Today's Read Contributor On August 20, 2025, a bold new player entered the American publishing scene. 26th Street Books, a boutique independent press with offices in New York and Chicago, officially launched with a clear and ambitious mission: to redefine the true-crime genre through a literary lens. Specializing in what it terms “literary true crime,” the publisher aims to elevate real-world crime narratives through thoughtful, stylistically rich storytelling rooted in journalistic rigor.
The company’s inaugural title, Convergence, is already generating buzz ahead of its release next month. Co-authored by journalist Jonathan Dixon and former prosecutor Gregg Owen, the book is being described as a “nonfiction novel”—a hybrid of investigative depth and narrative artistry. The story centers around a harrowing double homicide in 1970s Chicago and follows the dramatic, often obstructed journey toward justice, told from the perspective of the prosecution. This choice marks a notable departure from the traditional true-crime narrative structure, which often centers on victims or perpetrators.
Jonathan Dixon, known for his literary memoir Beaten, Seared, and Sauced, brings a narrative craftsmanship honed through years of writing for publications like The New York Times, Vice, and Condé Nast Traveler. His co-author, Gregg Owen, draws on his decades of legal experience, including years spent as a prosecutor navigating some of Chicago’s most politically entangled criminal cases. Together, the duo offers a multidimensional perspective—Dixon shaping the story’s arc and prose, Owen grounding it in the nuanced complexities of law and justice.
The book’s title, Convergence, refers not only to the moment when multiple investigative paths meet but also to the intersection of storytelling and truth. Set against a backdrop of urban decline and political scandal, the book examines how flawed institutions and personal convictions intersect in the pursuit of justice. It promises to blend vivid characterization, procedural intensity, and rich social context, offering a reading experience that transcends the typical bounds of crime reporting.
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But Convergence is only the beginning. According to 26th Street Books, the release marks the start of a planned five-book series, each exploring a different case through the lens of recurring legal professionals. This serialized narrative approach—more common in television or fiction—adds a new dimension to the nonfiction crime genre, inviting readers to build a long-term relationship with the central characters and the evolving ethical dilemmas they face.
What sets 26th Street Books apart is its editorial stance. The press seeks to publish books that are not only factually accurate and meticulously researched but also elegantly written and narratively ambitious. In doing so, it hopes to challenge long-standing perceptions about true crime as either sensationalist or formulaic. Instead, the publisher aims to attract a more literary audience—readers who crave gripping real-world stories presented with the same stylistic care as acclaimed fiction.
The company’s dual headquarters in New York and Chicago are also symbolic. New York represents the heart of the publishing industry and a hub of literary innovation, while Chicago’s complex legal history and enduring criminal legacy provide rich terrain for the kinds of stories 26th Street Books intends to tell. This bi-city foundation reflects the publisher’s intent to bridge the cultural, intellectual, and geographic divides that often separate literary fiction from narrative nonfiction.
The timing of the launch feels especially relevant. With podcasting, streaming series, and documentary filmmaking fueling a broader cultural obsession with true crime, the publishing industry is experiencing renewed interest in the genre. However, much of the existing content focuses on shock value and lurid detail. 26th Street Books enters the field determined to do something different—offering stories that prioritize psychological insight, social resonance, and literary quality.
As the publishing world takes note, the launch of 26th Street Books is being heralded by some industry observers as a potential turning point in how true crime is conceived and consumed. With Convergence slated for release in mid-September and more titles on the horizon, the imprint is poised to shape a new chapter in narrative nonfiction—one where literary sophistication and investigative substance go hand in hand.
