Fatal Error

by Mark Morris, Paul Janczewski

Details the shocking true story of Sharee Miller, a pathological liar, who, using sex and promises of love, convinced ex-cop Jerry Cassaday to kill her supposedly abusive husband, but when Jerry discovered that he had killed an innocent man, he took his own life, leaving behind a wealth of evidence to convict Sharee of the crime. Original.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

334 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Mark Morris became a full-time writer in 1988 on the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, and a year later saw the release of his first novel, Toady. He has since published a further sixteen novels, among which are Stitch, The Immaculate, The Secret of Anatomy, Fiddleback, The Deluge and four books in the popular Doctor Who range.

His short stories, novellas, articles and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and magazines, and he is editor of the highly-acclaimed Cinema Macabre, a book of fifty horror movie essays by genre luminaries, for which he won the 2007 British Fantasy Award.

His most recently published or forthcoming work includes a novella entitled It Sustains for Earthling Publications, a Torchwood novel entitled Bay of the Dead, several Doctor Who audios for Big Finish Productions, a follow-up volume to Cinema Macabre entitled Cinema Futura and a new short story collection, Long Shadows, Nightmare Light.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't quite know what to say about this book. For one, it's riddled with factual inaccuracies and the prose is downright clunky at best. It could use a better editor and thorough fact-checking. As a journalist and someone that has worked at the same paper as one of the authors, I would expect much better. Fatal Error falls far short of the mark in terms of the standards generally set for true crime books. Also, what the hell is up with the cover photo they chose to use? I know it's a still taken from a vhs tape, but seriously, come on! The damn cover art doesn't succeed in making her look like the cold-blooded seductress that she is portrayed to be. Rather, she comes off looking more like Aileen Wuornos instead of the calculating sexpot depicted in the book.

[Tanya T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down! I watched this story on an episode of "48 Hours" and wanted to read the book. It leaves you wondering how an ex cop can be so naive about the lies Sharee told him, was he just that lonely or was she just that convincing? I think she lied so much and took things too far that by the time her husband's murder was being plotted by Jerry, she didn't know how to undo what she did.She lied about beatings, rapes and pregnancies. Going as far as using makeup to fake her bruises.And for what?? Her husband seemed like a decent hard working man with a kind heart. Some parts of the story leave you guessing if she really wanted the murder to take place or maybe she really didn't think Jerry would actually travel to Michigan to shoot her husband.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, my husband wrote it so of course I loved it 😊
No idea what dates I read it….before publication no doubt.

[Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I managed to finish this book but it was a bit difficult. After awhile I got bored and tired of hearing about the killer's sexual appetites and all the instant message and email chats she was having with the man she managed to convince to kill her poor, unsuspecting husband. There's never a good reason to have someone murdered, but hers was downright pathetic. I'm glad she's rotting in jail.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

On 5 february 2004 I wrote

I am happy I did not quit reading. After the first 3 chapters, I was really in to the story. Could not stop reading. This is a book I do recommend. It had every thing, lies sex,murder,betrayal and more

[Livi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am actually the granddaughter to him, there are some facts in this book that aren’t all the way right but overall it was very good

[Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's amazing what a man will do for love, and it's even more amazing how a woman will use "love" as a tool for gain.
Sharee Miller of Flint, Michigan had a hell of an itch and used many men to scratch it, spreading lies like Johnny Appleseed, but instead of apple trees, it was nightshade.
This is the story of how she pushed, hinted, cajoled and fooled a man she claimed to love and accepted his marriage proposal, to kill her husband - a man any woman would have been lucky to have - and then she dumped the killer as soon as the trigger was pulled.
Miller, a professional cum-dumpster, was able to lie to the men of her life, but wasn't able to fool police or prosecutors, and eventually not a jury.
The book is hard to put down, is well researched, and almost deserves a 5-star rating.

[Koren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was watching 20/20 last week and thought I had a book about the crime they were discussing and when I checked my bookshelf, I had this book about Sharee Miller. While Sharee didn't actually commit the crime, she may have gotten off scott-free if the lover that killed her husband hadn't kept all of the emails she wrote encouraging him. Dubbed by some to be the first internet murder, if it's not the first it surely is one of the first, as the murder takes place in 1999. Since then, I think most of us know that anything we put on-line can be traced back to the one that wrote it. I waited to watch the 20/20 episode until I was finished with the book and it was fun to see most of the characters in person and see how much they had changed in 20+ years. Also, Sharee was interviewed from prison and finally after so many years, confessed to what she did.

[David Alonzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book shortly after it was published about 20 years ago. I lent it to my Mom before I finished it and recently found it again. My excuse is that the movie came out and I saw it in the meantime. The movie as much as it could, was a bit more theatrical, but despite the author’s being reporters, the book was full of drama. Having seen the movie, I found the coverage of the trial to be quite interesting.

Did I mention I have known one of the authors since college?

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sleazy Michigan mom meets an alcoholic ex-cop online and talks him into murdering her husband. I first read this book almost fifteen years ago so I thought it might be time to read it again. The story was just as creepy and fascinating the second time around. Too bad the cop didn't listen to his friends, who warned him 'to be skeptical when swimming in the Internet's dark waters.'

[Amanda DuBose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderfully written and a detailed chase to the end; however, this book was written by a different Mark Morris! How would I know? I’ve known the man for 35 years and the person in the picture featured did not sing in church choir with me!

My librarian’s heart is begging for better metadata control!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a 3.5 stars than 3 stars. It was an okay read but it lagged at times which made it hard for me to want to finish it. Though in the end it was an okay read.

[Charles Reimler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-Star OK Readable True Crime Book. Female Is Either A Sociopathic Or Psychopath. Lesson Is Never Trust The External Persona Until CHARACTER Proven!

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a reader of this poorly written, redundant glob of "facts"... I deserve five stars for perseverance. First half was snooze-worthy, as the bombardment of sleazy e-mails between psycho Sharee and her ex-cop honey Jerry repetitiously declare their undying, sexed-up love while plotting the demise of Sharee's husband. *yawn* There are no heroes to root for... just the children as victims, unfortunate enough to be the offspring of greedy, unbalanced parents. Finally, the Trial offers some interest, as the reader seeks justice-fulfillment.... and as a personal reward for enduring the bumbling storyline.

[Bonnie]

This book has been on my TO READ list for a long time, after it got a great review in my local paper. (One of the author's is from the local area.) Besides, who can resist a true-life story about a Mary Kay rep gone bad? Can't wait to get it and read it!!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, i've read it more then once..This story happened fairly close to where i live and it only makes it that much more eye opening. I'm a big fan of the true-crime stories

[Debie Wisniewski Varady]

I really like reading true crime books. This book is just another example at the lengths people will go through for happiness and murder.