Bustle

inspired by actual events

The Story Behind The Real-Life Bonnie & Clyde Is So Different From The Movie

You've probably heard of Bonnie and Clyde, the American criminals who have been intensely glamorized in movies, books, and art since their hey-day in the early 1930s. But how much do you really know about the real-life couple behind the legend? In…
By Cristina Arreola

Laura Lippman Describes The True Story That Inspired Her Noir Novel 'Sunburn'

In Sunburn, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman delivers a noir novel that's as sensual as it is suspenseful, as tantalizing as it is thrilling. Lippman is no stranger to the world of crime novels; she's been nominated for over…
By Cristina Arreola

This Book Puts The Spotlight On Missing Black Girls Who've Been Ignored By Police

In her YA thriller Monday's Not Coming, author Tiffany D. Jackson spins a tale of murder, neglect, and systemic racism, all told through the lens of a middle school aged girl. When Claudia's best friend, Monday, goes missing, it feels like she's the…
By Cristina Arreola

The Author Of 'Cross Her Heart' Was Inspired By A True Crime — But It's Not Quite That Simple

At least twice a week, I read a piece of news on the internet that forces me to think to myself, "That must be the plot of a Gillian Flynn novel." Sadly, more often than not, it's just real-life in all it's gory, creepy, horrifying, distressing…
By Cristina Arreola

'The Cheerleaders' Was Inspired By A Real Event — & The Story Sounds Too Unsettling To Be True

The whole "truth is stranger than fiction" adage is repeated so often for a reason: Real life is really freakin' weird — just look to the state of Florida for proof. In fact, sometimes real life is so weird that it leaves you thinking, "This would…
By Cristina Arreola