Twisted: The Secret Desires and Bizarre Double Life of Dr. Richard Sharpe

by John Glatt

He Had A Successful Career, A Selfless Wife, And Three Loving Children.

When high school sweethearts Karen and Richard Sharpe married, they shared an interest in medicine, a desire for family, and a dream for the future. For Karen, that dream became a nightmare. After years of abuse at the hands of her physician husband, she put an end to their 26-year marriage. Fearing a crushing divorce settlement, Richard ended the marriage first by unloading a .22-caliber rifle into Karen's chest. The murder revealed more about the millionaire doctor-and his double life-than polite Boston society was prepared for.

He Also Had A Secret That Shot His Picture-Perfect World To Hell.

Behind the doors of their upscale Massachusetts home, Dr. Sharpe was a compulsive cross-dresser with a penchant for his own daughter's underwear-a respected family man who had not only been taking hormones to grow breasts, but who stole his wife's birth control pills to supplement them. But not even his own family could have imagined that it would take cold-blooded murder to finally reveal the good doctor's disturbing secrets, and shatter forever the prosaic façade of an all-American family.

Genres: True Crime, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Crime

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 20, 2003

About the author

English-born John Glatt is the author of Golden Boy Lost and Found, Secrets in the Cellar, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Bill Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including ABC- 20/20Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt

Reviews

[Diane in Australia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Richard Sharpe was a seriously messed up person. I don't know how his wife, Karen, stayed married to him for 27 years. Yes, yes, I 'know' all the psychological reasons spouses stay ... I just wish they wouldn't. Unfortunately, for Karen, when she finally got out, her joy didn't last long. Sad.

A bit over half of the book is about Richard, Karen, the murder, and the immediate aftermath. The latter half of the book is his incarceration, and the trial.

Interesting true crime story. I had a few quibbles with what I consider discrepancies in the telling of it. (This is not a spoiler, it states this in the synopsis) For instance (pg 130) "....he pulled the trigger....straight through her back....coming out of her chest" - but on the back of the book, and elsewhere "....unloading a .22-caliber rifle into Karen's chest". So, which is it? In the back? Or, in the chest? Seems like a pretty important bit that should be stated correctly, yes?

3 Stars = I liked the book. I enjoyed it. I'm glad I read it.

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got rather bored early on, but it was background when Christmas cooking (a lot!)

Wearing women's clothing was the least problematic of Richard Sharpe's emotional "problems", and probably even reduced their severity at times.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent story! Sad but true.

From back cover:

"When high school sweethearts Karen and Richard Sharpe married, they shared an interest in medicine, a desire for family, and a dream for the future. For Karen, that dream became a nightmare. After years of abuse at the hands of her physician husband, she tried to end their 27-year marriage. Fearing a crushing divorce settlement, Richard ended the marriage first by unloading a .22-caliber rifle into Karen's chest. The murder revealed more about the millionaire doctor and his double life-than polite Boston society was prepared for.."

[Suzanne Lopes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hello Goodreads Family, I finished the book 📖 I gave it 2 ⭐️⭐️ As a true crime fanatic reader, I heard about this case a while back and the book definitely reflected what had happened to Karen Sharpe and how Dr Richard Sharpe brutally shot and killed his wife. The author did an ok job in writing what had happened. I felt that the author cut corners on what lead to the victims murder. The book was boring in my opinion. Although the book really showed how the defendant Dr Richard Sharpe lived his life. He was a cross dresser (with that being sad, there is nothing wrong if that is what you’re into)who stole undergarments from his wife and victim Karen Sharpe and his eldest daughter Shannon. He was a drug user.Apparently, he was a dermatologist doctor who made A LOT of money. He put his wife thru hell to the point that he shot and killed her and then he disparaged her name to the world and then was pleading that he when he killed he was temporarily insane. Which he was found GUILTY on all charges and is in a Massachusetts serving a life sentence.

[Stacy Simpson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sad tale indeed. Even though a victim of abuse myself I cannot see me killing anyone...sure when in a rage it pops into eveyone's head but to actually do it takes a very sick person indeed.

My prayers and sympthay to all family involved in this awful ordeal. And for Richard....Shame on you! You are where you belong with the rest of the scum on the planet...I hope your anal orifice is no longer intact.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the strangest case I have ever read about. John Glatt did an excellent job in trying to put all of the pieces together.

[Maddie Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than some of Glatt’s other books. Well written and thorough. Very detailed look into a life of domestic violence. Potentially triggering for those who have experienced domestic abuse.

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Richard Sharpe is a complicated fellow. He married his high school sweetheart Karen and the lovebirds had a child and married as teenagers. He completed medical school with his wife's financial support. The marriage was a volatile and violent relationship for twenty-seven years.
Both had affairs and the brilliant doctor built a successful medical practice as a dermatologist. The couple had two daughters and a son and Richie had a habit of dressing in women's clothing.
A vicious divorce battle drove the mad doctor over the edge and he ended the marriage with one shot from a .22 caliber rifle.
The trial is amusing and the result not a surprising one. An internet search reveals a strange outcome for Dr. Sharpe. John Glatt is an excellent writer and Twisted is a worthy read.

[River Scott Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

When high school sweethearts Karen and Richard Sharpe married, they shared an interest in medicine, a passion for family, and a dream for the future.

But what soon love turns to hate and hate turns to murder.. Richard went from a loving husband to a manipulative controlling cross dressing killer!

This was a very interesting book and very shocking. I can't imagine how scary it was for Karen to be living with a man like Richard the things he did was just shocking and evil, this book is very well written and researched this book goes into a lot of details about the lives of Karen and Richard. I would recommend this book.

[Jacque]

A tragic story. The book left me with questions about Shannon. Was it part of the abuse syndrome that she remained so closely involved with Richard, considering she described growing up with him as like living with a terrorist? She felt safe enough to go overseas with him? The murder of Karen was horrendous. I do think it was disgusting for her family to file a wrongful death suit against Alden Starr, Jr. Richard STOLE his gun and it wasn’t even the gun he used to shoot Karen. They might as well file against Paula Hiltz for taking him there and not preventing him from stealing it. That suit was about money.

[Nichole1980hotmail.Com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read

I liked how this book didn't go overboard on completely irreverent details. I had never heard about this crazy doctor before and it was 100% worth it. It is so crazy that you would think no way but Yes this is a true story.
A doctor that is a cross dresser, that choses his wife and daughter clothing. He's a multi millionaire but dresses like a bum. I don't want to give to much away but if a doctor that is a drug addict and loves to cross dress and a millionaire isn't enough to make you jump into this book I don't know what will intrigue you.

[Sherry Lynn Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

The off couple

This was an odd pairing from the start. She a wholesome beauty and him a awkward hippie type with a bad temper. It's a true depiction of how the generational abuse leads to horrible violence and murder. Karen was a victim from day 1 and should have run the other way. Very sad indeed.

[Lexi Sølvhammer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read books by this author before so this book came as quite a disappointment.

From the beginning to the end it was very dry. Besides there were a lot of repetitions.

All in all it was hard getting through and seemed very long even though it wasn’t

Great narrator though

*this review has been placed on multiple platforms

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten about this story and these people from my neck of the woods. Or neck of the ocean I should say. It was a well-written story but sad. I wonder where the children are now, they would be in their 20s now, the older sister in her 40s.

[Carol Haldy · Rating 4 out of 5]

true crime book - well done. I thought I knew every salacious murder but somehow I had missed this one. Cross-dressing successful physician - murders wife. I'll never hear about laser removal without cringing.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love true crime books, movies, TV series but this one just didn’t really grab me. It was just OK, meh. The narrator was monotone and that made it drag on. Also there was just straight facts, nothing really psychological going on within the writing or details.

[Lillian Ochoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

I truly enjoyed this gracely written book, I highly recommend this book a must read, really shocking and sad for such a horrible person to kill his wife that was actually so good to him to forgive and stand by him, So heartbreaking!

[Richard Yount · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing story of great success hiding a horrible person

Tightly written. Intriguing to the end. Very difficult to imagine the level of EV evilness embodied in the “doctor”. Very good read.

[Malcolm D Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting read on a sick personality and a batteted wife

This was an interested study of how one can get into a never ending cycle of abuse and stay with the hope that all will be well going forward

[Tija Addams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book but its a bit hard to read because I get so angry at Richard, the evil bastard. Whenever I read this book I always wish I can save Karen.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written account of this crime. Gave a lot of intimate details that you don’t get in the televised versions. So glad he got what he deserved.

[Autumn Stars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately by the time Karen got out of this toxic abusive relationship, her husband Dr Sharp took her life. John Glatt did a thorough job writing this book.

[Claire P · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two words: don’t bother. We live in a time where the fact that someone is likely trans is a lot less shocking than being a domestic abuser. It’s a sorrowful story all around but you don’t end up knowing a lot about any of the principals, leaving the tale to rise and fall on titillation.

[Melanie]

Did not finish- too awful. How can such creatures exist?

[Cindy Poli · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Glatt did it again. Another great read.

[cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad it was 'free'

Title over sells this Crime as bizarre.... When did cross dressing become bizarre? Feel so sorry for this family, especially those children!

[Megan Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at this case.

[Staci McFarland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was a rather, umm, shall I shall, disturbing, disgusting, unusual, insane individual.

[Renate Natalie N · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5**
Poor Karen that didn't get to escape him truly. She ended up killed by her husband. Just awful. Poor children 😢

[Booklover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update: Dr. Richard Sharpe was found hanged and dead in his cell in 2009.