Crime Files Books in Order
Part ofAnn Rule Books in OrderThe Crime Files series by Ann Rule collects gripping true crime accounts, featuring feature-length cases alongside shorter files from her investigative archives.
Last updated: December 15, 2025
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Publication Order
17 books
Lying in Wait and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2014
A collection focused on premeditated crimes and ambushes. Rule details cases where killers patiently stalked their victims or laid traps, highlighting the calculated nature of their malice.
Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2012
This anthology examines the danger next door. The cases focus on community tragedies where the killer was a familiar face—a neighbor, a coworker, or a friend.
Don't Look Behind You
by Ann Rule
2011
A collection of hidden dangers and secret lives. The stories illustrate how the past can come back to haunt the present, and how predators often hide in plain sight.
But I Trusted You and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2009
Stories of ultimate betrayal by friends, lovers, and colleagues. Rule focuses on the shock and devastation that follows when a trusted companion turns out to be a killer.
Mortal Danger and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2008
A collection about high-stakes risks and fatal outcomes. These files cover cases where victims found themselves in perilous situations, often unaware of the mortal danger lurking in their everyday lives.
Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2007
Accounts of con artists and manipulators who created false realities to entrap their victims. The stories reveal how easily intelligence and kindness can be exploited by those without a conscience.
No Regrets and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2006
This volume spotlights killers who refused to admit guilt or show sorrow. Rule examines the chilling mindset of criminals who justify their actions regardless of the evidence against them.
Worth More Dead and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2005
A collection focusing on greed as a motive for murder. The central cases involve spouses and family members who decided that an insurance payout was more valuable than a human life.
Kiss Me, Kill Me and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2004
Stories of romance turned lethal. This anthology looks at relationships that began with passion and ended in violence, highlighting the warning signs that were missed until it was too late.
Last Dance, Last Chance
by Ann Rule
2001
This volume features the bizarre case of a doctor who poisoned his wife, among other stories. Rule explores how desperate individuals try to dance around the truth to escape justice.
Empty Promises and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
2001
A collection of cases where trust was met with betrayal. The stories focus on victims who believed the lies of those closest to them, leading to devastating and often fatal consequences.
A Rage to Kill and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
1999
A Crime Files anthology exploring the minds of killers who snap. The collection delves into the psychology of sudden violence, including the story of a bus driver whose secret life led to the abduction of a child.
The End of the Dream
by Ann Rule
1998
The saga of Scott Scurlock, known as the "Hollywood Bandit," who lived a double life as a charismatic ecologist and a prolific bank robber. His spree ended in a violent shootout that shattered the lives of his friends.
In the Name of Love and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
1998
Features the case of Jerry Harris, a wealthy businessman who vanished, leaving his wife to hunt for the truth. Rule uncovers a plot of betrayal by a trusted friend who coveted Harris's life and fortune.
A Fever in the Heart and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
1996
A collection focusing on crimes of passion, jealousy, and fatal attractions. The headline case involves a love triangle that turned deadly, showcasing how intense emotions can drive otherwise ordinary people to violence.
You Belong to Me and Other True Crime Cases
by Ann Rule
1994
This collection leads with the case of Tim Harris, a Florida highway patrolman who swore to protect but became a predator. Other cases explore the dark side of obsession and the fatal consequences of possessive love.
A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases
by Ann Rule
1993
The first volume in the Crime Files series features the case of Randy Roth, a mechanic whose wives had a habit of dying in tragic accidents. It also includes other accounts of killers who hid behind a mask of normalcy.
Series background & context
Ann Rule was a writer who simply knew too much to fit it all into standard-length books. Throughout her career, she amassed a staggering archive of cases—thousands of files on disappearances, betrayals, and homicides that she followed closely, often for years. She attended trials, interviewed detectives, and corresponded with families. While some of these investigations evolved into her famous comprehensive blockbusters, many others were just as gripping but didn't require four hundred pages to tell.
The Crime Files series became the perfect home for these stories.
Instead of letting these cases fade away in a filing cabinet, Rule curated them into highly readable, thematic collections. The format is distinct and consistent across the series. Each volume typically anchors around one "feature" story, which reads like a novella. This headline piece allows her to dive deep into a specific, complex investigation, peeling back layers of deception just as she would in a full-length biography. She walks the reader through the initial crime scene, the often-frustrating police work, and the eventual courtroom drama.
Following the main feature, she rounds out each book with a selection of shorter, sharper accounts drawn from her extensive archives.
These shorter pieces often hark back to her early days writing for detective magazines, where every word had to count and the pacing was relentless. In this series, you get the full spectrum of criminal psychology without the time commitment of a massive tome. She covers everything from crimes of passion and deadly love triangles to cold-blooded contract killings and elaborate con games. Whether it was a case involving a wealthy doctor, a drifter, or a housewife, she treated every subject with the same level of meticulous care.
She had a specific talent for spotting the cracks in the facade of seemingly perfect lives.
It isn’t just about the shock of the violent act, though. In these collections, Rule sketches personalities quickly, highlighting the tragic turning points that turned ordinary people into victims or killers. She focuses on the psychology of the "sociopath next door"—the idea that danger often comes from those we trust the most. Because the stories are shorter, the tension is often more concentrated, moving the reader rapidly from one investigation to the next.
For many, these books offer the most accessible entry point into her work. They deliver the intensity of Rule’s reporting and her compassionate voice in bite-sized installments. It is a testament to her work ethic and empathy that she refused to leave these stories untold, ensuring that even the smaller cases received the justice of being remembered.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.































Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts