Death Trap

by M. William Phelps

A chilling tale of a sociopathic wife and mother. . .compelling! -- New York Times bestselling author Harry N. MacLean

"Eye-opening. . . Phelps's writing reads like a mystery novel." -- Suspense Magazine

It started when Alan Bates and his new wife arrived at his ex's house to pick up his two daughters for a weekend visit. Then two charred bodies were found in a burned-out car on a lonely Georgia road. . .and investigators pieced together a shattering story of a vicious divorce, a spurned woman's bitter rage, and a thirst for revenge that led to cruel, unflinching murder. Updating this gripping true-life thriller with shocking new details, M. William Phelps uncovers the cold heart of an unthinkable crime.

"One of America's finest true-crime writers." --Vincent Bugliosi

"Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers." --Allison Brennan

Includes 16 Pages Of Dramatic Photos

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Biography, True Story, Mystery

464 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Crime, murder and serial killer expert, creator/producer/writer and former host of the Investigation Discovery series DARK MINDS, acclaimed, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 30 books and winner of the 2013 Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award and the 2008 New England Book Festival Award. A highly sought-after pundit, Phelps has made over 100 media-related television appearances: Early Show, The Today Show, The View, Fox & Friends, truTV, Discovery Channel, Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, TLC, BIO, History, Oxygen, OWN, on top of over 100 additional media appearances: USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Mancow, Wall Street Journal Radio, Zac Daniel, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Channel, EWTN Radio, ABC News Radio, and many more.

Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.

Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.

Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.

Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.

Reviews

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, there is a ton to unpack in this one folks. Jessie is a psychotic, crazy bitch. I think this is the first time I have ever used that word on GR. There is nothing else good enough to describe this demon from the depths of hell. Jeff McCord is a piece of human trash and shouldn't be allowed to breathe air. Alan Bates and his new wife were true innocents in this case. All they wanted was the kids to be safe, clean, fed, and NOT abused. Oh, but Jessie isn't hearing all that noise. Ugh, Jessie is repulsive and disgusting. It has been a long time since I finished a book and wanted to burn it to get ick off of me. I don't know how Phelps managed to keep it together on this one. He did a wonderful job. I couldn't have done it.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me of Ann Rule's writing and that is not a compliment!



It seems I am the only one who got really annoyed reading this book. I mean yes there are people who got annoyed because the way it was written but I do not see anyone who was annoyed for the same reason i was.


Okay Let's have it out. Why does Mr Phelps feels the need to constantly tell us how bad Jessica mcCord is and what an angel Alan Bates was.
It felt like Ann Rule because she has the same annoying habit.

Come on. We all know people are not all bad and not all good and it gets so irritating when you read it on every page. Sometimes more than once per page.

I am sure Alan ws a good guy but boy was he a pushover. Even dropping his friends because his wife was jealous?

Comment by his best friend) "And then Alan called one day. It was a total surprise. "Listen.. I..I Jessica said it is okay that we talk"

Mr Phelps also ridicules her story that she claimed to have a very abusive background. Even though it later appears this was true. (Not that that matters cause that doesn't excuse murder))
It sucks really cause I liked this book but when someone tries to prove a point and does that in nearly every sentence, it's no fun.

yes I am sure she is bad but I want to come to this conclusion on my own thank you.

I think I just prefer a little bit more neutrality from my true crime writers.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because of a second degree of separation from the victims, who were valued friends of a valued friend. The low rating is because the writing is weak, but the story is incredible enough that it can still come through the bad writing. Having said that, please read the book. Maybe if enough people is the world are completely disgusted with Jessica she will spontaneously combust in her jail cell in Alabama.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author is usually a poor writer who does excellence research. And then gets extra, extra long in randomly timed trails to telling it. But I must add too, that he gets the personality minutia down pat and exact.

This particular case is such a horrendous and evil act that it is a lesson in reading it at how a human can begin to rationalize in this kind of "cause and effect" thinking. The murders completely undeserved and committed as horrifically and suddenly as shooting fish in a barrel. That's a cliché but it's accurate.

Jessica here is shown in all of her emotive and context reasoning. And the love of vindictiveness. Not just to the offenders but to all of life's dips and curves in general. No conscience and not an iota of any purposes except her own.

2.5 stars rounded up for the intense personality study from little girlhood onwards to her bridge of age 30 and prison terms for the rest of her life. Hopefully.

This is one of those cases (Alabama here and other Southern USA locations) when the death penalty was outlawed after it was given as a judgment.

[Bertha Ivins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a little repetitive in some parts, and I would have liked a little more epilogue at the end. Maybe who ended up with the kids etc.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Lady ♥ Belleza · Rating 4 out of 5]

On February 16, 2002 authorities responded to the report of a fire, they arrived to find a burned out car with two bodies in the trunk. It was Alan and Terra Bates, they had been murdered by Alan’s ex-wife, Jessica McCord and her husband, Jeff McCord, a police officer in Pelham, Alabama. Jessica wanted full and permanent custody of their children, without having to comply with the court ordered visitation allowed to Alan, she had already spent time in jail for disobeying the judge, and Jessica was used to getting what she wanted.

Incredibly detailed account of the lives of the involved parties, Phelps details the long custody battle, Jessica’s total disregard for the court and her manipulation of the children to paint herself as the good mom and Alan the evil abandoning father. Phelps brings the facts to life and we get to know the people through his research and in-depth interviews and correspondence with friends, family and even Jeff McCord. I recommend this book.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was undoubtedly the worst written book I have ever read except for Taken by Debra Lee. It was awful. I feel like this author has never entered an English classroom, let alone have a sufficient enough command of grammar, spelling, sentence structure, etc. to think that he could ever be an author. The writing was so poor that after getting through a little more than half of the book, I looked up the story on Google, found that it had been profiled on the TV show Snapped, and watched it on my computer. Mr. Phelps, please do humanity a favor and put down your pen. Surely you must have other gifts...

[Tressa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I like to change up my genres to keep my reading from getting stale, I had just finished the Golden State Killer true crime book, I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, and was in the mood for another one. It was late at night and I clicked on my library's free ebook service, OverDrive, to see what was available. This one looked interesting so I started reading it, despite the cheesy cover. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the murders took place in the next city over, and one of my husband's friends dated Jessica the Sociopath in high school!

I looked over some reviews and some mentioned how poorly written this one is, grammar- and style-wise. OK. I'll give them that. Capote is not his name and eloquence is not his game. And although I did see some typos and grammar mistakes sprinkled throughout, and although the author did make some odd kind of sarcastic "you don't say!" asides to the reader, I have always been more interested in the meat of a story and a book's ability to keep me turning the pages far into the night...and Death Trap delivered.

There are some readers who couldn't believe that Alan Bates was All Good and Jessica McCord was All Bad and that manipulating—uh, this happens quite a bit with sociopaths because Manipulation is their middle name. Has no one ever known a woman in an abusive relationship who acted like a scared rabbit? Or a man with a woman so jealous he literally was afraid to go out with friends? Plus, Bates had his two girls to think about and I'm sure he didn't want his ex to harm them while he was fighting for visitation rights and ultimately custody. IMO Bates was too good and too passive and, unlike Jessica, followed the slow process of the courts trying to get custody of his children. I am very surprised and very thankful that their mother didn't murder her children just so Bates couldn't have them.

Obviously Jessica did hold some kind of sway over people because she kept the courts at bay for years, and she convinced a police officer to murder two people he barely knew in cold blood—all to appease his nutcase wife.

[Marisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

It may just be because I listened to this on audible and maybe reading it would have been better but for me the story dragged on and seemed to go by so slow that i often found myself loosing intrest and zoning out only comming to sometime later. I think it was the narrator's voice and how he recreated the story. I finished this audiobook because i started it but definitely would recommend anyone intrested in this case and story to try and read the book rather that the audio version.

[Joleen Punches · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I ever found myself chuckling during a true crime book but this 1 had me doing it. Not because the book was funny, it surely was not, but for the shear audacity of this woman. Of the things that came out of her mouth, and you would just sit there and think to yourself did she really think she would get away with it? Did she think she was being cute, funny, or that vague answers would actually work? Truly had me just shaking my head. May you rot Jessica.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like reading a particularly long episode of Dateline. Hooked from the very beginning. Tragic and compelling.

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death Trap tells the horrible story of the murder of Alan and Terra Bates by Alan's ex-wife and her policeman husband. Why? To keep him away from his own children, no other reason. Terra just happened to be with Alan and was considered collateral damage. Four bullets into each victim and then they were put in the trunk of their car, driven to a remote area and the car was set on fire.

How can a mother kill the father of her children just to keep him from seeing them? How can a husband who is a police officer sworn to protect and defend, help his wife commit this crime? These questions will probably never be answered since both parties involved, Jessica and Jeff McCord see nothing wrong with what they did and still lay blame everywhere but on themselves.

My thoughts:

This is one of those books that makes you shake your head and say how could this woman have gotten to this point and not be stopped? How could a husband be so controlled that when his wife says "We have to kill him" his answer is "Ok?"

So many people were witnesses to this crazed woman's antics yet she still wasnt stopped. Her family lied to protect her and wound up in jail as well. Not for a second did Jessica McCord stop and think of her children and what her actions would mean for them. They are now without father and mother.

This book was written in a style that made it read like a fiction novel. Many true crime books are like reading textbooks and don't flow like a novel. This one does. The writing makes it an easy and enjoyable read, the facts make you sick to your stomach.

[Kellye · Rating 1 out of 5]

A great case, but poorly written

This is the second, and probably last, book I've read by Mr. Phelps. It's a truly fascinating case, which is saying something, because there's really no mystery about who the killers are. But the subject is really interesting. However, the writing is like reading someone's sarcastic oral dictation. It's an attempt, I think, at having voice. But it comes across as an author overly impressed with himself. He constantly makes asides to the reader, which I found distracting. And he has a grand fondness for sentence fragments. I won't read his work again, even though I'm a huge fan of true crime writing.

[Bonnie Kernene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! It is my first read of M. William Phelps and I am now hooked! The book was very well written and with good detail. It was not overly wordy or boring in any way. I could picture the events easily from what he wrote.

If you have never read any of his books and you read true crime, do yourself a favor and read his books.

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written description of a planned true crime murder. After Jessica and Alan get divorced. Jessica makes it her sole mission in life to prevent Alan from ever seeing their two children. His pursuit of his visitation rights led to his and his new wife's murders.

[Christi Budd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite horrific...and to think, I went to school with this girl and my mother worked with the police office for quite some time. Hard to believe...

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

No writes true crime like M. William Phelps and this book is no exception. Brilliantly written, horrifying story.

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book; one of Phelp's better ones. Very disturbing story. This story has been featured on Oxygen's Snapped.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Phelps has written another excellent true story of evil that exists.
The book begins with the investigation, and then the author goes back and starts revealing the lives and motives of the four main protagonists and how everything moves inexorably to murder. Jessica could make people do almost anything, but Jessica was not quite so subtle about it. She did this by lying, shouting, and demanding whatever she wanted.
When Jessie was in school, she met Alan Bates and decided no matter what she would have him. Jessie got Alan by getting pregnant as she knew he would do the right thing and Marry her. A few years later Jessie and Alan divorced as Alan could not take the lies and abuse as Jessie narcissism knows no bounds. Jessie remarries a policeman called Jeff who then believes everything Jessie say’s especially all the lies about Alan. Alan also remarries a lovely lady called Terra.
Fast forward a few years and Alan and Terra Bates arrive at Jessie and Jeff McCord home to pick up Alan’s two daughters for a weekend after leaving court where they are trying to get full custody, but according to Jessie and Jeff they never arrived to pick up the children when they were later questioned after two charred bodies were found in a burned-out car and confirmed as Alan and Terra Bates
As the investigation moves forward and you learn more about Alan and Terra Bates and their cruel death, the suspense builds to the point you can't wait to turn the pages and for the killers to be arrested and brought to justice!
This book by Michael is the chilling tale of a psychotic, crazy, sociopathic wife, and mother willing to sacrifice all those around her to satisfy her boundless narcissism and her husband who is just as guilty after taking an oath to protect and serve as a police officer Jeff says he has no regret for his actions.

I always look forward to reading more books by M. William Phelps. I have read (& reviewed) just about all Mr Phelps books.
I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I once worked with someone that was a "novelist," though unpublished. I read one of his books to discover that the writing, obviously sans any editing, was simply awful.

This book is the same. I don't know how this guy is getting paid to write because there are undoubtedly hundreds of better authors out there. It's awful. It's repetitive, glosses over points of interest, offers no insights, is utterly one-sided, boring and just tough to read.

The story itself is a sad and fascinating one. I was "fortunate" that for me, it was one that hews reasonably close to home so I was able to maintain my interest. Otherwise...can't imagine plowing through this. There's no mystery here, and the writing destroys any hope for one so it's just a linear re-telling of a bunch of facts (embellished by the author's personal opinions).

One star for the terrible true-life story, one star for the book itself.

[Lynne M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a bit repetitive at times, and sometimes the grammar was off but the story itself was engrossing enough to keep me going.

Jessica McCord is certainly a piece of work... I'm being polite by that. She's delusional and wow... what an entitled, vile woman who felt she deserved everything despite working for nothing. I find it disgusting how she continued to use her children as pawns so she could keep getting money. Her husband, while certainly not blameless, sounds like a total fool to keep falling for her games.

I also have zero respect for women who use abortion as a means of birth control. I'm pregnant right now, and reading about how Jessica McCord just kept having abortions made me sick.

[Cristy McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of this particular murder, but it was interesting to see just how psychotic Jessica McCord really was. She was a truly delusional individual and she saw her kids not as children but as paydays to get child support. It was hard to wrap my mind around just how a person could be so self centered and manipulative to the point of breaking the law, and feeling that they still would have no consequences. I looked into the murder a little more and found out that they made a "Snapped" episode for this one and I hope that I can catch it one of these days. If you like Investigation Discovery, you'll enjoy this book.

[Stephanie B 🐝 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jessica McCord is clearly a narcissistic and heartless murderer, and this story is unbelievably disturbing, however the writing is just so bad! I think the author took tons of creative liberty when it comes to what the murderers and victims were thinking/feeling and I got the impression that the author believes in traditional views of women based on some of his wording like “good looking chick” and “a girl who puts out” and “children should be with their mother”. It just felt outdated even though the murders happed in 2002.

[Lureta Whitewing-Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting True Crime

Deliberate, calculating , a true psychopath. I zipped through this book. An avid reader of crime, and as a professional who deals with dysfunctional individuals and families , the perpetrators involved in this crime are among the most deviant souls. Phelps, does an outstanding job of unraveling the events without bogging down the reader with extraneous details to fill in the pages. A recommended read.

[Sparklin C Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s crazy that Alan feel for Jessica. Only to soon realize that she was delusional all about me liar. We see with her new husband Jeff. That she decides to make Alan look like a deadbeat dad, and straight out abusive towards her. Yet she has no proof of any wrongdoing on Alan’s part. Maybe if Jeff had taken time out to thoroughly check Jessica background. He might of discovered how conniving she was.

[Carolyn B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author describes the accused as the most narcissistic, malevolent, selfish killer he's ever interviewed; he is correct. Difficult to read for its shocking, psychopathic mother-of-five murderer. True to his style, the author is repetitious in his commentary about the murderers' intentions & agenda. Disturbing & stressful.

[Stacy Shelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Interesting, yet very sad

I am absolutely obsessed with Mr. Phelps writing and analysis. I am very interested in reading about perpetrators displaying narcissistic personality disorder traits, as it is completely opposite of my personality. I feel so terrible for all the victims. I highly recommend the book.

[Betty Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story of Alan Bates and his new wife. They stopped by his ex's home to pick up his 2 children for the weekend. Later, they found two charred bodies in a burned out car. The details are just so good and kept my interest through the whole book. I love to read true crime books and William Phelps is a great author. Highly recommend.

[Janet Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure Evil

M. William Phelps deliveries another true tale of unbelievable savagery from a sociopathic woman and her dupe of a second husband. She is so evil and twisted, revenge overpowers s everything in her sick, destorte d mind. Always seems.worse when t he psycho is a woman somehow! Good read -