“His weakness was his belief that evil had boundaries.”
If you’re fascinated by true crime and have a love for history, historical true crime books offer the perfect blend of both. These gripping stories transport readers into the past – whether it’s the smoggy streets of Victorian London or the lawless corners of the American frontier – revealing real-life crimes that rocked entire societies. From infamous killers such as Jack the Ripper to lesser-known unsolved cases from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, historical true crime brings chilling events to life. Here at What We Reading, we’ve pulled together the best historical true crime book that recount real cases, explore the criminal justice systems of the past, and shine a light on the forgotten victims and notorious culprits. Whether you’re looking for true crime books set in the 1800s or just want a haunting glimpse into crime history, these true stories will keep you turning the pages.
The Five: The Untold Lives Of The Women Killed By Jack The Ripper – Hallie Rubenhold
First up on our list of the best historical true crime books is Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five. Rather than focusing on the story of Jack the Ripper, Ruberhold’s work shifts the narrative on his five canonical victims: Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. Through meticolous research and compassionate storytelling, she reconstructs their lives, exploring their personal histories, struggles, and humanity.
Rubenhold challenges the long-standing myth that all five women were sex workers, revealing a far more nuanced and often heartbreaking truth: many were victims of poverty, addiction, homelessness, and societal neglect. By restoring their voices, The Five doesn’t just tell the story of murder – it exposes the misogyny and classism rampant across Victorian England. This is a must-read for true crime fans looking for a fresh, ethical perspective that centres victims and critiques how we consume crime stories.
A Taste For Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules And The Killers Who Used Them – Neil Bradbury
Any true crime enthusiast will tell you that poison has always been one of the most enduring weapons of choice for a scheming murderer. But, how exactly do these poisons work? And what can we learn from the damage they inflict? In a fascinating blend of popular science, medical history and true crime, Dr Neil Bradbury explores centuries’ worth of killings on a cellular level to explain all in his 2022 true crime book, A Taste for Poison.
Drawn from historical records and current news headlines, A Taste for Poison weaves together the tales of spurned lovers, shady scientists, medical professionals, and political assassins to demonstrate how the precise systems of the body can be impaired to lethal effect through the use of poison. From the deadly origins of gin and tonic to the arsenic-laced wallpapers of Napoleon’s bedroom, Bradbury’s work takes readers on a riveting journey through the complex systems that keep us alive – or don’t.
Check Out These True Crime Books For Every Reader
The Devil In The White City: Murder, Magic And Madness At The Fair That Changed America – Erik Larson
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson masterfully intertwines two gripping narratives: the awe-inspiring creation of the 1893 World’s Fair, and the chilling crimes of one of America’s first known serial killers, H.H. Holmes. With the elegance of a novel and the rigour of nonfiction, Larson brings to life the ambitions, challenges, and brilliance behind the fair’s construction, led by architect Daniel H. Burnham, while uncovering the dark shadows cast just beyond the fairgrounds.
As Burnham fights deadlines, politics, and engineering feats to build the ‘White City’, Holmes lures victims into his nearby hotel, a labyrinth of hidden rooms, false doors, and sinister secrets designed for murder. The contrast between innovation and horror gives the book a haunting, almost surreal atmosphere. Meticulously researched and vividly told, The Devil in the White City is a true crime classic that explores how beauty and evil can thrive side-by-side – and how often history contains both.
Hell’s Half-Acre: The Untold Story Of The Benders, America’s First Serial Killer Family – Susan Jonusas
Hell’s Half-Acre is a riveting deep dive into one of the most horrifying and often overlooked true crime stories from the American frontier: the bloody legacy of the Bender family. In the 1870s, this seemingly ordinary family ran an inn and grocery stand in the wilds of Kansas, but their property soon became the site of multiple grizzly disappearances. When travellers vanished without a trace, suspicions mounted, and what followed shocked the nation.
Jonusas unpacks this chilling story of how the Benders lured victims to their homestead, killed them, and buried their bodies in the garden – earning their stretch of land the nickname ‘Hell’s Half-Acre’. But this historical true crime book is more just a macabre tale. It’s a meticulous account of the resulting manhunt, the media frenzy, and mythmaking that followed. Atmospheric, well-researched, and utterly compelling, Hell’s Half-Acre shines a light on a case that blends Wild West lawlessness with serial murder – and still leaves haunting questions behind.
Death In The City Of Light: The Serial Killer Of Nazi-Occupied Paris – David King
David King’s Death in the City of Light tells the terrifying true story of a serial killer who preyed on victims in Nazi-occupied Paris – a city already cloaked in fear and darkness. At the heart of this gripping historical true crime story is Dr Marcel Petiot, a respected physician who offered ‘safe passage’ out of the French capital to those desperate to escape the Gestapo. But, instead of salvation, Petiot led them to their deaths.
As bodies pile up in his townhouse, the hunt begins to uncover the truth behind one of the most disturbing criminal cases in wartime Europe. Blending the intensity of a crime thriller novel with the depth of historical nonfiction, King reconstructs the investigation, the sensational trial, and the eerie psychology of an individual who thrived in the chaos of occupation. Both a haunting murder mystery and a chilling depiction of evil, Death in the City of Light is a must-read for fans of historical true crime that delves into the darkest recesses of both human nature and history.
The Dublin Railway Murder – Thomas Morris
The Dublin Railway Murder by Thomas Morris is a real-life locked-room mystery that captivated Victorian Ireland – and still puzzles readers even today. Set in 1856, the story opens with the shocking discovery of a railway clerk, George Little, found brutally murdered inside a sealed office at the Dublin train station. With no signs of forced entry and no apparent motive to go off, the case immediately ignites a wave of public fascination and confusion.
Morris expertly unpacks the investigation, revealing a tangled web of clues, odd behaviour, and the limitations of nineteenth-century forensic science. What follows is a gripping account of how police, the public, and even amateur sleuths attempted to crack the case. Morris’ narrative reads like a detective novel, but every twist is firmly rooted in reality, drawn from archival material and historical records.
Mrs. Sherlock Holmes – Brad Ricca
Mrs. Sherlock Holmes is the remarkable true story of Grace Humiston, a trailblazing lawyer and detective who took on missing persons cases the NYPD had dismissed – and managed to solve them. Set in early twentieth-century New York, the book focuses on her investigations into the disappearance of Ruth Cruger, a teenage girl who vanished in 1917. When authorities quickly gave up, Grace stepped in and happened upon a web of corruption, exploitation, and deceit.
Nicknamed ‘Mrs. Sherlock Holmes’ by the press, Humiston became the first woman U.S. District Attorney and earned a reputation for being able to crack tough cases with intelligence, empathy, and dogged determination. Author Brad Ricca paints a vivid picture of a woman ahead of her time, fighting not just criminals but the sexism and bureaucracy that tried to stop her. With its noir atmosphere and feminist edge, Mrs. Sherlock Holmes is a compelling historical true crime read that spotlights a forgotten heroine who deserves her place in history.
City Of Light, City Of Poison: Murder, Magic, And The First Police Chief Of Paris – Holly Tucker
Holly Tucker’s City of Light, City of Poison pulls readers deep into the glittering but treacherous world of Louis XIV’s Paris, where, beneath the splendour of the Sun King’s court, lurked a deadly scandal. This dark historical true crime book follows Nicolas de La Reynie, the city’s first ever chief of police, as he uncovers a network of poisoners, fortune tellers, and would-be assassins in what became known as the ‘Affair of the Poisons’.
As La Reynie investigates a rash of mysterious deaths, disappearances, and dark rumours implicating even the king’s inner circle, Tucker reveals a Paris steeped in superstition, vice, and corruption. The book explores how justice, politics, and power collided in a city where influence could be bought – and where secrets could be lethal. With rich historical detail and a suspenseful pace, City of Light, City of Poison reads like a historical thriller. It’s perfect for true crime fans who are fascinated by the intersection of royalty, scandal, and murder.
Check Out These Shocking Books Based On True Stories
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
