Every year, we publish a list of all the True Crime books released in the previous year, and without fail, it’s one of our most popular posts. That’s because there’s something in True Crime for everyone, whether you’re fascinated by cold cases, psychological profiles, or suspenseful courtroom dramas. This post is a comprehensive roundup of True Crime books from 2024.
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The Furies: Women, Vengeance, and Justice, by Elizabeth Flock
Published on January 9, 2024 by Harper
Elizabeth Flock’s The Furies delves into the controversial topic of female-led violence as a response to systemic failures in protecting women. Through the immersive stories of three women – a survivor in Alabama denied Stand-Your-Ground protection, a gang leader in India avenging domestic abuse victims, and a fighter in an all-female militia battling ISIS in Syria – Flock examines their choices to use lethal force for safety and freedom.
Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom, by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard
Published on January 9, 2024 by BenBella Books
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard breaks her silence in this raw, first-hand account of surviving Munchausen by proxy abuse, her role in her mother’s murder, and her journey toward redemption. Featuring prison journals, interviews, and personal photos, this book reveals the truth behind the media frenzy. Released: Converations on the Eve of Freedom is perfect for readers fascinated by psychological survival stories and infamous true crime cases.
Crimes of the Centuries: The Cases That Changed Us, by Amber Hunt
Published on January 16, 2024 by Union Square & Co.
In Crimes of the Centuries, True crime journalist Amber Hunt explores history’s most pivotal crimes. From the Salem Witch Trials to landmark DNA cases, and how they transformed America’s legal system. Aimed at fans of true crime history, and crimes that left a lasting cultural impact.
If Love Could Kill: The Myths and Truths of Women Who Commit Violence, by Anna Motz
Published on February 6, 2024 by Knopf
Forensic psychotherapist Anna Motz shatters stereotypes by examining women who commit brutal crimes, not as monsters, but as products of systemic abuse and trauma. With gripping case studies and deep psychological insight. If Love Could Kill, challenges societal taboos and reveals the hidden epidemic of female violence.
A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown’s Most Shocking Crime, by Casey Sherman
Published on February 13, 2024 by Sourcebooks
In A Murder in Hollywood, Casey Sherman revisits Tinseltown’s most scandalous crime: the night mobster Johnny Stompanato was stabbed to death in Lana Turner’s bedroom, allegedly by her teenage daughter Cheryl. This gripping exposé reveals the abuse behind the glamour, blending true crime with a searing critique of Hollywood’s dark side in the 1950s.
Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom, by McCracken Poston Jr.
Published on February 20, 2024 by Citadel
Attorney McCracken Poston Jr. recounts his fight to exonerate Alvin Ridley, a neurodivergent TV repairman accused of murdering his secret wife in small-town Georgia. Blending courtroom drama with a poignant exploration of autism and justice, Zenith Man reveals how prejudice nearly condemned an innocent man, and how the truth set him free.
Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist, by Lisa G. Bailey
Published on February 20, 2024 by Chicago Review Press
In Clay and Bones, FBI forensic artist Lisa Bailey pulls back the curtain on her ground-breaking career reconstructing victims’ faces from skull, and her shocking battle against institutional sexism within the Bureau. Equal parts crime-solving memoir and workplace exposé, this gripping account reveals both the artistry behind identification and the systemic rot she risked everything to expose.
The Waltham Murders: One Woman’s Pursuit to Expose the Truth Behind a Murder and a National Tragedy, by Susan Clare Zalkind
Published on March 1, 2024 by Little A
Investigative journalist Susan Zalkind turns grief into a decade-long quest to solve her friend’s 2011 triple homicide, uncovering shocking ties to the Boston Marathon bombers and a web of domestic terrorism. Part true crime, part memoir, this relentless investigation exposes how one unsolved murder revealed America’s dark underbelly of radicalization.
Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling, by Jason De León
Published on March 19, 2024 by Viking
MacArthur-winning anthropologist Jason De León embeds with human smugglers for seven years, revealing a brutal yet complex underworld rarely seen. Centered on a coyote’s doomed attempt to escape the trade, Soldiers and Kings blends deep reporting with heart-wrenching storytelling about desperation, survival, and the global forces driving migration. it’s perfect for reader who like Evicted or The Beast.
Dead Dog Road: A True Story Into the Dark World of an Abused Child, by Diane Black
Published on March 24, 2024 by Black Flower Press
In Dead Dog Road, Diane N. Black exposes a harrowing case of child abuse in rural Texas, where three adopted siblings suffered under a sadistic guardian while the system failed them. When a children’s home director uncovers the truth, she battles bureaucratic indifference to rescue them, revealing a chilling reality about the cracks in child protection.
Death Row Welcomes You: Visiting Hours in the Shadow of the Execution Chamber, by Steven Hale
Published on March 26, 2024 by Melville House
In Death Row Welcomes You, Award-winning journalist Steven Hale offers an unprecedented, deeply human look at Tennessee’s shocking execution spree through the eyes of death row prisoners and the unlikely visitors whose lives they transformed. With rare access to a system shrouded in secrecy, Hale challenges stereotypes about capital punishment, revealing profound connections forged in the shadow of the death chamber. A haunting, essential read for anyone grappling with justice, redemption, and what it means to face the end.
Rabbit Heart: A Mother’s Murder, a Daughter’s Story, by Kristine S. Ervin
Published on March 26, 2024 by Counterpoint
Kristine S. Ervin was just eight when her mother, Kathy Sue Engle, was abducted from an Oklahoma mall and murdered. Decades later, Ervin embarks on a searing quest to reclaim her mother’s identity beyond the crime that defined her. Piecing together fragments of memory, letters, and family lore. Rabbit Heart is an unflinching memoir that grapples with grief, the constraints of victimhood, and the elusive nature of justice, offering a raw meditation on what it means to love and lose a mother you never truly knew.
Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away, by Candy J. Cooper
Published on April 2, 2024 by Calkins Creek
In Shackled, Pulitzer-finalist Candy J. Cooper exposes one of America’s most egregious judicial scandals: two Pennsylvania judges who secretly took kickbacks to funnel over 2,500 kids into for-profit prisons for minor offenses. What began as “tough-on-crime” rhetoric post-Columbine, unraveled into a grotesque scheme, children ripped from their families, harsh sentences for petty missteps, and a juvenile detention center booming with cash. Meticulously reported, this is a infuriating deep dive into greed, systemic abuse, and the activists who fought to expose it.
Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud, by Becky Holmes
Published on April 2, 2024 by Unbound
Becky Holmes, is a self-proclaimed “middle-aged woman in a cardigan,” turns the tables on romance scammers in this laugh-out-loud yet eye-opening exposé. After being bombarded with fake advances from “celebrities” and “soldiers,” Holmes embarks on a mission to troll, track, and dismantle the shady world of online fraud, revealing their manipulative scripts, fake personas, and absurd requests for iTunes vouchers. Blending sharp humor with sobering victim stories, this book is both a riotous read and a crucial warning about the billion-dollar industry preying on loneliness.
Four Shots in the Night: A True Story of Spies, Murder, and Justice in Northern Ireland, by Henry Hemming
Published on April 2, 2024 by PublicAffairs
In Four Shots in the Night: A True Story of Spies, Murder, and Justice in Northern Ireland, Henry Hemming unravels the chilling assassination of Frank Hegarty, an IRA informant whose tape-covered corpse became a symbol of the Troubles’ brutal spy games. This gripping investigation exposes how Hegarty’s death ignited political firestorms, legal upheavals, and whispers of Sinn Féin leader Martin McGuinness’s involvement. Blending fresh police findings with explosive archival revelations, Hemming challenges official narratives of the conflict’s end, asking whether shadowy intelligence operations, not diplomacy, truly ended the violence.
Hell Put to Shame: The 1921 Murder Farm Massacre and the Horror of America’s Second Slavery, by Earl Swift
Published on April 2, 2024 by Mariner Books
Earl Swift unearths a chilling, forgotten chapter of American history: the mass drowning of eleven Black farmhands on a Georgia plantation, which exposed the widespread practice of post-Civil War “peonage” debt slavery under brutal Jim Crow rule. Through gripping courtroom drama and investigative rigor, Swift reveals how this atrocity forced the nation to confront systemic oppression, spotlighting three unlikely allies in the fight for justice: NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson, undercover activist Walter F. White, and a segregationist governor whose shocking redemption helped prosecute the killer.
The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief, by Rena Pederson
Published on April 9, 2024 by Pegasus Crime
This riveting true crime story follows Dallas’ most elusive jewel thief of the 1960s, who boldly robbed mansions while owners were home, hiding in closets and leaving no trace. Reporter Rena Pederson investigates the unsolved case, uncovering a dark world of vice and corruption beneath high society’s glitter. With psychological intrigue and a suspicious death, it’s a gripping tale of obsession and mystery.
The Serial Killer’s Apprentice, by Katherine Ramsland, and Tracy Ullman
Published on April 16, 2024 by Crime Ink
This chilling true crime book explores how teen Elmer Henley went from victim to accomplice of notorious killer Dean Corll, luring boys to their deaths in 1970s Houston. When Henley finally turned on Corll, police uncovered 28 bodies—America’s worst serial murder case at the time. The book examines how predators manipulate young minds, the failures that allowed the killings to continue, and Henley’s rare perspective decades later. A disturbing look at how evil can groom the vulnerable
Sister in Law: Shocking True Stories of Fighting for Justice in a Legal System Designed by Men, by Harriet Wistrich
Published on May 2, 2024 by Transworld Digital
Sister in Law, by Harriet Wistrich, the feminist solicitor behind landmark UK cases, reveals how she battles a justice system stacked against women. From overturning Sally Challen’s murder conviction (a coercive control milestone) to representing victims of undercover “spy cops,” Wistrich exposes institutional failures while fighting for groundbreaking legal change. These shocking true stories of rape survivors, abused wives, and deceived activists, show both systemic betrayal and hard-won victories. A powerful call to dismantle laws built by and for men.
The Infernal Machine: A True Story of Dynamite, Terror, and the Rise of the Modern Detective, by Steven Johnson
Published on May 14, 2024 by Crown
In The Infernal Machine, Steven Johnson chronicles the explosive clash between early 20th-century anarchists and NYPD’s first forensic detectives. As Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman’s bombings terrorized 1914 New York, reformist Commissioner Arthur Woods and science-driven Inspector Joseph Faurot pioneered modern policing, from undercover ops to crime labs, to combat dynamite-wielding radicals. This gripping history connects Alfred Nobel’s invention, Russian revolutionary violence, and America’s first terrorism crisis, mirroring today’s battles over surveillance and dissent. A masterful blend of true crime and tech history.
College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight, by Shawn Cohen
Published on May 28, 2024 by Sourcebooks
In College Girl, Missing, Shawn Cohen investigates the baffling 2011 disappearance of Indiana University student Lauren Spierer, last seen partying with wealthy male classmates in Bloomington. Despite security footage, multiple witnesses, and national media attention, the case remains unsolved, exposing investigative failures and potential cover-ups. Cohen reconstructs Lauren’s final hours using new evidence and family interviews, revealing troubling inconsistencies in the official narrative. This gripping account highlights both the vulnerability of young women and the enduring pain of families left without answers.
Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers, by Frank Figliuzzi
Published on May 28, 2024 by Mariner Books
in Long Haul, FBI veteran Frank Figliuzzi exposes America’s shocking epidemic of trucker serial killers, responsible for 850+ murders, through the bureau’s Highway Serial Killings Initiative. From the “Truck Stop Killer” to the “Interstate Strangler,” Figliuzzi reveals how predators exploit the transience of highway systems, jurisdictional gaps, and vulnerable victims. With unprecedented access, he rides along with truckers, interviews survivors, and reconstructs investigations that changed how law enforcement tracks these mobile murderers. A chilling deep dive into roadside terror that will make you rethink every rest stop.
Dark Wire: The Incredible True Story of the Largest Sting Operation Ever, by Joseph Cox
Published on June 4, 2024 by Public Affairs
Investigative journalist Joseph Cox exposes the FBI’s unprecedented global sting operation that created Anom – a fake encrypted messaging app secretly controlled by law enforcement. For years, international criminals used the platform to coordinate drug shipments and murder plots, unaware the FBI was watching. This gripping account reveals how agents infiltrated the underworld’s digital economy, leading to massive busts – until the operation spiraled beyond control. A jaw-dropping true tech thriller about privacy, surveillance, and the blurred lines of modern crimefighting.
There Is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America’s Biggest Catfish, by Anna Akbari
Published on June 4, 2024 by Grand Central Publishing
There Is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America’s Biggest Catfish by Anna Akbari: Part memoir, part exposé, this book details how three highly educated women independently fell for the charming “Ethan Schuman” online, only to discover he was a catfisher seeking emotional intimacy rather than money. When inconsistencies emerged, they teamed up to expose him and other victims, highlighting the complexities of online relationships and digital deception. Ideal for readers interested in online true crime, catfishing, and the psychological aspects of deception.
The Impostor Heiress: Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age, by Annie Reed
Published on June 11, 2024 by Diversion Books
The Impostor Heiress, by Annie Reed. This true crime account chronicles the audacious life of Cassie Chadwick, a master con artist who, through various identities, swindled vast sums in the Gilded Age. Her most famous scam involved convincing prominent men she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter, leading to financial ruin for banks and individuals. Perfect for readers fascinated by historical true crime, grifters, and audacious cons.
A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue, by Dean Jobb
Published on June 25, 2024 by Algonquin Books
This captivating Jazz Age true crime caper details the life of Arthur Barry, dubbed “the greatest jewel thief who ever lived.” Barry charmed high society while executing daring heists, stealing millions in gems from the elite, including Rockefellers and royalty. The book also weaves in his dramatic prison escape for love. A Gentleman and a Thief, by Dean Jobb is perfect for fans of stylish true crime about master con artists, daring heists, and the allure of the Jazz Age.
When the Night Comes Falling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders, by Howard Blum
Published on June 25, 2024 by Harper
From Pulitzer Prize-nominated investigative reporter Howard Blum, When the Night Comes Falling offers an in-depth, inside look at the shocking murders of four University of Idaho students. It goes behind the scenes of the police manhunt for Bryan Christopher Kohberger and explores the broader questions surrounding the tragedy. Ideal for readers seeking a detailed and suspenseful narrative on high-profile murder investigations, reminiscent of classic true crime.
The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss, by Margalit Fox
Published on July 2, 2024 by Random House
This true story uncovers the life of Fredericka “Marm” Mandelbaum, a Jewish mother who rose from poverty to become America’s first widely renowned female crime boss and a sophisticated “fence” for stolen goods in Gilded Age New York. She systematized property crime, creating a vast criminal enterprise. The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum, by Margalit Fox will suit readers interested in historical true crime, organized crime, and the untold stories of powerful women in history.
The Lasting Harm: Witnessing the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, by Lucia Osborne-Crowley
Published on July 23, 2024 by Allen & Unwin
The Lasting Harm, by Lucia Osborne-Crowley is a gripping, behind-the-scenes account of the Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking trial from a journalist with courtroom access. This book centers on the testimonies of survivors, offering a critique of the justice system’s handling of sexual abuse cases and proposing new ideas for reparative justice. Ideal for readers interested in high-profile legal true crime, survivor narratives, and critiques of the justice system.
The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA, by Jesse Katz
Published on July 16, 2024 by Astra House
The Rent Collectors is a gripping true story that exposes the brutal world of LA’s immigrant street vendors and gang exploitation. It follows Giovanni Macedo, a teen gang member who botches a hit on a vendor, accidentally killing a baby, and is then targeted by his own gang. Miraculously surviving, Giovanni seeks redemption and aims to dismantle the gang.
Rough Justice: Do we have the law we deserve? by Wendy Joseph
Published on July 18, 2024 by Transworld Digital
From Old Bailey judge, Wendy Joseph KC, Rough Justice plunges readers into high-stakes courtroom dramas, exploring whether the legal system delivers true justice. Through shocking modern cases and historical miscarriages, it questions if past lessons have been learned and critically examines the flaws within the British legal system, advocating for change. Ideal for readers interested in legal true crime, courtroom narratives, and critiques of the justice system.
Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida, by Mikita Brottman
Published on July 23, 2024 by Atria
Guilty Creatures, by Mikita Brottman unravels a shocking murder in the American South. When Mike Williams disappeared while duck hunting, it was ruled an accident, but nearly two decades later, his friend Brian Winchester confessed to killing him with Mike’s wife, Denise’s, help—after Brian and Denise married. The book exposes the dark side of conservative Christianity and how it fueled the crime. Ideal for readers interested in southern true crime, religiously-motivated crimes, and long-unsolved mysteries.
The Devil Behind the Badge: The Horrifying Twelve Days of the Border Patrol Serial Killer, by Rick Jervis
Published on August 6, 2024 by Dey Street Books
The Devil Behind the Badge by Rick Jervis is a shocking true crime account of the 2018 spree of Juan David Ortiz, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent who became a serial killer in Laredo, Texas. Over twelve days, Ortiz murdered four sex workers. The book delves into the lives of the victims, the hunt for the killer, and raises questions about law enforcement accountability and the border crisis. Ideal for readers interested in serial killer true crime, police corruption, and social issues at the border.
Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels, by Ellen Ruppel Shell
Published on August 6, 2024 by Harry N. Abrams
Slippery Beast is a fascinating book that explores the mysterious world of eels, combining natural history with true crime. It delves into the lucrative and illicit global trade of highly valued “elvers” (baby eels), tracing poaching rings like “Operation Broken Glass” in Maine. The book follows the eel’s elusive journey from the Sargasso Sea to dinner plates, and explores the efforts to farm them. Ideal for readers interested in unique true crime, environmental crime, and intriguing natural history.
Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, a Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice, by Barbara Bradley Hagerty
Published on August 6, 2024 by Riverhead Books
Bringing Ben Home, by Barbara Bradley Hagerty tells the story of Ben Spencer, a Black man wrongly convicted of murder in Texas in 1987 and imprisoned for thirty years due to shoddy police work and prosecutorial misconduct. It details his fight for exoneration and highlights how states, particularly Texas, are now implementing reforms to address wrongful convictions and make the legal system more equitable.
A Devil Went Down to Georgia: Race, Power, Privilege, and the Murder of Lita McClinton, by Deb Miller Landau
Published on August 6, 2024 by Pegasus Crime
In A Devil Went Down to Georgia, Deb Miller Landau unravels the shocking 1987 murder of Black socialite Lita McClinton Sullivan, gunned down by a hitman hired by her estranged white millionaire husband Jim Sullivan. This gripping account exposes Jim’s disturbing control over Lita, his $25,000 contract killing, and the two-decade international manhunt that followed. With meticulous reporting, Landau reveals how racial bias hampered the investigation and chronicles the McClinton family’s relentless pursuit of justice for their daughter. A searing true crime story of privilege, power, and perseverance.
Rinsed: From Cartels to Crypto How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World’s Deadliest Crooks, by Geoff White
Published on August 13, 2024 by Penguin Business
Rinsed, by Investigative journalist Geoff White exposes how tech-savvy criminals are revolutionizing money laundering through cryptocurrency, fintech platforms, and digital loopholes. This eye-opening dive reveals how cartels, oligarchs, and cybercriminals now move illicit billions with terrifying efficiency – destabilizing global economies while staying steps ahead of regulators. From dark web marketplaces to sanctioned Russian assets, White traces how digital innovation has created a golden age for financial crime, with dire consequences for society. A must-read wake-up call about the invisible economic warfare happening in plain sight.
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty, by Valerie Bauerlein
Published on August 20, 2024 by Ballantine Books
The Devil at His Elbow, by Valerie Bauerlein is the definitive true crime book that chronicles the violent downfall of Alex Murdaugh, a powerful South Carolina legal scion, after he murdered his wife and son. A veteran journalist unravels the Murdaugh family’s history of cover-ups and exposes the layers of deceit and privilege that led to Alex’s ruin. Ideal for readers fascinated by high-profile legal dramas, corrupt dynasties, and Southern true crime.
Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes, by Laci Mosley
Published on September 10, 2024 by Running Press Adult
From the host of the “Scam Goddess” podcast, this subversive essay collection blends memoir with true crime. Laci Mosley shares how a “scammer mindset”—small, harmless cons—helped her navigate life from a religious Texas childhood to Hollywood, arguing that everyone engages in “scams” and the world is full of them. She highlights true crime scams that inspired her, offering insights on how to succeed.
Cult Following: The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations―and Take Over Our Lives, by J.W. Ocker
Published on September 10, 2024 by Quirk Books
Cult Following, by J.W. Ocker delves into history’s most infamous and dangerous cults, exploring the psychology of why seemingly normal people join them. It covers groups like the Branch Davidians, a Mexican drug trafficking cult, the earliest UFO cult, and NXIVM, showcasing the terrifying allure of cults and the human desire for belonging. Ideal for readers fascinated by cult true crime, the psychology of manipulation, and historical and contemporary extreme sects.
By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land, by Rebecca Nagle
Published on September 10, 2024 by Harper
In By the Fire We Carry, Cherokee journalist Rebecca Nagle intertwines a 1990s murder case with centuries of Native resistance, culminating in the landmark 2020 McGirt decision that restored tribal sovereignty over half of Oklahoma. This powerful narrative exposes broken treaties and celebrates Indigenous perseverance that forced America to honor its promises.
The Book of Murder: A Prosecutor’s Journey Through Love and Death, by Matt Murphy
Published on September 17, 2024 by Hyperion Avenue
Veteran prosecutor Matt Murphy reveals the personal toll of pursuing justice through 12 chilling homicide cases, including high-profile killers like Rodney Alcala. Blending gripping courtroom drama with raw memoir, he exposes how prosecuting murder reshaped his life while giving victims’ families closure.
Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II, by Abbott Kahler
Published on September 24, 2024 by Crown
In Eden Undone, Abbott Kahler unravels the shocking true story of a 1930s Galápagos utopia turned deadly. When American explorers discovered mummified bodies on the island, they uncovered a European exile community torn apart by a power-hungry baroness who manipulated her lovers into violence. Blending true crime with gothic intrigue, this stranger-than-fiction tale exposes how human nature doomed paradise.
The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi, by Wright Thompson
Published on September 24, 2024 by Penguin Press
Wright Thompson’s groundbreaking investigation in his new true crime book, The Barn, exposes new truths about Emmett Till’s 1955 lynching, revealing how at least eight killers participated in the barn torture and how systemic cover-ups persist today. This searing account connects the murder to Mississippi’s racial and economic power structures, challenging America to confront its unfinished reckoning with white supremacy.
Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church, by Gareth Gore
Published on October 1, 2024 by Simon & Schuster
In his new true crime book, Opus, Investigative journalist Gareth Gore exposes how the secretive Opus Dei sect looted billions from Banco Popular to fund global expansion, recruit vulnerable followers, and bankroll conservative causes like overturning Roe v. Wade. This explosive account reveals financial crimes, exploitation, and political influence hiding behind religious devotion.
Hometown Betrayal: A Tragic Story of Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in Mormon Country, by Emily Benedek
Published on October 15, 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group Press
Hometown Betrayal, by Emily Benedek investigates the tragic case of Valarie Clark Miller, a Mormon woman whose seemingly perfect life masked childhood abuse in Clarkston, Utah. This exposé reveals how local systems shielded predators while survivors fought for justice.
Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions, by John Grisham, Jim McCloskey
Published on October 15, 2024 by Doubleday
Framed, cowritten by, John Grisham and innocence advocate Jim McCloskey exposes ten shocking cases of wrongful conviction, revealing systemic flaws like racism and prosecutorial misconduct that send innocent people to prison. These gripping true stories of justice denied—and hard-won exonerations—read like legal thrillers but carry devastating real-world impact.
Trial by Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham, by Marcia Clark
Published on December 1, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
In Trial by Ambush, Famed prosecutor Marcia Clark re-examines the 1953 case of Barbara Graham, a troubled woman railroaded by media and prosecutors into a death sentence for murder. Clark exposes how Graham’s beauty and past fueled a “femme fatale” narrative that overshadowed exculpatory evidence, revealing a justice system corrupted by sensationalism and sexism. A gripping indictment of trial-by-media.
Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father, by April Balascio
Published on December 3, 2024 by Gallery Books
In the chilling memoir, Raised by a Serial Killer, April Balascio reveals how she uncovered her father Edward Wayne Edwards’ secret life as a serial killer, leading to his arrest through her own investigation. This raw account exposes the psychological torment of growing up with a monster, and one woman’s brave journey to confront dark family truths.
Postmortem: What Survives the John Wayne Gacy Murders, by Courtney Lund O’Neil
Published on December 24, 2024 by Citadel Press
In Postmortem, Courtney Lund O’Neil explores the lasting trauma of Gacy’s crimes through her mother’s eyes – a key witness to his final victim’s disappearance. This poignant memoir traces their return to Des Plaines, revealing how serial murder’s scars persist across generations and communities.
Whether you’re a long-time aficionado or just discovering the true crime genre, we hope this list of new books fuels your curiosity, and your reading list, for months to come.
Thank you, as always, for reading. We’d love to hear from you. Which of these books from last year have already made it onto your reading list? And which ones are you most excited to dive into next? Share your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation on X: @Nonfictioned1
