Gifts for True Crime Fans

True crime fans spend a lot of hours with podcasts in their ears and a lot of evenings with a documentary on. Many are amateur detectives at heart who like to piece clues together themselves. The best gifts feed both habits: a well-reported book, a puzzle game that makes them solve the case, or gear that makes all that listening better.

Under $25 11 ideas

  1. In Cold Blood

    The book that started modern true crime, about the 1959 Clutter family murders in Kansas. Fans should own it if they do not already.

    Truman CapoteBook

    See it on Amazon

  2. I'll Be Gone in the Dark

    McNamara's obsessive hunt for the Golden State Killer, published shortly before he was caught. Gripping and humane.

    Michelle McNamaraBook

    See it on Amazon

  3. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders

    The prosecutor's own account of the Manson case, still one of the bestselling true crime books ever. Long, detailed and hard to put down.

    Vincent BugliosiBook

    See it on Amazon

  4. The Devil in the White City

    A serial killer story set against the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Reads like a novel and suits history fans too.

    Erik LarsonBook

    See it on Amazon

  5. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

    A disappearance in Belfast opens into the story of the Troubles. Deeply reported, for fans who want more than a whodunit.

    Patrick Radden KeefeBook

    See it on Amazon

  6. Killers of the Flower Moon

    The murders of Osage Nation members in 1920s Oklahoma and the birth of the FBI. More detailed and more damning than the film.

    David GrannBook

    See it on Amazon

  7. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

    The FBI profiler's memoir that inspired the Netflix series. For fans curious about how investigators actually think.

    John Douglas and Mark OlshakerBook

    See it on Amazon

  8. The Poisoner's Handbook

    How New York's first medical examiners learned to catch poisoners in the Jazz Age. Part science, part true crime.

    Deborah BlumBook

    See it on Amazon

  9. Murdle: Solve 100 Murder Mystery Puzzles

    Bite-size logic puzzles where each one is a small murder to solve. A fun daily habit for armchair detectives.

    G. T. KarberBookStocking stuffer

    See it on Amazon

  10. Clue Board Game

    The original whodunit board game. Worth having for family game night, and a good nostalgic gift.

    Hasbro GamingWhite elephant

    See it on Amazon

  11. Zodiac (Director's Cut) (Blu-ray)

    David Fincher's film about the reporters and detectives obsessed with the Zodiac Killer. A favorite among true crime fans for its accuracy.

    Paramount

    See it on Amazon

Under $50 5 ideas

  1. Hunt A Killer Death at the Dive Bar

    A box of evidence, documents and clues to solve a murder at home. A one-night game for a fan who has always thought they could crack a case.

    Hunt A KillerAn experience

    See it on Amazon

  2. Unsolved Case Files: Jamie Banks

    A cold-case game with witness statements, crime scene photos and autopsy reports. Satisfying to solve with a partner over a weekend.

    Unsolved Case FilesAn experience

    See it on Amazon

  3. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders and Other Cases

    Ten cases solved by reading clues, a newspaper and a map of London. Classic deduction for fans who like to beat the detective.

    Space CowboysAn experience

    See it on Amazon

  4. Chronicles of Crime

    A detective game where players scan evidence and question suspects with a phone app. Good for groups who like solving mysteries together.

    Lucky Duck GamesAn experience

    See it on Amazon

  5. The Crime Book (Big Ideas Simply Explained)

    Short, illustrated entries on famous cases and how forensics developed. Easy to dip into.

    DKBook

    See it on Amazon

Under $100 2 ideas

  1. Soundcore Space One Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

    Solid noise cancelling and long battery life at a much lower cost than the big brands. A good choice for podcast listeners on a budget.

    Anker Soundcore

    See it on Amazon

  2. Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

    A cooperative investigation game that uses real research and an online database. Plays like working a case, and is meant for adults.

    Portal GamesAn experience

    See it on Amazon

$100 and up 2 ideas

  1. Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones

    Excellent noise cancelling and voice clarity for hours of podcasts on a commute or flight. Comfortable through a full season of episodes.

    Sony

    See it on Amazon

  2. Kindle Paperwhite

    For the reader working through a stack of true crime books. Easy on the eyes late at night, which is when these books get read.

    Amazon

    See it on Amazon