Tags:crime
Deadly Secrets
The double life of a hardworking wife and mother leads to murder in this true-crime story by the New York Times bestselling author of I'll Be Watching You.In the lovely town of Pleasant Valley in upstate New York, the maple trees were ablaze with fall's blood-red color. The air was crisp. And a woman named Susan Fassett left her weekly choir practice at a church—when a killer emerged from the shadows and mercilessly gunned her down . . .Stunned, the police immediately suspected Susan Fassett's husband and surrounded his home. They couldn't have been more wrong. Susan Fassett had been living a secret life, entangled in a passionate web of dominance, lesbian sex, betrayal—and a depraved plan for murder. After detectives untangled a web of secrets and corruption hidden in plain sight, the town of Pleasant Valley would be rocked again when a shocking trial exposed the whole sordid truth . . .Praise for M. William Phelps“One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter“Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No LiesWith sixteen pages of shocking photos
Bad Girls
The true-crime story of the murder of an amateur pornographer and two teenage girls on the run, by the New York Times bestselling author.The crime stunned quiet Mineral Wells, Texas: forty-nine-year-old Bob Dow shot execution-style in his own bed, his invalid mother locked in the next room—and a cache of homemade porn starring the town's underage girls. The two accused killers—teen lovers Bobbi Jo Smith and Jennifer Jones—were on the run, intent on going out in a cross-country blaze of glory. M. William Phelps exposes a gripping tale of sexploitation, lust, and betrayal, while questioning the court's fateful verdict in a tantalizing forensic puzzle. Were both girls equally guilty of murder? Or was one merely a pawn in the other's dainty, blood-stained hands?Praise for Bad Girls“Fascinating, gripping . . . Phelps's sharp investigative skills and questioning mind resonate. Whether or not you agree with the author's suspicions that an innocent is behind bars, you won't regret going along fir the ride with such an accomplished reporter.” —Sue Russell, award-winning author of Lethal IntentIncludes sixteen pages of dramatic photos
Cruel Death
The true-crime story of a homicidal husband and wife and a double murder in a Maryland resort town, by the bestselling author of Deadly Secrets.It was Memorial Day weekend, the start of the summer season. Thousands headed to Ocean City, Maryland, to enjoy its scenic beaches, lively boardwalk, and trendy nightclubs. Among the bright-spirited vacationers was a couple with a much darker idea of fun. Erica Sifrit, a former honor student, was packing a gun in her Coach bag. Her husband, B.J., an ex-Navy SEAL, was trained in violence. What started as a chance encounter with another couple ended with two dismembered victims buried in a Delaware landfill. M. William Phelps updates this modern-day “Bonnie and Clyde” saga to create a haunting account of money, madness, sex, and murder . . .Praise for New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps“One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter“Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No LiesIncludes sixteen pages of dramatic photos
If You Only Knew
The true-crime story of an alcoholic Michigan millionaire and his bizarre death, by the New York Times bestselling author of I'd Kill For You.When Vonlee “Nicole” Titlow and her aunt, Billie Jean Rogers, came home from a night of gambling in a casino near Detroit, they told police they found Billie's husband unconscious on the floor of the Rogers' mansion. Just another of his alcoholic benders, they assumed. But this time, Donald Rogers didn't wake up.The investigation would reveal the sordid story behind the death of a self-made millionaire—including transgender adventures in Chicago and Denver, a tangled web of dueling addictions, a mind-boggling history of out-of-control spending, and how a gender confirmation surgery may have fueled a motive for murder. Renowned investigative journalist M. William Phelps exposes the riveting details behind one of the most astonishing real-life thrillers to date.Praise for M. William Phelps“One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter“Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No LiesIncludes sixteen pages of shocking photos
Dangerous Ground
The bestselling author of Targeted shares the identity of the serial killer who co-starred with him on Dark Minds and the story of their intriguing bond.In September 2011, M. William Phelps made a decision that would change reality-based television—and his own life. He asked a convicted serial killer to act as a consultant for his TV series. Under the code name “Raven,” the murderer shared his insights into the minds of other killers and helped analyze their crimes. As the series became an international sensation, Raven became Phelps's unlikely confidante, ally—and friend.In this deeply personal account, Phelps traces his own family's dark history, and takes us into the heart and soul of a serial murderer. He also chronicles the complex relationship he developed with Raven. From questions about morality to Raven's thoughts on the still-unsolved, brutal murder of Phelps's sister-in-law, the author found himself grappling with an unwanted, unexpected, unsettling connection with a cold-blooded killer.Drawing on over seven thousand pages of letters, dozens of hours of recorded conversations, personal and Skype visits, and a friendship five years in the making, Phelps sheds new light on Raven's bloody history, including details of an unknown victim, the location of a still-buried body—and a jaw-dropping admission. All this makes for an unforgettable journey into the mind of a charming, manipulative psychopath that few would dare to know—and the determined journalist who did just that.Praise for New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps“Anything by Phelps is an eye-opening experience.” —Suspense Magazine“Phelps is the king of true crime.” —Lynda Hirsch, Creators Syndicate columnist
I'll Be Watching You
The true-crime story of Edwin Snelgrove, an American serial killer who wanted to out-kill Ted Bundy, from the New York Times bestselling author.In September 2001, Carmen Rodriguez, a beautiful thirty-two-year-old Hartford mother of four, went missing. At first police were stymied . . . until a killer's crucial mistake led investigators down a long, dark road of cold, calculated murder . . .In 1987, single mother Mary Ellen Renard was strangled, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead in her New Jersey apartment. Her vicious assailant had already killed once . . . and would kill again. But unlike the fiend's other victims, Mary Ellen lived to tell the tale . . .Clean-cut, popular and on the fast track at a multinational computer firm, Rutgers grad Edwin “Ned” Snelgrove shocked friends and colleagues with a plea bargain for Renard's brutal attack—and the heinous 1983 murder of college girlfriend Karen Osmun. Vowing never to be caught again, Ned spent his time in prison obsessively studying the violent career of his idol Ted Bundy . . . then was released ten years early for good behavior . . .Unflinching and brilliantly researched, this is an exclusive tour into the twisted mind of an all-American killer . . . and a state attorney's tireless efforts to lock him away forever.Praise for I'll Be Watching You“Skillfully balances a victim's story against that of an arrogant serial killer as it reveals a deviant mind intent on topping the world's most dangerous criminals. Phelps has an unrelenting sense for detail that affirms his place as one of our most engaging crime journalists.” —Katherine Ramsland, New York Times – bestselling author of Confession of a Serial KillerIncludes sixteen pages of revealing photos
Lethal Guardian
The complex true-crime story of a Connecticut lawyer who had her brother-in-law killed, by the New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Poison.On a cold spring night in 1994, passing motorists discovered the bullet-riddled body of Anson “Buzz” Clinton along an interstate's exit ramp in Connecticut. Buzz, a former exotic dancer, was married to Kim Carpenter, whose family believed he was an unfit guardian for Kim's daughter, Rebecca. Kim's parents had unsuccessfully sued for custody. Kim's sister, Beth Ann Carpenter—a bright, beautiful real-estate lawyer—became convinced that only Buzz's death would ensure Rebecca's safety.Investigating detectives soon uncovered a twisted trail of murder for hire, obsession, manipulation, and secrets that would tear more than one family apart. The aftermath of this brutal crime would set investigators and prosecutors on a long and twisted path strewn with lies, treachery, and deceit that would cross the Atlantic Ocean before finally bringing justice home.Praise for Lethal Guardian“An intense roller coaster of a crime story . . . complex, with a plethora of twists and turns worthy of any great detective mystery, and yet so well-laid out, so crisply written with such detail to character and place that it reads more like a novel than your standard nonfiction crime book.” —Steve Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of MonsterIncludes sixteen pages of revealing photos
Sleep In Heavenly Peace
The New York Times–bestselling journalist and serial killer expert recounts a tragic case of infanticide—including an exclusive interview with the killer.It started with a horrifying discovery in an Arizona self-storage facility: the abandoned bodies of three infants wrapped in plastic. Dianne O’Dell, a mother of eight children, admitted the babies were hers. She claimed they’d died of natural causes; that she’d been impregnated by her father when young; that her own mother had forced her into teen prostitution. O’Dells life story ran a horrifying thread from tranquil Kauneonga Lake, New York, to the mountains of the Southwest. But would it lead a jury to grant her mercy? Or would she pay the price for committing the worst crime a mother can commit?
Kiss of the She-Devil
The true-crime story of a cheating husband, the other woman, and her plot to kill the wife, by the bestselling author of Murder, New England.When librarian Martha Gail Fulton was gunned down in a Michigan parking lot on a quiet evening, there were two obvious suspects—Gail's husband George, a former military officer . . . and George's mistress, the flashy businesswoman Donna Kay Trapani. Police were baffled to find that both had ironclad alibis. Yet evidence showed the shooter, a male, had an accomplice—a mystery woman. Now, M. William Phelps recounts the compelling real-life drama of a twisted love triangle that ended in bloody murder, and the riveting investigation that brought to light a master manipulator's trail of deadly deceit.Praise for New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps“One of our most engaging crime journalists.” —Katherine Ramsland, New York Times – bestselling author of Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer“Phelps creates a vivid portrait.” —Publishers Weekly“One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter SkelterIncludes sixteen pages of dramatic photos
Every Move You Make
A New York State investigator matches wits with a devious serial killer in the New York Times bestselling author’s true crime thriller.Gary C. Evans was master of disguise and career criminal who had once befriended David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz. In 1989, he started weaving a web of deadly lies in Upstate New York, telling a female friend that the father of her child had deserted her. In fact, Evans had killed the man—just before striking up a ten-year romance with the woman.Evans first met Investigator James Horton in 1985 when Evans snitched on a childhood friend and crime partner—failing to mention that he'd murdered him. Then, two local jewelry dealers were killed. In 1997, another old friend of Evans, went missing. Was Evans responsible? Horton launched a nationwide manhunt to uncover the truth.For more than a decade, Evans and Horton maintained an odd relationship—part friendship, part manipulation—with Evans serving as a snitch while the tenacious investigator searched for the answers that would put him away. After Horton used Evans to obtain a confession from a local killer, Evans led Horton in a final game of cat-and-mouse that would culminate in the most shocking death of all . . .Sixteen pages of revealing photos!
Where Monsters Hide
An unexplained disappearance spirals into an unrelenting murder mystery. In October 2014, local Michigan police chief Laura Frizzo faced a perplexing missing-person case. It was not like Chris Regan, a devoted father and dependable employee, to take off without explanation. When Frizzo learned Chris was having an affair with Kelly Cochran, a married co-worker, suspicion fell on Kelly’s hulking husband, Jason. Soon after that the Cochrans abruptly moved to Indiana. Sixteen months later, Jason Cochran died from a drug overdose. Friends and family rallied around the grieving Kelly. But when the coroner ruled Jason’s death a homicide, no one reacted more bizarrely than his widow. Detectives tried to put Kelly’s past into focus. But the horrific truth was hidden under a near-perfect patchwork of lies. Veteran investigative journalist M. William Phelps expertly reveals Kelly Cochran’s staggering saga of murder, revenge, and payback. “Anything by Phelps is an eye-opening experience.” —Suspense Magazine “Phelps knows how to work it.” —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review “Master of true crime.” —Real Crime magazine
Never See Them Again
The star of Investigation Discovery’s Dark Minds—“the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers”—takes readers inside a crime that shocked the nation (Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author). In the summer of 2003, the Houston suburb of Clear Lake, Texas, was devastated when four young residents were viciously slain. The two female victims, Tiffany Rowell and Rachael Koloroutis, were just eighteen years old—popular and beloved. But when a killer came knocking, it turned out to be someone they knew all too well. Seventeen-year-old Christine Paolilla was an awkward outsider until the girls befriended her. In this gripping true story, complete with 16 pages of dramatic photos, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps delves into the heart of a baffling mystery to get to the truth of an act so brutal it could not be understood—until now. Praise for M. William Phelps “The best true-crime writer to come along in years.”—Gregg Olsen, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Phelps ratchets up the dramatic tension.”—Stephen Singular, New York Times bestselling author “One of America’s finest true-crime writers.”—Vincent Bugliosi, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Phelps creates a vivid portrait.”—Publishers Weekly “One of our most engaging crime journalists.”—Katherine Ramsland, PhD, author of Confessions of a Serial Killer