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Someone You Know: An Unforgettable Collection of Canadian True Crime Stories
NATIONAL BESTSELLER Someone You Know takes you into dangerous territory—behind closed doors where family, friendship and love can ultimately turn fatal Someone You Know is an anthology of twelve unforgettable Canadian true-crime stories by Story Hunter podcast producer, host and writer Catherine Fogarty. Each story reveals the haunting truth and statistical reality that a person is more likely to be murdered by someone they know than by a stranger. And while “stranger danger” is often the stuff of our nightmares and Hollywood horror films, sometimes those who are closest to us are even more dangerous than strangers. The collection is divided into four Fatal Friendships (when your best friend turns out to be your worst enemy); Family Ties That Bind (when family dysfunction becomes deadly); In the Name of Love (when obsession and jealousy lead to murder); and ’Till Death Do Us Part (when matrimonial bliss turns into the kiss of death). In this uniquely Canadian anthology, Fogarty digs up famous historical cases, often revealing new twists, and explores more recent murder cases that will shock even die-hard true-crime aficionados. Fogarty’s original and empathetic approach to true-crime storytelling, enjoyed by thousands of podcasts listeners, brings a new level of compassion and insight to each of these exceptional cases in which the victim and their loved ones are never forgotten.
296 pages, Paperback
Published June 27, 2023
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548 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
November 2, 2023
A good collection of cases, many that I hadn't heard of before. They were presented in a factual manner and weren't too sensationalized. However, it feels a little misleading to call it a collection of Canadian true crime when nearly half of the cases take place in the US while simply having Canadians involved.
April 27, 2024
Catherine Fogarty is a Jill of all Trades as a television producer, director, company owner and writer. Her 2023 novel, “Someone You Know: An Unforgettable Collection of Canadian True Crime Stories” is a compilation of twelve news making murders, most that took place in Canada or involved Canadians in a direct capacity. This is the kind of Canadian history they don’t teach you in schools (with good reason!) and as a proud Canuck, and true crime buff, I devoured Fogarty’s latest non-fiction foray.
The twelve stories are organized into four sections; friends, family, love/obsession and marriage. Each section highlights three stories where people are murdered by someone they knew and, in most cases, by someone who mattered to them a great deal. Some are more well known than others (like the murder of Canadian comedy icon Phil Hartmann) while others are less so, but all of the tales are gruesome, emotional and engaging. There are a few stories in the mix that take place in California, U.S.A, but they are perpetrated by Canadian expats or involve Canadians, so it’s not too big of a stretch on Fogarty’s part.
Each of Fogarty’s stories are short yet detailed- you learn everything you need to know about the who, the why and the what happened next, so, although you get details on the pertinent aspects of the police investigations and the court cases, readers aren’t bogged down by dry diatribes and detailed investigative notes. With that in mind, Fogarty is respectful to the deceased and to their families, and is careful in her wording and ensures that all of the victims’ stories are as honest as possible.
“Someone” is focused on murders committed by those close to the victim (hence the appropriate book title), which makes the subject matter all the more eerie and disturbing. Without giving too much away, there was one part in the novel that even made a true crime die-hard like me flinch (it involved a newborn baby, that’s all I’ll say), so although Fogarty’s stories are short, they are most definitely not sweet.
As it is more common that true crime stories (and the acts that inspire them) are focused South of the border, I found this Canadian compilation provided me with a deeper connection with the subject matter. Recognizing names, places and events always add that extra bit of uneasiness that doesn’t come frequently, and I commend Fogarty for her informative, winning and unsettling non-fiction collection.
The twelve stories are organized into four sections; friends, family, love/obsession and marriage. Each section highlights three stories where people are murdered by someone they knew and, in most cases, by someone who mattered to them a great deal. Some are more well known than others (like the murder of Canadian comedy icon Phil Hartmann) while others are less so, but all of the tales are gruesome, emotional and engaging. There are a few stories in the mix that take place in California, U.S.A, but they are perpetrated by Canadian expats or involve Canadians, so it’s not too big of a stretch on Fogarty’s part.
Each of Fogarty’s stories are short yet detailed- you learn everything you need to know about the who, the why and the what happened next, so, although you get details on the pertinent aspects of the police investigations and the court cases, readers aren’t bogged down by dry diatribes and detailed investigative notes. With that in mind, Fogarty is respectful to the deceased and to their families, and is careful in her wording and ensures that all of the victims’ stories are as honest as possible.
“Someone” is focused on murders committed by those close to the victim (hence the appropriate book title), which makes the subject matter all the more eerie and disturbing. Without giving too much away, there was one part in the novel that even made a true crime die-hard like me flinch (it involved a newborn baby, that’s all I’ll say), so although Fogarty’s stories are short, they are most definitely not sweet.
As it is more common that true crime stories (and the acts that inspire them) are focused South of the border, I found this Canadian compilation provided me with a deeper connection with the subject matter. Recognizing names, places and events always add that extra bit of uneasiness that doesn’t come frequently, and I commend Fogarty for her informative, winning and unsettling non-fiction collection.
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April 15, 2024I was intrigued to read this book about vicious crime from a social workers perspective, I do think she did a good of making sure it was victim centered. However, I was under the impression that these would be Canadian based, but a lot of these are just Canadians in America, so that was a little misleading. I also found a few typos whilst reading, they weren't enough to deter my attention but they were rather obvious ones.
No review for this read, these are real stories with real people.
No review for this read, these are real stories with real people.
April 3, 2024
An interesting collection of true crime stories with a Canadian flavour
September 20, 2023
This was a good read as it was broken down into distinct chapters, almost like essays, with each story. That being said, I was disappointed that many of the stories were about Canadian-born individuals mostly living the United States. Still a good read, but wasn’t truly a collection of Canadian true crime stories (more like Canadian adjacent stories):
July 3, 2023
It’s like watching 12 episodes of Dateline.
July 21, 2024
Made up of short stories. Easy to read
August 7, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
Statistically, a person is more likely to be murdered by someone they know than by a stranger.
Catherine Fogarty shares some historical, Canadian true crime cases.
Despite these stories having some really disturbing facts, this was a really good read. I loved how Fogarty divided it up into four sections. I had never heard of any of these cases before. But it was interesting how these cases were investigated seeing how some of these dated back to the 1960’s.
If you’re into true crime, I suggest picking this up as your next read.
Statistically, a person is more likely to be murdered by someone they know than by a stranger.
Catherine Fogarty shares some historical, Canadian true crime cases.
Despite these stories having some really disturbing facts, this was a really good read. I loved how Fogarty divided it up into four sections. I had never heard of any of these cases before. But it was interesting how these cases were investigated seeing how some of these dated back to the 1960’s.
If you’re into true crime, I suggest picking this up as your next read.
February 2, 2024
i don’t think i would personally have labeled this as Canadian true crime, as most of the cases were not in Canada at all and would only featured one Canadian person. But this was very educational, I hadn’t heard about any of these cases except the B.C. one.
December 15, 2024
3/5
Obvious typos, grammatical errors, and factual errors.
I was excited for this one, but wow, was I ever underwhelmed. Right in the introduction she mixes up Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees, saying that Jason comes out on Halloween. Seriously? Then comes the obvious editing issues like putting the wrong date and using do instead of to. It really killed my excitement, but maybe it won't for you!
This will depend heavily on your definition of Canadian true crime.
Does the crime:
a) happen in Canada?
b) happen to Canadians?
c) happen to Canadians living abroad?
d) is it perpetrated by a Canadian?
e) is it perpetrated by a Canadian living abroad?
If you're okay with all of these, you'll be fine! But for me, it was really odd reading so many stories of Canadians who had clearly built lives in America and weren't going back any time soon. Most of the American ones were also based in California, which is where the author spends half of her time. It felt like she wanted to write about interesting cases from California in a book about Canadian true crime. Only 7 of the stories happen on Canadian soil and by this logic, not all victims are Canadian as Gladys Wakabayashi moved to Canada after her schooling. It's confusing and hurts my head to think how this book categorizes Canadian true crime, sometimes strongly and other times barely a thread.
Some of the stories I already knew. Some I didn't and were interesting. However, I found Eve Lazarus's book Cold Case BC: The Stories Behind the Province’s Most Sensational Murder and Missing Persons Cases to be more interesting and truly Canadian true crime (for me). I think it would have benefited from sections like "Crimes in Canada" and "Canadians committing crimes in America" instead of picking cases just because it had a Canadian in it somewhere.
It was a quick read and enjoyable, but I much preferred other books. I wouldn't recommend it but it's not a waste of time so it's fine for a true crime display, I suppose.
Thankful for my local library for having this book! Always worth checking your library before buying!
Obvious typos, grammatical errors, and factual errors.
I was excited for this one, but wow, was I ever underwhelmed. Right in the introduction she mixes up Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees, saying that Jason comes out on Halloween. Seriously? Then comes the obvious editing issues like putting the wrong date and using do instead of to. It really killed my excitement, but maybe it won't for you!
This will depend heavily on your definition of Canadian true crime.
Does the crime:
a) happen in Canada?
b) happen to Canadians?
c) happen to Canadians living abroad?
d) is it perpetrated by a Canadian?
e) is it perpetrated by a Canadian living abroad?
If you're okay with all of these, you'll be fine! But for me, it was really odd reading so many stories of Canadians who had clearly built lives in America and weren't going back any time soon. Most of the American ones were also based in California, which is where the author spends half of her time. It felt like she wanted to write about interesting cases from California in a book about Canadian true crime. Only 7 of the stories happen on Canadian soil and by this logic, not all victims are Canadian as Gladys Wakabayashi moved to Canada after her schooling. It's confusing and hurts my head to think how this book categorizes Canadian true crime, sometimes strongly and other times barely a thread.
Some of the stories I already knew. Some I didn't and were interesting. However, I found Eve Lazarus's book Cold Case BC: The Stories Behind the Province’s Most Sensational Murder and Missing Persons Cases to be more interesting and truly Canadian true crime (for me). I think it would have benefited from sections like "Crimes in Canada" and "Canadians committing crimes in America" instead of picking cases just because it had a Canadian in it somewhere.
It was a quick read and enjoyable, but I much preferred other books. I wouldn't recommend it but it's not a waste of time so it's fine for a true crime display, I suppose.
Thankful for my local library for having this book! Always worth checking your library before buying!
May 19, 2025
This collection of 12 short stories detailing Canadian crime cases was a good read. They were categorized into four sections and were fact-based, while reading like short stories. These were a lot of crimes I had never heard of before, which was a nice change to the “popular” Canadian stories that always seem to be highlighted/featured.
That being said, is it a composition of Canadian crime stories if only half-ish actually take place in Canada, and the others take place in America but with Canadian-born victims/assailants? I found this to be a little misleading, as I was expecting them ALL to take place in Canada. While I picked up this book to read about Canadian (geographical) crimes and was sort of let down, I do still think it’s a good read regardless. I probably would have cared more if I paid more than the $6 Book Outlet was selling it for.
4/5 stars, (-1 for it being sorta misleading, and a few typos)
That being said, is it a composition of Canadian crime stories if only half-ish actually take place in Canada, and the others take place in America but with Canadian-born victims/assailants? I found this to be a little misleading, as I was expecting them ALL to take place in Canada. While I picked up this book to read about Canadian (geographical) crimes and was sort of let down, I do still think it’s a good read regardless. I probably would have cared more if I paid more than the $6 Book Outlet was selling it for.
4/5 stars, (-1 for it being sorta misleading, and a few typos)
August 27, 2025
4.5⭐️
A great collection of Canadian (or Canadian-involved for half of them) true crime cases. I enjoyed how they were split into 4 categories of betrayals and wow these stories were devastating, especially the last one. Most of the stories take place in the 1950s-60s, but it’s amazing how motives from then haven’t changed much in modern times. Also quite surprising to see the mentions of some names of families who contributed to Canadian history, and even some celebrities. Overall, I recommend for someone who is looking for a collection of true crime stories rather than a singular case deep dive.
#IndigoEmployee
A great collection of Canadian (or Canadian-involved for half of them) true crime cases. I enjoyed how they were split into 4 categories of betrayals and wow these stories were devastating, especially the last one. Most of the stories take place in the 1950s-60s, but it’s amazing how motives from then haven’t changed much in modern times. Also quite surprising to see the mentions of some names of families who contributed to Canadian history, and even some celebrities. Overall, I recommend for someone who is looking for a collection of true crime stories rather than a singular case deep dive.
#IndigoEmployee
April 11, 2025
I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts, watch documentaries and devour tons of books on the subject. So it’s pretty rare that there’s a story I’ve never heard of it even the littlest bit. But the unheard of happened with this collection, they were all new stories to me! And all from Canada, which is where I’m from so it was doubly fascinating. Highly recommend this one for true crime aficionados!
July 20, 2025
Pretty interesting stories I’d never heard of, presented well and I appreciated listing the sources at the end. Agree with some people that it was a tad misleading for some of the stories only to have a brief connection to Canada, instead being primarily based in the United States, but overall I enjoyed it and each story was about perfect length and well rounded.
October 21, 2024
Really enjoyed - glad the author handled the cases and discussion with care and didn't over sensationalize or play into the popular dynamic that a lot of true crime media is falling into which is clearing just trauma tourism
Was also glad that she talked about a lot of less "mainstream" Canadian cases, plus included cases that involved Canadian's but didn't necessarily take place in Canada
Was also glad that she talked about a lot of less "mainstream" Canadian cases, plus included cases that involved Canadian's but didn't necessarily take place in Canada
November 8, 2024
Apparently, I LOVE Canadian True Crime. This collection of short stories was so dark and detailed without being unnecessarily sensationalized; at the end of a few of the stories, I remembered reading about those cases in university. These are so much better than those files.
June 16, 2024
I listened to the audio of this book with my mother. Loved it. The way the stories were told reminded me of my youth when I read everything from Max Haines.
December 30, 2023
Very sad stories but a great read. Couldn’t put it down and didn’t know about a lot of these cases.
August 26, 2024
3.5 stars
An interesting collection of Canadian true crime cases. Though I wish there had a final chapter to summarize, explain why the author chose these cases over others. End was very abrupt.
An interesting collection of Canadian true crime cases. Though I wish there had a final chapter to summarize, explain why the author chose these cases over others. End was very abrupt.
February 12, 2024
A great collection of Canadian True Crime Stories!
September 5, 2023
This is a bare bone retelling of true crime committed by a friend or family member with a Canadian twist. I enjoyed reading about the historical murders that occurred in our country. Most of these murders took place before I was born or during my childhood so while I I might have heard of them I did not know the details.
Do not expect extended biographies of the perpetrators or victims. Most of these short stories contain the relevant background, details of the crime, investigation and courtroom proceedings. If you are squeamish you may find this book grisly at times but the details of the crime scenes or violence committed upon the victims never comes across as gratuitous.
I found myself googling pictures of the perpetrator and the victim at the end of each chapter and think it would have added to the book to include pictures.
I definitely recommend picking up this book at your local library if you enjoy true crime or are interested in Canadian history.
Do not expect extended biographies of the perpetrators or victims. Most of these short stories contain the relevant background, details of the crime, investigation and courtroom proceedings. If you are squeamish you may find this book grisly at times but the details of the crime scenes or violence committed upon the victims never comes across as gratuitous.
I found myself googling pictures of the perpetrator and the victim at the end of each chapter and think it would have added to the book to include pictures.
I definitely recommend picking up this book at your local library if you enjoy true crime or are interested in Canadian history.
August 20, 2023
I'm a longtime fan of true crime stories. And they've never been more accessible, now with podcasts and documentaries added in to the mix.
Author Catherine Fogarty is the producer, writer and host of the Story Hunters podcast, and her knowledge has served well in her book Someone You Know.
I could not put this book down. Each story is the perfect bingeable length, chronicling stories of violent crimes, and those affected and responsible.
Some cases I was previously familiar with, others not, and all held my interest. Fogarty's writing style is straightforward and without unnecessary sensationalism - the case details speak for themselves.
Absolutely recommended.
Author Catherine Fogarty is the producer, writer and host of the Story Hunters podcast, and her knowledge has served well in her book Someone You Know.
I could not put this book down. Each story is the perfect bingeable length, chronicling stories of violent crimes, and those affected and responsible.
Some cases I was previously familiar with, others not, and all held my interest. Fogarty's writing style is straightforward and without unnecessary sensationalism - the case details speak for themselves.
Absolutely recommended.
March 25, 2025
I don't usually "read" true crime. I more so watch documentaries of the stories. But after reading this, it was truly put together extremely well. Catherine doesnt just tell the story of what happened, she captures the victims lives and strives to honour their memory. The information is provided through the important details and is done in about 20-30 pages and in different sections. Overall this didn't take me long to finish, 3 days. But now, after discovering true crime books, I think I may read more. I really like how the writer talks about the motives and how the stories are organized into the most common ones known to investigators. If you like true crime, this is definitely for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
Brb just side eyeing everyone in my life extra hardcore from now on
November 12, 2024
I like reading true stories and Canadian stories so this book caught my eye. It contains 12 true-crime stories with Canadian connections ... some happened in Canada while others involved a Canadian but happened in the USA.
The book is divided into four sections:
1. Fatal Friendships - when your best friend turns out to be your worst enemy
2. Family Ties That Bind - when family dysfunction becomes deadly
3. In the Name of Love - when obsession and jealousy lead to murder
4. ’Till Death Do Us Part - when matrimonial bliss turns into the kiss of death
I found this book interesting. It's amazing what would drive someone to commit murder. I liked the writing style ... there was enough information but it wasn't too detailed. I'd known some of the stories (like the Phil Hartman, Glen Davis and Jane Stafford stories) so it was interesting to get more info about them. It would have been nice to have some pictures, though ... I'm visual so I found myself Googling to see what everyone looked like.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2024/11...
The book is divided into four sections:
1. Fatal Friendships - when your best friend turns out to be your worst enemy
2. Family Ties That Bind - when family dysfunction becomes deadly
3. In the Name of Love - when obsession and jealousy lead to murder
4. ’Till Death Do Us Part - when matrimonial bliss turns into the kiss of death
I found this book interesting. It's amazing what would drive someone to commit murder. I liked the writing style ... there was enough information but it wasn't too detailed. I'd known some of the stories (like the Phil Hartman, Glen Davis and Jane Stafford stories) so it was interesting to get more info about them. It would have been nice to have some pictures, though ... I'm visual so I found myself Googling to see what everyone looked like.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2024/11...
January 8, 2025
"someone" focuses on twelve true crime stories, each divided into four sections; friendships, family ties, love and marriage.
Each section contains three stories, most taking place in Canada, or directly involving Canadians.
these stories highlight the victims intimate relationships with the people who knew them, and ultimately, the people who betrayed them.
"Someone You Know" is an unsettling reminder that "while we are all taught about "stranger danger" as young kids, the reality is that we are more likely to be sleeping with, related to or married to our killer."
Most of these cases, I had never heard of! and I’m a Canadian true crime buff!
Wow, the way Fogarty is able to get to the point while giving you everything you need to know is definitely one of the reasons I was able to consume this book so fast! Many parts had me reeling at what was going to happen next, especially near the end (if you’ve read it, you know what I’m talking about), and ending it with Jane Hurschmann’s story was so incredibly poignant.
Each section contains three stories, most taking place in Canada, or directly involving Canadians.
these stories highlight the victims intimate relationships with the people who knew them, and ultimately, the people who betrayed them.
"Someone You Know" is an unsettling reminder that "while we are all taught about "stranger danger" as young kids, the reality is that we are more likely to be sleeping with, related to or married to our killer."
Most of these cases, I had never heard of! and I’m a Canadian true crime buff!
Wow, the way Fogarty is able to get to the point while giving you everything you need to know is definitely one of the reasons I was able to consume this book so fast! Many parts had me reeling at what was going to happen next, especially near the end (if you’ve read it, you know what I’m talking about), and ending it with Jane Hurschmann’s story was so incredibly poignant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2024
Someone You Know: An Unforgettable Collection of Canadian True Crime Stories by Catherine Fogarty, host of true crime podcast, Story Hunter Podcasts
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this collection of 12 Canadian true crime stories. Fogarty writes in a clear, gripping style that keeps you turning the pages.
The book is divided into four parts, featuring cases involving crimes against friends, family, lovers, and spouses. Cases like Jane Stafford’s highlight important issues like domestic violence. As Fogarty points out, the motive for murder can usually be found in the four Ls: lust, love, loathing and loot.
The author - a former social worker - builds empathy for the victims and their families, and highlights the disturbing fact that most murders are committed, not by a stranger, but by someone you know.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this collection of 12 Canadian true crime stories. Fogarty writes in a clear, gripping style that keeps you turning the pages.
The book is divided into four parts, featuring cases involving crimes against friends, family, lovers, and spouses. Cases like Jane Stafford’s highlight important issues like domestic violence. As Fogarty points out, the motive for murder can usually be found in the four Ls: lust, love, loathing and loot.
The author - a former social worker - builds empathy for the victims and their families, and highlights the disturbing fact that most murders are committed, not by a stranger, but by someone you know.
March 15, 2025
Good Assortment of Cases
Interesting book and I was at least slightly familiar with several areas mentioned having visited Canada several times for longer trips to be emotionally supportive to a friend and her children. As an aside, it was neat reading of a city and saying to myself "Oh, I remember that area! I wouldn't have known that happened." But then again, crimes happen everywhere and anywhere unfortunately!
I can't really feel comfortable saying I "enjoyed" the stories given the tragedies within but I WILL say there is a good variety of stories and they were thoughtfully presented by the writer as well as held my interest. So if you find true crime interesting, this is a decent read.
Interesting book and I was at least slightly familiar with several areas mentioned having visited Canada several times for longer trips to be emotionally supportive to a friend and her children. As an aside, it was neat reading of a city and saying to myself "Oh, I remember that area! I wouldn't have known that happened." But then again, crimes happen everywhere and anywhere unfortunately!
I can't really feel comfortable saying I "enjoyed" the stories given the tragedies within but I WILL say there is a good variety of stories and they were thoughtfully presented by the writer as well as held my interest. So if you find true crime interesting, this is a decent read.
June 18, 2025
Wonderful collection of Canadian true crime stories. Truthfully, didn’t want to put this down. I had only heard about 1 of these 12 stories & still the one I did know gave me much more insight than the other books or articles I have read about it. I specifically appreciate that the author takes the time to get to know the victims cause alot of true crime authors simply focus on the gory details of the accused & villains in these books & not the victims who’s lives are ruined and/or taken too early. Very much enjoyed this book & the only thing I’d change is the fact that I wish there was more than 12 stories because I fully would be happy to continue reading anything this author has to say. Highly recommend, especially for anyone who is curious about the history of Canadian true crime.
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