True Crime, post-pandemic and reinvented nostalgia: current attraction

Post-pandemic made it clear that the reader wants themes that explain fear with clarity and reality. As an author and publisher, I have seen for years how these narratives move sales and touch emotions. True crime is not just crime, it is a mirror of our society. In 2025, true crime and crime novels will grow 18% compared to 2023 in Spain, according to industry data. Planeta, Salamandra and RBA are expanding their true-crime catalogues with monthly releases, evidence of sustained demand. Carles Porta's Crims series and his podcasts have crossed formats, surpassing 2 million listeners per season in 2024 and 2025, proof that the multimedia format feeds curiosity and loyalty. As an agency and publisher, I see carriers of stories that connect trauma, uncertainty and survival. The pandemic left a gap of themes that explore failures of the justice system and social responses to crises. People don't just want to see crimes, they want to understand why they happen and what is wrong with the institutions that should prevent them. This explains the rise of real cases and also of dystopias that function as a controlled release valve. Reinvented nostalgia comes in two ways. On the one hand, revisiting past epochs with a critical eye, on the other, constructing possible futures based on the mistakes of the present.

In practical terms, thenostalgia works when it serves to question the status quo, not to aggrandise it. In the Spanish market, since 2021, more than 30% of the best-selling works have dealt with global crises, apocalypses or social reconstruction, according to FGEE. This figure is no coincidence: it is a sign that readers want to learn from uncertainty, not run away from it. Let's talk about what people want to read when they go looking for post-apocalypses. They need realism, solid research and tangible consequences. Spectacular scenarios are not enough, the interest lies in the decisions of characters in the face of collapse, in how the economy, justice and support networks suffer or are reorganised. In this sense, self-publishing and co-publishing proposals are gaining ground when they allow the author to publish without ties and maintain control of the project, something essential for works that demand veracity and responsibility. The publishing market is adjusting its offer to these post-pandemic sensibilities. There is a notable increase in manuscripts about true crime, collective trauma and dystopias, and agencies see opportunities to turn these proposals into books that can then be expanded into podcasts, documentaries or series. This is not a fad, it is a rights diversification strategy (ISBN, rights (a publishing industry term that refers to the rights to exploit a work (ISBN, rights) to sell and adapt to multiple formats and markets). And here the key is clarity of contract and transparency of costs: there is no hidden fee if the author understands the business.

As a practitioner, the key is to connect rigorous research with an honest narrative voice. Today's reader wants to see processes, not just results. They want to understand how a society is rebuilt after a crisis and what lessons can be learned to avoid past mistakes. That requires in-depth research, interviews, archives and, yes, writing techniques that maintain tension without sacrificing verisimilitude. At Infinity Ideas Studio, we help turn those investigations into novels or chronicles that meet editorial standards while remaining true to the reporting experience. Another practical point: the demand for bookstore distribution and platform sales. The pandemic has accelerated online sales (but the reader also wants a presence in bookshops). A well-crafted true crime book, with the right layout and an attractive cover, can find a place on bookshelves and algorithms. Experience shows that a solid publishing strategy includes print-on-demand for market testing and a marketing plan for authors, from reviews to network campaigns and collaborations with specialised podcasts. I speak with data and facts that I have seen in real projects.

César Pérez-Gellida won the Nadal 2024 with Nada bueno germina, a clear indication that the public values crime stories with psychological depth. La Toffana, winner of the Primavera de Novela 2025, demonstrates that the historical novel with thriller overtones is still powerful if it retains historical responsibility and narrative rhythm. In short, success does not come by gimmicks, it comes when the author provides serious research, a unique voice and a clean publishing proposal that allows distribution and access to rights. For authors starting out now, my advice is clear: choose a path that allows you to maintain control and clarity from the first draft. If you're aiming for self-publishing or co-publishing, take advantage of the benefits of transparency in cost, distribution and marketing. If ghostwriting calls to you, remember that the focus should be on your voice and your creative boundaries: the contract should protect your byline, your style and your rights. And if you need training, look for workshops that teach publishing business strategy: how to prepare a book proposal, how to manage rights and how to plan a launch campaign that extends beyond the week of publication. The final lesson is that post-pandemic reading demands sustainability. Readers want stories that stay with them, that offer clues to understand the present and tools to move forward. That is why post-apocalypse themes are not exhausted in the visual, they are sustained by the ability to show reconstruction, alternatives and resilience.