Historical Nonfiction Crime

The Dark Side of History: 50 True Crime Stories of Murder, Power and Intrigue By Prof. Heinrich Müller Step into the shadowy corridors of history where power, passion, and politics collide in chilling acts of true crime. In this gripping and meticulously researched collection, renowned historian Prof. Heinrich Müller unveils 50 of the most fascinating real-life crimes from ancient times to the 21st century. These are not just tales of murder—they are windows into the darkest corners of human ambition, greed, and betrayal. From ancient political assassinations to modern-day spy scandals,...

A journalist's twenty-year fascination with the Manson murders leads to shocking new revelations about the FBI's involvement in this riveting reassessment of an infamous case in American history. Over two grim nights in Los Angeles, the young followers of Charles Manson murdered seven people...

Fatal Appointment: The Assassination of President James A. Garfield It was the dawn of the modern age — and the death of a president who could have changed America forever. On a humid July morning in 1881, President James A. Garfield walked into a Washington, D.C. train station — smiling, unguarded, and unaware that a delusional man was waiting for him in the crowd. Two gunshots shattered the peace and hurled the United States into chaos. The assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, believed he was on a mission from God. The doctors who tried to save the president would, in their arrogance, become...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW AN FX LIMITED SERIES STREAMING ON HULU NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER From the author of Empire of Pain—a stunning, intricate narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions. One of The New York...

" La Mia Famiglia is more than the usual coming-of-age story. Anthony Scarpo's personal journey against struggles outside his control, is framed against the backdrop of growing up in his father's bar business, the insular world of 1960s and 70s Tampa, and the unnerving specter of the Mafia. An intriguing, and well-paced, story that belongs firmly in the Tampa history canon." Scott M. Deitche. Author Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld From modest beginnings in a Pennsylvania coal mine to the height of success in Tampa, Florida, there was one constant threat in the ...

The instant New York Times bestseller Named a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Slate, Vanity Fair, TIME, Buzzfeed, Smithsonian, BookPage, KCUR, Kirkus, and Boston Globe Nominated for a PEN America Literary Award “It literally changed my outlook on the world…incredible...

Brooklyn, 1929. During the joy and bustle of the Christmas season, a mysterious package arrives at the Falzone home. Moments later, an explosion rips through the apartment—killing three innocent children: Mary, Philip, and Rose Falzone. Who would send a bomb disguised as a holiday gift? And why target a working-class family? In this gripping true crime investigation, Rod Kackley unearths the dark secrets behind one of New York’s most horrifying unsolved crimes. As police navigate the shadows of 1920s Brooklyn—where organized crime thrives and silence is bought—suspects emerge, but ...

Beneath the cobblestone streets and Spanish moss of America’s oldest city lies a history written in blood. St. Augustine, Florida, is a city of sun-drenched beaches, charming colonial architecture, and a romantic, old-world allure that draws millions of tourists each year. But behind the beautiful facade is a dark and violent past that stretches back centuries—a legacy of mayhem that has never truly gone away. This gripping true crime anthology unearths the shocking stories of murder and mystery that haunt the Ancient City. From its brutal founding to the chilling crimes of the modern ...

Weird but True Stories from the 1950's: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from America’s Atomic Age Think you know the 1950's? Think again. Beneath the surface of poodle skirts, chrome diners, and black-and-white TV was a decade overflowing with mystery, irony, and stranger-than-fiction true stories. This captivating collection reveals ten astonishing real-life events from the 1950's that defy expectation and logic—each one verified and rooted in historical fact. From radar panic over Washington D.C. to the eerie Phantom Whistler of New Jersey, from mid-air collisions with ...

From the author of Crossed Over, another masterful account of a horrible crime: the murder of four girls, countless other ruined lives, and the evolving complications of the justice system that frustrated the massive attempts--for twenty-five years now--to find and punish those who committed it...

This program includes an epilogue and acknowledgements read by the author “A fascinating tale of poisons and poisonous deeds which both educates and entertains.” --Kathy Reichs As any reader or listener of murder mysteries can tell you, poison is one of the most enduring—and...

In the nonfiction tradition of John Berendt and Erik Larson, the author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Lost City of the Monkey God presents a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush hills surrounding Florence as he seeks to uncover one of the most infamous figures in Italian history...

A Financial Times Book of the Year An Economist Best Book of the Year “A triumph of investigative journalism.” —Tom Wright, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Billion Dollar Whale “A fascinating read. Highly recommended!”-John Carreyrou, bestselling author of Bad Blood "Truly...

Acclaimed New Yorker writer and author of the breakout debut bestseller The Lost City of Z, David Grann offers a collection of spellbinding narrative journalism. Whether he’s reporting on the infiltration of the murderous Aryan Brotherhood into the U.S. prison system, tracking down a chameleon...

Weird but True Stories from the Roaring 1920s: Strange and Bizarre Tales from the Prohibition Era is a riveting collection of real, historically documented events that prove truth is stranger than fiction. From haunted courtrooms and dance marathons that drove people to madness, to bootlegging schemes, deadly medical frauds, and a massacre that changed organized crime forever, this book explores the weirdest corners of 1920s America. Set against the backdrop of Prohibition, jazz, flappers, and gangsters, these ten unforgettable stories showcase the bizarre side of the decade that redefined ...

Jack the Ripper is one of the most notorious serial killers in history—and yet over one hundred years later, his identity remains cloaked in mystery. Or does it? There’s only ever been one man who could solve this crime: the inimitable Sherlock Holmes. When news of the first murder hits the paper, the story immediately catches Holmes’ attention—and he’s determined to be involved in the case. Soon, Holmes has entered a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the Ripper, trying to unmask the murderer before being framed for the crimes himself. As he wanders the dark, seedy streets of ...

On the eve of a major treaty conference between Iroquois leaders and European colonists in the distant summer of 1722, two White fur traders attacked an Indigenous hunter and left him for dead near Conestoga, Pennsylvania. This act of brutality set into motion a remarkable series of criminal investigations and cross-cultural negotiations that challenged the definition of justice in early America. Leading historian Nicole Eustace reconstructs the crime and its aftermath, bringing us into the overlapping worlds of white colonists and Indigenous peoples in this formative period.

In 1941, with London burning in the Blitz, a group of hedonistic English nobles partied shamelessly in Kenya. Far removed from falling bombs, the wealthy elites of "Happy Valley" indulged in morphine, alcohol, and unrestricted sex, often with their friends' spouses. But the party turned sinister in the early hours of a January morning for Josslyn Hay, Lord Erroll, who had been enjoying the favors of the beautiful young wife of a middle-aged neighbor. Hay was found dead, a bullet in his brain.

“Swanson has done a crucial public service by exposing the barbarous side of the Rangers.” —The New York Times Book Review A twenty-first century reckoning with the legendary Texas Rangers that does justice to their heroic moments while also documenting atrocities, brutality, oppression...

Featuring a new preface and afterword by the author. From the host of MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, the riveting story of a 1975 police shooting of an unarmed black man in Boston—one of the first to draw national headlines—and the dramatic investigation and court case...