Counterfeiters, imposters, swindlers, robbers - most of them villains, and a few who are actually heroic - all of them fascinating! 

 Presented here are some of the most enthralling true-crime books listed roughly in order of the type of villainy. From top to bottom: forgers, frauds, grifters, and thieves. Of course, there are gray areas: some books encompass a couple - or all four - categories.  (And, should a hacker be classified as a forger, a fraud, a grifter, or a thief?)

Looking for more true-crime books? You'll find them here:

• Organized Crime
• Cybercrime
• Murder
• Abductions, Kidnappings & Missing Persons
• Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions
• Criminals & Outlaws
• Heists & Robberies
• White Collar Crime