⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 stars
This book tells the true story of Chris Watts and what happened leading up to that infamous day when he ended the lives of his family.
Chris Watts’ family seemed ideal from the outside looking in. He had a beautiful wife who was expecting their third child, and two adorable little girls, Bella and Celeste, who loved their father dearly. Chris’s wife, Shanann, appeared ecstatic about her relationship with her husband. Her Thrive business was successful and her constant social media presence portrayed a family that was the envy of those who knew her, as well as those who followed her online. So what went wrong? Why did Chris Watts end the lives of his beloved family? Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be. People are known to hide the negative aspects of their life from those around them. In the Watts’s case, there was debt, control, in-law problems, illness, infidelity and other stresses that apparently contributed to the devastating outcome that shocked their family, friends and an entire nation.
When I saw this story on the news I was shocked and dismayed by what happened to pregnant Shanann and her two little girls. This book gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the not-so-perfect Watts family, including the introverted, anti-social Chris Watts, who went from intensely loving his wife and children, to wanting nothing more than to be free of them.
This is how I felt while listening to this book…
Still many unanswered questions, but I suppose Chris Watts will take the absolute truth with him to his grave.
Thank you, Tantor Audio, for a complimentary download of The Perfect Father. All opinions expressed about it are my own.
Are you familiar with the Chris Watts story? What did you think of it? Were you in disbelief like I was?
Cozynookbks 
I didn’t know about the story. Sad to hear that answers have not yet been found. That just adds to his selfishness.
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This was a horrific tragedy, Diana. It was all over the news here in the U.S. when it happened. It was, and still is, so difficult to fathom that a human being could do something like that.
Although there have apparently been many different accounts of what happened, the true account is anyone’s guess. However the story goes the outcome is the same and it was unbelievable.
Thanks for visiting, Diana.
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I had not heard of this author. These kind of stories leave me sleepless at night.
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They’re definitely not for everyone, Lavinia. 😩
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This is not your typical reading fare, Laurie. It must have been quite difficult to get through–and then to have no more insight! Evil has many forms, and obviously this family had become very good at hiding their secrets. What a sad accounting of what I wish were not true.
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Hi, Linda. 👋🏽 Thank you for visiting. 🙂
This may be hard to believe but my love for reading started many, many years ago with true crime books. 🙈 One of my favorite true crime authors was Ann Rule. I remember being fascinated by the Betty Broderick story. I don’t recall who wrote it 🤔, but they’ve always kept me glued to the pages—learning about otherwise ordinary people whose lives took a bizarre turn for one reason or other.
I don’t read those books as much as I used to, but I’m still drawn to them. When the chance to listen to the Chris Watts story came along I have to admit I was curious about what happened to him. How could he do what he did? And while I found out many things that I didn’t know, I still don’t know the exact answer to that question. It did, however, confirm one thing: ordinary people can be capable of committing horrific crimes. 😟
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Yes, you have surprised me with your interest in true crime books. I have a friend I met in Mexico who is a missionary there. She had an accident that confined her while her legs were healing. I loaned her a number of books, and she was most excited over a Grisham true crime that I happened to have there. I appreciate your insights into the criminal mind. I guess books like that can raise as many questions as they answer.
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Yes…they certainly can raise more questions. Although, some I’ve read have been very straightforward regarding what caused the perpetrator to commit a crime. Many times it’s another love interest or money.
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I didn’t know of this story but it sounds really shocking and so very sad.
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Hi, Kathryn. This story is so shocking it stayed with me after seeing it on the news. It’s so shocking that all four of the detectives that worked the case went on some sort of leave after it was all over. Some suffered from PTSD and never returned. 😔
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Oh wow, that was really bad. Very few of us think of the detectives and the effect such things have on them. And especially if they were fathers themselves.
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I feel so bad for them. Having to witness what they did had to be surreal.
I have actually wondered how individuals in certain professions can sleep at night after seeing such horrors.
A friend of ours was a paramedic during the 9/11 attack. The things he told us…🤦🏽♀️.
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To be honest, I hear so many shocking and horrific stories of murder between my job and the news, I can’t keep them straight, Laurie. Thanks for the review. I used to read real life crime stories in college, but I can’t any more. I need happy stories!
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I know what you mean, Jill. This story was particularly shocking. I remembered seeing it on the news and was in disbelief. I wanted to know what could have happened to this man to make him do such a thing to his family. Sad thing is after listening to the book I still don’t really know. 😔
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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