True crime has fascinated people for decades. They listen to podcasts discussing it, watch TV series depicting it, and read books telling the gruesome tales. While most people can stomach reading about murder and even listening to a podcast on it, it's a whole other thing to watch the horrendous acts get played out in a movie.
In recent years there have been numerous films made depicting true crime such as Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile and Foxcatcher. While the population's fascination with true crime grows, there are still some cases that must remain safe inside the pages of a book.
Lust Killer by Ann Rule
Ann Rule is the queen of true crime novels having written over 30 novels on the subject. Her books have haunted true crime fanatics for decades with several of them becoming the inspiration behind films. However one of her novels is too twisted even for the big screen.
Rule's Lust Killer tells the story of the disturbing murderer, Jerry Brudos, who was believed to be a quiet, neighborly man. As young women continue to mysteriously disappear in Oregon, the police begin to crack down on the monster behind the disappearances. What they find is too gruesome even for the most experienced law enforcement officer.
Columbine by Dave Cullen
Some events in history need to be respected and ed, however they're too dark to be made into a film. The shooting at Columbine High School in 1999 struck fear into the hearts of every American whether they were a parent or a student.
In 2009 Dave Cullen wrote Columbine, a novel telling the story of the horrific events that unfolded on April 20, 1999. There are two story lines that develop throughout the book, one of the shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, and one of the survivors and how they dealt with the after affects of the shooting.
My Dark Places by James Ellroy
It's always difficult to lose a parent at a young age — especially to murder. In 1958 James Ellroy mother, Geneva, was strangled and the killer was never found. Ellroy was a true crime fanatic long before he took on the case of his own mother.
1996 Ellroy finally tackled the murder of his mother and how it affected his life for better and worse. He teamed up with a retired L.A. homicide detective in his attempt to find the murderer. For many the thought of hunting the killer of our own mother would be too much to handle, but Ellroy boldly dives into the case.
How Now, Butterfly? by Charity Lee with Brian Whitney
Losing a child is one of the most traumatic, devastating experiences a person can ever go through, especially if that child is murdered. Especially if that child is murdered by their own brother and your son. Charity Lee bravely tells the story of losing both of her children, one to murder and one to incarceration.
Lee's 13 year old son Paris stabbed his own sister, Ella, to death. But Charity used her horrible pain to inspire her readers with her courage as she advocates for her son to get the treatment he needs while also dealing with grief of losing her young daughter.
Man-Eater by Ryan Green
Everyone knows relationships can turn sour, but rarely do people suspect it will end in a vile murder. John Price feared his girlfriend Katherine Knight. He made it known to his coworkers that if he ever went missing, Knight had something to do with it.
On March 1, 2000 Price didn't show up for work and his coworkers knew something horrible had happened. When a coworker went to check on him, he found a bloody handprint by the front door, but what the police discovered was far more sinister. In Man Eater Ryan Green tells the disturbing story of the murder of John Price.
Buried Dream by Tim Cahill
John Wayne Gacy, the clown killer, is one of the most notorious serial killers in history with a body count that exceeded over two dozen. In Buried Dreams Tim Cahill deep dives into the life and murders of John Wayne Gacy. Mostly in Gacy's own words, Buried Dreams paints a clear and horrific picture in the minds of the readers.
While almost everyone is familiar with the horrendous acts of Gacy, most are not prepared to watch a film where they are depicted. For many people even listening to a podcast episode on Gacy's murders can be too much to stomach.
If You Tell by Gregg Olsen
Most people can not even dream up a scenario as horrifying as what actually took place in a farmhouse in Raymond, Washington. In If You Tell, Gregg Olsen tells the survival story of the three sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori who were forced to desperately fight for their lives against their own mother.
While readers root for the sisters as they ban together to escape their personal nightmare, many movie goers would be forced to cover their eyes to hide from the disturbing scenes.
Losing Jon by David Parrish
It's horrible when anyone is murdered but when they are young with their whole lives ahead of them, it's like putting salt in a wound. Jon Bowie was only 19 years old when he was found hanging from the high school's backstop in the baseball field. His tragic death was declared a suicide. But David Parrish, the author of Losing Jon, did not believe this verdict.
Instead Parrish continued digging into what he believed was a murder. Parrish would discover brutal encounters with law enforcement leading up to Jon being hanged.
Gone at Midnight by Jake Anderson
There are certain places that seem to attract tragic and mysterious events. The Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles is one of those haunting places that should be avoided. The hotel has decades long history of tragedies which continued to the 2010's. In 2013 twenty-one year old Elisa Lam was mysteriously found floating in the hotel's water tank on the roof.
In Gone at Midnight Jake Anderson explores the perplexing incidents that led up to Elisa's body being found. Was it a tragic accident or a horrific murder? Either way this case is heartbreaking and reminds all of us to take mental health seriously.
American Predator by Maureen Callahan
Recently his name has become well-known and feared due to more media exposure. Israel Keyes has become one of the most notorious serial killers. In American Predator journalist Maureen Callahan takes a close look at how Keyes was able to dodge law enforcement for over a decade.
While many people are intrigued by the minds of serial killers, most are not prepared to uncover the inner workings of Keyes mind. Callahan bravely exposes the murderer in her chilling book, but this killer needs to be caged in the pages of this book forever.
