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Holiday Gift List: Crimes & Misdemeanours
11 titles for the true-crime and murder-mystery aficionados in your life / BY Nathalie Atkinson / November 25th, 2021
You’ll find them glued to the latest true crime podcast. They’ve already read Halifax journalist Dean Jobb’s chilling bestseller The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream, binged the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building (twice), and have strong opinions on which actress portrayed Miss Marple best in myriad television and film productions. Here are some great holiday gifts for the murder and true-crime aficionados on your list.
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1Murder, Madness and MayhemThe host of the popular Canadian dark history and true crime podcast Dark Poutine chronicles 25 of his all-time favourite tales of murder, mystery, madness and disasters, only two of which have been featured on the show before.
The host of the popular Canadian dark history and true crime podcast Dark Poutine chronicles 25 of his all-time favourite tales of murder, mystery, madness and disasters, only two of which have been featured on the show before.
2Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the WorldFor the Christie completist, the British scholar and expert on the Queen of Crime makes the case for his claim in this encyclopedic (and spoiler-free) survey of all the fussy little Belgian’s appearances, from page to magazine, stage and screen.
For the Christie completist, the British scholar and expert on the Queen of Crime makes the case for his claim in this encyclopedic (and spoiler-free) survey of all the fussy little Belgian’s appearances, from page to magazine, stage and screen.
3The Sinner and the Saint: Dostoevsky and the Gentleman Murderer Who Inspired a MasterpieceThis is the sensational, true story of the 1835 trial of Parisian poet and murderer Pierre-François Lacenaire, which gave Dostoevsky the idea for Rodion Raskolnikov and Crime and Punishment.
This is the sensational, true story of the 1835 trial of Parisian poet and murderer Pierre-François Lacenaire, which gave Dostoevsky the idea for Rodion Raskolnikov and Crime and Punishment.
4She Kills Me: The True Stories of History's Deadliest Women Profiles of 40 historical female murderers motivated by fear, revenge and even pleasure, divided into nine thematic sections, from poisoners and scorned women to female cult leaders and avenging angels.
Profiles of 40 historical female murderers motivated by fear, revenge and even pleasure, divided into nine thematic sections, from poisoners and scorned women to female cult leaders and avenging angels.
5A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind An inside look at the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Science Unit and the evolution of criminal profiling, by the pioneering forensic and psychiatric nurse (and later, head of in-house criminal personality study) whose 1970s research transformed the way the FBI worked.
An inside look at the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Science Unit and the evolution of criminal profiling, by the pioneering forensic and psychiatric nurse (and later, head of in-house criminal personality study) whose 1970s research transformed the way the FBI worked.
6The Anatomy of Desire An American Tragedy gets a modern update in this gripping novel that reimagines Theodore Dreiser’s classic crime drama as an investigative, true crime docu-series about a Californian celebrity fitness coach and influencer accused of manslaughter.
An American Tragedy gets a modern update in this gripping novel that reimagines Theodore Dreiser’s classic crime drama as an investigative, true crime docu-series about a Californian celebrity fitness coach and influencer accused of manslaughter.
7Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village With charming illustrations from Cooper that are reminiscent of U.S. book illustrator Edward Gorey, this deadpan romp affectionately skewers the tropes of British murder shows, with suspicious staff and guests at the manor house, not to mention the residents you should avoid, like the vicar and regulars at the pub. It belongs on the coffee table of anyone with a BritBox subscription.
With charming illustrations from Cooper that are reminiscent of U.S. book illustrator Edward Gorey, this deadpan romp affectionately skewers the tropes of British murder shows, with suspicious staff and guests at the manor house, not to mention the residents you should avoid, like the vicar and regulars at the pub. It belongs on the coffee table of anyone with a BritBox subscription.
8Personal Effects: What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me About Caring for the Living A behind-the-scenes look from the owner of a disaster management company about the grim and difficult work of responding to tragedies such as the Oklahoma City and Bali bombings, Hurricane Katrina, the Haitian earthquake and 9/11. It’s as illuminating and inspiring as it is morbid.
A behind-the-scenes look from the owner of a disaster management company about the grim and difficult work of responding to tragedies such as the Oklahoma City and Bali bombings, Hurricane Katrina, the Haitian earthquake and 9/11. It’s as illuminating and inspiring as it is morbid.
9A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient RomeAn entertaining look at public and private killings in ancient Rome through a true crime lens, with inventive murders and quirky historical details about marriage, law and politics.
An entertaining look at public and private killings in ancient Rome through a true crime lens, with inventive murders and quirky historical details about marriage, law and politics.
10Murder Book: A Graphic Memoir of True Crime Obsession The author explores her fascination with murder – while also recapping notable cases like those involving Thomas Capano and Ted Bundy – in an attempt to understand why women in particular are drawn to the genre.
The author explores her fascination with murder – while also recapping notable cases like those involving Thomas Capano and Ted Bundy – in an attempt to understand why women in particular are drawn to the genre.
11Murder Maps USA: Crime Scenes Revisited; Bloodstains to Ballistics, 1865-1939 The book plots the locations of notorious homicides from the Civil War to the eve of the Second World War and retraces their particulars – complete with crime-scene photographs and expert insights. (Dec. 7)
The book plots the locations of notorious homicides from the Civil War to the eve of the Second World War and retraces their particulars – complete with crime-scene photographs and expert insights. (Dec. 7)