It's been decades since Ted Bundy terrorized campuses and young women [1] across the country in what has come to be known as one of America's most prolific and gruesome crime sprees in history. And yet, long after Bundy's life ended in an electric chair, the public continues to be fascinated by the life and psychology of this killer. Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes [2] has terrified and fascinated viewers as the latest creepy Netflix true crime documentary [3], while Zac Efron's transformation into Bundy [4] for the upcoming biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile [5] has garnered similar reactions [6].
There's also been no shortage of books written about Bundy over the years. If you're looking for more information about Bundy, his life, and his crimes [7], try one of these books, sure to terrify and horrify you like the best true crime stories do!
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule
True-crime writer Rule crossed paths with Bundy in the early 1970s and maintained a friendly correspondence with him — only to eventually learn the truth of his life and crimes. The Stranger Beside Me [8] is Rule's own account of her relationship with the man she thought was her friend and details about his early life through to his killing spree.
Violent Mind: The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy by Al Carlisle
The sheer coldblooded nature of Bundy's crimes has made his twisted mind the subject of much fascination over the years. Dr. Al Carlisle was part of the team at the Utah State Prison that was assigned to evaluate Bundy and determine whether he had a violent personality, in order to help the judge decide on sentencing. Violent Mind [9] takes readers into Carlisle's process of determining the true extent of Bundy's capacity for violence.
Ted Bundy: Conversations With a Killer by Stephen G. Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth
Bundy's interactions with law enforcement spanned many years, all the way up to the days before his execution. In Conversations With a Killer [10], which inspired the recent Netflix documentary, Bundy made shocking confessions and revelations. The book documents Bundy's crimes in the killer's own chilling words.
The Trail of Ted Bundy: Digging Up the Untold Stories by Kevin Sullivan
Telling the stories of Ted Bundy's crime spree through the eyes of those who were affected firsthand, The Trail of Ted Bundy: Digging Up the Untold Stories [11] features interviews with friends and families of his victims, with insights about the people who were lost to his reign of terror. Bundy's own family and friends, as well as those who pursued him, are given a voice here as well, with never-before-told stories about the notorious killer.
Ted Bundy: The Horrific Story Behind America's Most Wicked Serial Killer by Ryan Becker
Figuring out how Ted Bundy became one of the most notorious serial killers in history is a fascinating, if frustrating, exercise. Ted Bundy: The Horrific Story Behind America's Most Wicked Serial Killer [12] attempts to do just that: explore the backstory of Bundy's life and examine how he managed to pass through life as a seemingly normal person, never hinting at the evil within.
The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History by Kevin M. Sullivan
Sullivan's The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History [13] tries to be the most thorough possible telling of Bundy's crime spree. With information drawn from legal documents, interviews, and letters, Sullivan pieces together a biography of a coldblooded killer and potentially uncovers brand-new information about some of the murders.
Ted Bundy: A Life From Beginning to End by Hourly History
Part of a series of books on true crime, Ted Bundy: A Life From Beginning to End [14] covers as much of Bundy's life as is known, from his childhood to the beginnings of his violence to his full-fledged crime streak. The book contrasts how Bundy seemed to be an average, even charming person with the horrific and remorseless nature of his crimes.