The oft-cited roots of the true crime genre

The 1966 book "In Cold Blood" by American author Truman Capote is often considered the beginning of true crime as it's known today. The story details the real-life murders of a family of four in Holcomb, Kansas, using techniques that, at the time, were relegated to fictional tales. Before it was a book, the narrative was published by The New Yorker in 1965 as a four-part series. 

The bloody history of the true crime genre

The true crime genre appears to have crawled out of an unlocked closet between 1550 and 1700. Rising literacy rates and printing technologies during this period led to leaflets and ballads-turned-broadsides that graphically regurgitated the findings. These products often included woodcuts of the crime's "unsavory acts.". Such content was snapped up by the "artisan class and above" as poorer classes lacked the funds to fuel the hobby.

Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood,' a pioneer of the true crime genre, isn't wholly accurate

The nonfiction novel "In Cold Blood" influenced true crime's narrative and investigative bend and was supposedly only 92% accurate. Journalist Ben Yagoda reflects on its accuracy after finding the fact-checking file for the four-part series published before the story was converted into hardback. Yagoda says the inaccuracies are "especially striking" because the story was originally published in one of the magazines credited with establishing fact-checking as a practice. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

The 1979 murder trial of Ted Bundy was the first nationally televised trial, offering a preview of the national obsession with true crime.

The history of real-life crime magazines

Before podcasts and streaming services, details of true crime cases could be found smushed between glossy magazine pages. "True Detective Mysteries," a magazine of fictional crime retellings that debuted in 1924, quickly pivoted to sharing detailed reporting of real criminal cases after seeing what drove sales. Rebranding itself as "True Detective," the magazine launched dozens of imitators and only shut down publishing in January 2024.

Many literary scholars consider 'The Tale of Genji,' a Japanese text from the 11th century, to be the first novel.

True crime, explained

Tales exploring some of the most grisly and unthinkable crimes have satisfied the public's morbid curiosity for more than a century, and modern podcasting has shot the genre to new heights. Want to learn more about the history of true crime? 1440 has the breakdown here.

True crime refers to media that detail real-life criminal cases

Some have taken this to mean that the retelling must include "as many nitty-gritty facts about the case as possible." True crime media can focus on a single case, such as in the 1966 book "In Cold Blood," or can include serialized collections of criminal cases or behaviors, such as in the podcast "Casefile."

The novel broke new ground by offering realistic stories

In this brief interview, Terry Castle, an English professor at Stanford, explains the origins of the early British novel. Castle details how the novel was produced for a newly literate middle class interested in recognizable characters and stories “about life as they knew it” rather than Greek and Roman myths or medieval romances. She also explains why a newly enfranchised female demographic was attracted to the fiction of writers like Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf.

Before he was a famous novelist, John Steinbeck wrote a werewolf murder mystery.

Families of true crime victims deal with added pain when their stories are publicized

True crime enthusiasts have never asked Annie Nichol to consent to public recountings of her sister's murder. For decades, Nichol has been inundated with gruesome dramatizations of one of life's greatest losses by people who profit from such productions. She has, however, been asked to share memories of her sister, though such memories "are all that I have left of her that haven't been exploited for public consumption."

Classifying the 'first novel' is tricky

The question of what counts as the "first novel" doesn't have a simple answer. This explainer looks at early contenders—from ancient Roman satire to Japan's "Tale of Genji"—and how different cultures shaped the rise of long-form fiction.

True crime broadsides were a popular business venture in 19th-century England

Offered by traveling peddlers, these playbills described crimes and crime scenes in detail and often included speeches and confessions of the soon-to-be executed. Broadsides typically included illustrations of crime and execution scenes to drive home the details.

John Hersey’s ‘Hiroshima’ focused on the stories of atomic bomb victims

The nonfiction book is considered one of the earliest pieces of New Journalism and an arresting case against nuclear warfare. Describing the pain, wounds and trauma of six ordinary citizens, “Hiroshima” played a powerful role in American perception of the war by focusing on its human toll.

True crime fans can sometimes disregard the real people and trauma behind cases

True crime content has become a social gathering place. In addition to content generated by creators, consumer-driven true crime spaces have blossomed on social media. In these spaces, consumers track developments and share theories as if criminal cases are sports. Citizen sleuths can sometimes inspire new leads but often add to survivors' suffering and sling speculation that can clog tip lines and hit innocent bystanders.

The story of serial killer Ed Gein who inspired pop culture

The creators of antagonists from "Silence of the Lambs" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" took notes from this horrifying Wisconsinite's story, known for body-snatching and creating keepsakes from corpses.

Child prodigy writer Barbara Newhall Follett mysteriously disappeared in 1939

She published her first book at age 12 to much critical acclaim. She then did the same two years later. But by 25 she was married and struggling to publish another manuscript. One day, she left her apartment and never returned. The case was never solved.

Maps of murder across medieval England

These interactive maps show the sites of murders across York, Oxford, and London during the 14th Century. Explore the data by clicking site pins or experimenting with map filters, including crime scene type and murder weapon. Each pin includes a blurb on what researchers concluded about the attack, such as how a fight between the London fishmonger and skinner guilds during August 1340 ultimately left one man dead.

Unraveling the Long Island serial killer case

Authorities investigating the disappearance of a woman from Long Island in May 2010 soon discovered four bodies that had been dumped nearby. Six more bodies were found in the same area in early 2011, and authorities announced later that year that all the deaths were the work of one person. This episode is the first in a seven-part series into Gilgo Beach slayings and their seemingly bungled investigation.

True crime fans can derail lives with misguided accusations

In the wake of four stabbing deaths at the University of Idaho in November 2023, online sleuths, without any supporting evidence, were quick to point accusatory fingers at potential perpetrators. Poring over news reports, social media pages, and internet interactions can reveal viable information that can help solve crimes. Such (sometimes monetizable) behavior can also easily give rise to rumors and threats while impeding official investigations.(Some readers may experience a paywall.)

The unsolved murder case of Martha Moxley and the overturned conviction of a Kennedy cousin

Moxley was murdered in 1975, and the case went cold for a quarter of a century until Michael Skakel—a young relative of the Kennedy clan—was convicted of the murder. Eleven years into his sentence, Skakel's conviction was overturned, prompting a new set of questions.

Virginia Woolf admired 'The Tale of Genji'

Widely considered one of the defining voices of modernist literature, Virginia Woolf was known for her experiments with stream-of-consciousness narration, nonlinear storytelling, and psychologically complex characters. In a 1925 essay about Murasaki Shikibu’s “The Tale of Genji,” largely considered the world’s first novel, Woolf explains how Shikibu’s style captures the intricacies of living in ways only the novel can.

An early short story by Ray Bradbury was plucked from an open submission call by 'In Cold Blood' author Truman Capote, who believed he'd found a significant voice.

Horror evolved from Gothic literature

Although creepy tales can be found in nearly every folk tradition, the roots of modern horror can be traced back to Gothic literature, which focused on the battle between humans and unnatural, evil forces.

Modernist novels used unconventional narrative approaches

Modernist writers in the early 20th century sought to capture the complexities of the human mind in their fiction. Novelists like Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Jean Rhys, and William Faulkner experimented with the form by using unconventional approaches to narrative, time, and structure. This lecture from Dr. Madeleine Davies from the University of Reading explains how modernists revolutionized fiction, using Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway” as a primary example.

In 1969, a group of reporters wrote an intentionally bad and salacious novel under a pen name to prove that sex sells more than quality. It sold 20,000 copies within a few months and spent 13 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list.

English playwright Christopher Marlowe's violent and mysterious death

According to an official coroner’s report, in 1593 a heated argument over payment for supper escalated into a physical struggle, during which Marlowe wounded a man named Ingram Frizer, who then fatally stabbed Marlowe above the right eye. Though we still don't have a definitive explanation for why Marlowe was killed, the true motive continues to be debated, with suspicions surrounding the official account. Read more here.

Rockwell's 'Murder in Mississippi (Southern Justice)' was a response to real events

The 1965 painting was inspired by the 1964 murders of three men—James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. The men were affiliated with the Council on Racial Equity and killed by the Ku Klux Klan in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The painting accompanied an article about the inequities of the justice system, which is why its title often includes the parenthetical "(Southern Justice)."

'Moby-Dick' was inspired by a real whale named Mocha Dick.

'Rear Window' was based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich

Hitchcock's 1954 film, which many consider among the director's greatest, was based on Woolrich's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder." The story is characteristic of his dark, claustrophobic work.

The history of Samuel Richardson's 'Pamela,' which some consider the first romance novel

The 1740 novel will likely strike modern readers as odd, to say the least. Its titular character, a 15-year-old maidservant, is harassed by her boss, who finally changes his ways and asks for her hand in marriage, which is presented as a happy ending. As this analysis of the text makes clear, though, "Pamela" established a template for the romance genre, even if contemporary writers have been happy to break it.

‘Frankenstein’ is a classic horror novel

Few novels have been as influential as Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” The 1818 novel is considered the first science fiction novel and a cornerstone of the horror genre. The text has also been widely adapted for the screen and is responsible for at least two major archetypes: the creature and the mad scientist.

True crime content can influence the justice system

The 2014 podcast "Serial" inspired national doubt about the outcome and quality of a 1999 Baltimore murder case, resulting in overturned convictions (that were then reinstated). The series "In the Dark," whose second season pored over the murder trials of a Black Mississippi man, revealed crucial testimony was recanted, provided evidence of racial discrimination in jury selection, and was cited in case filings.

Many critics panned Emily Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights' when it was released

The 1847 novel, initially published under a pseudonym, was seen by some early readers as obscene and cruel. One particularly brutal review from Graham's Lady's Magazine read, "How a human being could have attempted such a book as the present without committing suicide before he had finished a dozen chapters, is a mystery."

Nearly a quarter of the US's 451 top-ranked podcasts belong to the true crime genre

Perhaps, Pew Research Center proposes, this popularity stems from the fame of "Serial," the 2014 hit series about a 1999 murder in Baltimore. Politics and government is the second top genre. Outside typical genre divides lie series such as fictional radio stories and Dungeons & Dragons podcasts, which account for 12% of top-ranked podcasts.

The first line of 'The Stranger' is one of literature's most famous openings

The novel's first sentence thrusts readers into the narrator Mersault's world, but its meaning can shift depending on the translation. A 1988 translation by Matthew Ward attempted to "Americanize" the text, removing some Britishisms and bringing it closer to what Camus intended in the original French manuscript. That included changing "Mother" to "Maman," a more familiar—and childlike—name. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Tom Wolfe wrote a humorous account of the birth of New Journalism

Wolfe explains the style came from journalists attempting to make fact-based reporting read like a novel, arguing that traditional reporting left readers “bored to tears.” Instead of emphasizing an objective point of view, Wolfe favored detailed descriptions that established complex characters, painted interesting scenes, and shared dialogue.

Early English fantasy writers built on horror and Gothic texts

After the success of 19th-century books like Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” readers were eager for more stories that deviated from realism. Early 20th-century texts like George MacDonald’s “Phantastes” and Lord Dunsany’s “The King of Elfland’s Daughter” met the moment, laying the groundwork for the fantasy genre.