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.
Chaos cover art

Chaos

Written by: Tom O'Neill,Dan Piepenbring
Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $37.62

Buy Now for $37.62

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

A journalist's 20-year fascination with the Manson murders leads to shocking new revelations about the FBI's involvement in this riveting reassessment of an infamous case in American history.

Over two grim nights in Los Angeles, the young followers of Charles Manson murdered seven people, including the actress Sharon Tate, then eight months pregnant. With no mercy and seemingly no motive, the Manson Family followed their leader's every order - their crimes lit a flame of paranoia across the nation, spelling the end of the 60s. Manson became one of history's most infamous criminals, his name forever attached to an era when charlatans mixed with prodigies, free love was as possible as brainwashing, and utopia - or dystopia - was just an acid trip away.

Twenty years ago, when journalist Tom O'Neill was reporting a magazine piece about the murders, he worried there was nothing new to say. Then he unearthed shocking evidence of a cover-up behind the "official" story, including police carelessness, legal misconduct, and potential surveillance by intelligence agents. When a tense interview with Vincent Bugliosi - prosecutor of the Manson Family, and author of Helter Skelter - turned a friendly source into a nemesis, O'Neill knew he was onto something. But every discovery brought more questions:

  • Who were Manson's real friends in Hollywood, and how far would they go to hide their ties?
  • Why didn't law enforcement, including Manson's own parole officer, act on their many chances to stop him?
  • And how did Manson-an illiterate ex-con-turn a group of peaceful hippies into remorseless killers?

O'Neill's quest for the truth led him from reclusive celebrities to seasoned spies, from San Francisco's summer of love to the shadowy sites of the CIA's mind-control experiments, on a trail rife with shady cover-ups and suspicious coincidences. The product of two decades of reporting, hundreds of new interviews, and dozens of never-before-seen documents from the LAPD, the FBI, and the CIA, CHAOS mounts an argument that could be, according to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Steven Kay, strong enough to overturn the verdicts on the Manson murders. This is a book that overturns our understanding of a pivotal time in American history.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring (P)2019 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"What if everything we thought we knew about the Manson murders was wrong? O'Neill spent 20 years wrestling with that question, and Chaos is his final answer. Timed to the 50th anniversary of the Manson murders, it's a sweeping indictment of the Los Angeles justice system, with cover-ups reaching all the way up to the FBI and CIA." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Chaos is less a definitive account of the murders than a kaleidoscope swirl of weird discoveries and mind-bending hypotheticals that reads like Raymond Chandler after a tab of windowpane." (The New York Times)

"O'Neill's discoveries are stunning, especially when he's discussing the inexplicable leniency shown by law enforcement officials and by Manson's parole officer." (The Washington Post)

What listeners say about Chaos

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    618
  • 4 Stars
    138
  • 3 Stars
    23
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    533
  • 4 Stars
    104
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    542
  • 4 Stars
    98
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    7

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

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

Fascinating and Compelling Listen

One of the most interesting books I have listened to in a long time. Fact based and steering clear of speculation, I imagine this is what true investigative journalism (something that seems to have disappeared these days) actually sounds like. Kudos to the author on his work, persistence, and overall professionalism.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sucked me in

I thought I knew what the Manson story was… NOPE
Author spent 20 years so I could understand in 16 hours. Buy this.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating!

Tom O'Neill is a true investigative journalist who is searching deep down the rabbit holes for real answers. He states when something he is saying is his opinion or factual (with documentation to back it up). Instead of just telling us what he found he takes us along with him on his 20 year journey, which made it an enjoyable read, and made it easy to grasp why he was searching a particular rabbit hole. I have nothing but respect for Mr. O'Neill, his dedication, his investigative style, and his well written book.

I have already listened to it twice and look forward to my 3rd listen as I'm sure to pick up even more than I did on the first 2.

The only downside is that the very ending is not terribly satisfying. Part of me really wanted Mr. O'Neill to wrap it all up with a grandiose flourish, a wild theory that interconnects and explains all the facts he uncovered, but that was not to be, and instead it just ends. Upon reflection I appreciated that he kept to the facts and will let others weave the "conspiracy theories".

I look forward to a follow-up book. Mr. O'Neill has said that he had to edit entire chapters to get the book down to length and has lots more info that he didn't include in this one.... and the investigation continues. Hopefully the next book won't take 20 years.

My highest recommendation 6/5 stars.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

WOW

Get seated and READY for the beginning. It was a surprise.
The rest of the book was absolutely fascinating. This warrants a re-listen

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Relentless pursuit of the truth

So much conspiracy, so much corruption, when will the system acknowledge the truth and actually get it right

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

mind blowing

I mean, I knew there was corruption out there, but I was not prepared for that..

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I Hate the end...

Much like life this is not about the end, but the journey.
This book brings you on an almost unbelievable journey through everything you haven't heard about the Manson case. The ending does not bring closure, but closure was never an option from what you learn through the book. The audio performance is excellent and the book is excellent, for my money I would recommend, for sceptics and conspiratorial minded alike.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting

Growing up in the 70's Manson was synonymous with the boogeyman to me. Now, as an adult, listening to this book made me realize just how much scarier the world can be. Amazing work by Mr. O'Neill reporting his work and findings. An excellent and mind boggling journey for the truth. I will probably not stop talking about this book for the next few months!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Things Dont Change

As the saying goes, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." I thought the author did a good job on his investigation on proving the coverups and lies. This same corruption within the CIA, FBI, govts and police continues til this day and rarely someone pays the price for the lies and deceit. They just hide it better now. This literally teaches you all about the deep state and how things have been run since the inception of these govt programs and institutions have been set up. It's a good listen and I do recommend it.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Absolutely one of the best audio books I have listened to. Huge eye opener, would 100% reccomend

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!