Shocking True Story

by Gregg Olsen

New York Times Bestseller! Kevin Ryan is a writer in the much-maligned genre of true crime who desperately needs a devious, over-the-top story for the subject of his next book. How else can he keep his wife Valerie’s roots dyed and keep himself from handing out taco samples at the local supermarket? When Kevin isn’t Googling himself or spot checking his books’ stock at stores around the country or online, he’s bringing the hazards (ie, criminals and other crazies) of his job home to wife Val and twin daughters Taylor and Hayley. Kevin is on the hunt for the big one, the story that could break him out of the mid-list and onto the bestseller lists. And then there’s a knock at the door--a story finds him… A distraught 20-year old Jett Carter shows up at the Ryan house because her mother and sister are imprisoned—perhaps if Kevin writes their story and reveals the truth, he might help exonerate them. The Carters’ tale is the perfect white-trash-attempted-murder-love-triangle that Kevin’s editor will love and his fans will devour. He begins to write “Love You to Death.” Then on a beautiful summer day, the wheels of homicide are set in motion and Kevin’s own story begins to eclipse the crime he is chronicling. When his #1 fan is murdered and another body turns up, the Ryans’ life in Port Gamble and all that Kevin holds dear is in jeopardy. Somewhere in “Love You to Death” and within the “bunch of low rent losers” he’s interviewing is the killer. PRAISE for Shocking True Bestselling crime writer Gregg Olsen's tour-de-force entwines narratives in hypnotic fashion. A uniquely riveting drama, an emotional roller-coaster, SHOCKING TRUE STORY erases all lines between truth and fiction. A spell-binding must-read! Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar finalist and author of I SHALL NOT WANT A lovingly detailed, hilarious descent into the dark heart of the Real America, Gregg Olsen’s Shocking True Story picks up where the supermarket tabloids and daytime TV leave off. But somehow, his grotesque and driven characters end up beyond endearing, recognizable, as deadly as a knife in the throat. A funny, frightening, very moving book. Marc Lecard, author of the acclaimed VINNIE'S HEAD and TINY LITTLE TROUBLES SHOCKING TRUE STORY is a sly, seductive thriller that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go. Gregg Olsen is a natural born storyteller with a flair for dead-on dialogue and laugh-out-loud satire. Jason Starr author of THE FOLLOWER With his keen eye and ear for how real people live today, Gregg Olsen manages to be simultaneously wickedly funny and good-hearted. SHOCKING TRUE STORY is a very witty, cleverly-constructed novel and absolutely delicious read. Kathrine “KK” Beck, novelist and two-time Edgar nominee Olsen’s unique voice propels this humorous exploration of some truly quirky lives, deaths and excuses. Gregg’s talent is not only making the reader laugh-out-loud, but hooking us into the story and having us care deeply about the characters as the absurd unfolds. Toni McGee Causey, author of Bobby Faye’s Very, Very, Very Bad Day

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, True Crime, Crime, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Throughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Olsen has written ten nonfiction books, ten novels, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News; CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen’s Snapped, Court TV’s Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E’s Biography.

In addition to television and radio appearances, the award-winning author has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People, Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.

The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Reviews

[Tulay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as his other books.

Read couple of his books and really liked them, but not this one. From the start when I read the pages of characters listening, I knew I was in trouble. Real true story readers should be warned, this isn't a really true crime book. Dates listening was confusing, kept going back, thinking I missed something. If you really want to read this book, just read first couple chapters and read the last couple chapters. Sorry, Gregg Olsen. Writer character Kevin Olsen, wasn't likeable at all.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I open a book and there are pages and pages just listing who all the characters are, I know I'm in trouble. This was for me (personally) a sign I was going to have trouble following a book. I read everything on a kindle so there is no flipping back and forth to see who the characters are. While I found the book a lot of work, let me tell you it had humor and many 'hidden' references to true crime writers and the true crime events they write about. I found the book to be tongue in cheek, and if you are really up on your true crime novels this is the book for you!

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of us have read at least one true crime book, but if you are like me, you haven't thought about how the author goes about doing this. He or she may have to become a detective him or herself, interview victims, family of the imprisoned, etc. The author in this case is married with 12 year twin girls, who become involved in the case as well. Seemingly, this is not a lucrative occupation--Kevin's wife Valerie has a job which helps bring in some income. It takes place in Washington state, and reference is made to the bridge across the Tacoma Narrows. While this is not deathless prose, it is entertaining, though a little gory in places.

[Jamie Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shocking True Story

I struggled to stay interested in this. I'm not a fan of first person, especially when the narrator is a bit of a self absorbed idiot. I'm not a fan of pointless domestic details, this had plenty of those. About 80% of the characters are irrelevant to the actual story. The basic plot, is well, basic. I'm not convinced chucking the writer into an unoriginal plot is enough to rescue this.

It's probably me, this has some rave reviews on good reads so I must be missing something!

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

This isn't for me. I like my murders to be taken seriously, whether real or imagined, and this seems to be written in a comedic style. I glanced at some reviews before I started it and was shocked to see so many referring to the humour in it but I hoped it was still going to be written this side of seriously. However, I found it wasn't.
It has quite a lot of mistakes as well, which I've found have been an issue in Mr Olsen's true-crime books I've read before. Author's wives needing to be authors' then this sentence-"I asked, referring to the to the other author's lack of interest," then he refers to Deke Cameron as the ex whereas in his own cast of characters at the beginning he's introduced as the current boyfriend !! If HE can't keep track of his characters, then what chance do readers have ??
For me, I packed it in when I got to reading about "Sugarbutt". Just such a ridiculous nickname altogether and I'm afraid I'd only got as far as 7% in.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

True crime writer Kevin Ryan is in need of something ‘over the top’ for his next book in order to boost his sales. When Jett Carter shows up at his door with a heart-wrenching tale of her mother and sister, in prison for a crime, she says, they didn’t commit, he sees his chance.

Things begin to go off the rails, though, when his number-one fan ends up dead, and as he begins to write the story of clumsily executed attempted murders, real bodies start piling up. When he’s implicated in one, things really start to go south, forcing him to reevaluate his priorities.

Shocking True Story by Gregg Olsen reads like a true crime story, with completely believable characters doing unbelievable things, in a well-described setting. The author keeps you the reader in suspense until the shocking, and totally unexpected conclusion.

Snippets of humor, some, tongue in cheek, some a bit over the top, merge seamlessly with shocking revelations at Kevin inches his way closer and closer to a truth he’s unprepared for.

This one kept my attention from page one.

[Elizabeth Horton-Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew Gregg Olsen as a true crime writer and when I started "Shocking True Story" I assumed it was in fact a true crime novel. It didn't take me long to figure out it wasn't. Olsen cleverly weaves the tale of a true crime writer's experience of investigating and writing about a crime in his home state. At times the story does drag but moments of suspense make up for those yawning periods. As I was drawn deeper into the mystery I began to wonder about various characters and the truth of the story they told, sometimes forgetting I was reading fiction. The ending was a real shocker however. I would have preferred it to be a tad longer and more descriptive but it got me worked up enough to bump the rating up a full star. While it may not be as good as his true crime stories I have to say it's a good read. You won't be sorry at the conclusion.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engrossing and thrilling read. It kept me riveted and was hard to put down. Lots of similes and metaphors... often over the top but that’s what made it more fun to read

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll file this one under "don't bother." I really had to struggle to finish this, and I don't even know why I did.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this, but I removed it from my kindle and account just a few pages in. No Greg Olsen, Ted Bundy was not "electrocuted for the murder of a school girl". His murder count was significantly higher than that. If you have no respect for the families of his NUMEROUS victim, and their stories, then why should I be interested in yours. That is too much of an oversight for me to get over.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a great story. not the usual story. the writer and his family are involved. wife val and the twins. gregg olsen puts in quite a few humerous bits also. knowing how the police works and also the prison service is very knowledgeable.a must read

[Pippa P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was unsure about this book to begin with. True Crime has never been a favourite of mine, largely because I know there is a lot of evil in this world, and I prefer to focus on what is good and true and what will lift people up.  The problem with true stories – biographies, autobiographies, memoirs – is that life is not the neatly wrapped package that is presented to us in the novel, so when I started reading this story, I did not hold a lot of hope.  Was I ever surprised!

The story tells of Kevin Ryan, a true crime writer who is struggling to keep his career going and keep himself and his family afloat. He is approached for a new project, the murky story of a mother, Connie Carter, and daughter, Janet Lee Kerr, who set up the Janet’s boyfriend, Danny, to shoot an ex-boyfriend and attempt to kill her ex-husband who was trying to claim custody of their daughter. Although no one died, both Connie and Janet were convicted of attempted murder and when Kevin is approached by Jett, Connie’s younger daughter, to write the story, he grabs it tentatively at first but then with both hands and runs with it. When Danny’s mother is killed just before Kevin is about to interview her, the spotlight falls on him as a suspect whose motive is to kickstart a failing writing career.

There was always some question in my mind whether this is fiction or is indeed a true story.  The name of the protagonist, a writer, is fictitious, but his family and situation mirror that of the author so strongly that it could be taken from his life.  Yet at no point does Olsen acknowledge the similarity and the circumstances described, if they are true, would raise serious legal questions. 

Yet the power of the story has a ring of truth to it, and that speaks to the quality of Mr Olsen’s writing and his gift as an author.  He knows his craft, has obviously honed it over many years and a multitude of true crime books and crime thriller novels, and this work reflects this.

Although the culprit was obvious to me early on in the piece, the slow build of tension, the release of clues and other information was done at a steady pace while giving an insight into the life of a struggling yet determined writer and his long-suffering family. He describes a wonderful scene where the protagonist takes part in a television talk show designed to pit multiple parties against each other to create a spectacle for viewers. The cynicism of the producer and lead presenter is very obvious, not only in the way that they manipulate people, but also in the way that they take advantage of a difficult situation in which families find themselves, simply to promote themselves and make money.

Throughout the book, Mr Olsen’s protagonist wrestles with his own part in that, where he is taking advantage of a crime and the family’s grief to make money and promote himself. The conclusion at which he seems to arrive is that he always tries to portray his characters sympathetically allowing them as much as possible to tell their own stories.

If this truly is non-fiction, it is very well balanced and well written, but in my mind, this is a fiction book well worth reading.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to get into

Usually I fly through books in a day, but this took me over a month. I didn’t really like any of the characters (which was simply because the author spent so much talking about how terrible they were). I had to go back to the beginning list just to remember who they all were and knew it was a bad sign in itself that there is a list of characters. I also couldn’t tell if characters like the mom were supposed to be good or bad. Some chapters she was the sad loving victim and sometimes she was the cold hearted criminal. It made no sense.

I actually did like the idea of telling the crime through the main character’s books, but for some reason he made the writer BAD at writing and the book inserts were terrible to read. The actual crime that was happening during the story actually was good, but I didn’t realize it until I finished the book because we kept getting so distracted with extra fluff like a random jailhouse wedding and being all over the place.

I think overall the author was trying to go for something lighthearted, but it just didn’t work out well for me unfortunately.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about writing a book. Actually it's about a true crime writer in desperate need of a successful book. He begins investigating an attempted murder and suddenly he is finding he's getting in deeper than he intended.
I had trouble getting interested in the early parts of this book, but once it got going, it was hard to put it down. It did have one glaring problem within the plot that just didn't make sense no matter how i looked at it. The author begins to suspect his wife of being involved in the crime. This simply made no sense. Yes, she had access to the stuff involved. But at the same time they had a stranger in and out of their house. Why he suspected his loving wife rather than this complete stranger simply is idiotic. The book almost lost me again there. But i'm glad i stuck with it. The ending was an edge of your seat thriller. I just wish the book had been more consistent.

[Kristin. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Gregg Olsen's novels; his characters grab your attention immediately in the stoy, which he rolls out quickly never having the reader question what the tale tells!
While researching his story, Kevin encounters criminals, who claim they are not, lists who claim they speak the truth!
Kevin is thorough, examining every aspect, and every person's angle. He goes through interviews with any one who might tell him more.

Author Kevin has tried his hands at writing for a number of years-- it is true crime about which he writes. Researching a story, gathering as many facts as possible, is the best way to begin a novel. Since several of his previous books had fallen short of his hopes, his future hope was for brlliant success that in his shocking true story was full of twisted murders tale an absolute page turner! I always enjoy Olsen's books...although I found a few grammatical errors in this one.(That surprised me, as he is generally meticulous!)

[Gail B Leatherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

On a Jett plane

A true crime writer who lives a pretty ordinary life trying to make ends meet with the help of his sometimes critical wife, two usual daughters and a totally indifferent dog named Hetta suddenly becomes the prime suspect in what could be that big story that would move him from the tabloid shelf at the Stop-N-Shop to the front display at the bookstore. Then along comes Jett, young, thin, older than she looks. She’s apparently the only one in her family not in prison.
In fact, Jett’s crazy family is what the new book is about and she’s the source of good inside stuff. But is she as innocent as she appears? We’ll see.
This is a fast fun read with a whole bunch of wry wit and enough twists to keep the pages flipping. I think you’ll like it.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monstrous Mothers, Deceitful Daughters, Frenzied Fans and Surreal Stories

Although it took me awhile to read, this "true" crime story was actually quite engaging. I will have to say though, that I did have the killer figured before the reveal which was written out to be an unexpected shock. Still, I enjoyed the relationship ups and downs between characters, the fictional insight into being an author and the mystery presented as fact. Like a book within a book, the wit and plot are clever. True crime is one of my favorite genres, so it was also humorous to read a story from the perspective of a TC writer.

[Shadira · Rating 2 out of 5]

am a true fan of the true crime genre, but this book left me cold. I found the storyline uninteresting and the characters lacked substance, but most of all, it is certainly not true crime. Kevin a rather mediocre writer had to come up with a good story for his publisher. He is approached by Jett who wants her mother's name cleared for a murder. Kevin thinks this will make the story he needs and starts to pursue the facts. As he gets deeper into the family's history, he begins to wonder if a member of his own family could be involved. This was the only interesting part of the book for me. The rest was pretty boring.

[Shadow Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!

Everything about this book is just awesome - Kevin Ryan especially.
His daily routine of Googling himself, and thinking of potential book titles for each day's most popular crimes makes him even more endearing. I've always loved a 'story within a story', and I looked forward to each new chapter he wrote for "Love You To Death".
I think that adding the pics of his various book covers was cool, too.
I can't help but to compare the vibe of this book, and it's cast of characters to "[...] Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom".
This is my favorite book by Gregg Olsen so far. Highly recommend!

[Gerry Leighton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled to get through this, as it just wasn't that interesting. I have read other books by Gregg Olsen and enjoyed them, but this one was just not very interesting or entertaining (though there were a few tidbits about being a true crime writer that I hadn't thought about). He totally lost me when something went missing and the person he suspected was ..... someone that didn't even enter my mind, and the fact that it entered it showed it was just an attempt to distract from the very obvious ending.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book within a book.....

Kevin Ryan is a true crime writer trying to make the "big time" with a real hit. While researching and writing his book, which we as readers read, he ends up in the middle of the murder investigation. The author has a wonderful writing style, and I especially love his tongue in cheek humor. I totally enjoyed this book, and would enjoy reading more by this terrific author.

[Pamela Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Olsen read. This one couldn’t quite keep my attention as I was reading it as all his others. Maybe the characters were a little boring. But his writing was still top notch. I figured out the culprit very early in the book so that could be why I got bored before it was over. He still has a was of letting you experience the surroundings in the description he writes. Have read everything he has written and will continue to be part of his “fan club”.

[Charlotte Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled when I first started this book, but after I got past the first third I got hooked. I guessed the identity of the villain before the end (I thought it was quite clearly signposted) but that didn’t detract from the interesting story which was a twist on the usual murder mystery / who-dunnit yarn. My criticism is that there were a lot of typos in my Kindle edition and this tended to pull me out of the story. If these were sorted out it would make the book better.

[Rizello · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me quite a while to get through this book and not because I didn't like it. I was just reading other books at the time, so I would dabble in this a bit at a time.

I persevered and am glad I did. This is a story about a true crime writer who is trying to make a living while his wife puts up with him. You got a strong sense of how the family cared about each other, and the story line was interesting with some humor thrown in. I look forward to reading more.

[Tricia S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jett Carter begs Kevin Ryan to write a book about her family. To get some of her mother and sister out of prison. I love true crime and Gregg Olsen writes it the best. I know this book isn't true crime but the content is. I like that this book turns into a murder mystery. I use to the live in the Port Gamble area and I love reading books involving it. Gregg Olsen is easily a one click. I highly recommend any of his books.

[Paul Fussner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has everything you need from page one clear through the last.

I really like the author's writing skills and way he added the behind-the-scenes research information for composition of this no holes barred true crime novel. A real white knuckle suspense filled who done it that will have you up into the wee hours of the night reading.

[Linda Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to read this. Amazingly, it made me have sympathy for Casey Antony - and, to believe that there was more to the story than was commonly thought.

The author clearly knows courtrooms and the media, and uses that knowledge to write a first-rate book.

Definitely recommended - VERY highly.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is SO slow! The amount of unnecessary, boring detail put into it was upsetting. Also, I don't know if I was supposed to be sympathetic to the main character, but I was not. I spent most of the book thinking that if he was a true crime writer, why couldn't he figure out the crime happening in his own life? I had it figured out about a third of the way through.

[CK · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally really enjoy this author, and when I found this, after reading the two books about Port Gamble featuring the twins mentioned in the book, I was really excited to read this one. It was definitely a miss for me. The pacing felt inconsistent and every time I thought it was going to pick up it kept going flat for me.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

True or not

This was one of the most complicated fiction books that I have read. It was very interesting though..how do you come up with these twists and turns, Greig Olsen? Just keep on going and I will keep on reading!