Time of Death: The Early Era of True Crime

Abstract

This chapter considers the origins of True Crime and forms a timeline of its development through to contemporary media outlets. This begins with a discussion of murder ballads, through to the establishment of broadside ballads, broadsheets, and Newgate Novels. In tandem, a timeline of consumerism is also outlined to exhibit the (British) public’s consistent appetite for medias detailing especially violent crimes. The tautology of True Crime is introduced here, explaining a genre that is self-validating through its titling and positioning within a wider genre framework—namely, its placement in nonfiction. The utilisation of truth is considered as a feature not wholly present in True Crime narration. The resultant dissemination of misinformation to reading audiences is outlined as a considerable social consequence of True Crime’s existing genre structuring.