Find 8 works selected by Monaco librarians to accompany you during your vacation.
The appeal of crime stories has never ceased to captivate the public’s imagination. Appearing during the second half of the 20th century, true crime, a literary genre, relates real legal cases and raises, in many ways, many questions and a single desire in the reader: to know the end of the story.
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Sophie and Nathalie, both working at the Monaco media library, have put together a selection of books, films, mini-series and comics to explore this dark and fascinating universe, by the water, in the city or in the countryside to end this month of August.
Livres
In Cold Blood – Truman Capote
© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
A true masterpiece that launched the genre, In cold blood immerses the reader in the true story of the murder of the Clutter farm family in Kansas in 1959. Truman Capote describes in detail the events that led to this crime, the investigations and the trials, offering an in-depth analysis of the criminals and American society at the time.
« Truman Capote went to see the two young prisoners to question them. “, Sophie explains to us. “ He did a real investigative job without taking sides. It’s up to the reader to form their own opinion! ” she continues, full of enthusiasm.
Laëtitia or the end of men – Ivan Jablonka
© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
Ivan Jablonka, historian and writer, traces in this book the tragic destiny of Laëtitia Perrais, a young girl ” abducted near her home and murdered » in 2011. Through a rigorous investigation and a poignant story, the author examines the dysfunctions of society and justice, and questions violence against women.
« For two years the author met the family, the relatives, attended the trial of the murderer in 2015. He finally studied this news item as an object of history “, Sophie tells us before ending by saying that this book is ” at the border between history, literature and social sciences. »
To finish convincing you, the book was critically acclaimed when it was released and even won the Prix Médicis and the Prix littéraire du Monde.
The Red Sweater – Gilles Perrault
© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
This book looks back at the Christian Ranucci case, one of the last people sentenced to death and guillotined in 1976 for the kidnapping and murder of Marie-Dolorès Rambla. The author Gilles Perrault, a journalist, lawyer and writer, conducts a meticulous investigation that highlights the gray areas and possible miscarriages of justice in this emblematic case of the death penalty in France.
« At the time of his execution, Ranucci retracted his confession. “, Sophie explains to us. Originally from Nice, the alleged murderer ” leaves Marseille, causes an accident and rather than stopping, he runs away. “Many people testified against him, but the testimonies were never reliable. What if, as Gilles Perrault demonstrates and against all expectations, he was not the guilty one and he had been executed unjustly?
The Black Dahlia – James Ellroy
© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
« Both a true story and a detective novel “, The Black Dahlia is one of those classics to read. James Ellroy tells the story of the unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947. The author weaves a complex plot where fiction and reality intertwine, offering a dark portrait of Los Angeles and its darkest corners between the underworld, prostitution and crooked cops.
« 1947, the police found a completely dismembered woman on a vacant lot. This famous woman was called Elisabeth Short, she was 22 years old and she was a starlet. » introduces Sophie. The story is based on a true crime case that has never been solved until now. More than 50 people have confessed to committing this murder but who is the real killer?
Movie and mini-series
For several years, video-on-demand platforms have been riding the wave of success, offering here and there series dedicated to serial killers or docu-fictions. If Nathalie had to choose only two works, she would choose:
Until They Find the Body – Rémi Lainé and Pascale Robert-Diard
This three-part mini-series revisits one of the soap operas that shook our region: the mysterious disappearance of Agnès Leroux, the daughter of the owners of the Casino Le Ruhl in Nice. Before disappearing, she had given 3 million francs to her lover.
To this day, the body has still not been found. It’s really great, completely breathtaking. It’s impossible not to watch all three episodes in a row “, Nathalie tells us.
The mini-series is available on the digital media library.
The Goldman Trial – Cédric Kahn
This film retraces the high-profile trial of Pierre Goldman, accused of several robberies in the 1970s. It offers an immersion into the courtrooms, revealing the defense and prosecution strategies, and questions the notion of justice surrounding Jean-Jacques Goldman’s brother.
It is also available in the digital media library and the video library.
Comics
Weegee – Max of Radigues
© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
This comic book traces the life and career of Weegee, a famous New York press photographer of the 1930s and 1940s, known for his striking photographs of crime scenes orchestrated by the mafia during the interwar period. Through plates inspired by Weegee’s life, ” we fall into prohibition » and the dark years in New York as Nathalie explains to us.
As a little bonus, the comic contains a documentary file at the end to learn more about this talented photographer and journalist through his real photos.
Thou shalt not kill – Christophe Hondelatte
© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
You shall not kill is a comic strip adaptation of a series of radio chronicles by Christophe Hondelatte. This comic strip looks at a dozen criminal cases that have marked French legal news. Each chapter explores a particular news story that is more or less crazy. Deputy of a FN mayor, 38th richest person in France, homeless man in love with Brassens, small-time drug dealer, each case is depicted with a certain humor.
