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A Woman's Guide to True Crime
A startling mix of True Crime, literary fiction, and noir,
A Woman's Guide to True Crime
captures one of America's best under-sung writers directly at the start of their ascent.
A collection unlike any other, each story in A Woman's Guide to True Crime features shocking historical events examined through the eyes of victims, killers, or the women left behind.
With emotional precision, an uncanny eye for fragility, and an all too grounded sense of unease, the sixteen stories in this collection explore what happens when the blood is washed away, examining everything from the after-effects of matricide in Milwaukee, to two cold, empty graves in Chicago, to a Missouri town where everyone witnesses a murder but keeps their mouths shut, to a Californian Christmas torn apart by a tumbling Cessna, to a small barn outside Hinterkaifeck, Germany, where the dead ask if you, too, heard that sound from behind the walls.
Featuring several award winning stories, including “The Book of Ruth” and “Casadastraphobia”, both selections for the renowned The Best American Mystery and Suspense, A Woman's Guide to True Crime plunges readers into the lives of the women at the center of some of the most mysterious and well-known criminal cases in history, then dares them to ask if the present is really any different than the past.
A collection unlike any other, each story in A Woman's Guide to True Crime features shocking historical events examined through the eyes of victims, killers, or the women left behind.
With emotional precision, an uncanny eye for fragility, and an all too grounded sense of unease, the sixteen stories in this collection explore what happens when the blood is washed away, examining everything from the after-effects of matricide in Milwaukee, to two cold, empty graves in Chicago, to a Missouri town where everyone witnesses a murder but keeps their mouths shut, to a Californian Christmas torn apart by a tumbling Cessna, to a small barn outside Hinterkaifeck, Germany, where the dead ask if you, too, heard that sound from behind the walls.
Featuring several award winning stories, including “The Book of Ruth” and “Casadastraphobia”, both selections for the renowned The Best American Mystery and Suspense, A Woman's Guide to True Crime plunges readers into the lives of the women at the center of some of the most mysterious and well-known criminal cases in history, then dares them to ask if the present is really any different than the past.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 15, 2026
12 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 12, 2026
It takes an insanely talented and curious writer to pull off what Mary Thorson does and what she has accomplished with this book. By taking true crime events and imagining a fictional build up to the crime or what life was like after the crime for the victims and/or perpetrators, she creates her own sort of fairytales, albeit more disturbing than the traditional sort. That’s not to say these stories are beautifully told, because they are. Thorson brings a literary writer’s focus to these stories, while making them suspenseful and urgent.
If you’re a lover of true crime who has always wondered what the lives of those involved must have been like, this is the book for you.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book, but in no way did it impact my review. Highly recommend this book.
If you’re a lover of true crime who has always wondered what the lives of those involved must have been like, this is the book for you.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book, but in no way did it impact my review. Highly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy
Note: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book
In a crowded field, A Woman's Guide to True Crime feels destined to stand out.True crime and historical fiction are such trendy topics in the world of publishing that it can often feel more like an opportunity to grab sales rather than have something to say.
With Mary Thorson, there is no gimmick, only a gifted storyteller taking her characters (and us) to the limits of a world that feels always ready to rip at the seams.
That tension - the underlying buzz of violence and chaos that threatens to overwhelm everyone and everything - is central to much of the collection and well used in Mary's hands. There is enough blood and guts to satisfy, if that's what you're into, but Mary's interest often lies elsewhere, in the lingering moments that surround a tragedy, when people are left alone with their thoughts in the midst of the unthinkable. It makes the collection a harrowing look at the history of womanhood, but not merely victim hood.
Mary's characters are richly realized and grounded in humanity, spanning time and class to bring stories of hopeful would-be mothers, awkward teenagers, and devoted daughters trying to live in the increasingly cramped spaces life has carved out for them.
Mary has a reporter's eye for people and stories, and a literary voice so bursting with talent it feels impossible to deny. This is a debut collection from a writer you will want to hear more from.
In a crowded field, A Woman's Guide to True Crime feels destined to stand out.True crime and historical fiction are such trendy topics in the world of publishing that it can often feel more like an opportunity to grab sales rather than have something to say.
With Mary Thorson, there is no gimmick, only a gifted storyteller taking her characters (and us) to the limits of a world that feels always ready to rip at the seams.
That tension - the underlying buzz of violence and chaos that threatens to overwhelm everyone and everything - is central to much of the collection and well used in Mary's hands. There is enough blood and guts to satisfy, if that's what you're into, but Mary's interest often lies elsewhere, in the lingering moments that surround a tragedy, when people are left alone with their thoughts in the midst of the unthinkable. It makes the collection a harrowing look at the history of womanhood, but not merely victim hood.
Mary's characters are richly realized and grounded in humanity, spanning time and class to bring stories of hopeful would-be mothers, awkward teenagers, and devoted daughters trying to live in the increasingly cramped spaces life has carved out for them.
Mary has a reporter's eye for people and stories, and a literary voice so bursting with talent it feels impossible to deny. This is a debut collection from a writer you will want to hear more from.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mary Thorson is a storytelling sorceress. Her debut short story collection is her spellbook. Inside she has cast incantations to capture your body and soul transporting it across time and space to true crime events. Alternate perspectives from the people and places affected by the heinous criminal acts. These tales burrow deep into your mind and change you. There are rare moments in fiction that you will reread a story and find a new layer to it. Mary does that multiple times throughout this collection. Acquire this book of magic and see for yourself.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Mary’s going to win an Anthony Award very very very soon.
“A Woman’s Guide to True Crime” is a haunting collection inspired by or directly influenced by actual crimes or macabre true stories. It felt like murder ballads, or folk tales. Mary even includes a little write up with quotes from primary sources involved! Dedication! The space between truth and fiction. I kept thinking of Stephen King: “fiction is the truth inside the lie.”
Even more interesting is the lens of women in these crimes/stories, whether they are victims (a dead body narrates “The Hive Broke on a Sunday”!), perpetrators, passersby, etc. Sometimes there are ghosts. There are always monsters, internal and external. The collection accomplishes a tremendous blend of fact and fiction, with a gorgeous prose style that Mary nails.
Some favorites:
“Casadastraphobia” - a Skidmore, MO story! Incredible!
“Moonlight Madness” - a Texarkana murders story! You know, The Town That Dreaded Sundown!
“Cabin 28” - this one filled me with the most dread. The ending was incredible.
“Playing House” - okay, a Skidmore story, a Texarkana story, AND a Caril Ann Fugate/Charles Starkweather story! Not to mention the direct narration choice mixed with the creeping macabre imagery - both really bring this story to a different level.
“Wonderland” - a great landing with a personal connection I will not say until you read.
Bottom line: one hell of a debut and one hell of a publication from Rock and a Hard Place Press. This is going to be a fantastic career to watch!
“A Woman’s Guide to True Crime” is a haunting collection inspired by or directly influenced by actual crimes or macabre true stories. It felt like murder ballads, or folk tales. Mary even includes a little write up with quotes from primary sources involved! Dedication! The space between truth and fiction. I kept thinking of Stephen King: “fiction is the truth inside the lie.”
Even more interesting is the lens of women in these crimes/stories, whether they are victims (a dead body narrates “The Hive Broke on a Sunday”!), perpetrators, passersby, etc. Sometimes there are ghosts. There are always monsters, internal and external. The collection accomplishes a tremendous blend of fact and fiction, with a gorgeous prose style that Mary nails.
Some favorites:
“Casadastraphobia” - a Skidmore, MO story! Incredible!
“Moonlight Madness” - a Texarkana murders story! You know, The Town That Dreaded Sundown!
“Cabin 28” - this one filled me with the most dread. The ending was incredible.
“Playing House” - okay, a Skidmore story, a Texarkana story, AND a Caril Ann Fugate/Charles Starkweather story! Not to mention the direct narration choice mixed with the creeping macabre imagery - both really bring this story to a different level.
“Wonderland” - a great landing with a personal connection I will not say until you read.
Bottom line: one hell of a debut and one hell of a publication from Rock and a Hard Place Press. This is going to be a fantastic career to watch!
March 31, 2026
I loved this evocative and unsettling collection of beautifully told stories that center women in the worlds of true crimes and tragedies. The unique concept—a small epilogue after each story detailing the actual event it was based on—could’ve been gimmicky, but Thorson pulls it off and brings a weight and respect to the project that is lacking in so much of the true crime universe. I lack confidence in my analysis of literature, but I would describe Thorson’s style as southern gothic/realist, reminiscent of Don Carpenter, Harry Crews, even Cormac McCarthy—but less cynical, more soulful. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have been a fan of Mary Thorson’s short stories for quite some time. In addition to the ones that have been included in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY & SUSPENSE, I’ve read many of the others included in this collection when they were originally published. As a whole, though, this collection hits even harder. Mary’s ability to combine character with tragedy and tension is top-tier. And as she moves the reader from one story to the next, Mary paints a collage of crime and the female experience through the decades that is both intensely unique and hauntingly unforgettable.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A Woman's Guide to True Crime completely pulled me in and didn’t let go—I kept thinking about these stories long after I’d finished. These stories will stay with you. The way she centers women in the quiet, complicated aftermath of violence feels intimate and deeply human, never sensationalized, always razor-sharp. She’s honestly become one of my favorite short story writers, and this collection is exactly why.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page. Thorson has an amazing ability to write from different perspectives and the result is powerful, unsettling and deeply human.
This is true crime at its smartest. It’s thoughtful, atmospheric, and impossible to put down. This is a must read for 2026 and Mary Thorson is an author I will be watching closely. I can’t wait to read more of her work.
This is true crime at its smartest. It’s thoughtful, atmospheric, and impossible to put down. This is a must read for 2026 and Mary Thorson is an author I will be watching closely. I can’t wait to read more of her work.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This collection of stories will linger on your mind long after you’ve finished. The author’s background in reporting is evident in the vivid detail. She skillfully weaves each story from multiple angles, grounding every moment with sharp specificity.
As a Milwaukee native, I appreciated the familiar landmarks and history. But, there’s a familiarity to the characters that any reader can appreciate regardless of where they’re from. A must read!
As a Milwaukee native, I appreciated the familiar landmarks and history. But, there’s a familiarity to the characters that any reader can appreciate regardless of where they’re from. A must read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ladies and gentlemen (esp ladies as title implies, but I'm here too) Mary Thorson knows true crime, and having read many of her short stories over the years, it's very exciting seeing her talents culminate in this. Take a trip to 16 vivid, compelling nightmares in this magnum opus! (ARC)
March 22, 2026
This collection of crime stories has wild range. Time periods and settings range widely, and Thorson is skillful enough to handle them all. Throughout these sixteen stories, my attention did not flag once.
March 22, 2026
Such a unique read. The author’s fictionalized account of each real event is riveting and meaningful. The stories are all told through the lens of women on the outer edges of each tragedy. Empathetic and beautifully written, I hope the author writes many more books like this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mary Thorson is such a talented writer, you'll be shocked to discover that this is a debut. A must-read for any fan of the genre or anyone who appreciates good writing.
April 9, 2026
I respect what she was trying to do here, but she did not succeed.
Review of advance copy received from Author
February 6, 2026I was delighted to receive this manuscript early and dive into the text! Immediately, the stories grab your attention (as true crime tends to do) but it goes beyond that. The way it’s written doesn’t just paint a picture you can see but makes you feel it to your core. It wrenches your heart, makes your gut sink, and sends a shiver up your spine. Reading it in public guarantees some stranger will ask if you’re ok because if the looks on your face. And if they don’t startle you too badly, they’ll get a great book rec for their kindness. READ THIS BOOK!!!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews