True Crime Stories: A Prequel: 4 Shocking True Crime Cases

Each year seems to bring crimes more shocking than the last, and this anthology collects four accounts of killings from 2016. Some are cases of random gunfire, others of mass murder, spree killing, or hate crimes, and a few follow the hunt for serial offenders who were finally caught. Before the cases begin, the author looks back through history at the cruelty people have inflicted on one another, from medieval torture devices to the methods used by the Inquisition, to make the point that violence is nothing new. The stories are told in close, detailed prose meant for readers who want an intimate look at what happened. They are chilling, and they may make you check the locks at night. Keep the lights on while reading.