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The Forgotten Briefcase: The world knows her name. Few really knew her.
The Forgotten Briefcase
is an intimate memoir of love, loss, and the long road back to oneself. Drawn from decades-old journals, letters, and personal mementos, Joseph recounts his private relationship with Nicole Brown Simpson at a pivotal moment in her life, as she was beginning to reclaim and rediscover herself - revealing a fresh and profoundly human portrait of the woman behind one of America's most public tragedies.
Thirty-three years after burying the past inside a forgotten briefcase, Joseph rediscovers the memories he never allowed himself to photographs, cards, letters, and a century-old novel he had once given Nicole - a book she claimed had changed her life forever. But it isn't until Joseph's own near-death experience that he realizes the briefcase held more than reminders of Nicole - it held the fractured pieces of himself.
As Joseph returns to the places they once shared, he begins to understand why the novel - and Nicole's memory - never truly left him. The Forgotten Briefcase is a moving testament to the power of love, memory, and second chances, and to the freedom that can only come from finally confronting the past.
Thirty-three years after burying the past inside a forgotten briefcase, Joseph rediscovers the memories he never allowed himself to photographs, cards, letters, and a century-old novel he had once given Nicole - a book she claimed had changed her life forever. But it isn't until Joseph's own near-death experience that he realizes the briefcase held more than reminders of Nicole - it held the fractured pieces of himself.
As Joseph returns to the places they once shared, he begins to understand why the novel - and Nicole's memory - never truly left him. The Forgotten Briefcase is a moving testament to the power of love, memory, and second chances, and to the freedom that can only come from finally confronting the past.
204 pages, Paperback
Published June 11, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 19, 2026
I finished this book in one sitting—I simply couldn’t put it down. It is so beautifully written, with such respect and love. You can feel his love for her through his words.
I was 10 years old when Nicole was taken, and this case has stayed with me ever since. As a child, her face was etched into my memory, and over the years, Nicole Simpson often felt more like a character from a book than a real person.
Learning that she experienced a pure, gentle love before her life was stolen filled me with both happiness and sadness. Happiness because she knew what it felt like to be loved, safe, and protected. Sadness because that love was taken from her by her abuser.
After experiencing the loss of a great love in my own life, I find myself hoping that Mr. Perrulli has found some peace in knowing that he gave Nicole that love then—and continues to give it to her now by sharing her story. Through his words, he has shown the world a vibrant, loving woman who cherished her children, Joseph, her friends, and life itself.
May Nicole’s memory always be a blessing to those who knew and loved her.
I was 10 years old when Nicole was taken, and this case has stayed with me ever since. As a child, her face was etched into my memory, and over the years, Nicole Simpson often felt more like a character from a book than a real person.
Learning that she experienced a pure, gentle love before her life was stolen filled me with both happiness and sadness. Happiness because she knew what it felt like to be loved, safe, and protected. Sadness because that love was taken from her by her abuser.
After experiencing the loss of a great love in my own life, I find myself hoping that Mr. Perrulli has found some peace in knowing that he gave Nicole that love then—and continues to give it to her now by sharing her story. Through his words, he has shown the world a vibrant, loving woman who cherished her children, Joseph, her friends, and life itself.
May Nicole’s memory always be a blessing to those who knew and loved her.
July 7, 2026
This book was well written and you honestly felt like you were a part of the story. It was beautiful and equally heartbreaking at the same time. I would recommend it.
June 21, 2026
PNW avid reader.
Extremely well written and I hope he writes something again. He writes from his heart with such feeling and truth.
Extremely well written and I hope he writes something again. He writes from his heart with such feeling and truth.
June 17, 2026
surprisingly good
I gravitated to this book because of the subject matter. I have always been curious about that situation. I’m glad someone could tell a story of a woman who found herself and enjoyed life after making a big mistake who she fell in love with!
I gravitated to this book because of the subject matter. I have always been curious about that situation. I’m glad someone could tell a story of a woman who found herself and enjoyed life after making a big mistake who she fell in love with!
June 21, 2026
Sacrificial Lamb
I just read Nicole husband’s biography to understand his life.
This book showed Nichole was totally out of her element. The author did an excellent job of explaining her side of the story. She was trapped in fear and violence and the inability to leave an abusive relationship because she didn’t want to lose custody of her son and daughter. The vindictive behavior by Oj was reprehensible. I also felt sad about his infidelities that were swept under the rug. She was completely naive and had no clue what was in store for her crossing cultural differences. She married out of her league. The old adage spoke volumes here. “If I can’t have you no body else can!” She stepped out of her situation during a legal separation to feel normal and it cost her, her life. She was just an ordinary person trying to find love. She never had a chance. I think of Princess Diane. They both lost their lives in the end.
I think of Joe DiMaggio here, he left roses on Marylin Monroe’s grave quite often. I think Joseph, with all respect to Rebecca, should visit her at Ascension cemetery, and leave her a rose.
I just read Nicole husband’s biography to understand his life.
This book showed Nichole was totally out of her element. The author did an excellent job of explaining her side of the story. She was trapped in fear and violence and the inability to leave an abusive relationship because she didn’t want to lose custody of her son and daughter. The vindictive behavior by Oj was reprehensible. I also felt sad about his infidelities that were swept under the rug. She was completely naive and had no clue what was in store for her crossing cultural differences. She married out of her league. The old adage spoke volumes here. “If I can’t have you no body else can!” She stepped out of her situation during a legal separation to feel normal and it cost her, her life. She was just an ordinary person trying to find love. She never had a chance. I think of Princess Diane. They both lost their lives in the end.
I think of Joe DiMaggio here, he left roses on Marylin Monroe’s grave quite often. I think Joseph, with all respect to Rebecca, should visit her at Ascension cemetery, and leave her a rose.
July 3, 2026
A story of love and friendship
I have read almost all of the books written about Nicole and Ron. This book is the only one that gives me a true picture of what Nicole was like. Everyone that knew her said she was nothing like what the tabloids were reporting. I think this book does a great job showing Nicole as a great mother,and a spiritual Catholic with a great deal of faith in God. I read this book in 2 days, I loved it that much! Joseph be proud of your portrayal of Nicole, you did a good job. Next book is Siddhartha for me!
I have read almost all of the books written about Nicole and Ron. This book is the only one that gives me a true picture of what Nicole was like. Everyone that knew her said she was nothing like what the tabloids were reporting. I think this book does a great job showing Nicole as a great mother,and a spiritual Catholic with a great deal of faith in God. I read this book in 2 days, I loved it that much! Joseph be proud of your portrayal of Nicole, you did a good job. Next book is Siddhartha for me!
June 23, 2026
Like Being There
Mr. Perrulli's memoir--written with respect, honesty, and love for its subject (Nicole) and for the beautiful, and all too often brief, microworld that romantic love creates--weaves moments and memories into a portrait of Nicole and the love she and Mr. Perrulli shared and brings us into the joy of their love and into the triumph of that love over the tragedy of Nicole's murder. Now, may we all read and ruminate on Hesse's "Siddhartha."
Mr. Perrulli's memoir--written with respect, honesty, and love for its subject (Nicole) and for the beautiful, and all too often brief, microworld that romantic love creates--weaves moments and memories into a portrait of Nicole and the love she and Mr. Perrulli shared and brings us into the joy of their love and into the triumph of that love over the tragedy of Nicole's murder. Now, may we all read and ruminate on Hesse's "Siddhartha."
September 6, 2026
I got this book from Amazon for my Kindle for $9.99. My library did not have it. I wish I had not bought it.
I understand that this was the author’s memories of his time with Nicole Brown Simpson, but I would not have called their relationship a real “relationship”. They were only together about a month or so and those were really just hookups and a trip to Mexico with Kris and Bruce Jenner (before Bruce became Caitlyn) and their kids and a few friends. Bruce warned Joseph that he should steer clear of Nicole because OJ was always going to be a problem for Nicole and they would never be able to have a normal relationship. Many other people told him the same thing. Stay away from OJ’s woman. He was seeing her while she was first separated from OJ and still
married to him and OJ was not going to let her go.
Nicole told Joseph she had fallen in love with him within two weeks of dating him. Huge Red Flag. Joseph held back his “true feelings” he had for her at first because he said he was afraid he was putting Nicole in danger. He was, but he was also afraid for himself, because Nicole had told him that OJ beat the hell out of her over many times and he wanted no part of that situation.
But he definitely was in lust with her and did not want to give that up, so he told he was in love with her too.
He never parked his car near her Gretna Green house because he didn’t want OJ to see it. Nicole drove her fancy sports car everywhere they went. He never drove.
They jogged every few mornings and one morning he saw OJ and their two children on the corner watching them and Nicole and her friend Cora stopped to talk and Joseph just kept running. He ran away from OJ, but said he did it to protect Nicole. Maybe he did, but I think he was terrified of the man and did not want to face him.
He thought about that a lot and decided that he could not be in a relationship with Nicole who could not get away from OJ. So he basically took the coward’s way out and broke up with her over the phone. Nicole tried to salvage a friendship, but he simply just dropped out of her life for years.
Not much of a man. He could have at least said a proper goodbye.
Years later he decided to attend a Christmas Eve Party at the Jenners. He and Kris Jenner were originally friends and he met Nicole through her. After he broke his piddly relationship with Nicole off he basically ghosted Kris for years too. He ran into Bruce Jenner shortly before the Christmas Eve party and he told Bruce he felt bad about the way he had just dropped out of Kris’s life and Bruce said just drop on by and say hello at the party. Joseph said he would.. but called Kris before and they had the usual bad phone connections that happen in LA, so he didn’t hear what she said and did indeed drop over, only to find that he was not welcome. He saw Nicole, who he said he had heard was back with OJ and tried to talk to her, but she ket trying to turn away. She wanted nothing to do with him. Why? Because OJ was there and saw Joseph and was mad as hell and everyone was trying to coddle him. Instead of Joseph just leaving he stuck around, unwanted, and OJ told Nicole to get the children and they were leaving and they left. Kris ran upstairs crying and friends ran after her and then, only then, did Joseph decide he probably should leave. Duh! But not before taking his Christmas card back that he had meant for Kris because he said he would never talk to her or Nicole ever again.
And he didn’t. Six months later OJ got away with killing her. Yes. I said it. OJ killed Nicole and Ron without any doubt and a jury let him walk.
As for the title of the book. The briefcase was something he kept momentos of his time with Nicole. A scrapbook she made for him. Some letters she wrote. Some journals he wrote himself. Not a lot of anything really. He stored them all in an old briefcase and stuffed it in a closet and forgot about it and Nicole for decades. He only was reminded of it when the woman he leased the house from way back then decided to sell the house around 2025 and found the briefcase and he picked it up and looked through it. He says he was going to give it to Kris Jenner, but he never did. He ended up having a stroke and an out of body experience and then they said it was Devine Intervention that he lived. He was out the hospital in a day or so. Glad he got such good treatment so quickly.
He is happily married now to a woman who told him to turn his journals into a book. This is the book.
He waited until OJ was dead before he wrote it. I don’t know. Just the timing was off. He was trying to launch a new product. Having a hard time getting it off the ground. Maybe needed money?? Can’t imagine he made much off this book, except for $9.99 that he got from me.
I see a lot of really high rated reviews, but I just don’t get it. I’m honestly not sure if there was ever much to this relationship than Nicole just wanting someone to be kind and appreciate her. She deserved that. He was just a distraction from the hell that OJ put her through for so many years. I’m
glad she had a month or two of happiness in her life.
But sadly Joseph let her down, too. She only wanted to be loved.
I understand that this was the author’s memories of his time with Nicole Brown Simpson, but I would not have called their relationship a real “relationship”. They were only together about a month or so and those were really just hookups and a trip to Mexico with Kris and Bruce Jenner (before Bruce became Caitlyn) and their kids and a few friends. Bruce warned Joseph that he should steer clear of Nicole because OJ was always going to be a problem for Nicole and they would never be able to have a normal relationship. Many other people told him the same thing. Stay away from OJ’s woman. He was seeing her while she was first separated from OJ and still
married to him and OJ was not going to let her go.
Nicole told Joseph she had fallen in love with him within two weeks of dating him. Huge Red Flag. Joseph held back his “true feelings” he had for her at first because he said he was afraid he was putting Nicole in danger. He was, but he was also afraid for himself, because Nicole had told him that OJ beat the hell out of her over many times and he wanted no part of that situation.
But he definitely was in lust with her and did not want to give that up, so he told he was in love with her too.
He never parked his car near her Gretna Green house because he didn’t want OJ to see it. Nicole drove her fancy sports car everywhere they went. He never drove.
They jogged every few mornings and one morning he saw OJ and their two children on the corner watching them and Nicole and her friend Cora stopped to talk and Joseph just kept running. He ran away from OJ, but said he did it to protect Nicole. Maybe he did, but I think he was terrified of the man and did not want to face him.
He thought about that a lot and decided that he could not be in a relationship with Nicole who could not get away from OJ. So he basically took the coward’s way out and broke up with her over the phone. Nicole tried to salvage a friendship, but he simply just dropped out of her life for years.
Not much of a man. He could have at least said a proper goodbye.
Years later he decided to attend a Christmas Eve Party at the Jenners. He and Kris Jenner were originally friends and he met Nicole through her. After he broke his piddly relationship with Nicole off he basically ghosted Kris for years too. He ran into Bruce Jenner shortly before the Christmas Eve party and he told Bruce he felt bad about the way he had just dropped out of Kris’s life and Bruce said just drop on by and say hello at the party. Joseph said he would.. but called Kris before and they had the usual bad phone connections that happen in LA, so he didn’t hear what she said and did indeed drop over, only to find that he was not welcome. He saw Nicole, who he said he had heard was back with OJ and tried to talk to her, but she ket trying to turn away. She wanted nothing to do with him. Why? Because OJ was there and saw Joseph and was mad as hell and everyone was trying to coddle him. Instead of Joseph just leaving he stuck around, unwanted, and OJ told Nicole to get the children and they were leaving and they left. Kris ran upstairs crying and friends ran after her and then, only then, did Joseph decide he probably should leave. Duh! But not before taking his Christmas card back that he had meant for Kris because he said he would never talk to her or Nicole ever again.
And he didn’t. Six months later OJ got away with killing her. Yes. I said it. OJ killed Nicole and Ron without any doubt and a jury let him walk.
As for the title of the book. The briefcase was something he kept momentos of his time with Nicole. A scrapbook she made for him. Some letters she wrote. Some journals he wrote himself. Not a lot of anything really. He stored them all in an old briefcase and stuffed it in a closet and forgot about it and Nicole for decades. He only was reminded of it when the woman he leased the house from way back then decided to sell the house around 2025 and found the briefcase and he picked it up and looked through it. He says he was going to give it to Kris Jenner, but he never did. He ended up having a stroke and an out of body experience and then they said it was Devine Intervention that he lived. He was out the hospital in a day or so. Glad he got such good treatment so quickly.
He is happily married now to a woman who told him to turn his journals into a book. This is the book.
He waited until OJ was dead before he wrote it. I don’t know. Just the timing was off. He was trying to launch a new product. Having a hard time getting it off the ground. Maybe needed money?? Can’t imagine he made much off this book, except for $9.99 that he got from me.
I see a lot of really high rated reviews, but I just don’t get it. I’m honestly not sure if there was ever much to this relationship than Nicole just wanting someone to be kind and appreciate her. She deserved that. He was just a distraction from the hell that OJ put her through for so many years. I’m
glad she had a month or two of happiness in her life.
But sadly Joseph let her down, too. She only wanted to be loved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The author had a brief romantic relationship with Nicole Brown Simpson and shared stories about their time together. She seemed like a remarkable person who tragically lost her life.
Two things I would wish for in this book:
** that it was longer (I understand there is only so much to say. I really liked reading it).
** pictures of things in the briefcase would have been so interesting. I like seeing the actual copy of how people write. It gives me an insight into that person.
My mom and sister loved this book as well. We all 3 enjoy memoirs and read mostly non fiction, with a rare fiction book thrown in.
Two things I would wish for in this book:
** that it was longer (I understand there is only so much to say. I really liked reading it).
** pictures of things in the briefcase would have been so interesting. I like seeing the actual copy of how people write. It gives me an insight into that person.
My mom and sister loved this book as well. We all 3 enjoy memoirs and read mostly non fiction, with a rare fiction book thrown in.
July 14, 2026
Joseph Perrulli remembering the wonderful time, all but too short he spent with Nicole Brown Simpson.
Joseph worked at Neiman Marcus plus he acted in commercials.
When he realized he couldn't see Nicole anymore, he took all the mementos of her and put them in an old briefcase which followed him from coast to coast.
After Nicole and Ron Goldman's murders Attorney Marcia Clark wanted to talk to joseph.
After many years the briefcase was found at a house Joseph rented. It was thirty- three years before Joseph really looked at it.
Joseph worked at Neiman Marcus plus he acted in commercials.
When he realized he couldn't see Nicole anymore, he took all the mementos of her and put them in an old briefcase which followed him from coast to coast.
After Nicole and Ron Goldman's murders Attorney Marcia Clark wanted to talk to joseph.
After many years the briefcase was found at a house Joseph rented. It was thirty- three years before Joseph really looked at it.
August 3, 2026
This book is about Nicole Brown Simpson and a relationship she had with Joseph while in the middle of a divorce from O. J. Simpson. Joseph and Nicole meet and had a relationship for a few months. He ended the relationship after feeling threatened by O. J. Simpson. They woud go to beches and on vacation together and she even took him to some of her favorite relationships. She did admit to him that O. J. Simpson beat her one night and she thought she was going to die. But because of the children or pressure she did go back to him. Shortly afterwards she and her friend were killed.
July 4, 2026
I enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane, as I reminisced about the early 90s. I thought their brief spring love was beautifully described, and it was nice to get to learn more about Nicole from someone who knew and loved her, if only for a while.
I'll be honest, the only thing that bothered me was how the author got a bad vibe from. Oj and bailed on the relationship.
I'll be honest, the only thing that bothered me was how the author got a bad vibe from. Oj and bailed on the relationship.
Read
July 2, 2026Forgotten 30 years too long
So this guy writes a book about the love he shared for a woman he was afraid to mention until OJ died. Other than his own personal photos he was never mentioned anywhere to have been associated with Nicole Brown as a love interest online
So this guy writes a book about the love he shared for a woman he was afraid to mention until OJ died. Other than his own personal photos he was never mentioned anywhere to have been associated with Nicole Brown as a love interest online
July 15, 2026
good book
I have to say at first when I started I was not sure but the further I went into the book I could not put it down.
I have to say at first when I started I was not sure but the further I went into the book I could not put it down.
Read
July 26, 2026You already know how her story ends, but this book offers new aspects of her life. I read it cover to cover.
August 5, 2026
Powerful. Sad and uplifting all at the same time. Read in one sitting.
October 7, 2026
A quick read. Author dated Nicole Brown Simpson during the spring of 1992. Interesting to learn more about Nicole from a different perspective.
September 5, 2026
Review Forgotten Briefcase
Easy to read. Brought to tears throughout. I never believed anything written about Nicole back then. She was a loving mother and it’s disgusting what happened to her and Ron Goldman. Thank you for writing and sharing this inspiring love story that ended too soon and so very tragically.
Easy to read. Brought to tears throughout. I never believed anything written about Nicole back then. She was a loving mother and it’s disgusting what happened to her and Ron Goldman. Thank you for writing and sharing this inspiring love story that ended too soon and so very tragically.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews