Books About True Crime

The Best True Crime Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about true crime? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

As Good as Dead
#3 in Series
Good Girl, Bad Blood
#2 in Series
Two Can Keep a Secret
Nothing More to Tell
The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About True Crime

Jailbreak at Alcatraz
Sale price
$1248
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2021

Jailbreak at Alcatraz

By Tom Sullivan · Book #2 in the Unsolved Case Files series

Three inmates vanish from Alcatraz, sparking an unsolved mystery.

106 pages· 7,212 words· Est. 1 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 332 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: In 1962, Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers pull off a daring escape from Alcatraz, leaving behind a baffling mystery. As the guards discover their absence, a decades-long manhunt begins. Dive into this gripping true story, complete with FBI files and investigation photos, and unravel the secrets of an escape that defied the impossible. Will the truth ever surface?
As Good as Dead
Sale price
$1248
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 2021

As Good as Dead

By Holly Jackson · Book #3 in the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series

A podcaster faces real-life danger as threats escalate and a serial killer's case resurfaces.

480 pages· 132,546 words· Est. 12.5 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 621,267 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Pip, a true-crime podcaster, is haunted by her last case as she prepares for college. Anonymous threats turn into real-life stalking, linking to a serial killer caught years ago. With police dismissive, Pip must unravel the truth herself or risk becoming the next victim. As the mystery deepens, her small town's secrets threaten to consume her. Can Pip solve the case before she disappears?
Good Girl, Bad Blood
Sale price
$1049
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 2020

Good Girl, Bad Blood

By Holly Jackson · Book #2 in the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series

A missing person, a town's secrets, and a race against time. Can Pip solve the mystery before it's too late?

416 pages· 93,253 words· Est. 8.5 hour read
4.3 Goodreads · 845,211 ratings
$10.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Pip's true-crime podcast has captivated listeners, but when Jamie Reynolds vanishes on a night of remembrance, she must return to sleuthing. The police refuse to act, leaving Pip to uncover her town's hidden darkness. As she delves deeper, every revelation is broadcast to an eager audience. With time slipping away, can Pip find Jamie before it's too late, or will the secrets she unearths prove too dangerous? Dive into a gripping mystery where every clue is a step closer to the truth—or peril.
Escape at 10,000 Feet
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$2089
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2021

Escape at 10,000 Feet

By Tom Sullivan · Book #1 in the Unsolved Case Files series

Unravel the mystery of America's only unsolved airplane hijacking.

104 pages· 4,149 words· Est. 37 min read
4.1 Goodreads · 866 ratings
$21.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: On November 24, 1971, a mysterious man boards a flight in Portland, demanding $200,000 and parachutes, threatening to detonate a bomb. Dive into the gripping true story of D.B. Cooper, the elusive hijacker who vanished without a trace. This graphic nonfiction series combines comic panels, FBI documents, and photos to captivate sleuths and history buffs. Will you uncover the secrets behind this unsolved case?
Where Is Alcatraz?
Sale price
$759
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016

Where Is Alcatraz?

By Nico Medina, Who HQ, David Groff (Illustrator) · Where Is . . . ? series

A book about the history of Alcatraz prison and its notorious inmates.

112 pages· 7,850 words· Est. 1 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 724 ratings
$7.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Discover the enigmatic history of Alcatraz, from its eerie legends to its notorious inmates like Al Capone. Explore thrilling escape attempts, including one involving spoons and raincoat rafts. What secrets does this infamous island hold?
Bones and Berserkers
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1498
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2025

Bones and Berserkers

By Nathan Hale · Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series

Discover chilling true tales of terror from American history.

128 pages· 8,725 words· Est. 1.5 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 457 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Dive into 'Bones and Berserkers,' where history's darkest tales come alive. Encounter a devil baby haunting New Jersey, a well of restless soldiers, and a demon cat foretelling doom. Each story, a blend of folklore and fact, challenges the brave to uncover the mysteries of America's past. Will you dare to read to the end?
Shackled
Sale price
$1899
Chapter Book · Ages 13–17 · 2024

Shackled

By Candy J Cooper

Judges profit from sentencing kids to detention. Uncover the scandal.

192 pages· 36,653 words· Est. 3.5 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 739 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: In Pennsylvania, two judges harshly sentenced over 2,500 children to a for-profit detention center, pocketing cash in return. As the center filled, a pattern of corruption emerged. Discover the shocking truth behind one of the largest violations of children's rights in American legal history. What sinister forces allowed this to happen, and who will hold them accountable?
Two Can Keep a Secret
Sale price
$1398
Chapter Book · Ages 14–+ · 2019

Two Can Keep a Secret

By Karen M. McManus

A town's deadly secrets resurface as Ellery uncovers a chilling mystery.

352 pages· 82,740 words· Est. 7.5 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 179,058 ratings
$14.99Save 7%
Paperback
Summary: Ellery moves to Echo Ridge, a town haunted by disappearances and murder. As homecoming approaches, another girl vanishes, and Ellery must navigate a web of secrets. Can she unravel the truth before becoming the next target?
Nothing More to Tell
Sale price
$1348
Chapter Book · Ages 14–+ · 2022

Nothing More to Tell

By Karen M. McManus

A murder unsolved, secrets buried. Can Brynn uncover the truth before it's too late?

368 pages· 90,711 words· Est. 8.5 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 79,575 ratings
$13.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Brynn returns to her hometown, determined to solve the murder of her favorite teacher, a case that left her school in shock. Her ex-best friend, Tripp, holds the key to the mystery, but his lies have protected others for years. As Brynn digs deeper, she unravels dangerous secrets that could change everything she knows about her past and those she once trusted. With the truth buried in the woods, will Brynn uncover the real killer before they strike again?
The 500 Million Dollar Heist
Sale price
$1498
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022

The 500 Million Dollar Heist

By Tom Sullivan · Book #3 in the Unsolved Case Files series

Two thieves steal $500 million in art, leaving an unsolved mystery.

104 pages· 6,414 words· Est. 54 min read
3.9 Goodreads · 304 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Paperback
Summary: In 1990, two men disguised as police officers infiltrate the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, executing the largest art heist in U.S. history. Thirteen masterpieces vanish, including rare Rembrandts. Despite exhaustive investigations, the case remains unsolved. What secrets lie behind this audacious theft, and will the truth ever surface?
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