Discuss everything in the "true crime" genre, as well as the cases themselves. Find your inner armchair detective!
What true crime topics interest you most?
Welcome to True Crime!
I know I can't get enough of trying to solve cold cases. What about you? What cases, old or current, do you find most interesting? Do you seem to get interested in specific types of cases? Have any favourite true crime authors, podcasts, YouTube channels, or documentaries?




Not sure how much this fits into the genre but my obsession with true crime stuff started with the doc "The Imposter". It involves a mystery/cold case but its strength comes from its psychological analysis of criminals and victims. Way too many spoilers in the doc to dicuss it more here unfortunately..
The Imposter is a great example of true crime! It's a terrific documentary - VERY well done. I would recommend it to anyone.
Honestly I think the best true crime cases heavily involve the people involved - the psychology, the area, the culture. Let's not forget that the way the most definitive true crime book of them all (In Cold Blood) started by describing the town where the murders took place. The best media in this genre involves the big picture.
If you ever want to, I'd love to discuss The Imposter here. If you do, just check the box that says it contains spoilers so people who haven't seen the documentary will not be spoiled.
Very well put. I haven't thought about this before but my other favorite true crime works have that kind of cultural insight. Have you read People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry? I haven't gotten to In Cold Blood yet but its been on my list.
I love talking about The Imposter too so I would absolutely be down for a longer discussion. I do not see a box around the comments that says anything about spoilers, so I guess you mean making a spoiler thread to discuss it? I would likely not be able to reply until tonight but I'll try to get there!
Yeah a new thread would be best! We can wait to discuss this a little later when we have some more members, especially if you are going to be busy for a while yet.
I have got to check that book out, as I've not yet read it. Mostly I am a bit restricted to getting my books from the library. But we've got a decent selection so it may be around.
But, your topcs fit in great here, and that's exactly the kind of thing this community will be discussing and posting about! :)
Agreed! Hopefully we can get a different kind of culture here than /r/serialpodcast for example.. I'll try to get to In Cold Blood this summer!
Loved the book "Devil in the White City" about H.H. Holmes, a serial killer during the World's Fair in Chicago at the turn of the century. I'm always interested in serial killers (is that weird...?). I recently learned that those who study Jack the Ripper are called Ripperologists, and I'm EXTRA interested in the topic now that I know it has such a cool name. :) I love cold cases as well.
Welcome to the community!
"Devil in the White City" is a great book. I felt like it was 'two books in one' but it realy helped put everything into perspective.
It's not weird to be interested in serial killers. They are interesting cases of brains that have gone wrong. I don't want to glorify them, of course, but it can be interesting to try and figure out their minds, as they are so vastly different than you and I.
I think Jack the Ripper is coldest case of them all. So many theories are equally plausible. Part of me wonders if it's not just a "nobody" that we'd never even recognize if we heard the name. I suppose if the truth ever comes out, it would help to shed light on who did NOT commit the crimes at least, even if it's an unknown person/name.