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Murder Is A Family Affair
Do you have a murderer in your family tree? Those who feel they have a right to take a life?
I do. More than one.
Some stories just have to be told and so it is with the Tuxhorn family.
Murder Is A Family Affair follows August Tuxhorn to America in the mid 1850s where Charles was born in Illinois. The boy grew up with a beautiful face and a stone heart.
Evil set in motion by his grandfather and then his father, Charles carries on the family’s violent temper and disregard for human life. Did he inherit these traits shared by others? More important, did he pass them on?
Follow their lives and watch the carnage they leave behind. The lives lost or destroyed in their wake.
Has the evil in this family been buried with them?
Or is it just the beginning?
I do. More than one.
Some stories just have to be told and so it is with the Tuxhorn family.
Murder Is A Family Affair follows August Tuxhorn to America in the mid 1850s where Charles was born in Illinois. The boy grew up with a beautiful face and a stone heart.
Evil set in motion by his grandfather and then his father, Charles carries on the family’s violent temper and disregard for human life. Did he inherit these traits shared by others? More important, did he pass them on?
Follow their lives and watch the carnage they leave behind. The lives lost or destroyed in their wake.
Has the evil in this family been buried with them?
Or is it just the beginning?
- GenresTrue Crime
316 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2013
45 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 29, 2016
EXCELLENT READ!
Here is a story of epic proportions that begins in 1850’s Prussia and ends up in Kansas. It’s a case where the truth is stranger than fiction. Most books I read these days sacrifice proficiency and elegance in writing style for the story. This author has merged the absolute best of both in a tale that traces the personification of pure evil through three insane generations of men.
There must have been an enormous amount of research that went into piecing this work together. To have done it so seamlessly is amazing and a tribute to a gifted author.
It was very well-paced and thoroughly engaging. I have a daughter myself, and I couldn’t help but feel hatred toward these men. Completely self-absorbed, they left a trail of horrendous tragedy and pain in their wake. It’s a timeless must-read for all!
Here is a story of epic proportions that begins in 1850’s Prussia and ends up in Kansas. It’s a case where the truth is stranger than fiction. Most books I read these days sacrifice proficiency and elegance in writing style for the story. This author has merged the absolute best of both in a tale that traces the personification of pure evil through three insane generations of men.
There must have been an enormous amount of research that went into piecing this work together. To have done it so seamlessly is amazing and a tribute to a gifted author.
It was very well-paced and thoroughly engaging. I have a daughter myself, and I couldn’t help but feel hatred toward these men. Completely self-absorbed, they left a trail of horrendous tragedy and pain in their wake. It’s a timeless must-read for all!
November 9, 2013
What can I say? Wow! And I mean - WOW! What a book! What a story! In addition to that, the fact that it's a true story, makes it all the more terrifying and amazing!
First and foremost, this tale is beautifully written and well edited, as well as formatted. It's definitely the best indie book I've read so far, and if you ask me, it needs to be traditionally published! Are you reading this agents and publishers? Read this book and publish it, it's so much better than at least 30 percent of the books I've read from big publishing houses! I mean it was actually inresting! Really interesting! I've read so many books where I at times had to push on to get to the best parts, but I cannot say I've done the same with this one! It did not drag at all!
Henry, August and then Charles...The innate evil these men shared, the bitter ends they met and the mixture of rage and anger these people embodied hurt so many souls and spoiled so many lives! I hate them all, yet I love their story! I am actually wholeheartedly recommending this to my friends as I write this! Seriously, I was so very impressed!
This is a sad story, but beautifully so. I don't imagine books get any better than this work of genius.
First and foremost, this tale is beautifully written and well edited, as well as formatted. It's definitely the best indie book I've read so far, and if you ask me, it needs to be traditionally published! Are you reading this agents and publishers? Read this book and publish it, it's so much better than at least 30 percent of the books I've read from big publishing houses! I mean it was actually inresting! Really interesting! I've read so many books where I at times had to push on to get to the best parts, but I cannot say I've done the same with this one! It did not drag at all!
Henry, August and then Charles...The innate evil these men shared, the bitter ends they met and the mixture of rage and anger these people embodied hurt so many souls and spoiled so many lives! I hate them all, yet I love their story! I am actually wholeheartedly recommending this to my friends as I write this! Seriously, I was so very impressed!
This is a sad story, but beautifully so. I don't imagine books get any better than this work of genius.
March 5, 2015
This book tells the story of a family held hostage by evil. It is very hard to believe it is true, but there is no reason for me to not believe it. August and Charles Tuxhorn are probably two of the most evil men to have ever walked this planet! I have read about dozens of serial killers and dangerous people throughout history, but none of them compare to the main characters in this book. Though no one knows why some people are so evil, "Murder is a Family Affair" provides an excellent and extremely sad look into how evil destroyed many lives for generations. If you like true crime, this book will not disappoint!
January 3, 2014
I was so excited to get this book. The first chapter gets you hooked and you don't want to put the book down. I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter.
After a few weeks I have started reading this book again for a 2nd time and I have NEVER read a book twice.
I believe this book would make a good movie as well.
I'm ready to read the next book that Donalie come's out with.
Signed:
Ms Jane
After a few weeks I have started reading this book again for a 2nd time and I have NEVER read a book twice.
I believe this book would make a good movie as well.
I'm ready to read the next book that Donalie come's out with.
Signed:
Ms Jane
November 17, 2013
REVIEW: Murder is a Family Affair by Donalie Beltran
Reviewed by Walter Danley 17 November 2013
EVIL CAN BE INHERITED, AND IT WILL BE MUCH MORE VICIOUS!
A grisly tale told with love in the tender prose of debut author, Donalie Beltran, is an anomaly I did not expect as I read Murder is a Family Affair, but that is what this talented and original author delivers. I highly recommend this novel which has earned Five Stars.
The story spans three generations of the Tuxhorn clan, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century with Henry Tuxhorn’s funeral in Prussia, his son, August fleeing the corrupt Prussian government, and the oppressive Catholic Church, August brought his angry violent nature to the new land and made it a tool to his success and subsequent suicide. Henry’s grandson, Charles is the primary focus of this mystery. He is the final inheritor of the evil hatred and brutal Tuxhorn curse.
The Tuxhorn’s are psychopathic killers and thieves, devoid of the love they never received in childhood. Totally amoral and deliberately cruel, they leave a trail of viciousness across the mid-west and into the twentieth century. The wicked Tuxhorn crimes are shocking, but Beltran’s writing unfolds the evil actions with an understanding worthy of a Freudian scholar.
Beltran has accumulated extensively researched facts about the Tuxhorn family as well as their victims, family members, neighbors, and townsfolk. She describes the houses architecture, furnishings, and buildings in the towns from her research efforts. Beltran knits her found facts together with a bridge of narrative and intelligent dialog that create images in the readers mind like a faded sepia daguerreotype.
The author develops her characters thoroughly so that the reader feels that she is reading about a person known well. Good writing demands that the pace of the story keeps the reader “hooked” throughout, and Murder is a Family Affair does not disappoint. From the opening paragraph through to page 308, a reader will turn each page, eager to see what comes next! The author has left us a clue to the content on the back cover of the book. I received an Advance Review Copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. The Beltran clue that grabbed me when I read it is;
THE STORY IS TRUE.
THE FAMILY IS REAL.
THE FAMILY IS MINE.
Reviewed by Walter Danley 17 November 2013
EVIL CAN BE INHERITED, AND IT WILL BE MUCH MORE VICIOUS!
A grisly tale told with love in the tender prose of debut author, Donalie Beltran, is an anomaly I did not expect as I read Murder is a Family Affair, but that is what this talented and original author delivers. I highly recommend this novel which has earned Five Stars.
The story spans three generations of the Tuxhorn clan, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century with Henry Tuxhorn’s funeral in Prussia, his son, August fleeing the corrupt Prussian government, and the oppressive Catholic Church, August brought his angry violent nature to the new land and made it a tool to his success and subsequent suicide. Henry’s grandson, Charles is the primary focus of this mystery. He is the final inheritor of the evil hatred and brutal Tuxhorn curse.
The Tuxhorn’s are psychopathic killers and thieves, devoid of the love they never received in childhood. Totally amoral and deliberately cruel, they leave a trail of viciousness across the mid-west and into the twentieth century. The wicked Tuxhorn crimes are shocking, but Beltran’s writing unfolds the evil actions with an understanding worthy of a Freudian scholar.
Beltran has accumulated extensively researched facts about the Tuxhorn family as well as their victims, family members, neighbors, and townsfolk. She describes the houses architecture, furnishings, and buildings in the towns from her research efforts. Beltran knits her found facts together with a bridge of narrative and intelligent dialog that create images in the readers mind like a faded sepia daguerreotype.
The author develops her characters thoroughly so that the reader feels that she is reading about a person known well. Good writing demands that the pace of the story keeps the reader “hooked” throughout, and Murder is a Family Affair does not disappoint. From the opening paragraph through to page 308, a reader will turn each page, eager to see what comes next! The author has left us a clue to the content on the back cover of the book. I received an Advance Review Copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. The Beltran clue that grabbed me when I read it is;
THE STORY IS TRUE.
THE FAMILY IS REAL.
THE FAMILY IS MINE.
November 12, 2013
When I received a free preview copy of this book (no obligation to be anything but truthful), I didn't know what to expect. I knew the subject matter would be unpleasant, but I also knew how much effort the author had put into making this book not just an honest look at this aspect of her family background, but a good read. My only criticism is that the editing wasn't as tight as I would've preferred, but that probably wouldn't be a problem for the average reader.
I'd expected to read a few pages each day. I never expected to get so drawn into it that I would finish it in just a couple of days. As someone who normally reads only novels, I kept watching the men in this family get worse and worse, knowing they would never change. So instead I kept turning pages to see how they could get worse than they'd been before.
I don't go for a lot of gore, and I appreciate the author's kindness in not describing the worst of it. I also appreciate the fact that--in spite of the kind of people she was depicting--she didn't resort to what I (and many other readers) would consider undesirable language.
One thing that fascinated me about the way this was written was I didn't feel like I was reading the same things over and over. Each new generation's evil man was his own person, in spite of the similarities to his father.
This book isn't for just anyone--especially not children--but I would recommend it for anyone who has experienced (or is especially concerned about) child and spouse abuse.
I'd expected to read a few pages each day. I never expected to get so drawn into it that I would finish it in just a couple of days. As someone who normally reads only novels, I kept watching the men in this family get worse and worse, knowing they would never change. So instead I kept turning pages to see how they could get worse than they'd been before.
I don't go for a lot of gore, and I appreciate the author's kindness in not describing the worst of it. I also appreciate the fact that--in spite of the kind of people she was depicting--she didn't resort to what I (and many other readers) would consider undesirable language.
One thing that fascinated me about the way this was written was I didn't feel like I was reading the same things over and over. Each new generation's evil man was his own person, in spite of the similarities to his father.
This book isn't for just anyone--especially not children--but I would recommend it for anyone who has experienced (or is especially concerned about) child and spouse abuse.
December 9, 2014
As someone who loves genealogy, history and true crime stories I must admit this book absolutely blew me away. It is flawlessly written and edited. The writing is masterful. The story itself intensifies my belief that there are generations of families that are predisposed to evil or simply inherently so. Some may say it is mental illness passed down through three generations of the Tuxhorn family while others may say they are simply products of their environment. Whatever you believe, it all makes for one hell of a story. I have always had a fascination for the wicked snippets I have heard about some of my ancestors but I have never been able to track down the information needed to determine the truth. Donalie Beltran has done a remarkable job of bringing the horrifying and remarkable story of her ancestors to light in this true crime period novel. It will scare you. It will sadden you. It will make you wonder about the stories you have heard of your own ancestors and quite possibly inspire you to start digging for information. I can’t even begin to imagine the research that went into writing this true story but I am so glad Donalie Beltran has bravely chosen to share it. It is both chilling and fascinating and worthy of significant recognition. This is a story that needs to be told through as many forms of media as possible and I sincerely hope it catches the interest of a production company. Absolutely amazing.
December 7, 2013
Evil Incarnate: the case of Nature vs. Nurture
Serial killers. We abhor them, ache for their victims, pity their relatives. In Donalie Beltran’s fascinating book, Murder Is a Family Affair, we find out that these types of murderers existed long before Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. Indeed, the author’s adopted ancestor Henry Tuxhorn, who, during the mid 1800’s wreaked havoc on his family, was just the beginning of this horrific tale. Amongst his brood of children was August, whose similar proclivities went one step further. Next is August as a grown-up, with mostly normal children, with one exception: Charles. With a mixture of alcoholism, mood swings, sociopathic lies, unbelievably brutal chauvinism, we slowly learn how Charles becomes the most vicious of them all. By mid book, I realized there were a couple of very important lessons I was learning: 1) when families are so abused, their fractured egos make them incapable of even trying to escape, and 2) evil very well may be as easily inherited as blue eyes or diabetes. Not a lightweight beach/summer novel, this page-turning book is, nonetheless, a highly recommended read!!
Serial killers. We abhor them, ache for their victims, pity their relatives. In Donalie Beltran’s fascinating book, Murder Is a Family Affair, we find out that these types of murderers existed long before Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. Indeed, the author’s adopted ancestor Henry Tuxhorn, who, during the mid 1800’s wreaked havoc on his family, was just the beginning of this horrific tale. Amongst his brood of children was August, whose similar proclivities went one step further. Next is August as a grown-up, with mostly normal children, with one exception: Charles. With a mixture of alcoholism, mood swings, sociopathic lies, unbelievably brutal chauvinism, we slowly learn how Charles becomes the most vicious of them all. By mid book, I realized there were a couple of very important lessons I was learning: 1) when families are so abused, their fractured egos make them incapable of even trying to escape, and 2) evil very well may be as easily inherited as blue eyes or diabetes. Not a lightweight beach/summer novel, this page-turning book is, nonetheless, a highly recommended read!!
January 27, 2014
I have to start off by saying that I’m a nineteenth century history buff, and so I took to this book instantly. Murder is a Family Affair tells the harrowing story of three generations of the Tuxhorn family, the patriarchs of which apparently suffered from mental illness. The tale begins in Prussia, then moves to New Orleans, Illinois and eventually to Kansas. While relating these fascinating tales, the stories are interwoven with major historical events, including the Civil War.
What struck me most was that when I finished, I discovered the stories were true. Instantly, my mind raced back to the tragedies these families experienced, and I felt the pain of the spouses and children who suffered under the hands of their tyrant fathers. This book gives a real sense of what it would be like to live in an abusive family.
I would definitely recommend this book. It reveals a piece of American history that deserves to be told. The book is well written, fast paced and page turning. Three days later, I still find myself thinking about these stories, and hoping they will never be repeated.
What struck me most was that when I finished, I discovered the stories were true. Instantly, my mind raced back to the tragedies these families experienced, and I felt the pain of the spouses and children who suffered under the hands of their tyrant fathers. This book gives a real sense of what it would be like to live in an abusive family.
I would definitely recommend this book. It reveals a piece of American history that deserves to be told. The book is well written, fast paced and page turning. Three days later, I still find myself thinking about these stories, and hoping they will never be repeated.
August 10, 2016
"Murder Is A Family Affair" by Donalie Beltran is a gripping family saga somewhere in the twilight between fact and fiction. It is based on some real people but is told with a strong narrative that owes more to a crime mystery or psychological drama. The story starts with August Tuxhorn at the death of his father in Germany in the 1850s. As he is leaving Prussia behind for a better life in America we soon learn that he has inherited his father's grim and mean nature.
The book follows the family history as it passes through several cities and villages in teh US, e.g. New Orleans and Peru, Illinois. With great characterisation Beltran brings her ancestors to life and we witness as the family legacies are being passed on from generation to generation.
Being German myself I found the opening passages set there particularly well done but the descriptions of farm life and immigration also were of special interest to me. Details, such as banking customs and the clothes worn were further strong points in this novel/ chronicle. The book was recommended to me by a good friend but I had no idea I would enjoy it this much.
Very accomplished.
The book follows the family history as it passes through several cities and villages in teh US, e.g. New Orleans and Peru, Illinois. With great characterisation Beltran brings her ancestors to life and we witness as the family legacies are being passed on from generation to generation.
Being German myself I found the opening passages set there particularly well done but the descriptions of farm life and immigration also were of special interest to me. Details, such as banking customs and the clothes worn were further strong points in this novel/ chronicle. The book was recommended to me by a good friend but I had no idea I would enjoy it this much.
Very accomplished.
December 12, 2014
It feels odd describing the true story of a murderous family lineage as exceptional, but that is exactly what this book is. I was drawn in from the start and I can completely understand why this book has garnered so many five star reviews. This story isn’t just a glimpse but a fully encompassing and detailed story of generations of evil and murderous men and what their families endured at their brutality. They say truth is stranger than fiction but “Murder is a Family Affair” goes far beyond strange into downright frightening. Donalie Beltran offers more than just speculation and rumors into her family’s lineage of murder. The story is so thoroughly and vividly told you are taken right into the heart of the family and develop an overwhelming sense of attachment to the family and loathing for the patriarchs. I don’t know if it was mental illness or simply generations of inexplicable evil that motivated these men but it is a fascinating true story that will keep your full and unwavering attention until the very end… and then you still want to know more!
September 11, 2014
Wow, you see all the commercials about checking out your ancestors online and think it would be a fun thing to do. Turns out it wasn't so fun for Donalie Beltran. This is the story of her family history. This is not a story to be read and taken lightly. Ms Beltran has done her research and I bet at some points in time, she wishes should could unring the bell of truth about her family. Finding out you have murderers, psychopaths and child abusers just several generations away is enough to make anyone cringe with regret. The author did a great job describing this sad and sick tale without being too morose or grotesque. The writing puts me in mind of V. C. Andrews and her twisted family tales. Read this book and you will never look at a family portrait or reunion the same again!
February 9, 2014
Gripping…A real page-turner from beginning to end. Murder is a Family Affair is the true story of the Truxhorn family. Denalie Beltran’s virtuosity as a storyteller sucks you in on the first page and doesn't let go until the last word is read. The amount of heartache and hardship the families of these evil men suffer throughout their lives is almost unbearable. Murder is a Family Affair is a book that a great many people are going to admire, and that few people will be able to read without being moved. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys True Crime. They won't be disappointed.
December 25, 2013
This book is a treat for any reader and the fact that it's all true just makes it enhance the experience. It deserves nothing but five starts http://tempestraven.wordpress.com/201... The whole story is well constructed. This book is not for the faint of heart. The things the characters do, especially the Tuxhorn family will give you the creeps. An amazing book by an amazing new author!
November 16, 2014
This book is one to make you think! Can you trust the people in your family not to kill you because your hungry or not pretty enough? What is in our bloodline may very well produce the next killer, this family seems to breed them.
June 15, 2018
Great book. Spooky as all get out!
This is a well written true crime book. It's family dysfunction on steroids. It sure looks like some families produce psychopaths. At the least, there's a mental fault line that runs through this one.
The book flows and kept my interest all the way through. It's a great read for true crime buffs, people who like family sagas and historical memoirs, and people interested in family psychology.
This is a well written true crime book. It's family dysfunction on steroids. It sure looks like some families produce psychopaths. At the least, there's a mental fault line that runs through this one.
The book flows and kept my interest all the way through. It's a great read for true crime buffs, people who like family sagas and historical memoirs, and people interested in family psychology.
April 23, 2018
Needs editing and cutting...
I found this title very disappointing. I read several chapters thinking it would finally become interesting and believable, but it has no redeeming qualities.
I found this title very disappointing. I read several chapters thinking it would finally become interesting and believable, but it has no redeeming qualities.
November 19, 2019
It was a little slow to begin with as most books are when they are giving you the back stories and introducing you to characters. Classic nurture verses nature scenario. ~ from the gal you met in hair salon.
August 14, 2022
This was horrifying, yet I read it in one day so the story did draw me in and wouldn't let me go.
It stretches from Prussia to Illinois and Kansas as the generations proceed. You can find newspaper articles about the Kansas events online.
It stretches from Prussia to Illinois and Kansas as the generations proceed. You can find newspaper articles about the Kansas events online.
March 19, 2016
From generation to generation
Beginning with Henry Tuxhorn in Prussia, this story covers three generations of violence and death. The men featured in the story were vicious and violent bullies who cared for nothing and nobody but themselves.
Was the violence carried in the Tuxhorn blood, or was it a result of their brutal treatment at the hands of their fathers? Either way, it was the wives and children who suffered.
This is a powerful story that the author needed to share. It would have benefited from an editor or proofreader as there were errors on practically every page.
Beginning with Henry Tuxhorn in Prussia, this story covers three generations of violence and death. The men featured in the story were vicious and violent bullies who cared for nothing and nobody but themselves.
Was the violence carried in the Tuxhorn blood, or was it a result of their brutal treatment at the hands of their fathers? Either way, it was the wives and children who suffered.
This is a powerful story that the author needed to share. It would have benefited from an editor or proofreader as there were errors on practically every page.
December 24, 2015
My new favorite author
Can I give a 5+++ I L-loved this book!!!
I didn't want it to end,,, Very disturbing, but written beautifully!
Can I give a 5+++ I L-loved this book!!!
I didn't want it to end,,, Very disturbing, but written beautifully!
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January 4, 2018Kansas history and murder mystery. Great combo! Talks about generational madness. True story, so it made it that much more intriguing. I have read it twice already!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews