9 Tragic True Crime Books Featuring Kids Gone Wrong

What leads kids to become killers?

Kids Who Kill Case 1: Joshua Phillips
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  • Photo Credit: Book Cover: Kids Who Kill Case 1: Joshua Phillips by Kathryn McMaster

Family can be one of the most stressful aspects of the holiday season. The way your siblings know how to push all your buttons. How your childhood home shrank three sizes since last year and it’s impossible to find three seconds of peace. The aggravation of dealing with that one uncle—you know who we mean.

But the one set of family members that can make things particularly taxing are the youngsters. The over-excited squeals fueled by an energy store that never ends. Surly teenagers that speak a perplexing language of slang that’s barely decipherable. And don’t forget the sugar crashing tantrums. 

It all adds up to the perfect excuse to dive into some true crime as a distraction. All murder is tragic and horrifying, but when these crimes are committed by children, they are especially heartbreaking. We’ve found nine true crime novels featuring the tragic stories of kids who’ve killed. 

Related: 17 Killer Kids Who Will Change the Way You See Children