Spooncat Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Do any of you read these? I have read quite a few over the years -I remember reading the one about the Bridgewater 4 ,and Birmingham 6 before they were released - find them really interesting especially ones where there is doubt over a conviction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I've always been fascinated by the Jack the Ripper case and have read quite a few books on that subject. They're the only "true crime" books I've ever really been drawn towards though. Strangely, my research was put to very good use when I played Polly Anne Nichols (one of Jack's victims) in the musical Jack! whilst at college - LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 That sounds great:mrgreen: I've also read some of the Jack the Ripper ones - very interesting - we'll never know for sure who did it - but he certainly was one of the most gruesome killers known in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I divided my books up into genres the other week and I now have one crate dedictated to true crime and serial killers. That sort of book was never 'banned' for me as a kid, so I grew up reading about Jack the Ripper and even have conversations with my dad over who'd win a fight between Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 I have loads too - did you ever collect the true life crime mags - i cant remember what they were called exactly but they had a different serial killer featured each week. oo def Ted Bundy ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 True Crime, True Detective and Master Detecive. The summer specials are out now! And I say Dahmer - he ate people. Complete fruit-loop. The serial killer's serial killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I read a book called something like The World's Most Infamous Murders many moons ago. It had lots of cases in it like The Moors Murders, Lizzy Borden (?), Mary Bell etc, but I think a friend borrowed it years ago and I didn't get it back. I've read the Holly and Jessica book (written by one of their fathers) - that was so very sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aromaannie Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I've read the Holly and Jessica book (written by one of their fathers) - that was so very sad. Me too -made me cry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Havent read that one - too sad - I have ordered a book about Neil Entwistle - the guy who was recently convicted of killing his American wife and baby - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilde Lily Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Two Pulitzer Award-winning real crime books that I can highly recommend: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote about the murder of an entire family by two ex-cons in the 1950s. The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer about murderer Gary Gilmore, who in 1977 became the first person executed in the United States since the reinstitution of the death penalty Another book, this one about the Manson murders, is also excellent: Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I like reading about true crime and have some of the mags mentioned above and also a few books that i've not got around to reading yet I saw the Holly and Jessica one the other day but didn't pick it up, would you recommend it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I'm reading Ann Rule's The Stranger Beside Me - The Shocking Inside Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who's into true crime stories! Ann Rule was working with Ted Bundy in a Crisis Center before Bundy started his killingspree. Rule is a crimewriter and an ex-cop and she was close to the police force and the investigators of the murder cases let her see the case files and talked about the cases with her, as she was intending to write a book about the murders. Little did she know her ex-colleague and friend Ted from the Crisis Center was behind all of it! The book's really gripping!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I have a book which I love re-reading every year on true crime: True Vampires: Blood sucking killers past and present - Sondra London Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetiiPie85 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 I've always been fascinated by the Jack the Ripper case and have read quite a few books on that subject. They're the only "true crime" books I've ever really been drawn towards though. Strangely, my research was put to very good use when I played Polly Anne Nichols (one of Jack's victims) in the musical Jack! whilst at college - LOL! I have read Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper - Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell which I found very interesting. She does quite alot of investigating and actually names someone as 'Jack the Ripper'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperplane Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Another book, this one about the Manson murders, is also excellent: Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi Definitely recommend the above and The Nightstalker: Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez by Philip Carlo. The only other true crime book I've read so far this year is Zodiac by Roberth Graysmith which was very good as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The Mad Trapper I have yet to find a good book on him worth reading, but it always fascinated me. The guy was nuts. Its not an exciting story like Jack the Ripper or anything, but its a good Canadian mystery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I have loads of True crime books and Magazines. I recommend the Fred and Rosemary West books all I have found to be very interesting and brought out many emotions in me. I also found one about HArold Shipman (I can't think of the name at the moment) thats was also very insightful. The last True crime book I read was the one mentioned in a previous post by Patricia Cornwell - Portrait of a Killer. I thought it was good and gave another perspective on the long debated case but I felt sometimes it went a little too off track for my own liking. A book I also recommend is a book called Born to Kill. It coinsided with a TV series about the Psychology of Serial Killers and the whole Nature vs nurture debate. Great for people who are interested into the psychology of Crime but don't want all the techinical jargon with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 The local paper here publishes a true crime story every Sunday. It just reminds me how many sick people there are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackStar Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I like to read about true crimes, which is why I bought a little book about them. It's called True Crimes by Jon Sutherland and Diane Canwell. It explains murders and crimes from as far back as 1800's, and how things have changed in crime. I would recommend this to anybody if you like crimes. It also features crimes such as Bonnie and Clyde and Jack the ripper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I have a book which I love re-reading every year on true crime: True Vampires: Blood sucking killers past and present - Sondra London That sounds really interesting so I'm adding it to my wish list I went through a phase a while back of reading true crime and covered Jack the Ripper, The Yorkshire Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Fred & Rose West....ooooh a few others too but I ended up terrifying myself! I was a nervous wreck and became super vigilant when I was out on my own.....in the city centre.....at noon. It was ridiculous! However, I think I might get myself along to Waterstones to see what they have to offer When I'm having nightmares, I'll only have myself to blame eh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 That sounds really interesting so I'm adding it to my wish list I went through a phase a while back of reading true crime and covered Jack the Ripper, The Yorkshire Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Fred & Rose West....ooooh a few others too but I ended up terrifying myself! I was a nervous wreck and became super vigilant when I was out on my own.....in the city centre.....at noon. It was ridiculous! However, I think I might get myself along to Waterstones to see what they have to offer When I'm having nightmares, I'll only have myself to blame eh! Good to hear it's on your wishlist I've heard Sondra London is one of those that likes to have 'close' relationships with criminals so she gets the truth out of them which can only be a good thing I guess. Yes you can scare yourself if you read too much at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterioso Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I always feel the need to defend the true crime genre because aside from the more salacious titles ( I particularly like the one about cannibalism that includes recipes!) and dodgy gangster biogs there are some damn well-written books. Some of the Mafia books are great including the two by Philip Carlo, David Lane's 'Into The Heart of the Mafia' and Roberto Saviano's 'Gomorrah'. You can't beat Herbert Asbury's 'Gangs of New York/New Orleans/Chicago' and of course Capote's 'In Cold Blood' Charriere's 'Papillon' and Berendt's 'Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil'...ooh stop me now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busy91 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 When I was in my 20s, this was my favorite genre. 95% of the books I read were true-crime. I loved Charles Manson, David Berkowitz type book. Serial Killers were a great read. Don't read those too much anymore though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 There are a couple of nice hardback books about The Black Museum. The Murders Of The Black Museum - 1870-1970 by Gordon Honeycombe is a fine entry point for true crime readers. It was published back in the early eighties, so I'm not sure if it is still in print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimmyS Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I've always been fascinated by the Jack the Ripper case and have read quite a few books on that subject. They're the only "true crime" books I've ever really been drawn towards though. Same here! The other one that still intrigues me is the Yorkshire Ripper - I think we have two books about him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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