The Penge Mystery: the murder of Harriet Staunton

In 1877, Harriet Staunton's husband and three others were accused of starving her to death and lurid newspaper reports of the Penge murder trial held the nation's rapt attention. A bestselling novel about the affair – written in 1934 and now republished – proves as gripping today

Death in Perugia: The Definitive Account of the Meredith Kercher Case by John Follain – review

A detailed retelling of the Meredith Kercher case by a journalist involved from the start makes for a gripping read, writes Tobias Jones

Iphigenia in Forest Hills: Anatomy of a Murder Trial by Janet Malcolm – review

Simple stories can result in wrong verdicts, says Elizabeth Gumport

Mr Briggs’ Hat: A Sensational Account of Britain’s First Railway Murder by Kate Colquhoun – review

After a juddering start, Kate Colquhoun's account of the first murder on the British railway really gets going, writes Andrew Martin

Iphigenia in Forest Hills: Anatomy of a Murder Trial by Janet Malcolm – review

Janet Malcolm's pitiless examination of a murder trial leaves Rachel Cooke with a nagging sense of unease

Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragoso – review

This memoir somehow manages to make its controversial subject matter dreary

People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry – review

Ten years ago Lucie Blackman vanished while working in Tokyo. Now a devastating account tells her story in full. By Geoff Dyer

The Invention of Murder by Judith Flanders – review

Judith Flanders's history of Britain's fascination with murder provides a highly enjoyable romp through classic Victorian homicides Andrew Anthony

Leonardo DiCaprio secures rights to book of first serial killer in the US

The star of Titanic has secured rights to a book detailing the horrific story of a man who killed and dissected up to 200 people

Dominick Dunne

Obituary: American writer best known for his investigations into the crimes of the rich and famous

Miss Marple’s final case: real-life crime mystery of late Oscar-winning actor

Former soprano, employed by Dame Rutherford as companion, forged will

True crime: stranger than journalism

Murder they wrote: when writers' crime stories catch up with them

OJ and that ‘weird gap’

If I Did It, OJ Simpson's 'confession', has been a bestseller in the States; but should it have been published, asks Duncan Campbell