An atypical true crime read, Sierra Crane Murdoch has created a stunning portrait of the life of Lissa Yellow Bird Crane through the history of the MHA Nation, and disappearance of KC Clarke, a Spokane oil worker.

If you like true crime, reading books of the genre obsessively, or filling your work days with hours of podcasts about unsolved mysteries, Savage Appetites is a must. Author Rachel Monroe explores her own true crime fascination, and where consumers of the genre might fit into the narrative.

Monroe gives rich background and context to some of crime history’s high profile people and events, like the legacy of Frances Glessner Lee, creator of the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. She builds an honest look at the family and fans of Sharon Tate, and how they survived through their varying attachments and connections to Tate.

This book is a must-read. It will be compelling for anyone who has ever questioned their role in the crime media we devour.

Author Jax Miller traces the case of missing Oklahoma teenagers Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman.

Written by Christine Wiltz, The Last Madam is the life story of one of New Orleans’ most “notorious” characters: Norma Wallace. Norma created a life for herself in the world of sex work in the nineteen-teens and twenties. A shrewd businessman woman who took no shit, Norma built her house and took care of her girls as of of the most well known madams in New Orleans. She had tumultuous romantic relationships, and used her position to play officials and stay under the radar.

This book allows us to live in a bygone era; it’s the closest we could get to a time machine to explore The Big Easy as it was in the twenties and thirties.

When free spirited Holly Maddox went missing, many suspected her long-time boyfriend Ira Einhorn. An eccentric entrenched in 60’s counterculture, he hid the truth and evaded police when Maddox’s body was found in his apartment. Steven Levy has chronicled the case in exhaustive detail.

For this series, we also read Chasing The Devil by Sheriff David Reichert, and Green River Serial Killer: Biography of An Unsuspecting Wife, written by Pennie Morehead with the help of Ridgway’s wife at the time of his arrest, Judith.

Gary Ridgway was convicted of the murders of 49 women after an investigation that spanned two decades. We always heard and saw Ridgway’s name connected to lists of infamous killers, but in podcast media, we could never find episodes about him longer than 60-90 minutes. We wanted to bring a full picture of his childhood, young adulthood, and the scope of the investigation to the conversation. Through these three books, we learned about all his known victims, the toll the investigation took in the town and law enforcement, and the shock his wife endured when she learned of his arrest.