The Bone Garden: The Sacramento Boardinghouse Murders

by William P. Wood

THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY EDITION She looked like everyone’s white-haired, plump, bespectacled, and kindly. Only Dorothea Montalvo Puente’s eyes, black and hard behind her glasses, hinted at the evil that lurked within. She was the rarest of murderers, a female serial killer—probably the most cold-blooded ever recorded in the annals of crime. This shocking story of the gruesome murder of seven men for profit comes from bestselling author William P.  Wood, the Deputy D.A. who had earlier prosecuted Puente for drugging and robbing elderly people. He knew intimately the malice that coursed through her veins, and thought he had seen the last of this callous and calculating woman. But her chameleon-like deviousness helped her reappear as a sweet, benevolent landlord—and later allowed her to escape police custody as they stood in her yard surrounded by the gaping graves. The Bone Garden chronicles the discoveries that ignited a media firestorm and transfixed a nation, putting an entirely new face on evil in this country.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

338 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

WILLIAM P. WOOD is the author of nine thrillers and one nonfiction book. As a deputy district attorney in California, he handled thousands of criminal cases ranging from disturbing the peace to murder. He served as chief counsel to the Secretary of State of California, the Commissioner of the California Department of Corporations, and the Undersecretary of the Office of Secretary of State.

Wood's literary works include "Rampage" (1985), "Gangland" (1988), Fugitive City (1989), "Court of Honor" (1991), "Stay of Execution" (1994), "Quicksand" (1998), "Pressure Point" (2004), and "The Bribe" (2006). His latest book is "Sudden Impact."

A nonfiction book, "The Bone Garden" (1994), is the definitive account of serial killer Dorothea Puente, who was the subject of a nationwide hunt after nine bodies were dug up from her Sacramento, California yard. Wood earlier sent Puente to prison for drugging and robbing the elderly.

Many of Wood's novels have been optioned for film/TV and two were produced. The first, "Rampage" was directed by Academy Award-winner William Friedkin ("The French Connection" and "The Exorcist"). "Court of Honor" was adapted into the TV-movie "Broken Trust" by Jane Fonda Films, starring Tom Selleck and Elizabeth McGovern. The screenplay was written by Joan Didion and her husband John Gregory Dunne.

Upon the release of "Sudden Impact" many of Wood's previous and acclaimed titles will be released in paperback during 2014.

Caliban’s Flight (Willowbank Books), an international suspense thriller is his latest novel. Turner Publishing has reissued all of Wood’s earlier works in paperback and as audible books. He currently lives in Sacramento, California, where he is working on his next novel. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America.

Reviews

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this book 4 stars. Not because of the subject matter but because of the writing itself. At first, I was worried it might be boring, stiff and read like a movie script. Instead it was a well put together timeline of Dorthea Puente's crime spree in addition to being a well written semi-biography of a woman whose outer appearances belied what evil lurked beneath.

I've bookmarked two passages from this book.
page 79: Puente, always hard to unravel, was a contradictory collection of compassionate impulses and radical selfishness. These were contradictions that grew worse, more extreme, as the years went on.

and page 322: The real 1426 F Street, like the real Puente, lay in the past. It was draped with Thanksgiving decorations, and little Santa Clause heads on the fence, the gardens rich, thick, fertile. It was a paradox presided over by a grandmotherly woman in glasses with neat white hair who killed again and again without passion or remorse.

The bombshell on the last pages!!! the horror!

Throughout this book, I couldn't help but be reminded of this saying:
Sometimes people who need love the very most, ask for it in the most unloving ways. I believe this is very true in Dorthea's case.

However, no matter her childhood or what she suffered through as an orphan, it doesn't excuse what she did and the choices she made as an adult. Evil is evil. I think Dorthea Puente should have been held (more) accountable for all those who died in her home and in her care, my heart goes out to the families and people whose lives were touched by this woman.

**I won this book in a GoodReads first-reads giveaway listed by the author. Thank you Goodreads and William P. Wood for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

very matter of fact account of a woman who goes from bad to worse....ends up killing elderly people at her board and care for their social security checks..and burying them in her garden.
This is a true story!I gave it 2 stars because it is not a very interesting read and once you know where it is going (right away) there is nothing intriguing about it. Maybe I just dont like the genre, like reality tv

[Aspasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accounting of the murders Dorothea Puente committed but was only convicted for 3 out 9 murders due to a hung jury. The cliche "appearances can be deceiving" definitely applies here. Wood details why and how Puente selected her targets. Courtroom scenes in the book were a bit dry but overall it was an interesting read.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a horrible crime. Dorothea Puente was suppose to be a caretaker for the elderly but instead murdered them for their money.
William Wood is the Deputy D.A. who prosecuted Puente for drugging and robbing elderly people in earlier time and case.
Way to many details in case and not enough details on some of the victims background.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

True crime about a woman who ran a boarding house for the elderly... then killed them and took their social security money. Pretty interesting, since there aren't too many examples of female serial killers.

[KAT · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like such a drag once I reached about the middle? The trial went on forever and while it's relevant to what was really happening, it felt like so many names were being thrown at you that I would sometimes forget who was who and who was in charge of what. I think the case it self was uninteresting to me. I am incredibly devastated by Puente's actions and how it effected the victims lives, but the writing felt incredibly monotone and it took me awhile to really sit down and get myself to finish reading this. If you're interested in serial killers and their trials, I'd check this out. Just wasn't necessarily my favorite.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book was great. I couldn’t put it down. And then it happened. All about the trial. 😫 The last half of the book was all about the trial which went on and on and on and on. Some true crime readers might enjoy books that delve into all aspects of the trial but for me it was tremendously boring and outright painful. I should have just put it down but I trudged through it. If you like to hear everything that went on at trial go ahead.

[Levi Hyso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorothea Puente’s story from her horrible adolescent upbringing, all the way up to her murderous adult life and conviction was an amazing story. It wasn’t just the state but the system that failed all of the victims that eventually crossed paths with Puente. Overall the book is a good mixed bag of her personal life and the people that eventually got to take down a rare unicorn of that being a female serial killer.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about a female serial killer named Dorothea Puente, the F Street murderess who killed her tenants and buried them in her yard in Sacramento, California. She kept tenants so she can collect their Social Security checks by drugging them to death. It’s a very captivating read hard to put down. If you love True Crime this book is for you.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a Sacramentan and having lived down the street from where this took place, I was completely entranced by Puente's history. The story lost steam in some places regarding the dry details of the police work. Overall an interesting read and look into my city's history.

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book about an old woman who was a serial killer in Sacramento, CA. All the photos in the book are so unflattering that it's hard to believe that she came across as a sweet, grandmotherly woman.

[River Guru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. Book starts dragging about halfway thru, however. I wish the author included more specifics and photos about the crimes and the victims lives. Much of the book is focused on the trial, which is rather dry reading.

[Lisa Gardner-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the book was more sequential. It tends to jump around a lot and you have to really focus in order to keep the timeline. The trial portion of the book is very long but the last 3-4 chapters had my literally yelling at the book.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

True story of serial killer Dorothy Puente. The author did a great job of humanizing the victims and also the killer. Very well done and kept my attention all the way through.

[Martha Spear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good true crime

[Thomas Sanborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently told story. The book is divided into pre and post arrest. The pre arrest is a page turner you won’t want to put down. The second half gives you a break so you can get some sleep.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this complimentary book as a First Read book from William P. Wood via Good Reads. Thank you, William, for writing such an enjoyable book. Quite often, I look at elderly couples who look so sweet and innocent and wonder how all grandparents earned that aura when many were mean, short-tempered, lacked morals, or even worse - committed serious crimes. The Bone Garden, written by William P. Wood, confirms that my thoughts are not unique. "She looked like everyone's grandmother: white-haired, plump, bespectacled and kindly. Only Dorothea Montalvo Puente's eyes, black and hard behind her glasses, hinted at the evil that lurked within." This page-turning book gives you such a vivid description of the events, which took place over many years, in a way that could make you feel like you are in the middle of all that is going on and that William, who was the Deputy District Attorney in Sacramento, is having his morning coffee with you while telling you the events of his previous day.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, interesting read. It read fast and easy-it gives you a lot of information but it flows seamlessly from one page to the next so you never feel lost and you never have to go back and read something you might have missed. Very good.

[Andrea Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book if you're interested in the legal system and how it works. It's also crazy to think a 60 year old woman was capable of such cruelty.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't believe I read this, but it happened around the corner from where I live now, and I can't help it, I'm interested.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written - 5
Kept My Attention - 5
Must Read - 1
Meaningful - 1
Accessible - 5

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, I highly recommend this book.

[Julie Mayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to believe this grandma looking woman murdered so many people & she feels that SHE is the victim. I think because she poisoned them, she doesn't feel responsible for their deaths.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a true story of a female serial killer in the 1980's. I loved this book - and I don't think I will ever forget the ending. Nightmares are coming for sure.

[paulabaisden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book..

You need to read this true crime book. Makes you think and see what a evil person does even if they look like grandma dearest.

[Amanda Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book entails an elderly serial killer from California who buries her victim in her yard.

[Debbie Whitson · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent! It was hard to put it down,especially at the beginning. Loved it.

[Candace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical true crime story. No profound insights, mostly a legal procedural.