Author Guide · True Crime
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In 1948 an eleven-year-old girl named Sally Horner was abducted from Camden, New Jersey, and held for nearly two years before she was rescued. A few years later Vladimir Nabokov referred to her case in Lolita. Sarah Weinman, a crime writer and critic, reconstructed Sally's life and the way her story was absorbed into the novel. Her second book is about a convicted murderer who won his freedom with the help of the conservative writer William F. Buckley Jr. This guide covers both of her books and the anthologies she edited.
By Lisanne Swart · 2 books · True crime · 2018–2022 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Sarah Weinman has published two books: The Real Lolita (2018), about the abduction of Sally Horner, and Scoundrel (2022), about a killer who charmed his way to freedom. She has also edited several anthologies of crime writing by women.
Where to Start with Sarah Weinman
If you want the famous one
→ The Real Lolita (2018).
If you want the most recent
→ Scoundrel (2022).
All 2 Sarah Weinman Books, in Order
The Real Lolita
The 1948 abduction of Sally Horner and her rescue, and how Nabokov drew on her case for Lolita.
Scoundrel
Edgar Smith, convicted of a murder in 1957, persuaded William F. Buckley Jr. and others of his innocence and won release, with consequences that followed.
How Many Books Did Sarah Weinman Write?
Two books, in 2018 and 2022, besides anthologies she edited.
- True crime — both books. Read the entries →
- Edited — listed further down. See the full list →
In What Order to Read Sarah Weinman
The two books stand alone.
A reading path
1. The Real Lolita (2018)
2. Scoundrel (2022)
Everything Else Sarah Weinman Wrote: The Full List
Anthologies she edited.
Open a form with the + to see every book in it.
As editor
3
3 books · 2013–2020
- 2013Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wivesstories by women crime writers
- 2015Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s and '50sLibrary of America
- 2020Unspeakable Actstrue-crime journalism
Quick facts about Sarah Weinman
- Work
- Crime writer, editor and critic
- Newsletter
- The Crime Lady
- Books
- 2, in 2018 and 2022
How Sarah Weinman Writes: Crime and Literature
Weinman works where true crime meets literary history, showing how real cases shape the stories we tell.
She reconstructs forgotten lives from archives, court records and interviews, and pays close attention to the victims.
Frequently asked questions about Sarah Weinman's books
How many books has Sarah Weinman written?
Sarah Weinman has published two books: The Real Lolita (2018) and Scoundrel (2022).
What is The Real Lolita about?
It tells the story of Sally Horner, abducted in 1948, and how her case influenced Nabokov's Lolita.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all hers.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
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