True crime is a genre synonymous with blood, but murder isn’t the only kind of crime. Nonviolent true crime books are a great introduction to the genre if you’re not interested in reading about serial killers, and they’re also good variety if bloody true crime reads are your usual fare. That’s why task #22 of the 2026 Read Harder Challenge is “Read a nonviolent true crime book.”
Here are eight to get you started, including feather thieves, art forgers, book burglars, white-collar criminals, and more.
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Con/Artist: The Life and Crimes of the World’s Greatest Art Forger by Tony Tetro, with Giampiero AmbrosiArt forgery is one of those crimes it’s hard for me to be too mad about. After all, I’m never going to be in the position to buy a Rembrandt. Those who do probably got their filthy lucre through the exploitation of other’s labors, so I’ll be over here playing the world’s smallest violin to accompany their suffering. Tony Tetro’s story of forging art that ended up in such esteemed places as King Charles III’s collection is a wild and cinematic ride. It’s up to you to decide how much is true and whether Tetro’s holding back even more secrets. —Isabelle Popp |
 Diamond Doris: True Story of the World’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief by Doris Payne, with Zelda LockhartIn her own words, Doris Payne describes her decades as a jewel thief. Starting when she was young, Payne was determined to rise out of her situation as a poor Black girl during the Depression. Her life of crime started when she was kicked out of a jewelry store by a racist owner, and she discovered she had a knack for boosting gems. Over six decades, she stole from all over the world, fencing the jewels for profit and even selling some to Hollywood celebrities. Even more amazing, Payne was suspected or arrested multiple times in her career and had more than one prison break to her name. She was caught stealing as recently as 2015 when she was 84! —Liberty Hardy |
All Access members, read on for six more nonviolent true crime books.
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