If You Love The Thing About Pam, Here Is The Book You Should Read

For a few years now, the popularity of true crime has increased, driving Hollywood to fictionalize some of these horrifying yet addicting stories for both the big and small screen. "The Thing About Pam" is one of the countless shows produced to feed the true crime obsession of the masses.

The dramatic NBC mini-series, starring Renée Zellweger and Josh Duhamel, is based on the real-life murder of Betsy Faria (via NBC). Her husband, Russ, though convicted of the crime, vehemently claims his innocence. Over six episodes, the show explores the possible involvement of Betsy's best friend, Pam Hupp, through shocking twists and turns. Zellweger plays the titular character, a small-town Missouri villain with wicked intelligence.

Pam's lies and generally diabolical nature take the series on an interesting path as her mistruths mount up and back her into a corner. The story is one of deception, betrayal, and one truly vicious woman.

If you enjoyed the mystery and suspense of "The Thing About Pam," read "The Lies I Tell" by Julie Clark. The New York Times best-selling author's mystery novel follows con artist Meg Williams as she moves from town to town, deceiving locals as she goes. She becomes who people want her to be as a way to gain access to their lives and take everything that they hold dear. As she sheds her previous identities, reinventing herself as Maggie Littleton and Melody Wilde, one of her victims sees through her chameleon nature and aims to seek revenge.

Pam Hupp and Meg Williams share an evil nature with a tendency to fib and finesse in order to get what they want. Although "The Lies I Tell" is a fictionalized story, it will still fulfill the desires of any true crime lover (via Reader's Digest). One of Meg's victims, Kat Roberts, waits one long decade to get close to her again. As she does, she finds herself confused about Meg's intentions, putting herself in danger of repeating past mistakes.

If you're a true crime fan looking for a new read, "Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York" by Elon Green stands out amongst releases for the sole fact that it tells the stories of the victim, refusing to turn a murderer into a pop culture phenomenon (via NPR). The novel, which won the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, details the horrific murders committed by the real-life serial killer the media dubbed the "Last Call Killer." He preyed on gay men who sought solace at queer bars in the middle of the AIDS crisis in New York, and Green's book is a commitment to telling the stories of victims whose stories did not garner the attention they deserved at the time

Dave Cullen's "Columbine" explores the genesis of the abhorrent American phenomenon of school shootings (via The New York Times). The Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist and Barnes & Noble Discover Award winner uncovers the motives of the Columbine shooters while also sharing the stories of the students, teachers, and parents affected by the tragedy. As a journalist who helped cover the shooting, Cullen goes beyond the misconceptions of the shooting to try to make sense of what truly occurred.

If neither of these titles strike your fancy, you can always try one of these thrillers to read on your weekend getaway.