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Until the Twelfth of Never: The Deadly Divorce of Dan and Betty Broderick
Soon to go into production as a major Hollywood motion picture.
They were two of the most notorious and controversial murder trials of the last twenty-five years, splitting American public opinion in half.
Before dawn on November 5, 1989, Betty Broderick got into her car and drove over to the house in San Diego of her lawyer ex-husband, Daniel T. Broderick III, and his new wife, Linda. Arriving at 5:30 a.m., she used a key that she had obtained from one of her children to enter the house by a back door and climbed the stairs to Dan and Linda’s bedroom. Five shots rang out in the dark, three hitting their targets. Linda died instantly. Dan lingered on for several minutes. As he tried to call for help, Betty stamped on his hand and tore the phone from the wall.
The prosecution claimed it was as about as clear a case of premeditated murder as anyone could imagine. Betty claimed she had gone over to the house to talk to Dan - or maybe to commit suicide in front of him - but when someone shouted, ‘Call the police’, she got flustered and started firing.
Betty Broderick was acquitted of first degree murder in her second trial but found guilty of second degree murder.
To some, Betty Broderick is virtually the patron saint of the sanctity of marriage, executing her abusive, cheating husband and his ‘nineteen year old college dropout of a Polack whore’ (actually Linda was twenty-eight, a college graduate and a professional paralegal). To others, Dan Broderick suffered his wife’s abuse of him for fourteen years of marriage, left her well provided for and then married the love of his life, only to be continually stalked for seven years, to have Betty repeatedly incite his children to kill him and Linda, to find her driving her car through the front door of his new house, and then to be murdered in the coldest of blood.
Bella Stumbo’s account of the Dan, Linda and Betty Broderick affair is encyclopedic and definitive, and ‘Until the Twelfth of Never’ was a runaway international bestseller when it was first published twenty years ago, as well as winning an Edgar Award. Bello Stumbo herself died in 2002, so was not alive to cover Betty Broderick’s parole hearing in 2010, a short account of which is included in this book.
Dan Broderick, Linda Broderick and Betty Broderick – saints or sinners? Betty Broderick - sane or insane?
Read ‘Until the Twelfth of Never’ and you will certainly have an opinion.
They were two of the most notorious and controversial murder trials of the last twenty-five years, splitting American public opinion in half.
Before dawn on November 5, 1989, Betty Broderick got into her car and drove over to the house in San Diego of her lawyer ex-husband, Daniel T. Broderick III, and his new wife, Linda. Arriving at 5:30 a.m., she used a key that she had obtained from one of her children to enter the house by a back door and climbed the stairs to Dan and Linda’s bedroom. Five shots rang out in the dark, three hitting their targets. Linda died instantly. Dan lingered on for several minutes. As he tried to call for help, Betty stamped on his hand and tore the phone from the wall.
The prosecution claimed it was as about as clear a case of premeditated murder as anyone could imagine. Betty claimed she had gone over to the house to talk to Dan - or maybe to commit suicide in front of him - but when someone shouted, ‘Call the police’, she got flustered and started firing.
Betty Broderick was acquitted of first degree murder in her second trial but found guilty of second degree murder.
To some, Betty Broderick is virtually the patron saint of the sanctity of marriage, executing her abusive, cheating husband and his ‘nineteen year old college dropout of a Polack whore’ (actually Linda was twenty-eight, a college graduate and a professional paralegal). To others, Dan Broderick suffered his wife’s abuse of him for fourteen years of marriage, left her well provided for and then married the love of his life, only to be continually stalked for seven years, to have Betty repeatedly incite his children to kill him and Linda, to find her driving her car through the front door of his new house, and then to be murdered in the coldest of blood.
Bella Stumbo’s account of the Dan, Linda and Betty Broderick affair is encyclopedic and definitive, and ‘Until the Twelfth of Never’ was a runaway international bestseller when it was first published twenty years ago, as well as winning an Edgar Award. Bello Stumbo herself died in 2002, so was not alive to cover Betty Broderick’s parole hearing in 2010, a short account of which is included in this book.
Dan Broderick, Linda Broderick and Betty Broderick – saints or sinners? Betty Broderick - sane or insane?
Read ‘Until the Twelfth of Never’ and you will certainly have an opinion.
661 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1993
455 people are currently reading
2235 people want to read
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January 20, 2023
It took me over two years to finish reading Until the Twelfth of Never by Bella Stumbo, and not because the book is bad or boring in any way.
It took that long because I was so emotionally gripped by this dense work of non-fiction; it became too much for me to bear. When I first started this book, I found myself (wrongly) transferring the Betty Broderick story to a very similar divorce situation in my family and feeling deeply for Betty. While the Broderick case does have its eerie parallels to that particular divorce, it’s not my divorce, so it’s not really my business. Plus, it was a protracted, messy split; now, I feel pity for neither individual involved, only for the children.
It’s always the children who suffer most in divorces. Sure there are kids who are better off with a more stable environment that post-divorce parenthood might provide, but divorce affects every child in a deep and meaningful way. In the case of the Broderick children, their parents used them as weapons in a viciously cruel duel that led to murder.
Like so many kids of my generation, I’m a child of divorce, and it’s shaped how I look at the institution of marriage. To be blunt, marriage is an all-or-nothing with me: either never or forever. As someone who cherishes her personal space and privacy, I can completely understand why a permanent lifetime partnership with one person is not many folks’ cup of tea. Marriage is not a fairy tale, plus it can be very unglamorous and tedious.
On the other hand, I don’t view matrimony as a romantic bonding of two supposed soul mates. Despite being a romance reader, I don’t consider marriage as the ultimate end game of every love story.
Marriage is a financial/legal/social/religious/familial union that bonds two people together as one for life. It’s no joke. Especially when kids are involved. Add adultery into the mix… and well, you’ve got a chaotic situation with wounded adults who lash out at each other only to end up hurting their children most of all.
While divorce rates have lowered in the past decades, they are still common in the US, with 30-40% of 1st marriages ending in divorce and an increasingly higher rate for subsequent marriages. The actual reasons for divorce vary, but depending on the state, most are filed as no-fault divorces for reasons such as irreconcilable differences.
In this book, Stumbo laments how no-fault divorce hurt Betty’s mental and legal well-being. At the time of its inception, many feminists worried the legal notion could harm women—namely, cheating husbands could easily divorce their innocent wives and leave them with nothing.
Ironically, today it’s mostly men who decry the perils of no-fault divorce, as more women file for divorce than men. From what I’ve seen of the divorced couples around me, people break up for every reason imaginable--even if the women do file most of the time.
Stumbo’s well-documented writing in Until the Twelfth of Never doesn't spare any details. All the players are portrayed fairly yet with brutal and blunt honesty.
Betty Broderick, self-proclaimed super-mom and super-wife, was married to super-lawyer Dan Broderick for 16 years when he left her for his much younger secretary, Linda Kolkena. Their acrimonious divorce stretched out for years, with each person doing their unholy best to make the other’s life miserable.
Betty was violent, foul-mouthed, and viciously cruel to their children.
As the President of the San Diego Bar Association, Dan knew every legal trick in the book to torment his wife in order to prevent her from getting an equitable share of their marital assets. And he, too, was cruel to his children, using his money as a cudgel to control them. He went as far as writing one of his daughters out his will when she wouldn’t follow his petty rules.
After the Broderick divorce was finalized, on paper Betty had a decent settlement. But due to her husband’s knowledge of the courts, Betty ended up owing Dan money! This was due to the multiple fines she incurred for being recorded cursing at Dan and Linda--which the judge had prohibited-- and multiple Epstein credits. (An Epstein credit is a right to be reimbursed by the other spouse for one-half of separate property money used after the date of separation to pay a community debt. She had to sell her home and move into a more "modest" dwelling, while Dan lived in a renovated multi-million-dollar mansion with his new bride.
I’m not going to rehash the entire story here, as a quick internet or YouTube search can supply all the sordid facts that are readily available. Suffice it to say, that what may have started with one spouse being the bigger jerk in the situation, ended up with two people turning into veritable demons in their hatred of one another.
My opinion on the matter is this:
1) Betty was four pennies short of a nickel. She was diagnosed with Borderline Personality disorder, but beyond that, Betty had no clue what right vs. wrong was.
Does that mean I think Betty shouldn’t have spent a single night in jail for the murders? No. Were I a juror on her trial, knowing what I know now, I would have convicted her of Voluntary Manslaughter, which would have given her a 15-to-30-year sentence rather than 30-to-life she received.
To this day, Betty Broderick has not apologized for the murders per se, but she has expressed remorse for the harm that it did to her children. Having read Stumbo’s book, I can say that’s the most self-awareness Betty seems capable of. Her hatred of Dan and Linda was all-consuming and she was wholly self-centered.
2) Dan Broderick was a vindictive, psychopathic narcissist who did everything in his power to drive his crazy wife over the edge. Linda Kolkena was not some blameless, young bystander, as she also had her part in driving Betty to higher levels of insanity by sending her ads for wrinkle creams and weight loss programs.
Does that mean they deserved to be shot to death as they slept in their bed? Of course not.
Life does not always mete out karmic punishments in a fair manner. If life was fair, a reasonable-minded judge would have seen precisely the game Dan Broderick was playing and put a stop to it. But the billion-dollar divorce industry that is fueled by angry applicants, along with judges, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, pundits, activists et al., is not always a place to look for equality or justice.
So Betty Broderick took out her own form of justice, which, unfortunately, destroyed the possibility of this broken family ever finding true peace.
Betty has been denied parole twice and most likely will die in prison.
Dan and Linda never got the chance to see if their life together as a married couple would thrive.
And the four Broderick children never got a chance to live ordinary lives, doing the normal things children of divorce do, like debating whether to go to Mom’s for Thanksgiving or Dad’s for Christmas, because Dad is dead and Mom is in prison for his murder.
4 ½ stars rounded up to 5
It took that long because I was so emotionally gripped by this dense work of non-fiction; it became too much for me to bear. When I first started this book, I found myself (wrongly) transferring the Betty Broderick story to a very similar divorce situation in my family and feeling deeply for Betty. While the Broderick case does have its eerie parallels to that particular divorce, it’s not my divorce, so it’s not really my business. Plus, it was a protracted, messy split; now, I feel pity for neither individual involved, only for the children.
It’s always the children who suffer most in divorces. Sure there are kids who are better off with a more stable environment that post-divorce parenthood might provide, but divorce affects every child in a deep and meaningful way. In the case of the Broderick children, their parents used them as weapons in a viciously cruel duel that led to murder.
Like so many kids of my generation, I’m a child of divorce, and it’s shaped how I look at the institution of marriage. To be blunt, marriage is an all-or-nothing with me: either never or forever. As someone who cherishes her personal space and privacy, I can completely understand why a permanent lifetime partnership with one person is not many folks’ cup of tea. Marriage is not a fairy tale, plus it can be very unglamorous and tedious.
On the other hand, I don’t view matrimony as a romantic bonding of two supposed soul mates. Despite being a romance reader, I don’t consider marriage as the ultimate end game of every love story.
Marriage is a financial/legal/social/religious/familial union that bonds two people together as one for life. It’s no joke. Especially when kids are involved. Add adultery into the mix… and well, you’ve got a chaotic situation with wounded adults who lash out at each other only to end up hurting their children most of all.
While divorce rates have lowered in the past decades, they are still common in the US, with 30-40% of 1st marriages ending in divorce and an increasingly higher rate for subsequent marriages. The actual reasons for divorce vary, but depending on the state, most are filed as no-fault divorces for reasons such as irreconcilable differences.
In this book, Stumbo laments how no-fault divorce hurt Betty’s mental and legal well-being. At the time of its inception, many feminists worried the legal notion could harm women—namely, cheating husbands could easily divorce their innocent wives and leave them with nothing.
Ironically, today it’s mostly men who decry the perils of no-fault divorce, as more women file for divorce than men. From what I’ve seen of the divorced couples around me, people break up for every reason imaginable--even if the women do file most of the time.
Stumbo’s well-documented writing in Until the Twelfth of Never doesn't spare any details. All the players are portrayed fairly yet with brutal and blunt honesty.
Betty Broderick, self-proclaimed super-mom and super-wife, was married to super-lawyer Dan Broderick for 16 years when he left her for his much younger secretary, Linda Kolkena. Their acrimonious divorce stretched out for years, with each person doing their unholy best to make the other’s life miserable.
Betty was violent, foul-mouthed, and viciously cruel to their children.
As the President of the San Diego Bar Association, Dan knew every legal trick in the book to torment his wife in order to prevent her from getting an equitable share of their marital assets. And he, too, was cruel to his children, using his money as a cudgel to control them. He went as far as writing one of his daughters out his will when she wouldn’t follow his petty rules.
After the Broderick divorce was finalized, on paper Betty had a decent settlement. But due to her husband’s knowledge of the courts, Betty ended up owing Dan money! This was due to the multiple fines she incurred for being recorded cursing at Dan and Linda--which the judge had prohibited-- and multiple Epstein credits. (An Epstein credit is a right to be reimbursed by the other spouse for one-half of separate property money used after the date of separation to pay a community debt. She had to sell her home and move into a more "modest" dwelling, while Dan lived in a renovated multi-million-dollar mansion with his new bride.
I’m not going to rehash the entire story here, as a quick internet or YouTube search can supply all the sordid facts that are readily available. Suffice it to say, that what may have started with one spouse being the bigger jerk in the situation, ended up with two people turning into veritable demons in their hatred of one another.
My opinion on the matter is this:
1) Betty was four pennies short of a nickel. She was diagnosed with Borderline Personality disorder, but beyond that, Betty had no clue what right vs. wrong was.
Does that mean I think Betty shouldn’t have spent a single night in jail for the murders? No. Were I a juror on her trial, knowing what I know now, I would have convicted her of Voluntary Manslaughter, which would have given her a 15-to-30-year sentence rather than 30-to-life she received.
To this day, Betty Broderick has not apologized for the murders per se, but she has expressed remorse for the harm that it did to her children. Having read Stumbo’s book, I can say that’s the most self-awareness Betty seems capable of. Her hatred of Dan and Linda was all-consuming and she was wholly self-centered.
2) Dan Broderick was a vindictive, psychopathic narcissist who did everything in his power to drive his crazy wife over the edge. Linda Kolkena was not some blameless, young bystander, as she also had her part in driving Betty to higher levels of insanity by sending her ads for wrinkle creams and weight loss programs.
Does that mean they deserved to be shot to death as they slept in their bed? Of course not.
Life does not always mete out karmic punishments in a fair manner. If life was fair, a reasonable-minded judge would have seen precisely the game Dan Broderick was playing and put a stop to it. But the billion-dollar divorce industry that is fueled by angry applicants, along with judges, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, pundits, activists et al., is not always a place to look for equality or justice.
So Betty Broderick took out her own form of justice, which, unfortunately, destroyed the possibility of this broken family ever finding true peace.
Betty has been denied parole twice and most likely will die in prison.
Dan and Linda never got the chance to see if their life together as a married couple would thrive.
And the four Broderick children never got a chance to live ordinary lives, doing the normal things children of divorce do, like debating whether to go to Mom’s for Thanksgiving or Dad’s for Christmas, because Dad is dead and Mom is in prison for his murder.
4 ½ stars rounded up to 5
October 8, 2023
I have a lot of thoughts about this crazy story. I watched the tv movie based of this case when I was a kid. It was always on Lifetime and this was one of those movies my mom always watched when it came on. I had to be 9 years old the first time I remember watching it but I'm sure I had probably seen it before. As a kid it was a fun over the top movie. When I watched it again as a teenager I felt Betty's rage. This past weekend I watched the movie as a 30 something and this movie hit different.
Before I give you my thoughts I'm going to state the facts of the story.
-Betty met Dan when she was 17 and he was 20
- 3 years later in April 1969 they got married
- Betty got pregnant with the first of 4 children on their honeymoon
- Betty worked while Dan attended medical and than law school...he also worked
- Dan became a malpractice attorney and they moved to San Diego
- Around 1979 Dan finally began making lots of money
- In 1983 Dan hired a 21 year old to work in his office...her name was Linda
- Shorty after according to most people Dan and Linda began an affair
- Betty was immediately suspicious
- In 1985 Dan asked for a divorce and moved out
- The following year Dan was granted a bifurcation in their divorce (Both were made single but the money and custody still were pending)
- That same year Betty was arrested for driving her truck into Dan's front door and she lost custody of her 3 younger children
- In 1987 Betty was awarded $16,000(adjusted for inflation $40,000) a month
- In 1988 Dan and Linda got engaged
- In late February/early March of 1989 Dan and Betty's divorce was settled
- In early March Betty bought a gun
- In April 1989 Dan & Linda got married(yes 2 weeks and 20 years to the day Dan and Betty were married)
- In November of 1989 Dan and Linda were scheduled to start trying for a baby(her peak ovulation day was November 6)
- In the early hours of November 5th 1989 Betty broke into Dan and Linda's house and shot them in their bed
- Linda was shot in her chest and head
- Dan was shot once in his back
- Betty snatched the phone out the wall so he couldn't call for help
- Betty drove around while Dan slowly died on his bedroom floor
This case is so wild that it's hard to believe it actually happened. I left out so much stuff including years and years of toxicity both during and after Betty and Dan's marriage. These people probably should have never gotten married. Dan was an asshole who lied and gaslight Betty for years. I don't like Dan Broderick and I don't think he would have liked me either. Betty is mentally unwell. According to doctors hired by both sides during her trials she shows signs of:
- Bi-Polar Disorder
- Pathological Jealousy
- Histrionic
- Narcissistic
- Chronic Depression
She couldn't claim an insanity plea(she wouldn't have anyway) because personality disorders aren't considered a bases for insanity. But it was clear to everyone who spent anytime with her that she wasn't mentally all there. Her mental health was even one of the reasons she lost custody of her children. I can't help but think that had Betty received treatment the murder and chaos could have been avoided but Betty has always maintained that she doesn't need help. Which makes things more difficult because I don't believe in forcing people to get mental health care. If someone has Cancer you can't make them get treatment, so why force someone with mental illness to get treatment. But getting Betty help could have saved 2 lives.
I've had many women when they see me reading this book or when I tell them I'm reading it, that they understand why Betty did it.....I don't understand what these women are saying. Obviously I'm not married but I can understand just how earthshattering finding out your husband is having affair must be. And to then have him leave you to be with his mistress...I do understand that murderous thoughts might enter your head...but to kill them 4 years later???
After you've stalked, harassed and assaulted them???
After you refused to participate in anyway in the divorce???
After firing multiple lawyers who were trying to get your kids back because they weren't focused on getting you the money first???
After dropping your kids off 1 by 1 at your estranged husband's house so he can raise them???
After insisting that it was impossible to live off of $16,000 a month in spousal support($40,000 adjusted for inflation half a million a year). Plus receiving half of the money from the sale of your marital house which was worth $200,000???
I just can't feel sorry for Betty Broaderick. I think she needs help....even to this day. I watched clips of her 2010 parole hearing and it's clear that Betty is exactly where she needs to be. She's dangerous to anyone who she feels she owns(that's how she referred to Dan and her kids) who doesn't give her what she wants. In 2010 she was still referring to Dan as if he were still alive and actively doing things to her.
I'm so fascinated by her. I've listened to multiple podcasts about her case and I watched video of her testimony from her murder trials. And I still have so many opinions. I don't think Dan and Linda deserved to die but I also think they could have taking better care to protect themselves. Dan was an extremely arrogant person and I think he secretly enjoyed the fact that Betty was slowly losing touch with reality because of him. If I had an ex who spent years threatening my life, I wouldn't do things to intentionally agitate them. Is that victim blaming?? Maybe but as I dug deeper in this story I just kept thinking "Dan what are you doing? She's dangerous " Dan told many people he didn't think Betty would actually kill him but he also admitted that he didn't think she would stop until one of them was dead.
I think I'll read some more books on this case eventually but not for awhile. Reading this book and taking in other media about this case put me in weird headspace.
In conclusion....DONT GET MARRIED!
But if you do and it doesn't work out make sure you have good security system.
Sleep Tight.
Before I give you my thoughts I'm going to state the facts of the story.
-Betty met Dan when she was 17 and he was 20
- 3 years later in April 1969 they got married
- Betty got pregnant with the first of 4 children on their honeymoon
- Betty worked while Dan attended medical and than law school...he also worked
- Dan became a malpractice attorney and they moved to San Diego
- Around 1979 Dan finally began making lots of money
- In 1983 Dan hired a 21 year old to work in his office...her name was Linda
- Shorty after according to most people Dan and Linda began an affair
- Betty was immediately suspicious
- In 1985 Dan asked for a divorce and moved out
- The following year Dan was granted a bifurcation in their divorce (Both were made single but the money and custody still were pending)
- That same year Betty was arrested for driving her truck into Dan's front door and she lost custody of her 3 younger children
- In 1987 Betty was awarded $16,000(adjusted for inflation $40,000) a month
- In 1988 Dan and Linda got engaged
- In late February/early March of 1989 Dan and Betty's divorce was settled
- In early March Betty bought a gun
- In April 1989 Dan & Linda got married(yes 2 weeks and 20 years to the day Dan and Betty were married)
- In November of 1989 Dan and Linda were scheduled to start trying for a baby(her peak ovulation day was November 6)
- In the early hours of November 5th 1989 Betty broke into Dan and Linda's house and shot them in their bed
- Linda was shot in her chest and head
- Dan was shot once in his back
- Betty snatched the phone out the wall so he couldn't call for help
- Betty drove around while Dan slowly died on his bedroom floor
This case is so wild that it's hard to believe it actually happened. I left out so much stuff including years and years of toxicity both during and after Betty and Dan's marriage. These people probably should have never gotten married. Dan was an asshole who lied and gaslight Betty for years. I don't like Dan Broderick and I don't think he would have liked me either. Betty is mentally unwell. According to doctors hired by both sides during her trials she shows signs of:
- Bi-Polar Disorder
- Pathological Jealousy
- Histrionic
- Narcissistic
- Chronic Depression
She couldn't claim an insanity plea(she wouldn't have anyway) because personality disorders aren't considered a bases for insanity. But it was clear to everyone who spent anytime with her that she wasn't mentally all there. Her mental health was even one of the reasons she lost custody of her children. I can't help but think that had Betty received treatment the murder and chaos could have been avoided but Betty has always maintained that she doesn't need help. Which makes things more difficult because I don't believe in forcing people to get mental health care. If someone has Cancer you can't make them get treatment, so why force someone with mental illness to get treatment. But getting Betty help could have saved 2 lives.
I've had many women when they see me reading this book or when I tell them I'm reading it, that they understand why Betty did it.....I don't understand what these women are saying. Obviously I'm not married but I can understand just how earthshattering finding out your husband is having affair must be. And to then have him leave you to be with his mistress...I do understand that murderous thoughts might enter your head...but to kill them 4 years later???
After you've stalked, harassed and assaulted them???
After you refused to participate in anyway in the divorce???
After firing multiple lawyers who were trying to get your kids back because they weren't focused on getting you the money first???
After dropping your kids off 1 by 1 at your estranged husband's house so he can raise them???
After insisting that it was impossible to live off of $16,000 a month in spousal support($40,000 adjusted for inflation half a million a year). Plus receiving half of the money from the sale of your marital house which was worth $200,000???
I just can't feel sorry for Betty Broaderick. I think she needs help....even to this day. I watched clips of her 2010 parole hearing and it's clear that Betty is exactly where she needs to be. She's dangerous to anyone who she feels she owns(that's how she referred to Dan and her kids) who doesn't give her what she wants. In 2010 she was still referring to Dan as if he were still alive and actively doing things to her.
I'm so fascinated by her. I've listened to multiple podcasts about her case and I watched video of her testimony from her murder trials. And I still have so many opinions. I don't think Dan and Linda deserved to die but I also think they could have taking better care to protect themselves. Dan was an extremely arrogant person and I think he secretly enjoyed the fact that Betty was slowly losing touch with reality because of him. If I had an ex who spent years threatening my life, I wouldn't do things to intentionally agitate them. Is that victim blaming?? Maybe but as I dug deeper in this story I just kept thinking "Dan what are you doing? She's dangerous " Dan told many people he didn't think Betty would actually kill him but he also admitted that he didn't think she would stop until one of them was dead.
I think I'll read some more books on this case eventually but not for awhile. Reading this book and taking in other media about this case put me in weird headspace.
In conclusion....DONT GET MARRIED!
But if you do and it doesn't work out make sure you have good security system.
Sleep Tight.
January 12, 2020
I had so many feelings reading this book. SO MANY. It was thoroughly engrossing, immaculately sourced, but also biased in the most unfortunate way. Because of the author's critical bias there is an axis of analysis missing from this, the otherwise definitive account of the Betty Broderick murders. This was published in 1993, the author passed away in the early 2000s, the book went out of print, and this is a reprint edition with a new publisher, so I read it on Kindle Unlimited. The edition does include a small amount of supplemental material at the very end that was written/compiled in 2013, after Betty's parole was denied in 2010. I did appreciate that perspective in that material, though it only amounts to maybe 7 pages at the end.
The execution of the book earned the 4 stars I am giving it, but the missing axis of analysis IS the book's fatal flaw, and if it weren't otherwise so ridiculously well-sourced (the journalist side of me is damn impressed), I would have given it a lower star rating. All the other books I looked up were SO clearly biased in Betty's favor that I didn't bother to read them. This one has the bias, but not throughout, so you do get ample information from the "other side."
However, it is still issue that author Bella Stumbo, while presenting a LOT of data on "both sides," and occasionally concedes Betty's lies/inconsistencies, still makes it abundantly clear throughout the book via editorial asides that she believes Betty was a battered woman who was driven to murder. She clearly does NOT believe, or understand, narcissistic personality disorder. She's dismissive of the expert witnesses who testified to Betty's comingling personality disorders (also histrionic personality disorder, and then some disagreement on whether she is borderline), whereas the passages in the book covering said witness testimony was the ONE time I didn't feel gaslit by this book. If you try to view the Betty Broderick case through the lens of Betty being a normal person... you will fail to get to the truth of the case. Stumbo falls for it, and that is the book's primary flaw.
THAT is the key missing axis of analysis in this book: Betty's personality disorders. If you read the whole account via the lens of a person with several intense and dysfunctional personality disorders, everything makes sense. Her marriage, the tone of the divorce, her "crazy" behavior, and the murders. If you have any familiarity with narcissistic personality disorder (or anti-social personality disorder, which I'll get to in a minute), it's clear as day what is/was wrong with Betty Broderick. Why her marriage failed. Why things got so bad. Why she is 100% culpable for the murders, in the first degree. Betty Broderick is a pathological liar with no empathy or guilt. A black hole of a human being. People with personality disorders aren't crazy. They are aware of right and wrong. But if it serves their own selfish purpose (revenge, rage), it doesn't matter. Bang bang. (Most people w/ these personality disorders don't murder; Betty is one of the most fascinating and extreme examples.)
So I read the book via the lens of NPD, after seeing a review on Amazon that mentioned NPD and said this book was very biased. I agree--it is biased in favor of Betty in many spots. There is some INCREDIBLE victim blaming Stumbo does against Dan and Linda. It was upsetting. Like if Linda had been "nicer" to Betty she wouldn't be dead. If Dan had just "given her everything she wanted" she would have backed off. That's not how NPD works. Or ASPD. They fatally wounded Betty's sense of self, her ego. They HAD to pay (in her twisted view). Nothing would ever sate her. Yes, I'm arm-chairing: despite the experts not diagnosing ASPD, many of Betty's behaviors fit anti-social personality disorder. I think if she were analyzed now, with full hindsight (given it's been 30 years and she still feels no remorse), I think she would also be diagnosed with ASPD. It co-mingles perfectly with her NPD.
So I don't recommend this book to get an "unbiased" view of the Betty Broderick case. I do recommend this book as an thorough account of the case, but you have to ignore the editorializing from Trumbo in favor of Betty/against the victims. There IS subjective information about the "other side"--so it's present but you have to imagine there should be more nuance to the other side b/c the totality of nuance, re: Dan, Linda, even Kim is certainly missing because Trumbo thought Betty was a battered woman and took her side. (I felt so so bad for poor Kim. All the kids, really. They're adults now, and I sincerely hope they are OK!)
I recommend reading this book via the lens of Betty having NPD for sure. It helped me to question and analyze all the early accounts of her marriage and motherhood. Note how Betty SAYS she was the perfect wife and mother. Everyone says she was upbeat and charming--because people with NPD are literally amazing at this in public. But no one actually knows how things actually were--certainly not from Dan's POV. He's dead, so he can't defend himself. He spent 16 years in a marriage with someone with several co-mingling personality disorders. 16 years of gaslighting, manipulation and emotional abuse. Was he kind of a dick in the divorce? Oh yes. Yes. But I would take Trumbo (and the defense's) arguments about emotional abuse and turn them around. I think Dan was the abuse victim--if you've ever been under the influence of someone with NPD or ASPD, you know. It warps your head, your emotions, your sense of self. You're under a constant barrage and always on the defense, and they make you feel crazy. Most outsiders don't believe you. And, yeah, eventually YOU'RE the one who lashes out. YOU'RE the one who cracks. I've been there. I believe Dan Broderick.
If you're fascinated by personality disorders, I think this is a must-read. It is the most in-depth, up close & personal account of an extreme narcissist and their own self-delusion and self-destruction that I've read. It's especially fascinating to read about such a complex, intensely dysfunctional woman with these disorders. We rubberneck about serial killers and the like, but Betty Broderick is a superb example of these disorders manifesting in someone socialized to be a docile, "perfect" woman and it is fascinating. I'm definitely taking notes (as a thriller writer).
I won't go into more editorializing (don't get me STARTED on my feelings about Betty as a mom--you can say you love someone, but if all your actions indicate otherwise...), but to say: it's an incredible accounting of things, if you just ignore some of the bits of editorializing. This is going to make an INCREDIBLE second season of Dirty John as long as they use the lens of Betty having NPD. Also read it now for free if you're interested because I'm betting when the second season of Dirty John drops all this material on Betty will no longer be free :D
The execution of the book earned the 4 stars I am giving it, but the missing axis of analysis IS the book's fatal flaw, and if it weren't otherwise so ridiculously well-sourced (the journalist side of me is damn impressed), I would have given it a lower star rating. All the other books I looked up were SO clearly biased in Betty's favor that I didn't bother to read them. This one has the bias, but not throughout, so you do get ample information from the "other side."
However, it is still issue that author Bella Stumbo, while presenting a LOT of data on "both sides," and occasionally concedes Betty's lies/inconsistencies, still makes it abundantly clear throughout the book via editorial asides that she believes Betty was a battered woman who was driven to murder. She clearly does NOT believe, or understand, narcissistic personality disorder. She's dismissive of the expert witnesses who testified to Betty's comingling personality disorders (also histrionic personality disorder, and then some disagreement on whether she is borderline), whereas the passages in the book covering said witness testimony was the ONE time I didn't feel gaslit by this book. If you try to view the Betty Broderick case through the lens of Betty being a normal person... you will fail to get to the truth of the case. Stumbo falls for it, and that is the book's primary flaw.
THAT is the key missing axis of analysis in this book: Betty's personality disorders. If you read the whole account via the lens of a person with several intense and dysfunctional personality disorders, everything makes sense. Her marriage, the tone of the divorce, her "crazy" behavior, and the murders. If you have any familiarity with narcissistic personality disorder (or anti-social personality disorder, which I'll get to in a minute), it's clear as day what is/was wrong with Betty Broderick. Why her marriage failed. Why things got so bad. Why she is 100% culpable for the murders, in the first degree. Betty Broderick is a pathological liar with no empathy or guilt. A black hole of a human being. People with personality disorders aren't crazy. They are aware of right and wrong. But if it serves their own selfish purpose (revenge, rage), it doesn't matter. Bang bang. (Most people w/ these personality disorders don't murder; Betty is one of the most fascinating and extreme examples.)
So I read the book via the lens of NPD, after seeing a review on Amazon that mentioned NPD and said this book was very biased. I agree--it is biased in favor of Betty in many spots. There is some INCREDIBLE victim blaming Stumbo does against Dan and Linda. It was upsetting. Like if Linda had been "nicer" to Betty she wouldn't be dead. If Dan had just "given her everything she wanted" she would have backed off. That's not how NPD works. Or ASPD. They fatally wounded Betty's sense of self, her ego. They HAD to pay (in her twisted view). Nothing would ever sate her. Yes, I'm arm-chairing: despite the experts not diagnosing ASPD, many of Betty's behaviors fit anti-social personality disorder. I think if she were analyzed now, with full hindsight (given it's been 30 years and she still feels no remorse), I think she would also be diagnosed with ASPD. It co-mingles perfectly with her NPD.
So I don't recommend this book to get an "unbiased" view of the Betty Broderick case. I do recommend this book as an thorough account of the case, but you have to ignore the editorializing from Trumbo in favor of Betty/against the victims. There IS subjective information about the "other side"--so it's present but you have to imagine there should be more nuance to the other side b/c the totality of nuance, re: Dan, Linda, even Kim is certainly missing because Trumbo thought Betty was a battered woman and took her side. (I felt so so bad for poor Kim. All the kids, really. They're adults now, and I sincerely hope they are OK!)
I recommend reading this book via the lens of Betty having NPD for sure. It helped me to question and analyze all the early accounts of her marriage and motherhood. Note how Betty SAYS she was the perfect wife and mother. Everyone says she was upbeat and charming--because people with NPD are literally amazing at this in public. But no one actually knows how things actually were--certainly not from Dan's POV. He's dead, so he can't defend himself. He spent 16 years in a marriage with someone with several co-mingling personality disorders. 16 years of gaslighting, manipulation and emotional abuse. Was he kind of a dick in the divorce? Oh yes. Yes. But I would take Trumbo (and the defense's) arguments about emotional abuse and turn them around. I think Dan was the abuse victim--if you've ever been under the influence of someone with NPD or ASPD, you know. It warps your head, your emotions, your sense of self. You're under a constant barrage and always on the defense, and they make you feel crazy. Most outsiders don't believe you. And, yeah, eventually YOU'RE the one who lashes out. YOU'RE the one who cracks. I've been there. I believe Dan Broderick.
If you're fascinated by personality disorders, I think this is a must-read. It is the most in-depth, up close & personal account of an extreme narcissist and their own self-delusion and self-destruction that I've read. It's especially fascinating to read about such a complex, intensely dysfunctional woman with these disorders. We rubberneck about serial killers and the like, but Betty Broderick is a superb example of these disorders manifesting in someone socialized to be a docile, "perfect" woman and it is fascinating. I'm definitely taking notes (as a thriller writer).
I won't go into more editorializing (don't get me STARTED on my feelings about Betty as a mom--you can say you love someone, but if all your actions indicate otherwise...), but to say: it's an incredible accounting of things, if you just ignore some of the bits of editorializing. This is going to make an INCREDIBLE second season of Dirty John as long as they use the lens of Betty having NPD. Also read it now for free if you're interested because I'm betting when the second season of Dirty John drops all this material on Betty will no longer be free :D
February 7, 2013
This is one of the most extraordinary true crime books of all time, a massive best seller in the 1990s, an Edgar Award winner, but the author Bella Stumbo died in 2002 and it disappeared from print.
It has now just been released on Kindle and is coming back to paperback and hardback print in April / May.
It is a book that divided readers at the time as to whether Betty Broderick was a justified avenging angel in murdering her ex-husband and his new wife, or an out-and-out wacko.
As you read it, it is still very hard to say. Betty Broderick is a fascinating character who seems to inhabit this world but in a slightly different dimension where only her 'facts' are true and only her beliefs are right.
She tells lie after lie after lie about her husband and his new wife, and yet appears to believe exactly what she is saying despite all evidence, and after the divorce she was still living in a $1m+ home and getting the equivalent of $25,000 a month.
Eventually she went down to two consecutive terms for second degree murder.
Read this book. It is breathtaking.
It has now just been released on Kindle and is coming back to paperback and hardback print in April / May.
It is a book that divided readers at the time as to whether Betty Broderick was a justified avenging angel in murdering her ex-husband and his new wife, or an out-and-out wacko.
As you read it, it is still very hard to say. Betty Broderick is a fascinating character who seems to inhabit this world but in a slightly different dimension where only her 'facts' are true and only her beliefs are right.
She tells lie after lie after lie about her husband and his new wife, and yet appears to believe exactly what she is saying despite all evidence, and after the divorce she was still living in a $1m+ home and getting the equivalent of $25,000 a month.
Eventually she went down to two consecutive terms for second degree murder.
Read this book. It is breathtaking.
February 8, 2020
“to this day, two trials later, Betty still frequently speaks of Dan Broderick, and sometimes Linda, as if they were still alive and well and tormenting her. "He's such a shit!" she exploded one day, nearly fifteen months later, after reciting some past example of his sins against her. "I'd like to kill him!" "But, Betty," her listener replied, "you did."
― Bella Stumbo, Until the Twelfth of Never: The Deadly Divorce of Dan and Betty Broderick
I see how highly rated this book is. I myself did not care for it.
The author, seemed to me, very much on Betty's side. That was what I felt anyway. I do enjoy true crime books on occasion but with this, although the author is very honest about Betty's role and contribution there seemed to me, to be many a snarky passive aggressive comment directed toward Dan and Linda which did not fit if she were completely unbiased.
Look I get it. If Dan did all these things that was lousy and the actions, if done, were awful. I would have had sympathy for Betty..until she killed him.
I was also amazed at some of the comments directed toward Linda the new wife. At one point..and I cannot quote because I cannot remember the specific line the writer labels Linda as someone "without compassion". Well how does she know? Did she interview Linda for this book. No of coarse not. Linda is dead. And it is Betty that killed her.
I want to be sure I am clear. I have had crummy rotten things happened to me that were done by others. So have friends of mine past friends and current. Some of the things I could say were easily s bad if not worse then what happened to Betty. I mean it.
At no point did any of my friends nor myself decide murdering the person was the solution. Betty has not shown remorse and she did not just destroy two lives. what about the families? Their parents and siblings? And Betty and Dan's kids who have to go through life with all this on their plate.
Also in the book there are courtroom scenes and some of what is said is written and Dan says..tells Betty..he wants her to have the kids back but she must stop using them as a weapon. Well whats wrong with that? I agree with him. don't forget..Betty DROVE the kids to his house and dumped them there. I just do not get the underlying hostility in the book to Dan and Linda.
so no I did not enjoy this. I found it way to snarky and I do not feel i got anywhere near the real story or maybe I did. I just feel differently about it then I think the writer may have.
― Bella Stumbo, Until the Twelfth of Never: The Deadly Divorce of Dan and Betty Broderick
I see how highly rated this book is. I myself did not care for it.
The author, seemed to me, very much on Betty's side. That was what I felt anyway. I do enjoy true crime books on occasion but with this, although the author is very honest about Betty's role and contribution there seemed to me, to be many a snarky passive aggressive comment directed toward Dan and Linda which did not fit if she were completely unbiased.
Look I get it. If Dan did all these things that was lousy and the actions, if done, were awful. I would have had sympathy for Betty..until she killed him.
I was also amazed at some of the comments directed toward Linda the new wife. At one point..and I cannot quote because I cannot remember the specific line the writer labels Linda as someone "without compassion". Well how does she know? Did she interview Linda for this book. No of coarse not. Linda is dead. And it is Betty that killed her.
I want to be sure I am clear. I have had crummy rotten things happened to me that were done by others. So have friends of mine past friends and current. Some of the things I could say were easily s bad if not worse then what happened to Betty. I mean it.
At no point did any of my friends nor myself decide murdering the person was the solution. Betty has not shown remorse and she did not just destroy two lives. what about the families? Their parents and siblings? And Betty and Dan's kids who have to go through life with all this on their plate.
Also in the book there are courtroom scenes and some of what is said is written and Dan says..tells Betty..he wants her to have the kids back but she must stop using them as a weapon. Well whats wrong with that? I agree with him. don't forget..Betty DROVE the kids to his house and dumped them there. I just do not get the underlying hostility in the book to Dan and Linda.
so no I did not enjoy this. I found it way to snarky and I do not feel i got anywhere near the real story or maybe I did. I just feel differently about it then I think the writer may have.
January 11, 2013
This book may be out of print now and hard to find but it is worth it to find a copy. I had to get mine from a private seller at Amazon. I read a lot of true crime but this book is so much more than that. It is about family dynamics, marriage, home maker vs career mom, cheating, divorce, and so much more.
The gist of the story is that Betty made her family her whole life. She put her husband through school and went about being the best mother she could be. Betty can be kind of a shrew but she goes through the years assuming all is well in her blessed life in La Jolla. One day her husband gets a new office assistant and decides that he doesn't want to be married anymore. Betty loses her mind and does a lot of unseemly things as does her husband and the new woman who has replaced her as Mrs. Broderick. Eventually things boil over and the result is Betty shoots the newly married couple as they sleep. The story of the psychological unraveling of the main characters is fascinating.
There are no sympathetic innocent people in the story except for maybe the kids. As the divorce dragged on, they became manipulators themselves. Bella Stumbo does an excellent job of being even handed in her storytelling. Her writing elevates this to a work of literature rather than another run of the mill true crime story. I would put this book up there with In Cold Blood. This book should serve as a cautionary tale for women who expect their husband and children to be their whole lives. Anyone who is dissatisfied with their mate and contemplating divorce should read this book to see just how bad things could get.
The gist of the story is that Betty made her family her whole life. She put her husband through school and went about being the best mother she could be. Betty can be kind of a shrew but she goes through the years assuming all is well in her blessed life in La Jolla. One day her husband gets a new office assistant and decides that he doesn't want to be married anymore. Betty loses her mind and does a lot of unseemly things as does her husband and the new woman who has replaced her as Mrs. Broderick. Eventually things boil over and the result is Betty shoots the newly married couple as they sleep. The story of the psychological unraveling of the main characters is fascinating.
There are no sympathetic innocent people in the story except for maybe the kids. As the divorce dragged on, they became manipulators themselves. Bella Stumbo does an excellent job of being even handed in her storytelling. Her writing elevates this to a work of literature rather than another run of the mill true crime story. I would put this book up there with In Cold Blood. This book should serve as a cautionary tale for women who expect their husband and children to be their whole lives. Anyone who is dissatisfied with their mate and contemplating divorce should read this book to see just how bad things could get.
October 8, 2012
After seeing the moving at least a dozen times, I heard about this book and tracked down a copy. It's designed to show both sides as fairly as possible, and I think it did just that. There was so much about Dan and Linda that I never knew, and it made me re-think my opinion about Betty. While murder should never be an option, it's clear to me that Dan and Linda had no concern for her whatsoever, knew they were making her crazy, and they chose to continue that path. They shouldn't have died for it, but they should have had some sort of compassion and humanity for her and the children.
July 30, 2021
An amazing, gut-wrenching book about Betty Broderick, the La Jolla woman who killed her ex-husband Dan and his new wife Linda in 1989 after a 6-year divorce and property settlement battle.
There's plenty of blame for everyone in this tawdry case - attorney Dan Broderick who used the courts to punish Betty, Linda who carried on an affair with Dan for years, and Betty who had no identity other than "wife of Dan, mother of their 4 children." And the ultimate victims were those poor children who were nothing more than pawns in this insane fight - tossed between Betty and Dan for years, uncared for, and traumatized beyond imagination.
Bella Stumbo does an admirable job but, oh lord, I just wish that it had been edited by Ann Rule. Rule has the gift of succinctly relating information while Stumbo rambled over and over about much the same stories for the entire book. At over 600 pages, this book was massively overstuffed!
Stumbo presents a lot of information that shows Betty was perhaps a battered and abused woman, or maybe she was honestly driven insane by Dan and his lies. Betty also has a histrionic personality and even at the end of the book, it's debatable what caused her to totally snap. Stumbo had almost daily access to Betty in prison and had access to her diaries.
But Stumbo also does an admirable job of showing what Dan was like based on his actions in and out of the courts. With Dan, it's hard to figure out if he was actually trying to drive Betty crazy or was he just that unthinkingly cruel?
The book's title comes from Dan and Betty's favorite song - one played at their wedding - that takes about a love enduring until "the twelfth of never." Instead Dan and Betty made it through sixteen years of marriage.
If you recently watched the second season of "Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story" I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Vist my new blog - I Love True Crime Books!
There's plenty of blame for everyone in this tawdry case - attorney Dan Broderick who used the courts to punish Betty, Linda who carried on an affair with Dan for years, and Betty who had no identity other than "wife of Dan, mother of their 4 children." And the ultimate victims were those poor children who were nothing more than pawns in this insane fight - tossed between Betty and Dan for years, uncared for, and traumatized beyond imagination.
Bella Stumbo does an admirable job but, oh lord, I just wish that it had been edited by Ann Rule. Rule has the gift of succinctly relating information while Stumbo rambled over and over about much the same stories for the entire book. At over 600 pages, this book was massively overstuffed!
Stumbo presents a lot of information that shows Betty was perhaps a battered and abused woman, or maybe she was honestly driven insane by Dan and his lies. Betty also has a histrionic personality and even at the end of the book, it's debatable what caused her to totally snap. Stumbo had almost daily access to Betty in prison and had access to her diaries.
But Stumbo also does an admirable job of showing what Dan was like based on his actions in and out of the courts. With Dan, it's hard to figure out if he was actually trying to drive Betty crazy or was he just that unthinkingly cruel?
The book's title comes from Dan and Betty's favorite song - one played at their wedding - that takes about a love enduring until "the twelfth of never." Instead Dan and Betty made it through sixteen years of marriage.
If you recently watched the second season of "Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story" I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Vist my new blog - I Love True Crime Books!
June 22, 2013
This is one of the saddest true crime books I've ever read.
I first heard of Betty Broderick when I caught the Lifetime movie about her on TV a few weeks ago (I was a very young child in the early 90's so I hadn't heard anything about her back then). After watching the movie and learning it was heavily bias, I started searching for a more accurate telling of her story and came across this book. I was very lucky to get the Kindle version for free a few days ago and I just couldn't put it down.
The sheer torment that Betty was put through by Dan and Linda is disgusting. Now, I'm not saying Betty is totally innocent (obviously), but as you continue reading this book, it's easy to sympathize with her. Betty was a woman who was literally driven to do what she did. After sacrificing so much, after working her butt off to raise four children and support her husband both emotionally and financially through medical and law school, after all that...her husband kicks her to the curb for a younger woman, just as Betty was about to be able to enjoy the rewards of all her sacrifice and hard work. Then to be constantly tormented and dragged through years of legal BS. I do not condone what she did, but I truly feel for Betty Broderick.
I first heard of Betty Broderick when I caught the Lifetime movie about her on TV a few weeks ago (I was a very young child in the early 90's so I hadn't heard anything about her back then). After watching the movie and learning it was heavily bias, I started searching for a more accurate telling of her story and came across this book. I was very lucky to get the Kindle version for free a few days ago and I just couldn't put it down.
The sheer torment that Betty was put through by Dan and Linda is disgusting. Now, I'm not saying Betty is totally innocent (obviously), but as you continue reading this book, it's easy to sympathize with her. Betty was a woman who was literally driven to do what she did. After sacrificing so much, after working her butt off to raise four children and support her husband both emotionally and financially through medical and law school, after all that...her husband kicks her to the curb for a younger woman, just as Betty was about to be able to enjoy the rewards of all her sacrifice and hard work. Then to be constantly tormented and dragged through years of legal BS. I do not condone what she did, but I truly feel for Betty Broderick.
January 6, 2012
This is a much more balanced account of the marriage and divorce of Dan and Betty Broderick. This was a marriage that ultimately ended in Betty shooting and killing Dan and his new, younger wife. Other versions, including the television movie, paint Dan and Linda as innocent victims. This book illustrates the malice on both sides. None of the adults involved were innocent.
Dan and Linda were clearly involved in an ongoing affair long before the divorce, although Dan continued to deny it, even in the face of evidence. His knowledge of the legal system allowed him to take control of the ensuing divorce. Betty was furious at being left for a younger woman after spending years of her life supporting her husband and raising their children. She was vindictive and completely unable to accept the end of her marriage. Reading the book became uncomfortable, knowing the ultimate result and feeling Betty become increasingly unstable until she "lost it".
There are no winners here.
Dan and Linda were clearly involved in an ongoing affair long before the divorce, although Dan continued to deny it, even in the face of evidence. His knowledge of the legal system allowed him to take control of the ensuing divorce. Betty was furious at being left for a younger woman after spending years of her life supporting her husband and raising their children. She was vindictive and completely unable to accept the end of her marriage. Reading the book became uncomfortable, knowing the ultimate result and feeling Betty become increasingly unstable until she "lost it".
There are no winners here.
February 13, 2016
Such a painful story, told well and with judgment being meted out to all parties involved, including the murder victims. This book and this case have both brought me considerable attention as a writer due to a long op-ed piece I wrote about the case and two shorter flanking articles; this is something that I do not enjoy and did not seek, but so it goes with anything Broderick. It is a case that continues to anger and outrage.
I do not believe Betty Broderick belongs in prison.
I do not believe Betty Broderick belongs in prison.
April 10, 2019
4.5
So. Wow. Hmmm. I like to read about cheating husbands redeeming themselves, but once again real life proves that it's kind of a fairytale. The wreckage infedelity leaves is brutal not only for the ones left behind, but in this case, the cheater and the ow. I'm not saying that the ex wife was justified in doing what she did or saying that he was wrong in leaving, but that cheating and sneaking around behind a spouses back has many consequences, some more painful than others. If your unhappy in your marriage put your big girl panties on and say so. Because sometimes the person your sneaking around on is crazy. Would she have done this if he divorced her first? I don't know, but at least he might have known which way the wind was blowing before she blew. KU
So. Wow. Hmmm. I like to read about cheating husbands redeeming themselves, but once again real life proves that it's kind of a fairytale. The wreckage infedelity leaves is brutal not only for the ones left behind, but in this case, the cheater and the ow. I'm not saying that the ex wife was justified in doing what she did or saying that he was wrong in leaving, but that cheating and sneaking around behind a spouses back has many consequences, some more painful than others. If your unhappy in your marriage put your big girl panties on and say so. Because sometimes the person your sneaking around on is crazy. Would she have done this if he divorced her first? I don't know, but at least he might have known which way the wind was blowing before she blew. KU
January 7, 2016
Best book ever on the Betty broderick case. the gold standard.
October 20, 2016
This is perhaps one of the greatest accounts of a true crime ever. So many misconceptions surround the case, which I suppose is common in many murders. Even the book blurb on Goodreads contains at least one factual error! Linda Kolkena graduated high school, but according to Bella Stumbo, she never attended college. Also, Dan Broderick hired her because she was hot. She could not even type, let alone work as a professional paralegal. But I digress!
Since the double homicide of Dan and Linda Broderick occurred in November 1989, the media have portrayed Betty Broderick as "a woman scorned" or an empty-headed "socialite." Although she and Dan were very wealthy, Stumbo depicts her as a highly intelligent woman and loving mother. She seems to have sought refuge in shopping excessively after her life started to fall apart. Cracks in the marriage were there all along, but in 1984 Dan began an affair with a woman only slightly older than his oldest daughter Kim, Linda Kolkena.
Betty suspected the affair early on, but Dan dismissed her concerns, and many of his friends backed him up. Betty went from a mother whose world was her children to an hysteric blinded by hatred, sadness, and rejection. A combative medical malpractice lawyer, Dan chose to deal with his raging, hurt wife as he would an opponent in court. This proved to be a fatal mistake.
I realize that Dan was a victim as well, but after reading this exhaustive, meticulously researched account, I see the true victims as Linda and the four Broderick children. Although they never seemed to be as close with their somewhat cold and distant father, he was their dad. They then lost their mother when she was convicted after two trials. Betty used them thoughtlessly during the custody battles and seemingly endless ugly disputes regarding child support. As a mother, it's hard for me to understand how a mom could put her children through such pain to get back at a spouse.
And the tragic part is that Dan remained unaffected by Betty's attempts to use the children. He realized early on they were a useful bargaining chip, but one gets the sense that after he and Linda began their own family, they would no longer be valuable to him. In many ways, Stumbo portrays Dan as a juvenile, immature person who was incapable of love and empathy. True, he loved Linda, but after a time her unadulterated adoration of him might have waned...and then what? At their funerals, Linda's name was barely mentioned.
I recommend this book to readers interested in the social dynamics of families and psychology, and not so much true crime lovers. The crime itself is not particularly fascinating. Instead, it's the apparently inevitable journey leading up to the final explosive conclusion that began when Dan and Betty Broderick married back in 1969. This story will haunt you for a very long time. The late Stumbo was an investigative journalist who wrote for the LA Times. She worked on this book for years, and her dedication and talent are evident on every page.
Since the double homicide of Dan and Linda Broderick occurred in November 1989, the media have portrayed Betty Broderick as "a woman scorned" or an empty-headed "socialite." Although she and Dan were very wealthy, Stumbo depicts her as a highly intelligent woman and loving mother. She seems to have sought refuge in shopping excessively after her life started to fall apart. Cracks in the marriage were there all along, but in 1984 Dan began an affair with a woman only slightly older than his oldest daughter Kim, Linda Kolkena.
Betty suspected the affair early on, but Dan dismissed her concerns, and many of his friends backed him up. Betty went from a mother whose world was her children to an hysteric blinded by hatred, sadness, and rejection. A combative medical malpractice lawyer, Dan chose to deal with his raging, hurt wife as he would an opponent in court. This proved to be a fatal mistake.
I realize that Dan was a victim as well, but after reading this exhaustive, meticulously researched account, I see the true victims as Linda and the four Broderick children. Although they never seemed to be as close with their somewhat cold and distant father, he was their dad. They then lost their mother when she was convicted after two trials. Betty used them thoughtlessly during the custody battles and seemingly endless ugly disputes regarding child support. As a mother, it's hard for me to understand how a mom could put her children through such pain to get back at a spouse.
And the tragic part is that Dan remained unaffected by Betty's attempts to use the children. He realized early on they were a useful bargaining chip, but one gets the sense that after he and Linda began their own family, they would no longer be valuable to him. In many ways, Stumbo portrays Dan as a juvenile, immature person who was incapable of love and empathy. True, he loved Linda, but after a time her unadulterated adoration of him might have waned...and then what? At their funerals, Linda's name was barely mentioned.
I recommend this book to readers interested in the social dynamics of families and psychology, and not so much true crime lovers. The crime itself is not particularly fascinating. Instead, it's the apparently inevitable journey leading up to the final explosive conclusion that began when Dan and Betty Broderick married back in 1969. This story will haunt you for a very long time. The late Stumbo was an investigative journalist who wrote for the LA Times. She worked on this book for years, and her dedication and talent are evident on every page.
March 7, 2017
This is definitely a book about what not to do in a divorce. I knew about this case before reading this book, but there were a few things I did learn from it. I think that these two people were slated for a disaster straight from the beginning. It is sad to see that people will do these things to each other, just for the sake of being the winner. I think each person was 50% responsible for what happened, although I think Betty really needed to realize some things, as she was so set in what she believed to be the truth, that her mind steered her wrong on so many occasions and it kept her acting out in the worst ways. Especially towards her children. Nobody should use their kids to get their way in a divorce or talk to them in this way. Ever!
As for the writing, I found it quite cut and dried, but a little bit biased as well. As for the editing, I think that it should have been better. I found several spelling mistakes, as well as other mistakes, like the name of cities.
As for the writing, I found it quite cut and dried, but a little bit biased as well. As for the editing, I think that it should have been better. I found several spelling mistakes, as well as other mistakes, like the name of cities.
June 6, 2009
Dan Broderick is a successful lawyer who has an affair with his assistant and then leaves his wife, Betty, for this much younger woman. Betty kills them both which shocks the upscale community in which they live in. I was completely engrossed in this true crime novel and I thought it was well written because the book covers the span of their marriage, beginning with the early years as they struggled financially when Dan was in law school to the present when he became successful and they lived an upper class lifestyle. After Dan left her, Betty comes across as a scorned and bitter woman and it is easy to see how she reached the point to where she "lost it". If I had to figure out her motive, I would say that she felt betrayed because she helped her husband get to where he was at in his career. If you enjoy reading true crime books, I highly recommend you read this one!
September 27, 2012
Our library has this book, and I check it out periodically because it is such a compelling read. The book is completely unbiased, using facts to tell the ultimate tale of a woman who felt scorned when her husband left her for a younger woman. Nobody played fair on either side. Betty was portrayed in the miniseries and in "American Justice" as a jealous, slightly psychotic ex-wife. You really need to read the book to get the full scope of everything that happened--on both sides.
June 18, 2009
"Until the Twelfth of Never" is an excellent debut by writer Bella Stumbo, of an ugly and acrimonious divorce that turned deadly.
Stumbo goes deep into the backgrounds of both Dan and Betty Broderick and their eventually troubled marriage. She exposes the flaws from both of them. She does not portray Dan to be a saint, nor Betty to be a devil in sheep's clothing. Rather than feeling anger or outrage toward Dan or Betty, it's easy for the reader to feel a deep unsettling, knowing the outcome . . .and knowing that so many signs were there that this battle of wills would eventually erupt into a bloody mess.
Unlike other versions, which are quick to take Dan's side or Betty's side, Dan's second wife Linda is not portrayed as an innocent victim either. The tv miniseries was sufficiently "cleaned up" to make it appear as though Dan and Linda were nothing more than co-workers and good friends until after the Broderick divorce. As "Twelfth" reveals, nothing could have been further from the truth. Murder is never justified, but the cracks in Betty's emotional and mental state were in evidence long before she ever pulled the trigger.
As another reviewer stated the only victims truly apparent in this story are the Broderick children. They were used in a vicious tug of war between their parents and in the end, lost both their father and their mother.
"Twelfth" should be viewed as a cautionary tale - - of two people that were ill-suited for each other from the beginning, that suffered through an unhappy marriage for years, shared that suffering with their children and could not let it go until one, or the both of them, were dead.
Sad, depressing tale excellently written.
Stumbo goes deep into the backgrounds of both Dan and Betty Broderick and their eventually troubled marriage. She exposes the flaws from both of them. She does not portray Dan to be a saint, nor Betty to be a devil in sheep's clothing. Rather than feeling anger or outrage toward Dan or Betty, it's easy for the reader to feel a deep unsettling, knowing the outcome . . .and knowing that so many signs were there that this battle of wills would eventually erupt into a bloody mess.
Unlike other versions, which are quick to take Dan's side or Betty's side, Dan's second wife Linda is not portrayed as an innocent victim either. The tv miniseries was sufficiently "cleaned up" to make it appear as though Dan and Linda were nothing more than co-workers and good friends until after the Broderick divorce. As "Twelfth" reveals, nothing could have been further from the truth. Murder is never justified, but the cracks in Betty's emotional and mental state were in evidence long before she ever pulled the trigger.
As another reviewer stated the only victims truly apparent in this story are the Broderick children. They were used in a vicious tug of war between their parents and in the end, lost both their father and their mother.
"Twelfth" should be viewed as a cautionary tale - - of two people that were ill-suited for each other from the beginning, that suffered through an unhappy marriage for years, shared that suffering with their children and could not let it go until one, or the both of them, were dead.
Sad, depressing tale excellently written.
August 5, 2020
As a true crime reader for more than 20 years I had never read anything about this case.Yes I had heard about the name Betty Broderick but no idea what it was about.
I had already another book on my kindle but then I read someone who suggested this book was the much better one of the two. I decided to try a sample and reading the first chapter I was hooked so I purchased it and it was not cheap.
Then I began reading and I thought after a while "Darn I am an idiot. The author tells us what happened in the first chapter and why and now the rest of the 600? pages is about the trial>"
What a waste of money (I am Dutch remember? :-) ) but I kept in reading and now I am so into it.
It hardly ever happens that I understand a killing but boy I can see her terrible anger and get it.
Now I am just 24% in and I have tons to go. (The worst years are coming now)
Of to bed to read more.
Update August 5 2020.
Well I finished this book a few days ago. I read it all and I was even planning to read the book written by Kim Betty´s daughter . Then I discovered this was a lie? Not sure how this is even allowed. That even though it is sometimes written as if Kim is telling the story apparently she had nothing to do with it. Something fishy is going on. She is telling on forums she did not write it. Maybe she did participate but then decided against it? I do not think I can write a book and say I am Ted Bundy's sister if this is not true.
Anyway. Betty is one thing. She is the most stubborn woman on the planet I think.
I had already another book on my kindle but then I read someone who suggested this book was the much better one of the two. I decided to try a sample and reading the first chapter I was hooked so I purchased it and it was not cheap.
Then I began reading and I thought after a while "Darn I am an idiot. The author tells us what happened in the first chapter and why and now the rest of the 600? pages is about the trial>"
What a waste of money (I am Dutch remember? :-) ) but I kept in reading and now I am so into it.
It hardly ever happens that I understand a killing but boy I can see her terrible anger and get it.
Now I am just 24% in and I have tons to go. (The worst years are coming now)
Of to bed to read more.
Update August 5 2020.
Well I finished this book a few days ago. I read it all and I was even planning to read the book written by Kim Betty´s daughter . Then I discovered this was a lie? Not sure how this is even allowed. That even though it is sometimes written as if Kim is telling the story apparently she had nothing to do with it. Something fishy is going on. She is telling on forums she did not write it. Maybe she did participate but then decided against it? I do not think I can write a book and say I am Ted Bundy's sister if this is not true.
Anyway. Betty is one thing. She is the most stubborn woman on the planet I think.
September 29, 2012
It is a fascinating look into the mind of a woman who was left for a younger woman. The outcome of course, was tragic. However, the journey to the outcome is mind-boggling. Kudos to Bella for a well-written, gripping read! I read this in 2007. I loaned it out after, and it was gone for about a year or so; then returned to me by my good friend with a note written in. I had also written a note. I plan to read it again in the near future.
2012--Yes, I will be reading it again; it still sticks with me.
I took my time with it for the second reading. It was still a very captivating read. Bella wrote incredibly for her first book. I was still absorbed throughout both trials. With the passage of time, and through internet research, I learned about Betty Broderick's parole hearing in 2010. And, I was very much interested in all family members involved. I wanted to know how each of their lives progressed with the tragedy that occurred. Fascinating!
2012--Yes, I will be reading it again; it still sticks with me.
I took my time with it for the second reading. It was still a very captivating read. Bella wrote incredibly for her first book. I was still absorbed throughout both trials. With the passage of time, and through internet research, I learned about Betty Broderick's parole hearing in 2010. And, I was very much interested in all family members involved. I wanted to know how each of their lives progressed with the tragedy that occurred. Fascinating!
February 10, 2013
I was so excited to see this book come up as a free download as it looked just fascinating. I'd heard of Betty Broderick as I'd seen the Meredith Baxter TV movies over here so I was looking forward to learning more.....
However, it needs a proper edit !! I packed it in only 12% into it because I'd seen enough, sadly. The word Liebchen was spelt as Leibchen, twice the word came was somehow interpreted as carne. I'd put that down to someone not copying the word properly but even so, you don't throw in what you think it says !!
Then fullstops were suddenly deemed unworthy and were not used and didn't became didn, $1 per hour became $l.......just total carelessness, info replaced into and my last straw was when the was replaced by thr. ANY editor doing a proper job doesn't overlook words that just don't exist. It's a pity as the author isn't alive now and so it's very unfair to put this out there in her name in the state it's in.
However, it needs a proper edit !! I packed it in only 12% into it because I'd seen enough, sadly. The word Liebchen was spelt as Leibchen, twice the word came was somehow interpreted as carne. I'd put that down to someone not copying the word properly but even so, you don't throw in what you think it says !!
Then fullstops were suddenly deemed unworthy and were not used and didn't became didn, $1 per hour became $l.......just total carelessness, info replaced into and my last straw was when the was replaced by thr. ANY editor doing a proper job doesn't overlook words that just don't exist. It's a pity as the author isn't alive now and so it's very unfair to put this out there in her name in the state it's in.
August 14, 2022
I had never heard of Betty Broderick until I started reading this account. Betty killed her ex husband and his new wife Linda when she entered their house by the back door and shot them in their bed. It was a very interesting story but it was a very long book and was very repetitive. In the note by the author it started out very much longer but was edited down to its current length. I felt they could have edited a bit more. Betty did herself no favours in the long saga of her divorce and her subsequent murder trials. Dan was the worst husband to her from early on in their marriage and then when life should have been good he started his affair. He continually lied about what he was doing to his wife and as time went on she became more and more unstable. The tragedy of this story was the treatment of their unfortunate children by both parents.
April 24, 2019
I just finished this book on the Betty Broderick case “Until The Twelfth Of Never”. What a fantastic book. So full of information I’d never heard before. Wonderfully written.
My only criticism is that the Author Bella Stumbo was somewhat biased to the point of it being a bit annoying. Over the many months of interviewing Betty for this book Stumbo & Betty formed somewhat of a friendship and from the start it is obvious of this author’s dislike of Dan Broderick. Apart from that it’s a brilliant book
My only criticism is that the Author Bella Stumbo was somewhat biased to the point of it being a bit annoying. Over the many months of interviewing Betty for this book Stumbo & Betty formed somewhat of a friendship and from the start it is obvious of this author’s dislike of Dan Broderick. Apart from that it’s a brilliant book
July 27, 2020
This is the first true crime book I’ve ever read, and it will probably be the last. I’ve lost my taste for most television, but there was a period in my life where the one thing I did like to watch were salacious true crime shows. It became really apparent to me however, that they were having a negative impact on my well-being (you are what you consume, after all) so I stopped watching them for the most part. What on earth then, inspired me to read a fairly lengthy book about the Broderick divorce and murder?! Initially, I was intrigued because I thought the case demonstrated the inequities women experience in the legal system, as well as the lengths to which legal chicanery can be taken in a divorce proceeding. I also suspected that it raised some interesting questions about the extent to which mental health should be considered in determining guilt in a criminal case. All of those things proved to be true, but it also became a case study of how avarice, self-centeredness, and our own poor choices can lead to the deterioration of our mental health and sense of well-being. I found it all highly disturbing and, in the end, I just wanted to finish the book and be rid of these people forever.
Though I think that this book largely capitalizes on the misfortune of others, and the author lost credibly points for repeatedly editorializing about Betty’s weight gain, I do want to give her credit for her thorough research, for presenting different sides of the story, and for demonstrating that none of the major players (Dan, Betty, or Linda) were innocent—or likable. Dan most certainly was a philanderer and was emotionally abusive to Betty. Based on the evidence presented in the first trial, I also believe there is a significant likelihood that he was physically and sexually abusive to Betty, as well. Furthermore, he had no intention of ever giving her a fair settlement and most certainly hid assets and manipulated the legal system in his favor. Linda bears the least guilt of the three, but she had an affair with a married father of four; was an active participant in Betty’s emotional abuse (that might be debatable, but I think the evidence is strong); and, rather than having any compassion for the children, whined and complained about their very normal behavior considering the circumstances and sat idly by while they were used as pawns and neglected (literally allowing them to go to school dirty, sick, and improperly attired on a regular basis). She should have walked away, as her friends suggested.
I just wish that Betty had accepted the fact that she was going to get hosed in the divorce no matter what she did but that she would likely fare better if she just cooperated with her lawyers. I wish she had swallowed her pride and worked with a therapist to help her cope with her quite justifiable anger at her husband and his mistress rather than continuing to stoke the flames by acting out again and again. I wish she would have just let go, recognizing that her relationship with her husband was awful and that she would ultimately be better off without him. But more than anything, I wish she, like Dan, hadn’t used her children as pawns, causing them immeasurable pain and suffering. Yet none of these wishes take into account the significant mental disturbance that Betty was experiencing, in part the result of Dan’s abuse and in part the result of her own greed, narcissism, and attention-seeking.
No matter how ugly their behavior, nothing Dan or Linda did justified taking their lives. Despite the fact that Betty was undeniably suffering from mental health issues, none of the psychologists that interviewed her felt she was mentally incompetent. I agree. I think she did know right from wrong (the only measure of mental competence in a court of law), and I think she needed to be held accountable. I also think though, that there are mitigating circumstances and that she was goaded to a certain extent. Taking that into account, I agree with the jury’s decision to find her guilty of second, rather than first, degree murder. What I find particularly disturbing however, is that in the three parole hearings Betty has had in the last ten years she has expressed absolutely no remorse (thus parole has been denied). She didn’t just harm two people; she harmed her children and the friends and family of both Dan and Linda, but Betty seems not to care. The only thing Betty does seem to truly care about is herself. She is where she belongs.
Though I think that this book largely capitalizes on the misfortune of others, and the author lost credibly points for repeatedly editorializing about Betty’s weight gain, I do want to give her credit for her thorough research, for presenting different sides of the story, and for demonstrating that none of the major players (Dan, Betty, or Linda) were innocent—or likable. Dan most certainly was a philanderer and was emotionally abusive to Betty. Based on the evidence presented in the first trial, I also believe there is a significant likelihood that he was physically and sexually abusive to Betty, as well. Furthermore, he had no intention of ever giving her a fair settlement and most certainly hid assets and manipulated the legal system in his favor. Linda bears the least guilt of the three, but she had an affair with a married father of four; was an active participant in Betty’s emotional abuse (that might be debatable, but I think the evidence is strong); and, rather than having any compassion for the children, whined and complained about their very normal behavior considering the circumstances and sat idly by while they were used as pawns and neglected (literally allowing them to go to school dirty, sick, and improperly attired on a regular basis). She should have walked away, as her friends suggested.
I just wish that Betty had accepted the fact that she was going to get hosed in the divorce no matter what she did but that she would likely fare better if she just cooperated with her lawyers. I wish she had swallowed her pride and worked with a therapist to help her cope with her quite justifiable anger at her husband and his mistress rather than continuing to stoke the flames by acting out again and again. I wish she would have just let go, recognizing that her relationship with her husband was awful and that she would ultimately be better off without him. But more than anything, I wish she, like Dan, hadn’t used her children as pawns, causing them immeasurable pain and suffering. Yet none of these wishes take into account the significant mental disturbance that Betty was experiencing, in part the result of Dan’s abuse and in part the result of her own greed, narcissism, and attention-seeking.
No matter how ugly their behavior, nothing Dan or Linda did justified taking their lives. Despite the fact that Betty was undeniably suffering from mental health issues, none of the psychologists that interviewed her felt she was mentally incompetent. I agree. I think she did know right from wrong (the only measure of mental competence in a court of law), and I think she needed to be held accountable. I also think though, that there are mitigating circumstances and that she was goaded to a certain extent. Taking that into account, I agree with the jury’s decision to find her guilty of second, rather than first, degree murder. What I find particularly disturbing however, is that in the three parole hearings Betty has had in the last ten years she has expressed absolutely no remorse (thus parole has been denied). She didn’t just harm two people; she harmed her children and the friends and family of both Dan and Linda, but Betty seems not to care. The only thing Betty does seem to truly care about is herself. She is where she belongs.
Read
July 19, 2020“I’m gonna read this true crime book real quick, then I can watch the Dirty John mini series about it.”
“I’ve been reading this on my kindle for a long time and don’t seem to be making much progress.”
“Man this is taking forever. How long IS this book?”
“Oh. It’s nearly 700 pages. Oops. Too late to turn back now.”
There’s a good tight story in here somewhere about a man who uses his power to terrorize his wife, and a wife who goes so completely unhinged that she makes it impossible to feel sorry for her.
But this book is the opposite of tight. Hundreds of pages of descriptions of Betty Broderick cursing, LOTS of fat shaming and authorial disgust over how fat and ugly Betty got during her divorce. (Apparently becoming ugly was another crime she should have been tried for.)
I think everyone involved in this story, including the writer, could have used a lot more therapy.
Two terrible people, one of whom killed the other one. I just feel sad for their kids.
“I’ve been reading this on my kindle for a long time and don’t seem to be making much progress.”
“Man this is taking forever. How long IS this book?”
“Oh. It’s nearly 700 pages. Oops. Too late to turn back now.”
There’s a good tight story in here somewhere about a man who uses his power to terrorize his wife, and a wife who goes so completely unhinged that she makes it impossible to feel sorry for her.
But this book is the opposite of tight. Hundreds of pages of descriptions of Betty Broderick cursing, LOTS of fat shaming and authorial disgust over how fat and ugly Betty got during her divorce. (Apparently becoming ugly was another crime she should have been tried for.)
I think everyone involved in this story, including the writer, could have used a lot more therapy.
Two terrible people, one of whom killed the other one. I just feel sad for their kids.
March 30, 2025
You can tell how old this story is by the inordinate amount of time spent discussing Betty’s unflattering weight gain.
October 22, 2012
Betty Broderick came to fame in late 1989 when she shot her ex-husband Dan Broderick and his new wife, Linda Kolkena to death in their bed. What viewers got to see was a long, drawn out custody battle over their four children, and of course, money. What viewers of the two murder trials didn't get to see was the manipulations, abuse, and gaslighting that Dan did to Betty.
In 1983, Dan began an affair with his legal secretary, Linda. When Betty asked if he was cheating on her, Dan said no. Dan said he wasn't cheating on his wife of 20 years for the first three years of his affair. When he finally admitted his affair, Betty burned his clothes. When Dan walked out on her, and into the arms of his lover, Betty drove their four children, one at a time, to Dan's new house and dropped them off outside. Betty's thought was, I raised them, now it's Dan's turn. She expected Dan to give up immediately, and return the children to their mother. When he didn't, he turned his newfound custody into a legal battle.
Dan, who had gotten a medical degree and a law degree while Betty raised their two oldest and worked odd jobs to support them, was now President of the San Francisco Bar Association, and because of his status and clout, was able to drag Betty through the court system, and have her lose at every turn. Betty, arguing that she wasn't getting a fair trial, had several judges tell her that she was getting her fair trial. Anyone with half a brain knew that Betty was getting the short end of every deal, including being thrown in jail for cursing her ex-husband out on his answering machine.
Many people wondered what took Betty so long to finally shoot her ex and his new wife. Especially after telling anyone who would listen for years that she was going to kill them. What smart people can also see is that when Dan walked out, he took with him, what was left of Betty's mind. Betty went crazy, and was not treated as such. For both of her murder trials, her attorney was put on a short leash in what he could and could not present to the jury. The prosecution got no such restraints. Betty was also not allowed to plead insanity as a defense, tho anyone could see that she was insane.
This is a story about the injustices of justice, and how one woman got her revenge on a man who used his position in society to bury his wife.
As for the book itself, the first half was incredibly slow moving and very dull. Though this book came highly recommended, the minutiae that was included was a bit much, and much was repetitive. The second half moved along at a slightly faster pace, but was still slow. I became interested in the Betty Broderick case when I saw the two movies on Lifetime depicting her story and then her trials. Both movies were told from the prosecution side, and were factually incorrect.
I would only recommend this book to true die hard true crime fans, but with heavy reservations.
In 1983, Dan began an affair with his legal secretary, Linda. When Betty asked if he was cheating on her, Dan said no. Dan said he wasn't cheating on his wife of 20 years for the first three years of his affair. When he finally admitted his affair, Betty burned his clothes. When Dan walked out on her, and into the arms of his lover, Betty drove their four children, one at a time, to Dan's new house and dropped them off outside. Betty's thought was, I raised them, now it's Dan's turn. She expected Dan to give up immediately, and return the children to their mother. When he didn't, he turned his newfound custody into a legal battle.
Dan, who had gotten a medical degree and a law degree while Betty raised their two oldest and worked odd jobs to support them, was now President of the San Francisco Bar Association, and because of his status and clout, was able to drag Betty through the court system, and have her lose at every turn. Betty, arguing that she wasn't getting a fair trial, had several judges tell her that she was getting her fair trial. Anyone with half a brain knew that Betty was getting the short end of every deal, including being thrown in jail for cursing her ex-husband out on his answering machine.
Many people wondered what took Betty so long to finally shoot her ex and his new wife. Especially after telling anyone who would listen for years that she was going to kill them. What smart people can also see is that when Dan walked out, he took with him, what was left of Betty's mind. Betty went crazy, and was not treated as such. For both of her murder trials, her attorney was put on a short leash in what he could and could not present to the jury. The prosecution got no such restraints. Betty was also not allowed to plead insanity as a defense, tho anyone could see that she was insane.
This is a story about the injustices of justice, and how one woman got her revenge on a man who used his position in society to bury his wife.
As for the book itself, the first half was incredibly slow moving and very dull. Though this book came highly recommended, the minutiae that was included was a bit much, and much was repetitive. The second half moved along at a slightly faster pace, but was still slow. I became interested in the Betty Broderick case when I saw the two movies on Lifetime depicting her story and then her trials. Both movies were told from the prosecution side, and were factually incorrect.
I would only recommend this book to true die hard true crime fans, but with heavy reservations.
September 30, 2023
So, I just finished this book and so many things jumped out at me. In no particular order (please forgive some of my language):
- Betty made Dan and being a wife and mother to her children her entire existence. Of course, I’m looking at this case through a womanist / millennial / very single lens, but you never do that. Give love to your children and take care of your home, but always have something of your own that reminds you of who YOU are. Because, if your family falls apart, you have something and can find the strength and fortitude to take care of yourself and your children. Not just financially but emotionally as well. Betty was raised to want a family and be a housewife and mother; I’m glad we’ve gotten away from that mindset, for the most part.
- Help a man too much and watch as he resents you. Betty was all the way there for Dan and look how he treated her. As soon as he made major money he upgraded… only to pay dearly for such action. Plus, for the fellas who may be reading this, don’t treat the mother of your child (ren) like trash. You liked her enough to lay down with her; respect her enough to treat her like a queen after the relationship / marriage dissolves.
- Never assume that his family is your family. As soon as they divorced, Dan’s family sided with him. Just because his mom / sister / cousin / niece / aunt / granny likes you doesn’t mean she won’t protect her son in the event that you break up with him. That’s HIS mom / sister / cousin / niece / aunt / granny, not yours.
- If a man wants to leave, LET. HIM. GO. Spare yourself the humiliation of chasing after someone who already told you once they don’t want you anymore.
- I’m currently wondering if this would be a story if Dan had just been upfront with Betty. On the other side, I wonder how different this situation would’ve turned out had Betty just let Dan leave. By not being honest and honoring the betrayed spouse’s feelings, this would’ve turned into a non-story. Plus, had they just parted and co-parented, I’m sure Betty would’ve found someone for her who was for her all the way, warts and all. The third side of the triangle, Linda Kolkena, had someone interested in her even as she pursued a relationship with Dan. Imagine if she had let Dan go as well.
- It seems everyone blocked their blessings in this situation. Betty had plenty of opportunities after /during the divorce to date around. She had some suitors but seemed too embarrassed and wedded to archaic beliefs – and an ex – to enjoy the company of men not named Dan Broderick. It’s sad, really. I’m not saying have a hoe phase because that’s not for everyone; however, I’m sure the right company would’ve been refreshing for Betty to experience. Vanilla is nice, but why not try Neapolitan ice cream every once in a while?
- To build on my last point – and this is a bizarre point to make – there has to be an alternate reality where this whole story ends better than it did here. Dan and Betty divorce, though it’s still acrimonious AF. Dan still marries Linda, but it’s short-lived as Linda finds out the hard way how Dan feels about her. A leopard never changes its spots, and a bad husband can be the same bad husband for a new wife. Betty moves on and lives her best life. One can only hope. But there’s nothing that can change what eventually transpired and what’s done can be undone.
- Speaking of Linda, it’s nice to know that the “girlfriend believes everything the husband says about his ex” trope is neither old nor overplayed. Some things never change?
- Dan played Betty like a fiddle and she jumped at every provocation. Maybe because I’ve been in similar situations with someone goading you into a reaction, I can see what Dan was trying to do to Betty. He used her reactions to his advantage and it cost her contact with her children. I can see that Dan was gaslighting Betty and used that to his advantage. Was this a lawyer move or a narcissistic one? I’d say some from Column A and some from Column B.
- There were so many chances for one or both sides to let go. Too many to list here but their children suffered because of all of this.
- Dan wears a morning coat on the day of his wedding to Linda when he wouldn’t do something similar for Betty on their wedding day – Check. Dan let’s Linda have flowers for her wedding day when Betty wasn’t allowed to – Check. Dan and Linda go on the big cruise that Betty dreamed of during her salad days with Dan – Check. All of this reads as spiteful to me only because Dan *knew* Betty wanted all these things for their relationship. He knew perfectly well just like any other husband who pulls shit like this. He did want to do them, just not with Betty. And, again, instead of just saying that and letting his wife make the decision, he chose to sneak around.
- Once you get the ring and the husband, the house and the family, leave the ex-wife the fuck alone. Be cordial at least, but there’s no need to rub in her face that you’ve been screwing her husband and have somehow *won* a competition Betty didn’t know she was competing in. Take your voice off the voicemail and find a new job, too. If she wants the wedding china back, have it delivered to her. I fully believe that Linda or one of her friends was sending Betty wrinkle remover and weight loss ads. The fact that Dan kept fining Betty by deducting from her court ordered spousal support displays some callousness. I hate to say this, but if Dan and Linda had stopped antagonizing Betty and using the law to try to get her in line, they’d still be alive. Also, I absolutely think Dan flexed his legal expertise against his ex to punish her for even thinking she deserved anything from him.
- The use of personality disorders to try to demonize Betty during her trials was … highly questionable. I’m all for calling out narcissism but the way she was treated was ridiculous. I don’t think it was fair that the prosecution used her mental health against her but the defense wasn’t allowed to provide cause as to exactly why she felt the way she did. The Deitz dude – the supposed expert on Dahmer and Hinckley… I wish the defense would’ve gone at him a little harder.
- Betty was sold a bill of goods. She thought – as I used to – that as long as you did the right thing, you would be highly favored. The truth is, no matter what you do, folks will find a way to talk cash shit about you. You could commit the ultimate sacrifice of giving your life for that of others and the haters will still abound to tell the public how you had a misstep in June 2007 or how you weren’t so nice all the time. If Betty had only learned this sooner...
- Betty made Dan and being a wife and mother to her children her entire existence. Of course, I’m looking at this case through a womanist / millennial / very single lens, but you never do that. Give love to your children and take care of your home, but always have something of your own that reminds you of who YOU are. Because, if your family falls apart, you have something and can find the strength and fortitude to take care of yourself and your children. Not just financially but emotionally as well. Betty was raised to want a family and be a housewife and mother; I’m glad we’ve gotten away from that mindset, for the most part.
- Help a man too much and watch as he resents you. Betty was all the way there for Dan and look how he treated her. As soon as he made major money he upgraded… only to pay dearly for such action. Plus, for the fellas who may be reading this, don’t treat the mother of your child (ren) like trash. You liked her enough to lay down with her; respect her enough to treat her like a queen after the relationship / marriage dissolves.
- Never assume that his family is your family. As soon as they divorced, Dan’s family sided with him. Just because his mom / sister / cousin / niece / aunt / granny likes you doesn’t mean she won’t protect her son in the event that you break up with him. That’s HIS mom / sister / cousin / niece / aunt / granny, not yours.
- If a man wants to leave, LET. HIM. GO. Spare yourself the humiliation of chasing after someone who already told you once they don’t want you anymore.
- I’m currently wondering if this would be a story if Dan had just been upfront with Betty. On the other side, I wonder how different this situation would’ve turned out had Betty just let Dan leave. By not being honest and honoring the betrayed spouse’s feelings, this would’ve turned into a non-story. Plus, had they just parted and co-parented, I’m sure Betty would’ve found someone for her who was for her all the way, warts and all. The third side of the triangle, Linda Kolkena, had someone interested in her even as she pursued a relationship with Dan. Imagine if she had let Dan go as well.
- It seems everyone blocked their blessings in this situation. Betty had plenty of opportunities after /during the divorce to date around. She had some suitors but seemed too embarrassed and wedded to archaic beliefs – and an ex – to enjoy the company of men not named Dan Broderick. It’s sad, really. I’m not saying have a hoe phase because that’s not for everyone; however, I’m sure the right company would’ve been refreshing for Betty to experience. Vanilla is nice, but why not try Neapolitan ice cream every once in a while?
- To build on my last point – and this is a bizarre point to make – there has to be an alternate reality where this whole story ends better than it did here. Dan and Betty divorce, though it’s still acrimonious AF. Dan still marries Linda, but it’s short-lived as Linda finds out the hard way how Dan feels about her. A leopard never changes its spots, and a bad husband can be the same bad husband for a new wife. Betty moves on and lives her best life. One can only hope. But there’s nothing that can change what eventually transpired and what’s done can be undone.
- Speaking of Linda, it’s nice to know that the “girlfriend believes everything the husband says about his ex” trope is neither old nor overplayed. Some things never change?
- Dan played Betty like a fiddle and she jumped at every provocation. Maybe because I’ve been in similar situations with someone goading you into a reaction, I can see what Dan was trying to do to Betty. He used her reactions to his advantage and it cost her contact with her children. I can see that Dan was gaslighting Betty and used that to his advantage. Was this a lawyer move or a narcissistic one? I’d say some from Column A and some from Column B.
- There were so many chances for one or both sides to let go. Too many to list here but their children suffered because of all of this.
- Dan wears a morning coat on the day of his wedding to Linda when he wouldn’t do something similar for Betty on their wedding day – Check. Dan let’s Linda have flowers for her wedding day when Betty wasn’t allowed to – Check. Dan and Linda go on the big cruise that Betty dreamed of during her salad days with Dan – Check. All of this reads as spiteful to me only because Dan *knew* Betty wanted all these things for their relationship. He knew perfectly well just like any other husband who pulls shit like this. He did want to do them, just not with Betty. And, again, instead of just saying that and letting his wife make the decision, he chose to sneak around.
- Once you get the ring and the husband, the house and the family, leave the ex-wife the fuck alone. Be cordial at least, but there’s no need to rub in her face that you’ve been screwing her husband and have somehow *won* a competition Betty didn’t know she was competing in. Take your voice off the voicemail and find a new job, too. If she wants the wedding china back, have it delivered to her. I fully believe that Linda or one of her friends was sending Betty wrinkle remover and weight loss ads. The fact that Dan kept fining Betty by deducting from her court ordered spousal support displays some callousness. I hate to say this, but if Dan and Linda had stopped antagonizing Betty and using the law to try to get her in line, they’d still be alive. Also, I absolutely think Dan flexed his legal expertise against his ex to punish her for even thinking she deserved anything from him.
- The use of personality disorders to try to demonize Betty during her trials was … highly questionable. I’m all for calling out narcissism but the way she was treated was ridiculous. I don’t think it was fair that the prosecution used her mental health against her but the defense wasn’t allowed to provide cause as to exactly why she felt the way she did. The Deitz dude – the supposed expert on Dahmer and Hinckley… I wish the defense would’ve gone at him a little harder.
- Betty was sold a bill of goods. She thought – as I used to – that as long as you did the right thing, you would be highly favored. The truth is, no matter what you do, folks will find a way to talk cash shit about you. You could commit the ultimate sacrifice of giving your life for that of others and the haters will still abound to tell the public how you had a misstep in June 2007 or how you weren’t so nice all the time. If Betty had only learned this sooner...
August 23, 2020
Fascinating. Probably the best account possible of the entire mess. My opinion has formed pretty much finally, after flip flopping all over the shop.
Well written, well researched, as fair to both parties as possible.
One thing : the utter obsession with Betty putting on weight. Counted at least 25 mentions of how disgusting, monstrous, enormous, revolting Betty is because of her weight.
Like, the author goes on and on and seems to equate it with Betty's self destruction. The enormous, disgusting weight? 180lbs. At 5 ft 10. That puts Betty at a BMI of 26, which is very slightly overweight. Why am I labouring this? Because the author went on and on and on. And it's baffling. Everything that is wrong with Betty Broderick has nothing to do with her weight.
Betty belongs in jail though. She's a complex person but undoubtedly a murderer. And what she did to those poor kids.
Also people need to talk about Linda Kolkenna more. She was 28 years old and had her head blown off. And she's still a side note in this story. She shouldn't be.
Well written, well researched, as fair to both parties as possible.
One thing : the utter obsession with Betty putting on weight. Counted at least 25 mentions of how disgusting, monstrous, enormous, revolting Betty is because of her weight.
Like, the author goes on and on and seems to equate it with Betty's self destruction. The enormous, disgusting weight? 180lbs. At 5 ft 10. That puts Betty at a BMI of 26, which is very slightly overweight. Why am I labouring this? Because the author went on and on and on. And it's baffling. Everything that is wrong with Betty Broderick has nothing to do with her weight.
Betty belongs in jail though. She's a complex person but undoubtedly a murderer. And what she did to those poor kids.
Also people need to talk about Linda Kolkenna more. She was 28 years old and had her head blown off. And she's still a side note in this story. She shouldn't be.
January 27, 2021
I bought this book after watching the dirty John season 2 on netflix which is the Betty broderick story, the show does make you feel a degree of sympathy for Betty but then reading in more detail of what happened changed my opinion.
I know some found the book bias towards Betty, I can understand why , there is alot about the treatment of her, the way Dan behaved around the affair, the way he seemed to punish her through the legal system, but despite that , the more I read the more I found her to be a very unpleasant character, and whilst it's clear her ex husband was no saint , it didn't make me believe she was justified in doing what she did and I didn't feel sorry for her, the only people I felt sorry for were her poor children, treated poorly by both parties and used by both parents to score points. A very tragic story that could of been avoided if both parties had behaved with a bit more dignity and shown consideration instead of being so wrapped up in themselves and all things material.
I know some found the book bias towards Betty, I can understand why , there is alot about the treatment of her, the way Dan behaved around the affair, the way he seemed to punish her through the legal system, but despite that , the more I read the more I found her to be a very unpleasant character, and whilst it's clear her ex husband was no saint , it didn't make me believe she was justified in doing what she did and I didn't feel sorry for her, the only people I felt sorry for were her poor children, treated poorly by both parties and used by both parents to score points. A very tragic story that could of been avoided if both parties had behaved with a bit more dignity and shown consideration instead of being so wrapped up in themselves and all things material.
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