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Not a Very Good Murderer

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Not a Very Good Murderer

By: Ronan Farrow
Narrated by: Ronan Farrow
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About this listen

Kidnapping plots, arson, jewel heists, attempted murder–just another day in Paradise...Valley, Arizona.

In this wild, genre-bending audio documentary, New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow dives deep into the strange and storied life of high-society socialite and former Miss Arizona Celia (Cece) Doane.

As a well-to-do ex-beauty queen in the 1970s, Cece had no trouble attracting husbands. She did appear to have some trouble getting rid of them, though. Under seemingly perpetual investigation for attempted murder plots against two of her spouses, she has been a “person of interest” to Arizona law enforcement for decades but never arrested. Did she actually conspire to have her husbands killed? And if so, how has she managed to elude detectives for so many years?

Through countless hours of interviews and painstaking investigative legwork, Farrow examines Cece’s checkered past, exposing a web of half-truths and omissions that shed new light on this shocking and confounding case. But what happens when he realizes that his most important source may also be his most unreliable?

Part true crime thriller, part captivating character study, Not a Very Good Murderer is a fascinating exploration of what it takes to uncover the truth and what it means to keep it buried.

©2025 Ronan Farrow (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC. Editors Select Murder True Crime
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Editorial Review

The journalist and the not-very-good murderer
I knew Ronan Farrow’s first Audible Original was going to be juicy, but even I wasn’t prepared for CeCe Doane. A former Miss Arizona and Rolls Royce-driving fixture of wealthy Paradise Valley, AZ, Doane first caught Farrow’s attention when she tweeted about a story he was working on, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist soon found himself with a fascinating new subject. Had this eccentric woman really tried to kill her husband with Viagra, as a witness claimed—and if so, why was the couple still together more than two decades later? In this riveting character study-meets-true crime investigation, Farrow gradually reveals a nesting doll of family secrets, high-profile politics, scandalous gossip and one unreliable woman at the centre of it all. I loved hearing Farrow’s deep reporting and CeCe’s larger-than-life persona take shape in this voice-driven documentary, which adds needed nuance to the current obsession with female villains, con artists and shades-of-gray criminals. —Kat J., Audible Editor

What listeners say about Not a Very Good Murderer

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Good interviewing technique, interesting story

A bit of a murder mystery where someone doesn’t get murdered. I like the style of the interview and the build up of information.
Fascinating character

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Brilliant!

An amazing insight into a life of monied white privilege, avoidance and denial. Love Ronan’s interview style and narration,

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A roller coaster of human experience!

Thank you for a great story and a few lessons learnt to boot! Farrow & team have come together once again to show how journalism & story telling can be woven togther.

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Great read, great performance

interesting story well told, would have preferred a different ending, but it still didn't dissapoint!

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Great voices

I loved the voices especially and the interview style. But somehow I thought it was lacking somehow yet I can’t pinpoint where. It was very enjoyable though

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Farrow tries to salvage an investigative lead

Unfortunately, I feel like the story went nowhere. There was an attempt to teach a lesson or extract some kind of meaning from this interaction, but I think it was forced.

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entertaining

at first I thought this was a real life journalist interview, the acting was that good. But no it is a work if very good and entertaining fictional characters. it moved along at a good pace and was a great listen from start to finish. The characters very good in their roles.

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Rich trash

An interesting look into the lives of wealthy ignorant Americans. Tried googling her and basically got nothing except evidence of marriage disputes. No photos, I wanted to see her.

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Interesting, engaging and excellent story telling.

Such and interesting and measured account of human life, the good and bad balanced beautifully. R is curious and approaches his interviews with un judgemental inquiry but holds accountably with empathy and understanding.

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An entertaining listen

Ronan is a gifted storyteller, and this is a cracking ‘life is weirder than fiction’ story

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