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Cruel Doubt (Abridged) Audiobook
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(3.03) - 813 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of Fatal Vision comes a shocking true account of murder, family secrets, and final justice.
One hot summer night in 1988, Bonnie Von Stein's second husband was murdered in their bed, Bonnie herself stabbed, beaten, and left for dead beside him. It looked like a brutal but tragically typical case: Von Stein was newly wealthy, and Bonnie's troubled son, Chris, seemed like the obvious suspect.
But Chris turned out to have an air-tight alibi, and new leads suggested the crime could be much more complex. The trail led to Chris' two strange new friends from college and a real-life enactment of a bizarre Dungeons and Dragons fantasy adventure—and it implicated Bonnie's teenage daughter as well.
In Cruel Doubt, Joe McGinniss probes the dark heart of family life and small-town North Carolina society to uncover a fascinating and terrifying story that is at once a chilling murder mystery, a tense courtroom drama, and a heartbreaking account of a mother forced to doubt her own children.
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"I love the twists and uncertainty in this book. I found myself really feeling sorry for Chris and could understand where he was coming from. The mom certainly had it rough and McGinniss does a great job relaying the story and really drawing you in. If you enjoyed Fatal Vision, you'll like this too!"
— Lori (4 out of 5 stars)
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“McGinniss has drawn a riveting portrait of parental devotion that flies in the face of the truth. His reputation as a brutally honest storyteller will attract many readers. Highly recommended.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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New York Times bestseller
Cruel Doubt Listener Reviews
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Winfried Hartmann, 12/7/2023
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" Good but drags a bit. "
— Bernie, 1/12/2014 -
" If you remember the case of the college boy who conspired with his classmates and fellow "Dungeons and Dragons" players to murder his wealthy parents to inherit their money, you'll enjoy this book. The made-for-TV film version was a bit melodramatic, but so is the story. "
— David, 12/23/2013 -
" Not nearly as good as Fatal Vision. The characters were bland and there was no forensic evidence to speak of. Lots of questions remain unanswered. Seemed like McGinniss just kept repeating the same stuff over and over again. "
— Annmbray, 11/3/2013 -
" True-story family murder that took place in Washington, North Carolina. Copyright 1991. "
— Salsadancer, 10/18/2013 -
" I thought Cruel Doubt was much better than Bledsoe's Blood Games (about the same case). It's more clearly written, and addresses suspects that were dismissed in Bledsoe's book. McGinniss had access to the family, and he created a fuller portrait of the victims and the killer. "
— Cori, 10/2/2013 -
" Well written. How true, the truth is never the same for people. "
— Margaret, 7/9/2013 -
" Really good. Kept me wanting to read it...very detailed & well-written in my opinion. "
— Amanda, 2/28/2013 -
" Joe McGinniss is a very good writer. This is another true crime about a woman whose son murders her husband and attempts to murder her. It happened it the late 1980's and there has been a movie made about it, but the book is always better. I would recommend this one for all you true crime lovers! "
— Beverly, 2/26/2013 -
" Fluff, fluff, fluff. I'm disappointed because this book was NOTHING like "Fatal Vision." I had to skip through. Awful. "
— Sue, 1/5/2013 -
" Really haunting. The coldness of the alleged attackers is depicted brilliantly. All the details leading to the crime are presented so well and the story builds to make it really gripping. A good read if you like true crime. "
— Sara, 7/19/2012 -
" that wealth can get you out of control "
— Thapelo, 12/11/2011 -
" Good book, really crappy tv movie of the week. "
— Sharon, 11/12/2011 -
" was a slow read for me so that normally means it is not that good. "
— Nicole, 10/26/2011 -
" this is an extremely redundant, repetitive account of true crime- the 1988 murder in NC by a drug using, D&D playing NCSU student and his friends. could have told the same story just as effectively in 100 pages. "
— Debdanz, 9/23/2011 -
" Very good true crime read. Anything by Joe McGinnis is a good read. "
— Cheryl, 8/18/2011 -
" Don't ever watch the movie! It shows up on Lifetime once in awhile. Book was excellent, kept tossing back and firth between empathy and loathing for Chris. "
— Kathleen, 5/14/2011 -
" Don't ever watch the movie! It shows up on Lifetime once in awhile. Book was excellent, kept tossing back and firth between empathy and loathing for Chris. "
— Kathleen, 1/16/2011 -
" Well written. How true, the truth is never the same for people. "
— Margaret, 8/22/2010 -
" that wealth can get you out of control "
— Thapelo, 3/24/2010 -
" Very good true crime read. Anything by Joe McGinnis is a good read. "
— Cheryl, 6/16/2009 -
" True-story family murder that took place in Washington, North Carolina. Copyright 1991. "
— Salsadancer, 5/18/2009 -
" Good book, really crappy tv movie of the week. "
— Sharon, 12/10/2008 -
" fascinating to read about how much denial Bonnie had. Family members can truly do things you'd never imagine. Leaves me wondering about Angela. I believe it is possible she was involved in some way. "
— Sierra, 7/28/2008 -
" this is an extremely redundant, repetitive account of true crime- the 1988 murder in NC by a drug using, D&D playing NCSU student and his friends. could have told the same story just as effectively in 100 pages. "
— Debdanz, 8/13/2007 -
" If you remember the case of the college boy who conspired with his classmates and fellow "Dungeons and Dragons" players to murder his wealthy parents to inherit their money, you'll enjoy this book. The made-for-TV film version was a bit melodramatic, but so is the story. "
— David, 7/22/2007
About Joe McGinniss
Joe McGinniss is a writer of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction. He first came to prominence with the bestseller The Selling of the President, which described the marketing of the then-presidential candidate Richard Nixon, and he has authored numerous books since then.
About Stacy Keach
Stacy Keach is perhaps best known for his portrayal of hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. He played Ken Titus on the sitcom Titus, Warden Henry Pope in the hit series Prison Break, and has been seen in numerous film and stage productions. He won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Ernest Hemingway and starred as Richard Nixon in the US National Tour of Frost/Nixon. His performance in the title role of King Lear has received international acclaim.