Nonfiction true crime explores real cases with journalistic detail. Famous works, such as "In Cold Blood" and local favorite "Starvation Heights," read like novels due to their gripping plots and characters. Similarly, true crime fiction blends real criminal events with fictional storytelling, creating narratives that feel like true crime but use fictional elements for dramatic effect. These novels blur the lines for readers seeking chilling, fact-inspired tales.
Author Noelle W. Ihli is a notable writer in this emerging genre. Her novel "Ask for Andrea" is a 2022 paranormal thriller inspired by the victims of serial killer Ted Bundy. The story focuses on three women who, after being murdered by a charismatic, charming killer similar to Bundy, haunt him as ghosts to secure justice and prevent further murders. Ihli was inspired by a documentary about Ted Bundy that specifically focused on the women whose lives he took, rather than on the killer himself. Another of Ihli's titles, "Gray After Dark," is a fictional survival thriller inspired by the true 1984 abduction of 23-year-old American biathlete Kari Swenson. The book dramatizes the terrifying kidnapping of an athlete by two survivalists in the Montana wilderness, focusing on themes of resilience and terror.
Authors like Harlan Coben are also responsible for the rise in popularity of true crime fiction. Though Coben writes fiction (many of his books have been made into riveting Netflix thrillers) he also hosts the new CBS true crime show, "Harlan Coben's Final Twist" where Coben turns his signature narrative style toward real, solved murder cases, revealing hidden truths and shocking details. This treatment leads real-life crime cases to read just like his novels!
Use the list below to find more books in the true crime fiction genre, or team up with the Library's free resource, NoveList Plus, to investigate your own future reads. Try keywords and phrases like: "thrillers," "serial murderers," "inspired by true events," or "crime fiction."
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