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Alice & Gerald: A Homicidal Love Story
True-crime master Ron Franscell tells the grisly story of a cold case involving multiple murders committed by a husband-and-wife team. The appalling details are made even more vivid by the author's familiarity with the Wyoming times and places that formed the backdrop of his national bestseller The Darkest Night.
Would you kill for love?
After Alice, a desperate young mother in a gritty Wyoming boomtown, kills her husband in 1974 and dumps his body where it will never be found, she slips away and starts a new life with a new love. But when her new love's ex-wife and two kids start demanding more of him, Alice delivers an ultimatum: Fix the problem or lose her forever. With Alice's help, he "fixes" the problem in an extraordinarily ghastly way ... and they live happily ever after. That is, until 2013, almost forty years later, when somebody finds a dead man's skeleton in a place where Alice thought he'd never be found.
Featuring a femme fatale whose manipulative, cold-blooded character rivals Lady Macbeth, this page-turner by bestselling true-crime author Ron Franscell revisits a shocking cold case that was finally solved just when the murderers thought they'd never be caught.
Would you kill for love?
After Alice, a desperate young mother in a gritty Wyoming boomtown, kills her husband in 1974 and dumps his body where it will never be found, she slips away and starts a new life with a new love. But when her new love's ex-wife and two kids start demanding more of him, Alice delivers an ultimatum: Fix the problem or lose her forever. With Alice's help, he "fixes" the problem in an extraordinarily ghastly way ... and they live happily ever after. That is, until 2013, almost forty years later, when somebody finds a dead man's skeleton in a place where Alice thought he'd never be found.
Featuring a femme fatale whose manipulative, cold-blooded character rivals Lady Macbeth, this page-turner by bestselling true-crime author Ron Franscell revisits a shocking cold case that was finally solved just when the murderers thought they'd never be caught.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2019
489 people are currently reading
2391 people want to read
About the author
Ron Franscell
30 books328 followersRon has written 19 books. His writing has been compared to Truman Capote, Charles Frazier and Robert Olen Butler—diverse, poetic, evocative and muscular. His new DEAF ROW—a mystery—proves it.
He burst onto the crime scene with THE DARKEST NIGHT (also titled FALL in a 2007 hardcover), which continues to be a bestselling true crime. This intensely personal nonfiction about a monstrous crime that touched his life as a child has been hailed by authors such as Ann Rule and Vincent Bugliosi, as well as critics, as a direct literary descendant of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood."
His widely acclaimed 2016 true crime, MORGUE: A LIFE IN DEATH (co-authored with renowned medical examiner Dr. Vincent Di Maio) was nominated for an Edgar in 2017.
His most recent true crime, "ALICE & GERALD: A HOMICIDAL LOVE STORY" (Prometheus Books) explores a grisly, real-life case of murder and perverse devotion. "Alice & Gerald" features a femme fatale whose manipulative, cold-blooded character rivals Lady Macbeth, this page-turner revisits a shocking cold case that was finally solved just when the murderers thought they'd never be caught.
Over the years, Ron's books have earned high praise from bestselling authors such as Ann Rule, John Lescroart, Vincent Bugliosi, C.J. Box, Howard Frank Mosher, and Warren Adler. His writing has been compared to Truman Capote, Robert Olen Butler, Norman McLean, Cormac McCarthy and Charles Frazier. Now, meet the author, who now lives in northern New Mexico.
But Ron's books aren't confined to true-crime. THE SOURTOE COCKTAIL CLUB is the true story of an extraordinary -- if slightly macabre -- road trip with his teenage son to the Yukon in search of a mummified human toe .. and a father's reassurance that he hasn't become irrelevant to his son.
His CRIME BUFF'S GUIDE books are quirky travel guides that take true-crime and history-trippers to some 400 outlaw- and crime-related sites all over the USA. Editions include Los Angeles, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Washington DC, and Maryland.
His debut novel, ANGEL FIRE, was published by Laughing Owl in 1998, and reprinted by Berkley (Penguin/Putnam) in 2000. His popular mystery, THE DEADLINE, was re-published in 2014 by WildBlue Press, followed by a sequel, THE OBITUARY. His book reviews and essays are regularly published in many of America's biggest and best newspapers, such as the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post, San Jose Mercury-News, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and others.
DELIVERED FROM EVIL (2011) explores the entangled lives of mass-murderers and their victims, tracing the lives of 10 ordinary people who survived some of America's worst massacres. Auspiciously, it debuted on the day a deranged young gunman killed six and wounded 13 at a Tucson supermarket in one of the most shocking crimes of our day.
He burst onto the crime scene with THE DARKEST NIGHT (also titled FALL in a 2007 hardcover), which continues to be a bestselling true crime. This intensely personal nonfiction about a monstrous crime that touched his life as a child has been hailed by authors such as Ann Rule and Vincent Bugliosi, as well as critics, as a direct literary descendant of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood."
His widely acclaimed 2016 true crime, MORGUE: A LIFE IN DEATH (co-authored with renowned medical examiner Dr. Vincent Di Maio) was nominated for an Edgar in 2017.
His most recent true crime, "ALICE & GERALD: A HOMICIDAL LOVE STORY" (Prometheus Books) explores a grisly, real-life case of murder and perverse devotion. "Alice & Gerald" features a femme fatale whose manipulative, cold-blooded character rivals Lady Macbeth, this page-turner revisits a shocking cold case that was finally solved just when the murderers thought they'd never be caught.
Over the years, Ron's books have earned high praise from bestselling authors such as Ann Rule, John Lescroart, Vincent Bugliosi, C.J. Box, Howard Frank Mosher, and Warren Adler. His writing has been compared to Truman Capote, Robert Olen Butler, Norman McLean, Cormac McCarthy and Charles Frazier. Now, meet the author, who now lives in northern New Mexico.
But Ron's books aren't confined to true-crime. THE SOURTOE COCKTAIL CLUB is the true story of an extraordinary -- if slightly macabre -- road trip with his teenage son to the Yukon in search of a mummified human toe .. and a father's reassurance that he hasn't become irrelevant to his son.
His CRIME BUFF'S GUIDE books are quirky travel guides that take true-crime and history-trippers to some 400 outlaw- and crime-related sites all over the USA. Editions include Los Angeles, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Washington DC, and Maryland.
His debut novel, ANGEL FIRE, was published by Laughing Owl in 1998, and reprinted by Berkley (Penguin/Putnam) in 2000. His popular mystery, THE DEADLINE, was re-published in 2014 by WildBlue Press, followed by a sequel, THE OBITUARY. His book reviews and essays are regularly published in many of America's biggest and best newspapers, such as the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post, San Jose Mercury-News, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and others.
DELIVERED FROM EVIL (2011) explores the entangled lives of mass-murderers and their victims, tracing the lives of 10 ordinary people who survived some of America's worst massacres. Auspiciously, it debuted on the day a deranged young gunman killed six and wounded 13 at a Tucson supermarket in one of the most shocking crimes of our day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 27, 2020
This is a rather creepy case in Wyoming that goes cold, brought to us by author Ron Franscell. I’ve read and really liked his true crime in the past, and decided to buy this 2019 paperback to read at leisure. Some of the main players are really twisted in this one, and the game playing between exes gets nauseating at times, but that’s how it is for some folks in the real world when kids are pawns. A good true crime story by a very good true crime writer, worth a read.
April 3, 2022
5 Stars. Love this author!
April 25, 2019
This is a powerfully gripping, very sad, story of the disappearance of Virginia Uden and her sons Richard and Reagen on September 12, 1980. Virginia was Richard Uden's third wife and she talked him into adopting her two sons after they married, which he did, and then she promptly divorced him. Richard was a weak, naive man and he met this fourth wife, Alice, in a mental hospital where she worked and he was a patient. After they married, problems began with Virginia wanting more child support. Alice did not like her or the two boys. Richard was going to meet Virginia to let her borrow a trailer so she could go back east and get her belongings. He claimed she never showed up but they did and he murdered all three of them and disposed of their bodies. Richard and Alice were suspects from the beginning but no bodies or evidence of a murder could be found. It took almost 40 years to solve this crime with the help of numerous detectives and other police agencies over that time period. There are lots of twists and turns in this very well researched and written book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good True Crime case.
February 13, 2019
Thank you to Edelweiss and Prometheus Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
True crime is my favorite go-to genre, so when I saw this for an ARC through Edelweiss I was really excited to have the chance to read it.
I also really like Ron Franscell; I've read other books by him and like the way his stories flow.
Alice & Gerald was an interesting case for a writer to take on. It looks to be on the surface as open and shut and if law enforcement at the time had taken it seriously, it may have been. Instead it was ignored and went completely cold, as did the other murder tied to this.
These two clearly fed off of each other, and this book took a good in depth look at the relationships surrounding the people tied to the cases, not just the cases by themselves. I had never heard of this one before and I started doing research on my own as I was reading. Franscell's narrative is outstanding. Some parts are a little long, but I feel like it did the book justice.
I definitely would recommend this for fellow true crime lovers. It's a very interesting case and worth the read.
4/5 stars
https://bookwrx.blogspot.com/
True crime is my favorite go-to genre, so when I saw this for an ARC through Edelweiss I was really excited to have the chance to read it.
I also really like Ron Franscell; I've read other books by him and like the way his stories flow.
Alice & Gerald was an interesting case for a writer to take on. It looks to be on the surface as open and shut and if law enforcement at the time had taken it seriously, it may have been. Instead it was ignored and went completely cold, as did the other murder tied to this.
These two clearly fed off of each other, and this book took a good in depth look at the relationships surrounding the people tied to the cases, not just the cases by themselves. I had never heard of this one before and I started doing research on my own as I was reading. Franscell's narrative is outstanding. Some parts are a little long, but I feel like it did the book justice.
I definitely would recommend this for fellow true crime lovers. It's a very interesting case and worth the read.
4/5 stars
https://bookwrx.blogspot.com/
April 1, 2020
What a great true crime book. Really enjoying the writing about this sad story.
Checking my stats here I see I have read 2 other books by this author:
Delivered from Evil
The Darkest Night and I gave both books 4 stars and this books is also going to be at least 4 stars.
He has written 2 books I have not yet read but going to add them to my wish list now.
This book is not about a serial killer or a very "exciting" true crime story but the author manages to make the people in the book human and his ability to connect is astounding.
Checking my stats here I see I have read 2 other books by this author:
Delivered from Evil
The Darkest Night and I gave both books 4 stars and this books is also going to be at least 4 stars.
He has written 2 books I have not yet read but going to add them to my wish list now.
This book is not about a serial killer or a very "exciting" true crime story but the author manages to make the people in the book human and his ability to connect is astounding.
April 28, 2021
Calling All True Crime Readers!
One of the best true crime books I’ve ever read. Ron Franscell can write! Can hardly wait to check out more of his work.
One of the best true crime books I’ve ever read. Ron Franscell can write! Can hardly wait to check out more of his work.
September 13, 2020
This took me quite a long time to read- 2 or 3 hours more than a book of this length usually does. And all of it wasn't engrossing either. But I had to read every word for a reason.
The reason was because I thought it was one of the best duo personality disordered "couple" fusings which I've read in such detail.
These were much married people when they met too. Both on #4 despite their ages-but then Alice was married the first time at 16 and had 4 kids before she was 21.
Alice & Gerald - her outside the box power control fit perfectly into his "need to keep this structure intact" submissiveness. But it's quite a telling too, don't get me wrong.
25 to 30 main characters and those not even all of her offspring. But the merciless quality of the trio murder! Just soulless reasoning and cruelty factor negation to any emotion! Combined to such outcome.
They were married nearly 40 years.
The number of subsequent and seemingly endless men and women who got this Cold Case material and for decades plugged and plugged at it. Some dying and others joining along the way. It also gives you a terrific sense of Wyoming itself and Wyoming Justice in particular. Photos were also just the right amount at the correct eras for you to grasp the length and depth of this series of inquiries and ordeals. And the mobility of lodgings etc. involved at that.
It's overtell in spots but I would definitely read this author again. He doesn't put himself or personal opinion into any of this. Just the facts, mam or sir. But there are literally 1000's of facts to tell and years and years of trails with dead ends.
The reason was because I thought it was one of the best duo personality disordered "couple" fusings which I've read in such detail.
These were much married people when they met too. Both on #4 despite their ages-but then Alice was married the first time at 16 and had 4 kids before she was 21.
Alice & Gerald - her outside the box power control fit perfectly into his "need to keep this structure intact" submissiveness. But it's quite a telling too, don't get me wrong.
25 to 30 main characters and those not even all of her offspring. But the merciless quality of the trio murder! Just soulless reasoning and cruelty factor negation to any emotion! Combined to such outcome.
They were married nearly 40 years.
The number of subsequent and seemingly endless men and women who got this Cold Case material and for decades plugged and plugged at it. Some dying and others joining along the way. It also gives you a terrific sense of Wyoming itself and Wyoming Justice in particular. Photos were also just the right amount at the correct eras for you to grasp the length and depth of this series of inquiries and ordeals. And the mobility of lodgings etc. involved at that.
It's overtell in spots but I would definitely read this author again. He doesn't put himself or personal opinion into any of this. Just the facts, mam or sir. But there are literally 1000's of facts to tell and years and years of trails with dead ends.
November 12, 2019
So tawdry...though it did make me feel better about my situation as a kid. My stepmother may have resented the child support payments and she ruled the roost, but killing my brother and I off was never part of their game plan.
What I found interesting about this book was how the case progressed over 30 years. Learning about that process was fascinating. I also liked how Wyoming was almost considered as an accomplice because there is simply so much empty land. If a the largest search and rescue endeavor in the state's history, was unsuccessful, and the plane was found by accident 4 years later when nobody was trying to hide the plane...what does that say about biodegradable bodies hidden on purpose
What I found interesting about this book was how the case progressed over 30 years. Learning about that process was fascinating. I also liked how Wyoming was almost considered as an accomplice because there is simply so much empty land. If a the largest search and rescue endeavor in the state's history, was unsuccessful, and the plane was found by accident 4 years later when nobody was trying to hide the plane...what does that say about biodegradable bodies hidden on purpose
April 11, 2020
Well researched, written and narrated. Almost the perfect crime allowed these two people to walk free for decades. Recommended for all true-crime enthusiasts.
December 28, 2019
One of my favorite true crime authors and this book did not disappoint. Gerald would do anything for Alice, including murder. Amazing that this case took over 30 years to solve and if not for the determination of a couple of cops (and the low IQ of the murderers) , it would still be unsolved. My heart went out to the mother of the victim.
October 19, 2020
I found this tedious and boring for the most part.
August 5, 2019
I'm not sure I'm a fan of Franscell's writing style (so many cliches, parentheticals, and over-writing, in my opinion), but found this account of Wyoming murderers fascinating. The prologue set the stage perfectly.
May 2, 2019
Alice and Gerald, What a fun couple!
Ron Franscell takes a crime and researches it thoroughly from every possible angle. Reading this book gives the complete story, from every character's point of view. You know as much about the thoughts of the killers as you do about the victims and the supporting cast; the police that worked the crime, the family members impacted by the crime, the children who lived with the crime and the members of the community. The result is a non-biased account of all the evidence and story with all the people involved. I am most impressed, again, with the level of research, the timeline Ron puts together and the understanding, as much as humanly possible, of the entire story.
Ron Franscell takes a crime and researches it thoroughly from every possible angle. Reading this book gives the complete story, from every character's point of view. You know as much about the thoughts of the killers as you do about the victims and the supporting cast; the police that worked the crime, the family members impacted by the crime, the children who lived with the crime and the members of the community. The result is a non-biased account of all the evidence and story with all the people involved. I am most impressed, again, with the level of research, the timeline Ron puts together and the understanding, as much as humanly possible, of the entire story.
November 12, 2019
Fascinating. Wish it had gone more in depth with Alice's past. I agree with the theory that she was a controlling sociopath (who ended up as a nurse) and Gerard was a passive one. His self-absorbed indifference was why all her previous wives left him. And the clearest measure of Alice's character was in her maliciously rendered letters to Virginia! Wish more of the book was on the criminal couple's life after 1980 and less on the law enforcement officials.
July 26, 2019
When a crime happens in your backyard, it is fascinating. We devoured Franscell's book "Fall", which was about a Casper crime. Alice and Gerald is set in Fremont County, and the disappearance of Gerald's family occured when I was a baby. I remember hearing about this missing family and then when they were finally brought to justice a decade ago. Alice died a few months ago. I have heard mixed reviews and want to decide for myseld. I planned to read aloud to Brandon but I couldn't wait.
I liked how Franscell touched on other local crimes that are unsolved (yet not committed by these two). Theories still abound as to where the bodies are... and I'm guessing . It's still sad to think that 1980 (which really isn't that long ago) itself is what led the killers to go free (that and bad police work... ). So much has changed in terms of being able to catch the criminals (DNA, cell phones).
I liked how Franscell touched on other local crimes that are unsolved (yet not committed by these two). Theories still abound as to where the bodies are... and I'm guessing . It's still sad to think that 1980 (which really isn't that long ago) itself is what led the killers to go free (that and bad police work... ). So much has changed in terms of being able to catch the criminals (DNA, cell phones).
September 16, 2020
Chilling true crime. Countless marriages but one true love. And then. What will one do for love? There are some truly ruthless people in the world.
July 2, 2022
3.5 stars
April 28, 2022
Can you say, "trailer trash"? Ron Franscell has done it again. Shadowman is one of my favorite true crime books and The Darkest Night isn't far behind. Like a dog with a bone, the author finds a subject and never lets go. Alice and Gerald are two star crossed lovers who share a lack of conscience. Their similar histories are a mind numbing anthology of failed early age marriages and children. Alice discloses to Gerald of shooting one of her mates in the back of the head after suffering one too many bearings at his hands. Gerry has demons of his own and a former wife and her two boys would become victims of his madness. The story spans from the 1940s to 2014 and the scope of the crimes and subsequent investigations are remarkable. Franscell and John Glatt are two of our better writers in this genre. Readers cannot go wrong with either one.
July 8, 2021
I often find that the lesser known True Crime books are much better stories than the famous ones, and Alice and Gerald was no exception.
I like the way the book is structured. The details of the crime are laid out in the opening chapters and the rest of the book is about the detectives' search for answers. There are so few clues that, even though we know what happened, the reader becomes frustrated along with the detectives as all their left to sift through are rumours and half remembered stories.
There's some complex family/relationship history in this book, with each main player getting married several times, but the author tells the story well and I was able to follow the web of connections without any problems, unlike some other true crime books I've read.
This was such an interesting case and a great True Crime book.
I like the way the book is structured. The details of the crime are laid out in the opening chapters and the rest of the book is about the detectives' search for answers. There are so few clues that, even though we know what happened, the reader becomes frustrated along with the detectives as all their left to sift through are rumours and half remembered stories.
There's some complex family/relationship history in this book, with each main player getting married several times, but the author tells the story well and I was able to follow the web of connections without any problems, unlike some other true crime books I've read.
This was such an interesting case and a great True Crime book.
February 16, 2020
A tragic/sad story about a truly dysfunctional relationship. How two individuals with no remorse or empathy could find "love" with one another is terrifying. Who was the mastermind and who was the follower? One will never know - as these two individuals lack any sense of insight, sophistication or truth. It is a miracle they were able to get away with so many murders for so long. As a side note: This book could have used some major editing - a lot of unnecessary repetition.
December 10, 2024
this book was insane! i was getting as frustrated as the investigators trying to figure out how to catch them! such cold blooded ppl in this world!
September 19, 2020
This author writes his true crime stories with great descriptive facts which is why I love his books. He creates a clear picture in my mind as he describes the era of when the story begins in Wyoming. You can almost feel he lived in those times and he is recalling those memories. You sense Wyoming has a special place in this author's life and it will always be in his heart. Since I live in Wyoming and did when this horrendous crime was committed it gives me chills as he describes an area his facts are "dead on". (pardon the pun) This love story was thoroughly research as the details are spot on. You can tell the author is a former newspaper writer as he researched his facts before publishing. Although I am not sure I am convinced it was a "love story" as I am more inclined to say it is more of a "fatal attraction" when these two connected. I am still shaken that these two had no remorse for their crimes and the author made if feel so real as I read each word of this story. The words psychopath and schizophrenic crossed my mind many times as I read this book. What kind of person can murder children and have no nightmares?
I thought I knew everything about the case before I read this book. However, the author didn't just recite the facts instead his description of these people made it very real. In all his book's that have involved Wyoming I learn more about people I never knew existed here. Wyoming is thought of as a peaceful, low crime rates, laid back, in the middle of nowhere state. For the most part we are all those things, but when crimes such as this are uncovered we tend to want to keep them buried from the rest of the world. Media has changed this world and if this crime had been discovered today oh one horrors what & how it would have been reported. Thank you Ron for your excellent fact checking skills! True Crime is this author's strength & each time he writes about Wyoming you can feel this is where his heart lives.
I thought I knew everything about the case before I read this book. However, the author didn't just recite the facts instead his description of these people made it very real. In all his book's that have involved Wyoming I learn more about people I never knew existed here. Wyoming is thought of as a peaceful, low crime rates, laid back, in the middle of nowhere state. For the most part we are all those things, but when crimes such as this are uncovered we tend to want to keep them buried from the rest of the world. Media has changed this world and if this crime had been discovered today oh one horrors what & how it would have been reported. Thank you Ron for your excellent fact checking skills! True Crime is this author's strength & each time he writes about Wyoming you can feel this is where his heart lives.
October 27, 2020
This was on my "new books" bookshelf. This is the story of two losers in the world of love, who meet each other and decide that they do not want ties to the past. Gerald has been married multiple times and seems like a nice guy. He marries Virginia and she gets him to adopt her two children, Richard and Regan from previous marriages. He does. She divorces him and get him to pay child support. He moves and meet Alice, another lovelorn lady who needs him (but does she really?).
Alice is definitely the person with all the power in this marriage. She does not want his ex-wife in their lives at all and tells him to deal with it so he does!
Alice is the mother you really don't need! She is out for herself and whatever she can get from others despite the cost to them! She keeps her kids in line by telling them she has killed their father (like it's another day in the world and no big deal) and goes about her business.
If it was not for Virginia's mother being involved in her life and knowing that something was wrong when her daughter and two grandsons disappeared, nothing ever would have been done and life would have gone along well forever.
The book also tells how and why the disappearance was a cold case (in 1986--no body, no case) and why it was so hard to figure this out and why it took over 40 years!
At times, I was irritated with the cops for not believing Virginia's mother and chose not to get involved. I did understand why.
It is a book that I found slow at times and at other times I wanted more information such as how did Alice become who she was? How did Gerald decide that Alice was the best thing for him and how could he decide to do what he did? They looked like such "normal" people but had the killer instinct in them and were able to kill people and just walk away.
If you are into true crime books and like "semi-good endings (where they get the bad guy) this book is for you.
Alice is definitely the person with all the power in this marriage. She does not want his ex-wife in their lives at all and tells him to deal with it so he does!
Alice is the mother you really don't need! She is out for herself and whatever she can get from others despite the cost to them! She keeps her kids in line by telling them she has killed their father (like it's another day in the world and no big deal) and goes about her business.
If it was not for Virginia's mother being involved in her life and knowing that something was wrong when her daughter and two grandsons disappeared, nothing ever would have been done and life would have gone along well forever.
The book also tells how and why the disappearance was a cold case (in 1986--no body, no case) and why it was so hard to figure this out and why it took over 40 years!
At times, I was irritated with the cops for not believing Virginia's mother and chose not to get involved. I did understand why.
It is a book that I found slow at times and at other times I wanted more information such as how did Alice become who she was? How did Gerald decide that Alice was the best thing for him and how could he decide to do what he did? They looked like such "normal" people but had the killer instinct in them and were able to kill people and just walk away.
If you are into true crime books and like "semi-good endings (where they get the bad guy) this book is for you.
April 2, 2019
Alice & Gerald is a true crime story about two psychopaths (my conclusion). Alice and Gerald meet when their trailers are parked next to each other in Wyoming. They both have multiple failed marriages between them when they end up falling in “love”. I use quotations because as messed up as these two are, do they even know what love is?
Alice appears to be a very controlling person who feels past relationships should stay in the past. Gerald, however, has an ex-wife with two children he adopted and is responsible for their health insurance and child support.
One day, Gerald’s ex-wife and two boys disappear. The police aren’t concerned because it’s Wyoming, the mom is nomadic, and her mother, Claire, receives a message that says she’s in Illinois. However, the ex-wife’s mother is pretty convinced that Gerald is involved. Since her daughter had called a lawyer, THAT DAY, to talk about more child support and the fact that Gerald and Alice had been very hostile towards his ex-wife and her children.
So began 20 plus year cold case investigation where Gerald and Alice remain free, even with a lot of circumstantial evidence against them. It takes some very determined investigators to keep the case moving and the victims remembered.
The book takes you through some of the horror that Alice’s children faced while growing up, and the many twists and turns that the investigators take while trying to prove Alice and Gerald are responsible for the disappearance of Gerald’s ex-wife and her two boys.
Alice appears to be a very controlling person who feels past relationships should stay in the past. Gerald, however, has an ex-wife with two children he adopted and is responsible for their health insurance and child support.
One day, Gerald’s ex-wife and two boys disappear. The police aren’t concerned because it’s Wyoming, the mom is nomadic, and her mother, Claire, receives a message that says she’s in Illinois. However, the ex-wife’s mother is pretty convinced that Gerald is involved. Since her daughter had called a lawyer, THAT DAY, to talk about more child support and the fact that Gerald and Alice had been very hostile towards his ex-wife and her children.
So began 20 plus year cold case investigation where Gerald and Alice remain free, even with a lot of circumstantial evidence against them. It takes some very determined investigators to keep the case moving and the victims remembered.
The book takes you through some of the horror that Alice’s children faced while growing up, and the many twists and turns that the investigators take while trying to prove Alice and Gerald are responsible for the disappearance of Gerald’s ex-wife and her two boys.
July 6, 2022
A Riveting And Disturbing Tale
This book is a very disturbing read, it is the first book I have read by Ron Franscel and I loved his writing style. It is skilfully written and well researched. This is the gripping true-crime account of two twisted killers, and it weaves together the threads of four cold-blooded murders committed in the name of a depraved love.
Alice & Gerald kept me engaged and turning the pages, It is a frightening story of two truly remorseless creatures who unfortunately found each other, one the killer Gerald, who is an adoptive dad his ex-wife and children (victims) and his new wife Alice who has also murdered one of her husbands. Victoria’s mother Claire Martin loved her daughter and two grandchildren and never gave up hope that the police would solve the case. Sadly, Claire died not long before Gerald was arrested and confessed.
The police never give up hoping to bring them to justice over the years and after several cold case reviews technology caught up 40 years later and eventually both Alice and Gerald were brought to justice for the murders they committed. I really appreciated the photos at the end of the book, and I highly recommend this book to all true crime readers.
I will definitely be reading more books by Ron Franscel.
I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This book is a very disturbing read, it is the first book I have read by Ron Franscel and I loved his writing style. It is skilfully written and well researched. This is the gripping true-crime account of two twisted killers, and it weaves together the threads of four cold-blooded murders committed in the name of a depraved love.
Alice & Gerald kept me engaged and turning the pages, It is a frightening story of two truly remorseless creatures who unfortunately found each other, one the killer Gerald, who is an adoptive dad his ex-wife and children (victims) and his new wife Alice who has also murdered one of her husbands. Victoria’s mother Claire Martin loved her daughter and two grandchildren and never gave up hope that the police would solve the case. Sadly, Claire died not long before Gerald was arrested and confessed.
The police never give up hoping to bring them to justice over the years and after several cold case reviews technology caught up 40 years later and eventually both Alice and Gerald were brought to justice for the murders they committed. I really appreciated the photos at the end of the book, and I highly recommend this book to all true crime readers.
I will definitely be reading more books by Ron Franscel.
I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily
October 29, 2023
First, let me say this was a well-written book. In that way, it was good. In looking at the events of the book, not so. Alice and Gerald are two of the most disgusting humans to walk the Earth.
From the beginning, the reader knows what happened to Virginia Udin and her two young sons, Richard and Reagan, ages 12 and 10 respectively. They were shot by Virginia's ex-husband and the father of the boys, Gerald. The reason why? Gerald and his current spouse, Alice, didn't want to have to pay child support. In fact, Alice resented Gerald's former family so much she refused to let Virginia step on her property to drop the boys off for a visit.
In addition to these 3 victims, Virginia's mother Claire was a victim. She lived out the rest of her life not knowing what happened to her daughter and grandsons and having a small hope that at least the boys would turn up.
Alice did not have a problem with Gerald's method of removing the problem. In fact, she had previously killed one of her husband's, maybe two of them. Her own children went to the police, but the police could never prove it. Just like with Gerald, the police knew, but they had no bodies, so scene, and no evidence.
What is so disgusting is that Alice and Gerald lived free and clear for the next forty years. Forty! Until a tenacious police officer finally found the body of Alice's poisoned, dead husband right where they knew he was going to be. This led to Gerald's confession of his crimes. But for 40 years, they lived free and clear, even moving out of state far from the long arm of the law.
Franscell does a masterful job of relating the details and ins and outs of this complicated story creating suspense in spite of knowing the eventual outcome. It was well worth the read.
From the beginning, the reader knows what happened to Virginia Udin and her two young sons, Richard and Reagan, ages 12 and 10 respectively. They were shot by Virginia's ex-husband and the father of the boys, Gerald. The reason why? Gerald and his current spouse, Alice, didn't want to have to pay child support. In fact, Alice resented Gerald's former family so much she refused to let Virginia step on her property to drop the boys off for a visit.
In addition to these 3 victims, Virginia's mother Claire was a victim. She lived out the rest of her life not knowing what happened to her daughter and grandsons and having a small hope that at least the boys would turn up.
Alice did not have a problem with Gerald's method of removing the problem. In fact, she had previously killed one of her husband's, maybe two of them. Her own children went to the police, but the police could never prove it. Just like with Gerald, the police knew, but they had no bodies, so scene, and no evidence.
What is so disgusting is that Alice and Gerald lived free and clear for the next forty years. Forty! Until a tenacious police officer finally found the body of Alice's poisoned, dead husband right where they knew he was going to be. This led to Gerald's confession of his crimes. But for 40 years, they lived free and clear, even moving out of state far from the long arm of the law.
Franscell does a masterful job of relating the details and ins and outs of this complicated story creating suspense in spite of knowing the eventual outcome. It was well worth the read.
November 20, 2021
Franscell does a fine job with what he has to work with here. The murders of the ex-wife and children, motivated by a desire to stop paying child support, and the long duration Gerald and Alice were suspected but not apprehended, are interesting. But those facts are established early and most of the text involves the cold case years of this killing and the prior murders of husbands by Alice. We experience detective Lonnie TeBeest's frustration, re-interviewing Alice's children, attempting to dig up the bones of one of her victims and never making real progress. His regular calls to the victim ex-wife's mother, who kept searching for her grandchildren, show his commitment far beyond his police duties. The book persuades the reader, not by lauding the cold case detectives with high praise, but by describing what they did, that these officers are genuine heroes and that their commitment often goes unrecognized by the public. Favorite bit for me was the final batch of investigators discovering that Gerald had an exotic pet bird he named "O.J." That Franscell leaves it to the reader to see the irony in that name choice speaks volumes about his skill as a writer.
September 12, 2020
4 stars for this disturbing retelling of Gerald & Alice’s life of crime & almost got away with it.
Some very scary footsteps through life with a message that if someone or something is an inconvenience, just kill it.
Gerald, who was so desperate to have a family that he just overlooked some important clues in the 4 marriages he had, with the last one being the most evil of them all.
Alice, who appeared to be smart and savvy was actually the wolf in sheep’s clothing for sure.
Conniving, underhanded and everything had to be about her. Layers of lying through the years, she obviously became a pro at it.
Almost as tragic as the crime itself is the lack of productivity by the sheriff’s department throughout the botched investigation. It is so sad to see that the victim’s mother, Claire, did most of the investigating that the police should have handled.
Some very scary footsteps through life with a message that if someone or something is an inconvenience, just kill it.
Gerald, who was so desperate to have a family that he just overlooked some important clues in the 4 marriages he had, with the last one being the most evil of them all.
Alice, who appeared to be smart and savvy was actually the wolf in sheep’s clothing for sure.
Conniving, underhanded and everything had to be about her. Layers of lying through the years, she obviously became a pro at it.
Almost as tragic as the crime itself is the lack of productivity by the sheriff’s department throughout the botched investigation. It is so sad to see that the victim’s mother, Claire, did most of the investigating that the police should have handled.
September 21, 2020
Very Interesting Story
I wasn’t sure at first how to rate this book. So I asked myself what reasons I would give for taking away stars. I couldn’t think of a single thing. I enjoyed every part of it from the first page right up to the review page.
This is a very well written and thoroughly researched book. I was intrigued bu the blurb and drawn in from the first page. I found myself in tears for Claire Martin in the end. Her daughter was a piece of work, but Claire loved her and those two boys as any parent or grandparent would. None of them deserved what befell them. Gerald and Alice are right where they should be. Thank God there is no statute of limitation on murder!
I highly recommend this for any fan of the true crime genre. I plan to look up other books by Franscell after this.
I wasn’t sure at first how to rate this book. So I asked myself what reasons I would give for taking away stars. I couldn’t think of a single thing. I enjoyed every part of it from the first page right up to the review page.
This is a very well written and thoroughly researched book. I was intrigued bu the blurb and drawn in from the first page. I found myself in tears for Claire Martin in the end. Her daughter was a piece of work, but Claire loved her and those two boys as any parent or grandparent would. None of them deserved what befell them. Gerald and Alice are right where they should be. Thank God there is no statute of limitation on murder!
I highly recommend this for any fan of the true crime genre. I plan to look up other books by Franscell after this.
October 15, 2023
Alice & Gerald are two people who are truly made for each other it seems. Both have had previous relationships that made them unhappy but now, in each other's arms they couldn't be happier. However, Alice confesses to Gerald that she had to kill a previous husband because he was abusive and now he has an ex-wife with two kids who has become demanding and Alice is not happy. To make Alice happy Gerald has to deal with those things that make her unhappy, even if it means to murder two children he once loved and who had loved him. Alice is in control and she does not let Gerald
forget it.
This book was loaned to me by a friend who is a descendent of Alice's. She doesn't tell too many people the story.
I was having trouble finding time to read the paperback so I borrowed the audio book through our local library.
forget it.
This book was loaned to me by a friend who is a descendent of Alice's. She doesn't tell too many people the story.
I was having trouble finding time to read the paperback so I borrowed the audio book through our local library.
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