There are many genres of books, some of which being more terrifying and mysterious than others. The True Crime genre in particular often talks about the lives and mindsets of criminals worldwide and throughout time. Though books from this genre are more of a specific taste, as they are mostly nonfiction and graphic, it is definitely a topic of interest for any reader. Here are some books from the genre you may find interesting.

Inside the Criminal Mind by Dr. Stanton E. Samenow is a novel in which a psychiatrist tries to explain the mindset of criminals. In the book, the author explains his take on each of the common beliefs of what a criminal is commonly thought to be and gives his analysis on whether these ideas or valid or false. The book was originally published in 1984, however in 2004 the book was revised and republished. The author has also written seven other book titled The Criminal Personality volumes I-III, Before It’s Too Late, Straight Talk about Criminals, In the Best Interest of the Child, and The Myth of out of Character Crime. The book had mixed reviews with a three point two out of five from Barnes and Noble and a three point nine out of six from Goodreads. This book is also mildly graphic at certain points.

Serial Killers & Mass Murderers: Profiles of the Most Barbaric Serial Killers by Nigel Cawthorne is a short novel that focuses on a collection of some of the most notorious killers and their actions before and after their killings. In the book, the author identifies the killers, their death count, whether they were ever caught, and what their sentence was following their arrest. The book was published in 2007, and is one of over 150 books, both fiction and nonfiction, written by the author. The book did moderately well with a three out of five from Barnes and Noble and a three point six out of six from Goodreads. This book is mildly graphic throughout its entire text.

The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World’s Most Terrifying Murderers by Harold Schechter, a well know true crime writer, is a book that talks about the mindset of serial killers through quotes, pictures, and the killers’ life stories. It was published in 2003 and is one of many books the author has written on the subject. It received overall positive ratings from critics with a five out of five rating from eBay, a four out of five from Barnes and Noble, and a four point one out of five from Goodreads. This book is extremely graphic and violent in its descriptions and its images.

The Crime Archives: Inside the Minds of Today’s Deadliest Criminals by Damon Wilson is a short book that includes both a description of the crimes committed and pieces of written and drawn documents from the criminals and police, along with images to better explain what really happened. The author has written 51 other books on true crime and mysteries. The book was published in 2011 and received a somewhat positive review from Goodreads with a four point nine out of five. This book is mildly graphic throughout its entire text, with more graphic photos and documents.

There are multiple books produced worldwide, and hopefully this list helps to provide you with a new book to read in this genre. Even if you are new to the true crime “scene”, I hope this list at least inspires you to read.