Murder under the mistletoe: Stuff their stockings with true-crime bestsellers

At this, the most family-friendly time of the year, what better title to highlight than this harrowing tale. In 2009, author Balascio, herself a true-crime fan, discovered during her internet wanderings that her chronically mysterious, habitually abusive dad was capable of much greater evil than she'd imagined. 

"When April Balascio chose to share her story with the world, she chose to relive her life with all of the darkness that most would choose to forget," said a riveted reader. "I get goosebumps thinking of how she must have felt knowing that the lengths he subjected them to was not just to hide his abuse of the family, but to cover up so much more."

"Remains," indeed. Black brings a scientific acuity and down-to-earth humanity to this memoir of a career spent analyzing, deconstructing and (literally) dissecting the aftermath of heinous crimes. 

"Sue Black is clear-eyed and professional but never severe, unsentimental but never unsympathetic," said this thoughtful reviewer. "Far from being dry and boring or gross, morbid or lurid, Black in her matter-of-fact way makes her subject thoroughly fascinating, and her dashes of Scottish humor make it all the better. I couldn't put this one down."

No mere true-crime tale, Thompson's book is a deep dive into one of America's most chilling, heartbreaking murders: the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till, a Black 14-year-old, by a gang of what Thompson says was at least eight men. Till's alleged "crime"? Whistling at a white woman. 

Said one eyes-opened take: "I've read many books about [Emmett] Till and visited most of related the sites in Mississippi, including the barn. But I never thought about it in the total historical, social, political and economic context presented in this extensively researched book."

Clark, who famously led the state of California's case against O.J. Simpson in 1995, revisits another notorious chapter in L.A. crime history — the life and eventual execution of Barbara Graham, the result of a robbery gone very wrong. While Clark doesn't deny Graham's life of (mostly petty) crime, she concludes that her trip to the gas chamber was an appalling miscarriage of justice.

"This book is so compelling. I raged, I wept, I've been a bit undone," admitted a shaken shopper. "It makes me want to do anything to make things better. Thank you, Marcia, for making me think and feel. Everyone should read this!"

Warning: Dark, dark stuff ahead. Ramsland and Ullman (no, not Tracey Ullman) venture back to the '70s to tell the story of Houston teen Elmer Wayne Henley (is that a name that foretells a future in serial killing or what?), who found himself in the employ of prolific predator Dean Corll. Starting as a "mere" procurer of young boys for the deranged Corll, Henley eventually found himself an accomplice.

"Buckle up," said one reviewer. "It is meticulously researched, and the authors handle the subject matter with the necessary rigor and respect. It is not sensationalized. Their detailed investigation offers insights into the psychological manipulation by serial predators and the tragic consequences that ensue."

Finkel tells the jaw-dropping tale of Stephane Breitweiser who, with his girlfriend, Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus, went on a six-year spree across Europe, during which he claims to have "liberated" 239 pieces of art from 172 museums. Breitweiser's apparent motive? Not profit, but the desire to own a stellar collection. 

"A fascinating true story," proclaimed one reviewer. "You don't need to love or even like art to appreciate the story. The capers carried out by the criminals are unbelievable. The book is well-researched and balanced. The author expresses neither sympathy nor disdain for the criminals — he truly takes a nonprejudicial, balanced approach. ... I still can't believe the magnitude of the crimes." 

Got a friend who could use a coffee table book for their new flat ... or maybe likes to read on the toilet? This breezy, sleazy compendium is published under the actual imprint of "White Elephant Gifts for Adults," so you know what to do.

"From infamous killers like Jack the Ripper to lesser-known figures, the book covers a wide range of cases, making it both comprehensive and chilling," remarked this murder maven. "What makes it stand out is its ability to blend educational content with a morbid fascination that keeps readers hooked. It's not for the faint-hearted, but for those who appreciate a deep dive into the criminal psyche, it's an engrossing and unforgettable gift."

Related: The best white elephant gifts that are sure to be the talk of the party

Any true-crime aficionado worth their salt knows about the sensational 2021 trial of Alex Murdaugh, who was ultimately convicted of murdering his wife and son. Next-level fans, however, will devour Bauerlein's history of Murdaugh's quasi-royal South Carolina clan in all its wheeling-and-dealing, power-brokering, law-breaking glory. You want skeletons? Oh, there are skeletons.

Said this erudite evaluator: "Just like when you put on a garment made of fine fabric and can feel the quality, I could sense how sensitively and obsessively this saga and all its side streets had been reported." They added: "I thought I was over the Murdaughs ... but this book drew me in and kept me."

Former Orange County prosecutor and current ABC News legal analyst Murphy weaves personal history with professional recollections of a dozen of his most memorable homicide cases. 

"Fascinating details about true crimes and about the toll they take on those people dedicated to protecting society," explained this reader. "The insider perspective was unique and detailed, and the writer shared intimate details of his personal ride through this legal world that many of us never get to experience."

From barn-raising to hair-raising: Veteran true-crime author Olsen, in a kind of sequel to his 2007 book, Abandoned Prayers, returns to the Ohio scene of the barn fire that claimed the life of eponymous spouse Ida Stutzman. She was originally thought to have died of natural causes, but what about Ida's "better half," Eli? 

"Great book ... I want a follow-up," said this enthusiastic fan, who admitted to one criticism: "A genealogy would help in keeping all the players straight in my head. Too many Levis!"

We return to Ohio for this procedural/memoir by detective Mager, whose eight days of interviews with suspected murderer Shawn Grate led to his confessing to kidnapping, multiple sexual assaults and five murders. Though horror abounds in its pages, Hunger talso serves as a profile of a consummate professional-turned-hero.

"To be able to read not only the interviews with the killer but to read about what she was thinking and how she was dealing with sitting in a room with a serial killer was fascinating," said this reviewer. "A great read for anyone who is fascinated with true crime and wants to know what goes on in the mind of a serial killer."

Here's a personal journey unlike any you've read before. "Arc" doesn't begin to describe Hardin's wild ride from middle-class housewife to heroin addict to financial fraudster to jailhouse big-shot to ghostwriter. It's also an Oprah's Book Club selection. 

We'd say this five-star reviewer pretty much nailed it: "A very important book on mistakes, the depths of addiction and the trauma that causes it. Very uplifting to read her real-life struggles and her fight to lift herself out of her problems and accept her past so she could live her future."

This New York Times bestseller probes the still-unsolved 2011 vanishing of 20-year-old Indiana University student Lauren Spierer. This granular look at the night in question will be catnip, of course, to fans of meticulous procedurals. We wish we could tell you there's a happy ending.

"Another young lady, enjoying a night out with roommates, friends, boyfriends, etc., and now she is gone!" this reviewer sadly summed up. They continued: "Someone holds the key to where she is and could end a portion of the pain her friends and family live every day of their life with."