What do Santa Claus, a golf club, the NFL, a computer hacker, Jack The Ripper, and a stolen portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer have in common? Answer: they’re some of the main topics of the most thrilling true crime books of 2015.
We’ve scoured the web, per usual, to find the best new true crime books to give you a spook (or six) this winter.
6 True Crime Books That Keep Us Awake At Night
The Santa Claus Man: The Rise and Fall of a Jazz Age Con Man and the Invention of Christmas in New York
Alex Palmer
Release Date: October 1, 2015
This story follows the twisting path of John Duval Gluck Jr. the creator of the Santa Claus Association after an incident of holiday foul play left hundreds of hopeful letters for Santa Claus destroyed. The formation of the Santa Claus Association ushered in 15 years of money and gifts from the captivated New York City public, only to finally observe the downfall of the association as it became fraught with mysterious happenings; a kidnapping, stolen art, and an investigation from the FBI. These incidents and more just barely scratch the surface of the murky depths surrounding John Duval Gluck Jr. and the Santa Claus Association.
Then No One Can Have Her
Caitlin Rother
Release Date: October 27, 2015
A harrowing tale of love gone awry, journalist Caitlin Rother presents a compelling account of the gruesome murder of Carol Kennedy with a golf club in her tranquil Arizona ranch home. Rother takes hold of the readers’ hands and invites us to tread lightly into a nebulous world of betrayal, divorce, and to witness the trials and tribulations of the modern day justice system.
The Valley of the Shadow of Death: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption
Kermit Alexander, Alex Gerould, and Jeff Snipes
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Retired All-Pro cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers Alexander Kermit relives the tragic morning of August 31, 1984 in the South Central section of Los Angeles, when three armed men broke into a house, brutally murdering Ebora Alexander, Dietra Alexander, Damani Garner, and Damon Bonner – the mother, sister, and nephews of Kermit Alexander. Through Kermit’s heart wrenching chronological prose, he constructs a powerful personal narrative rooted in loss, forgiveness, and finding inner peace in the midst of catastrophic tragedy.
CRACK99: The Takedown of a $100 Million Chinese Software Pirate
David Locke Hall
Release Date: September 22, 2015
CRACK99, the website that started it all. CRACK99 is a true crime tale of epic proportions; focusing in on the Justice Department’s prosecution of Xiang Li, the mastermind behind the digital platform CRACK99 where Li sold everything from satellite tracking and aviation simulation to communications systems. Author David Locke, federal prosecutor and former U.S. Navy intelligence officer discloses intimate details of this thrilling adventure, from the start of the elusive hunt to discover Li to the eventual capture and prosecution of one of the biggest cybercriminals known to date.
They All Love Jack: Busting The Ripper
Bruce Robinson
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Jack The Ripper, a notorious subject that has inspired films and over 100 books is the pivotal element in Bruce Robinson’s mesmerizing investigation. Robinson’s thorough examination of this infamous and haunting figure brings about critical inquiries encompassing years of bloodshed and mystery specifically regarding the true identity of this ruthless killer. The challenges that are masterfully posed within this electrifying publication are who really executed these heinous crimes; and, more important, how they managed to get away with it for so long.
Stolen, Smuggled, Sold: On the Hunt for Cultural Treasures
Nancy Moses
Release Date: June 4, 2015
Museum consultant and author Nancy Moses unearths spellbinding tales of mystery, thievery, and the wonder of how cultural objects continue to shape and progress our society in the past and present. Shared in seven stories, each vignette showcases a specific object and deftly dives into the rich history of how each item was acquired through legitimate means or otherwise. One by one, each story plunges the reader into a new realm filled with a myriad of characters whose lives have all been altered in one way or another by the artifact.
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