Inside many of the real life cases to inspire Law & Order

For over 20 years and across two signature shows—Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit—viewers have been riveted by cases that have been “ripped from the headlines.” Now, in True Crime Stories, a new special edition from People, go inside 35 real crimes that inspired the hit TV shows. From well-known cases that continue to fascinate us, including JonBenet Ramsey, O.J. Simpson, Robert Durst, and the Mayflower Madam, to the travails of such celebrities and politicians as Hugh Grant, John Edwards, and Anthony Weiner, here are descriptions of the crimes, the key players, and synopses of the episodes the cases inspired, complete with photographs of the real-life players and their respective Law & Order characters. This special edition also includes several “Reality Check” sections that provide insight into the detectives, prosecutors, and sets that have made the shows as realistic as they are. True Crime Stories also includes an interview with renowned Law & Order creator and producer Dick Wolf and photographs of your favorite cast members from both shows. For fans of both Law & Order and for true-crime readers, this is the one special edition you won’t be able to do without.

Bonus: an exclusive look at Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers, the exciting new miniseries that focuses on just one shocking story for an entire season.