Listen free for 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Beautifully Cruel cover art

Beautifully Cruel

Written by: M. William Phelps
Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $40.44

Buy Now for $40.44

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Iowa housewife Tracey Pittman Roberts seemed to have it all: natural beauty, three loving children, and a fairy-tale second marriage to a wealthy, handsome businessman. But beneath the happy façade was a woman who used lies, manipulation, sex, ugly allegations, blackmail - and even murder - to serve her own selfish ends.

On December 12, 2001, police rushed to Tracey's home after a shooting left her vulnerable young neighbor dead. Tracey claimed it was an act of self-defense. Nine gunshot wounds - and a decades-long trail of extortion, fabrication, fraud, and intimidation - said otherwise. Ten years after the crime, Tracey's case finally went to trial in an explosive courtroom showdown. In a searing exploration of the criminal mind, best-selling investigative journalist M. William Phelps traces the saga of a psychopath who hid in plain sight - until her wicked ways caught up with her.

©2017 M. William Phelps (P)2017 Tantor

Love Books? You'll Love Audible.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Transform your day

Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Listen everywhere

Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Carry your entire Library

Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Listen and learn

Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Reach your reading goals

You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Find your niche

WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.

Try for $0.00 $14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

What listeners say about Beautifully Cruel

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    0
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    0
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    0
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing Storytelling

Investigative Journalist M. William Phelps presents a fascinating case of a bizarre serial criminal - Tracy Pittman Roberts - lying like it's an occupation, slinging false accusations, engaging in fraud with abandon, and eventually killing a neighbor in an attempt to frame her ex-husband for a botched Home Invasion. The depths of her crimes are actually jaw-dropping. Phelps paints a convincing picture of a self-serving textbook psychopath. I found myself engrossed in the narrative.. wondering what could possibly come next.
...aaaand then Phelps decides to tell the tale with events that jump from timeline to timeline and storyline to storyline seemingly at random. The book has very little structure (more like a collection of the author's notes thrown together haphazardly). This book badly needs an Editor.

As to presentation: Jonathan Yen is an enthusiastic narrator - turning in an emotive performance with spot-on tone - but his nasal reading timbre gets annoying after a few hours. Tantor Audio Inc. could have cast this project better.

Altogether, 'Beautifully Cruel' was a serviceable True Crime distraction for a couple of quiet afternoons as a 'Plus' option.. but you could do faaar better than this 4.5/10-star audiobook if they ask for a Credit.

[NOTE: I personally despise the technique of nonsensically incorporating direct quotes - often single words - into sentences, too: "(Narrator's voice)Tracy was threatening to (Tracy's voice) "get even with" (Narrator's voice) that (Tracy's voice) "Schmuck" (Narrator's voice) and (Tracy's voice) "Monster"". Ugh. Phelps & Yen use it over and over.. like nails on a chalkboard.]

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!