If you don’t know where to start, here are some books, documentaries and resources on formative cases in true crime.
True Crime podcasts and books have seen a surge in popularity. As a newcomer to the genre, it might feel overwhelming to know where to begin. Look no further, we have compiled a guide for beginners and true fans of true crime alike that includes an array of podcasts, games and books to help you get a head start on some of the most widely discussed crimes and cases of our time.
Two Truths and a Lie: A Murder, a Private Investigator, and Her Search for Justice
This novel offers a glimpse into a reporter turned private investigator who is on a quest to figure out what happened to a young man who was executed and whether or not he was actually guilty.
Abducted in Plain Sight
This Netflix true-crime documentary follows a family whose daughter is allegedly abducted not once, but twice.
Crime Junkie
This weekly true crime podcast is released every Monday and dives into new crimes as if you're discussing them with your best friends.
Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer
In this documentary, which is available on Amazon Prime, the story of infamous serial killer Ted Bundy is told from the perspective from Bundy’s long-term girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall, her daughter and other survivors.
Read more on Bundy on Inside Edition Digital
Brooklyn North
This true story is about four men who were wrongfully convicted of murder and how it leads back to one homicide investigative unit in the NYPD.
Dr. Death
This podcast is inspired by the real life stories of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a thriving neurosurgeon based in Texas. Everything about his career seemed magnificent until his patients started leaving surgeries being permanently disabled or, in two cases, even ended up dead.
Read more on Dr. Death on Inside Edition Digital
Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit
This audiobook, also recently turned into a Netflix series, follows the 25-year career of John E. Douglas and his time in the FBI Investigative Support Unit where he discusses some of his most challenging cases.
Read more on Douglas on Inside Edition Digital
Hunt-A-Killer Board Game
For those who think they might know it all, this may be a good way to test your own knowledge.
Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery
This story is told by an investigative reporter who shares an account of the lives and killings of five “Craigslist” sex workers whose bodies were found out on the coast of Long Island.
Say Nothing
This true-life account is set in Belfast, Ireland in 1972, when Jean McConville, a mother of 10, was taken from her home by intruders never to be seen again.
48 Hours
What better way to have an insider’s look at the real world of homicides and their investigations than to binge-watch the first episodes of CBS' 48 Hours."
Read more about cases '48 Hours' has covered on Inside Edition Digital
Whoever Fights Monsters
This book dives into who are considered some of the country’s most terrifying murderers and how an FBI veteran and former Army colonel spent their careers learning how to track them down.
Destination True Crime Podcast
Tune into “Murder We Spoke,” a podcast that features crime experts who share their thoughts on the genre.
The Road to Jonestown
This investigative piece shares the life of Jim Jones, an American cult leader who was instrumental in the mass murder–suicide of more than 900 of his followers at his commune at Jonestown, Guyana, on Nov. 18, 1978. The mass murder-suicide is known as the Jonestown Massacre.
Read more about the Jonestown Massacre on Inside Edition Digital
The Stranger Beside Me: The Shocking Inside Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy
A first-person account, journalist Anne Rule writes about her life and friendship with Ted Bundy and the private parts of his life he shared with her.
Read more about Bundy on Inside Edition Digital
John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise
This story follows John Wayne Gacy, one of the world's most notorious serial killers, through his own words. Gacy murdered, raped and tortured at least 33 boys, mostly in his small Illinois community, where he was known for dressing up as a clown to entertain folks at church events and birthday parties.
