Not a Very Good Murderer

by Ronan Farrow

Part true crime thriller, part captivating character study, Not a Very Good Murderer is a fascinating exploration of what it takes to uncover the truth and what it means to keep it buried. Learn more and listen on March 20, 2025.

Listening length: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, Biography, History, Journalism

190 pages, Audible Audio

First published March 20, 2025

About the author

Ronan Farrow is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, where his investigative reporting has won the Pulitzer Prize for public service, the National Magazine Award, and the George Polk Award, among other honors. He previously worked as an anchor and investigative reporter at MSNBC and NBC News, with his print commentary and reporting appearing in publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post.

Before his career in journalism, he served as a State Department official in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence. Farrow has been named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People and one of GQ's Men of the Year. He is a graduate of Yale Law School and a member of the New York Bar. He recently completed a Ph.D. in political science at Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He lives in New York.

(source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Lucy Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely more of a podcast than an audiobook, but if Goodreads says I can count it toward my 2025 Reading Challenge goals, I'm counting it!

[Natalie Kapuler · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Ronan Farrow, but now is not the time to spend so much time with obnoxious, racist, absolutely bonkers Trump voter. I recognize the importance of it, but this is not for me. Living with the protogonist intimately in my ears made feel icky in my soul.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this wonderfully bonkers at the start, but by the end I just had huge compassion for this woman's children.

I also now realise that I still do not know if any murders were actually planned!

[amy :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it a 4 because I love to deep dive on something random too, and that's kind of what happened here, and it became quite an interesting dive. Anything involving the complexities of life and the unraveling of a situation that seems one way and then turns, interests me.

[Patty Matty · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of the book is intriguing but the protagonist is a bust. I hate stupid people and she is one. I love Rowan’s writing btw but my advice is to not waste your time with this.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

9/30/2025 - I enjoy Farrow’s work, but this one was a bit of a reach. Just a bunch of claims that couldn’t be proven because evidence was stolen, people died over the years, or the stories were fabricated. The woman that it’s about is very annoying and quite honestly, she should not be given a moment more of attention.

[All Things Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This audio read was kind of like a podcast/docuseries. It was kind of bland for me. Not suspenseful enough. But I trucked through it as I was working on projects around the house over the course of two days. It's not very memorable either.

[Mickey B · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a cluster in this b…

Fascinating character study for the curious, if you love Wikipedia rabbit holes, this is for you.

[Taylor Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with other reviews that this feels more like a podcast than a true audiobook/book, but I did really enjoy it. Ronan Farrow’s investigative, interview and narration style that I loved in Catch and Kill also comes through in this story.

It would have been easy (and lazy) to simply cast Mrs. Doan aside as a privileged and relatively awful human being without much substance, but I appreciated that Ronan recounted his interactions with her in a neutral and evidence-based way, letting the listener come to whatever conclusions they have about her on their own.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short audio “book” available thru Audible. It is created like a podcast. It is not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. Why?
- Ronan Farrow created it and is the voice guiding the listener along. I respect his previous investigative reports.
-I admit I have greedily watched 🍿many (scripted) soap opera-like series over the years. You know the ones about very wealthy women who drink too much, wear expensive jewelry, gossip, behave inappropriately, and harm relationships with their husbands and children. This “book” included all of that and a true crime mystery!

[McKell]

I DNFed this one. It’s so dry, and I really have no desire to keep listening. TBH I’ve already forgotten when was even discussed in the first half of the book. We’re simply listening to a journalist discuss their process while also explaining that we basically have learned nothing about the case to which he is referring

[Tara Cignarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a Very Good Murderer by Ronan Faroow
Audio Version
Overall Grade: B
Information: B
Writing/Organization: B
Narration: A-
Best Aspect: A new and interesting story to me, good for a podcast format.
Worst Aspect: Short and basic.
Recommend: Yes.
Free with Audible

[Hadley Leviner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Cece is an interesting character. No way my husband would still be with me if I had thought or asked for something to try to kill him. Viagra is wild lol. This was such a good listen.

[Heather Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5 rounded up. Note: profanity

[Darcey 👍 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Katherine Lincoln · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible. Interviewing a rich crazy drunk lady.

[Danielle Seals · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more a podcast than an actual book. Very dry and I didn’t feel it really went anywhere. Not as suspenseful or as intriguing as the summary blurb leads.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Very entertaining.

[Hpnyknits · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Short exploration but not that interesting.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was one wild ride. It was also kind of poignant in how it resonated on a personal level in some ways with Ronan Farrow.

[Chloe Pope · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so disappointed that I didn’t love this as I was so excited for it.

I just don’t see the point in this being told, it felt like we started at point A and ended at point A

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique in that it’s a podcast put together as if it’s an audiobook. Doane is a fantastic character study and I like Farrow’s journalistic style.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an investigative podcast and not a traditional book. Really good

[Shannon Ferguson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This lady was seriously unhinged. I enjoyed learning her steps, but there was no real plot. The author made a valiant attempt to wrap things in a “how does a journalist vet the credibility of a source” jacket, but it was thin. Still… whoa.

[Ginny Carr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very good book/podcast about Not a Very Good Murderer. Ronan Farrow picks on an obviously mentally ill woman. Many times he brings up political extremism and privilege as the cause of her issues. Ronan, Hello! You were raised in a privileged home (the offspring of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow) and you sound like a political extremist yourself. Please do better! This podcast turned book is boring as hell. Listened on Audible and was thankful that I could listen to the last couple of hours on 2.0 speed because I happen to be one of those people that must finish a book, no matter how bad!

[Kelly Conrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Ronan, but I don’t know how he found such a deep well of patience for this disaster of a woman. The gravelly-whine of her voice started to really grate on me towards the end…not to mention the cruelty, ignorance, willful denial, putrid privilege and narcissism that her voice constantly spewed.

It just made me sick how the rich elite are often so isolated from the world that it makes it easy for them to believe what is spoon fed them and making them so susceptible to fear-based disillusion. The gross-ness of it compounded by the fact that the elite rarely have to pay any consequences for their actions because of the power money has. Ick, fear & money—the cause of so much suffering in this world, and her life is a perfect example of that.

I found myself so proud of her daughter Sara for working through all of her mother’s manipulation and abuse so bravely and seeming like she is almost to a place of healing.

Ceci’s husband is a true piece of work. What dirt must she have on him for him to stick around as her lap dog? Ronan even says that when a question is too hard for her, dude will chime in. She is no precious flower, Mr. Ceci, STFU, and let her handle her own bullshit! Need we remind you that she was accused of plotting to kill with Viagra, the article about it entitled “Die Hard” (which I, of course, thought was a riot)!

But man, it made me respect Ronan even more—his journalistic integrity hit a new high for me, as his ability to stick to the facts, not get drawn in, even by her insults, and maintain a hardline on his interview rules despite her push back was truly something to behold.

[E B · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the end, the subject talks of the interviews as being cathartic. Then blithely admits to child abuse. And gives a mixed apology to the interviewer, like she’s not sorry for what she did, but that it makes her look bad.

There’s this Trumpian mixture of grievance and insecurity. To be a seen as a victim, but also known as a fearsome perpetrator.

It all ends up inconclusive. Woody Allen is the constant unseen and unspoken presence, as Farrow attempts to find some kind of closure in this family, in place of his own. Yet no lessons are learnt. The abuser does not recant, does not change. She has no reason to ever face consequences.

So after four hours with this woman we end up at the same place we started: she’s awful, unreliable, sad and there’s nothing to be gained from indulging her.

[Heather R · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ronan Farrow seems to be a good writer with a nice podcast voice, and the production was very well done, but this one failed abysmally for me for the inescapable fact of its terrible subject. I guess you really can’t make a silk purse out of an alcoholic, narcissistic, downright unlikeable sow’s ear after all.

[Corinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize when I started this that it would be a podcast series wrapped up in a book file. But it was fine. I stuck around because in the opening, Farrow makes it seem like there is going to be some broader and deeper social commentary and conclusions and I see what he was going for but I don't think it quite delivered.