“When a monster is finally caught against all odds, it feels like magic.”
True crime has become one of the most popular trends in the entertainment world, over the past few years. Films, television shows, podcasts, and books dedicated to depicting and deciphering the genre are everywhere, with fans being able to whittle down their selections based on the cases they find most interesting. But what happens when readers crave true crime with a more creative twist? We have you covered. Join us at What We Reading as we delve into some of the crime thriller and mystery books that match the feeling of true crime cases. From works blurring reality and fiction to suspenseful stories told through bloggers, podcasters, and other enthusiasts, these fiction books capture the essence of true crime.
Criteria
Before we delve into our list of the most gripping thrillers and twist-filled mysteries, let’s run through our criteria:
- Stories based on crimes and investigations into them.
- Unique storytelling methods i.e. through interviews, letters etc.
- Unreliable narrators, conflicting perspectives.
- Exploration of the popularity of true crime in society.
Chasing The Boogeyman – Richard Chizmar
First up on our list of page-turning thrillers that read like true crime is Richard Chizmar’s metafictional book, Chasing the Boogeyman. The story is told in the form of a memoir, following Chizmar as he returns home from college around the same time as a series of terrifying events grip his sleepy suburban neighbourhood.
A blend of real-world memories and nostalgia from Chizmar and a gripping tale of a serial killer stalking its streets, Chasing the Boogeyman is a dark and imaginative book that somehow manages to double up as a chilling true crime tale and a homage to the nostalgia that comes with childhood. Masterfully delivered, it’s sure to have readers racking their brains over where the facts end and the fiction begins.
Check Out Our Chasing The Boogeyman Book Review
The Night Swim (Rachel Krall #1) – Megan Goldin
The Night Swim is a Goodreads Choice Award-nominated mystery thriller by Megan Goldin that aims for the ever-growing world of true crime podcasting. The story follows Rachel Krall, a woman whose true crime podcast has become a household hit after it set an innocent man free. Despite only being known for her voice rather than her face, she has become the last hope for those looking for justice.
After finding a note left for her on her car asking her for help, Rachel finds herself suddenly preparing for the new season of her podcast in a small town ripped apart by the case of a local golden boy being accused of assaulting the granddaughter of the police chief. She throws herself into the investigation, eager to make her new season a success, but quickly finds herself at odds with the ghosts of the town’s sordid past and its murky players in the present. In this electrifying crime thriller, Goldin asks: ‘What is the price of reputation’ and whether a small community can ever move on from the mistakes of its past.
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The Aosawa Murders – Riku Onda
For readers looking for a book that feels like true crime and allows them to solve the investigations at play themselves, Riku Onda’s The Aosawa Murders is a must-read. This Japanese mystery begins in the 1960s when 17 people die of cyanide poisoning at a party. The only two links to the crime are a cryptic verse and the blind daughter of a physician, Hisako, who was the only person spared any injury by the killer.
The police’s prime suspect later takes his own life, seemingly confirming his guilt, but the police are convinced Hisako also had a role in the crime. Told using a variety of formats including newspaper entries, diaries, letters, and interviews from different characters connected to this party-gone-bad, readers slowly unravel the mystery and the truth behind the mesmerizing Hisako. Thought-provoking, original, and creepy, The Aosawa Murders remains one of the best Japanese thriller books of all time.
The Book Of Cold Cases – Simone St. James
Another nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller in the Goodreads Choice Awards, The Book of Cold Cases is a 2022 crime novel by Simone St. James. In 1977, Claire Lake in Oregon was rocked by the Lady Killers – two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun with strange notes left behind. The rich and enigmatic Beth Greer seemed to be the perfect suspect but was acquitted and retreated to the loneliness of her mansion.
Fast forward to 2017, and Shea Collins is a receptionist who runs a true crime blog, the Book of Cold Cases. A chance encounter with Beth leads to her asking for an interview, which she surprisingly agrees to. The pair begins to regularly meet at the mansion though, as their connection grows stronger, Shea begins to sense something isn’t right. How much danger is lurking in the shadows of the Greer mansion? And has she found herself ensnared in the thrall of a manipulative murderer? This chilling tale is a homage to all our favourite true crime series with enough paranormal spooks and twists layered in for any horror enthusiast to have fun with as well.
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The Overnight Guest – Heather Gudenkauf
Like The Book of Cold Cases, Heather Gudenkauf’s The Overnight Guest follows another protagonist who writes books detailing horrifying true crime events. Wylie Lark has retreated to a remote farmhouse to knuckle down and finish her latest project. But beyond the sweet solitude and cosy fireplace, this barnyard was once the scene of cold-blooded murder and the disappearance of a girl.
When a snowstorm outside leaves Wylie trapped inside the house, rocked by the secrets contained within its walls, she suddenly finds a child outside in the cold. Now hosting an unexpected visitor, it becomes clear that this child is hiding something. Finding herself in a scenario she would often write about, this mystery-filled read follows Wylie as she attempts to piece them all together, revealing some shocking truths in the process.
Conviction (Anna And Fin #1) – Denise Mina
Conviction is a compelling thriller by the award-winning author of The Long Drop, Denise Mina. It’s another average morning for Anna when her husband announces that he’s leaving her for her best friend and that he’s taking their two daughters with him. Her world is shattered instantly, and the only way she can distract herself is through a true crime podcast.
That is until she recognizes the name of one of the victims and becomes convinced that she is the only one who knows what happened to them. With nothing else to lose in her life, she finds herself throwing herself into investigating the case. Yet, unbeknownst to her, her past and present lives are about to collide, hurtling everything she had worked so hard to achieve into jeopardy.
Penance – Eliza Clark
It’s been nearly a decade since the murder of sixteen-year-old Joan Wilson gripped the small seaside town of Crow-on-Sea. And, Eliza Clark’s Penance marks the first time the horrifying events of that fateful have been put to paper and published.
Told through the perspective of journalist Alec Z. Carelli, Penance takes readers on a dizzying journey through Crow-on-Sea and into the lives of its inhabitants. Built on hours of witnesses and interviews with family members and witnesses, Carelli builds a compelling narrative and constructs a definitive account of the murder. The result is a stunningly-delivered tale of tragedy and a town left in turmoil. The only part left in doubt in this 2023 mystery-thriller book is: ‘How much of it is true?’
With A Kiss We Die – L.R. Dorn
For any true crime fans looking for a read told entirely in the form of a podcast, With A Kiss We Die by L.R. Dorn is one of the best books to turn to. Rayanna Raines is the popular host of the true crime podcast, The Raines Report. Renowned for her investigative journalism skills, when an intriguing message is left on her tip line, the reporter finds herself hauled into the most challenging case of her rising career.
The bodies of a husband and wife have been discovered in their multi-million estate in California. The prime suspects are their twenty-two-year-old son and his girlfriend, two theatre students who are now facing indictment charges. Surprisingly, they only want to speak to Rayanna. Through a series of interviews with the pair, With A Kiss We Die is innovative and suspenseful and reveals the horrifying truth behind this crime, as well as being an exploration of our fascination with true crime, and the fine line between performance and deceit.
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True Crime Story – Joseph Knox
In the early hours of 17th December 2011, Zoe Nolan walked out of a party taking place in her shared accommodation, never to be seen again. Seven years later, struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell finds herself coaxed into the mystery behind the disappearance.
Through interviews with Zoe’s closest friends and family, she slowly begins to piece together what happened on that night in 2011. But a series of stark contrasts and worrying consistencies soon threaten to derail all of Evelyn’s hard work. Troubled by the revelations revealed in Zoe’s secret life and stalked by a figure from the shadows, she turns to acclaimed crime writer Joseph Knox to help make sense of the case. True Crime Story is a cleverly-told thriller that, like Chasing the Boogeyman, utilizes interviews and the author’s name in the investigation to demonstrate how the same events can be experienced differently by different people.”
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
