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Every Breath You Take: A True Story of Obsession, Revenge, and Murder
The author of The Stranger Beside Me chronicles a wealthy man's obsession with his ex-wife--a terrifying ordeal that eventually led to murder--in a stunning true crime study written at the request of the victim.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2000
771 people are currently reading
6426 people want to read
About the author
Ann Rule
141 books4,512 followersAnn Rule was a popular American true crime writer. Raised in a law enforcement and criminal justice system environment, she grew up wanting to work in law enforcement herself. She was a former Seattle Policewoman and was well educated in psychology and criminology.
She came to prominence with her first book, The Stranger Beside Me, about the Ted Bundy murders. At the time she started researching the book, the murders were still unsolved. In the course of time, it became clear that the killer was Bundy, her friend and her colleague as a trained volunteer on the suicide hotline at the Seattle, Washington Crisis Clinic, giving her a unique distinction among true crime writers.
Rule won two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She was nominated three times for the Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She is highly regarded for creating the true crime genre as it exists today.
Ann Rule also wrote under the name Andy Stack . Her daughter is Goodreads author Leslie Rule.
She came to prominence with her first book, The Stranger Beside Me, about the Ted Bundy murders. At the time she started researching the book, the murders were still unsolved. In the course of time, it became clear that the killer was Bundy, her friend and her colleague as a trained volunteer on the suicide hotline at the Seattle, Washington Crisis Clinic, giving her a unique distinction among true crime writers.
Rule won two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She was nominated three times for the Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She is highly regarded for creating the true crime genre as it exists today.
Ann Rule also wrote under the name Andy Stack . Her daughter is Goodreads author Leslie Rule.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 428 reviews
January 24, 2019
"If anything ever happens to me, promise me that you'll see that there is an investigation... And find Ann Rule and ask her to write my story"
That is what Sheila Bellush told her sister after her hellish divorce from Allen Blackthorne. And sadly Ann Rule did.
Sheila Bellush was a beautiful 35 year old wife and mother of 6 including 18 month old quadruplets. She and her family had fled Texas to escape her ex husband Allen Blackthorne. She had spent the last decade of her life living in constant fear that he would kill her and on November 7,1997 he did. Like all spousal abusers Allen Blackthorne was a coward and a wimp, he was also very very rich. So instead of killing her himself he hired people to do it for him. Sheila was barely 5 feet tall and weighed 107 pounds but these monsters beat, shot and stabbed her to death...in front of her very young quads. Her 13 year old daughter come home from school and found her dead mother & her blood covered siblings.
Allen Blackthorne was a sociopath, my grandmother would've called him a Wolf in Sheep's clothing. He was charming, smart, and generous on the outside. Inside he was a liar, a scam artist and dangerously controlling. One would think that 10 years after she left him she would be safe but NO! Sheila had done the unthinkable...She outsmarted him and she beat him in court. In Allen's mind she had to die. Allen Blackthorne never thought for one second that he would be caught and had he picked smarter hitmen he might not have been. Thankfully he hired the dumbest criminals I've ever seen....Oh! and he tried to stiff them because he was a cheapskate.
Ann Rule is was and will always be the QUEEN of True Crime. Every Breath You Take is bone chilling and heartbreaking.
That is what Sheila Bellush told her sister after her hellish divorce from Allen Blackthorne. And sadly Ann Rule did.
Sheila Bellush was a beautiful 35 year old wife and mother of 6 including 18 month old quadruplets. She and her family had fled Texas to escape her ex husband Allen Blackthorne. She had spent the last decade of her life living in constant fear that he would kill her and on November 7,1997 he did. Like all spousal abusers Allen Blackthorne was a coward and a wimp, he was also very very rich. So instead of killing her himself he hired people to do it for him. Sheila was barely 5 feet tall and weighed 107 pounds but these monsters beat, shot and stabbed her to death...in front of her very young quads. Her 13 year old daughter come home from school and found her dead mother & her blood covered siblings.
Allen Blackthorne was a sociopath, my grandmother would've called him a Wolf in Sheep's clothing. He was charming, smart, and generous on the outside. Inside he was a liar, a scam artist and dangerously controlling. One would think that 10 years after she left him she would be safe but NO! Sheila had done the unthinkable...She outsmarted him and she beat him in court. In Allen's mind she had to die. Allen Blackthorne never thought for one second that he would be caught and had he picked smarter hitmen he might not have been. Thankfully he hired the dumbest criminals I've ever seen....Oh! and he tried to stiff them because he was a cheapskate.
Ann Rule is was and will always be the QUEEN of True Crime. Every Breath You Take is bone chilling and heartbreaking.
January 7, 2020
Let me preface this rating by saying my opinion of this book is not a reflection of my feelings towards the murder of Sheila Blackthorne Bellush. Her murder was tragic, unnecessary, and senseless.
The low rating is primarily due to the writing style. I understand that Ann Rule is a highly respected True Crime author and I typically enjoy her work too. With that said, Every Breath You Take was filled with too much redundant and pointless information. For example, Ms. Rule details the background of both Allen Blackthorne and Sheila Bellush's parents. I understand this helps establish "why" Allen may have developed vindictive, manipulative tendencies. This also explains how Sheila's sheltered upbringing led to her being overly trusting. By using the couple's parents as a connection between how upbringing affects personal development, does the author need to delve into the abundance of information about the couple's grandparents too? It became a rambling account of family genealogy that made for an exhausting read.
Another issue is the repetitiveness of the entire story. I did not write down specific pages but there are plenty of examples throughout the book. Again, the word rambling comes to mind. Because of this, I found it hard to trudge through the story. I did so only to find out if Allen was convicted.
My final complaint is the inadequate description Ann Rule gives of the victim, Sheila Bellush. The author mentions a few "concerns" that others had about Sheila but fails to add any supporting details. For example, Ms. Rule writes that "Sheila was not a saint, but her children came first." That was it, end of the statement. So, whatever made Sheila less than "saintly," is up to the readers to determine. Later in the narrative, the author described how Sheila would get frustrated and "rightly so." This would lead Shelia to verbally admonish her older children and "sometimes" spank them with a belt. Again, this black mark against Sheila's character was acknowledged in one sentence and never mentioned again.
I recommend saving your time by Googling the story. If the repetitiveness and needless information were eliminated, it would make for a much shorter and enjoyable read.
The low rating is primarily due to the writing style. I understand that Ann Rule is a highly respected True Crime author and I typically enjoy her work too. With that said, Every Breath You Take was filled with too much redundant and pointless information. For example, Ms. Rule details the background of both Allen Blackthorne and Sheila Bellush's parents. I understand this helps establish "why" Allen may have developed vindictive, manipulative tendencies. This also explains how Sheila's sheltered upbringing led to her being overly trusting. By using the couple's parents as a connection between how upbringing affects personal development, does the author need to delve into the abundance of information about the couple's grandparents too? It became a rambling account of family genealogy that made for an exhausting read.
Another issue is the repetitiveness of the entire story. I did not write down specific pages but there are plenty of examples throughout the book. Again, the word rambling comes to mind. Because of this, I found it hard to trudge through the story. I did so only to find out if Allen was convicted.
My final complaint is the inadequate description Ann Rule gives of the victim, Sheila Bellush. The author mentions a few "concerns" that others had about Sheila but fails to add any supporting details. For example, Ms. Rule writes that "Sheila was not a saint, but her children came first." That was it, end of the statement. So, whatever made Sheila less than "saintly," is up to the readers to determine. Later in the narrative, the author described how Sheila would get frustrated and "rightly so." This would lead Shelia to verbally admonish her older children and "sometimes" spank them with a belt. Again, this black mark against Sheila's character was acknowledged in one sentence and never mentioned again.
I recommend saving your time by Googling the story. If the repetitiveness and needless information were eliminated, it would make for a much shorter and enjoyable read.
June 3, 2020
“If anything ever happens to me…find Ann Rule and ask her to write my story.”
Sheila Blackthorne Bellush about Ann Rule: Every Breath You Take: A True Story of Obsession, Revenge, and Murder
This book was so sad and tragic but you just cannot stop reading it.
Let me start by saying when reading true crime. I usually do not get above a 3 in my rating. That is because I am reading about real life victims so it's hard. Ann Rule has always been among my favorites in terms of True Crime. She really had a gift in terms of writing with compassion and getting inside the heads of just about everyone she wrote about.
In Every Breath you take, she writes about Sheila Blackthorne Bellush. Sheila had a feeling something might happen to her and actually asked a family member to have Rule write her story i f anything did.
Sadly, she was right.
Rule takes us into Sheila's life and tells her story amazingly. It is a pretty heart breaking book but really all her books are. What makes this book particularly poignant is the bond between the victim and the writer. Ann set out to honor Sheila's memory and wrote a heartbreakingly sad yet earnest and authentic book that tells of unspeakable evil and tears at your heart strings.
I would recommend this book at any fan of true crime books but bring the kleenex.
Sheila Blackthorne Bellush about Ann Rule: Every Breath You Take: A True Story of Obsession, Revenge, and Murder
This book was so sad and tragic but you just cannot stop reading it.
Let me start by saying when reading true crime. I usually do not get above a 3 in my rating. That is because I am reading about real life victims so it's hard. Ann Rule has always been among my favorites in terms of True Crime. She really had a gift in terms of writing with compassion and getting inside the heads of just about everyone she wrote about.
In Every Breath you take, she writes about Sheila Blackthorne Bellush. Sheila had a feeling something might happen to her and actually asked a family member to have Rule write her story i f anything did.
Sadly, she was right.
Rule takes us into Sheila's life and tells her story amazingly. It is a pretty heart breaking book but really all her books are. What makes this book particularly poignant is the bond between the victim and the writer. Ann set out to honor Sheila's memory and wrote a heartbreakingly sad yet earnest and authentic book that tells of unspeakable evil and tears at your heart strings.
I would recommend this book at any fan of true crime books but bring the kleenex.
August 30, 2011
Basically a good read if you like to follow true crime. However it's a novel that could and maybe should have been written with half as many pages. Rule gives far too many quotes and snippets from all sides of the families, legal teams and accused to make it a pleasure to read. It drags as we are burdened by a sea of facts,dates and her insights.
dnf
July 7, 2018I feel kind of bad but this book didn’t work for me. It was the writing and story structure...It just didn’t do anything for me. Reading became a chore.
September 26, 2021
I can read pretty much anything in a thriller/crime novel without much hesitation but true crime is so much more of an intense reading experience. Because in a novel you'll now the bad guy often get caught and it's never a true story. Ann Rule definitely now how to write a page turning book, getting so invested in the case, even though there's a lot of tragically and horrific things in her books, that's are all true. It's hard not to put down. It's so sad and makes me angry that the woman spent 10 years with her kids on the run with out getting help that she needed before it was to late
May 15, 2025
The bloat got the better of me with this one.
Although Allen is as worthy a villain as most in the Ann Rule library, the sheer number of pages to tell this story seemed excessive. And as others have pointed out, there is a lack of insight into who Sheila really was as a person. Maybe she was closed off from her family (her story had to be told secondhand, obviously) and that made it hard to get into her head as much as Rule normally does.
That doesn’t mean the characterization is lacking; it isn’t. This book has a large cast of people and covers decades. Rule fans will get sucked in and if you’re a fan of in-depth, personal true crime it’s a winner.
Although Allen is as worthy a villain as most in the Ann Rule library, the sheer number of pages to tell this story seemed excessive. And as others have pointed out, there is a lack of insight into who Sheila really was as a person. Maybe she was closed off from her family (her story had to be told secondhand, obviously) and that made it hard to get into her head as much as Rule normally does.
That doesn’t mean the characterization is lacking; it isn’t. This book has a large cast of people and covers decades. Rule fans will get sucked in and if you’re a fan of in-depth, personal true crime it’s a winner.
June 18, 2017
If Ann rule wants a simple story of right and wrong, then she should pick a simple story in which there is clearly a victim and clearly an evil person and there is no overlap. If she chooses to pick a more complex case, like this case, then she should have enough respect for the intelligence and analytical thinking skills of her readers to represent the details of the complex case as such. Rule chooses murder cases that I am interested in. Despite the fact that she is a profoundly terrible writer (very similar to Jerry Bledsoe), I keep coming back for more. That just goes to show you that you don't have to be a great writer to rake in the bucks. You simply have to provide the reader with an addicting, even if poorly told, story. Without exception, Rules is more interested in right and wrong dichotomies than she is in analyzing complexities of human nature. It's almost as if her need for justice and punishment turns off the critical thinking parts of her brain, making everything black and white-- when it's not. I want Josh Greene to study people like her.
There is no excuse for killing the mother of his children. There is no doubt that the murderer in the book is just that, a horrible murderer who doesn't deserve the sympathy he pandered for. Should we hate him? Sure, go right ahead. i could not help but hate him while reading this story. I am so thankful I never married someone who killed me and ruined the lives of the children we brought into this world. At the same time, this divorce was ugly. The wife did not deserve to die for her very deliberate part in making things contentious, but that doesn't mean that just because she is dead, she was perfect while a live. She was a human being. She had good qualities and bad. Both her children, who no longer speak to their father and are absolutely devastated by the murder of their mother, have said that she lied about the sexual abuse allegations made against their father. ( I had to look all of this up using outside sources since Rule cannot be counted on to present *all* the facts). The mother wanted the kids and did everything she could to make up lies about the father and then use those lies to threaten him and forcefully take his children from him, even though they very much wanted to see him. He too lied about her abusing the girls (even though there is evidence that both she and their step father were very hard handed-- just not quite *as* hard handed as the father had alleged. If I were her, I too might have wanted to keep my kids away from him. After all, he did murder her in the end. The point is, there was so much complexity that Ann Rule refused to acknowledge. Every time the wife hurt the children, lied about sexual abuse, or did anything else that was *clearly* wrong, Rule justified it. It was never the wife's fault. So stupid. She can be at fault for doing some of the stupid things that human beings do from time to time and still not be at fault for being murdered. Rule should do a better job of representing the whole picture.
There is no excuse for killing the mother of his children. There is no doubt that the murderer in the book is just that, a horrible murderer who doesn't deserve the sympathy he pandered for. Should we hate him? Sure, go right ahead. i could not help but hate him while reading this story. I am so thankful I never married someone who killed me and ruined the lives of the children we brought into this world. At the same time, this divorce was ugly. The wife did not deserve to die for her very deliberate part in making things contentious, but that doesn't mean that just because she is dead, she was perfect while a live. She was a human being. She had good qualities and bad. Both her children, who no longer speak to their father and are absolutely devastated by the murder of their mother, have said that she lied about the sexual abuse allegations made against their father. ( I had to look all of this up using outside sources since Rule cannot be counted on to present *all* the facts). The mother wanted the kids and did everything she could to make up lies about the father and then use those lies to threaten him and forcefully take his children from him, even though they very much wanted to see him. He too lied about her abusing the girls (even though there is evidence that both she and their step father were very hard handed-- just not quite *as* hard handed as the father had alleged. If I were her, I too might have wanted to keep my kids away from him. After all, he did murder her in the end. The point is, there was so much complexity that Ann Rule refused to acknowledge. Every time the wife hurt the children, lied about sexual abuse, or did anything else that was *clearly* wrong, Rule justified it. It was never the wife's fault. So stupid. She can be at fault for doing some of the stupid things that human beings do from time to time and still not be at fault for being murdered. Rule should do a better job of representing the whole picture.
February 12, 2012
I must say that for a nonfiction book, this read like a novel. I was intrigued and disgusted by the case, and I wanted justice done! A very good book. I will definitely read more of Ann Rule in the future.
November 18, 2017
Finally finished this book. Didn’t love it. Pretty heavy on the cop-worship. I️ think I’m finally cured of my Ann Rule mania.
June 18, 2024
And Ann Rule hits it out of the park again! I will never get tired of reading her work, she’s brilliant at what she does and I love it.
July 28, 2009
Every Breath You Take is the story of the life and death of Sheila Bellush and the road to bring those responsible for her murder to justice. Sheila had a tumultuous marriage to Allen Blackthorne. Violent and controlling, she finally found the courage to leave him. After her divorce to him he proceeded to create trouble for her and their two daughters Stevie and Daryl. Long after Sheila had married Jamie Bellush and they had quadruplets, Allen did his best to disrupt their lives. He used her neighbors and his children to create havoc. After his oldest daughter refused to visit him any longer he turned up the heat with his youngest daughter. He encouraged her to accuse her mother of child abuse. After one particular event it was decided they had to get away from Allen and do it secretly.
Jamie and Sheila moved to Sarasota, Florida after Jamie’s boss transferred him to Sarasota. Sheila’s youngest daughter was still in Texas. After flying back to get her and take care of legal issues, Sheila brought Daryl back and she was put in a youth camp. Problems prevented them from taking her home with them. Daryl through manipulation managed to give her father enough information for him to find them. This set in motion that wheels that led up to Sheila’s death. On November 7, 1997 while at home with her four youngest children Sheila was brutally attacked and killed.
Ann Rule did an excellent job of taking the reader through the troubles that plagued Sheila until her death. She then takes you down the heart wrenching path of the day Stevie finds her mother’s body and the all of the law enforcement officers that eventually brought the people responsible for her death to justice. This is a 5 out of 5. I read the book in 4 ½ hours.
Jamie and Sheila moved to Sarasota, Florida after Jamie’s boss transferred him to Sarasota. Sheila’s youngest daughter was still in Texas. After flying back to get her and take care of legal issues, Sheila brought Daryl back and she was put in a youth camp. Problems prevented them from taking her home with them. Daryl through manipulation managed to give her father enough information for him to find them. This set in motion that wheels that led up to Sheila’s death. On November 7, 1997 while at home with her four youngest children Sheila was brutally attacked and killed.
Ann Rule did an excellent job of taking the reader through the troubles that plagued Sheila until her death. She then takes you down the heart wrenching path of the day Stevie finds her mother’s body and the all of the law enforcement officers that eventually brought the people responsible for her death to justice. This is a 5 out of 5. I read the book in 4 ½ hours.
July 19, 2022
One of Ann rule’s better books this is a very detailed book about the murder of Sheila bellush. The amount of detail from both her and Allen’s life is 2nd to none.
This case is about domestic violence the lengths an abuser is willing to go to end another’s life. Please read this book and if someone you know is in trouble let the police know
This case is about domestic violence the lengths an abuser is willing to go to end another’s life. Please read this book and if someone you know is in trouble let the police know
June 17, 2013
I would have liked to give this 4 stars, but I thought it was a little bit long winded
November 30, 2024
It was ok.
Maybe I’m getting tired of all these true crime stories and need a breather?
Listened to on audio.
Maybe I’m getting tired of all these true crime stories and need a breather?
Listened to on audio.
March 13, 2021
This woman can surely write a detailed true crime book!
March 14, 2022
This was a hard book to read. I was actually living and working in Florida when she was murdered. We followed the story and I was incensed when Mexico refused to extradite the killer unless the US agreed we would not senates him to the death penalty. If anyone deserved to die, it was the ex-husband and the murderer. The fact they still breathe is completely offensive to me after of what they did.
May 27, 2025
I am really in my true crime books zone and who better to read than Ann Rule? I’ve found that I love non-fiction on audio so I listened to this one and it was thorough and well done. Unfortunately it was another story that made me feel like a woman can’t get away from the bad guy no matter what she does.
Sheila had finally gotten a divorce. Remarried. Had quadruplets. Moved from Texas to Florida and made sure very few people knew where her new family was. She’s still dead. That is extremely hard for me to come to terms with and I didn’t know her.
She was hunted down like a dog and slaughtered. Someone entered her house where she was with her two year-old quadruplets and took this mother of six children. Just like that. And you know what he said? He said when he saw what a good mother she was he almost didn’t go through with it. You know the rest.
Sheila had finally gotten a divorce. Remarried. Had quadruplets. Moved from Texas to Florida and made sure very few people knew where her new family was. She’s still dead. That is extremely hard for me to come to terms with and I didn’t know her.
She was hunted down like a dog and slaughtered. Someone entered her house where she was with her two year-old quadruplets and took this mother of six children. Just like that. And you know what he said? He said when he saw what a good mother she was he almost didn’t go through with it. You know the rest.
October 7, 2020
While Ann Rule’s writing of The Stranger Beside Me was heavily influenced by the fact that she was friends and colleagues with Ted Bundy, her connection to the subject of Every Breath You Take is quite personal, too. Rule never met Sheila Blackthorne Bellush, but Shelia’s sister tells Ann Rule that Sheila had asked that she write the book about her if anything was to happen to her at the hands of her ex-husband, Allen Blackthorne.
One of the reasons The Stranger Beside Me is such a great true crime book is because of Ann Rule’s extensive research and attention to detail. The same can be said of Every Breath You Take. This is a tragic story; one that puts knots in my stomach. In reading this book, you are bearing witness to Sheila’s story. The story is infuriating as much as it is sorrowful. It’s one of the more upsetting books I’ve ever read, partly because Ann Rule is so damn good at giving an intimate portrayal.
I did have issues with this book, though. This book is way too long. It could have been a lot shorter because it is extremely repetitive. I was also bothered by Rule’s insistence in mentioning what she calls “cross dressing” in the same breath as Allen’s actual abuse and crimes. I know this was written in a different time from now, but still. Just, no.
PS omg RS Medical still exists.
One of the reasons The Stranger Beside Me is such a great true crime book is because of Ann Rule’s extensive research and attention to detail. The same can be said of Every Breath You Take. This is a tragic story; one that puts knots in my stomach. In reading this book, you are bearing witness to Sheila’s story. The story is infuriating as much as it is sorrowful. It’s one of the more upsetting books I’ve ever read, partly because Ann Rule is so damn good at giving an intimate portrayal.
I did have issues with this book, though. This book is way too long. It could have been a lot shorter because it is extremely repetitive. I was also bothered by Rule’s insistence in mentioning what she calls “cross dressing” in the same breath as Allen’s actual abuse and crimes. I know this was written in a different time from now, but still. Just, no.
PS omg RS Medical still exists.
September 8, 2011
The book was repetitive and dealt too much with the muder plot than the murder itself. Ann notes extensively the family history of the nurdered woman and the killer devoting several chapters - translating to many hours of book reading time - to the kind of parents the murderer had. I understand that her attempt was to show the ultimate motives for the murder, but it just took me way off track. She could have mentioned as she wrote about the murderer that his mother was abusive, father hated him, etc. It was a waste of paper for the most part and awfully hard to read.
I'll still read my Ann Rule books, but this one just didn't do it for me at all!
I'll still read my Ann Rule books, but this one just didn't do it for me at all!
November 6, 2011
I think this is the one book that I could not finish. I like Ann Rule's books and she is a great writer but there is only one word to describe Allen Blackthorne and that is evil. He made me sick and it got to the point that I didn't care any more. He deserved whatever this life gives him because I know he will pay for his sins dearly when he passes over.
May 4, 2018
This was a very long detailed tale of murder for hire. I had seen an episode of some criminal show that detailed this case so I already knew the outcome. Allen is an evil, evil man who should have died when he was attacked in prison. The thought that someday an appeal could go through and he could be released is frightening. I do wonder where the quads are today and if they faired well.
August 3, 2016
The first couple of chapters are very boring and I just couldn’t get past them. I know that backstory of characters, especially in nonfiction books, are important for the build up and the emotions but enough is enough.
yet another DNF.
yet another DNF.
January 20, 2022
I have never read Ann Rule before and I think I may have read an article about her recently. I'm also not a big true crime reader. However, I thought this book was absolutely fascinating. Rule is an amazing writer and portrayed Allen Blackthorne in a chilling manner. I could hardly put this book down. Sheila Blackthorne Bellush tells her sister "If anything ever happens to me, find Ann Rule and ask her to tell my story." And what a story it is. Allen Blackthorne was a violent sociopath who couldn't stand to lose. He continually lost to Sheila in court once she divorced him and he became obsessed with revenge upon her. Which he finally achieved. Ann Rule does a masterful job of describing him and the legal system that worked for two years to bring him to justice. It is very frightening to think there are people like Allen Blackthorne who can fool the smartest people into believing they are fine, upstanding members of a community while they are murderous, conniving, ruthless human beings!
November 24, 2022
3.5⭐️
Wah I finished it. This drained me. It was so long and I feel like most of it could have been edited out. For example the author spent 3 pages describing a town in part two. Also the trial of Allen started in the last quarter of the book!
He literally killed her just because of anger. Petty anger. He took this mother of six away from her kids just because. And the investigation took three years! She died on Nov 7th 1997 and the trial for Allen took place in June 2000.
There were also pictures in the book that showed this woman's life. That was weird for me. She was an actual person who existed long before I was born.
There wasn't much detail of the murder. We learn about Sheila as a person. Her life, her relatives' lives, Allen's life, his relatives' lives...Ugh! There was so much detail. The trial itself was maybe the last 280 pages. The author did a great job with the story. It was just too damn long.
Wah I finished it. This drained me. It was so long and I feel like most of it could have been edited out. For example the author spent 3 pages describing a town in part two. Also the trial of Allen started in the last quarter of the book!
He literally killed her just because of anger. Petty anger. He took this mother of six away from her kids just because. And the investigation took three years! She died on Nov 7th 1997 and the trial for Allen took place in June 2000.
There were also pictures in the book that showed this woman's life. That was weird for me. She was an actual person who existed long before I was born.
There wasn't much detail of the murder. We learn about Sheila as a person. Her life, her relatives' lives, Allen's life, his relatives' lives...Ugh! There was so much detail. The trial itself was maybe the last 280 pages. The author did a great job with the story. It was just too damn long.
November 11, 2018
The true crime writer Ann Rule did it splendidly again here. This here, besides, Anthony Trollope, she has risen to the top of my list as one of my most read authors. In the past, I used to avoid anything to do with true crime and preferred the age old law reports which are bereft of the impact and distraught which some crimes cause to the victims. Through her books, Ann Rule has contributed greatly to the American Criminal Justice System.
Here, we meet with Allen Van Houte aka Blackthorne. A man whi gravitates towards money and women but is never satisfied. After being abused and leading a difficult life as a child, he struggles so much to lead a normal life in his adulthood. He marries beautiful women who quickly discover that they have made a very big mistake. Allen is said to be worth 50 million dollars by the time of his arrest for the murder of his divorced wife Sharon. At the time, he was married to a very beautiful wife and had children with his new wife.
Unfortunately, he was never satisfied. He was obsessed with his divorced wife Sheila. He could not bear to see her happy in life. He did everything he could do to make sure that she remained under his grip. And when it became impossible for him to control her, he hired a group of men to kill her. It was a despicable crime motivated by greed and selfishness. This was quite a story. Recommended for everyone.
Here, we meet with Allen Van Houte aka Blackthorne. A man whi gravitates towards money and women but is never satisfied. After being abused and leading a difficult life as a child, he struggles so much to lead a normal life in his adulthood. He marries beautiful women who quickly discover that they have made a very big mistake. Allen is said to be worth 50 million dollars by the time of his arrest for the murder of his divorced wife Sharon. At the time, he was married to a very beautiful wife and had children with his new wife.
Unfortunately, he was never satisfied. He was obsessed with his divorced wife Sheila. He could not bear to see her happy in life. He did everything he could do to make sure that she remained under his grip. And when it became impossible for him to control her, he hired a group of men to kill her. It was a despicable crime motivated by greed and selfishness. This was quite a story. Recommended for everyone.
September 23, 2019
2.5 Stars
This might be my last true crime book for the foreseeable future. What happened to Sheila Bellush was horrible, and honestly it was hard to read about. Ann is a *fantastic* writer, and this rating has nothing to do with her ability--it says more about my personal comfort/tastes. Stories like that make me question how ANYONE would doubt a woman who says that she is afraid of her ex. I'm glad that they were made to answer for their crimes, but this was just as disheartening when you look at everything else that he DID get away with, and how many women had to be afraid of him to be taken as a serious threat. I think from now on, I'll stick to the true crime podcasts.
This might be my last true crime book for the foreseeable future. What happened to Sheila Bellush was horrible, and honestly it was hard to read about. Ann is a *fantastic* writer, and this rating has nothing to do with her ability--it says more about my personal comfort/tastes. Stories like that make me question how ANYONE would doubt a woman who says that she is afraid of her ex. I'm glad that they were made to answer for their crimes, but this was just as disheartening when you look at everything else that he DID get away with, and how many women had to be afraid of him to be taken as a serious threat. I think from now on, I'll stick to the true crime podcasts.
September 9, 2019
This was "okay" -- I have to admit, I'm not a fan of Ann Rule's writing style, but I really enjoy true crime and so sometimes I'll pick her work up and give it a go. In this particular true crime novel we get a beaten wife whose ex-husband eventually pays to have her killed. Lots of backstory (that unfortunately makes you wonder how the husband was able to get away with abusing several women for years--scumbag) and less of a focus on the murder itself. All in all, tragic. Unfortunately the writing style is just not up to par with other true crime out there.
December 27, 2024
I appreciated how in-depth and detailed this book was even though it was dry at times, because it emphasized the point that the murderer could have been stopped at so many times prior to the murder. It was also just shocking how nonchalant and callous many of the men in the book were towards violence against women. This book is a thorough deep dive into a tragic story that true crime fans will appreciate.
September 1, 2025
Listening to the audiobook for this was like listening to a true crime podcast in the best way. I got so interested in what was going on I went ahead and did a bunch of extra research on my own into the case and can confirm I hope Allen Blackthorne is rotting in hell <3
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