Cruel Deception

by Gregg Olsen

In and out of hospitals since birth, angelic nine-month-old Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Morgan's Texas-born mother Tanya, a nurse and devoted wife, pulled up stakes with her grieving husband Jim, and moved on. It was the best way to put the past behind them. Until their son Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister...

First, the suspicion: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. Then, Tanya was charged and convicted with felony child abuse of her son. She was later tried and ultimately convicted for first degree murder of Morgan. It would become a landmark trial that unfolded in a series of reversals and bizarre twists of fate as it gradually revealed another side of Tanya Reid-of her own troubling childhood and the dark secrets that drove a woman to the cruelest deception of all...

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Biography, Medical, Mystery

396 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

Throughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Olsen has written ten nonfiction books, ten novels, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News; CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen’s Snapped, Court TV’s Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E’s Biography.

In addition to television and radio appearances, the award-winning author has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People, Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.

The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Reviews

[Joey R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 stars—In “Cruel Deception,”Gregg Olsen does his usual thorough job of covering the case of Tanya Thaxton Reid after she is arrested and tried for child abuse for repeatedly smothering/ suffocating her infant child, Michael. The author does an excellent job of giving equal coverage to both the prosecutor’s and the defendant’s perspective which allows the reader to decide for himself whether Tanya suffered from Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy and intentionally smothered and then revived both her son and her daughter on repeated occasions. Despite doing as much as he could to move the book along, both the very boring details of Tanya Reid’s nomadic life and excruciating details from the medical records for both children keep this book from being a must read. The author does a great job of covering the trial of Tanya but the back and forth between doctors and attorneys can get tedious at times as well. All in all a valiant effort from the author, but unless you are very interested in a large amount of medical jargon and lengthy descriptions of the travels as well as the family and friends of the defendant, you would be wise to skip this one. Footnote— Gregg Olsen is still one of the best true crime writers that I have read.

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tanya's, a nurse and devoted wife, nine-month-old, daughter Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. She had been in and out of the hospitals her whole life. Doctors were stumped and had no answers. A few months later, their son Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister. Whispers of Munchhausen by Proxy began to fill the nurse's station. She was finally convicted for her crimes. Phelps did an awesome job following this case. It is hard to convict Munchhausen by Proxy cases. I am glad she is locked up forever.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - A MUST READ for all true crime fans!!

As a fan of true crime I thought this was one of the best books I have read. This is the second book I've read by Gregg Olsen and he is an excellent author. Some true crime novels are terrible because the author writes from the perspective of a journalist and not a story teller. Gregg Olsen, like Ann Rule, does both. The story he has weaved is sinister and heartbreaking.
Cruel Deception is the story of Tanya Thaxton Reid. A mother from Texas who "suffers" from Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS). I say "suffers" because it is actually her children who do all of the suffering. Tanya is able to fool doctors in both Texas and Naperville, IL (Edward Hospital) into believing that her infant daughter and later infant son both suffer from a rare genetic seizure disorder that makes them stop breathing repeatedly. Luckily Tanya is a nurse and able to revive her children with CPR over and over. Unfortunately, there does come a day when little Morgan, her second born, is unable to be revived and passes away. Nobody suspects this loving mother . . . until the same pattern begins with her next child. A son born 15 months after the death of his sister.
The family makes a mistake in leaving Texas for Des Moines, Iowa. Child abuse laws in Iowa were much stricter in the 1980's than most other states and the city of Des Moines is home to one of the countries premier children's hospitals. After seeing Tanya's son time and again the younger doctors, who were educated in MBPS, contacted authorities and an investigation began into the abuse of the son and the death of the daughter.
Gregg Olsen does an excellent job of building the background story of Tanya Thaxton Reid and explaining to the reader how she is a classic case of MBPS. When I started reading I thought how horrible it would be if her children were truly ill. It became obvious early in the book that these innocent children were the victims of a very sick mother.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 2 1/2 stars. If you're interested in the child abuse syndrome Munchausen's by proxy, in which parents create signs of illnesses and inflict injuries on their children to obtain medical attention, you might stumble across this book. For the most part, the gripping story of an investigation of a mother suspected of Munchausen's by proxy in the 1980s rises above the clunky writing. I wasn't sure I would make it past the heavy-handed prologue with its mockingbird metaphor and stereotypes of the Texas panhandle, but I did.

[Renea · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok first off he jumped around to much... secondly it was like as soon as the book started getting good and he had me sucked into pages he ruined the moment and I quickly lost interest... it caused the book to drag on and it took way to long for me to read it cause he just kept dropping the ball...and i continued to lose interest

[Alison is probably reading smut · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank god I'm finally done.. usually such a big fan of Gregg Olsen's books.. but this one just kept dragging on and on and on! Took me so long to finish, there were so many times I just wanted to put it aside and leave it unfinished, but I pushed through it. The book skipped around. A lot. Some parts didn't make sense to me, some parts seemed unnecessary, and often I was bored. Which again, is rare to me while reading Olsen's books. Not impressed. I thought the story sounded interesting and was something that would have been worthwhile to read, but I feel nothing. Honestly glad it's over. Read at your own risk!

[MM Suarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Iowa mother wonders if the mother in Texas will ever admit, even to herself, what she has done to her son."

Even the most hardened killers for the most part draw the line at hurting babies, so I think it will always be a mystery how someone, anyone, but specially a mother could kill their own baby. The case of Tanya Reid is interesting but not unique, since unfortunately looking back on all of these terrible cases, you can't help but think that there were plenty of red flags, that if acted upon might have stopped this double tragedy.
God bless prosecutors like Melodee Hanes, a mother herself, who would not give up on justice for Little Morgan and Brandon Michael. As for Tanya Reid, she is right where she belongs.

[Marialyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of well done nonfiction and this fits the bill quite well.

It’s a true story of mother love or is it something else? Can a mother hurt her child in order to provide herself with recognition and acclaim? Is this a case of Munchausen by Proxy illness or is it a case where a defective gene causes a child to just stop breathing?

It’s hard to decide where the guilt lies but it seems to me that this particular mother did get what was fitting.

[Crumb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting and thorough account of Munchausen's by Proxy; however, very slow moving. I understand it was a true crime novel , but it was very slow during some parts. It did pick up speed toward the end, though.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and fascinating

Munchausen’s is fascinating and this book was gripping. Gregg Olsen is skilled with his true crime books and yet again did not disappoint.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gregg Olsen’s exhaustive research into Tanya Reid, found guilty of medical child abuse and manslaughter in CRUEL DECEPTION. What I liked about this nonfiction book was that it read like narrative nonfiction rather than a dry recounting of facts. What I didn’t like was the male narrator. Few men do women’s voices well. When a man has a very deep voice, he often sounds like a drag queen trying to voice women. This would have been five stars if it had a better narrator.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the craziest stores I've ever come across. How this woman was left to do this for so long is beyond me. What must have been going on in her head is also beyond me. The epitome of true crime.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

on Wednesday, December 19, 2007


Finished reading this book on December 10th.
Very good book.
I really like the way Gregg Olsen writes

One of my favorite reads of 2007

[Chris P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling! Another great non-fiction book by one of the masters of the genre. Highly recommended!

[Lianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2 and a half stars. Interesting subject but not the best delivery. Many details were repeated multiple times unnecessarily.

[Book Junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating true story of one of the first murder convictions due to Munchhausen Syndrome.

[Nat PlainJanetheBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched and written. Really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend to true crime fans.

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tedious but interesting

I hate rating books this low, but while the case is interesting, the details are repeated over and over and over again.

Detailed medical records and interviews and case notes again and again. During the events, during investigation, the court room, each time a witness is interviewed. It's incredibly tedious. The book could have been half this length.

I'm personally not a fan of reading reports and prefer to hear the story, so if you're looking for that I would skip this one.

[Elyrria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an account of Munchaussen Syndrome by proxy and SBS. The book could have been about 100 pages shorter, but it was thorough and clear. This is a book obviously written by a man since it defends Jim Reid as a good person, even though he seems like a craphead father and lackluster husband. The beauty of Melodee Hanes was described ad nauseum. The ending was satisfying and tied the story together well.

[Kate Knoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still can’t believe that this is a true story…

[Mari Huuskonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

miinusta siitä että samat asiat toistettiin monta kertaa

[Elizabeth O’Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read. Got lost in the constant descriptions over and over of the doctors opinions and timelines of all the incidents. Just a bit of overkill I thought. Such a horrific subject.

[Tarja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sekava tarina. Melodee Haynes, syyttäjä, sai yllättävän paljon suitsutusta, mutta kirjan loppusanoissa sitten kiiteltiinkin häntä avusta. Jotenkin nyt vaan ei tullut tunne tietokirjasta, sellaiseksi tämä kuulemma luetaan. Eikä syyttteet, todisteet Tanya Reidia vastaan olleet kovin vahvat, mutta siellä se Tanya nyt istuu vankilassa 40 vuoden kakkua. Ärsyttävä kirja.

[Jacque Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way Gregg writes his true crime. This story of Munchausens by proxy was heartbreaking. I had to remind myself that this story took place during a time when this wasn't widely known or studied. How gregg told this story it felt like the innocent victims have a voice now.

[Colleen N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gregg Olsen gives a vivid account in Cruel Deception of Tanya Reid and the abuse she inflicts on her young children over a series of years beginning in the 1980’s. Tanya is a woman who comes from Texas and appears to come from a good home. The youngest daughter to John & Wanda Thaxton seems to have a childhood where her parents greatly cared about her and her three sisters. While her father was very strict and sometimes controlling there was no doubt that she was loved. By some accounts she was considered shy but also an attention seeker, one who needed to feel as if she was the center of everything.

At a very young age she met Jim Reid, the next door neighbor 7 years her senior and after a courtship they were married. Jim came from an extremely poor upbringing so money, prestige, and status were important to him. Tanya soon found herself in another controlling environment where her husband controlled the purse strings and because of his thirst for success he was gone many hours, days, and weeks.

Tanya tried to fill the void by making friends, but many recounted her as overzealous and the friendships didn’t last. After the death of one child Morgan, and the bizarre health of a second child Michael, authorities became suspicious and began an investigation. The investigation is headed by an up and coming female prosecutor Melodee Hanes and other members of the “Trauma Team” who are sure that Tanya is intentionally suffocating her son. Melodee and company believe that Tanya may be a case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy and set out to prove it. They refuse to rest until they put all the pieces together and can put her away. As the investigation moves forward they are shocked to discover all sorts of things and the relentless support from her family who refuse to see what’s in front of them.

Tanya continually professes her innocence and swears that her children suffer from a rare disorder. There are conflicting accounts by those involved from doctors, family, hospitals, and nurses.

Is Tanya truly innocent? Is Melodee on a witch hunt to make her career? Or is this mother a terrible person capable of hurting innocent children for her own needs? Where the story takes you and the last minute courtroom bombshell will answer all the questions leaving you shocked and angry.

[Knot (Claire-Edith) Telling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meticulously detailed, Cruel Deception takes a close look at the Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) prosecution of Tanya Reid. It was published in 1999 and the events it recounts took place in the 1980s, when MBP was not yet known even in the medical world, let alone among law enforcement.

MBP is known today as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (US, ICD-9 301.51) or Fabricated or Induced Illness by Carers (UK). It describes a situation in which an adult parent or caregiver intentionally induces physical symptoms in a child and then presents the child for medical care. The symptoms mimic actual illness and so the child is subjected to extensive medical tests and procedures. It is not clear why the adult does this, though it is related to the adult using the child to meet their own needs. It is not classified as a psychiatric disorder.

In Cruel Deception, author Greg Olsen looks closely at Tanya Reid's life and relationships in an effort to understand how and why she resorted to harming her own children to the extent that one baby died. Although it is sometimes classified as a "medical thriller", I found it more like a legal one. Olsen is a fly on the wall as the prosecutor, Melodee Hanes, meticulously builds a case from the extensive medical records of two of Reid's children. (For some reason, the third child was not only unharmed, but even testified in her mother's defense at one of the trials.)

The book was updated in 2005 to include information on Tanya Reid's appeals of her conviction for harming her living son and a subsequent trial, conviction, appeal, and retrial for murdering one of her daughters through MBP.

I found Cruel Deception interesting and reasonably engaging, in spite of the narrator's very nasal voice and poor imitation of regional accents. If you're looking for a typical true crime book, this will probably not satisfy you. If you are interested in a legal thriller or a peek into the mind of an MBP abuser, you'll probably like it.

[Jessica Burstrem]

I started reading the back cover of this book as I was removing the Powell's sticker(s) this morning and got sucked into the book itself. Part of a true crime series, which genre, if we can call it that, began with In Cold Blood -- which may be the only other true crime book I've ever read -- this book is about a stay-at-home mother who at first got away with killing her baby daughter and then, away from family and unable to make friends in a new town where her quiet and possibly selfish husband now worked nights, began smothering her son just enough to get him to stop breathing so that she could resuscitate him, call the paramedics, and get attention from the folks at the hospital, since apparently she could not get it anywhere else. I need to read the rest of the book before I make any final judgments, but it really strikes me that if we were more supportive of mothers -- as mothers ourselves and as a society as a whole -- sad stuff like this would be much less likely to happen.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting story, particularly as it happened during a time when munchausen by proxy wasn't nearly as well known or understood as it is now. It got pretty repetitive at times though and I would've preferred a mostly linear narrative.

And of course the recurrent fat shaming made it difficult to read at times. Knowing that Tanya gained 30lbs before her trial, or that the prosecutor got "fat and depressed" when she left ballet school, or that Tanya coukd be pretty "during one of her thinner phases" adds literally nothing to the story. It just makes the author sound like a pathetic creep. Will never read anything else by him again.

[Jimmy Chaillot · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing my sweet angel by John Glatt(another good book I highly recommend) I thought I was done with Münchausen syndrome by proxy for a while. Nope this one pulls you right back in and is really good.

This is the story of Tanya Reid with two children who at different times were rushed to the hospital under suspicious circumstances. One who died and one who was caught in the nick of time by authorities.

There is a big surprise in this book so I won’t spoil it but it is well worth the read.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, could not put book down. Well written book about the horrors of child abuse.