The Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told Book Review
Book cover image from Bookshop.org
The Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told: Tales of Murder and Mayhem Ripped from the Front Page, edited by Tom McCarthy, is an anthology of ten different true crimes stories. These articles, covered by various newspapers from the 1800s onward, detail every step of these crimes, including conversations and eye witness accounts.
I am a True Crime buff, so it was an exciting read, with a variety of shocking twists. Many of the stories were new to me as I tend to concentrate on crimes occurring from the 1950s on, but I was fascinated by the detail each article entailed. Please be advised that the details are intense. They may prove to be too intense for the casual reader.
These are first hand accounts and the journalists covering the stories did not shy away from what they felt would sell their papers. Murder, gore, and mayhem are big sellers, especially gore.
I feel this warning is warranted. There were times I had to set the book down and return to it later during particularly gory revelations.
Understand that these articles were written at a time when political correctness was never a consideration and they are a product of their time. Please know that we at MockingOwl Roost, do not condone the use of various words contained in the articles pertaining to various races or gender. I was stunned by the verbiage, as my ethnicity and gender did come under fire.
Greatest True Crime Stories does showcase the fearlessness of the reporters who would do almost anything in the pursuit of telling these morose tales to the waiting public. Many went directly into harm’s way to capture the scoop for their various publications. This has not changed over time as the reporters of our day rush into war zones to bring us the news.
The police/sheriffs/mounties were relentless and single-minded in capturing the killers and bringing them to justice. I can’t begin to imagine being one of the Arctic Canadian Mounted Police having to face extreme temperatures in the first story or an officer having to stand over the Bordens’ bodies and deal with Lizzie Borden’s bloody ordeal.
If you are a fan of True Crime, you will find this book fascinating. There are references for the various stories if you wish to do your own research. I foresee myself sliding down a few Google rabbit holes to further my research as I softly hear “Lizzie Borden took an ax…” playing in my head.
Sue Cook lives in Freeport, Illinois with her husband Randy and two dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.
3 Comments
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I really enjoyed this review—it captures both the fascination and intensity of true crime, especially how detailed and immersive these historical accounts can be. I appreciated the honest warning about how graphic some parts are, which made me reflect on how powerful—and sometimes overwhelming—real stories can be. It made me curious to explore the book, but also more mindful of the emotional weight that comes with it.
Thank you, Wes. I truly appreciate your comment. I hope you enjoy the book. Did anything surprise you? Would you recommend this book to other true crime readers? Feel free to share the URL for mockingowlroost.com to people who may be interested.