ADULT TRUE-CRIME BOOKS
(c) 2021 (various publishers)
$16.00 to $29.00
various page counts>/bold>

If you can't get enough of the chills inherent in real-life murder and mayhem, why not read some great new true-crime books?

Stepping back in time (because murder is nothing new), The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science by Sam Kean (Little, Brown, $29.00) will give you plenty of fodder for fear. Read about the things done throughout history, supposedly for the sake of knowledge — things that resulted in a little learning, perhaps, but also a lot of horribleness. Shiver, shudder.

Also look for The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream by Dean Jobb (Algonquin, $27.95), the story of the hunt for a serial killer, back before most of the best methods of crime-solving were ever invented. It's got everything you want in a Victorian-era tale — if you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, take note.

Did you ever wonder what happens to a murderer if he's found "not criminally responsible"? In Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder by Mikita Brottman (Henry Holt, $27.99), you'll read one man's tale. Life in a maximum-security psychiatric facility is every bit as gritty as prison, and there are just as many dangers, as you'll see. This unique look at a different kind of lockdown is a must-read for anyone who particularly relishes true-crime books with a prison slant.

And while you're getting that book, look for The Devil You Know: Stories of Human Cruelty and Compassion by Dr. Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne (Scribner, $28.00). Dr. Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist who works with the incarcerated, and this book presents stories of crime and the ability of some criminals to change. It's a hard book to read — many of the tales here are brutal — but it may ultimately change your personal definition of the word "evil."

And finally, here's a true-crime book that's aimed at you: "I Have Nothing to Hide" by Heidi Boghosian (Beacon Press, $16.00). It should come as no surprise that you are being watched, maybe even right now. Your phone tattles on you, your computer is a snitch, even just having a credit card or owning a house — almost everything you do in today's world — means information that's up for grabs. But what, exactly, do you know about electronic surveillance, privacy, and who might be spying on you this very minute? If that's a sobering question, you owe it to yourself to let this expert set you straight.

And, as always, if these brand-new true-crime books don't quite fill the bill for you, be sure to ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for suggestions. There are a lot more such books out there, many of which you'll click with.