True Crime Audiobooks | Mystery, Thriller & Horror

New York Times Bestseller: The 'fascinating' true story of John Dale Cavaness, a much-admired Illinois doctor-and the cold-blooded killer of his own son. (The Washington Post). Fusing the narrative power of an award-winning novelist and the detailed research of an experienced investigator, author Darcy O'Brien unfolds the story of Dr. John Dale Cavaness, the southern Illinois physician and surgeon charged with the murder of his son Sean in December 1984. Outraged by the arrest of the skilled medical practitioner who selflessly attended to their needs, the people of Little Egypt, as the natives call their region, rose to his defense. But during the subsequent trial, a radically different, disquieting portrait of Dr. Cavaness would emerge. Throughout the three decades that he enjoyed the admiration and respect of his community, Cavaness was privately terrorizing his family, abusing his employees, and making disastrous financial investments. As more and more grisly details of the Cavaness case come to stark Midwestern light in O'Brien's chilling account, so too does the hidden gothic underside of rural America and its heritage of violence and blood.

Darcy O'brien (Author), Perry Daniels (Narrator)

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Murder in Manchuria: The True Story of a Jewish Virtuoso, Russian Fascists, a French Diplomat, and a

In Murder in Manchuria, Scott D. Seligman explores an unsolved murder set amid the chaos that reigned in China in the run-up to World War II. The story unfolds against the backdrop of a three-country struggle for control of Manchuria-an area some called China's 'Wild East'-and an explosive mixture of nationalities, religions, and ideologies. Semyon Kaspe, a young Jewish musician, is kidnapped, tortured, and ultimately murdered by disaffected, antisemitic White Russians, secretly acting on the orders of Japanese military overlords who covet his father's wealth. When local authorities deliberately slow-walk the search for the kidnappers, a young French diplomat takes over and launches his own investigation. Part cold-case thriller and part social history, the true, tragic saga of Kaspe is told in the context of the larger, improbable story of the lives of the twenty thousand Jews who called Harbin home at the beginning of the twentieth century. Scott D. Seligman recounts the events that led to their arrival and their hasty exodus-and solves a crime that has puzzled historians for decades.

Scott D. Seligman (Author), Eric Jason Martin (Narrator)

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Murder in the Bayou: Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8?

An explosive, true-life southern gothic story, Murder in the Bayou chronicles the twists and turns of a high-stakes investigation into the murders of eight women in a troubled Louisiana parish. Between 2005 and 2009, the bodies of eight women were discovered around the murky canals and crawfish ponds of Jennings, Louisiana, a bayou town of 10,000 in the heart of the Jefferson Davis parish. Local law enforcement officials were quick to pursue a serial killer theory, opening a floodgate of media coverage, from CNN to the New York Times. Collectively the victims became known as the "Jeff Davis 8," and their lives, their deaths, and the ongoing investigation reveals a small southern community's most closely guarded secrets. As Ethan Brown suggests, these homicides were not the work of a single serial killer, but the violent fallout of Jennings' brutal sex and drug trade, a backwoods underworld hidden in plain sight. Mixing muckraking research and immersive journalism over the course of a five-year investigation, Ethan Brown reviewed thousands of pages of previously unseen homicide files to determine what happened during each victim's final hours. Epic in scope and intensely suspenseful, Murder in the Bayou is the story of an American town buckling under the dark forces of poverty, race, and class division-and a lightning rod for justice for the daughters it lost. "Ethan Brown's daring and dangerous exposé uncovers a murky inferno of violence and corruption in south Louisiana, where it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad, and the brutal murders of eight prostitutes go unpunished, though not necessarily unsolved."-John Berendt, New York Times bestselling author

Ethan Brown (Author), Traber Burns (Narrator)

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Murder in the Family

On March 15th, 1987 police in Anchorage, Alaska arrived at a horrific scene of carnage. In a modest downtown apartment, they found Nancy Newman's brutally beaten corpse sprawled across her bed. In other rooms were the bodies of her eight-year-old daughter, Melissa, and her three-year-old, Angie, whose throat was slit from ear to ear. Both Nancy and Melissa had been sexually assaulted. After an intense investigation, the police narrowed the principal suspect down to 23-year-old Kirby Anthoney, a troubled drifter who had turned to his uncle, Nancy's husband John, for help and a place to stay. Little did John know that the nephew he took in was a murderous sociopath capable of slaughtering his beloved family. This true story, shocking and tragic, stunned Anchorage's residents and motivated the Major Crimes Unit of the Anchorage Police Department to do everything right in their investigation. Feeling the heat as the police built their case, Kirby bolted for the Canadian border. But the cops were on to him. First they hunted him down; then the cops and a tenacious prosecutor began their long, bitter battle to convict him against an equally tough defense lawyer, as well as the egomaniacal defendant himself. This shocking tale reached its climax in a controversial trial where for the first time an FBI profiler was allowed to testify and the controversial, pre-DNA science of allotyping was presented to a jury. But justice would not be served until after the psychopathic Kirby Anthoney took the stand in his own defense, and showed the world the monster he truly was.

Burl Barer (Author), James Edward Thomas (Narrator)

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Murder in the Heartland

"The most disturbing and moving look at murder in rural America since In Cold Blood." - Gregg Olsen On a December night in 2004, a 911 operator in Nodaway County, Missouri, received a frantic call from a woman who'd found her pregnant 23-year-old daughter in a pool of blood on the living room floor. Most shocking of all, the dying woman's unborn baby had been viciously ripped from her womb. "Get ready for some sleepless nights." - Carlton Stowers Across the border in Melvern, Kansas, Lisa Montgomery showed off a beautiful newborn she proudly claimed as her own. While some shared her excitement, others harbored suspicions. Meanwhile televisions across the nation broadcast the first Amber Alert for an unborn child. "Phelps is a first-rate investigator." - Dr. Michael M. Baden Newly updated with the latest surprising developments, Murder in the Heartland goes behind the scenes of two picture-perfect American towns forever changed by one horrifying act of violence. With exclusive access to key witnesses, family members, and potential victims who narrowly escaped a similar gruesome fate, M. William Phelps tells a classic American tale of unthinkable murder and the quest for justice.

M. William Phelps (Author), J. Charles (Narrator)

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Murder in the High Himalaya: Loyalty, Tragedy, and Escape from Tibet

The murder of a young Tibetan nun at the hands of Chinese border guards at the rooftop of the world offers a unique parable for the tale of modern Tibet. Chinese police are instructed to take any measures necessary to protect the border of Tibet. When a group of climbers witness the murder of a young Tibetan nun who is fleeing to India, two men have a choice: turn a blind eye and preserve their climbing careers or alert the world to the grand scale of human injustice played out daily in Tibet. Intrepid journalist Jonathan Green here investigates the clash of cultures at the rooftop of the world. As he gains entrance to a fascinating network of Tibetan guides and safe houses operating in the name of freedom, investigates the tradition of extreme mountaineering in Chinese-occupied Tibet, and establishes contact with surviving refugees, he offers a rare, affecting portrait of modern Tibet and raises enduring questions about morality and the lengths to which we go to achieve freedom. 'For three years, American journalist Green traveled to remote sections of Tibet to investigate the murder of a young nun who died at the hands of Chinese border officials. In clear, concise prose, the author deliberates over China's stranglehold on Tibet, its systematic dismantling of the indigenous culture and the terror tactics employed on families'.Green's steely, factually dense analysis of this unlawful conspiracy sheds light on a perennial human-rights crisis.''Kirkus Reviews

Jonathan Green (Author), William Hughes (Narrator)

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Murder Most Foul: The Complete Series 1-4: True tales of murder presented by Nick Ross

Twenty-four sensational docu-dramas based on real-life historical murder cases, presented by Nick Ross In these four series, Nick Ross introduces two dozen true tales of murder from days gone by – complete with gory details. As he recounts infamous crimes from the 1900s to the 1960s, he transports us to a time when police cars had bells, and the men from the Yard wore Trilby hats. Back then, the new science of forensics was developing fast, and an expert witness could use medical evidence to identify a murderer – and convince the jury to send them to the gallows. But with a celebrated advocate like Norman Birkett representing them, the accused still had a chance – even if their prospects looked slim. Included here are three of Birkett’s most famous appearances for the defence: the dramatic trial of Dr Buck Ruxton, accused of murdering and dismembering his wife and maid; the ‘body in the trunk’ murder, which saw Tony Mancini facing the death penalty; and the case of Edward Chaplin, accused of shooting his mistress’s husband. We also hear cases where forensic evidence was key, many of them involving renowned pathologists Keith Simpson and Bernard Spilsbury. A bloodstained handkerchief, a bloody thumbprint, a yellow string bag, a distinctive army knife and a body infested with maggots all provide crucial information, and prove instrumental in trapping killers who would otherwise have got away scot-free. From flypapers laced with arsenic to wives found dead in the bath, a corpse in a burned-out car and the mysterious death of the King of Siam, these shocking stories of unnatural death will fascinate all aficionados of true crime. Narrated by Nick Ross Series 1: Written by John Scotney, produced by Produced by Mark Savage and Tim Suter Series 2: Written by Rib Davis and Frederick Bradnum; produced by Fiona McLean, Matt Thompson and Tessa Watt Series 3: Written by Rib Davis; produced by Fiona McLean and Hilary McLennan Series 4: Written by Rib Davis; produced by Fiona McLean and Matt Thompson Episode guide: Series 1: 1: The Surgeon’s Knife 2: Cabin 126 3: The Major, the Scone and the Dandelions 4: The Body in the Trunk 5: Sheer Plod 6: The New Year Nightmare Series 2: 7: The Wheels of Justice 8: Bullets and Ballistics 9: The Perfect Murder 10: The Bloodstained Handkerchief 11: Murder on the Farm 12: The Bloody Thumbprint Series 3: 13: The Fingerless Strangler 14: The Body in the Chalkpit 15: Hitchike to Murder 16: The Wigwam Murders 17: Death of the Lord of Life 18: The Use of Maggots Series 4: 19: Of Fly Papers & Death 20: Admissable Evidence 21: Somebody’s Having a Bonfire 22: Of Bullets & Life Preservers 23: A Matter of Timing 24: To the Hangman

John Scotney (Author), Full Cast, Nick Ross (Narrator)

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Murder of an Elvis Girl: Solving the Jenny Maxwell Case

Buddy Moorehouse (Author), John Mclain (Narrator)

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Murder of Innocence: (Murder Is Forever: Volume 5)

Brought to you by Penguin. Two true-crime cases from the hit TV series Murder is Forever MURDER OF INNOCENCE (with Max DiLallo) It's impossible to resist Andrew Luster. He's rich, charming, good-looking, and dozens of women have fallen under his spell. But there's a very dark, very dangerous side to his womanising. And it'll take a global manhunt to put him behind bars. A MURDEROUS AFFAIR (with Andrew Bourelle) Mark Putnam is a rookie FBI agent given his first assignment in a remote part of Kentucky. When female informant Susan Smith helps him make a big break in an important case, rumours begin circulating about an affair and a pregnancy. Then Susan suddenly disappears . . . © James Patterson 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

James Patterson (Author), Stephen Graybill (Narrator)

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Murder on Sunset Strip: The Story of Carol Bundy and Doug Clark

Murder on Sunset Strip is the second book in a compelling series of true crime short stories for readers who don't have time to read a full-length novel."The Story of Carol Bundy and Doug Clark" examines the chilling account of the serial killing duo whose deadly rampage began in 1980 on LA's sunset strip.

Kim Cresswell (Author), Jason Fella (Narrator)

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Murder Thy Neighbour: (Murder Is Forever: Volume 4)

Brought to you by Penguin. As seen on Discovery ID, these two true-crime thrillers follow a neighbours' quarrel that turns violent and cyber-bullying that explodes in a double murder. MURDER THY NEIGHBOUR (with Andrew Bourelle) Ann Hoover is a nice woman, but she's come to hate her neighbour. Roy Kirk moved in next door with plans to renovate. But as the weeks go by, his DIY construction turns to shambles and Roy himself becomes sullen and hostile. When Ann takes him to court, Roy's retaliation will be shockingly gruesome. MURDER IRL (with Max DiLallo) Jenelle Potter has always been better at connecting through social media than in person. With overprotective parents, she hasn't had many options to meet people until she links up Billy. But her feelings for Billy are unreciprocated, causing Jenelle to start a virtual war - a war that enters the real world. © James Patterson 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

James Patterson (Author), Chloe Cannon (Narrator)

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Murder Times Six: The True Story of the Wells Gray Park Murders

It was a crime unlike anything seen in British Columbia. The horror of the 'Wells Gray Murders' almost forty years ago transcends decades. On August 2, 1982, three generations of a family set out on a camping trip – Bob and Jackie Johnson, their two daughters, Janet, 13 and Karen, 11, and Jackie's parents, George and Edith Bentley. A month later, the Johnson family car was found off a mountainside logging road near Wells Gray Park completely burned out. In the back seat were the incinerated remains of four adults, and in the trunk were the two girls. But this was not just your average mass murder. It was much worse. Over time, some brutal details were revealed; however, most are still only known to the murderer, David Ennis (formerly Shearing). His crimes had far-reaching impacts on the family, community, and country. It still does today. Every time Shearing attempts freedom from the parole board, the grief is triggered as everyone is forced to relive the horrors once again. Murder Times Six shines a spotlight on the crime that captured the attention of a nation, recounts the narrative of a complex police investigation, and discusses whether a convicted mass murderer should ever be allowed to leave the confines of an institution. Most importantly, it tells the story of one family forever changed.

Alan R Warren, Alan R. Warren (Author), Brian Rollins (Narrator)

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True Crime Audiobooks in Mystery, Thriller & Horror