True Story Books

A gripping compendium of some of the world's most infamous and shocking mass murderers, such as John Wayne Gacy, the Boston Strangler, the Moors murderers and Harold Shipman, as well as some lesser-known figures. Who was the Zodiac Killer? What drove Jeffrey Dahmer to dismember his 17 victims? How many women really fell prey to Ted Bundy? Maybe it's because our animal instincts draw us to dangerous situations; maybe it's because reading about predators allows us to learn about their behaviours in a safe setting. Whatever the reason, serial killers and their crimes have fascinated us for centuries. This true crime compendium not only relates the disturbing events that transpired but also delves into the psychology of the perpetrators. The stories within are shocking and often difficult to comprehend, but with this deep dive into the world of the macabre, readers may gain a greater understanding of the motivations and thought processes of these murderers. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the psychology of crime and the human mind. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781837991228 • Author:  Jamie King • Publisher:  Summersdale • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.7 x 2.2 cm

A deeply moving and unforgettable portrait of an ordinary and yet an extraordinary teenage girl. First published over sixty years ago, Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl has reached millions of young people throughout the world. In July 1942, thirteen-year-old Anne Frank and her family, fleeing the occupation, went into hiding in an Amsterdam warehouse. Over the next two years Anne vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such close quarters, and her thoughts, feelings and longings as she grows up. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 1944, they were all betrayed. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780241657959 • Author: Anne Frank • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 372 • Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 2.2 cm

In the world of espionage, where the accounts of renowned spies often dominate the narrative, this is a rare gem - an untold story of a completely unknown spy. Baron William de Ropp, a Baltic German aristocrat, wasn't just any ordinary spy; he was MI6's top secret agent in Nazi Germany from 1931 to 1939, managing to escape Berlin just before war broke out. This unsung hero had direct access to Adolf Hitler and an inside track on the Nazi regime. His reports, shrouded in secrecy, had the power to shape British policy toward Germany in a pivotal period of history. The Spy and the Devil is a riveting tale of espionage, intrigue, and the untold impact of one man's secret mission on the course of history. A journey into the shadows of Nazi Germany, where a forgotten British spy worked tirelessly to avert catastrophe, and discover the secrets that history almost left behind. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789468717 • Author: Tim Willasey-Wilsey • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback

Tracing its beginnings as an underground society which sprang up in Sicily, to the Mob which went on to run organised crime throughout Italy and America, The Mafia: The First 100 Years tells the gripping story of the most mythical and misunderstood criminal organisation. How did the Mob evolve from a gang of bumbling killers into the smooth-running international 'corporation' of today? Drawing on nearly two decades of research, William Balsamo - great-nephew of the original godfather - and George Carpozi Jr. reveal the Mafia's coalescence into an organisation whose insidious influence reached across the Atlantic and into a presidential administration. Delving behind the headlines to uncover the true extent of the Mafia's influence, The Mafia: The First 100 Years reads like the most compelling crime fiction, yet is the terrifying, deadly truth. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9780753562987 • Author: William Balsamo & George Carpozi Jr  • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 496 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.6 x 2.9 cm

Under the stewardship of Gareth Southgate and captained by Harry Kane, a cultural transformation saw England reach two finals, a semi-final and a quarter-final in four tournaments. Now, with Thomas Tuchel at the helm, the team and its playing style has evolved once more. After years of intricate planning and preparation, they come into the 2026 World Cup as genuine contenders with a star-studded squad that's the envy of the world. How did we get here? Inside England: Behind the Scenes of the Three Lions' World Cup Dream charts the progress from Gareth Southgate's appointment, including the dizzying highs and the near-misses of his tenure, the fallout post-Euro 2024, the FA's search for a successor and how Thomas Tuchel shaped a team in his image. Bestselling and award-winning football writers Jonathan Northcroft and Rob Draper have had extraordinary access to the England team during both manager's reigns and take us behind the scenes of England's transformation over the last decade. For the first time, this is the real story of England's evolution both on and off the pitch, revealing how Southgate and Tuchel inched the team ever closer to their ultimate dream: winning the World Cup. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781785122545 • Author: Jonathan Northcroft &  Rob Draper • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK • Format: Paperback

Bestselling writer and criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee turns his attention to a new kind of victim: the wives or partners of serial murderers who remained unaware of exactly who they had fallen for until after their other half's arrest or, in some cases, conviction, for multiple murders. Sonia Sutcliffe first discovered that her husband, Peter, was leading a secret existence as 'the Yorkshire Ripper' only when he was arrested. The wife of the 'Hillside Strangler' only learned of her husband's crimes when state police smashed down her door in search of him. On finding out the truth, these innocents often experience a strange kind of guilt for not having recognised the killer in their home, as well as having to face the grim reality of betrayal and deceit. Christopher Berry-Dee speaks directly to killers and their oblivious loved ones to get inside the minds of the men and women who fall for murderers. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789465617 • Author: Christopher Berry-Dee • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm

The mystery has haunted generations since the Second World War: Who betrayed Anne Frank and her family? And why? Now, thanks to radical new technology and the obsession of a retired FBI agent, this book offers an answer. Rosemary Sullivan unfolds the story in a gripping, moving narrative. Over thirty million people have read The Diary of a Young Girl, the journal teenaged Anne Frank kept while living in an attic with her family and four other people in Amsterdam during World War II, until the Nazis arrested them and sent them to a concentration camp. But despite the many works – journalism, books, plays and novels – devoted to Anne’s story, none has ever conclusively explained how these eight people managed to live in hiding undetected for over two years – and who or what finally brought the Nazis to their door. With painstaking care, retired FBI agent Vincent Pankoke and a team of indefatigable investigators pored over tens of thousands of pages of documents – some never before seen – and interviewed scores of descendants of people familiar with the Franks. Utilising methods developed by the FBI, the Cold Case Team painstakingly pieced together the months leading to the infamous arrest – and came to a shocking conclusion. The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation is the riveting story of their mission. Rosemary Sullivan introduces us to the investigators, explains the behaviour of both the captives and their captors and profiles a group of suspects. All the while, she vividly brings to life wartime Amsterdam: a place where no matter how wealthy, educated, or careful you were, you never knew whom you could trust. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008353872 • Author: Rosemary Sullivan • Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.6 cm

The true and extraordinary story of one of the last surviving women to have worked in codebreaking at both Bletchley Park and the Pentagon. Born in 1923, Charlotte (Betty) Webb MBE, LOH (Legion of Honour) had a ringside seat to history. After graduating from school, she faced the usual limited opportunities for employment on offer to women at the time. However, with the war in full swing, fate intervened and in 1941, wanting to play her part in the war effort, Betty joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (Women’s Army). After being interviewed by an intelligence officer, she found herself at Euston station with her kit-bag, a travel warrant in her pocket and instructions to get off the train at Bletchley Park. Between 1941 and 1945 Betty played a vital role in the top-secret efforts being made to decipher the secret communications of the Germans and later the Japanese. In 1945, as other members of the forces returned home from the war in Europe, she was sent to the Pentagon and was in Washington DC when the atomic bombs fell and when Eisenhower announced the end of the war. Betty was unable to reveal the true nature of her work, even to her parents, until years later. Visit the fascinating key moments of Betty's life as she recounts the incredible stories from her time at Bletchley Park. Betty died in 2025, at the age of 101. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781914902321 • Author: Betty Webb • Publisher: Ad Lib • Format: Paperback

Filled with terrifying tales of ghosts and ghouls, poltergeists and other unexplained encounters, this bone-chilling compendium of paranormal phenomena is sure to haunt you long after you have turned the final page Did you hear about the ghost who solved her own murder? What about the terrifying case of the Battersea poltergeist? Do you know the story of the killer ghost of Kentucky? Prepare for your blood to run cold and for your heart to beat a little faster, because the disturbing tales lurking within are not for the faint-hearted. Delve into this collection to discover infamous accounts of the eerie and the unexplained - as well as lesser-known strange, contemporary happenings from across the globe - and connect to the rich tradition of paranormal stories that have captivated humankind throughout the ages. But beware: after sampling these sinister histories, you might be too scared to close your eyes - no matter how much your body craves sleep. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781837994854 • Author: Jamie King • Publisher: Summersdale Publishers Ltd • Format: Paperback  • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 19.69 x 13.11 x 2.01 cm

Every family has its secrets, but some are worse than others. Lynn’s mother wanted the world to see the perfect family. An immaculate house, three well-dressed children and a charming husband. But behind closed doors it was a different story. Abused by her father from when she was just a baby, Lynn would scream for her mother, who ignored the little girl’s cries. Nothing was going to shatter her perfect life. Threatened by their parents, Lynn and her brother never told anyone in fear of being separated, but the trauma of their past followed them throughout their lives, with devastating consequences. Now as Lynn tries to piece together and come to terms with her past as an adult, she discovers she wasn’t the only one with a secret. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529988505 • Author: Toni Maguire & Lynn Murray • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 320 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm

Why are Scotland Yard murder detectives considered among the finest in the world? And why is so little known about how they truly work? Take a look at what lies behind that success with someone who knows. DI Steven Keogh spent over half of his 30-year police career as a Scotland Yard detective, helping to hunt down terrorists and some of the worst murderers in London. Step inside the mind of an investigator in a never-before-seen look into what it takes to catch killers and bring them to justice. In a journey from crime scene to trial, you will witness the emotional highs and lows of cracking real-life murder cases and discover why people kill, while debunking the myths that surround this detective work. Are you ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about the world of murder investigations? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789466423 • Author: Steven Keogh • Publisher: John Blake • Format: Paperback • Pages: 352 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2cm

'Don't leave me here! Please, don't leave me.' What possesses a mum to kidnap her own child? That's what Maggie asks herself when she's asked to foster 13-year-old Saskia, the subject of a bitter custody battle between her parents. When Saskia's mum Rosa fears the courts are going to favour her ex-husband, James, she takes matters into her own hands. With Rosa facing criminal charges, and Saskia refusing to live with her dad, her future looks uncertain. Will Maggie be able to step in and discover the bombshell that will tear this family apart? From Britain's best-loved foster carer, a new and inspiring true story of secrets and hope. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781399629256 • Author: Maggie Hartley • Publisher: Orion Publishing • Format: Paperback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.4 cm

'I am a survivor. That comes with a survivor's obligation to represent one and half million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. They cannot speak. So I must speak on their behalf.' Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Central Poland where she lived as a toddler, Tova was four when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labour camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as the Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was transported to Dachau. During six months of incarceration in Birkenau, Tova witnessed atrocities that she could never forget, and experienced numerous escapes from death. She is one of a handful of Jews to have entered a gas chamber and lived to tell the tale. As Nazi killing squads roamed Birkenau before abandoning the camp in January 1945, Tova and her mother hid among corpses. After being liberated by the Russians they made their way back to their hometown in Poland. Eventually Tova's father tracked them down and the family was reunited. In The Daughter of Auschwitz, Tova immortalizes what she saw, to keep the story of the Holocaust alive, at a time when it's in danger of fading from memory. She has used those memories that have shaped her life to honour the victims. Written with award-winning former war reporter Malcolm Brabant, this is an extremely important book. Brabant's meticulous research has helped Tova recall her experiences in searing detail. Together they have painstakingly recreated Tova's extraordinary story about the world's worst ever crime. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529423501 • Author: Tova Friedman & Malcolm Brabant • Publisher:  Quercus • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  352 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 3 x 19.6 cm

Christopher Berry-Dee is a world-renowned investigative criminologist. He has gained the trust of murderers across the world and now delves into the mind of perhaps the most sadistic and psychopathic killer of all time. Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer murdered and dismembered seventeen boys and men. But he is most notorious for what happened to his victims after their grisly deaths and the shocking depravity that led to Dahmer being dubbed the ‘Milwaukee Cannibal’. Using his long experience and psychological expertise, Berry-Dee seeks to understand the motivation, the amoral urges and the merciless horror behind Dahmer's inhuman behaviour: what could make a man do this? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781913543310 • Author: Christopher Berry-Dee • Publisher: Ad Lib Publishers Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 cm

Following on from the bestselling Inside Broadmoor and Inside Wakefield Prison, Jonathan Levi and Emma French will deploy their trademark combination of exclusive access to prisoner testimony and staff revelations, weaving a compelling, unfiltered story examining the lives and crimes of Belmarsh Prison's most deadly and notorious prisoners. From the Hatton Garden gang to the Securitas robbers, Julian Assange to Jonathan Aitken, they offer unique insights on inmates past and present including Steven Barker, Mark Dixie, Abu Hamza, Michael Adebowale and Wayne Couzens. Through attacks, drugs, gangs and, sometimes, redemption, Emma and Jonathan will discover the truth about what it's like to live and work in 'Hellmarsh', Britain's toughest and most renowned prison. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789468885 • Author: Jonathan Levi & Emma French • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 352 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.3 cm

The world of abuse and grooming gangs couldn't have seemed further away from Kate's start in life but, as so many young women now know, that matters little. For Kate it was a situation that came out of the blue when, aged 18 and at college, her home life deteriorated and she found herself in supported housing for homeless teenagers in Telford. That's where she came into contact with a gang who were grooming young girls for sex, who threatened her with violence if she went to the police. It was the beginning of a cycle of serial and brutal abuse and repeated rape that is almost impossible to imagine. Kate is now a trained Mental Health Nurse in a secure unit which includes working with sex offenders. She's become highly skilled in what she does, having an in-depth and first-hand knowledge of the thought processes of groomers. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781917439619 • Author: Kate Elysia • Publisher: Mirror Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 288 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2 cm

‘They made me do it, it wasn’t my fault!’ When three brothers come to live with Maggie, she knows that it’s going to be challenging. They are all already struggling with rejection after their dad abandoned them, their mum having died several years before. While four-year-old Billy is a delight, eleven-year-old Keegan is quiet and withdrawn, and teenager Cooper is a whirlwind of destruction. His behaviour at school is disruptive and Maggie struggles to get through to him, especially when he’s in danger of being expelled. But when a shocking discovery turns everything on its head, Maggie begins to realise that what she believed to be true is completely wrong. Danger is lurking, but is it too late for Maggie to help? From Britain’s best-loved foster carer, a new and emotional true story of bonds, brothers and family. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781399638548 • Author: Maggie Hartley • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback

David Teale: groomed by the twins, controlled by threats, falsely imprisoned by the State for his 'own protection' as younger brother of Kray-informer Bobby. Turns out that's only half the story. David first met the Krays when he was seventeen years old. He was drawn into London's underworld, and became Ronnie's reluctant foot soldier, driver, errand boy. He was close to murder, and witnessed menaces and the increasingly psychotic behaviour of the most feared men in gangster land. Unbeknown to David, his brother Bobby had bravely turned informer at great risk to his own safety and that of his brothers. That had its own consequences. But why, when the police were being furnished with eye-witness statements, from an impeccable source, were they seemingly incapable of bringing the twins to justice? The Krays were untouchable. After tireless research through newly released documents in the National Archives, and piecing previously classified information together with his own, first-hand knowledge of the time, David Teale uncovers the shocking new truth, revealed in this book for the first time. David's story rewrites history. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529998313 • Author: David Teale • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback

Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years is terminally ill, the couple lose their home and their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall. They have almost no money for food or shelter and must carry only the essentials for survival on their backs as they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter, and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey. The Salt Path is an unflinchingly honest, inspiring and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt, and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781405937184 • Author: Raynor Winn • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback

Full of fascinating anecdotes of murder, mystery and occasional mayhem, ex Chief Crime Correspondent Jeff Edwards reveals the details of cases that will grip readers from start to finish. The Murder Guy is an action-packed ride through some of the biggest cases from the 1970s to recent years. It tackles everything from the search for the 'Mardi Gra' bombers to Chechen hitmen, from the murder of PC Stephen Tibble to the inside track on Heathrow Airport's biggest crimes of all time, and the unsolved murders of three young women still baffling Scotland Yard With unrivalled access, Jeff takes readers on a journey to explain what really goes on behind the headlines. It is sprinkled with funny stories about his relationships with cops, bank robbers and serial killers, as well as world changing events. Jeff Edwards became the Daily Mirror Chief Crime Correspondent after starting out in local papers in the East End of London in the 1960’s and 70’s. Now retired, he is ready to share the true stories behind some of the most high-profile crimes in Britain. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781917439794 • Author: Jeff Edwards • Publisher: Mirror Books Macmillan • Format: Paperback • Pages: 288