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True Crime Books

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Search for some shocking True Crime Books right here at The Works. We've got everything from heartbreaking true crime stories to some of the most notorious serial killers in history within our collection. So if you're feeling up to it, dive into the fascinating world of true crime below.

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January, 1945. 14-year-old Moshe Kessler steps off the train at Buchenwald concentration camp. Having endured the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau, lost touch with his entire family, and survived the death march in the freezing European winter, he has seen more than his share of tragedy. Moshe knows only one thing about Buchenwald. Everyone knows it. If you want to survive, you have to get to Block 66. The Germans are cruel and determined - but they are not prepared for Buchenwald's secret resistance, which rises up with one mission only: to protect the camp's children from harm. This is the incredible true story of Moshe Kessler and Block 66 - the children's block that was at the forefront of one of the most shocking and inspiring stories of Holocaust survival. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781802472509 • Author:  Limor Regev • Publisher:  Ad Lib Publishers Ltd • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  244 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 12.8 x 1.8 cm

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£2.50

Otto Rosenberg is 9 and living in Berlin, poor but happy, when his family are first detained. All around them, Sinti and Roma families are being torn from their homes by Nazis , leaving behind schools, jobs, friends, and businesses to live in forced encampments outside the city. One by one, families are broken up, adults and children disappear or are 'sent East'. Otto arrives in Auschwitz aged 15 and is later transferred to Buechenwald and Bergen-Belsen. He works, scrounges food whenever he can, witnesses and suffers horrific violence and is driven close to death by illness more than once. Unbelievably, he also joins an armed revolt of prisoners who, facing the SS and certain death, refuse to back down. Somehow, through luck, sheer human will to live, or both, he survives. The stories of Sinti and Roma suffering in Nazi Germany are all too often lost or untold. In this haunting account, Otto shares his story with a remarkable simplicity. Deeply moving, A Gypsy in Auschwitz is the incredible story of how a young Sinti boy miraculously survived the unimaginable darkness of the Holocaust. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781800961128 • Author: Otto Rosenberg • Publisher: Monoray • Format: Paperback • Pages: 240 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 2.2cm

3.5 ({1})
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"My life will always be in danger. My beautiful sister Banaz Mahmod was murdered in an ‘honour killing’ ordered by our father and uncle. If those evil men find me, they will kill me too." Bekhal Mahmod was one of six siblings from a Sunni Muslim family in Iraqi Kurdistan who sought a new life as asylum seekers and arrived in London in 1998. When Bekhal's father tried to force her into an arranged marriage at 15, she ran away. This caused her father to ‘lose respect’ within the Kurdish community and Bekhal became the target of an honour killing and her younger sisters Banaz and Payzee were quickly married off to restore the family's reputation. When Banaz left her husband, claiming he'd beaten and raped her, Mahmod decided this 'shame' to the family meant Banaz must die. Within weeks, she had vanished. Her body was finally discovered, crammed into a suitcase and buried in a garden in Birmingham. Banaz, age 20, had been raped and killed in a sickening plot orchestrated by her father and uncle. Still fearing for her own life, Bekhal bravely faced her father and uncle in court - making her the first female in British legal history to give evidence against family members in an honour killing trial - and won justice for her beloved sister Banaz. Bekhal now has a new identity after entering the police witness protection programme. She lives in terror of her father’s release from jail. This is her story. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781913543051 • Author:  Bekhal Mahmod  • Publisher:  Ad Lib Publishers Ltd • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  240 • Dimensions: 12.7 x 2.03 x 19.69 cm

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£2.50

I was unwanted, beaten, sold, swapped, photographed, filmed, left for dead, corrupted, blamed, betrayed, ignored and orphaned. But I was also born with a fire inside me. I call it my Phoenix Fire. I am no victim – that word only describes what happened to me. Nor am I a survivor because that implies I am over it. I am a Phoenix – a work in progress. This is my story…” Product Information: • ISBN: 9781914451003 • Author: Shy Keenan • Publisher: Mardle Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 311 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 cm

4.7 ({1})
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An exploration of the Jack the Ripper murders through the eyes of the Londoners who lived through it, including eye-witness accounts and inquest testimonies. The shocking murders carried out by an unknown serial killer in London's East End in during the autumn of 1888 dominated the news and public imagination at the time and have continued to exert a baleful influence ever since. But what was it like to live through those terrifying weeks? No matter what precautions the locals took, the killings continued. Featuring eye-witness accounts, photographs and documents of the time, this book looks at the crimes of Jack the Ripper and their impact on the people of Victorian London. It follows the way the crimes affected the local population, the rumours that swept the streets, the alarms, the riots, the persecutions, the suspicions and the sheer naked terror of the awful autumn when Jack the Ripper stalked the streets. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398845664 • Author:  Rupert Matthews • Publisher: Arcturus Publishing • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  256 • Dimensions: 12.5 x 2.1 x 19.5 cm

3.3 ({1})
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Murder – the ultimate crime, and one that we have a macabre fascination with. The Murder Files takes a look at some of history’s most disturbing and horrific murders and explores the details which have gripped and disgusted in equal measure. Discover terrifying tales of gruesome murders including: Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror in Victorian London, O.J Simpson’s trial for the murder of his ex-wife and more. Each compelling case is explored with a concise account of what happened, including key facts about the victims and their killers. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802420395 • Author: Sam Pilger • Publisher: Quarto Publishing • Format: Paperback

4.3 ({1})
£5.00 RRP £12.99 Save £7.99 (62% Off RRP)

Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met.  They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers. What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888. Their murderer was never identified, but the name created for him by the press has become far more famous than any of these five women. Now, in this devastating narrative of five lives, historian Hallie Rubenhold finally sets the record straight, and gives these women back their stories.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780857529763 • Author: Hallie Rubenhold • Publisher:  Black Swan • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  432 • Dimensions:  19.8 x 2.6 x 12.7 cm

4.1 ({1})
£6.00 RRP £16.99 Save £10.99 (65% Off RRP)

All the varieties of power – star, political, sexual, criminal and emotional – are on show in this definitive, untold story of Frank Sinatra and the Mafia. Drawing on an enormous archive of previously unseen records held by international law agencies, the FBI, the CIA and big-city police departments, Rothmiller and Thompson reveal Sinatra’s pact with the Mob in shocking detail. With additional evidence from decades of investigations and testimony, they expose Sinatra’s lifelong association with the Mafia, which he always denied, and its deadly collateral damage. This revelatory showstopper is a wild dance made coherent by intelligent choreography. Sinatra may not have been an actual made man, but the Mafia certainly made him. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781802470840 • Author:  Mike Rothmiller & Douglas Thompson   • Publisher:  Ad Lib Publishers • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  256 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 19.8cm

4.3 ({1})
£2.50

Check out this terrifying True Crime Stories book by Al Cimino! Learn more about the world's most monstrous murderers...  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398827769 • Author:  Al Cimino • Publisher:  Arcturus Publishing Ltd • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  96 • Dimensions:  23.4  x 1.6 x 15.3 cm

3.9 ({1})
£4.00 RRP £9.99 Save £5.99 (60% Off RRP)

An indispensable introduction to the darker side of life, revealing the often strange and grisly stories behind the world's most infamous murderers, swindlers and crooks. 100 Most Infamous Criminals is an astounding compendium of crimes and their perpetrators. The range of crimes is extraordinary, from the bizarre to horrific, and from the heart-breaking to the ridiculous. The book tells in vivid detail the story of the history's most infamous criminals; lives they led, the crimes they committed, and the destruction and sorrow left in their wake. Find out more about: Jack the Ripper, the man who terrorized Victorian London. Ted Bundy, the serial killer beloved by his neighbours. Jeffrey Dahmer, the creator of real-life zombies. Al Capone, the king of gangsters. Harold Shipman, Britain's angel of death. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398845206 • Author:   Jo Durden Smith • Publisher:  Arcturus Publishing • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  208 • Dimensions: 12.5 x 2.1 x 19.5 cm

4.5 ({1})
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Belief system or brainwashing? Captivated or captive? Community or cult? Uncover stories of the world's most infamous cults in this true crime compendium... Building spacecrafts to transport humans to a new plane of existence, kidnapping children to create a master race that would survive the apocalypse, murdering innocent people to secure a place in the afterlife... these only scratch the surface of the strange, sinister and shocking world of cults. Throughout history, cult groups have formed across the globe, promising followers freedom, family and fortune. In reality, religious, destructive and doomsday cults capture, coerce and control people. From mass murders to child marriages, polygamy to life insurance policies, blackmail to sex bait, discover the cruelty and curiosities of cults in this illuminating anthology. Filled with stories of the world's most notorious cults, this book details their origins, beliefs, leaders, followers and victims, and uncovers the unthinkable horrors hidden by these "utopian" societies. Whether you're new to the subject or looking to expand on your knowledge, discover the truth behind the world's killer and criminal cults in this gripping compendium. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781837992805 • Author:  Jamie King  • Publisher:  Summersdale • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  320 • Dimensions: 12.7 x 0.51 x 20.32 cm

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Among the lush, tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity--but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight.  On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was discovered shot in the head on a local roadside. But as authorities scrambled for clues and the community reeled from the loss and media attention, dark secrets about this Southern legal dynasty came to light. The Murdaughs, it turned out, were feared as much as they were loved. And they wouldn't hesitate to wield their influence to protect one of their own.  As bombshells of financial fraud were revealed and more suspicious deaths were linked to the Murdaughs, a new portrait of Alex Murdaugh emerged: a desperate man on the brink of ruin who would do anything, even plan his own death, to save his family's reputation. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781789467383 • Author:  John Glatt • Publisher:  John Blake • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  320 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 1.8 x 19.8cm 

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Investigate 27 horrifying cases in the recent history of true crime… This book presents some of the most disturbing cases of the past hundred and fifty years, and the people who solved them. Each compelling case combines an account of what happened with contemporary photos that help set the scene. Cases include: Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror, Fred and Rosemary West’s House of Horrors, John Wayne Gacy, the Killer Clown and Alexander Pichushkin, the Chessboard Killer. Why did they kill and why did they initially avoid detection? Investigate the theories surrounding the case, media commentary and follow the trials. Look at forensic evidence and find out how the case was solved… Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781802420616 • Author:  Leo Moynihan • Publisher:  New Burlington • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  176 • Dimensions:  23 x 17 x 1.5cm

3.9 ({1})
£5.00 RRP £12.99 Save £7.99 (62% Off RRP)

US President John F. Kennedy's killing in Dallas, Texas, in November 1963, sent a shockwave around the world. The charismatic young Democrat was seen as a beacon of hope in the West, but his liberal reforming policies had made him many powerful enemies at home. For sixty years, numerous theories have swirled around this key event in American - and world - history. Yet whatever the conclusions of the official Warren Report - that the President had been assassinated by a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald - many people doubt that to be true. Indeed, President Nixon later admitted on tape that the report was 'a hoax committed on the American people.' John Hughes-Wilson, a former colonel in British Intelligence, has sifted through the millions of words and thousands of pieces of evidence, to put together an intelligence assessment of what really happened that dreadful high noon in Dallas in 1963. Reading this astounding book, no one can be in any doubt that JFK's death was not at the hands of a lone deranged gunman, but a deadly plot to remove a President who threatened vested interests at home and abroad.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781789467376 • Author:  John Hughes-Wilson • Publisher:  John Blake • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  368 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.1 x 19.8 cm   

4.7 ({1})
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This book takes readers on a quest to solve the greatest mysteries, strange disappearances, suspicious cover-ups and conspiracy theories. Perfect for true crime fans! Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398845251 • Author:  Charlotte Greig & Mike Rothschild • Publisher:  Arcturus Publishing • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  256 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1 cm

4.5 ({1})
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Letters from Serial Killers is a unique study of the criminal mind based on the author's extensive correspondence with convicted serial murderers.  Such a collection is extremely rare, and among the killers whose correspondence is examined are: Arthur John Shawcross, aka 'The Genesee River Killer'; Phillip Carl Jablonski, aka 'The Death Row Teddy'; Melanie Lyn McGuire, aka 'The Ice Queen'; Harvey 'The Hammer' Louis Carignan, aka 'The Want-ad Killer'; Ian Stewart Brady, aka 'The Moors Murderer'; Hal Karen and Ronald 'Butch' Joseph DeFeo Jr, aka 'The Amityville Horror'; Gary Ray Bowles, aka 'The I-95 Killer';John 'J.R.' Edward Robinson, aka 'The Slavemaster' Letters from Serial Killers is Christopher Berry-Dee at his steeliest best - exploring the downright creepy correspondence with murderers, serial killers and psychopaths behind bars, with exclusive scans of letters and eerily decorated envelopes. A must-have for fans of the series, based on a collection that will eventually be bequeathed to the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit at its headquarters at Quantico, Virginia.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781789466584 • Author:  Christopher Berry-Dee • Publisher:  John Blake • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  336 • Dimensions:   33.5 x 19.9 x 3.6 cm

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£4.00

In 1930, at the age of twenty-seven, Liesl Herbst was the Austrian National Tennis Champion, a celebrity in Vienna. Liesl, her husband David and their daughter Dorli came to Britain after escaping the Nazis. In London, though initially stripped of their Austrian passports and rendered stateless aliens, both Liesl and her daughter Dorli competed at Wimbledon. They remain the only mother and daughter ever to have played doubles together at Wimbledon. This moving story of escape and survival is told by Liesl’s grand-daughter, Dorli’s daughter. Some of the story, the author heard first-hand from her grandmother; the rest, she has meticulously researched over many years in four countries.  It is as much a search for the author’s own identity as for her own children and grandchildren to ensure that their remarkable family history is never lost again.  Illustrated throughout with family photographs and original documents, this is a story of survival against terrible odds, an inspiring tale of resilience and hope.     Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781802471199 • Author:  Felice Hardy • Publisher:  Ad Lib Publishers • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  286 • Dimensions: 12.7 x 2.03 x 19.69 cm

3.1 ({1})
£2.50

Discover the true story of Victorian Scotland's trial of the century. It was a case that rocked Victorian society. Emile L'Angelier was a working-class immigrant from the Channel Islands who began a clandestine affair with prominent Glasgow socialite Madeleine Smith. Six weeks after Emile threatened to show Madeleine's father their passionate letters, on 23 March 1857, he was found dead from arsenic poisoning. The evidence against Madeleine seemed overwhelming as she went to trial for murdering her lover. Douglas MacGowan's vivid account reads by turns like a thriller, a love story and a courtroom drama. He quotes extensively from contemporary sources, notably the pathology reports, the trial testimony and the infamous correspondence between Madeleine and Emile, whose explicit content so shocked Victorian sensibilities. Ultimately it is up to the reader to judge Madeleine's guilt or innocence.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781846975806 • Author:  Douglas MacGowan • Publisher:  Polygon  • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  256 • Dimensions: 12.7 x 1.91 x 20.32 cm

3.3 ({1})
£5.00 RRP £9.99 Save £4.99 (50% Off RRP)

History's greatest unexplained events revealed... Learn more about paranormal events with Leo Moynihan's incredible book! Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781802420920 • Author: Leo Moynihan • Publisher: New Burlington • Format:  Paperback • Pages: 160 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.2 cm

4.7 ({1})
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How does it feel to be betrayed by your closest friend? A close friend who turns out to be the most prolific grifter in New York City... This is the true story of Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin), the fake heiress whose dizzying deceit and elaborate con-artistry deceived the Soho hipster scene before her ruse was finally and dramatically exposed. After meeting through mutual friends, the 'Russian heiress' Anna Delvey and Rachel DeLoache Williams soon became inseparable. Theirs was an intoxicating world of endless excess: high dining, personal trainer sessions, a luxury holiday... and Anna footed almost every bill. But after Anna's debit card was declined in a Moroccan medina whilst on holiday in a five-star luxury resort, Rachel began to suspect that her increasingly mysterious friend was not all she seemed. This is the incredible story of how Anna Sorokin conned the high-rollers of the NYC social scene and convinced her close friend of an entirely concocted fantasy, the product of falsified bank documents, bad cheques and carefully edited online photos. Written by Rachel DeLoache Williams, the Vanity Fair photography editor who believed Anna's lies before helping the police to track her down (fittingly, deciphering Anna's location using Instagram), this is Catch Me If You Can with Instagram filters. Between Anna, Fyre Festival's Billy McFarland (Anna even tried to scam Billy) and Elizabeth Holmes, whose start-up app duped the high and mighty of Silicon Valley, this is the year of the scammer.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781787478305 • Author:  Rachel DeLoache Williams  • Publisher:  Quercus • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions: 19.2 x 2 x 12.8 cm

5 ({1})
£5.00 RRP £8.99 Save £3.99 (44% Off RRP)