Private Eyes: Our 5 Best Detective Stories
Are you a true crime obsessive like I am? Buckle up. These epic investigations make Law & Order look like child's play.
I don’t know about y’all, but I cannot get enough of true crime detective shows. Yes, the setup is always the same: hotshot detective screws up in the big city, moves back to the small town he’s from just in time to find a body washed up on the beach, teams up with a local cop who seems out of her league but is inevitably much smarter than him; they both wear great sweaters while puzzling it out on cliffside walks and continually come *this close* to kissing. Sign me up! (BTW I need a new one so if you have a rec, drop it in the comments. I’ve already watched Broadchurch, Mare of Easttown, Prime Suspect, True Detective, Sherlock, Marcella, The Fall, Dublin Murders, Top of the Lake, The Valhalla Murders … er, and prob a bunch more than I have overlooked!)
Moving on — if you’re looking to pass the time before new detective shows come out with even more true crime galore, we’ve got plenty of reads for you. These are our five all-time most engrossing and fascinating Narratively detective stories.
1. America’s Most Flamboyant Private Eye and the 8,000-Mile Manhunt
Jay J. Armes is a legendary and controversial Texan investigator with hooks for hands and six decades chasing criminals. This was his most epic murder case ever.
2. The Missing Persons Investigator Who Went Missing Herself
Andrea Knabel spent countless hours searching for missing people. Then one day she was the one who disappeared. Her family and friends—and half the internet—are still searching.
3. The Artist, the Conman and the $15 Million Fraud
From imitation Gauguins to a piece of the true cross, how two small-town crooks fooled art collectors around the world and built an epic empire of fakes.
4. They Called Her Mrs. Sherlock Holmes
The mysterious case of the first female U.S. District Attorney, and the morbid murder investigation that put her on the map.
5. The Gutsy Undercover Cop Who Took Down Chicago P.D.’s Most Crooked Crew
A Black sergeant was the only one willing to take on a risky FBI mission targeting drug-dealer-extorting cops. He reveals how he did it—and why it was shut down before he got to the white guys.
Brendan Spiegel is Narratively’s Editorial Director and Co-founder.