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35 Best Books about Serial Killers

The true crime genre has gained popularity over the past years with many people getting interested in true crime stories which are in the form of books, podcasts and films. The books keep the readers engaged as they go on an adventure through the books. Therefore, this article will explore the 35 best books about serial killers to give true crime enthusiasts suggestions for some books by exceptional writers that will engage them and take them on a literary adventure.

1. The Stranger Beside Me

Ann Rule’s true crime novel “The Stranger Beside Me” details her association with infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. When working at a crisis centre in 1971, Ann Rule, a former Seattle police officer who later became a crime writer, met Bundy. They grew close, and Rule even had no idea that Bundy was a potential suspect in a spate of killings in the Pacific Northwest.

Throughout the book, the author provides insight into the crimes committed by Ted Bundy as well as the experiences that she had while interacting with him before discovering that he was a serial killer. She goes further and looks at the psychological factors that may have influenced Ted Bundy to be the kind of person that he was. The fact that the book was written by someone close to Ted Bundy provides a unique perspective into the impact he left because of his crimes.

2. Helter Skelter

The book is written by Vincent Bugliosi who was the prosecuting attorney in the popular Manson Murders. Therefore, this means that the book gives the reader a true account of the murders committed by Charles Manson and his followers as he was able to get the inside scoop being that he was part of the prosecuting team. The book explores how Manson was able to get so many young women to obey what he was saying and the motivation behind the random way that he picked his victims.

3. My Sister, the Serial Killer

The book written by Oyinka Braithwaite and set in the city of Lagos tells the story of a hardworking nurse known as Korede who tries to cover up the crimes being committed by her sister. Korede’s sister Ayoola who is the favourite child in their home turns out to be a sociopath. This is after her third boyfriend ends up dead.

 Ayoola is not even bothered when her boyfriend goes missing and instead, continues posting pictures of her enjoying herself when she should be helping look for her boyfriend. The story explores how Korede must decide the lengths she will go to protect her sister when the doctor whom she has been having a crush on sets his sights on Ayoola. The book was nominated for the 2019 Women’s Prize.

4. My Friend Dahmer

The novel written by Derf Backderf tells the story of one of the most notorious serial killers that terrorised the United States of America. The author takes a different approach when writing about Dahmer in that instead of looking at the gruesome crimes that the serial killer did, he portrays him as a sixteen-year-old who is struggling to get a hold of the violent urges that originate from his psyche. The different perspective that the author takes on the book gives the reader a new perspective to understand what motivated Dahmer to commit the crimes that he committed.

5. Heartsick

The book is written by Chelsea Cain. It is the first book in her series known as Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell series. The thriller is centred on a detective known as Archie Sheridan who deals in homicides. The detective is haunted by an experience he had with a serial killer known as Gretchen Lowell after he abducted him and tortured him for ten days.

The book which is told from both the perspective of the detective and the serial killer gives the reader an insight into their twisted relationship from that encounter. As the book progresses, the detective discovers that he might need Gretchen’s help to catch another serial killer but the risk to his mental health is huge. The author’s ability to give the reader both perspectives is genius and captures the attention of the audience.

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6. I am not a Serial Killer

A picture of Dan Wells, the author to I Am Not a Serial Killer. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The horror thriller novel is written by Dan Wells and it is the first book in his series known as the John Cleaver Series. The story is set around a boy, John Cleaver who is obsessed with serial killers and also portrays the same traits as the killers. So, when murders happen in the small town that he lives in, John must investigate to find out who is committing the murders. His investigations show that the killer has supernatural powers and he must face him to put a stop to the series of murders happening. The is packed with action that will leave the reader at the edge of their seats.

7. In a Lonely Place

The book is written by Dorothy Hughes and is often said to be one of the best true crime books ever published. The book which was published in 1947 explores the story who an ex-airman, Dix Steele who maroons as a writer when in actuality, he is a serial killer. The book shows how Dix stalks and strangles different women all over the city. The book progresses showing how Dix becomes erratic and unstable. The book tells a gloomy and evocative story of post-war disenchantment, mental instability, and murder. It looks at issues like loneliness, identity, and the harm that violence may do.

8. Killer on the Road

The crime novel is written by James Ellroy. The book is centred around Martin Plunkett who was a veteran in Vietnam before he turned into a serial killer. The killer preys on young women whom he lures into his car with his good looks and charm and then proceeds to kill them. The police pursue him in an effort to catch him before he kills more victims but the killer is elusive and manages to stay one step ahead of the police. The story gives the reader a look into what goes on in the mind of a serial killer and the impact the murders had on the community.

9. Zodiac

Written by Robert Graysmith, Zodiac tells the story of the Zodiac Killer who was an unidentified serial killer that terrorised North California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. the book looks at the crimes that the Zodiac Killer committed and the impact he left on the victim’s families. Furthermore, the book explores theories that can explain who the serial killer was and why he committed the murders. The author also offers his interpretation of the evidence that was collected on the killer. Sadly, the Zodiac killer has never been identified to date.

10. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

The book is written by Patrick Suskind. It is set-in eighteenth-century France and it tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille who is a perfumer as he is good with scents. The perfumer develops an obsession where he wants to capture the perfect scent and believes that the scent can only be created by capturing the essence of beautiful women. He starts killing young women to capture the perfect scent. When he is captured he is brought to trial but he is acquitted because of his prowess as a perfumer. The book gives the reader an insight into the dark side of human nature.

11. I’ll Be Gone In The Dark

The novel is written by Michelle McNamara. The novel delves into the story of the Golden State Killer who was a serial killer who terrorised people in California and managed to escape the police for more than ten years even though there was DNA evidence tying him to several crimes across the state. Michelle writes the novel based on the research done on the serial killer and she scrutinises every detail in the novel. What is interesting is that the serial killer was apprehended some months after Michelle had published her novel.

12. In Cold Blood

This book written by Truman Capote is one of the pioneers of the true crime genre. It explores the murder of a family in Texas. Four family members were murdered in a gruesome way and the novel follows the prosecution of the murderer. The author took his time to research and came up with a nonfiction novel that gives the reader the perspectives of the killer, victims and residents. He masterfully brings the characters to life and gives the readers a story that they will never forget.

13. Deviant

The novel gives an account of the crimes committed by one of the most prolific serial killers in the United States Ed Gein. Written by Harold Schechter the novel gives the reader an account of the crimes committed by the serial killer. The fact that the novel is inspired by a true story catches the attention of the reader. In gruesome detail, Deviant examines the bizarre career of one of the most deranged criminals in the history of American crime, including how he transformed a small Wisconsin farm into his own personal haven of gore and violence.

14. My Dark Places

James Ellroy’s mother was murdered when he was ten years old. Although at the time he wouldn’t even admit to loving his mother, the murder consumed much of his thoughts, eventually leading him to abuse drugs and alcohol as a diversion from his desperate desire to discover who his mother really was. As Ellroy struggles with the effects his mother’s murder had on him, My Dark Places by James Ellroy blends the gritty details of an unresolved case with intensely personal confessions.

15. The Good Nurse

 The novel authored by Charles Graeber tells the story of a serial killer Charlie Cullen. Cullen was a nurse who was responsible for the deaths of more than 300 of his patients. This is quite a high number and it is shocking how he was not caught earlier. The story follows two detectives as they risk their lives to stop the killer nurse. The novel paints a vivid picture of the killer and the crimes that he committed which makes the reader look at hospitals in a different light.

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16. Chasing the Devil

The book was authored by Sherrif David Reichert who was the first detective handling the Green River Killer case. The book shows how the detective devoted eight years of his life trying to find clues to catch the killer by talking to the victim’s families to find out what could have been the killer’s motivation. His hard work finally paid off as he was able to catch the killer but it took another eleven years for him to be able to prove that he was a dangerous man. The book gives the reader a clear picture of a person who interacted with the victims’ families.

17. Death in the air

The true crime novel is set in London just after the World War where a serial killer terrorises the city. The book written by Kate Winker Dawson explores how women suddenly go missing after meeting a quiet man. The killer is believed to have escaped being convicted of murder and an innocent man went to prison for crimes he did not commit. The book paints a clear picture of the state of London during the post-war period and how people suffered but soldiered through.

18. Death Note

This book is authored by Tsugumi Ohba and it is the ideal book on serial killers for anyone who likes fantasy. A new kind of serial murderer emerges when Light Yagami is given a book that kills anybody whose name is inscribed in it. He intends to eradicate evil from the world by assassinating notable criminals, but he soon finds himself in a moral minefield and a perilous pursuit as the authorities strive to find the person responsible for all the fatalities.

19. Monster of Florence

A disturbing true story will keep you on the edge of your seat as it takes you inside the bleak world of crime and retribution in the hills surrounding Florence, Italy. As investigative reporter Mario Spezi and author Douglas Preston seek to learn the truth about the murders, you can learn about the search for the notorious serial killer recognised as the Monster of Florence. As Preston and Spezi become the focus of an unexpected police investigation, get ready for a chilling tale of murder, mutilation, and suicide. Fans of gripping tension and true crime will love this nonfiction book.

20. Bone Collector

A once-talented criminologist who is now mentally and physically broken is the subject of this riveting thriller. Our protagonist must cooperate with an investigating officer to solve the case after a ruthless killer sets his eyes on him. They work together to investigate a maze of clues that take them to a sinister period in New York City’s history and a madman’s mind who won’t stop until his objective is attained. You’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout this entire novel.

21. Fourth Monkey

The Chicago citizens have been terrorised for more than five years by the Four Monkey Killer. When his body is discovered, the police realise right away that he was on his way to deliver one last message, one that would show he had already taken another victim, who might still be alive.

Detective Sam Porter is the 4MK task force’s lead investigator and is aware that the murderer is still alive and well. Porter becomes enmeshed in the mind of a psychopath after finding a personal journal in the body’s jacket pocket. He must untangle the tortured history of the killer in order to find one last girl while also battling his own personal issues. The riveting book keeps the reader glued to the pages.

22. Red Dragon

Red Dragon, a psychological horror novel by American author Thomas Harris was first published in 1981. The Novel was adopted as a film, Manhunter, in 1986 and featured Brian Cox as Lecter. The film did not perform so well and it later developed a cult following. The book’s plot features a former FBI profiler Will Graham who retires soon after he captured Hannibal Lecter, a serial killer. Graham had suffered a lot of injuries from all that search for Hannibal Lecter.

Three years later another serial killer, “The Tooth Fairy,” is introduced in the book. “The Tooth Fairy” murders two families; The Jacobi family and the Leeds family. Jack Crawford Graham’s mentor is forced to plead with Graham to help in finding the serial killer, only because he can be the only one who can find the killer. Graham looks at “The Tooth Fairy” case and realizes that he needs to understand the killer and the only way he could understand him he has only one place to visit: the mind of Dr Lecter in order to get help.

23. Mind Hunter

Mind Hunter is a 1995 autobiography book written by former FBI agent John E. Douglas and his co-author Mark Olshaker. The book chronicles Douglas’s twenty-five-year career journey with the investigative Support Unit that began in 1970. The book detailed Douglas’s development of psychological profiling as a tool for law enforcement through the extensive study he did in the Behavioral Science Unit where he identified behavioural patterns of various notorious serial killers: the Atlanta child murderer, the man who hunted prostitutes for sport in the woods of Alaska, and Seattle’s Green River killer.

Douglas has also interviewed serial killers and assassins, including Ted Bundy, Ed Gein and Charles Manson. He examined each crime scene, reliving both the killer’s and victim’s moves in his mind, describing their habits, creating their profiles and even predicting the serial killer’s next moves. Douglas retired in 1996 from the FBI but continued to be active in the world of criminal justice as a consultant and writer.

24. American Psycho

American Psycho is a novel by author Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The novel which is set in 1980s New York, chronicles the life of Patrick Bateman, a young, wealthy handsome and educated man who supposedly lives a double life as a serial killer. He earned his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights expressing his true self through torture and murder. The book takes the readers to where it all began when Bateman began acting on his psychopathic thoughts and impulses. His troubles begin in his imagination but it quickly turns into reality. Patrick experiences a progression of mental illness and he commits more and more gruesome murders. In 2000 the novel was adopted as a film, starring, Christian Bale who acted as Patrick Bateman.

25. Every dead thing

Every dead thing is the first novel in the Charlie Parker series, written by author John Conolly and published in 1999 by Simon and Schuster. The major theme of this book is grief and regret, but also about hope and forgiveness. The novel introduces a character “Charlie “Bird” Parker who left the force when his wife and baby daughter were ruthlessly murdered therefore, he was full of guilt, regret, and desire for revenge but still, he was forced to come to look into a case of a missing woman as a favour to his old friend.

The search for the woman murderers awakens buried instincts in Parker: instincts for survival, compassion, love and ultimately, for killing. It also narrates about one serial killer who tortures children and another one who steals his victim faces after torturing and murdering them, giving readers different grisly plots in one debut novel.

26. 1^st to Die

1^st to Die is a crime novel by American author James Patterson, published in 2001. It became the first book in the Women’s Murder Club series. The club features four friends each holding a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the Fransisco Police Department, Claire Washburn is a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt is an assistant D.A, and Cindy Thomas a reporter who started working at the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle. The four women worked together forming intense bonds as they track down the most notorious, terrifying and unexpected serial killer they have ever encountered. They come to a shocking conclusion after everything they seemed to know turns out to be wrong.

 27. In The Garden of Spite

The book written by Camilla Bruce is based on the true story of Belle Gunness who was one of the first and most notorious serial killers in the United States. Belle used to lure men into marrying her and then killing them so that she could take their wealth. The book is well written in that it provides the reader with the human elements that may have motivated the serial killer to commit the crimes and thus keep the reader glued to the book.

28. You

The novel is written by Caroline Kepnes and it is arguably one of the best books on true crime ever written. The book follows a man called Joe who turns himself into the perfect man for a woman that he has set his sights on and he will remove every obstacle that is in his path including people who prevent him from getting the girl. The emotion-packed book will keep the reader anticipating to see what happens next.

29. The Night Stalker

The novel written by Philip Carlo tells the story of Richard Ramirez who is a notorious serial killer. The book is based on a true story and the contents are from interviews with the serial killer. This means that the reader gets to take a new perspective on the gruesome crimes committed by the serial killer. The intriguing book is a must-have for true crime enthusiasts as they will get to understand the crimes the serial killer committed and the manhunt that led to his arrest.

30. The Surgeon

Authored by Tess Gerritsen, the Surgeon tells the story of a serial killer who targets lone women. The killer breaks into the victim’s apartments and tortures them. What is unique about the form of torture is how precise they are and resemble those of a physician. This leads the police to suspect that their killer is in the medical field. The book is an action-packed one that keeps the reader intrigued as they wait to read the next twist.

31. Lovely Bones

Lovely Bones cover. By Daniel Case

The book is written by Alice Sebold and tells the story of Susie Salmon who is a fourteen-year-old girl who was killed in a cornfield. Susie does not just die as she wakes up in a place that looks like purgatory and she is forced to watch how her death affects her father. She is hopeful that the killer will be found when her father started piecing out what happened to her and starts searching for the killer. This book will keep the reader on the edge of their seats as they wait to see if the killer will be found.

32. The wasp factory

The book is written by Scottish author Iain Banks. It features Frank who is a sixteen-year-old who comes from a family of misfits having been abandoned by his mother and his brother is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Frank turns to violence to get over his frustrations and ends up killing three people and is not about to stop. The extraordinary novel is filled with humour and originality that will thrill the reader.

33. The girls he adored

The book which is written by Jonathan Nasaw features a notorious serial killer who has a preference for strawberry blonde women as his victims. The story follows Irene who is a psychiatrist and has been taken captive by the serial killer. The novel shows Irene trying to determine what drives the serial killer to kill.

34. The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy

The novel by Elizabeth Kendall who had been in a relationship for six years with the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy gives the reader insight into how one can live with someone without knowing that they are dangerous. The novel provides details into who Ted Bundy was as it is from someone who was close to him.

35. Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters

The nonfiction true crime book is written by criminal justice historian Peter Vronsky. The book gives the reader a history of how serial killers are made from the medieval era to the Victorian times and how they have escalated in contemporary society.  The book gives the reader insight into how serial killers become the violent and cruel people they are.

The true crime genre has grown exponentially over the past decades and this means that there are many authors who have written captivating books some based on true stories and others fiction. This gives the reader variety when they are choosing what they want to read. Furthermore, true crime books are a great way to pass time while learning about different crimes and how people commit those crimes.

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