501 | 775-327-8300
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