True crime gifts

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author’s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...

In this empathetic and darkly funny memoir, Thomas Coyle one of New Zealand's most seasoned forensic investigators pulls back the police tape and walks us straight into the crime scenes. With sharp detail, he reveals how the tiniest fragment of evidence can expose a suspect, prove a motive, or confirm an identity. Sometimes, all at once. But crime scenes are...

"If being a war correspondent can be addictive, this book might just leave you hooked. From brushes with landmines to Ukrainian hotdogs, Lisette's celebrated storytelling vividly brings to life the powerful stories behind her reports." - Mike McRoberts 'I woke up every day expecting to fall asleep in a different country. A blur of breaking news, airports, body armour, border...

The inspiration behind the Netflix TV series Painkillers, starring Uzo Aduba and Matthew Broderick. Amazon's Top 20 Best Books of the Year 'This is no dense medical tome, but a page-turner with a villainous family to rival the Roys in Succession, and one where every chapter ends with the perfect bombshell.' - Esquire The highly-anticipated portrait of three generations of...

Red Notice by Bill Browder is a harrowing account of one man's fight against the corruption and brutality embedded within the highest echelons of Russian power. Blending personal memoir, geopolitical intrigue, and a true-crime narrative, this book takes the reader on an electrifying journey from the flourishing financial markets of New York and London in the 1990s to the lethal...

The story of one young woman's survival against the odds, and how the love of her mother saved her. When the White Island volcano erupted in New Zealand in 2019, it shattered the lives of Stephanie and Marie Browitt. Stephanie, just 23 years old, suffered horrific burns to 70 per cent of her body and lost her younger sister, Krystal...

The Devil’s Chessboard by David Talbot is a riveting exposé that unveils a chilling narrative of power, deception, and intrigue at the highest levels of the United States government. Delving into the intricately woven saga of America’s ascent to international supremacy, Talbot turns the spotlight on Allen Welsh Dulles, the enigmatic and influential figure who served as the CIA’s longest-tenured...

True stories of life and death from a New Zealand pathologist From the number-one bestselling author of The Cause of Death comes a book about the unlikely, extraordinary, obscure and often tragic ways humans meet their end.A dead body without a trace of trauma; alien parasites; worms of the brain; crocodile attacks and bizarre eating disorders ... In The Quick...

New Zealand's underworld of organised crime and deadly gangs 'The best true-crime book of the year by a long stretch.'- Steve Braunias, Newsroom 'A series of rip-snorting yarns about gangs, drugs, fancy cars, wads of cash, violence, and guns - Aotearoa New Zealand style.'- Simon Bridges In Gangland, author and award-winning investigative reporter Jared Savage takes readers on a gripping...

WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FACT CRIME SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NON-FICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY MARTIN SCORSESE STARRING LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND ROBERT DE NIRO A riveting true story of greed, serial murder and racial injustice’ JON KRAKAUER A fiercely entertaining...

Critically-acclaimed true crime from the author of The First Stone (Picador, 2007), The Spare Room (Canongate, 2008) and Cosmo Cosmolino (Text, 2013). On the evening of the 4th September 2005, Robert Farquharson, a separated husband, was driving his three sons home to their mother when his car left the road and plunged into a dam. The boys, aged ten, seven...

Britain's best-selling historian writes the first definitive account of the famous televised SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980. On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens. A tense six-day siege...

THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE and THE JQ-WINGATE LITERARY PRIZE THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER ‘A monumental achievement: profoundly personal, told with love, anger and great precision’ - John le Carré ‘One of the most gripping and powerful books imaginable’ - SUNDAY TIMES In East West Street, international...

By the author of the international Number One bestsellers KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON and THE WAGER ‘Chilling . . . Poignant . . . Haunting and gripping . . . gets into worlds that are otherwise invisible to us’Daily Mail A Polish detective tries to determine whether an author planted clues to a real murder in his post-modern novel...

‘It’s the screaming that cuts you deepest, on your first night in prison. Screaming like someone is hurt. Like they need help. Like someone is dying.’ Wimbledon champion at 17, six-time Grand Slam winner and former world number one – Boris Becker achieved unparalleled success, fame and wealth throughout his tennis career. But in April 2022, everything changed when he...

Go Ask Alice is a harrowing and poignant diary chronicling a teenage girl’s tumultuous journey through adolescence and her unexpected plunge into the world of drug addiction. The story offers a deeply personal and unflinching look at the devastating effects substances can have on a young person’s life. Alice, the protagonist, embodies the typical fifteen-year-old girl. She is bright, full...

An unflinching exposé of Mohamed Al-Fayed’s 25-year reign at Harrods DECADES OF ABUSE. DOZENS OF VICTIMS. NO CONSEQUENCES. To the public, he was the eccentric owner of one of the world’s great department stores. But behind closed doors, Fayed ruled with cruelty, humiliation and unchecked abuse. Why were his crimes ignored? Why did those in power look the other way?...

The Secret Barrister is an evocative and eye-opening narrative that takes readers deep into the inner workings of the British legal system. Through the lens of a nameless barrister, the book reveals the harsh realities and dramatic moments that rarely escape the confines of the courtroom. This bestselling exposé is both poignant and darkly humorous, shedding light on the lives...

I propose to open my mind as wide as possible to allow my readers the first ever glimpse at South Central from my side of the gun, street, fence and wall. After pumping eight blasts from a sawed-off shotgun at a group of rival gang members, twelve-year-old Kody Scott was initiated into the L.A. gang the Crips. He quickly matured...

In this edition for young readers, A.B. Facey recounts the many lives he lived and the hardships he faced during the early 20th century. Bert Facey saw himself as an ordinary man, but his remarkable story reveals an extraordinary life. Facey was a battler, ever optimistic and hopeful despite the hardships of his life. A true classic of Australian literature,...

What big business has taught the drug lords. Everything drug cartels do to survive and prosper they've learnt from big business—brand value and franchising from McDonald's, supply chain management from Walmart, diversification from Coca-Cola. Whether it's human resourcing, R&D, corporate social responsibility, off-shoring, problems with e-commerce, or troublesome changes in legislation, the drug lords face the same strategic concerns as...

WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FACT CRIME SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NON-FICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY MARTIN SCORSESE STARRING LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND ROBERT DE NIRO ‘A riveting true story of greed, serial murder and racial injustice’ – JON KRAKAUER ‘A fiercely entertaining...

Fake Law by The Secret Barrister delves deep into the pervasive myths that cloud our understanding of the legal system. With a masterful blend of wit and erudition, the Secret Barrister unpacks the tangled mess of misinformation that is often perpetuated by the media and political figures. This compelling narrative addresses some of the most misunderstood and contentious legal questions...

The Outlaw Ocean by Ian Urbina takes readers on an eye-opening journey through the vast and often brutal expanse of our world's oceans. This gripping exploration reveals the untamed frontiers that lie beyond the reach of law and order, where human behaviour pushes extreme boundaries and criminality runs rampant. Urbina, through direct encounters and harrowing narratives, delves into this hidden...

In this updated version, Matthew Benns takes us back into the murky world of Australian horseracing. Dapper horse trainer Les Samba was in Melbourne for the annual yearling sales when he turned down an Italian meal with racing contacts saying, "I have to meet a bloke." Just hours later he was dead, blood pouring out of five bullet wounds to...

Four men in a lifeboat. Two weeks without food. One impossible choice that would reshape the boundaries between survival and murder. 'A perfect enunciation of the classic philosophical conundrum: can you sacrifice one innocent life to save many?' (Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi) On May 19, 1884, the yacht Mignonette sailed from England on what should have been...

Welcome to Hotel Kerobokan, the ironic name given to Bali's most notorious jail by its inmates. It's a bizarre nether world where murderers sleep alongside petty thieves, drug and alcohol addiction is rife, guards are corrupt and money talks. Into this hellhole have passed a procession of the infamous and the tragic: the Bali bombers, Gold Coast beautician Schapelle Corby,...

November 22, 2013, marks the 50th anniversary of a tragedy that has haunted America ever since. And now, by revealing information never published before, The Hidden History of JFK's Assassination pierces the enduring veil of secrecy to fully document the small, tightly held conspiracy that killed President John F. Kennedy. It explains why he was murdered and how it was...

‘DEVASTATING’ Daily Mail ‘FASCINATING’ Daily Telegraph ‘POIGNANT’ TLS The extraordinary story of Bep Voskuijl, Anne Frank’s closest friend during the 761 days she spent in the Secret Annex. Bep Voskuijl was just twenty-three when the Franks went into hiding and she risked her life to protect them, sourcing food and medicine under the noses of German soldiers and Dutch spies....

A masterpiece of narrative reporting and an explosive investigation into the history of Donald Trump's wealth, from two Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters—revealing how a man once thought to be too rich to fail became the biggest loser of all. Lucky Loser is an explosive investigation into the history of Trump's wealth, drawing on over twenty years' worth of Trump's confidential tax...

Welcome to Queensland, 1984. We hope you enjoy your day at the races. Brisbane, 1984. It all started with a simple plan to secretly swap a mediocre horse with a faster one, and rake in the cash with a few well-placed bets. What could possibly go wrong? In Fine Cotton Fiasco, Peter Hoysted and Pat Sheil brilliantly tell the scarcely...

Extraordinary storytelling about unfathomable horror. – Library Journal (starred review) [A] worthy tribute to the extraordinary bravery of a remarkable woman. – Publishers Weekly In World War II's Poland, thirty-year-old Zofia Sterner and her husband Wacek refuse to be classified as Jews destined for extermination. Instead, they evade the Nazis and the Soviets in several dramatic escapes and selflessly rescue...

This collection of heart-warming stories shares true accounts of some extra-special pups and celebrates the many ways dogs uplift and enrich our lives every day. Dive into these pages to meet some of the most incredible dogs and puppies who have touched the lives of their owners in unforgettable ways. From loyal service dogs who have helped their owners through...

What drives serial killers to commit their horrific crimes? Are sex crimes really motivated by sexual desire? Why do some killers stop killing, while others escalate? The science of personality theory has advanced dramatically in recent years, shedding new light on the inner workings of these criminals. In The Psychology of Notorious Serial Killers, professional counsellor Todd Grande applies personality...

Criminal justice systems are not designed to seek the truth. In places like Australia, court proceedings remain an adversarial blood sport at times distorted by smoke and mirrors or failed by individual shortcomings. Navigating it is difficult and uncertain for any one of us but more so if you are poor, not white – or not white enough – not...

In fifty years … nobody will then know anything about our troubles. 1939: Paul Kurz – engineer, refugee from Vienna and Dunera Boy – is separated from his wife, Paula, and his mother at the outbreak of World War II and interned in Australia. Late 1960s: An Australian student from an Irish Catholic family, railing against his father, struggling with...

The jaw-dropping story behind North Korea's dangerous cyber-criminals, the Lazarus Group, who hacked Hollywood and the world. In 2014, Sony Pictures Entertainment was brutally hacked, with thousands of computers wiped and the personal data of hundreds of employees released online. This was the world's first glance at the Lazarus Group, a shadowy consortium of hackers working on behalf of the...

Finding freedom behind the walls of San Quentin. That Bird Has My Wings by Jarvis Jay Masters is a poignant exploration of the human spirit's ability to find freedom even in the most confining circumstances. Written from death row in San Quentin State Prison, Masters eloquently reflects on his journey towards redemption and understanding. In this deeply moving autobiography, Masters...

The acclaimed book Oliver Stone called “the best account I have read of this tragedy and its significance,” JFK and the Unspeakable details not just how the conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy was carried out, but WHY it was done…and why it still matters today. At the height of the Cold War, JFK risked committing the greatest crime...

The Spider by Barry Levine explores the enigma that was Jeffrey Epstein. A Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist reveals never-before-reported details in this comprehensive account of the disgraced financier’s life, death, and criminal web, including the role of Ghislaine Maxwell. An ID Book Club Selection and featured in the Peacock original documentary series Epstein's Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell. By now, the basic contours...

A powerful story of how one man didn't let other people define him Bariz gifts us his truth-telling, delivered with unwavering optimism.' Matt Brown, author of She Is Not Your Rehab Beautifully written. Takes us right inside a young person's life and is ultimately uplifting in the way they take control of that life.' Kathryn Ryan, RNZ Nine to Noon...

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER From the bestselling author of The Taking of Jemima Boone, the unbelievable true story of a real-life Swiss Family Robinson (and their dog) who faced sharks, shipwreck, and betrayal. On December 10, 1887, a shark fishing boat disappeared. On board the doomed vessel were the Walkers—the ship’s captain Frederick, his wife Elizabeth, their three teenage sons, and their...

The shocking true story of how a British drug smuggler survived ten years in Ecuador's toughest prisons. Gato's head snapped back... We could make out the shots of several 9mms, a couple of 38s and one or two 45s. I hurled myself through the doorway and into the room. I didn't look back. Caught in an Ecuador hotel room with...

This is the against-all-odds story of Peter Norris, the son of one of Australia’s most wanted criminals, and his struggle to escape his father’s shadow. Born into a life of crime, Peter’s earliest memories are shaped by the chaos of his father’s criminal exploits. Torn from home to home and running from heist to heist, his childhood was marked by...

Panama, 1989. The once warm relationship between the United States and Gen. Manuel Noriega has eroded dangerously. Newly elected President George Bush has declared the strongman a drug trafficker and a rigger of elections. Intimidation on the streets is a daily reality for U.S. personnel and their families. The nation is a powder keg. Naval Investigative Service (NIS) Special Agent...

Inspired by the fortunes and misfortunes of the Getty family, whose most extraordinary and troubled episode – the kidnap and ransom of grandson Paul Getty – is now a major motion picture, directed by Ridley Scott, from a screenplay written by David Scarpa and starring Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer and Mark Wahlberg. When sixteen-year-old Paul Getty was kidnapped, the news...

The journey to the apex of power in the American corporate world is a narrative filled with ambition, cunning moves, and intricate relationships, as vividly captured in The Billionaire's Apprentice by Anita Raghavan. This compelling non-fiction book explores the rise of a generation of Indian-Americans who, through determination and intellect, carved a niche within the echelons of corporate America. The...

Death in Mud Lick by Eric Eyre is an enthralling and incisive work of investigative journalism that unravels the shocking narrative of the opioid epidemic in America. This heart-wrenching account dives deep into the world of corporate deceit and the devastating impact it has had on small Appalachian communities. Through the eyes of determined individuals and rigorous reporting, Eyre brings...

The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann immerses readers in a series of twelve real-life stories, each filled with as much suspense and wonder as any fictional tale. Grann takes us on an investigative journey that delves deep into the human psyche and illuminates the contrasting forces of good and evil that shape our world. The collection opens a...