With the conclusion of today's Serial podcast - a series put out by This American Life that follows investigative journalist Sarah Koenig while she pursues the truth behind a real teenager murder from 1999 - people who had never given much thought to the true crime genre are now riveted.
I've always enjoyed true crime, but not the cheesy, airport paperback kind. I like my crime and courtroom stories well-done, thank you very much.
These are four of my favorites of all time:
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi. This is the story of the famous Charles Manson murders and subsequent trial as told by the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. The story is goring and disturbing, and there is no doubt as to the guilt of who carried out the actual execution of these innocent people. What is so interesting here is the cae against Manson himself, who was not present but who, ostensibly, ordered them to be carried out. This book is fascinating, no one writes about crime like Bugliosi.
Columbine by Dave Cullen. I've written and talked about this book so often, I think my friends and husband now roll their eyes whenever I reference it. Again, there is no doubt who pulled out guns to kill and be killed in a Columbine high school, but almost everything you think you know about this crime will be challenged. The media spin, the false national narrative, the innaccurate eyewitness accounts, this book will forever change how you think about crime being reported in a world with 24-hour news.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. This book is the one that put Mr. Capote over the edge. It's a difficult story (I guess all are in this genre), but becomes art in his hand. Not the murders themselves - that is never to be lauded - but the dark side of humanity.
And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi. Closer to Serial in that you're not sure how you feel about the accused throughout this book, this story is told so well that you won't want to read it alone. Make a friend or book club pick it up just so you'll have someone to discuss it with. (Can you tell I'm a fan of Mr. Bugliosi? I named my computer hard drive after him, because he's just that smart.)
