What is the Most Disturbing True Crime Story you Know? - True Crime 411


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true crime is a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people. The crimes most commonly include murder; about 40 percent focus on tales of serial killers.

As much as we love listening to a celebrity interview or cultural discussion, there’s nothing quite like a true crime podcast to keep you hooked for hours on end.

There’s a reason why so many true crime series have climbed the podcast charts over the years – from the genre-defining brilliance of Serial to the unexpected twists and turns of Sweet Bobby, true crime is the genre that just keeps on giving.

True crime has never been more popular than it is today, as evidenced by the astonishing number of podcasts, TV shows, and documentaries dedicated to the genre. At its core, however, true crime is a type of nonfiction literature. From influential works like Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood (1966) to modern-day investigations such as Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2018) or Elon Green’s Last Call (2021), such narratives are unique in the way they connect with their readers, precisely because they explore harrowing real-life events that could happen to anyone.

Want to know more about true crime? Here we define the genre, take a fascinating look at its origins, and cover some of its common themes.

The Definition of “True Crime”

It seems like the definition of true crime would be obvious: A story about a crime that actually occurred. Indeed, most true crime books explore dark and distressing subject matter, and reader discretion is advised. Granted, the first rule of true crime is that the narrative must include as many nitty-gritty facts about the case as possible: Readers expect the actual names of people involved and the correct time and place, information about what they did, and as many details of the crime and its investigation as the author can dig up.

True crime books can be about a single event, like a kidnapping. They can also be about the collective crimes of serial killers, thieves, or cult leaders. However narrow or broad the focus, the best true crime books deliver well-researched, finely written examinations of the case at hand.

But the wealth of details is just half of what makes true crime so popular with readers. The most talented true crime authors excel at presenting the facts of a case while vividly re-creating the atmosphere that surrounded the crime. They put criminals and their victims in context by establishing elements like the political climate of the day, the history of a town, or the struggles faced by a particular community. They dig into everyone’s motives, then weigh these motives against the actions and developments they document. They re-create dialogue as faithfully as possible, although of course sometimes it’s necessary to take artistic liberties.

In other words, the most popular true crime authors transport readers to the scene of the crime, with all senses fully engaged. Without an author’s narrative talents, the details of the crime would simply read like a legal report.

Best True Crime Stories Podcast 2022 Police Interrogations, True Crime Investigations