39 ratings | 23 reviews | avg rating:3.92

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Susan’s 2025 Year in Books

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Susan Ashline

Goodreads Author

Born

Glens Falls, The United States

Website

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanAshline/

Twitter

SusanAshline

Genre

Nonfiction, Crime, Memoir

Member Since

December 2018

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Susan Ashline is the author of A Jacket Off the Gorge, the nationally acclaimed true crime book Without A Prayer, and the forthcoming Ungrateful Bastard. She is featured in two Hulu docuseries: “How I Escaped My Cult” and “Cult Justice.” The episodes are based on her book Without A Prayer. Susan’s journalism career spans more than twenty-five years and includes news reporting for most of the major television networks. She has covered everything from breaking news to politics. Her long-time role as a court correspondent sparked a deep interest in law and the criminal justice system. Susan has worked as a radio reporter, talk show host, television news anchor, magazine editor, website manager, and staff newspaper columnist for publishing jugg ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

The story of Lucas Leonard sounds like an incredibly tough story to write. Did it impact you emotionally and did your journalistic background help you to keep an open mind and a sense of balance?

Susan Ashline I spent twelve-hour days watching “sermons” that felt like a front row seat to domestic abuse, with a “pastor” tongue-lashing and belittling parishion…moreI spent twelve-hour days watching “sermons” that felt like a front row seat to domestic abuse, with a “pastor” tongue-lashing and belittling parishioners. It was emotionally draining, and tough to think about someone living through it. During one of those viewing stretches, I called one of Luke’s family members and apologized for all she had been through. It was also heartbreaking to watch video of Luke in those sermons, knowing the ending of this story.

I believe it was more my writing process than my journalism background that helped me keep an open mind. When I started writing the story, I had no preconceived ideas of what had occurred (news reports barely scratched the surface). I wrote chronologically, immersing myself in each segment of the story as I wrote it. I did not open the investigation files until I got to the investigation part of the story. I did not read through the trial transcripts until I got to that part in the story. So my eyes were opened as I moved toward the finish line, and the story essentially wrote itself.

As for balance, once there are convictions, there is no longer an obligation to show both sides of the story, as there is no longer a presumption of innocence; no need to use words like “alleged.” Under the law, the convicted are guilty as charged. Unless it is a book that questions a possible wrongful conviction, it is fair to accept and present the prosecution’s theories, and the evidence I poured through overwhelmingly supported it.(less)

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Susan Ashline’s books

Average rating: 3.79 · 717 ratings · 134 reviews · 3 distinct works • Similar authors

	Without a Prayer: The Death of Lucas Leonard and How One Church Became a Cult 3.78 avg rating — 632 ratings — published 2019 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Jacket Off the Gorge: True Story of the Biggest Liar 3.78 avg rating — 68 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ungrateful Bastard: The Shocking Journey of a Killer and Escape Artist 4.24 avg rating — 17 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

20 posts
Susan Ashline's Blog

Big Twist In Forthcoming Book!

Big twist in the case that inspired my upcoming book, Ungrateful Bastard!
Ungrateful Bastard: The Shocking Journey of a Killer and Escape Artist

Notorious parent-killer and escape artist Gordon “Woody” Mower could get a shot at freedom—after a court ordered a hearing into whether his own defense lawyers pushed him to take a bribe and lie to the judge. Hear my radio interview. Read more of this blog post »

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Published on October 30, 2025 05:33 • Tags: crime, murder, nonfiction, susan-ashline, true-crime, ungrateful-bastard

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Susan is Currently Reading

Susan Ashline is currently reading

The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts

by Maxine Hong Kingston

bookshelves: currently-reading, dnf-did-not-finish

read in January 2026

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Susan Ashline said: " The genre-blending was a no for me--fiction, nonfiction, essay, poetry. I was a good chunk into this book, and it didn't seem to be going anywhere...or it was going in too many directions. I put it down. ...more "

Jan 17, 2026 05:38PM · see review

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Susan Ashline rated a book it was amazing Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt, #1) by Frank McCourt	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This may be my all-time favorite book. Laughed through the whole thing. Loved the different writing style. What a treasure.
May 11, 2024 11:35AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">