23 Best True Crime Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 23 best true crime books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best True Crime books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best true crime books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
23 Best True Crime Books
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In Cold Blood
Also recommended by
3 people
Ben Shapiro recommended this bookBen Shapiro
"Truman Capote's best book. It's a really, really good book." - Ben Shapiro
Ben Shapiro's recommendation of this book 
Sam Harris recommended this bookSam Harris
"If you just want to forget about the future and lose yourself in the book that forever changed how narrative nonfiction is written, read [this book]." - Sam Harris
Sam Harris's recommendation of this book 
Tim Draper recommended this bookTim Draper
"My [mother] recommended [this book]." - Tim Draper
Tim Draper's recommendation of this book
Killers of the Flower Moon
The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Also recommended by
3 people
John Legend recommended this bookJohn Legend
John Legend mentioned this book on Twitter.
John Legend's recommendation of this book 
Jacqueline Novogratz recommended this bookJacqueline Novogratz
"Reads like a novel while giving a deeper understanding of both the good and the terrible that humans are capable of." - Jacqueline Novogratz
Jacqueline Novogratz's recommendation of this book 
Peter King recommended this bookPeter King
"I can’t recommend the history and the gripping murder story enough." - Peter King
Peter King's recommendation of this book
The Stranger Beside Me
Helter Skelter
The True Story of the Manson Murders
I'll Be Gone in the Dark
One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
My Dark Places
Under the Banner of Heaven
A Story of Violent Faith
Bad Blood
Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
Also recommended by
4 people
Bill Gates recommended this bookBill Gates
"I couldn’t put down this thriller with a tragic ending." - Bill Gates
Bill Gates's recommendation of this book 
Andrew Wilkinson recommended this bookAndrew Wilkinson
"Soooo good." - Andrew Wilkinson
Andrew Wilkinson's recommendation of this book 
Bill Gurley recommended this bookBill Gurley
"An incredible book that should be read by each and every player in the startup/Silicon Valley ecosystem." - Bill Gurley
Bill Gurley's recommendation of this book 
Michael Mauboussin recommended this bookMichael Mauboussin
"Amazing [book] about human nature." - Michael Mauboussin
Michael Mauboussin's recommendation of this book
Black Edge
Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street
Also recommended by
2 people
Peter Attia recommended this bookPeter Attia
Peter Attia mentioned reading this book on an interview for thereadinglists.com
Peter Attia's recommendation of this book 
Max Levchin recommended this bookMax Levchin
"Documents the SEC’s investigation into hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors and several individuals including Steven Cohen." - Max Levchin
Max Levchin's recommendation of this book
The Journalist And The Murderer
Also recommended by
2 people
Patrick Collison recommended this bookPatrick Collison
Patrick Collison labeled this book "substantially above average."
Patrick Collison's recommendation of this book 
Balaji Srinivasan recommended this bookBalaji Srinivasan
"Short and well worth reading. Presages much of today's train crash on social media." - Balaji Srinivasan
Balaji Srinivasan's recommendation of this book
The Devil in the White City
Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Also recommended by
1 person
Edgar Wright recommended this bookEdgar Wright
Edgar Wright recommended this book on Twitter.
Edgar Wright's recommendation of this book
American Fire
Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land
American Predator
The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
Devil's Knot
The True Story of the West Memphis Three
Lost Girls
An Unsolved American Mystery
Mindhunter
Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit
Party Monster
A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland
Shot in the Heart
The Blood of Emmett Till
The Fact of a Body
A Murder and a Memoir
The Feather Thief
Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective
Sources
- 1
Books to Read If You Love True Crime | Penguin Random House
penguinrandomhouse.com
- 2
25 Best True Crime Books of All Time - Nonfiction Crime Books
goodhousekeeping.com
- 3
The 16 Best True Crime Books Of All Time | Time
time.com
- 4
26 Best True Crime Books of All Time - Top Nonfiction Crime Books
esquire.com
- 5
50 essential true crime books
abebooks.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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