3 New & Notable Nonfiction Books to Read

by MK French

Are you a true crime buff or love history? I don't often review nonfiction, but these three books are worth the read, even if it isn't your usual thing.

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The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan

July 2025; Random House; 978-0593733226
audio, ebook, print (336 pages); true crime

In 2020, Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole discover they all have a love of true crime. Feeling lost as they figure out a path through motherhood, they talk about a mysterious double homicide that took place in their hometown a decade earlier. The four women have no connection to the case and no law enforcement background, but they feel the need to start investigating. They look into the files, the locations, and literally dig for evidence where the bodies were found. They are soon in real danger, especially when they find evidence that takes the cold case to a blazing hot one.

This is a novelization of a real investigation into the cold case, so we find out as much about the four women's histories and the circumstances leading to the investigation as we do if the investigation itself. They were trapped by the pandemic as well as a little bored with nothing but motherhood to fill up the day, so they got a chance to fulfill their true crime interests. 

As the four women progress through their investigation, we get a similar sense of tension and frustration as detectives do. We're with them every step, seeing what it really takes to do this, which novels generally gloss over. While some details were changed (names, physical descriptions, the bank names) to protect the family members and the four detectives, the story outlines what the women did, how determined they were, and what they think happened the night in question. It's a compelling story and drew me in right along with them.

Buy The Carpool Detectives at Amazon

The Gods of New York by Jonathan Mahler

August 2025; Random House; 978-0525510635
audio, ebook, print (464 pages); history

New York City in 1986 had record Wall Street highs and also record homelessness, AIDS victims, drug addicted, and people suffering from mental illness. One-third of Black and Hispanic people were below the poverty line. Racial tensions were high in the city, and the next four years were a swirling time of newsworthy events and high-profile figures, each hoping to shape the city into their personal visions.

Giving away a bit of my age here, but I was drawn to this book because I was a child living in New York City during the period covered by this book. Of course, kids don't pay attention to the news; they just want parents to let them watch cartoons. But even in that time, I was aware of the names Tawana Brawley, the Central Park Jogger, Ed Koch, Donald Trump, Al Sharpton, and Spike Lee. I didn't know about the movement to deinstitutionalize the mentally ill without funding the community services they would need, the slashing of resources from the federal government under Reagan, or the way laws were reinterpreted to allow commercial buildings and expensive housing to be built instead of tenement renovation. The era is outlined in a factual way, outlining a picture of the city with both incredibly rich and incredibly poor people packed into the five boroughs. 

There's an incredible amount of detail in each year depicted. It flows so smoothly, really giving a sense of the historical events leading up to the early 80s. It's fascinating for me to read, giving context to the bits I was aware of as a kid, and fleshing out what adults at the time were dealing with. The names dropped here with regularity were famous in the City, and often nationwide as well. While they're not exactly humanized here since it's not their biography, we get context for their concerns and actions as well. These are real people, after all, and they had their own plans and goals. The extensive research puts you into the City without judgment and lets you draw your own conclusions about the major players of the period. 

Buy The Gods of New York at Amazon

Anatomy of a Con Artist by Johnathan Walton

August 2025; Rodale Books; 978-0593797167
audio, ebook, print (256 pages); criminology

Walton was scammed out of nearly $100,000 by a con artist, and the police could do nothing about it. Using his own investigative skills, he built up a case that the authorities couldn't ignore. Walton got his con artist charged, prosecuted, and convicted, then devoted his life to helping other victims do the same.

Everyone always thinks they're too smart to fall for a scam, but that's not how they operate. It's an emotional grab, and the scammer is betting on the victim being too ashamed to do anything about it, especially when police and the legal system are difficult to maneuver. This book outlines the fourteen red flags of a con in a clear, conversational style. It's full of examples for each red flag, unfortunately, for the people caught in those schemes. Equally unfortunate, this kind of crime isn't one that police or DAs tend to go after. Once scammed, most people never get their money back.

With the traits outlined in this book, Jonathan Walton hopes to teach people how to be more cautious, and he urges people not to feel shame if duped, but to come forward. There are people falling for scams every day. Hopefully, you aren't one of them.

Buy Anatomy of a Con Artist at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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