a true crime book club. discussion

Hi guys, we might do all true crime for 2019 so please vote in the poll!

We are asking for suggestions of books to read as such.

Bill O'Reilly's "Killing ____" series is really good.

The Birthday by Carol Wyer

In Cold Blood is one of my absolute favorite books. I’ve been wanting to reread it for awhile so I think that would be a good choice.

Maybe once it's been out for a while so people can access it....his other book, "Columbine", was really good IMO.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Also have Ann Rule and Helter Skelter on my TBR so I am also good with those!

Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony by Jeff Ashton & Murder in Italy: Amanda Knox, Meredith Kercher and the Murder Trial that Shocked the World by Candace Dempsey could also be interesting as they are somewhat recent.

I remember when Peter talked about the books he was thinking about doing when he started the book club and he mentioned helter skelter might be one them. So I went and bought it just in case. So I'm good if that one is picked.

Helter Skelter is really long and dry. I read it over the summer. It took me a lot to get through it.

I voted, and I really hope we don't do ONLY true crime for a YEAR.

I like true crime too, but a year is a LONG time, reading-wise.

I guess it'll end up fine though. This group changes course all the time. Even if we "commit" to a year, "commit" is in quotes.

J.N. wrote: "Maybe once it's been out for a while so people can access it....his other book, "Columbine", was really good IMO.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..."

That being said, I would love to read a book about Columbine.

I've already seen 40,000 documentaries and read all kinds of true crime websites about it, but still. I want more.

Random fact, do you know someone dropped their pants and pooped on the floor in the library during the massacre?

It's assumed pants were dropped anyway, otherwise the "matter" would have stayed in their britches!

Michelle wrote: "J.N. wrote: "Maybe once it's been out for a while so people can access it....his other book, "Columbine", was really good IMO.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..."

That being sa..."

Nope, didn't know that but doesn't surprise me. Seems pretty terrifying. I've only watched a few documentaries and visited a few sites outside of the book. I have some other Columbine related books on my TBR, including the one Sue Klebold wrote regarding her son.

I tend to prefer to consume my true crime through podcasts and documentaries rather than reading, so not loving this idea of a whole true crime year.

That said, I’d be interested in reading Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule.

Brittany wrote: "I tend to prefer to consume my true crime through podcasts and documentaries rather than reading, so not loving this idea of a whole true crime year.

That said, I’d be interested in reading Small..."

I prefer to listen to true crime books vs read them so I get that. Im stoked for a year of true crime, though. We will see. Everyone has until 12/10 to vote.

Peter and I are going to try to talk this weekend about the January read. I have an idea where the discussion will go but, we will let you know. :)

Some books worth considering that I reeeeally want to get to this year!

- The Brothers: An American Tragedy by Masha Gessen (Boston Marathon bombers)
- Manson: The Life and Times by Jeff Guinn
- Go Down Together by Jeff Guinn (Bonnie/Clyde)

*The Brothers: The Road to An American Tragedy. Ha Oops :)

True Crime Suggestion: I'll Be Gone In The Dark (unsure whether it's been read or suggested already, sorry if it has)

Georgia Readman wrote: "True Crime Suggestion: I'll Be Gone In The Dark (unsure whether it's been read or suggested already, sorry if it has)"

We've read it already. That's what sparked the idea of doing all True Crime in 2019

In Cold Blood by Capote is a suggestion. It's also on David Bowie's book list, so it would be nice to double up there. Also, Helter Skelter or The Girls would be an interesting read, both about the Manson case. I know Helter Skelter is super long though, since I do have it, so maybe the other book is a better idea?

I’ve heard of The Girls and it sounds super interesting. Thanks for the suggestion!

The Girls sounds interesting to me as well. Also have Small Sacrifices on my TBR.

I think "The Girls" By Emma Cline would be a great read!

Insider scoop: The Girls is in the running for this month.

I have been recommended The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson: A True Story of Love and Murder. It is short and a lesser known case about the Canadian prairies.

John Wilson Came to Canada and fell in love with a young woman. The problem was that he was already married with children to a woman in Scotland. It is about how he killed his wife and the trial surrounding it.

Mel wrote: "Insider scoop: The Girls is in the running for this month."

As in December?

I highly recommend 'Conviction' by Juan Martinez for true crime! It is about the Jodi Arias case.

Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness that Ended the Sixties by Dianne Lake

I recommend Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. This has been on my TBR List for a while. It won the 2018 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime.

I just came across "House of Evil: The Indiana Torture Slaying (St. Martin's True Crime Library)" I am definitely going to read this book sometime this year.

J.N. wrote: "Mel wrote: "Insider scoop: The Girls is in the running for this month."

As in December?"

Nope. I was thinking for next year but, turns out, it's fiction.

After reading into it,House of Evil may be a bit much. True crime is so interesting but also heartbreaking.

The Galapagos Affair by J.E Treherne. I haven’t read this but Georgia talked about it in My Favorite Murder and the story is absolutely absurd and now I want to know every sordid detail.

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I would be very interested in Reading Helter Skelter, but didn't Peter read that already? I don't mean to contradict anyone. That is a case that I have always been fascinated with since I was about 10 years old and saw some kind of documentary about it. I think it would be very interesting as it was written by the prosecutor Vincent bugliosi. Thank you

I just found out Lt Joe Kenda wrote a book. I love homicide hunter so I'm soooo excited to read this book. I think it would def fall in line with true crime. Also he narrates the audiobook and if you watch the show then you know why that makes this so awesome.

Lt Joe Kenda's book is called I Will Find You and I believe its stories of the cases throughout his career

Kelly wrote: "Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I would be very interested in Reading Helter Skelter, but didn't Peter read that already? I don't mean to contradict anyone. That is a case that I hav..."

He didn't finish.

I'm familiar with the kenda show on Id. I'm down to read any book he puts out.

Allie wrote: "Lt Joe Kenda's book is called I Will Find You and I believe its stories of the cases throughout his career"

I will look into this.

Keep the suggestions coming, ya’ll! You guys are awesome. I’m working on keeping a list of things that might be possible reads for the book club.

Here's a bunch of books I really want to read this year, none of them are true crime though but maybe some of them will still interest you and peter! <3

The Humans
The Haunting of Hill House
Flowers for Algernon
Where You Are
The Demolished Man
My Cousin Rachel
Out
Dark Matter
The Saturday Night Ghost Club
The Silent Companions
Bird Box
My Sister, the Serial Killer
Bone White

oh yeah I love Joe Kenda on the iD channel. I would totally be up for reading one of his books!

Thank you! I’ll check em out and pass em onto a Peter!

I don’t know if anyone has suggested it yet, but “The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town” by John Grisham was just made into a series on Netflix. I haven’t read the book (His first work of nonfiction.), but the series is interesting so far.

Love as Always, Mum xxx by Mae West. It’s about living with the serial killers Fred and Rose West. Or anything about U.K. True Crime just to mix it up. I am from Georgia but live in Scotland now. Just near us the Dunblane Massacre happened and my friend’s dad knew the guy and everyone said he was odd.

- The Other Side: A Memoir (this one's on my must-read list for next year...Really hope you consider it!)
- A Mother's Reckoning
- Manson by Jeff Guinn (I may have already suggested - really want to read this one!)

also, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

*The Other Side by Lacy Johnson

Mel wrote: "Hi guys, we might do all true crime for 2019 so please vote in the poll!

We are asking for suggestions of books to read as such."I would like to suggest my book torn and torn 2 on kindle. Paperback torn is the series in one book. There is a murder in torn 2 and you have to figure out who did it. Annie Johnson

Annie — are your books fiction?

yes. I only have one nonfiction book. The title is Powerful Woman Where Does Your Power Come From? All other books are fiction so far.