A Good Thriller discussion

That's the question, we like crime thrillers, so do you like True Crime books?

I like true crime books if they're written in an engaging way and not just reporting facts. I don't like lots of police content either really, I prefer the story & psychological side.

I have enjoyed reading my entire life. Prior to May of 2012, I only read non-fiction, mostly true crime and WWII books. My son told me I had to read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. He insisted I read it actually. Well my reading habits changed drastically after that. I was addicted to Scandinavian crime fiction then ventured out from there. Now I am addicted to crime fiction/psychological thrillers.

Jackie wrote: "I like true crime books if they're written in an engaging way and not just reporting facts. I don't like lots of police content either really, I prefer the story & psychological side."

I'm with you Jackie.

Yes. I enjoy Ann Rule and William Phelphs. They write in a way where you feel like you know the victims and perpetrator. Ann Rule goes into to much detail at times and I skim her books sometimes. But Phelphs never disappoints me.

I enjoy Phillip Carlo (the late) who wrote sone great books about the mafia, including the infamous "The Ice Man".

Highly recommended

I really love true crime books. The Ann Rule book about Ted Bundy I read throughout my two years at college. I used to disappear for hours to the library and read sit in between book shelves. For some reason I never did check it out of the library.
I find the books fascinating and intriguing the way they explore the human condition. It never ceases to amaze me the depravity of certain people in this world.

I have read a few,and I can honestly say,there pretty good.I just recently finished one..MidnightIn The Garden of Good and Evil.

Marian wrote: "I have read a few,and I can honestly say,there pretty good.I just recently finished one..MidnightIn The Garden of Good and Evil."

Great book! I read it earlier this year. The movie is also very good

Yep,saw the movie again just a few weeks ago.

I've just bought a new book out, 'Frances -The Tragic bride' about Frances Shea, Reggie Kray's young wife who committed suicide. It's on offer on Amazon.

By Jacky Hyams.

I just got yelled for recording over my boyfriends tv show by recording Joe Kenda.:( I can watch ID all day,and usually stay up late watching it.

Love True Crime!

Yes I enjoy true crime very much!

This is a great question, one I've never thought much about. I am so caught up in fiction, with so many good novels to read, I don't know where I'd find the time. Then there is the time it takes to write my own novels. I'm going to have to give this some thought.

I like true crime too. A Twisted Faith: A Minister's Obsession and the Murder That Destroyed a Church by Gregg Olsen is a good one.

Highly recommend Phillip Carlo

I've only read like two true crime books and didn't enjoy them much. Not sure why, but I get kind of bored with them, even if the case is interesting. Maybe it's the ones I ended up reading.

The only true crime book I've read is "Helter Skelter".

Any other suggestions? (I've been devloping an interest in the Jack the Ripper case, but I've found that there is a lot of "drek" written on this subject.)

A fun one is Thunderstruck about the Dr Crippen case and how the Marconi (telegraph) was instrumental in his capture.

Or The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America about H.H. Holmes a serial killer at the World's Fair in Chicago.

As to Jack the Ripper, the only one I know of off the top of my head is the one by Kay Scarpetta author Patricia Cornwell, Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper -- Case Closed

As a psychology student at SNHU, I do enjoy reading them for psychological/criminology purposes. Often I try to piece together why the are committing the crimes they did, why they picked the people they do, and try to get an depth view of the biopsychology involved in their lives that drives them to commit such horrible acts against another human being. I just finished reading Monster by Steve Jackson, and Born Bent by Mick Strawser.

I love true crime books, I just finished it was well written and very interesting.

Absolutely.

Favorite subject

I completely agree with you Jackie. I love reading true crime.

I have read true crime novels sporadically over the years. One of the best I read was Fatal Vision and then I also really got into Helter Skelter. Right now I am listening to Pretty Little Killers . It is disturbing on many levels but very interesting.

Yes, I love true crime books!

I like them. I read one of them about every 4 months on average.

Kelly wrote: "I have read true crime novels sporadically over the years. One of the best I read was Fatal Vision and then I also really got into Helter Skelter. Right now I am listening to Pretty Little Killers[..."

Terrible disturbing crime with Skyler. I read Helter skelter twice. Once when it first came out. I cannot believe my mom did not care I was reading it. I do not think I was even a teen yet?

True Murder, Dan Zupanky's podcast features all the great true crime authors. I highly recommend it for reading suggestions!

Just finished True Crime Addict by James Renner, good book!

Yes I enjoy true crime stories.

Depending on the subject matter....yes

Yes, I love true crime books. Ann Rule is my favorite true crime author - have been reading her books for over 20 years. I have found a new (well new to me - lol) true crime author "RJ Parker" and I have been reading books by him in the last year or so.

I won't just read anything though - it has to grab my attention and hopefully hold my attention throughout the book. I like to have a straight forward story, the background of what happened, and how the killer was caught, but I am not crazy about long drawn out detailed trials.

I have read some books where the author wants to give every little detail about the trial - to me, just get to the point (lol). As if it gets to much detail, I tend to get bored with it and end up skipping parts of the book.

James Patterson is writing true crime now. He is now a contributor for 48 hours on CBS. The other night he did one on Aaron Hernandez, it was quite interesting. He also wrote a book about him which I will get to some day. I grew up in Patriots country.

Paula wrote: "James Patterson is writing true crime now. He is now a contributor for 48 hours on CBS. The other night he did one on Aaron Hernandez, it was quite interesting. He also wrote a book about him which..."

I've noticed that, too, Paula. Could it be, he's running out of ideas for his fiction??? I doubt it, but they do say that truth is stranger than fiction, so maybe that's a natural way to go for him?

Joanna wrote: "Paula wrote: "James Patterson is writing true crime now. He is now a contributor for 48 hours on CBS. The other night he did one on Aaron Hernandez, it was quite interesting. He also wrote a book a..."

I miss cable. I miss the ID channel. They show some of the programs on Hulu but you have to wait. He still has a lot of new books scheduled for release of course a lot of them are co-written.

Paula wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Paula wrote: "James Patterson is writing true crime now. He is now a contributor for 48 hours on CBS. The other night he did one on Aaron Hernandez, it was quite interesting. He also..."

I love ID channel, too!

Couldn't agree more!

Sometimes.

I like true crime, too, dating back to when I first read

If you like your true crime with a Heineken, give Kidnapping Mr. Heineken a try. Reads like a fun thriller.

Yes I like True Crime

There are several authors I read but my favorites hand down are
Ann Rule and Michael W Phelps. I love James Patterson didn't know he was writing True Crime good to know thanks for the info. I too like watching the ID channel.

Yes, but extra points for not knowing about the subject matter in advance. I want to be shocked.

Yes - but depends on the true crime.

Yes

I will read True Crime but I remember that movie "Capote' where the editor tells Capote about "In Cold Blood" which was a true crime book - "This is going to change how people write." (probably paraphrased) - Capote styled "In Cold Blood" in a narrative way instead of a journalistic way and now really readable true crime seems to be books that can figure out how to create the narrative style of a novel without sacrificing facts.