Book picks similar to
Love Me to Death by Steve Jackson


true-crime
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Bad Blood: A Family Murder in Marin County


Richard M. Levine - 1982
    Their killers were the Olives’ 16-year-old daughter and her 20-year-old lover.This is the story of that shocking murder and the appalling events that led up to it. It is the story of the middle-class dream turned into a nightmare, of parents and children living in mutually alien and hostile worlds, and of a youth culture for which promiscuous sex and every kind of drug are no longer enough.It is a story that cuts to the bone of American life – and strikes inescapably close to home. 

The Cupboard Under the Stairs: A Boy Trapped in Hell...


Paul Mason - 2012
    He was also a member of a sadistic paedophile ring. He would keep Paul locked up and naked in a tiny cupboard under the stairs of their home before sexually abusing him. This cycle of abuse continued for several years and also affected his brother. The cupboard became a horrific prison where fear and terror filled his every moment.The Cupboard Under the Stairs is a story of abuse at the mercy of adults whom Paul should have been able to trust. There followed a life almost destroyed by their actions. It is the harrowing story of one man’s fight for justice and an end to the horrific memories that still haunt him daily.

The Search for the Green River Killer


Carlton Smith - 1991
    The true story of America's most notorious serial killer case ever.

Against Their Will: Sadistic Kidnappers and the Courageous Stories of Their Innocent Victims


Nigel Cawthorne - 2012
    DEPRAVED KIDNAPPERS, HORRIFIC ORDEALS, COURAGEOUS SURVIVORSTrue stories of twisted criminals who hold their victims in endless captivity to satisfy their perverse desires, Against Their Will is a comprehensive compendium of the most disturbing kidnappings of all time.Jaycee Lee Dugard — lived to tell the tale of her 18 years of captivity in paroled rapist Phillip Garrido’s suburban backyard.Elizabeth Smart — bravely held on for 9 long months in a forced marriage to religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell, who repeatedly raped her in the name of God.Elisabeth Fritzl — amazingly overcame 24 years trapped in a basement dungeon built especially for her by her father, Josef.Colleen Stan — heroically endured 7 years as a sex slave, brutally tortured with the full consent of her captor’s wife.Tina Marie Risico — escaped certain death at the hands of a killer by being an unwilling accomplice in other kidnappings.

Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives


Robert K. Ressler - 1993
    -- and why do they kill? The increase in these violent crimes over the past decade has created an urgent need for more and better information about these men: their crime scene patterns, violent acts, and above all, their motivations for committing these shocking and repetitive murders.This authoritative book represents the data, findings, and implications of a long-term F.B.I.-sponsored study of serial sex killers. Specially trained F.B.I. agents examined thirty-six convicted, incarcerated sexual murderers to build a valuable new bank of information which reveals the world of the serial sexual killer in both quantitative and qualitative detail. Data was obtained from official psychiatric and criminal records, court transcripts, and prison reports, as well as from extensive interviews with the offenders themselves.Featured in this book is detailed information on the F.B.I.'s recently developed Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) and a sample of an actual VICAP Crime Analysis Report Form.

Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery


Robert Kolker - 2013
    Lost Girls is a portrait of unsolved murders in an idyllic part of America, of the underside of the Internet, and of the secrets we keep without admitting to ourselves that we keep them.

Slow Death


Jim Fielder - 2001
    Transcripts of audio and videotapes are featured, as well as over 16 pages of shocking photos.

Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: The Uncensored Story of the JonBenet Murder and the Grand Jury's Search for the Truth


Lawrence Schiller - 1999
    A brilliant portrait of an inscrutable family thrust under the spotlight of public suspicion and an affluent, tranquil city torn apart by a crime it couldn't handle, Perfect Murder, Perfect Town uncovers the mysteries that have bewildered the nation.Why were the Ramseys, the targets of the investigation, able to control the direction of the police inquiry?Can the key to the murder be found in the pen and writing pad used for the ransom note?Was it possible for an intruder to have killed JonBenét?

Vampire: The Richard Chase Murders


Kevin M. Sullivan - 2012
    But no one had any idea how bizarre he'd become, or what dark impulses were flowing through his troubled brain. The transformation from the outwardly strange young man to the diabolical killer he ultimately became, was gradual and would not become known until it was too late. First it was the killing of small animals and birds, and the drinking of their blood. However, when these sacrifices failed to satiate his needs, Richard Chase would seek out the highest form of life, and the city of Sacramento, California would react in horror to the hideous murders and mutilations committed by his hands. For those living in the quiet neighborhoods where the murders occurred, it was nothing less than a time of terror until the fiend was captured.Vampire: The Richard Chase Murders (with 23 photos), is an in-depth look into the life and disturbed mind of a killer, his family, and his many victims, the living as well as the dead. Within these pages you'll discover what it was like for the police, and what a difficult job they had finding a killer they knew wouldn't stop until he was apprehended. It was a race against time, in a series of murders that would stun even the most hardened investigators. It is the story of a city under siege, held captive by the man whose appetite for blood could not be satiated.

Deadly Greed: The Riveting True Story of the Stuart Murder Case, Which Rocked Boston and Shocked the Nation


Joe Sharkey - 1991
      On October 23, 1989, affluent businessman Charles Stuart made a frantic 911 call from his car to report that he and his seven-months-pregnant wife, Carol, a lawyer, had been robbed and shot by a black male in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston. By the time police arrived, Carol was dead, and the baby was soon lost as well. The attack incited a furor during a time of heightened racial tension in the community.   Even more appalling, while the injuries were real, Stuart’s story was a hoax: He was the true killer. But the tragedy would continue with the arrest of Willie Bennett, a young man Stuart identified in a line-up. Stuart’s deception would only be exposed after a shocking revelation from his brother and, finally, his suicide, when he jumped into the freezing waters of the Mystic River.   As the story unraveled, police would put together the disturbing pieces of a puzzle that included Stuart’s distress over his wife’s pregnancy, his romantic interest in a coworker, and life insurance fraud. In an account that “builds and grips like a novel” (Kirkus Reviews), New York Times journalist Joe Sharkey delivers “a picture of a man consumed by naked ambition, unwilling to let anyone or anything get in his way” (Library Journal).  Revised and updated, this ebook also includes photos and a new epilogue by the author.

Little Girl Lost: The True Story of The Vandling Murder


Tammy Mal - 2012
    But when Mae’s beaten and mutilated corpse was found the next day in an abandoned house, her throat slashed and her face battered beyond recognition, the small town of Vandling was thrust into one of the most intensive police investigations in the history of Pennsylvania.The murder sent shock waves through the small town and surrounding area, holding residents hostage in the grips of a paralyzing fear. Who could have committed such a brutal crime against a child who was walking home from church? What kind of animal would discard a little girl like nothing more than trash?As police doggedly investigated the horrific murder, long before the use of DNA, computers, or modern forensic science, one key piece of evidence would lead them to 13-year-old Myron Semunchick. Brilliant, good looking, and extremely popular, Myron projected the image of the all American boy. He was also a cunning killer who murdered sadistically and almost got away with it.Little Girl Lost is the true story of one of the most notorious crimes in history. A case that made headlines across the United States and into Canada, it is also the story of the youngest person ever charged with 1st degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Killer Book of Serial Killers: Incredible Stories, Facts and Trivia from the World of Serial Killers


Tom Philbin - 2009
    Inside you'll find a concise compilation of the world's thirty-five most notorious murderers, including an in-depth look at their crimes and the lives that turned them into monsters. This is the perfect gift for any true crime buff or psychology enthusiast.Sprinkled throughout the book are Q&A, quizzes, quotes, photos, and odd facts about serial killers and their true stories to test your knowledge and make you shudder in horrified delight, along with recommended reading to dig even deeper into their sordid lives.Learn more about notorious serial killers like: Ted Bundy Jack the Ripper Jeffrey Dahmer Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer John Wayne Gacy Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka Dennis Rader, the Bind, Torture, Kill (BTK) Killer Béla Kiss David Berkowitz, the Son of SamWith many more shocking tales and tidbits about serial killers that will keep you up at night!

Missing Wives, Missing Lives (True Crime Library RJPP, #5)


J.J. Slate - 2014
    But what happens when she is never found? These are the true stories of thirty missing women. Fascinated by missing persons reports and cold cases for as long as she can remember, JJ Slate's debut true crime book highlights true stories of wives that have mysteriously vanished, presumably at the hands of their husbands. Countless cases like these have played out under the public spotlight, and many of them have been solved after the wife's remains have eventually been found. But some of these women remain missing years later, denying the families their right to bury their loved one. Many of these families continue the gruesome search for the remains of their daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, or mother years, even decades, later. Missing Wives, Missing Lives focuses on thirty unique cases in which the wife has never been found and the undying efforts of her family as they continue the painful search to bring her home. The book covers decades old cases, such as Jeanette Zapata, who has been missing since 1976, to more recent and widely known cases, such as Stacy Peterson, who has been missing since 2007. Keeping these women's stories alive may be the key to solving the mystery and bringing them home to their families. Someone out there knows something.

The Devil's Butcher Shop: The New Mexico Prison Uprising


Roger Morris - 1983
    Morris's meticulous documentation traces prison corruption . . . proving the tragedy could have been avoided. I recommend this book without reservation.--Jack Anderson

The Jersey Shore Thrill Killer: Richard Biegenwald


John E. O'Rourke - 2014
    Explore the true story of the Jersey Shore's "Thrill Killer."