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Dead by Sunset
- Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?
- Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
- Length: 20 hrs and 38 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, True Crime
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Bitter Harvest
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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In this harrowing New York Times best seller, Ann Rule is at her masterful best as she winnows horrific truths from the ashes of what seemed like paradise in Prairie Village, Kansas. Rule probes the case of Debora Green, a doctor and a loving mother who seemed to epitomize the dreams of the American heartland. A small-town girl with a genius IQ, she achieved an enviable life. But when a raging fire destroyed that home and took two lives, the trail of clues led investigators to a stunning conclusion.
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Too long.....
- By Kelly Morstad on 2020-11-04
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Empty Promises
- And Other True Cases
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Expertly analyzing a shocking, headline-making case, Rule unmasks the deadly motives inside a seemingly idyllic marriage: a beautiful young wife, a rising star in America's top-ranked computer corporation, and a prosperous husband, the scion of a family building business.
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Green River, Running Red
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Barbara Caruso
- Length: 19 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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In the most extraordinary journey Ann Rule has ever undertaken, America's master of true crime has spent more than two decades researching the story of the Green River Killer, who murdered more than 49 young women. Green River, Running Red is a harrowing account of a modern monster, a killer who walked among us undetected. It is also the story of his quarry -- of who these young women were and who they might have become.
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Boring, confusing, repetitive
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2020-12-08
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Murder on Birchleaf Drive
- The True Story of the Michelle Young Murder Case
- Written by: Steven B. Epstein
- Narrated by: Eddie Frierson
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Was Jason the monster who bludgeoned his beautiful wife to death, leaving his toddler alone for hours to walk through her blood? If so - would he get away with it? Murder on Birchleaf Drive documents the gripping tale of a family’s marathon quest for justice, confounding crime scene evidence, the persistence of law enforcement officers, and riveting courtroom combat.
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loved it!!
- By sd on 2019-09-07
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Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors: And Other True Cases
- Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 16
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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It’s a chilling reality that homicide investigators know all too well: The last face most murder victims see is not that of a stranger, but of someone familiar. Whether only an acquaintance or a trusted intimate, such killers share a common trait that triggers the downward spiral toward death for someone close to them: They are masters at hiding who they really are. Their clever masks let them appear safe, kind, and truthful. They are anything but - and almost no one can detect the murderous impulses buried deep in their psyches.
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Alice & Gerald
- A Homicidal Love Story
- Written by: Ron Franscell
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1974, Alice, a desperate young mother in a gritty Wyoming boomtown, kills her husband and dumps his body where it will never be found, then slips away and starts a new life. But when her new man's ex-wife and two kids start demanding more of him, Alice delivers an ultimatum: fix the problem or lose her forever. With Alice's help, Gerald fixes the problem in an extraordinarily ghastly way...and they live happily ever after...that is, until 2013, almost 40 years later, when somebody finds a dead man's skeleton in a place where Alice thought he'd never be found.
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Ron Franscell is a great storyteller
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-21
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Bitter Harvest
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this harrowing New York Times best seller, Ann Rule is at her masterful best as she winnows horrific truths from the ashes of what seemed like paradise in Prairie Village, Kansas. Rule probes the case of Debora Green, a doctor and a loving mother who seemed to epitomize the dreams of the American heartland. A small-town girl with a genius IQ, she achieved an enviable life. But when a raging fire destroyed that home and took two lives, the trail of clues led investigators to a stunning conclusion.
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Too long.....
- By Kelly Morstad on 2020-11-04
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Empty Promises
- And Other True Cases
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Expertly analyzing a shocking, headline-making case, Rule unmasks the deadly motives inside a seemingly idyllic marriage: a beautiful young wife, a rising star in America's top-ranked computer corporation, and a prosperous husband, the scion of a family building business.
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Green River, Running Red
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Barbara Caruso
- Length: 19 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the most extraordinary journey Ann Rule has ever undertaken, America's master of true crime has spent more than two decades researching the story of the Green River Killer, who murdered more than 49 young women. Green River, Running Red is a harrowing account of a modern monster, a killer who walked among us undetected. It is also the story of his quarry -- of who these young women were and who they might have become.
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Boring, confusing, repetitive
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2020-12-08
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Murder on Birchleaf Drive
- The True Story of the Michelle Young Murder Case
- Written by: Steven B. Epstein
- Narrated by: Eddie Frierson
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Was Jason the monster who bludgeoned his beautiful wife to death, leaving his toddler alone for hours to walk through her blood? If so - would he get away with it? Murder on Birchleaf Drive documents the gripping tale of a family’s marathon quest for justice, confounding crime scene evidence, the persistence of law enforcement officers, and riveting courtroom combat.
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loved it!!
- By sd on 2019-09-07
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Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors: And Other True Cases
- Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 16
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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It’s a chilling reality that homicide investigators know all too well: The last face most murder victims see is not that of a stranger, but of someone familiar. Whether only an acquaintance or a trusted intimate, such killers share a common trait that triggers the downward spiral toward death for someone close to them: They are masters at hiding who they really are. Their clever masks let them appear safe, kind, and truthful. They are anything but - and almost no one can detect the murderous impulses buried deep in their psyches.
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Alice & Gerald
- A Homicidal Love Story
- Written by: Ron Franscell
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In 1974, Alice, a desperate young mother in a gritty Wyoming boomtown, kills her husband and dumps his body where it will never be found, then slips away and starts a new life. But when her new man's ex-wife and two kids start demanding more of him, Alice delivers an ultimatum: fix the problem or lose her forever. With Alice's help, Gerald fixes the problem in an extraordinarily ghastly way...and they live happily ever after...that is, until 2013, almost 40 years later, when somebody finds a dead man's skeleton in a place where Alice thought he'd never be found.
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Ron Franscell is a great storyteller
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-21
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The Stranger Beside Me
- The Shocking True Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Lorelei King
- Length: 18 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Ann Rule was working on the biggest story of her career, tracking the trail of victims left by a brutal serial killer. Little did this future best-selling author know that the savage slayer she was hunting was the young man she counted among her closest friends. Everyone's picture of a natural winner, Ted Bundy was a bright, charming, and handsome man with a promising future as an attorney. But on January 24, 1989 Bundy was executed for the murders of three young women - and had confessed to taking the lives of at least thirty-five more women from coast to coast.
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There is an Audio problem in Chapter 54
- By Bailey on 2020-01-28
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The End of the Dream: The Golden Boy Who Never Grew Up and Other True Cases
- Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 5
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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They were best friends, four talented and charismatic young men who lived charmed lives among the evergreens of Washington state: Kevin, the artist; Steve, the sculptor; Scott, the nature lover and unabashed ladies' man; and Mark, the musician and poet. With their stunning good looks, whip-sharp minds, athletic bodies - and no lack of women who adored them - none of them seemed slated for disaster. But few knew the reality behind the leafy screen that surrounded Seven Cedars, Scott's woodland dream home....
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one of the weirdest crime cases, totally hooked
- By Raina Mermaid on 2020-04-11
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A Fever in the Heart: And Other True Cases
- Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 3
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 15 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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A Fever in the Heart dissects an explosive triangle that led to obsession and murder in a small town in the northwest of America. Ann Rule reveals the story of an alluring wife and the two men desperate for her love; a story with a bizarre and deadly twist that no one could have suspected. In this and several other riveting true-crime cases from her personal files, Ann Rule masterfully probes the delusions of the criminal mind, the fateful circumstances and the unrelenting investigative forces at work in the aftermath of murder.
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A Rose for Her Grave: And Other True Cases
- Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 1
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
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"A Rose for Her Grave" - the principal story of this collection - vividly recreates the cautionary tale of Randy Roth, a misogynistic sociopath from the Pacific Northwest whose rage was directed primarily at women and children. Addicted to his own greed, Roth exercised a powerful aura of control over his victims, using his ability to charm and boyish good looks to lower their defences. By the time they saw the reality of the madness in his eyes, it was usually too late. This, along with five other chilling cases, bears the stamp of classic Ann Rule.
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You Belong to Me
- And Other True Cases: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 2
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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A former Seattle policewoman, Ann Rule has extensive experience of violent crime and brings this knowledge to bear in this collection of fascinating case studies. You Belong to Me focuses on one of Florida's most shocking criminals - Tim Harris, the poster-perfect 'All-American' State Trooper who hid bizarre and fatal fantasies behind his badge of authority.
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Mortal Danger
- And Other True Cases
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Only Ann Rule, who unknowingly worked alongside the smart and charming Ted Bundy - America's most notorious serial killer - could lend her razor-sharp insight into these cases of the spouse, lover, family member, or helpful stranger who is totally trusted but whose lethally violent nature, though masterfully disguised, can and will kill.
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good as usual
- By Raina Mermaid on 2020-04-11
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If I Can't Have You
- Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
- Written by: Gregg Olsen, Rebecca Morris
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington, Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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The tragic story of Susan Powell and her murdered boys, Charlie and Braden, is the only case that rivals the Jon Benet Ramsey saga in the annals of true crime. When the pretty, blonde Utah mother went missing in December of 2009 the media was swept up in the story - with lenses and microphones trained on Susan's husband, Josh. He said he had no idea what happened to his young wife, and that he and the boys had been camping in the middle of a snowstorm.
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Well Researched
- By Melanie on 2020-12-14
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Practice to Deceive
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Anne Twomey
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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One wintery night on tiny, quiet Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington, Russ Douglas spent Christmas with his estranged wife, Brenna. He left Brenna Douglas's home in Langley on the morning of December 26, 2003 to run some errands. He didn't return - dead of gunshot to the head. The suspects included an aging beauty queen, her guitar-teacher lover, and Russell's widow, Brenna. With her trademark aplomb, Ann Rule unravels the fascinating story of a murder, a small town, and a number of potential killers.
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Ann Rule Rules!!!!
- By Anonymous User on 2018-09-20
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Worth More Dead and Other True Cases
- Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 10
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Why would a man kill his lover's husband and then his wife, the woman who fought successfully to have him paroled from prison? Why would he risk arrest by kidnapping the child of another woman who adored him? Because they were... Worth More Dead....
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The I-5 Killer
- Written by: Ann Rule, Andy Stack
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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As a young man, Randall Woodfield had it all; he was a star athlete with good looks and an award-winning student. Working in the swinging West Coast bar scene, he had more than his share of women. But he wanted more than just sex. An appetite for unspeakable violent acts led him to cruise the I-5 highway through California to Washington, leaving a trail of victims along the way. As the list of the dead grew, the police mobilized to stop a twisted killer who had 44 known deaths to his name.
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Unanswered Cries
- A True Story of Friends, Neighbors, and Murder in a Small Town
- Written by: Thomas French
- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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On a warm Florida evening, Karen Gregory saw a familiar face at her door. What the beautiful young woman could not know was that she was staring into the eyes of her killer - a savage monster who would rape her, stab her to death, and leave her battered body on the floor outside the bedroom. Detectives frantically sifting through the evidence were tormented by one disturbing question after another....
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very boring
- By Steven Singh on 2020-08-26
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Every Breath You Take
- A True Story of Obsession, Revenge, and Murder
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 20 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Although happily ensconced in a loving second marriage and a new family of quadruplets, Sheila Blackthorne Bellush never truly escaped the enslavement of her ex-husband, multimillionaire Allen Blackthorne, a handsome charmer - and a violent, controlling sociopath who terrorized her for a decade after their divorce. When Sheila was slain in her home, in the presence of her four toddlers, authorities raced to link the crime to Blackthorne, the man who vowed to monitor Sheila's every move in his obsessive quest for power and revenge.
Publisher's Summary
The shocking tale from true crime queen Ann Rule.
Who is Brad Cunningham? How could five beautiful, intelligent, and successful women believe he was their dream come true? Ask any women who ever longed for "the perfect man".
Loni Ann, Cynthia, Lauren, Cheryl, and Sara seemed to have it all - beauty, wealth, children, and a husband who they believed to be this perfect man - Brad Cunningham. He was handsome, charismatic, and mysterious. They adored him and tried to give him all he wanted. But he wanted everything: sex, money, and it seemed, their very lives. How long would it take before he finally got what he deserved?
This question haunts Dead by Sunset, Ann Rule's riveting and impeccably researched study of the destructive relationships, multiple marriages, financial manipulations, and monstrous acts of harassment and revenge that surrounded Brad Cunningham and his wives. It is also a penetrating - and ultimately shocking - recreation of Cheryl's murder and the eight years it took to bring her killer to justice.
Dead by Sunset is a chilling look at the evil that lurks behind the most charming of facades and a fascinating homage to the kind of courage and brilliance it takes to combat it.
What the critics say
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What listeners say about Dead by Sunset
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 2020-06-01
A must listen
Great book. Couldn't stop listening, A big 5 stars and I highly recommend it. Try it.
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- Kelly Anne Wickenheiser
- 2019-10-04
Don' t waste your money
all just long winded description of events and characters. No story just dates and tests passing.
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- Lily
- 2013-01-28
My house is clean, my dogs are exhausted!
What made the experience of listening to Dead by Sunset the most enjoyable?
This book was so engrossing! I got a lot done during the many hours I listened to the book; scrubbing, weeding and long dog-walks were my excuse to keep listening until it was done!
Ann Rule's books have been my guilty pleasure for years. I don't really go for true crime books EXCEPT for hers. The level of detail is so fine that I wonder HOW she is able to get so close to the participants in the stories she tells. And she tells the stories with great respect and regard for the victims. She must be a remarkably compassionate and sincere woman.
The story itself is almost unbelievable! If it were fiction, I’d probably toss it aside, thinking it was too far-fetched. How could so many smart, attractive women fall for the likes of Brad Cunningham?!
I’ve read that Ann Rule is not so interested in the “big” stories like Casey Anthony or OJ Simpson; instead she likes to find stories that might not otherwise be told. Thank goodness for that! Casey and OJ stories are ubiquitous; this story, like all of Ann Rule’s stories, is well told, fascinating and might not have been told had Ann Rule not been interested in the case.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I think outrage, fury and frustration would better describe the reactions I had while listening to the book. I wonder, if someone observed me during my dog walks, if it would look as if I were mad at my dogs!
41 people found this helpful
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- Julia
- 2016-09-30
Took My Breath Away.
I knew nothing about this case and actually managed to refrain from doing any research either before or during listening to this really enjoyable book.
I consider the late Anne Rule one of the 'Greats' when it comes to the "True Crime' genre as her research cannot be faulted. However this being said I am not a fan of her compendium volumes. I am pretty sure that these 'five murders in a book' idea must be her publisher's idea as I run in the other direction when I see them coming. So when I saw this volume I just had to read it.
So many books of this genre seem to take a chapter or two to 'get going'. Not this one! Had me at the first page. I read another reviewer who said that she had a really clean house and that all of of laundry and ironing was done because she could not stop listening. Well I too have turned into quite the Martha Stewart for the very same reason. Totally compelling!
If you want to read/listen to a story about a skilled manipulator who always appears to be level headed, caring, responsible and kind who can chose intelligent women and slowly chip away not only at their self esteem but at their very being then this is the book for you. But be aware as this justice does prevail and as the old saying goes 'Revenge is a dish best served cold'.
I am looking forward to a few months to pass by so that I can listen to it again.
10 people found this helpful
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- Tracy Jordan
- 2011-08-28
Great true crime, Great narration.
Really enjoyed this true crime book. This was my first Ann Rule novel and I was impressed. Ann uses her story telling skills along with her well researched facts to tell a great tale. The narrator was great. On Audible after the initial review, reviews often follow that are similar in content, and I wonder if this is what has happened with reviews regarding the narrator because he does a fabulous job here. Do not be disuaded.
16 people found this helpful
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- Greta
- 2017-06-01
Longer isn't always better
I'm a fan of Anne Rule's books and especially true crime. However the depth and research she went into regarding this story at times left me very bored and fast forwarding. At least 5-8 chapters could have been cut and others tended to drag on. The story itself was very interesting but felt it could have been better formatted.
6 people found this helpful
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- D
- 2016-08-22
Another gem by Ann Rule
I love Ann Rule, so I'm biased. But she was a master researcher, gathering just enough details about the lives of the victims and perpetrators to paint a truly complete picture of the crime. This is the story of a true sociopath and his master manipulation of the many, many women in his life (including his own daughter). Hilariously, the perpetrator self published a rebuttal to this book. I haven't read it but the online reviews suggest it's more a run down of his sexual conquests than proof of his claimed innocence.
The performance is great; he has an awesome voice and it kept me totally engaged.
6 people found this helpful
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- Robyn
- 2013-07-29
triumph of true crime writing
This book has it all - plot, characters, surprises, suspense, rollercoaster of emotions - sadness, horror, sympathy, amazement, incredulity, frustration, anger. In short, the book has everything you could want to keep you interested. I took every opportunity to do something during which I could keep listening. I was a bit taken aback for the first few minutes by Richard Ferrone's narration but after a very short time I loved his voice and his presentation. He's just right for this book.
6 people found this helpful
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- Justin
- 2013-04-20
Wow, this was well done
I cannot add much to all the great reviews, well done book with no dull spots. Spend that credit and you will be happy you did.
9 people found this helpful
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- Jeff
- 2012-09-04
Wasn't crazy about narration, Story terrific tho
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I absolutely would recommend this book. If you're a fan of true crime, you will enjoy it.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Dead by Sunset?
Over and over being bewildered at what an )@&*(# Brad Cunningham was to just about everyone around him, PARTICULARLY his wives and children. A classic psychopath.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
Get a new voice? Seriously, the reading was well done, but I tired of his voice very quickly, which is a problem when you have to spend that amount of time listening to someone.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
You do NOT want to marry this man!
Any additional comments?
Overall, I liked this book, finished it quickly, and was satisfied with the outcome.
3 people found this helpful
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- Monterey
- 2018-11-02
I have never listen to a book where I thought they were talking about me.
I can’t say no I appreciate the fact that he is in prison for the rest of his life. I too went through the same exact thing except for my monster never went to prison !! No he still roaming Northwest here in Oregon Yamhill county to be exact! I didn’t know her but I felt like I knew her strong woman actually all of them are! Are used to feel like a victim now I feel like a warrior ! I just wanna say thank you to everybody I feel like my monster got convicted to even know he’s roaming!
2 people found this helpful
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- Christine
- 2019-10-22
I can't concentrate on the story.
I was fascinated by the author's detailed account of Ted Bundy. But the narrator on this one is difficult, I can't bring myself to pay attention. So I'm just missing everything as I listen.
1 person found this helpful