Secrets Can Be Murder: The Killer Next Door

by Jane Velez-Mitchell, Nancy Grace (Foreword)

Respected television news journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell asks a probing, disturbing Are killers like Scott Peterson and Andrea Yates all that different from the rest of us?

What kind of monster would do this? When journalists break the story of a child who's been kidnapped, a young woman who's been brutally raped, or a family who's been slaughtered, that's the question most of us ask. Secrets Can Be Murder exposes the hidden motivations behind the most sinister acts of recent times, with a behind-closed-doors look at these sensational crimes that will astound you.

After weighing in on high-profile cases for CNN, Fox News, Court TV, and MSNBC, author Jane Velez-Mitchell helps us understand these infamous crimes by unmasking the deceptions that turned toxic, exploding in rage and violence.

People lie every day to protect secrets, big and small. From desperate Hollywood personalities covering up their eccentric lifestyles to Bible Belt mothers who take the lives of their own children, Secrets Can Be Murder probes twenty-one separate cases. Each illustrates how leading a double life can land you in prison, and how failing to spot liars can get you killed.

Secrets Can Be Murder offers the inside story on each horrific case, unlocking the jaw-dropping secrets of the accused and revealing the common, innocent mistakes of the victims. After all, many of us have gone out alone late at night like Imette St. Guillen, or partied while on vacation like George Smith and Natalee Holloway.

From Dan Horowitz, the high-profile lawyer whose wife was brutally murdered by a teenage neighbor while Horowitz was defending a housewife accused of murder, to Neil Entwistle, the British husband who ran out of funds for an extravagant American lifestyle, Velez-Mitchell shows how each of these crimes has its own secrets to spill.

Many of us possess the same trusting nature as victims and carry around the same secrets as criminals -- whether it's debt, infidelity, or fetishes. With fascinating new insights from investigators and psychologists plus the friends and family of both the victims and the perpetrators, Secrets Can Be Murder illustrates just how little separates our so-called normal lives from that of a sociopath -- and how you can stay out of harm's way.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Psychology

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2007

About the author

Jane Velez-Mitchell (b. September 29, 1955) is an award winning gossip journalist and author. She currently has her own show on HLN, Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell (replacing Glenn Beck who moved to Fox News Channel). She is often seen commenting on high-profile cases for CNN, TruTV, E! and other national cable TV shows. Velez-Mitchell frequently guest hosts for Nancy Grace on her Headline News show. Velez-Mitchell reported for the nationally syndicated Warner Brothers/Telepictures show Celebrity Justice. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Velez Mitchell is known for her outspokenness of crimes. I loved watching her show because she was very aggressive in getting information on cases she was reporting. Needless to say, I was bummed when her show came to an end. I was very excited to be able to pick up some of the books she has written through the book swapping website I am a member of.
Even though I didn’t agree with Jane's perspective on some cases I still managed to love this book! She discussed many cases I had never heard of which in turn made me discover new true crimes books to add to my TBR shelf. I did find a lot of her insight to some of these cases to be very interesting and also a lot of facts that I didn't know from earlier cases that I was familiar with. Here are just some thoughts I had when reading this book and on some of the cases mentioned:

1. I found it interesting to read a bit on Phil Spector's childhood and to find out he was urinated on by some classmates.

2. The connection between the Texas stay at home mothers who were religious fanatics and murdered their children was one that I didn’t know before. I was infuriated when reading how one of these despicable "mothers" chopped off her 11 month olds hands. Regarding Andrea Yates, I noticed in the family pictures of her surrounding her children she always seemed to have had a sober miserable looking face. It made me very mad when reading that this murder actually had some idiots supporting her saying that she was going through post-partum and or depression. Oh give me a break! We as society need to let people especially CHILD MURDERS AND CHILD MOLESTERS pay for their crimes and not make excuses that they committed these acts because of their own childhood or what they are going through. NOTHING excuses a crime upon a child NEVER!!

3. I disagreed with Jane on her view on Lacy Petterson's mother Mrs. Rocha. Even though Jane repeatedly kept saying that she was not to blame for Lacy and Conner's murders, she was an overbearing mother in law who possibly drove Scott to feeling overwhelmed because of her close relationship to her daughter Lacy. That perhaps Scott felt somewhat like he couldn’t compete with his mother in law. So what! Even if he felt that way Ms. Rocha was just being a mom like many of us are. I hope to still be close to my daughter even when she's married and out of the house. No mother should ever have to feel guilty about her close relationship with her child at any age. If Scott felt inferior to this relationship he should have spoken out instead of turning into a murderer!

4. I had never heard of Debra Lafave before this and I must admit as beautiful as she is it is sickening how we see women sex predators different than the male predators in this society. If you don’t believe me just google the turn-around rate on sentencing when it comes to both sexes.

5. It was gut wrenching and heart breaking to read on the abuse that Cody Posy endured at the hands of his abusive father. Still, murder is not the answer even though one could understand where the rage was coming from on Cody's behalf.

I feel like this already turned into a small essay. My apologies, but this book covered so many interesting cases and left me thinking on a lot of them even after the last page of the book was closed. This is one of my favorite True Crime books and I hope other readers enjoy it as much as I did.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was handed this book and read it in 2 nights. I obviously like to be disturbed and shaken. I have not looked at strangers the same since reading it or friends AND family for that matter. Seriously though, it was dark and interesting- I must have been living under a rock to not have read about Scott Peterson's mother's past. One has to wonder if some people are just born twisted or if it's their environment. Certainly makes the case for parents screwing you up pretty strong. I find the whole 'secrets' theory telling, certainly it seems the hell of keeping secrets eat away at people or encourage horrendous acts. I honestly don't think every killer can use having a crap life as an excuse to exonerate oneself from their crimes, but it is food for thought in some instances. Also I am still not surprised with the Robert Blake case, money seems to have a different set of rules than the rest of us poor little peons; remember OJ? Same goes for 'beauty.' So be rich and beautiful and you probably won't be convicted of crimes you commit. In fact, you'll likely get a book and movie deal.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this author to be awfully offensive. She clearly hates the religious right and has an axe to grind. She blames churches and religion for causing people to keep secrets and thus becoming perverted and murderous. But she is a member of those vultures known as the press so it's no surprise she's morally bankrupt.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overuse of exclamation points, but otherwise, really interesting!!!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad for the genre, really. Jane Velez-Mitchell actually gives some decent insights into the Scott Peterson case, and she has strongly feminist point of view.

The one real problem is that Velez-Mitchell is not exactly what you'd call a master stylist, and her prose is a bit, um, exuberant in spots, even while she's making valid points. For example, in decrying the commonly-held view that women victims are asking for rape by staying out late in bars, Velez-Mitchell states (formatting and capitals hers, not mine):

What if men were lured into vans by women who reassured them, Don't worry, I'll take you home, only to rape and murder them? How long do you think guys would put up with that before marching on Washington?

NOT LONG!

and

Why would a criminal leave his blood and DNA at the scene? Why would he leave a duffel bag for cops to find? BECAUSE CRIMINALS ARE SELF-DESTRUCTIVE AND NOT RATIONAL!

After a while I felt like I was reading the Charles Atlas ads on the back of an issue of Archie and Friends #37. Velez-Mitchell is also over-fond of exclamation points, which was even more annoying because the publisher used a weird font in which they looked like upside-down chess pawns.

Still, good plane reading and fairly interesting, if you like this sort of thing.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I thought it was very well-written.

I especially enjoyed the cases with which I was familiar, so that lent credence to any new material; pleasantly surprised, sometimes, to verify that I don't know everything yet . . .

Really good job on the Scott Peterson story. I have read all the books she mentioned about him, including his sister's book. Jane really took a little from each one and created a plausible explanation for why Laci was killed the way she was. It all makes sense now.

She went into great detail as to why Mrs. Rocha created a deadly triangle, something really common -- when you think about it; so heads up for anyone in that situation.

I can prove it's a viable explanation because even my 3 cats assumed that posture, exactly as Jane explained it: #3 and #2 team up against #1, making the pair stronger. Any triangle could cause this: siblings, spouses, friends . . . even pets.

Gotta love true stories. I looked them up on the internet -- this book was better.

[Tabby Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secrets Can Be Murder was a riveting book about the secrets behind the nation’s most shocking crimes that I could not put down. Jane Velez-Mitchell does a good job at dissecting the human condition and at relaying how we are all connected by our small dirty secrets. In this book, you will learn that you are not that far removed from the nation’s leading serial killer; in fact, you may have more in common with him than you think.

[Marianne Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it was just me. I, mean, I'm a news junkie. I have watched all of the cases that Jane Velez-Mitchell talks about but I just could not get into this book.

I tried.....I really tried....but it was just waaayyy to much.

I wanted to like this book, but I just didn't.

[Stef · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's a reason why a news reporter/anchor shouldn't be writing a book like this. It was interesting to read about the cases but everything else was stupid. Very over-dramatized and she makes very hasty generalizations.

[RNOCEAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Respected television news journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell asks a probing, disturbing question: Are killers like Scott Peterson and Andrea Yates all that different from the rest of us?


What kind of monster would do this? When journalists break the story of a child who's been kidnapped, a young woman who's been brutally raped, or a family who's been slaughtered, that's the question most of us ask. Secrets Can Be Murder exposes the hidden motivations behind the most sinister acts of recent times, with a behind-closed-doors look at these sensational crimes that will astound you.

After weighing in on high-profile cases for CNN, Fox News, Court TV, and MSNBC, author Jane Velez-Mitchell helps us understand these infamous crimes by unmasking the deceptions that turned toxic, exploding in rage and violence.

People lie every day to protect secrets, big and small. From desperate Hollywood personalities covering up their eccentric lifestyles to Bible Belt mothers who take the lives of their own children, Secrets Can Be Murder probes twenty-one separate cases. Each illustrates how leading a double life can land you in prison, and how failing to spot liars can get you killed.

Secrets Can Be Murder offers the inside story on each horrific case, unlocking the jaw-dropping secrets of the accused and revealing the common, innocent mistakes of the victims. After all, many of us have gone out alone late at night like Imette St. Guillen, or partied while on vacation like George Smith and Natalee Holloway.

From Dan Horowitz, the high-profile lawyer whose wife was brutally murdered by a teenage neighbor while Horowitz was defending a housewife accused ofmurder, to Neil Entwistle, the British husband who ran out of funds for an extravagant American lifestyle, Velez-Mitchell shows how each of these crimes has its own secrets to spill.

Many of us possess the same trusting nature as victims and carry around the same secrets as criminals—whether it's debt, infidelity, or fetishes. With fascinating new insights from investigators and psychologists plus the friends and family of both the victims and the perpetrators, Secrets Can Be Murder illustrates just how little separates our so-called normal lives from that of a sociopath—and how you can stay out of harm's way.

Rate this 3/5. I watch Jane's show on CNN and always find the backstory of cases and trials as interesting as the case itself!

[John Ferreira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I needed confirmation about people I know, and knew. With me as a reader, Velez-Mitchell pretty much was preaching to the choir when she wrote this book. Of the people I've had to deal with, and fortunately part ways with, each and every one of them is hiding something. Addiction, sexuality, theft, and other deadly sins. And, all of them thought they were perfectly in the right, and it was everyone else, world-wide, were the ones with the problem. When people complained about the statements and actions of religious figure, and politicians, I think that's nothing. I had people coming to my door (literally and figuratively), telling me how I should live my life. And, they say they're friends.

Each person that Velez-Mitchell profiles in the book, reminded me one way or another with people I've had to deal with. Liars, hypocrites, dogmatically leaning, irresponsible and unaware. They expect not only everyone else should be like them, but also thinks everyone else is like them. They think, "Well, I'm a liar. Therefore everyone else is a liar."

The trouble always came to head, when I refused to do things their way. Also, when I called them on the things they said and did.

As with any book or documentary around real people, the story continues after the last page, and the end credits. I encourage any reader to do more research, and get the latest update on the people profiled in the book.

Robert Durst is an example. Since the book was published, there have been lots of developments in his story, and the crimes he committed.

On another topic, I love how Velez-Mitchell takes the media to task for how and what they report crimes and incidents.

[Nancy Nash Keefer · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, my version only shows Jane Valez-Mitchell as the author with Nancy Grace supplying only the forward. Listing is as "by" Nancy Grace is a pure fabrication so Ms Valez-Mitchell can sell more books. Not all that surprising, though. Nancy Grace used to be a decent reporter, but as soon as she figured out she could make more money by appealing to the lowered standards where most people are, down went her scruples.

Second, I only finished this book so I could give it a bad review.

There were too many times this author made 'pronouncements' of what everyone does. She instantly lost my respect when she claimed that everyone> fights with their families and spouses, and if we "brag" we don't, then we're lying.

Well, Ms. Roe, it's simply not in the make up of my parents, sisters, spouse, or me. It doesn't mean we don't disagree, but yelling and name calling is childish. We don't do it. I'm not hiding any secrets about problems in my life or marriage, and I resent your assumption that I am, and by extension of the purpose of your book, that I plan to murder people.

The rest of the book was the same way. Not much skill in writing, either. I literally had to force myself to finish it.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, besides (as everyone has already mentioned) the overusage of exclamation points and capitals. I was disturbed throughout most of the book, which is a good thing... kept things interesting. However, she's such a feminist. Some of her arguments were pretty annoying. I have nothing against feminism, it was just.. odd.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. Too many exclamation points.

[Carolynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting but slow read. Some very gory parts but that was to be expected. Also some very slow parts that seem to keep branching off and branching off.

[Marsmannix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compilation of several famous cases examined from a psychodynamic perspective. meh

[Mrs. Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike other Goodreaders I’d never heard of Jane Velez-Mitchell (love to read, don’t care for TV) so I didn’t expect (or care for) her breathless !film-at-eleven! style. The book’s title - Secrets Can Be Murder - indicates a different flaw: an attempt to explain widely disparate events by a single simple yet meaningful formula. Andrea Yates and Casey Anthony both had a secret and each killed her children … as the axiom goes, anything that explains everything explains nothing.
That said, Velez-Mitchell’s book would likely interest the readers who appreciate supermarket checkout line tabloids. Since there are entire books - some well-written and even-handed - about most of the murders* she discusses, a true crime fan can inform himself more fully about any case that intrigues him.

*practically as many about Scott Peterson as about Trump!

[Diana Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

A crime expert from fox, CNN and various other news sources tells the stories behind true crime cases such as Scott Peterson, debra lafave and andrea Yates. There were cases I had never heard of.
She had interesting tidbits and asked interesting questions
Quick read if you have an interest in true crime

[Lisa Mcbroom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reporter Velez Mitchell delves into what makes killers kill and the common thing that holds us together (i.e. why do some people kill and others are normal?

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting material it is just the writing style is not to my liking.

[Josie Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐️ Phenomenal writing! A deep psychological analysis of the culture of violent crime in America, particularly against women and children. Secrets can be deadly, and they can be murder.

[Candace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out promisingly, but seemed to devolve into a recitation of mostly known facts about various cases. I didn't really learn much from it. It seemed to play to my baser instincts.

[Kristina Carrera · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get over her blatant bias and poor writing skills.