Try free for 30 days
-
The Perfect Father
- The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $26.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also picked
-
The Murders of Christopher Watts
- By: Cheryln Cadle
- Narrated by: Madeline Stark
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On August 13, 2018, Christopher Watts murdered his pregnant wife and two toddler daughters. Cheryln Cadle contacted him and started visiting him in prison. Christopher started writing her letters from his prison cell in Wisconsin. These letters had his confessions of things he had never told anyone else.
-
-
Disappointing
- By Alexandra on 10-08-2021
-
My Daddy Is a Hero
- How Chris Watts Went from Family Man to Family Killer
- By: Lena Derhally
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chris Watts was a family man. Everybody, including his family, believed that. Yet, on August 13, 2018, he murdered Shanann, his pregnant wife, and two young daughters. As terrible as his story is, it is also a warning because to this day, living behind bars, Watts is still acting out the character traits that made him kill in the first place.
-
-
Robotic reading
- By Anonymous User on 15-06-2021
-
The Doomsday Mother
- Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, and the End of an American Family
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At first, the residents of Kauai Beach Resort took little notice of their new neighbors. The glamorous blonde and her tall husband fit the image of the ritzy gated community. The couple seemed to keep to themselves - until the police knocked on their door with a search warrant. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell had fled to Hawaii in the midst of being investigated for the disappearance of Lori's children back in Idaho - Tylee and JJ - who hadn't been seen alive in five months.
-
-
Take or leave it
- By Rachel on 30-06-2022
-
Laci
- Inside the Laci Peterson Murder
- By: Michael Fleeman
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Praying for a happy ending, friends and family stood by Laci's grieving husband Scott. Four months later, Laci's decomposed body was found in the murky waters of San Francisco Bay. The body of her child had washed ashore about a mile away, after a possible "coffin birth." It was a sad closure to an exhaustive search, and a grim end to a marriage that by all accounts had appeared to be perfect.
-
-
Move on!
- By Darren on 06-03-2018
-
The Family Next Door
- The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the 13 Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On January 14, 2018, a 17-year-old girl climbed out of the window of her Perris, California home and dialed 911 with shaking fingers. Struggling to stay calm, she told the operator that she and her 12 siblings - ranging in age from two to 29 - were being abused by their parents. When the dispatcher asked for her address, the girl hesitated. "I've never been out," she stammered.
-
-
Narrator is awful
- By Anonymous User on 06-10-2021
-
Tangled Vines
- Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity—but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was shot in the head and left for dead on the side of the road.
-
-
Too long and pretty boring
- By Louise Deo on 11-01-2024
-
The Murders of Christopher Watts
- By: Cheryln Cadle
- Narrated by: Madeline Stark
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On August 13, 2018, Christopher Watts murdered his pregnant wife and two toddler daughters. Cheryln Cadle contacted him and started visiting him in prison. Christopher started writing her letters from his prison cell in Wisconsin. These letters had his confessions of things he had never told anyone else.
-
-
Disappointing
- By Alexandra on 10-08-2021
-
My Daddy Is a Hero
- How Chris Watts Went from Family Man to Family Killer
- By: Lena Derhally
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chris Watts was a family man. Everybody, including his family, believed that. Yet, on August 13, 2018, he murdered Shanann, his pregnant wife, and two young daughters. As terrible as his story is, it is also a warning because to this day, living behind bars, Watts is still acting out the character traits that made him kill in the first place.
-
-
Robotic reading
- By Anonymous User on 15-06-2021
-
The Doomsday Mother
- Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, and the End of an American Family
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At first, the residents of Kauai Beach Resort took little notice of their new neighbors. The glamorous blonde and her tall husband fit the image of the ritzy gated community. The couple seemed to keep to themselves - until the police knocked on their door with a search warrant. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell had fled to Hawaii in the midst of being investigated for the disappearance of Lori's children back in Idaho - Tylee and JJ - who hadn't been seen alive in five months.
-
-
Take or leave it
- By Rachel on 30-06-2022
-
Laci
- Inside the Laci Peterson Murder
- By: Michael Fleeman
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Praying for a happy ending, friends and family stood by Laci's grieving husband Scott. Four months later, Laci's decomposed body was found in the murky waters of San Francisco Bay. The body of her child had washed ashore about a mile away, after a possible "coffin birth." It was a sad closure to an exhaustive search, and a grim end to a marriage that by all accounts had appeared to be perfect.
-
-
Move on!
- By Darren on 06-03-2018
-
The Family Next Door
- The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the 13 Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On January 14, 2018, a 17-year-old girl climbed out of the window of her Perris, California home and dialed 911 with shaking fingers. Struggling to stay calm, she told the operator that she and her 12 siblings - ranging in age from two to 29 - were being abused by their parents. When the dispatcher asked for her address, the girl hesitated. "I've never been out," she stammered.
-
-
Narrator is awful
- By Anonymous User on 06-10-2021
-
Tangled Vines
- Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity—but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was shot in the head and left for dead on the side of the road.
-
-
Too long and pretty boring
- By Louise Deo on 11-01-2024
-
Cruel Deception
- The True Story of Multiple Murder and Two Devastated Families (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- By: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In and out of hospitals since birth, angelic nine-month-old Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be sudden infant death syndrome. Morgan's Texas-born mother, Tanya, a nurse and devoted wife, pulled up stakes with her grieving husband, Jim, and moved on. It was the best way to put the past behind them. Until their son, Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister....
-
-
Good book, great narrator.
- By allatabbeycottage@btinternet.com on 12-05-2022
-
Never Leave Me
- An Obsessive Husband, an Unfaithful Wife, a Brutal Murder
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a quiet community of million-dollar homes and shiny SUVs, the Nyce family projected the very image of success. Dr. Jonathan Nyce, an asthma sufferer, had achieved medical breakthroughs that made him rich - and offered hope to countless people. Michelle's beauty made her an object of desire. And adultery was her husband's worst nightmare.
-
-
Fantastic Book!
- By Anonymous User on 11-09-2023
-
Deadly American Beauty
- Beautiful Bride, Dark Secrets, Deadly Love
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Greg DeVillers was a top biotech executive, and Kristin Rossum was embarking on a career in toxicology at the San Diego Medical Examiner's office. They seemed to be happily married, living the American dream. But only months shy of their second anniversary, Kristin found her handsome husband dead from a drug overdose - his corpse sprinkled with rose petals. By his side was their wedding photo. Authorities deemed it a suicide. Until they discovered that the rare poison found in Greg's body was the same poison missing from Kristin's office.
-
-
Perfect narration for a juicy story
- By Anonymous User on 26-11-2022
-
Depraved
- A True Story of Sadistic Muder in the Heartland
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Edward Robinson was a 56-year-old grandfather from rural Kansas. An entrepreneur and Eagle Scout, he was even honored as "Man of the Year" at a Kansas City charity. To some of the women he met on the internet, he was known as Slavemaster - a sexual deviate with a taste for sadomasochistic rituals of extreme domination and torture...even killing.
-
-
Not what I expected
- By Anonymous User on 12-06-2023
-
Evil Beside Her
- The True Story of a Texas Woman's Marriage to a Dangerous Psychopath
- By: Kathryn Casey
- Narrated by: Debbie Andreen
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At first, Linda Bergstrom's marriage to her husband James was idyllic. They were young and in love; he was about to enter the Navy and she was eager to start a family. But it wasn't long before the dream exploded. James became abusive and violent, prone to sudden bursts of anger, long silences, and unexplained disappearances. But Linda vowed to hold on, despite the pain and fear...and her disturbing suspicions about her husband's secret life.
-
-
Worth a listen
- By Aleisha on 12-01-2020
-
Look What You Made Me Do
- Fathers Who Kill
- By: Megan Norris
- Narrated by: Ella James
- Length: 15 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One Australian woman is hospitalised every three hours and two more lose their lives each week as a result of family violence. But for some women there is a punishment far more enduring than injury or their own death. Look What You Made Me Do is a timely exploration of the evil inflicted by vengeful fathers who have killed their own children simply to punish partners for ending unrewarding, often abusive relationships.
-
-
Tragic events and brilliantly written
- By Anonymous User on 13-04-2024
-
Roger Rogerson
- From Hero Cop to Convicted Murderer – The Inside Story
- By: Duncan McNab
- Narrated by: Andrew Martin
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the eye-opening updated account of Rogerson's life of crime and how he went from hero cop to ruthless criminal, considered one of the most corrupt and evil men in Australia. Detailing the chilling murder of Jamie Gao in storage unit 803 that led to Rogerson's final incarceration, bestselling author Duncan McNab also shares the stories behind the secrets Rogerson took to his grave.
-
-
He Was An Enigma
- By Robbie on 26-04-2024
-
Love Lies
- A True Story of Marriage and Murder in the Suburbs
- By: Amanda Lamb
- Narrated by: Chloe Cannon
- Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Nancy Cooper moved from Canada to Cary, North Carolina, with her new husband Brad, their future was bright. Living in one of the most picturesque towns in the United States, the couple mingled with neighbors, attended parties, and raised two daughters. Then, on July 14, 2008, the façade came crashing down when Nancy's strangled body was found in a storm pond. Nancy's husband claimed that she had gone for a jog and never come back.
-
Imperfect Justice
- Prosecuting Casey Anthony
- By: Jeff Ashton
- Narrated by: Jeff Ashton
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was the trial that stunned America, the verdict that shocked us all. On July 5, 2011, nearly three years after her initial arrest, Casey Anthony walked away, virtually scot-free, from one of the most sensational murder trials of all time. She'd been accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, but the trial only left behind more questions: Was she actually innocent? What really happened to Caylee? Was this what justice really looked like?
-
-
Should have been a guilty verdict
- By Marlene L. on 17-07-2023
-
If I Can't Have You
- Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
- By: Gregg Olsen, Rebecca Morris
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington, Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Compelling story, ordinary narration
- By Dee on 24-04-2018
-
Unmasking the Killer of the Missing Beaumont Children
- By: Stuart Mullins, Bill Hayes
- Narrated by: Gemma Blessman
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Australia day, 26 January 1966, Jane, Arnna, and Grant Beaumont were abducted from Colley Reserve, Glenelg, South Australia, and never seen again, leading to one of Australia's most extensive police investigations and manhunts. Five decades later, no trace of the children has ever been found.
-
-
Compelling evidence against Harry Phipps
- By Anonymous User on 10-03-2024
-
The Schoolgirl, Her Teacher and His Wife
- By: Rebecca Hazel
- Narrated by: Natasha Beaumont
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Teacher and former rugby league player Chris Dawson appeared to have it all - a loving family and a beautiful home in Sydney's Northern Beaches. But in the summer of 1982 his wife Lynette disappeared and not long afterwards Dawson married a much younger woman, a former student. Less than a decade later this young woman escaped the marriage and went to the police to record her suspicions that Dawson had been involved in Lynette's disappearance. A homicide investigation followed but got nowhere until 1998, when Detective Sergeant Damian Loone was handed Lynette's file.
-
-
Excellent account
- By jackie s. on 18-10-2023
Publisher's Summary
In the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, Shanann Watts was dropped off at her Frederick, Colorado, home by a colleague after returning from a business trip. It was the last time anyone would see her alive. By the next day, Shanann and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, had been reported missing, and her husband, Chris Watts, was appearing on the local news, pleading for his family's safe return.
But Chris Watts already knew that he would never see his family again. Less than 24 hours after his desperate plea, Watts made a shocking confession to police: He had strangled his pregnant wife to death and smothered their daughters, dumping their bodies at a nearby oil site. Heartbroken friends and neighbors watched in shock as the movie-star handsome, devoted family man they knew was arrested and charged with first degree murder.
The perfect mask Chris had presented to the world in his TV interviews and the family's Facebook accounts was slipping - and what lay beneath was a horrifying image of instability, infidelity, sexual ambivalence, and boiling rage.
In this first major account of the case, best-selling author and journalist John Glatt reveals the truth behind the tragedy and constructs a chilling portrait of one of the most shocking family annihilator cases of the 21st century.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Perfect Father
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rachael M
- 27-03-2022
This was well written, although quite short. Great place to start if you are interested in learning more bout the case.
4 stars
I knew a lot about the Watts family murders before reading this, but it offered a little more detail than what I had previously encountered.
As an Australian, I did not experience the media storm that occurred when Shanann Watts and her two daughters went missing. I first encountered their story back in 2020 through the Youtube channel of Stephanie Harlowe who discussed the case. Therefore, before reading this I had a preconceived idea of the kind of monster that Chris Watts was.
I still don't understand what exactly happened. By all accounts Chris Watts was a loving father, what makes someone kill their pregnant wife let alone their children?
The text message exchanges that were included in the book were insightful and gave me a better understanding of the different relationships between the different key participants. It also helped me better understand the animosity between Shanann and Chris Watt's family.
This book is truely heart breaking. The moment the discuss pulling poor Bella and CeeCee's bodies out of the oil containers made me cry. These poor girls were innocent and they did not deserve to die scared and alone by the hands of their father.
This was well written, although quite short. Great place to start if you are interested in learning more bout the case.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cristina
- 24-08-2022
A deeper dive
I already knew a lot about this case having listened to lots of podcasts, watched a few documentaries and lots of other stuff on YouTube.
I still found this very worthwhile, especially in terms of filling in some backstory on the issues between Shanann and the Watt's family, and the deterioration of their marriage leading up to his affair.
No matter how much I read about this case though, Watt's still takes my breath away with his sheer cruelty and indifference to his wife, girls and unborn son. And nothing will ever convince me that Kessinger was properly investigated. Watts will sing like a canary when it finally sinks in he's not getting out of jail, so that should be interesting.
A chilling lesson on what happens when a covert malignant narcisisst does the ultimate discard, and completely loses the plot.
Great book overall, the narration is a bit irritating but I could get over that pretty easily.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Louise
- 28-10-2023
So much information
This book offers really comprehensive information about the case. So much has been written but this book distills the background and the information about the investigation and trial in detail and without diminishing it with melodrama. It’s a fascinating case and this book covers it very well, but I think most readers will end up like me - still wondering why.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 07-02-2024
Wow !!! What a monster
Chris Watts is pure evil what he did to those beautiful children and his wife is disgusting.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 01-06-2021
heart breaking
This book sent me through a whirl wind of emotions from anger to sadness to even shedding tears for a family that has been torn apart, still so many unanswered questions. I can only pray for Shannan, Bella CC and Nico along with their family and hope they can find peace knowing their angels are watching over them. truly heart wrenching.
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 03-02-2023
Good book but lacks details.
I’ve read a few books on the case and this one lacked the details that I was more interested in hearing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Heather Curnow
- 12-05-2021
Well narrated and very informative
I have listened to a few books now and podcasts about this tragic event and this book is by far the best. It has lots of details and heaps of research has obviously been done to try and get a clearer back story to the lead up and reason for this tragedy. Highly recommend.
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 04-09-2023
good account of the case
Personally for me there wasn’t anything new in this podcast that I haven’t already heard from Netflix documentaries and reading articles about the case.
That being said, I think this is still a great book and its covers everything quite well. I am a fan of John Glatt and I have listened to quite a few books now narrated by Shaun Grindell and I do enjoy his narration.
One thing that slightly rubbed me the wrong way was the portrayal of Shanann being overbearing and dominant in the relationship. I think it was touched on quite a lot, maybe a bit too much.
I think with all her messages to Chris when she was away in NC, it almost portrays her as somewhat obsessive. I’m not married so I can’t say what I would do in that situation, but if I was in another state to my husband who was acting so unusual I think I would go home and make sure things are alright rather than just sit there and have him ignoring me and the kids.
My heart honestly breaks for Shanann and I spend a lot of time thinking about what her last moments were like. Did she think he would keep the kids safe? She couldn’t have possibly even begin to imagine what he was going to do to them because it absolutely defies belief. The fact he would discard his babies like he did is one of the most heartbreaking and heartless things I have heard in recent memory. The video of the girls singing “you are my hero” is almost impossible to watch knowing what he would end up doing to them.
At the end of the day, family annihilators are always going to exist, and I have heard of a few cases but this one will always be the most difficult for me due to the disposal and the fact he just went to work as normal like he didn’t do the most horrific thing imaginable.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Peonyrose
- 02-02-2024
So terrible but so interesting. Highly recommend.
The detail they go into about this case was outstanding..Lots of things I never knew. It was shocking. What a human being can do to other human beings even your own blood.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- LozzyLovesIt
- 09-01-2024
Strange and disturbing account
This book was written in a way that heavily cast Shanan in a negative way, as though the author was attempting to justify Chris' actions. The narrating was clunky and the glorification of Chris Watts the entire time until the conviction was really disturbing to listen to and reeked of victim blame. There are far better accounts out there that will offer a much better recount of events without the maddening disrespect shown in this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!