I would say 'In Cold Blood' is quite disturbing too. The senseless killing of the Clutter family in their own home was just tragic. The way Capote described the crime scene and the investigation makes it very real and hard to forget. It shows how cold - blooded killers can be, with no real motive other than perhaps some twisted idea in their minds.
The complete disregard for human life is the most disturbing. Serial killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer saw their victims as objects, not people. They could end a life without any remorse.
Well, 'The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer' is extremely disturbing. It details the sickening crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, from his murders to his grotesque behavior with the bodies. Another is 'Ed Gein: Psycho' which goes into the real - life story of Ed Gein, who inspired many horror movie characters like Norman Bates and Leatherface. His actions were truly nightmarish.
Ed Gein's story is truly terrifying. He was the inspiration for movies like 'Psycho' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. Gein had a very disturbed relationship with his mother. After her death, he started to dig up bodies of recently - buried middle - aged women who resembled his mother. He used their body parts to create things like furniture and clothing.
Definitely 'The Silence of the Lambs'. It has been extremely popular and was also made into a very successful movie. Hannibal Lecter has become an iconic fictional serial killer.
Aileen Wuornos. She was a female serial killer. She targeted men who she believed had wronged her in some way. She shot them at close range while they were in their vehicles. Her story is disturbing as it shows how a person can be driven to extreme violence by past traumas.
'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson also has elements of a serial killer mystery. While it's not solely about a serial killer, the search for a killer in the story is a major plot point. It combines mystery, crime, and complex characters to create a page - turning novel.
There's 'The Stranger Beside Me' by Ann Rule. Rule actually knew Ted Bundy personally before she realized he was a serial killer, and her book provides a very in - depth look into his life and crimes. These books are not only about the gruesome acts but also often explore the psychological aspects of serial killers.
Often, they have a lack of empathy. For example, Ted Bundy was charming on the outside but had no real regard for his victims' lives. They may also have a history of childhood trauma, like many serial killers had difficult upbringings.
'Deliver Us from Evil' is another one. It was based on the casebook of a New York police sergeant who investigated some very strange and seemingly supernatural crimes. The way the movie shows the evil forces at work and the helplessness of the people involved is what makes it so disturbing.
The case of the Manson Family murders is extremely disturbing. Charles Manson led his cult followers to brutally kill several people in 1969. The senseless violence and the fact that it was carried out by a group of people following a madman is truly scary.