Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, 689 Pages

I've always loved true crime, but never really got into it in book form. I decided to start reading Helter Skelter because I've always wanted to, and October seemed like a good time to finally do it. Bugliosi's telling of the Manson crimes was horrific. I found myself triple-checking locks and windows before I went to bed each night. The horror genre is one of my favorite's to read, and a book like Helter Skelter takes horror to a new level due to the fact that it is unfortunately real. In my opinion, Charles Manson is the ultimate boogeyman.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara, 352 Pages

I. Loved. This. Book. I will loudly and proudly admit that I am not fond of non-fiction. I love a good, juicy biography, but overall, I struggle with the genre. This book had so much buzz around it, and I read about it in a Library Journal at work, so I thought I would give it a try. This book sucked me in from page one and was one of those "Do Not Read After Dark" kind of books. Michelle McNamara was an extremely talented and intelligent woman, who devoted most of her life trying to figure out the details of these horrific crimes. I'm extremely saddened that she passed away before she was able to complete the book and see the impact it had on the investigation. I've been recommending this one to everyone I know, and will continue to do so for the unforeseeable future.