We're sorry. An error has occurred
Please cancel or retry.
Family, Friends and Neighbors
Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Couldn't load pickup availability
-
02 January 2024

Discover the dark secrets that lurk behind closed doors in Family, Friends and Neighbors: Stories of Murder and Betrayal. You will be left questioning just how well you truly know those around you in this gripping true-crime collection. Dive into infamous cases such as Richard “Alex” Murdaugh, the Menendez Brothers, and Lizzie Borden, and also examine lesser-known crimes that will send shivers down your spine. You'll investigate thirty-four shocking tales of mind-boggling acts of violence, such as …
Murders committed to escape a marriage, or out of dire desperation, or from an insane separation from reality, these and other less comprehensible motivations fill the pages of Family, Friends and Neighbors. It’s an unflinching look into humanity’s dark side! Read the stories, investigate the facts, and meet the vicious killers who murder the people who should have been nearest and dearest to them.
“Okay, if you are faint of heart, this book is probably not for you. … Family, Friends, and Neighbors has one chilling story after another. After the first page, I couldn't put this book down. If you love being creeped out, then this is the book for you!” —Unexplained-Mysteries.com
“In his latest exploration into the realm of true crime, Estep (The Serial Killer Next Door) delves beyond the sensationalism surrounding infamous serial killers. He draws readers’ attention to a chilling reality: murder is more likely to be perpetrated by someone known to the victim, rather than a stranger. … Estep meticulously dissects the alarming phenomenon of familicide, a gruesome subset of violent crimes often fueled by abuse and power dynamics within relationships. … He skillfully uncovers patterns and motives … There is a common thread of desperation and the quest for escape in the motives behind these crimes. … A good introductory exploration into the minds of killers who defy conventional stereotypes.” —Library Journal
“Your true crime fanatic will love it.” —Indianapolis Recorder
“This collection brings together 35 tales of murder and is a bonanza for true-crime aficionados. … the vast majority of these grizzly crimes take place in the United States during the last 100 years. … Inconsistencies in alibis, irregularities in evidence, and controversies over conviction are explored, as are possible motives. … This ready reference will come in handy for public libraries that support wanna-be detectives and crime stoppers.” —Booklist
“[Richard Estep] covers many obscure cases, at least to me, he also includes many well-known cases, such as Ronnie Defeo (The Amityville Horror), the Menendez brothers, and Casey Anthony. Though it may be tough to relive these stories, it is very comforting to know how the accused killers ended up. No matter what, these crimes are inexcusable. What is fascinating is how the accused try to hide what they did, often blaming it on either other family members or non-existent attackers. Family, Friends, and Neighbors: Stories of Murder and Betrayal is a great book, whether you have long been interested in true crime or if it is something you are just getting into.” —Basement of the Bizarre
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
1. Death by Arsenic (Mary Ann Cotton)
2. Forty Whacks (Lizzie Borden)
3. Run for the Hills (Abel Clemmons)
4. Double Jeopardy (George Jefferson Hassell)
5. Striking Out (Marty Bergen)
6. Getting Away with Murder (John List)
7. The Green Beret Killer (Jeffrey MacDonald)
8. Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye Sr.)
9. Over the Edge (Elmer Crawford)
10. The Soap Opera Murder (Daniel Bartlam)
11. The Embezzler (Steven Sueppel)
12. Dark Christmas (Ronald Gene Simmons)
13. Killer Party (Tyler Hadley)
14. Slender Man (Various)
15. “That Bitch Is Dead!” (Gypsy Rose Blanchard)
16. Into the Water (Scott Peterson)
17. The Hudson Murders (William Balfour)
18. A Secret Life (Christopher Watts)
19. Killer Writer (Nancy Crampton Brophy)
20. “The Babysitter Stole Her!” (Casey Anthony)
21. “Kill or be Killed” (The Menendez Murders)
22. Doting Father (Neil Entwistle)
23. Body in a Suitcase (Mack & Schaefer)
24. The Medicine Hat Murders (Steinke & Richardson)
25. Beautiful Creatures (Parker & Hulme)
26. A Self-Made Man (Christopher Foster)
27. The Easter Sunday Massacre (James Ruppert)
28. Triggered (George Emil Banks)
29. The Foreign Officer (William Bradford Bishop)
30. Murder in Broken Bow (The Bever Family)
31. Did She, or Didn’t She? (Diane Downs)
32. The Pike County Massacre (Wagner Family)
33. The Spear Gun Killer (John Myles Sharpe)
34. Death Came to Amityville (The DeFeo Murders)
35. A Tangled Web (Richard “Alex” Mudaugh)
Further Reading
Index