Guilt by Matrimony: A Memoir of Love, Madness, and the Murder of Nancy Pfister

by Daleen Berry, Nancy Styler

In February 2014, Aspen socialite Nancy Pfister was murdered in her own home-brutally bludgeoned, wrapped in a sheet, and stuffed inside a locked closet. The question Who did it? Fewer than twelve hours after her body was found and without any evidence, police decided a married couple from Denver had killed her. Within a few days, they arrested and charged Nancy Styler, a friend of Pfister's who'd had a falling out with her after a business deal went sour, and Dr. Trey Styler, Nancy's disabled husband, who recently lost the family home, his medical practice, and any hope of a peaceful retirement for himself and his wife. Eleven days later, police also arrested and charged Kathy Carpenter, Pfister's underpaid and overworked personal assistant and closest friend.Months later, Trey Styler, who was slowly losing his grip on reality as he battled with mental illness, confessed to the crime. Rampant speculation spread about whether he was involved at all-or if his confession was that of a man on his deathbed-because a medical condition appeared to have left him barely able to walk, much less carry out such a heinous crime.In Guilt by Matrimony, Styler's widow, Nancy, reveals the answers to the biggest mysteries of this case and recounts the trauma of being falsely accused and imprisoned for a first-degree murder she had no knowledge of. And, in the only interview before his death, Trey gives his account of that fateful day.New York Times bestselling author Daleen Berry covers this compelling story from the inside, following the Stylers from their fairy-tale life in Denver to the morning of their simultaneous arrest to Nancy's release from jail and her attempts to rebuild her shattered life. Filled with details from exclusive interviews, a close look at the botched small-town police work, and first-person accounts of what really happened, Guilt by Matrimony is the definitive look at a shocking murder that rocked Aspen.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Crime

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

Daleen Berry is a New York Times bestselling true-crime author and an award-winning journalist who took a first-place award for investigative journalism in 1990. Her memoir, Sister of Silence, garnered her an invitation to give a TED talk in 2013, and is being used at several colleges.

Berry's fourth book, Pretty Little Killers, was released in July 2014.

Her fifth book, Guilt By Matrimony, was released in November 2015.

Berry also blogs and is a contributor to The Daily Beast and The Huffington Post.

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not heard anything about this crime until I heard the author interviewed during a podcast I subscribe to. It sounded extremely interesting so I thought I would read the book.

This was a huge miscarriage of justice and I'm so shocked that the CBI let it get so far out of hand. I could see maybe the local police and a small minded sheriff's office but the state police? Nancy Pfister was a train wreck, I'm surprised everyone she met wasn't on the suspect list. No one deserves to be murdered for any reason, but when you manipulate and treat others as badly as Nancy Pfister did, you would have expected more from the investigators. This investigation was a total farce, the sheriff had this case "solved" before he even went to the scene of the crime.

I thought Darleen Berry did an excellent job with this book, her interview on "True Crime" was very thought provoking as well as this book. It opens you eyes to just how our justice systems needs a complete overhaul.

I would like to thank BenBella Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-galley for my honest review.

[Sandy Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was interesting. i live in colorado so i saw this on the news and wanted to read the book. its good that she proved her innocense with the phone records, and its kind of amazing to see how bad the cops did this even if they did put the killer behind bars in the end.

but i read this and felt so bad for the author nancy. she was soooo clearly in a bad abusive relationship with trey (the killer) but shes still constantly standing up for him in the book, even when he did horrible things to her and kind of wrecked their life with the lawyer thing. its really sad that she still cant see what he did to her even after hes dead and gone. i wonder if he was ever violent towards her and shes still afraid to say. she sounds so much like my friends whos husbands beat them

i wish theyd talked more about the other lady kathy and got her story too because thats terrible what happened to her. i also wish shed talked more about how her relationship got to be so bad with him. but its an interesting book.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

True murder

This was one of the most heartbreaking murder stories I ever read. I had as much sympathy for the person who killed the victim as I did the victim.

[Pat Lampe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had seen something about this on one of the Dateline/48 Hour types of programs. Reading about what happened was so disturbing. The lives of totally innocent people were ruined because of the power of the sheriff/D.A. And their refusal to consider any facts other than what they considered true. I wonder how many people are in jail for this very reason. I used to believe that they wanted justice and the truth, but I think it is all politics all the time with these elected officials. This is a very sad and sobering story.

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love true crime and this book didn't disappoint. I had never heard of this case and I found the book very interesting and I could put it down. I will pass this one on to my sister and I am sure she will love it as well. This was a goodreads win, and thank you for such a great read.

[Shadira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilt by Matrimony is a gripping and emotional memoir that delves deep into one of Aspen, Colorado’s most shocking true crime cases the murder of Nancy Pfister. What makes this book especially haunting is that it’s written by Nancy Styler, one of the people once accused in the case. This isn’t just another true crime retelling it’s a raw, personal account of love, betrayal, and the devastating fallout of being entangled in a tragedy that made national headlines.

Styler’s narrative feels painfully honest. She opens up about her marriage, her struggles with mental health, and how a seemingly ordinary life unraveled into chaos and suspicion. The collaboration with journalist Daleen Berry ensures that the storytelling remains both emotionally grounded and factually detailed. Together, they manage to paint a vivid picture of the events leading up to the murder and the media frenzy that followed.

Because it’s based on real events, the story carries an unsettling authenticity you’re constantly aware that these are real people, real emotions, and real consequences. Styler doesn’t shy away from examining her own choices and vulnerabilities, which makes the memoir even more compelling.

While some parts are difficult to read due to the intensity of the emotions and the tragedy itself, Guilt by Matrimony ultimately stands out as a powerful testament to survival, truth, and the complexity of human relationships under unimaginable pressure.


A moving, true account of love, madness, and the price of misplaced trust.

[Stacia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I strongly believe that Nancy Styler got away with murder. After watching it on Crime Watch, Dateline (I think it was) etc and reading some of this book, that's my conclusion. Something she said on national tv never sat well with me because it made no sense. She claimed she was miles away in a hotel asleep. Her husband took her phone because his was "out of batteries" and he was trying to let her sleep. Why not silence her phone? Who was he planning on calling with her phone? Her? Was the room phone dead, unplugged or silent? (hmm) and why would she "made him tell her everything?" because she didn't believe it? Load of crap. Out of love for her, he took the fall. He was sick and knew he wouldn't have much longer to live and he took the charge for her so she can continue living her life and she has the balls to ask "how he could do this to her and the other family?" WOW

[Maria Burnham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because my sister works for one of the attorney's mentioned in the book, the attorney in charge of the Pfister estate. The story of Nancy Pfister's murder provided an interesting insight into the culture of the Aspen elite, as well as the back story of Trey Styler's confession. A fascinating read!

[Kimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written from Nancy Styler's perspective on her life and how she saw the murder being uncovered. It should not be considered a book to uncover the case details. For instance, we didn't find out about the 'trash bag in the garbage near the motel' until chapter 30. Still, it's a good read and of course a terrible tragedy.

[Stephanie Coffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all… I remember when this happened here in Colorado and I followed the news stories religiously. I really wanted to like this book and I was so excited to read it… but damn… it was so slow and dragged and repeated itself so many times. 3 stars for effort, but it could have been shorter and gotten the point across a lot quicker.

[Paulette Ponte · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because of a connection to one of the protagonists. The book is very confusing and not very well written. For a better version of the story I recommend SHADOW ON THE MOUNTAIN by Stephen Sinular.

[Cara Lembo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great true story. Do not miss this one.
Raced through it in the wee hours of night. There are three versions to story. Yours, mine and the truth. Nancy Styler and Daleen Berry certainly got to the truth. I

[Noni Fro (Janon) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - got to page 65 and just couldn't read anymore. Too many mentally ill people, and I just couldn't continue with the madness. I ended up looking up who confessed/ convicted on Wikipedia.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible. Horrible people, horrible ending. Poorly written.

[Maurya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit of a suck you in kind of book (thanks Maria). In a way it is like Joe Cinque's Consolation. Real life murder story, many lives affected/impacted.

It is a bit confusing to read and not desperately well written, and it ends anti climatically, but really, it was a book that I kept going around in my mind. How did they get in to this predicament? These are smart people - well book smart anyway. I tend to believe we getting a very jaded side of the story.

But, it will stick with me. It is a good weekend read.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few thoughts from a lover of true crime.

1. The narrative is confusing. With two people named Nancy, I suppose that's bound to happen. Unfortunately, the way Styler structured the events only served to confuse me as a reader. I knew when she was giving me information that would factor in later, which took me out of the reading in the moment.

2. I didn't know anything about this crime before reading this book. About 20% in, I had to do a bit of my own research: I was confused as to what was happening, and I couldn't shake the feeling that Styler's perspective might be a BIT biased.

I am by no means saying I think someone "got away with it" (to avoid spoilers), but it's disingenuous to paint such a one-sided picture of Nancy Pfister. I'm not saying the account should be neutral (I've read enough true crime to know it can't be), but someone should have done a bit more research, weaving in more information than just what Nancy Styler said.

Again, I'm not judging anyone. But my favorite true crime is nuanced, even when it's a first person account. GUILT BY MATRIMONY only told one story, and not very well.

I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM GOODREADS IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW.

[Donia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to read True Crime constantly but became saturated with it and switched to historical fiction and historical non fiction. Not being able to find anything new that beckoned to me, I picked up Guilt By Matrimony to tide me over. What a disappointment. The Narrative is extremely confusing; so much so that I had to flip back and forth constantly to try to figure out who the author was talking about. Two main characters are named Nancy. Sometimes the author uses their first names and sometimes she uses their last names; furthermore the plot jumps from one scene to the next and back again in a confusing fashion. A steady stream of casual friends are brought into the narrative as well as people's dogs and children that further clutter the story line. This is one of the most confusing books I have ever read.

[Jane Comer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harry's doctor went to school with the couple and went to their wedding. How many disasters can happen to a happy couple? Quick read. Four Stars.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written and edited, but I eagerly devoured every bit of this confusing mess of a book.

[Ruth]

I don't think Styler's done herself any favors with this book.