Ann Rule Books In Order

Publication Order of Crime Files Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Ann Rule was an American true crime writer and author who passed away in 2015. She had worked profiling some of the most heinous killers of the twentieth century in what has come to be known as her signature accessible style. With a number of books written under her name, her brand is still going strong to this day and that’s a trend that shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Early and Personal Life

The child of one Sophie Marie Hansen and Chester R. Stackhouse, Ann Rule was one of their two children born in Lowell, Michigan on the 22nd of October, 1930. With her father working as a sports coach and her mother a specialist in child development focusing on the disabled, she grew up in the local area there until she attended university. Surrounded by members of law enforcement from a young age, she was to gain a keen interest in crime early on. Her uncle and grandfather had been working as sheriffs for the local area, whilst her other uncle happened to be a medical examiner along with her cousin who worked as a prosecutor. This helped to sow the seeds of her interests, a fascination which grew during her time as a volunteer at the nearby local county jail.

Graduating from Coatesville High School, she then went onto attend the University of Washington, which is where she was to gain her degree in creative writing, whilst getting minors in psychology, criminology and penology. Later on she took further criminology courses at Highline Community College, futhering her awareness within the field. This all led her to her career as an accomplished chronicler of true crime.

Writing Career

Starting out as an officer operating within the Seattle Police Department, she would gain first-hand experience within the field, which she would then later use. At the beginning of her writing career itself she would go under the pseudonym of Andy Stack as she wrote for publications such as ‘True Detective’ amongst other periodicals, a career which she begun in 1969. This was to then lead her to her first book in 1980 with ‘The Stranger Beside Me’ which featured her gritty expose of serial killer Ted Bundy. She wrote this using her name, as her career as a prolific true crime writer was to follow.

Although she wrote her next three books under her original pen-name of Andy Stack, she soon went back to her own name once success picked up. Later she was to receive many accolades for her contributions to the arena of crime writing in the twentieth century, notably one from the ‘Library of America’ when they chose to select her story titled ‘Young Love’, which had been featured in her ‘Empty Promises’ anthology, for their true crime retrospective. Many more awards and praise were to follow as she gained recognition during a True Crime Zine poll from its readers, citing her work as some of the best of 2012 with her book ‘Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors and Other True Cases’. All of this has led to her becoming one of the most prominent voices within her genre as she’s provided much to advance it, something which she aims to continue doing in the many years to come.

The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story

This was the first book from Ann Rule, a shocking expose of serial killer Ted Bundy that was originally published in 1980. Setting up her career it helped establish the overall and somewhat controversial tone of her to follow. With a wide-range of accolades from all corners, nobody could deny the impact that this book was to have.

As the book begins with Ann Rule on the trail of a serial killer committing a series of shocking crimes across the country, she attempts to chart his progress along with the implications of the aftermath in the wake of these most evil crimes. Soon it turns out though that the killer is none other than Ted Bundy, someone known well by Ann Rule as she considered him a close friend at the tme. Unknown to her at the time, it also manages to deal with these shocking revelations as she comes to terms with her own feelings based on the case. An autobiographical book chronicling both their accounts, it leaves nothing out as Rule strictly adheres to the accuracy which she has come to base much of her reputation on. Looking at the facts, she takes down the real life accounts of those involved in the case first-hand. With a degree of sensitivity, Ann Rule seeks to examine what exactly happened and why, along with the fallout of the series of events that occured at the hands of Bundy. Later made into a TV movie, this non-fiction novel was to have an impact that has resonated ever since it was first published.

Dead By Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?

By now a fully acclomplished author of true crime novels, this particular book was originally published in 1995 on the 1st of October. Writing under her own name again, this account from Rule was a confident account from the now bestselling writer. Featuring the case of another killer, it charts the court case focusing on the facts and evidence in the aftermath of a brutal murder.

Looking at Brad Cunningham, it tells the story of a man who killed his wife Cheryl Keeton, an attorney, as her body is found brutally bludgeoned inside her van. Similar to Bundy, Cunningham is a charismatic man whose ability to lure women to their deaths is frightening as it is real, something which Rule seeks to capture with her now trademarked strict attention to detail. Focusing on the Cunningham and his skill at manipulation, it charts his ability to coordinate himself and keep a mask on at all times, whilst using his powers of persuasion on others. Having become his own lawyer, it examines the ego of the man and how he manages to keep face during his own trial. Understanding the behavior of a sociopath is something which Ann Rule has become very adept at and this book is no exception.

6 Responses to “Ann Rule”

1. Debbie T: 7 months ago

   Have just discovered Ann Rule books in the last year and hope to have all her books soon. Ann is an incredible writer and tells the truth in all her books. I loved reading The End of The Dream about the bank robber Scott Scurlock which is now a made for tv show on Netflix called How To Rob a Bank.

   Reply
2. Mo: 3 years ago

   Does anyone know which Ann Rule book dealt with a person that started out as a stereo deter in Salem Oregon and then went on to murder

   Reply
   • Ellen: 3 years ago

     The man was Jerome Brudos. Ann Rule wrote about him in “Lust Killer”.

     Reply
3. Alan R. Henry: 4 years ago

   I love her work. Does anyone have any information of two 1960 murders in Seattle? An art museum owner killed his wife and daughter, and dismembered them. No combination of words I type in gets any results. Thank you.

   Reply
   • CherCee: 2 years ago

     Try Smoke, Mirrors, & Murder

     Reply
4. Nancy: 9 years ago

   Ann Rule: One of the best if not THE best true crime writer ever. Also, one of the most prolific. Dead by Sunset and Never Let Her Go were two of the best among many. She will be missed!

   Reply