Dead Man's Dancer: The Mechele Linehan Story

by Tom Brennan

Mechele is young, attractive, and looking to cash in on her aesthetic assets when she moves from New Orleans to Alaska in 1994 to earn money for college tuition. Her charms ensnare the affections of three men, and the combined effects of jealously, lust, and greed take a deadly turn in this true crime story. Before a murder in the woods shatters her contented life, Mechele works as an exotic dancer at the Alaska Bush Company, where she spends her days pleasing a procession of hard-working men. John, Scott, and Kent are simultaneously smitten with Mechele, and offer affection in the form of lavish gifts and ultimately engagement rings. While the three men begin their affairs on the same path, violent murder blasts apart their parallel lives. One of the trio is shot in the back; another is accused of the murder. Dead Man's Dancer follows this murder case from 1996 throughout Mechele's tumultuous trial in 2006 that becomes a nationwide sensation. Shocking in its detailed portrayal of murder and convoluted love affairs, Dead Man's Dancer excites horror in readers that lingers far after the last page is turned.

Genres: True Crime

ebook

First published July 1, 2015

Reviews

[Jim Misko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted the book and read it in two nights. Since I lived through the original trial through the newspaper, I was interested to read the details that came out during the trial and what and how the involved people could get so entangled. Tom did a good job of breaking down each person's involvement and how the jury came up with their original verdict and then another jury reversed it on appeal. How she did all that with a steel rod up her back is beyond me.

[ClaudiaJade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dudeee such a bummer they weren’t able to truly figure out who killed him

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been interested in this case since I first heard about it a few years ago. We'll probably never know what really happened, but the author makes a pretty strong argument as to who the real killer is.

[Diane Hamel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it straight through..could not put it down

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like this book as it was too quick and I am not convinced about who did it and feel like I need to read more.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. I am from Alaska and am very familiar with the places discussed in the book.