Books
So, you've run out of creepy podcasts to listen to, and you don't know where to turn to next for your daily dose of madness and mayhem? Instead of listening to Serial for the umpteenth time, try one of these true crime audiobooks that will give you just as many chills as any episode of My Favorite Murder. They're like podcasts, only longer, and trust me when I say they are just as addicting.
Like podcasts, audiobooks are a great way to work education and entertainment into your daily life. Since you don't have to sit still to read them, you can enjoy audiobooks while you do virtually anything else. Taking the dog for a walk? Play a chapter of an audiobook while your pooch gets his workout in. Doing the dishes? Listen to a few minutes of your current read instead of straining to hear the TV in the other room. Running errands or getting your grocery shopping done? Ignore the sounds of angry patrons around you by tuning into an audiobook, and tuning out the rest of the world. No matter where you are or what you're doing, chances are, you can listen to an audiobook at the same time, and get through your TBR pile even faster.
If you're a fan of podcasts who hasn't tried audiobooks yet, here are 3 thrilling true crime titles that will satisfy all of your listening needs.
'I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer' by Michelle McNamara
Finished by her husband and editor after her sudden and tragic death, Michelle McNamara's stunning investigation into the infamous Golden State Killer will straight up give you chills. For decades, a mysterious and vicious criminal terrorized California, first by committing over 50 sexual assaults, and later, by through 10 vicious murders. I'll Be Gone in the Dark traces the author and true-crime journalist's journey to uncover the real story behind the ruthless murderer who has eluded authorities for over 30 years. Disturbing and thrilling and captivating all at once, this is one audiobook you won't be able to hit "pause" on.
'Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of the BTK, a Serial Killer Next Door' by Roy Wenzl, Tim Potter, L. Kelly, Hurst Laviana, narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright
In this new audiobook version of the 2007 book, the infamous BTK serial killer — a mysterious figure who terrorized the residents of Wichita, Kansas, for over three decades — is investigated in brutal detail. Bind, Torture, Kill is a deep-dive into the life of Dennis Rader and his many victims that includes previously unreleased documents and evidence you'll have to hear to believe.
'The Girl on the Velvet Swing: Sex, Murder, and Madness at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century' by Simon Baatz, narrated by Christine Lakin
Though it may be set at the turn of the twentieth century, The Girl on the Velvet Swing, has everything modern day true crime podcast addicts are looking for: sex, murder, and a touch of madness. It tells the true story of Evelyn Nesbit, a chorus girl who was sexually assaulted by architect Stanford White at the age of 16, and her future husband, Harry Thaw, who later killed his wife's rapist in front of hundreds of theatergoers in Madison Square Garden. The sensational trial that followed was on the front page of every newspaper in America, and expertly recounted in this engrossing audiobook you won't want to turn off.
