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Better Off Dead: A Sordid True Story of Sex, Sin and Murder
The true story of the love triangle murder of Robert Limon—from the New York Times bestselling author of Missing... and Presumed Dead.
In Better off Dead, Michael Fleeman strips away the pleasant veneer of the Silver Lakes neighborhood in California’s high desert to tell a shocking story about a headline-grabbing crime.
A conversation with handsome young firefighter Jonathan Hearn leads Sabrina Limon, a vivacious blond mother of two, into a steamy affair that has them hooking up once and twice a week at her home, his home, and out in hidden spots in the vast Mojave.
To the outside world, Sabrina and her husband Robert, a hard-working railroad mechanic, seemed matched by their love of family, friends and good times. But the partying had gotten out of control for Sabrina. There was boozing and wife-swapping and group sex. Once a turn-on, it now left Sabrina feeling debased, dehumanized, spiritually adrift. Robert won’t talk about it, consumed by his work, boat, truck and porn. Until one hot August night, Robert is found dead of two gunshots in a pool of blood.
False leads send police into dead ends until a tip arrives from a most unexpected place. For Sabrina, it’s a stunning betrayal that hurtles the case back to a perfect little place in the desert. With informants, undercover cops and wiretaps, investigators discover a romance fueled by lies and dangerous fantasies—ultimately leading to a devious murder plot...
In Better off Dead, Michael Fleeman strips away the pleasant veneer of the Silver Lakes neighborhood in California’s high desert to tell a shocking story about a headline-grabbing crime.
A conversation with handsome young firefighter Jonathan Hearn leads Sabrina Limon, a vivacious blond mother of two, into a steamy affair that has them hooking up once and twice a week at her home, his home, and out in hidden spots in the vast Mojave.
To the outside world, Sabrina and her husband Robert, a hard-working railroad mechanic, seemed matched by their love of family, friends and good times. But the partying had gotten out of control for Sabrina. There was boozing and wife-swapping and group sex. Once a turn-on, it now left Sabrina feeling debased, dehumanized, spiritually adrift. Robert won’t talk about it, consumed by his work, boat, truck and porn. Until one hot August night, Robert is found dead of two gunshots in a pool of blood.
False leads send police into dead ends until a tip arrives from a most unexpected place. For Sabrina, it’s a stunning betrayal that hurtles the case back to a perfect little place in the desert. With informants, undercover cops and wiretaps, investigators discover a romance fueled by lies and dangerous fantasies—ultimately leading to a devious murder plot...
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 20, 2018
(3.5 of 5.0) This was a bizarre mix of partying and open relationships while putting on a front of respectability. Mixed with religion and plain old cheating. Until someone's husband ends up dead. Like Robert Limon did when he covered a shift for someone at BNSF, doing a 12-hour shift on call out for train repairs at a building in an industrial park in Tehachapi, California. He was discovered when an employee came to relieve him, shot dead and the investigation began into who would have killed this hard working father of two who was so well liked. This was a decent read for most any true crime fan, with the usual lead up and then the court trial and verdict.
A free digital copy was provided by Wild Blue Press, and Michael Fleeman, for my unbiased review.
Pub date Jan 17, 2018
A free digital copy was provided by Wild Blue Press, and Michael Fleeman, for my unbiased review.
Pub date Jan 17, 2018
February 22, 2022
Story 3/5
Narration 5/5
This book is a good TC.
But the title let me think I’ll read another kind of TC.
It’s the first time I read about murderers who prayed to God that much. That was very strange, and interesting.
Narration 5/5
This book is a good TC.
But the title let me think I’ll read another kind of TC.
It’s the first time I read about murderers who prayed to God that much. That was very strange, and interesting.
February 22, 2023
This true crime book starts off rather well. Robert Limon, 38, a father of two and married to Sabrina is shot dead. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Why was he shot? Was he in the wrong place at the wrong time? All rather intriguing I must say.
It all begins to unravel after that. To be brutally honest the title of the book is way better than the content. That is not taking anything away from the research and the facts which are all there in the book. It’s just that the delivery is somewhat staid, and the book felt a bit too long for me. Robert and Sabrina’s marriage becomes open within a group of friends with a lot of partying. Life was good. Sabrina hooks up with someone outside that circle of friends and that is when things go south leading to murder.
This case was all new to me so I was fairly engaged but the whole thing just dragged and I limped to the end. The editing could have been a little tighter with spelling mistakes and words missing from some sentences made it feel like a self-published book.
It all begins to unravel after that. To be brutally honest the title of the book is way better than the content. That is not taking anything away from the research and the facts which are all there in the book. It’s just that the delivery is somewhat staid, and the book felt a bit too long for me. Robert and Sabrina’s marriage becomes open within a group of friends with a lot of partying. Life was good. Sabrina hooks up with someone outside that circle of friends and that is when things go south leading to murder.
This case was all new to me so I was fairly engaged but the whole thing just dragged and I limped to the end. The editing could have been a little tighter with spelling mistakes and words missing from some sentences made it feel like a self-published book.
December 7, 2019
”’We are spiders dangling from a thread. All it takes is a little snap of the finger and we’re destroyed. And I don’t want that.’”
Synopsis: Reading the Bible is good. However, I don’t think King David wanted others to take his actions so, how shall we say it…. Literally.
Biblio-Babble
It’s Personal, Y’all: STOOOOOOOOOORRRRRYYYYY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book was a bit of a personal read for me. Not because of me having any personal connections with the players involved. However, the book takes place in the county where I live, and the trial was held in the city where I live. I’m a court reporter for the county; so I work downtown in the courthouse. The place is pretty busy, given the fact that both the criminal and civil court are located within walking distance of each other and the parking is absolute crap. I remember my friend Donna texting me one evening before work, warning me that the courthouse was going to be a media circus. I couldn’t figure out why, because I hadn’t heard of anything particularly titillating in the news. But once she sent me the link about the murder, I figured out why. And sure enough, I went down to the courthouse the next morning, and it was an absolute madhouse. Reporters from across the state (and even the nation) were camped out outside, the public was lined up to get a coveted seat in the trial room, camera equipment was everywhere, parking was even more nightmarish than usual… I could go on and on. Thankfully, I wasn’t a reporter on the trial, but it took me twice as long to get in the building and even get the courtroom I was working at because of the extra security they had to hire. And it was ten times worse because the entire trial was livestreamed by both the local and national news station. Dateline was even there because they had secured a contract to not only film the entire thing for the news network, but were filming for a future episode. It was bananas. The only other kind of media frenzy we’ve ever had was the Vincent Brothers trial back in 2007. Naturally, living in the area, I already knew pretty much all there was to know about the case (save for the insider details). And naturally, when I saw this for free on Kindle, my morbid curiosity got the better of me and I decided to read it.
Shiny and New?: As much as I love watching crime TV, this is actually my first true crime book I’ve ever read. For the most part, it was a solid outing. The writing could be a little dry and there was one exceedingly long chapter that I thought would never end, but it was solid, nonetheless. Whereas the Dateline episode was a more trimmed down version of the story, this book goes into more of the conversations and courtroom testimony. I think this goes without saying that if you actually livestreamed the entire thing, you wouldn’t even need to have to read this book because it just rehashes everything. And honestly, I wouldn’t tell the readers to go into it expecting a big mystery or a surprise reveal of a new suspect; the summary pretty much gives the entire plot away, haha! If you’ve watched the Dateline episode and want more dirty deets (such as their many, ahem, conjugal encounters), you’ll find them here. Or you could probably just find the entire trial on Youtube for free!
Thou Shalt Not Kill: It is supremely ironic to me that this whole scenario revolved around breaking what is probably the most important of the commandments NOT to break, and yet despite how religious the players were…. THEY STILL MANAGED TO BREAK IT! AND THE TWO SUSPECTS USED RELIGION TO JUSTIFY THE MURDER!!! The plot is nothing new; Robert and Sabrina Limon seemed like the perfect couple, but she was having an affair with a much younger man named Jonathan Hearn. Instead of going the easy route and getting divorced, they decide to kill him instead. While there’s no doubt that Jonathan did it (the evidence was overwhelming), the police didn’t know whether Sabrina was behind all of it. Hearn, being raised in a devoutly Christian household and homeschooled under a religious curriculum, talks nonstop about religion (Sabrina claims she’s religious, but I think she’s just playing along), so if you don’t like getting your head banged over by a Bible, this probably isn’t the read for you.
Violin Strings: A few of my friends were talking about the trial recently, and one topic of conversation came up in discussing it; was anybody manipulated? And we all came to an overwhelming agreement that yes, someone got played. Said person being played? Jonathan Hearn, the much younger lover of Sabrina Limon. Good Lord, this poor guy got played. I can’t even remember the last time I saw someone got played as bad as he did. Now, this guy wasn’t stupid. Every person who knew him and pretty much everybody when asked to testify about him said that he was one of the smartest guys they knew. And from listening to him speak at trial during his testimony and his statements made after sentencing, he comes across as a very succinct, well-spoken young man. However, he also came across, at least to me, as being very sheltered and naïve, partially due to his upbringing. And I think Sabrina sniffed it out on him like a bloodhound. I’m fairly certain that if he hadn’t met Sabrina Limon, he would have never committed an act like this. She used his deep religious faith to keep him coming back to her, and this is evident both in the Dateline episode and the book. As to the question of whether he’s telling the truth and if I think he’s credible, my answer is yes: the dude was looking at death anyways, and the evidence was already so overwhelming against him that he didn’t have anything to lose by testifying against her and relating his side of the story. Fellow friends and court reporters who saw and heard his testimony (including the jury), deemed him a very credible witness.
BUT DID SHE DO IT???!! As far as committing the actual crime itself? Nope; that falls squarely on Hearn’s shoulders. When it comes to conspiring, planning and conniving with him? Abso-fucking-lutely. There may be no direct evidence, but remember, gentle readers, that circumstantial evidence can be just as powerful. I can’t even honestly tell you if she really loved Hearn. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t. We may never know the whole truth. But from a solely evidence based POV, there’s too much evidence weighing against her. I will commend the author on portraying her in a fairly neutral light and not personally portraying her dead husband as a total villain (with the exception of the trial testimony).
*********************************
Poisoned banana pudding, David and Bathsheba, swinger couples… this trial was basically the plot of a Lifetime movie come to life. And with Michael Fleeman’s true crime account, you’ll probably get more details than you ever bargained for. Was this book good? Yeah, it was a quick true crime read. Would I recommend a reader pay $6.99 on their Kindle to read it? No. You can find most of the same information online via Youtube by watching the entire trial or watching the Dateline episode. As for me, I really, REALLY hope we don’t have anything this salacious happen in our county for a very, very long time, haha!
Synopsis: Reading the Bible is good. However, I don’t think King David wanted others to take his actions so, how shall we say it…. Literally.
Biblio-Babble
It’s Personal, Y’all: STOOOOOOOOOORRRRRYYYYY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book was a bit of a personal read for me. Not because of me having any personal connections with the players involved. However, the book takes place in the county where I live, and the trial was held in the city where I live. I’m a court reporter for the county; so I work downtown in the courthouse. The place is pretty busy, given the fact that both the criminal and civil court are located within walking distance of each other and the parking is absolute crap. I remember my friend Donna texting me one evening before work, warning me that the courthouse was going to be a media circus. I couldn’t figure out why, because I hadn’t heard of anything particularly titillating in the news. But once she sent me the link about the murder, I figured out why. And sure enough, I went down to the courthouse the next morning, and it was an absolute madhouse. Reporters from across the state (and even the nation) were camped out outside, the public was lined up to get a coveted seat in the trial room, camera equipment was everywhere, parking was even more nightmarish than usual… I could go on and on. Thankfully, I wasn’t a reporter on the trial, but it took me twice as long to get in the building and even get the courtroom I was working at because of the extra security they had to hire. And it was ten times worse because the entire trial was livestreamed by both the local and national news station. Dateline was even there because they had secured a contract to not only film the entire thing for the news network, but were filming for a future episode. It was bananas. The only other kind of media frenzy we’ve ever had was the Vincent Brothers trial back in 2007. Naturally, living in the area, I already knew pretty much all there was to know about the case (save for the insider details). And naturally, when I saw this for free on Kindle, my morbid curiosity got the better of me and I decided to read it.
Shiny and New?: As much as I love watching crime TV, this is actually my first true crime book I’ve ever read. For the most part, it was a solid outing. The writing could be a little dry and there was one exceedingly long chapter that I thought would never end, but it was solid, nonetheless. Whereas the Dateline episode was a more trimmed down version of the story, this book goes into more of the conversations and courtroom testimony. I think this goes without saying that if you actually livestreamed the entire thing, you wouldn’t even need to have to read this book because it just rehashes everything. And honestly, I wouldn’t tell the readers to go into it expecting a big mystery or a surprise reveal of a new suspect; the summary pretty much gives the entire plot away, haha! If you’ve watched the Dateline episode and want more dirty deets (such as their many, ahem, conjugal encounters), you’ll find them here. Or you could probably just find the entire trial on Youtube for free!
Thou Shalt Not Kill: It is supremely ironic to me that this whole scenario revolved around breaking what is probably the most important of the commandments NOT to break, and yet despite how religious the players were…. THEY STILL MANAGED TO BREAK IT! AND THE TWO SUSPECTS USED RELIGION TO JUSTIFY THE MURDER!!! The plot is nothing new; Robert and Sabrina Limon seemed like the perfect couple, but she was having an affair with a much younger man named Jonathan Hearn. Instead of going the easy route and getting divorced, they decide to kill him instead. While there’s no doubt that Jonathan did it (the evidence was overwhelming), the police didn’t know whether Sabrina was behind all of it. Hearn, being raised in a devoutly Christian household and homeschooled under a religious curriculum, talks nonstop about religion (Sabrina claims she’s religious, but I think she’s just playing along), so if you don’t like getting your head banged over by a Bible, this probably isn’t the read for you.
Violin Strings: A few of my friends were talking about the trial recently, and one topic of conversation came up in discussing it; was anybody manipulated? And we all came to an overwhelming agreement that yes, someone got played. Said person being played? Jonathan Hearn, the much younger lover of Sabrina Limon. Good Lord, this poor guy got played. I can’t even remember the last time I saw someone got played as bad as he did. Now, this guy wasn’t stupid. Every person who knew him and pretty much everybody when asked to testify about him said that he was one of the smartest guys they knew. And from listening to him speak at trial during his testimony and his statements made after sentencing, he comes across as a very succinct, well-spoken young man. However, he also came across, at least to me, as being very sheltered and naïve, partially due to his upbringing. And I think Sabrina sniffed it out on him like a bloodhound. I’m fairly certain that if he hadn’t met Sabrina Limon, he would have never committed an act like this. She used his deep religious faith to keep him coming back to her, and this is evident both in the Dateline episode and the book. As to the question of whether he’s telling the truth and if I think he’s credible, my answer is yes: the dude was looking at death anyways, and the evidence was already so overwhelming against him that he didn’t have anything to lose by testifying against her and relating his side of the story. Fellow friends and court reporters who saw and heard his testimony (including the jury), deemed him a very credible witness.
BUT DID SHE DO IT???!! As far as committing the actual crime itself? Nope; that falls squarely on Hearn’s shoulders. When it comes to conspiring, planning and conniving with him? Abso-fucking-lutely. There may be no direct evidence, but remember, gentle readers, that circumstantial evidence can be just as powerful. I can’t even honestly tell you if she really loved Hearn. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t. We may never know the whole truth. But from a solely evidence based POV, there’s too much evidence weighing against her. I will commend the author on portraying her in a fairly neutral light and not personally portraying her dead husband as a total villain (with the exception of the trial testimony).
*********************************
Poisoned banana pudding, David and Bathsheba, swinger couples… this trial was basically the plot of a Lifetime movie come to life. And with Michael Fleeman’s true crime account, you’ll probably get more details than you ever bargained for. Was this book good? Yeah, it was a quick true crime read. Would I recommend a reader pay $6.99 on their Kindle to read it? No. You can find most of the same information online via Youtube by watching the entire trial or watching the Dateline episode. As for me, I really, REALLY hope we don’t have anything this salacious happen in our county for a very, very long time, haha!
February 26, 2018
You may or may not recall this trial, it was not that many years ago. I do remember hearing a bit about it myself in the news. Happy family man Robert Limon was killed in cold blood while at work one day. His poor wife devastated, and left to raise their two young children on her own. But was she as lost and alone without her husband as she wanted to appear? Gradually the story spilled out, of the church going but hard partying couple who liked to get drunk and swap sexual partners on their weekend getaways. When Sabrina Limon went from stay at home mom to part time Costco sample girl she wasn't plotting to kill her husband. But sometime shortly after beginning a flirtatious relationship with a young fireman she met there, their ponderings on how nice it would be to have her husband out of the way transformed from fantasy to cold blooded murder. This was a fascinating fact based account of the events before and during the murder trial.
I received a complimentary copy for review
I received a complimentary copy for review
January 31, 2018
Sabrina Limon said of her husband Robert that 'He would rather be dead than get a divorce.'
I don't believe she gave him those options before both her and her lover Jonathan Hearn conspired to murder him. I'm sure, given the choice, that he would have said 'you know what crazy lady? I'd rather be alive and get custody of my kids than leave them in your mental clutches' or something along those lines.
And another thing, she didn't want to get a divorce because it's a sin in Gods eyes, yet she was perfectly fine with all the other shit she did, cause we all know it doesn't say, anywhere in the bible, anything about murdering people, it's not like it was written anywhere in stone or anything but I could be wrong.
Anywho I enjoyed this as it's true crime and I hadn't actually heard of this story before so it drew me in quite quickly and I read it over 2 days, trying to retain as much information as I possibly could.
I'm now on the hunt for all the other books by Michael Fleeman as I think he writes very well.
*Huge thanks to Michael Fleeman, WildBlue Press and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*
I don't believe she gave him those options before both her and her lover Jonathan Hearn conspired to murder him. I'm sure, given the choice, that he would have said 'you know what crazy lady? I'd rather be alive and get custody of my kids than leave them in your mental clutches' or something along those lines.
And another thing, she didn't want to get a divorce because it's a sin in Gods eyes, yet she was perfectly fine with all the other shit she did, cause we all know it doesn't say, anywhere in the bible, anything about murdering people, it's not like it was written anywhere in stone or anything but I could be wrong.
Anywho I enjoyed this as it's true crime and I hadn't actually heard of this story before so it drew me in quite quickly and I read it over 2 days, trying to retain as much information as I possibly could.
I'm now on the hunt for all the other books by Michael Fleeman as I think he writes very well.
*Huge thanks to Michael Fleeman, WildBlue Press and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*
February 1, 2022
I'm no stranger to true crime books, in fact I've read quite a few that have been really good and stuck with me for awhile after reading them. Unfortunately, Better Off Dead was not one of those books.
This book reads too much like a screenplay based on the lack of transition between the narration and the conversations taking place during the investigation. There were too many direct quotes that became incredibly dry and left me thinking, "where is this even going?". The best way for me to describe it is the author just quoted the suspects verbatim and never really analyzed what was said so I kept thinking each quote would lead to some "Ah-ha!" moment in the case, but they never did. Not to discredit the author, but it feels as if anyone off the street could copy and paste dialogue on to some pages and call it a book if that's what he was aiming for.
I also noticed quite a few mistakes or sentences that were formed in a confusing manner. A few wouldn't bother me, but after awhile it became distracting.
By the end of the book I just wanted to get it over with so forgive me if I'm mistaken, but did the author even address the sentence Sabrina Limon received? I really didn't care enough to go back and re-read the last chapter to find out. After I read the last page I felt as if I had read an incredibly dry 6,000 pages about this woman only to find out her fate was never even discussed.
All in all, there are too many excellent true crime books out there for me to suggest that a fan of the genre spend any time reading this one.
This book reads too much like a screenplay based on the lack of transition between the narration and the conversations taking place during the investigation. There were too many direct quotes that became incredibly dry and left me thinking, "where is this even going?". The best way for me to describe it is the author just quoted the suspects verbatim and never really analyzed what was said so I kept thinking each quote would lead to some "Ah-ha!" moment in the case, but they never did. Not to discredit the author, but it feels as if anyone off the street could copy and paste dialogue on to some pages and call it a book if that's what he was aiming for.
I also noticed quite a few mistakes or sentences that were formed in a confusing manner. A few wouldn't bother me, but after awhile it became distracting.
By the end of the book I just wanted to get it over with so forgive me if I'm mistaken, but did the author even address the sentence Sabrina Limon received? I really didn't care enough to go back and re-read the last chapter to find out. After I read the last page I felt as if I had read an incredibly dry 6,000 pages about this woman only to find out her fate was never even discussed.
All in all, there are too many excellent true crime books out there for me to suggest that a fan of the genre spend any time reading this one.
February 3, 2018
I love reading true crime books, and this one sounded super interesting, so I was thrilled to have the chance to review it. Ever since my beloved Ann Rule passed away, I've been floundering on what true crime authors to read and sampling quite a few. Michael Fleeman is a new author to me so I went into this book with no expectations.
Luckily, Fleeman is a great author. This murder was fascinating to me because it took place very near to where I live, yet I'd never heard of it, which was shocking to me because I follow local news and true crime. It made the book that much more enjoyable being in a locale I'm very familiar with and not already knowing how the story goes - and what a twisted tale it was.
This story had a little bit of everything and it was told with a deft hand. I couldn't stop thinking the pages to see what would happen next. My only complaint is that I wish he'd told a little more about the victim and his life and family. It also would've been nice to have had a few more pictures and at least one picture of the victim included. But overall, it was an easy and very interesting read and I would recommend.
Luckily, Fleeman is a great author. This murder was fascinating to me because it took place very near to where I live, yet I'd never heard of it, which was shocking to me because I follow local news and true crime. It made the book that much more enjoyable being in a locale I'm very familiar with and not already knowing how the story goes - and what a twisted tale it was.
This story had a little bit of everything and it was told with a deft hand. I couldn't stop thinking the pages to see what would happen next. My only complaint is that I wish he'd told a little more about the victim and his life and family. It also would've been nice to have had a few more pictures and at least one picture of the victim included. But overall, it was an easy and very interesting read and I would recommend.
January 28, 2018
"High-octane thriller"
This is a true-crime thriller right out of the top drawer. The opening few pages had me hooked. When Robert Limon's body was discovered by his work colleague, the description of the scene was accurate enough for many writers (and readers) to get the gist of what had happened. Then, the uniformed police officers arrived. They added another layer of detail. They noted those things they were trained to spot; things which a shocked colleague would naturally miss as his eyes focused on the body.
Meyer, the world-weary detective added further insights after he rolled up, and when Limon's body reached the autopsy room, layer upon layer of detail piled in with mind- befuddling speed. This was no simple 'robbery gone wrong',the reader was in for a forensic analysis of every move, every word from witnesses, and eventual suspects. There's no way back after you read those opening pages. You have to follow the evidence to the final outcome. Don't worry, it's well worth the ride.
This is a true-crime thriller right out of the top drawer. The opening few pages had me hooked. When Robert Limon's body was discovered by his work colleague, the description of the scene was accurate enough for many writers (and readers) to get the gist of what had happened. Then, the uniformed police officers arrived. They added another layer of detail. They noted those things they were trained to spot; things which a shocked colleague would naturally miss as his eyes focused on the body.
Meyer, the world-weary detective added further insights after he rolled up, and when Limon's body reached the autopsy room, layer upon layer of detail piled in with mind- befuddling speed. This was no simple 'robbery gone wrong',the reader was in for a forensic analysis of every move, every word from witnesses, and eventual suspects. There's no way back after you read those opening pages. You have to follow the evidence to the final outcome. Don't worry, it's well worth the ride.
June 30, 2018
A decent true crime read. I felt that I needed more background information. I also found the book a bit boring and repetitive. This might have been better if trimmed down.
*Thank you to Michael Fleeman, NetGalley, and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*Thank you to Michael Fleeman, NetGalley, and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2018
This one really had me hooked from the start. It loses some steam once it starts in with the LONG quotes (from wiretaps and interrogations), but otherwise another solid work by the dependable Michael Fleeman.
September 24, 2025
Felt a bit dragged out. True read. I just found it quite a slow read. Not heard of this case before and I love a good true crime read. Felt a little repetitive in places but I have found d that can be the case sometimes with true crime.
May 25, 2019
In 2014, the murder of 38-year-old Robert Limon shocked the friends and family of this husband and father of two. Robert was discovered by a coworker in one of the company warehouses in the early morning on August 17. The bullet holes riddling Robert’s body made it clear to detectives that they were dealing with a homicide, but the people who knew Robert were baffled at the thought. Robert was known as a friendly, hardworking family man, and his demise stunned his middle-class suburban community.
Who would do such a thing and why?
"Better Off Dead: A Sordid True Story of Sex, Sin and Murder" by Michael Fleeman gives a step-by-step narrative of the Limon murder case. Through active storytelling fueled by firsthand accounts, police reports, and case evidence, Fleeman delves into the hidden life of Robert Limon and his wife, Sabrina—and Sabrina’s lover, Jonathan Hearn. Fleeman’s style provides engaging narration at a brisk, deliberate pace that keeps readers wanting more.
"Better Off Dead" follows the San Bernardino and Kern Country police as they unravel the mystery of Robert’s murder. From the discovery of Robert’s body to the consideration of possible suspects to unearthing the startling truth, this book takes readers who are fascinated by the darker side of human nature on a wild ride. Audiences interested in double lives, double crosses, and what lies behind the curtain of everyday suburbia will be captivated by this true story of sex, deceit, and foul play.
Who would do such a thing and why?
"Better Off Dead: A Sordid True Story of Sex, Sin and Murder" by Michael Fleeman gives a step-by-step narrative of the Limon murder case. Through active storytelling fueled by firsthand accounts, police reports, and case evidence, Fleeman delves into the hidden life of Robert Limon and his wife, Sabrina—and Sabrina’s lover, Jonathan Hearn. Fleeman’s style provides engaging narration at a brisk, deliberate pace that keeps readers wanting more.
"Better Off Dead" follows the San Bernardino and Kern Country police as they unravel the mystery of Robert’s murder. From the discovery of Robert’s body to the consideration of possible suspects to unearthing the startling truth, this book takes readers who are fascinated by the darker side of human nature on a wild ride. Audiences interested in double lives, double crosses, and what lies behind the curtain of everyday suburbia will be captivated by this true story of sex, deceit, and foul play.
February 15, 2021
This is pretty much just a stylized transcript of the trial. The writer did not include any detail beyond what was already revealed in the trial livestream (on YouTube). Makes it seem a rather lazy effort. What I had hoped to learn was:
* Why didn't Sabrina finish high school?
* Why did Rob and Sabrina decide to have an open relationship?
* What was the true relationship between Rob and Kelly Bernatine?
* Who was leaking the investigation progress to Sabrina?
* Why did Sabrina have no one other than her sister and ex-swinging partner (kids excepted) testify in her defence?
* What was the status of her relationship with her parents / other siblings / other friends?
* Did Kelly and Jason's subsequent divorce have anything to do with this case?
And on and on and on. Have read other books by Mr. Fleeman. As far as a thorough recounting of the intricacies of this fascinating story, this one falls well short.
* Why didn't Sabrina finish high school?
* Why did Rob and Sabrina decide to have an open relationship?
* What was the true relationship between Rob and Kelly Bernatine?
* Who was leaking the investigation progress to Sabrina?
* Why did Sabrina have no one other than her sister and ex-swinging partner (kids excepted) testify in her defence?
* What was the status of her relationship with her parents / other siblings / other friends?
* Did Kelly and Jason's subsequent divorce have anything to do with this case?
And on and on and on. Have read other books by Mr. Fleeman. As far as a thorough recounting of the intricacies of this fascinating story, this one falls well short.
February 6, 2018
This should have been a script instead of a novel with all the dialogue. It also could have been a Road atlas with all the directions provided. Basically, there was a lot of wasted space.
More importantly, the book (Fleeman’s 11th book and I don’t know how) was written, not by someone who 10 books under his belt, but what seemed like a first true crime writer trying to impress the readers.
Read my full review here http://jabberjawreviews.net/book-revi...
More importantly, the book (Fleeman’s 11th book and I don’t know how) was written, not by someone who 10 books under his belt, but what seemed like a first true crime writer trying to impress the readers.
Read my full review here http://jabberjawreviews.net/book-revi...
August 28, 2018
Game over. Nobody wins.
This is a well-organized and well-researched account of the love triangle which resulted in the murder of Robert Limon. I did so want the story to turn out differently, but the evidence painted a very definite picture of the facts.
I liked the people involved and wanted a different ending for all of them. Anyone who has been in love can understand the situation. In addition to the commandments "Thou shall not bear false witness" and "Thou shall not kill," it seems they forgot about another one : "Thou shall not covet the neighbor's wife."
39
This is a well-organized and well-researched account of the love triangle which resulted in the murder of Robert Limon. I did so want the story to turn out differently, but the evidence painted a very definite picture of the facts.
I liked the people involved and wanted a different ending for all of them. Anyone who has been in love can understand the situation. In addition to the commandments "Thou shall not bear false witness" and "Thou shall not kill," it seems they forgot about another one : "Thou shall not covet the neighbor's wife."
39
May 24, 2024
When we talk about sociopaths we are afraid of the monsters in the night waiting in the shadows with no conscience waiting to unleash whatever evil they had intended all along
But what happens when it’s a suburban housewife with 2 kids? How do we handle that? We simply can’t but it is possible.
This was a case I never heard of but looks like got all the press(very recent as it happened in 2014).
I never heard of this author but it was well written even though it didn’t have an epilogue or prologue which is weird to me. Information was good. Gets a thumbs up from me.
But what happens when it’s a suburban housewife with 2 kids? How do we handle that? We simply can’t but it is possible.
This was a case I never heard of but looks like got all the press(very recent as it happened in 2014).
I never heard of this author but it was well written even though it didn’t have an epilogue or prologue which is weird to me. Information was good. Gets a thumbs up from me.
May 9, 2020
Another great read by this author. And another book about a woman that kills or wants someone to be killed. Books like that are often quite interesting. Especially how it plays out. Will they manage to get scot-free or will they ask for a plea bargain, or be offered one. Women it seems are better in being sneaky (and in playing the victim but I have known men who are excellent in that as well.
I totally got the victim's family's wishes in the end about penalty.
Recommend.
I totally got the victim's family's wishes in the end about penalty.
Recommend.
April 10, 2018
The true crime novel in general never disappoints and this one is excellent! The book is very timely as the trial just wrapped up in late 2017. This particular crime; one of mis-guided passion, hits home because it occurred about 200 miles from where I live and I saw frequent updates about it on the news. A must read for True Crime enthusiasts!
March 31, 2019
Ignore The Sordid "Hook ": Written Fairly Well - But BORING
I didn't see the Dateline version of this true-life tale so I don't know if this author simply failed to capture the salacious details of wild partying and mate swapping that supposedly abounded in this small community - or if the community was simply able to keep the specifics "under wraps" - but, as presented, this is just another love triangle that ended as a duo. There is a lot of talking about God in here and praying, and the tale of David & Bathesheba plays a large role. But mostly, this story is a transcription of uneventful, but God-infused, telephone calls the lovers had as they sought to evade detection. Even the few pics at the back of the book are Boring.
I didn't see the Dateline version of this true-life tale so I don't know if this author simply failed to capture the salacious details of wild partying and mate swapping that supposedly abounded in this small community - or if the community was simply able to keep the specifics "under wraps" - but, as presented, this is just another love triangle that ended as a duo. There is a lot of talking about God in here and praying, and the tale of David & Bathesheba plays a large role. But mostly, this story is a transcription of uneventful, but God-infused, telephone calls the lovers had as they sought to evade detection. Even the few pics at the back of the book are Boring.
November 18, 2022
Riveting
Very well written true crime novel. I was glued to the pages. I may have read about this case but didn't know the complete story. Now I've read it in whole and while I continue to be disappointed in human behavior, I'm no longer shocked. Sabrina Limon pretended to be a dutiful wife and mother but she failed at both. There's no justifiable reason for Robert to be killed. If she didn't want to live in an open marriage, all she need do is stop!
She may have thought she was engaging in a fantasy at first but she made it all too real, by stooping so low. One juror said it best "I don't think she asked her husband if he'd prefer to be dead" rather than divorced.
Very well written true crime novel. I was glued to the pages. I may have read about this case but didn't know the complete story. Now I've read it in whole and while I continue to be disappointed in human behavior, I'm no longer shocked. Sabrina Limon pretended to be a dutiful wife and mother but she failed at both. There's no justifiable reason for Robert to be killed. If she didn't want to live in an open marriage, all she need do is stop!
She may have thought she was engaging in a fantasy at first but she made it all too real, by stooping so low. One juror said it best "I don't think she asked her husband if he'd prefer to be dead" rather than divorced.
February 23, 2019
I am a fan of true crime stories. This one of special interest to me because it took place literally miles from my home.
I am a fan of true crime stories, books, documentaries, and tv series. This one was especially interesting because it took place literally miles from my current home. I know people who live in this community. I work and go to church in the town where the victim worked. It is a testament to the fact that we never really know people and we cannot take the lives of our loved ones for granted.
I am a fan of true crime stories, books, documentaries, and tv series. This one was especially interesting because it took place literally miles from my current home. I know people who live in this community. I work and go to church in the town where the victim worked. It is a testament to the fact that we never really know people and we cannot take the lives of our loved ones for granted.
April 18, 2018
Really quite good
I am glad I finally read this book after putting it off for a time. While it consists mainly of direct dialogue via cell phones and court testimony the story is compelling enough to keep your attention. What a sad strange saga. What could have been for each and every person involved. The lives of so many people ended, tarnished, tainted, in ashes. I definitely recommend this to true crime fans.
I am glad I finally read this book after putting it off for a time. While it consists mainly of direct dialogue via cell phones and court testimony the story is compelling enough to keep your attention. What a sad strange saga. What could have been for each and every person involved. The lives of so many people ended, tarnished, tainted, in ashes. I definitely recommend this to true crime fans.
May 20, 2021
Exceptional true crime book
This author is new to me in the true crime genre. I became quickly enthralled with this book and the story of how a woman who seemed to have everything still wanted more. This book is well written, loaded with interesting details and has excellent descriptions of this horrendous crime. I highly recommend it to all true crime aficionados. I will be reading more books by this author.
This author is new to me in the true crime genre. I became quickly enthralled with this book and the story of how a woman who seemed to have everything still wanted more. This book is well written, loaded with interesting details and has excellent descriptions of this horrendous crime. I highly recommend it to all true crime aficionados. I will be reading more books by this author.
June 4, 2019
Wonderful
I really enjoyed this book better off dead it's amazingly stupid when people still try to get away with murder. To take some one life for love really! Only when it's said and done you realize wait! I don't even love this person anymore. I highly recommend this book very good 👍
I really enjoyed this book better off dead it's amazingly stupid when people still try to get away with murder. To take some one life for love really! Only when it's said and done you realize wait! I don't even love this person anymore. I highly recommend this book very good 👍
October 13, 2024
While the actual crime this book is about is interesting, I have to admit the writing is pretty bad. Dialog is written in a way that is awkward and unnatural (which is a hard flaw to ignore when over half of the book is just transcribed phone conversations), and there are typos all over the place. It was difficult to read, I only kept going because I wanted to know what happened to the killers.
December 12, 2024
I read this in conjunction with a Dateline podcast. It got tiresome towards the end (the police had wire tapped the suspects, and quite a bit of the conversation was in the book) and I couldn’t believe that the murderers/conspirators used God as a justification for their actions. An OK read, but I was glad that I got a discount on Kindle for it.
Read
October 30, 2024Dry
In spite of the author's accomplished writing style, it was difficult to remained engaged with the story. There was just too much of the legal aspect of the case, not enough of human story. More information on that part of the story would have made it much more interesting.
In spite of the author's accomplished writing style, it was difficult to remained engaged with the story. There was just too much of the legal aspect of the case, not enough of human story. More information on that part of the story would have made it much more interesting.
June 16, 2018
Very interesting read. To go through and discover the
truth.
Well written
truth.
Well written
September 19, 2022
I watched the trial an istened to the wire taps as well as saw the interrogation tapes of this crime. Reading the book filled in the blanks...love this author's work.
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