When the Husband is the Suspect

by F. Lee Bailey, Jean Rabe

From the bestselling author of The Defense Never Rests, a look at the modern spate of spousal homicides.
 
This book provides an overview of several of the most famous homicidal husband cases of recent years, including:

- Sam Sheppard, who inspired the TV series and movie The Fugitive

- Jeffrey McDonald, who became the subject of the bestseller Fatal Vision

- Mister Perfect, Brad Cunningham, who was convicted of bludgeoning his wife to death

- Michael Peterson, who was the subject of the IFC documentary series The Staircase and a Lifetime movie original starring Treat Williams

- OJ Simpson, whose dream team of lawyers defended the former pro-football player and movie star of the brutal murder of his ex-wife as the entire nation watched

-  Claus von Bulow, immortalized in the book and movie Reversal of Fortune

-  Robert Blake, former TV star, who was suspected of engineering the death of his conwoman wife

-  Scott Peterson, a philandering sociopathic husband who almost escaped arrest for the murder of his wife and unborn chil

-  Lambert "Bart" Knol, who claimed he suffered from "substance-induced persistent amnesia" when he was accused of killing his wife of 38 years

These cases and others are presented in an objective manner by a knowledgeable voice that recognizes that suspicion, and sometimes even conviction, are not always synonymous with guilt.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

271 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read, well-summarized and fast-moving. The author never bogs down in legal minutiae, although he does do some fancy footwork around the issue of the defendant's guilt if it was someone he defended personally. He pulls no punches with the rest of them. I would have given this 5 stars if some of the cases were less well-known and if the cases were a little less repetitive of things we have all heard on the news a dozen or more times already.

[Deanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of these cases I've heard of, and considering the author is a defence attourney I wasn't surprised by the bias slant to some of the cases.
Some of the men mentioned, with the evidence supplied seem as guilty as sin, others however I could go either way and then there is the poor guy at the end who is innocent. His fiancee disappears, but is eventually tracked down.

[Ken Oder · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this book, Jean Rabe writes a summary of the facts and proceedings in twenty high profile cases where husbands were tried for the murder of their spouses, from Dr. Sam Shepherd, the story that inspired the long-running television series and the movie, The Fugitive, to O.J. Simpson and Scott Peterson. At the end of each summary, F. Lee Bailey writes commentary about the case. The cases are interesting in their own right, but that's about all that recommends this book. It offers very little new insight, even where Bailey represented the defendant, and both Rabe and Bailey often slant the presentation of data to fit Bailey's opinions of the case. Not a helpful resource and not a great read.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too many italics.

I would have read it sooner but this book was classified in the 345 (criminal law) instead of 364 (criminology) section of the library.

Good subject choice, because now F. Lee Bailey can begin a series targeting the wife as the suspect, or the children who kill parents/neighbors/strangers. So many good cases to use; probably not as well-known, which makes it more interesting.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can I say? Sometimes it's interesting to wallow in the gutter, and with F. Lee Bailey, no less! Note to Mr. Bailey: if 1 out of 3 women's homicides are at the hands of their husbands or boyfriends, that does NOT mean that "statistically, he is more often than not the culprit" (p. 270). Read your own statistics, sir: one out of three, not two out of three or three out of three. Sorry, feeling cranky today. . . .

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Has a synopsis of a case dealing with the husband as a suspect. Not one I would read again but good.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very difficult to read. Although I am a long time fan of true crime, the writing style of this author, famed attorney F. Lee Bailey, was a huge detriment. Each chapter described a unique case, typically with the husband or boyfriend being the suspect in the wife’s or girlfriend’s demise. A general summary is followed by a timeline of events, then the summary of both the defense’s and the prosecution’s cases. Finally, the author provides his own opinion on the case. Sounds like a successful formula, but it was not. The presentation was entirely void of human interest, and so dry that I was forced to reread several chapters, and then to take notes in order to recall what I had read.
The overriding theme seems to be the incompetence of the police and other law enforcement officials who investigate the crimes. It is strongly suggested that any time a woman is reported missing or murdered, the first and most likely suspect is always the significant other. This preconceived notion blinds the investigators to other possibilities, and innocent men are often convicted. Of course, there are notable exceptions, when the significant other just happens to be a sociopath. In these instances, the author suggests we study them, and establish a national database, so that we can predict and prevent future crimes. One unequivocal piece of evidence that can be used to either exonerate or convict the accused is, of course, DNA.
So, as informative as this book was, one can more easily discover the same information with a quick search of the internet. In fact, because this book was published in 2008, that is exactly what I did, in order to find out where the accused is right now.

[Noel Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book but I agree with a lot of the other reviews that it is very obvious when F. Lee Bailey was the defendant’s lawyer as he whole heartedly argues they were innocent, had an unfair trial, etc. The cases he was not involved with I felt were unbiased and provided an interesting defense attorney’s prospective.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each case is presented in a straight forward, if bland, manner. I appreciated the facts and the viewpoints of the prosecution and the defense. The "case insights" from F. Lee Bailey at the end of each chapter are a mix of interesting and self indulgent.

[amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

was really confused as to why the word dumpster was capitalized (Dumpster) several times in 2 separate chapters.

didn’t think the author was objective about WHY those closest to the victim (yes, that includes the spouse). statistically stranger or random homicides are rare.

[Annie Booker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fascinating book. Not only because of the in depth look at the cases, including several I'd never heard of, but because of the written insight famed lawyer, F Lee Bailey, gives to each case. Not saying I agree with him in every case but most of them I did.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isn't it always the spouse when the other dies? I've enjoyed reading books about this case and will keep reading.

[Becky Kimmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've kept this around thinking my husband might read it, but 2 + years of dust, it is going to the library

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that should be a study in bias more than anything at else

[Donna Humble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at how law enforcement can quickly blame the husband in a missing wife. Most times, the husband is the first one suspected, but sometimes, he is not guilty of the crime.

[Muhammad Nizam Bin Mohtar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers expecting that Bailey-one of the best-known criminal defense attorneys of the last half-century-would provide insight into spousal homicide will be disappointed by this book, which adds nothing fresh to our understanding of the 20 cases discussed.

The case studies (including some of the most prominent examples of accused wife-killers, such as O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake, Sam Sheppard, Scott Peterson, Claus Von Bülow and Jeffrey MacDonald) are presented in chronological order, but the chapters jump around in time, becoming confusing and sometimes repetitive.

Bailey's commentaries at the end of each chapter often digress to general criminal-justice issues rather than focusing on novel interpretations of the evidence. The chapter on Simpson (Bailey was a member of his defense Dream Team) is a tease-the author begins his comments by noting that "a proper delineation of what would need to be said" in Simpson's defense "is best left for another day." And the account neglects defense lawyer Barry Scheck's contributions to the football star's acquittal with his discrediting of the DNA evidence. Facts referred to in the commentary do not always appear in the main text, and the choice of breadth over depth leaves readers feeling short-changed.

Bailey, one of the most recognized and flamboyant defense counsels of our time, here discusses 20 cases of murderous husbands, including Sam Sheppard, O. J. Simpson, and Claus von Bulow. Rather than scientific examination of incriminating factors or sociopathological analysis, however, he basically chats up details of these high-profile murders.

Coauthor Rabe, a successful fantasy novelist, summarizes and details significant attributes of each case in rat-a-tat Dragnet style. Then Bailey weighs in on the meaning of the details and with lawyerly insights. His pearls are italicized, though since Rabe refers to him in the third person, there would seem to be no further need to distinguish his rap from hers. Anyway, he’s forthright, cutting through niceties and damning both investigators and attorneys. His takes on Robert Blake and Jeffrey MacDonald raise interesting questions, to say the least, and his appraisal of footballer Rae Carruth is a celebration of how not to commit and prosecute a murder. Sadly, Phil Spector is not limned, though Scott Peterson is, most rewardingly.

[Jamie]

great writing and hold your interest stories. Some who killed the wife some who did not. A good read that will keep you on the edge of your seat to see what happens next!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

True crime, why do you have such a hold on me?? I am so easily sucked into the trashiest true crime histories, and this is the trashiest: a compendium of murder cases where the husband (or ex-husband) of the deceased is the prime suspect. The writing is spare but to the point. I could have done without the completely kid-gloved recounting of the O.J. Simpson case --- the author was on O.J.'s defense team, and spent much of the chapter repeating his defense arguments, rather than analyzing the particulars of the case. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a quick, interesting piece of scary brain candy, this'll do in a pinch.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each "suspect" receives a full chapter and the chapters are in chronological order. There were many husbands who I had never heard of before, or that I knew a little about and I found those chapters the most interesting. I have read complete books on many of the husband/suspects profiled, so I found those chapters the least informative and leaving a great deal of information out. The book does a good job on casting some doubt on certain husband/suspects who were found guilty. Overall it’s a very interesting read for those who enjoy True Crime books.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting a bit more from this book, but it is condensed down. I did find in interesting enough to want to do more research on some of the suspects, so it gave me a taste of the stories, but also left me sometimes wanting more. I do think though that it was better written than many true crime works which tend to repeat themselves over and over in order to fill the pages. By diversifying and having 20-ish suspects Bailey was able to provide a full length book without repetition.

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Goodreads giveaway win is an interesting insight into infamous murder stories. There are inside parts of the stories which were not stated to the public. This book also shows how when a novice does the killing, it becomes obvious even if it take years to convict the husband. A good and interesting read.

[Angel Garlinger · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I gave this book one star is because I have to lol. I did not like this book at al it was very boring and I couldn't get into it. I kept reading hoping that it would get better but no such luck lol.

[Megan]

I started this last night. It is very dry so far. I read the chapter on Claus von Bulow, and there was some evidence I hadn't read about before.

[BOBBI · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting stories. Amazing that they all were true!

[VaughanPL]

Click here to find it in the catalogue.

[Nina (Death, Books, and Tea) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some were interesting, some were boring.

[Bernee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like true crime occasionally-this one had cases in it which I have read entire books on-nothing too new or differant
An OK true crime read

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly skimmed. OK book, didn't find it too interesting.

[Christine Pia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book about real cases in which the husbands are prime suspects :)