True Crime Audiobooks | Non-Fiction

Deer Creek Drive: A Reckoning of Memory and Murder in the Mississippi Delta

The stunning true story of a murder that rocked the Mississippi Delta and forever shaped one author's life and perception of home. In 1948, in the most stubbornly Dixiefied corner of the Jim Crow south, society matron Idella Thompson was viciously murdered in her own home: stabbed at least 150 times and left facedown in one of the bathrooms. Her daughter, Ruth Dickins, was the only other person in the house. She told authorities a Black man she didn't recognize had fled the scene, but no evidence of the man's presence was uncovered. When Dickins herself was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, the community exploded. Petitions pleading for her release were drafted, signed, and circulated, and after only six years, the governor of Mississippi granted Ruth Dickins an indefinite suspension of her sentence and she was set free. In Deer Creek Drive, Beverly Lowry-who was ten at the time of the murder and lived mere miles from the Thompsons' home-tells a story of white privilege that still has ramifications today, and reflects on the brutal crime, its aftermath, and the ways it clarified her own upbringing in Mississippi. Cover images: (pruning shears) Tragedy-of-the-Month, 1949, Triangle Publications, Inc.; (background) Special Collections, University of Mississippi Libraries

Beverly Lowry (Author), Beverly Lowry (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Killer Book of Serial Killers: Incredible Stories, Facts and Trivia from the World of Serial Kil

Terrifying tales of the ultimate evil among us! One of the best serial killer books for fans of true crime. The Killer Book of Serial Killers is the complete resource for any true crime fan or student of the lurid, fascinating world of serial killers. Inside you'll find a concise compilation of the world's thirty-five most notorious murderers, including an in-depth look at their crimes and the lives that turned them into monsters. This is the perfect gift for any true crime buff or psychology enthusiast. Sprinkled throughout the book are Q&A's, quizzes, quotes, and odd facts about serial killers and their true stories to test your knowledge and make you shudder in horrified delight. Learn more about notorious serial killers like: Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, John Wayne Gacy, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, Dennis Rader, the Bind, Torture, Kill (BTK) Killer, Bela Kiss, and David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam. With many more shocking tales and tidbits about serial killers that will keep you up at night! Contains mature themes.

Michael Philbin, Tom Philbin (Author), Jason Keller (Narrator)

Audiobook

Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie

A biography of the spectacular rise and fall of Eddie Antar, better known as "Crazy Eddie," whose home electronics empire changed the world even as it turned out to be one of the biggest business scams of all time Back in the fall of 2016 we heard the news about the passing of Eddie Antar, "Crazy Eddie" as he was known to millions of people, the man behind the successful chain of electronic stores and one of the most iconic ad campaigns in history. Few things evoke the New York of a particular era the way "Crazy Eddie! His prices are insaaaaane!" does. The journalist Herb Greenberg called his death the "end of an era" and that couldn't be more true. What's insane is that his story has never been told. Before Enron, before Madoff, before The Wolf of Wall Street, Eddie Antar's corruption was second to none. The difference was that it was a street franchise, a local place that was in the blood stream of everyone's daily life in the 1970s and early '80s. And Eddie pulled it off with a certain style, an in your face blue collar chutzpah. Despite the fact that then U.S. Attorney Michael Chertoffcalled him "the Darth Vader of capitalism" after the extent of the fraud was revealed, one of the largest SEC frauds in American history after Crazy Eddie's stores went public in 1984, Eddie was talked about fondly by the people who worked for him. They still do--there are myriads of ex-Crazy Eddie employee web pages that still attract fans, and the Crazy Eddie fraud scheme is now taught in every business school across the United States. Many years have passed since the franchise went down in spectacular fashion but Crazy Eddie's moment has endured the way that iconic brands and characters do--one only need Google the media outpouring that accompanied his death. Maybe it's because it crystallized everything about 1970s New York almost perfectly, the merchandise and rise of consumer electronics (stereos!), the ads (cheesy!), the money (cash!). In Retail Gangster, investigative journalist Gary Weiss takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most unbelievable business scam stories of all time, a story spanning continents and generations, reaffirming the old adage that the truth is often stranger than fiction.

Gary Weiss (Author), Richard Ferrone (Narrator)

Audiobook

Last Gangster in Austin: Frank Smith, Ronnie Earle, and the End of a Junkyard Mafia

Ronnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as the district attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding Travis County, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and state officials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. But Ronnie Earle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the one involving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, alleged criminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure. With the help of corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the 1970s building a criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds. But there was one problem: a rival in the salvage business threatened his dominance. Smith hired arsonists to destroy the rival; when they botched the job, he sent three gunmen, but the robbery they planned was a bloody fiasco. Investigators were convinced that Smith was guilty, but many were skeptical that the newly elected and inexperienced Earle could get a conviction. Amid the courtroom drama and underworld plots that the book describes, Willie Nelson makes a cameo. So do the private eyes, hired guns, and madams who kept Austin not only weird but also riddled with vice. An extraordinary true story, Last Gangster in Austin paints an unusual picture of the Texas capital as a place that was wild, wonderful, and as crooked as the dirt road to paradise.

Jesse Sublett (Author), Mark Bramhall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Malaysian Murders and Mysteries

A century of shocking cases that gripped the nation Malaysian Murders and Mysteries brings together 42 of the nation's most well-known and notorious cases – and investigates over a century of crimes and murders that have gripped the attention of the entire nation and beyond. The cases go as far back as 1875, beginning with colonial-era intrigues that remain unresolved to this day, to the swift and sudden demise of a North Korean man at KLIA in 2017 and a mysterious epidemic that killed 15 villagers in a remote Kelantan outpost in 2019. Based on the authors' meticulous research and consultations with several of Malaysia's most eminent historians and criminal lawyers, crime reporters and police officers, this compilation breathes new life into some of the cases and sheds new light on the notorious events. Martin Vengadesan is part of Malaysiakini's editorial team. He previously worked at The Star from 1996 to 2018. He specialises in historical and research-based articles and also spent many years in the digital section as editor of The Star's iPad app and popular news website, The Star Online. He wrote two columns for The Star, 'Music Myths & Legends' (2002–2012) and 'Watching The World' (2013–2018), which touched on music history and world politics respectively. He contributed chapters to the best-selling March 8: The Day Malaysia Woke Up and the KL Noir series. He has served as general treasurer of the National Union of Journalists and was formerly general secretary of the Youth Wing of Parti Rakyat Malaysia and a vice-president of the Youth Wing of Parti Keadilan Rakyat. A father of three, he is the son of former diplomat Ambassador R Vengadesan. Andrew Sagayam is part of Malaysiakini's editorial team. He was formerly press secretary in the Prime Minister's Department. He was also a crime reporter, news editor and TV producer between 1998 and 2019 with The Sun, Malay Mail, The Star and Bernama. He has covered many of the most prominent cases of the last two decades, giving him an insight few others enjoy. © 2020 by Andrew Sagayam & Martin Vengadesan. Published in paper format in Singapore by Marshall Cavendish International Asia, recorded by Storyside 2022.

Andrew Sagayam, Martin Vengadesan (Author), Hamish Alastair Gerard Brown (Narrator)

Audiobook

Chroniques d'un médecin légiste

En France, on tue tous les jours, toutes les heures. Les faits divers envahissent les journaux, les séries télévisées de médecine légale prolifèrent, les histoires criminelles, réelles ou fictives, exercent sur le public une fascination sans borne. Michel Sapanet est médecin légiste. Sa vie, c'est la mort. Sur sa table en inox, avec un immense respect, il pratique son autopsie: exploration des boîtes crâniennes, inspection des chairs meurtries, ouverture des coeurs. Égorgés, poignardés, étranglés, pendus, tués par balle, toutes les victimes finissent par parler. Voici le quotidien extraordinaire d'un homme ordinaire. Quelle vérité habite ces corps anonymes, bien souvent méconnaissables ? Au médecin légiste d'aller la chercher. Suicide déguisé, sombre accident de chasse ou infanticide inexplicable, le docteur Sapanet passe en revue les nombreuses affaires criminelles survenues ces dernières années dans sa région poitevine. Avec humour, il propose une plongée en apnée dans son univers et accomplit cet art insolite de faire parler les morts. ©2010 Pocket, un département d'Univers Poche

Michel Sapanet (Author), Olivier Chauvel (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Last Boss of Brighton: Boris “Biba” Nayfeld and the Rise of the Russian Mob in America

Bestselling author Douglas Century reveals the untold story of the epic rise and fall of Boris Nayfeld, also known as Biba, one of the most notorious Russian mob bosses of our era. Boris Nayfeld, a.k.a. “Biba,” is the last living boss of the old-school Russian mob in America, and he’s survived to tell it all. Filled with sex, drugs, and murder, Biba’s story is a mind-boggling journey that took him from petty street crime in the USSR to billion-dollar embezzlement in America. Born in Soviet-era Belarus, abandoned by his parents in infancy, Biba’s brutal upbringing left him hungry for more—more power, control, and money. Taking advantage of the rampant corruption in the Soviet Union, Biba’s teenage hooliganism quickly turned into bolder “black cash” rackets, making him, by Soviet standards, a very rich young man. When authorities took notice and threatened him with “the supreme measure”— execution by firing squad—he managed to get out of the USSR just in time. Within months of landing in America, his intimidating presence and street smarts quickly made him legendary in the Soviet émigré community of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and launched him to the top of New York’s Russian Jewish mob, one of the world’s most inventive, powerful and violent criminal organizations. After decades as a globe-trotting boss, and three stints in U.S. federal prisons he remains unbroken and unrepentant, even as his entire life has unraveled around him. Now seventy-four years old, Biba is a lion in winter. Douglas Century vividly brings the notorious gangster to life in these pages, telling not only his epic journey but also the history of the Russian mob in America. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Douglas Century (Author), Gregory Korostishevsky, Sean Pratt (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Redemption of Bobby Love: The Humans of New York Instagram Sensation

Brought to you by Penguin. A Humans of New York Instagram sensation, this is the inspiring, dramatic and heart-warming true story of family, justice and how we all deserve a second chance. The young Walter Miller was a product of his time. Growing up Black in the Jim Crow American South, he was in trouble with the police before his fourteenth birthday. And, like so many young Black men, once he'd landed in the criminal justice system it was hard to find a way out. Soon enough, he was facing a thirty-year prison sentence. But Walter was smarter than his jailers. He escaped prison and fled to New York with a hundred dollars in his pocket. He changed his name to Bobby Love, and began again - living a crime-free life for nearly forty years, with a steady job, a loving wife, a church-going family. And a big secret. Until the FBI came knocking one cold winter morning, and it all came crashing down. The Redemption of Bobby Love is an incredible true story that illuminates some of the enduring themes of being Black in America. Fuelled by the drama of a jailbreak and the suspense of a man on the run, at its heart is a remarkable tale about breaking free from society's prejudices and making the most of a precious second chance. A compelling story for underdogs everywhere, it's proof that transformation is possible and redemption is real. © Bobby Love 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Bobby Love, Cheryl Love (Author), Cheri Vandenheuvel, Harvey Reaves (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nabbing Ned Kelly: The extraordinary true story of the men who brought Australia's notorious outlaw

David Dufty goes back to the records to uncover the real story of the police officers who pursued the Kelly Gang. This pacey account of the capture of the Kelly Gang reads like a detective story. He lurched through the gun smoke, his head encased in an iron helmet, and started shooting. To the weary police in the cordon around the Glenrowan hotel, he appeared like a monster, or a creature from hell. For over a century, the Ned Kelly legend has grown and grown. He's become Australia's Robin Hood, and leader of a colonial Irish resistance. How much of the legend is true? This is the real story of the hunt for the Kelly Gang over two long years. As gripping as any police procedural, it is an account of poorly trained officers unfamiliar with the terrain, in pursuit of the most dangerous men in the state. By recounting the story from the perspective of the law, David Dufty gets to the heart of the story and finds answers to many unresolved questions. Why was the gang always one step ahead of the police? Did law-abiding citizens really assist the outlaws? Did the barely literate Ned really write the impassioned Jerilderie Letter? Did the police really persecute the Kelly family?

David Dufty (Author), Grant Cartwright (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, A Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Tria

It's a story almost too tawdry to be true-a con woman prostitute who met the descendant of a Founding Father in a brothel, duped him into marriage using an infant purchased from a baby farm, then went to prison for stabbing the couple's baby nurse-all while in a common-law marriage with another man. The scandal surrounding Evangeline and Robert Ray Hamilton, though little known today, was one of the sensations of the Gilded Age. When the salacious Hamilton story emerged during Eva's trial for the August 1889 stabbing, it commanded unprecedented national and international newspaper coverage thanks to the telegraph and the recently founded Associated Press. As lurid details emerged, the public's fascination grew-how did a man of Hamilton's stature become entangled with such an adventuress? Hamilton's death under mysterious circumstances, a year after the stabbing, added to the intrigue. Through personal correspondence, court records, and sensational newspaper accounts, The Scandalous Hamiltons explores not only the full, riveting saga of ill-fated Ray and Eva, but the rise of tabloid journalism and celebrity in a story that is both a fascinating slice of pop culture history.

Bill Shaffer (Author), David Colacci (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bad Girls from History: Wicked or Misunderstood?

You wont be familiar with every one of the huge array of women featured in this book, but all, familiar or not, leave unanswered questions behind them. The range is extensive, as was the research, with its insight into the lives and minds of women in different centuries, different countries, with diverse cultures and backgrounds, from the poverty stricken to royalty. Mistresses, murderers, smugglers, pirates, prostitutes, and fanatics with hearts and souls that feature every shade of black (and grey!). From Cleopatra to Ruth Ellis, from Boudicca to Bonnie Parker, from Lady Caroline Lamb to Moll Cutpurse, from Jezebel to Ava Gardner. Less familiar names include Mary Jeffries, the Victorian brothel-keeper, Belle Starr, the American gambler and horse thief, La Voisin, the seventeenth-century Queen of all Witches in France but these are random names, to illustrate the variety of the content in store for all those interested in women who defy law and order, for whatever reason. The risque, the adventurous and the outrageous, the downright nasty and the downright desperate all human (female!) life is here. From the lower strata of society to the aristocracy, class is not a common denominator. Wicked? Misunderstood? Nave? Foolish? Predatory? Manipulative? Or just out of their time? Listen and decide.

Dee Gordon (Author), Naomi Madelin (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Story of Earl Nightingale: And His Strangest Secret

Hello, I'm Pamela Nightingale, daughter of the late international best-selling author and radio personality, Earl Nightingale. I'd like to share with you the true-life story of my father and the personal secrets of his life. This includes behind the scenes details of how he discovered the Strangest Secret. Family stories include how my dad was abandoned by his father, went barefoot as a poor boy living in a tent city through the Great Depression. He fell in love at first sight, lied about his age to join the Marines and miraculously was one of only a few to survive the sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. Some say he lived the life of ten men. He played the radio personality of Sky King on WGN, had a talk show, started businesses and felt the sting of scandal, heartache, and health problems. He even received a personal invitation from the Queen of England to visit her at Buckingham Palace. Earl traveled exotic seas as the captain of his own ship, partied with celebrities, smoked Mafia provided illegal Cuban cigars with the mayor, and the former King of England. He dealt with PTSD, fought acromegaly, and created the largest syndicated radio program on earth. But most important, Earl taught others “The Strangest Secret” because he said: “It would be cruel to tell people how much money I make, but it would be selfish not to show them how I did it.” Although my dad died in 1989, his work is still popular with those interested in subjects of human character development, motivation, excellence, and a meaningful existence. Join me and my cousins on an adventure of a lifetime, as we tell The Story of Earl Nightingale and His Strangest Secret.

Angela Moon, Earl Nightingale, Pamela Nightingale, Victor Corbin (Author), Arielle Loftis, Benjamin Gray, Earl Nightingale, Joe Price (Narrator)

Audiobook

True Crime Audiobooks in Non-Fiction