What do you think?
Rate this book
Heart Full of Lies: A True Story of Desire and Death
Ann Rule n’a pas oublié qu’elle était flic, et la rigueur de ses investigations lui a valu un triomphe international. L’histoire qu’elle rapporte ici lui a pourtant donné du fil à retordre : elle débute comme un conte de fées, par un mariage sur une plage hawaiienne, pour virer au cauchemar dans un camping de l’Oregon. Une meurtrière dépeinte comme une figure angélique, un mort qui passe pour un monstre... Entre les partisans de l’une et de l’autre, Ann Rule tente de démêler l’écheveau de mensonges, d’ambitions et de trahisons qui a conduit à cette tragédie insensée.
480 pages, ebook
First published October 7, 2003
609 people are currently reading
3778 people want to read
About the author
Ann Rule
141 books4,511 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
October 17, 2010
This is the second Ann Rule book that I've read, and remain impressed with the massive amount of work and research that goes into such a project. As the story of Liysa Northon, currently in prison for killing her husband Chris, is widely available, I'm not going to spend any time summarizing it.
I have read some reviews that state that the language and context in this book is repetitive. While in one sense that is true, the list of people involved in this story is massive -- there are several pages in the beginning of this book listing the names of all of the people involved in this tragic tale.
When I saw the long list, I wondered I might have trouble following the story, but I did not. I found it to be an easy and quick read, though naturally, disturbing.
I think Rule was intentionally a bit repetitive at times just to keep the reader from getting lost. Maybe it's because she is so skilled as a true crime writer that she repeated names/situations more than necessary. It didn't bother me but I can see why some people would make mention of it.
At any rate, I have great respect for this author. I will definitely read more of her work in the future.
I have read some reviews that state that the language and context in this book is repetitive. While in one sense that is true, the list of people involved in this story is massive -- there are several pages in the beginning of this book listing the names of all of the people involved in this tragic tale.
When I saw the long list, I wondered I might have trouble following the story, but I did not. I found it to be an easy and quick read, though naturally, disturbing.
I think Rule was intentionally a bit repetitive at times just to keep the reader from getting lost. Maybe it's because she is so skilled as a true crime writer that she repeated names/situations more than necessary. It didn't bother me but I can see why some people would make mention of it.
At any rate, I have great respect for this author. I will definitely read more of her work in the future.
June 20, 2021
This is really a true crime book in three acts -- I. before a shooting, II. a murder, III. a trial. Although those three acts are jumbled up by Ann Rule for narrative effect, it's a fairly effective way to craft a true crime story, and it has worked for Ms. Rule before.
Unlike some true crime stories, especially those that focus on history and historical context, I found myself very much on an imaginary jury for the Liysa Northon case. I spent my time in the three acts trying to decide whether Northon was guilty or innocent of actual murder. There is no question, you see, of whether or not she killed her third husband, Chris. We know she pulled the trigger. She admits as much. The questions are whether his shooting was justified because Liysa's husband was a savage abuser who posed an imminent threat to her and their child, whether his shooting was unjustified because of a lack of imminent danger but righteously motivated because of historic abuse and so a form of manslaughter, or whether Chris was murdered by an unhealthy (maybe even mentally ill) personality who undertook a campaign to discredit her husband and falsely sew premeditated seeds of justification so she could get away with murder.
In the pre-shooting act of the book I found myself a little torn. Rule admits that much of her information comes from Chris Northon's supporters, who were more than willing to go on the record with her and verify their identities to her satisfaction, while the information she got from Liysa's side seemed harder to trace and people harder to verify. In this section, Liysa comes off as intelligent, talented, a near perfect mother, beloved by many, and eminently capable, but there is always something a little "hinky" or "not-quite-right" about her (which are opinions that either police or Chris's people convey), and it is hard not to feel like Rule is manipulating her narrative against Liysa and for Chris.
A case in point is the way the outbuilding Chris lived in on Liysa's property before they got married is presented. Chris -- the man we are told by his supporters is a non-violent man who avoided conflict, a kind man, a great father, a talented, self-taught musician, an exceptional pilot, the best of men -- lived in this little hideaway in Liysa's yard while she was still married to her second husband Nick. If this act of cuckolding, which was never actually called out, wasn't enough to taint Chris, one would imagine that his "cute" name for his hideaway, Berchtesgaden, would be. All of those same friends who loved and adored him called his hideaway Berchtesgaden too. And Rule offers that name up time and again without any reflexive flinching. Odd isn't it? Chris had named his hideaway after Hitler's Eagle Nest, the mountaintop hideaway of Der Fuhrer in the Alps, "Berchtesgaden," and shouldn't that give us all pause? Sure, it isn't proof that Chris isn't all those things his friends said he was, but surely it should raise some eyebrows about his character, at the very least it should have raised Ann Rule's eyebrows, but this peculiarity is never scrutinized, and I couldn't help fearing because of this that much else about Chris wasn't be properly scrutinized.
So maybe Liysa was entirely justified after all.
But then comes the murder and things become much muddier for Liysa. Evidence at the crime scene, toxicology reports, Liysa's contradictory testimony, things she did and didn't do, all of them point to a level of necessary premeditation on Liysa's part, suggesting that even if Chris was guilty of abuse (and at this point in Rule's narrative that couldn't be completely ruled out, although his alleged abuse was becoming increasingly questionable) Liysa created a situation where she could kill him and be relatively confident of acquittal because she needed to protect herself and her son.
So maybe Liysa was properly motivated and maybe she wasn't, but she did shoot Chris, and it was looking like she planned his killing at least a little. Was she justified, though? At this point it was still hard to tell, but much less hard than it was at the end of act I. before a shooting.
Which leads us to the trial. This is where Ann Rule really nailed Liysa Northon to the wall, or, as I am sure Rule would say, Liysa nailed herself to the wall. While Rule never really gets to the bottom of whether Chris Northon abused Liysa or not (although by this point in the book it seems like any abuse, if it did exist at all, was heavily exagerrated), all the evidence suggests that Liysa was, at best, a chronic liar (which undermined her defense), and at worst a delusional sociopath whose narcissism knew no bounds and whose skewed vision of her reality put the people around her in serious danger. The most damning part of Liysa's story was her missing computer.
At one point in the tale, we are told that Chris came home one night to find Liysa frantic. She had discovered that her computer (and Chris' computer too) and her beloved camera had been stolen. The former contained all the work she had been doing on her screenplays (amongst her other talents, Rule recognizes her as an accomplished writer), and she was desperate to get them back. Chris called the police, and he gave them the serial numbers of all the missing gear, which were put on record and an investigation was opened. Fast forward a few months and Liysa, we are told by Rule, started taking friends into her confidence, telling them that she suspected Chris had stolen all the gear and disposed of it himself because she had found evidence of questionable pornography (even child pornography) on his computer, and he needed to dispose of the computer to protect himself once she'd found out. So he'd stage the theft to cover his ass.
But the truth was something else entirely. Turns out that it was Liysa who had stage the theft, and had then taken her computer and camera and given it to a friend for safe keeping. Once the trial was underway, she contacted her friend and told her to destroy it because what was on their "will hang me." And on that computer, it seems, was more than enough evidence to convict her. There is a screenplay, for instance, that is chillingly like a blueprint for murdering her husband, and there are e-mails and searches that make it clear she was planning some action against Chris. And once the evidence from the computer was deemed admissible in court, her lawyers urged her to take a plea to manslaughter -- which she accepted, albeit reluctantly.
So by the end I found myself pretty sure that Liysa Northon was guilty of murder, but pretty sure isn't absolutely sure.
Would I have found her guilty had I been on her jury? Is Ann Rule too biased to present this case fairly? Is a person's (in this case Liysa's) history of lying enough to remove reasonable doubt of her guilt? Is it even fair for us to judge Liysa when we are so far removed and can only see her and Chris's story through another person's eyes? The answer to all of these questions is that I am just not sure. But Ann Rule's Heart Full of Lies: A True Story of Desire and Death is a compelling read, and I do find myself, by the end of her telling, agreeing with Ms. Rule that Liysa Northon is guilty of murder.
Yet I do so with reservations.
Unlike some true crime stories, especially those that focus on history and historical context, I found myself very much on an imaginary jury for the Liysa Northon case. I spent my time in the three acts trying to decide whether Northon was guilty or innocent of actual murder. There is no question, you see, of whether or not she killed her third husband, Chris. We know she pulled the trigger. She admits as much. The questions are whether his shooting was justified because Liysa's husband was a savage abuser who posed an imminent threat to her and their child, whether his shooting was unjustified because of a lack of imminent danger but righteously motivated because of historic abuse and so a form of manslaughter, or whether Chris was murdered by an unhealthy (maybe even mentally ill) personality who undertook a campaign to discredit her husband and falsely sew premeditated seeds of justification so she could get away with murder.
In the pre-shooting act of the book I found myself a little torn. Rule admits that much of her information comes from Chris Northon's supporters, who were more than willing to go on the record with her and verify their identities to her satisfaction, while the information she got from Liysa's side seemed harder to trace and people harder to verify. In this section, Liysa comes off as intelligent, talented, a near perfect mother, beloved by many, and eminently capable, but there is always something a little "hinky" or "not-quite-right" about her (which are opinions that either police or Chris's people convey), and it is hard not to feel like Rule is manipulating her narrative against Liysa and for Chris.
A case in point is the way the outbuilding Chris lived in on Liysa's property before they got married is presented. Chris -- the man we are told by his supporters is a non-violent man who avoided conflict, a kind man, a great father, a talented, self-taught musician, an exceptional pilot, the best of men -- lived in this little hideaway in Liysa's yard while she was still married to her second husband Nick. If this act of cuckolding, which was never actually called out, wasn't enough to taint Chris, one would imagine that his "cute" name for his hideaway, Berchtesgaden, would be. All of those same friends who loved and adored him called his hideaway Berchtesgaden too. And Rule offers that name up time and again without any reflexive flinching. Odd isn't it? Chris had named his hideaway after Hitler's Eagle Nest, the mountaintop hideaway of Der Fuhrer in the Alps, "Berchtesgaden," and shouldn't that give us all pause? Sure, it isn't proof that Chris isn't all those things his friends said he was, but surely it should raise some eyebrows about his character, at the very least it should have raised Ann Rule's eyebrows, but this peculiarity is never scrutinized, and I couldn't help fearing because of this that much else about Chris wasn't be properly scrutinized.
So maybe Liysa was entirely justified after all.
But then comes the murder and things become much muddier for Liysa. Evidence at the crime scene, toxicology reports, Liysa's contradictory testimony, things she did and didn't do, all of them point to a level of necessary premeditation on Liysa's part, suggesting that even if Chris was guilty of abuse (and at this point in Rule's narrative that couldn't be completely ruled out, although his alleged abuse was becoming increasingly questionable) Liysa created a situation where she could kill him and be relatively confident of acquittal because she needed to protect herself and her son.
So maybe Liysa was properly motivated and maybe she wasn't, but she did shoot Chris, and it was looking like she planned his killing at least a little. Was she justified, though? At this point it was still hard to tell, but much less hard than it was at the end of act I. before a shooting.
Which leads us to the trial. This is where Ann Rule really nailed Liysa Northon to the wall, or, as I am sure Rule would say, Liysa nailed herself to the wall. While Rule never really gets to the bottom of whether Chris Northon abused Liysa or not (although by this point in the book it seems like any abuse, if it did exist at all, was heavily exagerrated), all the evidence suggests that Liysa was, at best, a chronic liar (which undermined her defense), and at worst a delusional sociopath whose narcissism knew no bounds and whose skewed vision of her reality put the people around her in serious danger. The most damning part of Liysa's story was her missing computer.
At one point in the tale, we are told that Chris came home one night to find Liysa frantic. She had discovered that her computer (and Chris' computer too) and her beloved camera had been stolen. The former contained all the work she had been doing on her screenplays (amongst her other talents, Rule recognizes her as an accomplished writer), and she was desperate to get them back. Chris called the police, and he gave them the serial numbers of all the missing gear, which were put on record and an investigation was opened. Fast forward a few months and Liysa, we are told by Rule, started taking friends into her confidence, telling them that she suspected Chris had stolen all the gear and disposed of it himself because she had found evidence of questionable pornography (even child pornography) on his computer, and he needed to dispose of the computer to protect himself once she'd found out. So he'd stage the theft to cover his ass.
But the truth was something else entirely. Turns out that it was Liysa who had stage the theft, and had then taken her computer and camera and given it to a friend for safe keeping. Once the trial was underway, she contacted her friend and told her to destroy it because what was on their "will hang me." And on that computer, it seems, was more than enough evidence to convict her. There is a screenplay, for instance, that is chillingly like a blueprint for murdering her husband, and there are e-mails and searches that make it clear she was planning some action against Chris. And once the evidence from the computer was deemed admissible in court, her lawyers urged her to take a plea to manslaughter -- which she accepted, albeit reluctantly.
So by the end I found myself pretty sure that Liysa Northon was guilty of murder, but pretty sure isn't absolutely sure.
Would I have found her guilty had I been on her jury? Is Ann Rule too biased to present this case fairly? Is a person's (in this case Liysa's) history of lying enough to remove reasonable doubt of her guilt? Is it even fair for us to judge Liysa when we are so far removed and can only see her and Chris's story through another person's eyes? The answer to all of these questions is that I am just not sure. But Ann Rule's Heart Full of Lies: A True Story of Desire and Death is a compelling read, and I do find myself, by the end of her telling, agreeing with Ms. Rule that Liysa Northon is guilty of murder.
Yet I do so with reservations.
January 3, 2009
This is Ann Rule's account of Liysa Northon's murder of her airline pilot husband. I became interested in her story after reading that Liysa sued Ann Rule for defamation over the book. According to the article I read, the court basically decided that the reputation of an inmate convicted of murder is so bad that it is impossible to damage it (I haven't read the opinion myself). After finishing the book, I was pretty convinced that Liysa was a nut, but I became absolutely convinced after reading the web page on which she describes how Rule has ruined her life. A taste: "Although presented as a true story, the novel in fact is half truth and more creative fantasy to make it a 'better' story. The semi-fictional character in the book has hijacked Liysa's life, and this website is an effort to set the story straight."
June 1, 2013
While I was looking for this book on my shelf because this was the one where I noticed how biased Ann Rule started to write and I use it a lot as an example,I discovered I had forgotten to register it on Goodreads.
Checked bookcrossing where I am not active anymore and bingo.
Here is what I wrote about this book back then.
Journal Entry 4 by CrazyDutchwoman from Heemstede, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Hi,I am at around page 80. It was a nice surprise for me to see it weren't a lot of stories but just one story.
I prefer those. I agree that her stories are very good, although I read A Rage to kill (short stories) and did not like that one at all.
Anyway this one seems like a good one. Curious what is going to happen.
I will update this journal while reading.
take care
Update January 18 2005
Finished reading this morning. In between I had to read another book so it took me longer then I,d normally would)
I do not know what it is Ann Rule is one of the authors, that got me hooked to the True Crime genre but I think her older books are much better written or it is me?
Her writing in this book started to annoy me. Every thing Chris did was good . I do not understand stuff. Lyisa told everybody he hit her. I do not believe he did not know that. He was once confronted about it, well if it was me and I would constantly hear my wife told everybody I hit her, I would definitely take action.
Plus I think I had trouble reading this book because I hated that she got away with so many stuff. She always got her way, the houses ,the kids with Nick. It made me so angry.
I am glad she is in jail.
Still have questions after reading it. I think it is a depressing book. It is good do not get me wrong but maybe I was not in the right mood while reading?
Checked bookcrossing where I am not active anymore and bingo.
Here is what I wrote about this book back then.
Journal Entry 4 by CrazyDutchwoman from Heemstede, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Hi,I am at around page 80. It was a nice surprise for me to see it weren't a lot of stories but just one story.
I prefer those. I agree that her stories are very good, although I read A Rage to kill (short stories) and did not like that one at all.
Anyway this one seems like a good one. Curious what is going to happen.
I will update this journal while reading.
take care
Update January 18 2005
Finished reading this morning. In between I had to read another book so it took me longer then I,d normally would)
I do not know what it is Ann Rule is one of the authors, that got me hooked to the True Crime genre but I think her older books are much better written or it is me?
Her writing in this book started to annoy me. Every thing Chris did was good . I do not understand stuff. Lyisa told everybody he hit her. I do not believe he did not know that. He was once confronted about it, well if it was me and I would constantly hear my wife told everybody I hit her, I would definitely take action.
Plus I think I had trouble reading this book because I hated that she got away with so many stuff. She always got her way, the houses ,the kids with Nick. It made me so angry.
I am glad she is in jail.
Still have questions after reading it. I think it is a depressing book. It is good do not get me wrong but maybe I was not in the right mood while reading?
October 7, 2020
Heart Full of Lies is a true crime story about a woman, Liysa, who murders her husband Chris, on a camping trip and claims it was self defense.
I think Ann Rule was one sided on this one. Even though I do believe that Liysa is guilty and that she planned the murder of Chris, I do not believe that Chris was the all around great guy this book paints him to be.
Chris' family and friends insist Chris was a great guy that would never harm a fly, which is clearly the belief of Ann Rule. However, Liysa's family and friends clearly stood by her and believed every word she said about being an abused wife. Given the evidence presented, I think Liysa probably has a personality disorder and the two of them most likely got physical with each other. I also do not believe Liysa's story of self defense. She most likely murdered Chris due to the fear that if they divorced, Chris would have parental rights to their son and she did not want to give up any control of her children's lives. That being said, it does not justify murder or the flimsy lies she told about he and his parents during the guardianship hearings.
More than anything, this book was a good reminder to me that when it comes to other people's relationships, sometimes you only hear one side of the story and there is a whole other side out there that you don't know about.
I think Ann Rule was one sided on this one. Even though I do believe that Liysa is guilty and that she planned the murder of Chris, I do not believe that Chris was the all around great guy this book paints him to be.
Chris' family and friends insist Chris was a great guy that would never harm a fly, which is clearly the belief of Ann Rule. However, Liysa's family and friends clearly stood by her and believed every word she said about being an abused wife. Given the evidence presented, I think Liysa probably has a personality disorder and the two of them most likely got physical with each other. I also do not believe Liysa's story of self defense. She most likely murdered Chris due to the fear that if they divorced, Chris would have parental rights to their son and she did not want to give up any control of her children's lives. That being said, it does not justify murder or the flimsy lies she told about he and his parents during the guardianship hearings.
More than anything, this book was a good reminder to me that when it comes to other people's relationships, sometimes you only hear one side of the story and there is a whole other side out there that you don't know about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2019
Crazy woman drugs husband, tries to drown him, uses a taser on him, finally shoots him in the head.
Of course this 112 pound woman had to do all of these things to her 6 feet tall, 180 pound husband in self defense.
Uh huh … and purple pigs fly to Pluto wearing pink tutus.
Still in shock over the slap on the wrist sentence that she received, something that evil should never be allowed to walk free again.
She was released from prison in October 2012 and has since remarried.
I pity the poor fool that she was able to con into saying "I do."
Of course this 112 pound woman had to do all of these things to her 6 feet tall, 180 pound husband in self defense.
Uh huh … and purple pigs fly to Pluto wearing pink tutus.
Still in shock over the slap on the wrist sentence that she received, something that evil should never be allowed to walk free again.
She was released from prison in October 2012 and has since remarried.
I pity the poor fool that she was able to con into saying "I do."
November 29, 2021
A selfish, lying, cunning, narcissist woman plans, then follows through with committing murder of her husband who is a well respected airline pilot. Her extended trail of lies and deception are brought to light in a courtroom. As this is a true crime story - She is one demented sick being.
October 30, 2010
Heart Full Of Lies (Ann Rule)
True crime. The story of Liysa and Chris Northon. Chris was found shot in the head in his sleeping bag and his wife Liysa is the prime suspect. She claims to have been the victim of domestic abuse and that she had to do this to protect her family. A little bit repetitive and a lot of names to remember, but overall this was a good read. I love the work of Ann Rule she brings her books life and digs deep in investigations and finding the facts. I recommend to true crime readers.
True crime. The story of Liysa and Chris Northon. Chris was found shot in the head in his sleeping bag and his wife Liysa is the prime suspect. She claims to have been the victim of domestic abuse and that she had to do this to protect her family. A little bit repetitive and a lot of names to remember, but overall this was a good read. I love the work of Ann Rule she brings her books life and digs deep in investigations and finding the facts. I recommend to true crime readers.
September 19, 2008
About a lady that kills her husband.
July 5, 2019
The murderer’s new husband publicly accused Ann Rule of sloppy writing with this book. I am now taking the opportunity to publicly accuse him of lying bc she’s a legend and queen.
July 23, 2024
Fascinating read! So full of deception and hatred.
February 13, 2012
When I finished reading Blood Meridian, I started Heart Full of Lies. Talk about whiplash! Although this is my first Ann Rule book, I did know that I was embarking on something completely different than Cormac McCarthy. Like Cormac, Ann Rule took me into the lives of a strange assortment of people but with Ann it was like a voyeuristic vacation whereas Cormac’s scenery and characters were more like Apocalypse Now. I needed a break from books that require brain power to something more obvious. And Heart Full of Lies filled that need.
When GR BookSwap announced it was going out of business, I went on a book orgy and requested dozens of books, many by authors I had never read. Ann Rule’s true crime was one of those experiments. I also have Rule’s Dead by Sunset on my shelf (another BookSwap roulette title) so I will wait to read that before I jump to any firm conclusions about her writing.
I have watched snippets of reality police shows on cable TV. This book reminded me of those except the faces were not blurred out. I want to be a snob and say I am above that kind of entertainment but I think that, given the opportunity, I might be watching Law and Order more often. Now I am embarrassed!
I will say a few things about “true crime” stories in this review. If you know much about them yourself, you may see that I know only a very little about soap opera drama, Law and Order TV shows or even “true crime” stories. So it may seem inappropriate for me to speak of any of these things. But I do know that this story begins with the crime and investigation and then concludes with the court trial. That seems familiar. It has what might seem like some wildly improbable characters in highly unlikely situations. And I will have to think about how truth and artistic license cohabit the same territory. A book can be like a TV dramatic presentation or soap opera in its use of what is called artistic license. Artistic license is when a creator presents inaccurate information intentionally to assist in the presentation of a story or experience. What is the appropriate role of this technique in “true crime” books?
Two of the top ten stories on the GR true crime stories poll are by Ann Rule so we can stipulate that the author of this book is good at what she does according to GR people. She feeds us information tidbits by the bushel with so many characters that there is a line-up of several pages at the beginning of the book with all of their names and roles. There is some repetition for those of us with short memories or less than diligent editors. It is complete with conclusions about how the details add up. Knowing the conclusion does not eliminate suspense.
The information tidbits include detailed character development facets spread throughout the book so we can imagine that we can get inside the minds of the main characters.
Heart Full of Lies is an opportunity to educate readers about domestic violence. The defense attorneys decide that our villain does not meet the test for that syndrome, leaving us uncertain what aspects of her character succeed or fail to meet that standard. We hear lots of opinions about Liysa’s bruises and behavior without factual confirmation. We did not hear much about Chris Northon’s previous girlfriends to see if they had had any abusive relationship experience with him.
Feelings sometimes substituted for facts:
We are told that a defense attorney did significant research about spousal abuse:
But the reader was never told “Here are the facts” and in the end I was dissatisfied with the effort to teach about this form of abuse.
I give this, my first true crime book, two stars. That means “It was OK.” I am doubtful that this genre and Rule’s style of writing will capture my brains or my emotions satisfactorily. At some point I will try another “true crime” book to see if I can confirm my doubt. This book served me fairly well as an escape from serious reading but I think it turns out that I wanted more than just escape.
When GR BookSwap announced it was going out of business, I went on a book orgy and requested dozens of books, many by authors I had never read. Ann Rule’s true crime was one of those experiments. I also have Rule’s Dead by Sunset on my shelf (another BookSwap roulette title) so I will wait to read that before I jump to any firm conclusions about her writing.
I have watched snippets of reality police shows on cable TV. This book reminded me of those except the faces were not blurred out. I want to be a snob and say I am above that kind of entertainment but I think that, given the opportunity, I might be watching Law and Order more often. Now I am embarrassed!
I will say a few things about “true crime” stories in this review. If you know much about them yourself, you may see that I know only a very little about soap opera drama, Law and Order TV shows or even “true crime” stories. So it may seem inappropriate for me to speak of any of these things. But I do know that this story begins with the crime and investigation and then concludes with the court trial. That seems familiar. It has what might seem like some wildly improbable characters in highly unlikely situations. And I will have to think about how truth and artistic license cohabit the same territory. A book can be like a TV dramatic presentation or soap opera in its use of what is called artistic license. Artistic license is when a creator presents inaccurate information intentionally to assist in the presentation of a story or experience. What is the appropriate role of this technique in “true crime” books?
Two of the top ten stories on the GR true crime stories poll are by Ann Rule so we can stipulate that the author of this book is good at what she does according to GR people. She feeds us information tidbits by the bushel with so many characters that there is a line-up of several pages at the beginning of the book with all of their names and roles. There is some repetition for those of us with short memories or less than diligent editors. It is complete with conclusions about how the details add up. Knowing the conclusion does not eliminate suspense.
The information tidbits include detailed character development facets spread throughout the book so we can imagine that we can get inside the minds of the main characters.
Heart Full of Lies is an opportunity to educate readers about domestic violence. The defense attorneys decide that our villain does not meet the test for that syndrome, leaving us uncertain what aspects of her character succeed or fail to meet that standard. We hear lots of opinions about Liysa’s bruises and behavior without factual confirmation. We did not hear much about Chris Northon’s previous girlfriends to see if they had had any abusive relationship experience with him.
Feelings sometimes substituted for facts:
They both had a gut feeling that something wasn’t right in Liysa Northon’s statements about spousal abuse. It didn’t matter how many women stood behind Liysa Northon, something was – in police parlance – “hinky.”
We are told that a defense attorney did significant research about spousal abuse:
Birmingham consulted with a dozen experts on the “battered woman syndrome,” and read as many research papers on the problem that has become so pervasive in America. He found that few women had actually been acquitted with this defense, although some had their murder charges reduced to manslaughter.
But the reader was never told “Here are the facts” and in the end I was dissatisfied with the effort to teach about this form of abuse.
I give this, my first true crime book, two stars. That means “It was OK.” I am doubtful that this genre and Rule’s style of writing will capture my brains or my emotions satisfactorily. At some point I will try another “true crime” book to see if I can confirm my doubt. This book served me fairly well as an escape from serious reading but I think it turns out that I wanted more than just escape.
October 6, 2016
When I want to take a break from larger tomes, I grab an Ann Rule true crime book and am seldom disappointed. I have to say, however, that this is not one of her best and I don't know if it is because the story doesn't have a lot of substance or that the author was having a bad day. It just doesn't quite measure up to some of her other best sellers.
A popular commercial pilot is found dead while on a camping trip.....shot through the head while in his sleeping bag. He was accompanied by his wife Liysa and their son but they are no where to be found. Eventually, Liysa turns up 200 miles away at the home of one of her best friends, soaking wet and distraught. Thus begins an investigation, not only into the murder but also into the mind of a very disturbed young woman. It tends to get very repetitive as friends of Liysa sing her praises while others reveal rather unsettling facts about her. Maybe if the book was shorter, I might have given it a higher rating but it still was a fairly interesting read.
A popular commercial pilot is found dead while on a camping trip.....shot through the head while in his sleeping bag. He was accompanied by his wife Liysa and their son but they are no where to be found. Eventually, Liysa turns up 200 miles away at the home of one of her best friends, soaking wet and distraught. Thus begins an investigation, not only into the murder but also into the mind of a very disturbed young woman. It tends to get very repetitive as friends of Liysa sing her praises while others reveal rather unsettling facts about her. Maybe if the book was shorter, I might have given it a higher rating but it still was a fairly interesting read.
October 31, 2018
I'm giving this book a rather generous 5 star rating because it just plain captured my interest and wouldn't let go to the end. A slight spoiler so beware... The one thing that I hate about some true crime books (and it is NOT the author's fault) is when the murderer doesn't get what he or she deserves. There seems to be an inherent unfairness with the justice system where some murderers get the book thrown at them while others get off unscathed. This book was an example of the latter. The murderer in this story planned and executed her husband, but then through a plea bargain got off with just a light sentence. She never showed remorse and is now out on the streets, remarried and living life large. No spoiler here...I like how the story unfolded and how even one piece of evidence didn't surface until the trial. There was just enough information to keep the story a real page-turner without falling prey to countless details that bog down many true crime books. Well done and I recommend it to those wanting to read a quick, engaging true-crime book.
November 9, 2018
I enjoy the true crime genre, and I generally enjoy Rule's writing style.
In this particular book, I have to wonder if there was any truth to Liysa Norton's claims against her husband. In a typical "he said, she said" scenario, Rule seems sold on the "he said" narrative and insinuates that since none of Chris's friends witnessed him being abusive, he couldn't possibly of done anything close to what his wife claimed.
I'm not so sure. That is perhaps the biggest weakness of this book. No one really knows the truth, and Rule comes off as biased.
Still, as a study of the human psyche and the complex relationships gone wrong that result in murder, it's a worthy read.
In this particular book, I have to wonder if there was any truth to Liysa Norton's claims against her husband. In a typical "he said, she said" scenario, Rule seems sold on the "he said" narrative and insinuates that since none of Chris's friends witnessed him being abusive, he couldn't possibly of done anything close to what his wife claimed.
I'm not so sure. That is perhaps the biggest weakness of this book. No one really knows the truth, and Rule comes off as biased.
Still, as a study of the human psyche and the complex relationships gone wrong that result in murder, it's a worthy read.
October 20, 2017
I always find true crime particularly harrowing and terribly sad. In this case, a woman named Liyse (she was named Lisa but changed her name) shoots her husband in the head after apparently drugging him, trying to drown him, tasing him and finally shooting him in the head. Before she commit this crime she spent a couple of years setting the scene claiming he was a drug addict, an alcoholic and a brutal abuser. You know, I think she was everything this author said, an anti-social personality who murdered her husband in cold blood after planning it carefully, but poorly.
April 14, 2015
I liked several of Ann Rule books very much, but this one is boring. There's way too much biographical and geographical detail, long before you get to what happened. By p.70 the psychopathology is obvious and repetitious. There's no suspense.
March 26, 2018
Ann Rule is a master of true crime! She does such a good job of weaving a true story in a way that it reads like a novel. Would recommend to anyone interested in true crime!
January 9, 2023
Liysa Northon was a surfing photographer, who also wrote books and screenplays. She claims that she was the victim of domestic violence, which resulted in the shooting death of her husband. The incident occurred while the couple were on a camping trip. It was posited that she attempted to drown him at first, and when that did not work, she decided to drug him with sleeping pills and shoot him. To her detriment, she stood to gain a decent sum from an insurance policy, airline widow's benefits that would allow her to fly for free, and a substantial amount of property. Also to her detriment, the contents of her search history were revealed to the prosecution.
The research for this case was really well done. I thought this book did a great job in covering the back story of the people involved, as well as doing a proper deep dive into the personalities of each. I thought the coverage of the crime and case was very well done. Ann Rule is a master at researching cases for her books, which makes me really enjoy her works. Interestingly, I looked up this case. She was released in 2012 and wound up married to the guy who wrote a book slamming this book. It is the opinion of several writers that Liysa is a manipulative person and a pathological liar. Either way it goes, she has served her time and the case is history. The book was good, so there is that, at least.
The research for this case was really well done. I thought this book did a great job in covering the back story of the people involved, as well as doing a proper deep dive into the personalities of each. I thought the coverage of the crime and case was very well done. Ann Rule is a master at researching cases for her books, which makes me really enjoy her works. Interestingly, I looked up this case. She was released in 2012 and wound up married to the guy who wrote a book slamming this book. It is the opinion of several writers that Liysa is a manipulative person and a pathological liar. Either way it goes, she has served her time and the case is history. The book was good, so there is that, at least.
January 12, 2025
Ok, I do believe that this woman murdered her husband. I even do believe she probably didn’t do it in self-defence. The problem is, marriages are very personal things, and, ok, let’s even argue for the sake of arguing that there wasn’t even domestic violence, we and the author and probably even some friends of the couple wouldn’t and don’t know what was happening in the house or lives.
I mean read it if you want, but just know that you have no idea about any of these people and only what the author is giving you.
Ok, let’s say she is totally evil and guilty, but, one, why did she marry him and two, we don’t know ourselves what happened in the marriage.
Were they both psycho? Was she just? We know she not great at all, but him? A confused book with a nasty, definitely pointless murder that probably could have been avoided? I mean, if her life was in danger, she could have disabled him with shots to other places?
Ok, and let’s say we don’t blame her for the murder, I think the author hasn’t done a good job at all.
I mean read it if you want, but just know that you have no idea about any of these people and only what the author is giving you.
Ok, let’s say she is totally evil and guilty, but, one, why did she marry him and two, we don’t know ourselves what happened in the marriage.
Were they both psycho? Was she just? We know she not great at all, but him? A confused book with a nasty, definitely pointless murder that probably could have been avoided? I mean, if her life was in danger, she could have disabled him with shots to other places?
Ok, and let’s say we don’t blame her for the murder, I think the author hasn’t done a good job at all.
October 15, 2018
I have always enjoyed Ann Rule books. This book I felt like went a little slow.
August 12, 2020
While I like the stand alone, single story books by Ann, I usually really like/enjoy the multi story ones as it gives you a little bit of a change up. That being said, I got sucked into this book. The murder took place about 2 hours from where I grew up/lived. The murderer actually grew up where I did. Went to the same school. Granted, she graduate a little over 20 years before I did. It's weird to see my little city in a book like this. And areas that I know.
But holy heck, this woman is a menace. She's an embarrassment to anyone who has actually suffered from domestic abuse/violence.
Do I think that her husband was an angel? No. Everyone has flaws. But I'm inclined to believe his friends version of things where he would walk away from being badgered by his wife. Especially since some of them lived in the "apartment" in the bottom of their house and could hear arguments.
I feel awful for the children in this story, especially Chris's son Dean. Who knows what he heard/saw, and while he was only 3, I imagine he might remember some of that night. I'm also 100% sure that's why she didn't take the older son, because he would have been able to talk about what actually happened if he was there.
But holy heck, this woman is a menace. She's an embarrassment to anyone who has actually suffered from domestic abuse/violence.
Do I think that her husband was an angel? No. Everyone has flaws. But I'm inclined to believe his friends version of things where he would walk away from being badgered by his wife. Especially since some of them lived in the "apartment" in the bottom of their house and could hear arguments.
I feel awful for the children in this story, especially Chris's son Dean. Who knows what he heard/saw, and while he was only 3, I imagine he might remember some of that night. I'm also 100% sure that's why she didn't take the older son, because he would have been able to talk about what actually happened if he was there.
September 5, 2019
review to follow.
If you are a true crime reader, this is a tragic one. I will not be doing a long review but I will say Ann Rule was an amazing writer and this book, Heart full of lies, is a tragic story. You can read the description and see if it's for you o r not. Frankly it is..as are most true crime stories..really sad but it is also a very well written book. Most books by Rule are well written but this one is at the top in terms of the fact that it is impossible to stop reading once you start and I do no t find that with all True Crime books. In fact I have left more then a few midway.
Chris sounds like he was an amazing person. This is yet another relationship gone wrong tale and though it was sad to read about, Kudos to Ann Rule for writing such an emotionally gripping book. Highly recommended to True Crime buffs.
If you are a true crime reader, this is a tragic one. I will not be doing a long review but I will say Ann Rule was an amazing writer and this book, Heart full of lies, is a tragic story. You can read the description and see if it's for you o r not. Frankly it is..as are most true crime stories..really sad but it is also a very well written book. Most books by Rule are well written but this one is at the top in terms of the fact that it is impossible to stop reading once you start and I do no t find that with all True Crime books. In fact I have left more then a few midway.
Chris sounds like he was an amazing person. This is yet another relationship gone wrong tale and though it was sad to read about, Kudos to Ann Rule for writing such an emotionally gripping book. Highly recommended to True Crime buffs.
July 3, 2009
This book proved to me that I set a very high bar for Ann Rule, who is my favorite true crime author. Written by anyone else, it would probably be a good enough book. But "good enough" just doesn't cut it, in my opinion, when it comes to Ms. Rule.
Maybe I just didn't connect to the persons in this book but I didn't feel invested in the story at all. I read the book in its entirety but more so out of dedication to Ms. Rule than the merits of the book.
Definitely her weakest true crime effort.
Maybe I just didn't connect to the persons in this book but I didn't feel invested in the story at all. I read the book in its entirety but more so out of dedication to Ms. Rule than the merits of the book.
Definitely her weakest true crime effort.
May 5, 2009
Well, this is my third Ann Rule book and so far they have all followed the same pattern. Some poor sap marries someone who ends up being a cruel killer.
It was interesting and I didn enjoy it. I couldn't help but wonder if Ann Rule skewed the book a little to make Chris Northon saintlier than he really was, but basically I agree with her conclusion that his wife premeditated his murder and most likely was not abused.
It was interesting and I didn enjoy it. I couldn't help but wonder if Ann Rule skewed the book a little to make Chris Northon saintlier than he really was, but basically I agree with her conclusion that his wife premeditated his murder and most likely was not abused.
March 25, 2014
Very sad.....This is the very first time that Ann Rule came across as judgmental to me. I have read other reviews where other readers have said that she made the victim sound too perfect..... Thats kind of the feel I got out of this story. I do feel bad for Chris' family being that he is not here to defend himself from the abusive allegations that were brought on by his wife.
If what is written is true then this Lyisa lady is one nut job!
If what is written is true then this Lyisa lady is one nut job!
August 17, 2023
3 / 5 stars
[audiobook]
Disclaimer: I have been extremely sick at home and powered through 4 or 5 Ann Rule books in that time, which is why a lot of my judgment is and will be clouded by comparison. Aside from that, I do also feel odd "reviewing" a true murder case or crime for its entertainment value and will try to stick to a more general review of the writing/presentation of the facts.
Heart Full of Lies was an interesting Rule book, with a very clear bias against the accused and full of conflicting and contradictory evidence. I enjoy the way Rule portrays documents, files and statements and this one chilled me greatly. It was, however, a less accomplished book than others I have read previously, in my opinion.
[audiobook]
Disclaimer: I have been extremely sick at home and powered through 4 or 5 Ann Rule books in that time, which is why a lot of my judgment is and will be clouded by comparison. Aside from that, I do also feel odd "reviewing" a true murder case or crime for its entertainment value and will try to stick to a more general review of the writing/presentation of the facts.
Heart Full of Lies was an interesting Rule book, with a very clear bias against the accused and full of conflicting and contradictory evidence. I enjoy the way Rule portrays documents, files and statements and this one chilled me greatly. It was, however, a less accomplished book than others I have read previously, in my opinion.
July 24, 2024
I had mixed feelings about this book. It took me longer than it should have to realize this book was actually a true story and based on real people and events. I had never read a book like this, so I didn't know what to expect. In the beginning, I was tempted to stop reading multiple times, but the further I got, the more I grew curious about the ending. It's more chilling than the typical books I read because it is a stark reminder that the manipulative actions of fictional bad guys actually happen in real life as well. I still don't know how I feel about such a horrible event being dramatized into a book, but then again, it might be a good thing that Liysa's manipulations over the years are chronicled so they will never be forgotten.
February 24, 2019
We really don't know the evil that lurks beneath the surface in others, especially if they have personality disorders and are proficient at hiding their real selves from everyone. I was distressed to read this true-crime murder story and learn there were so many who believed the murderer's lies and blamed the victim. Kudos to Ann for digging deep to find the truth. I do miss this insightful author.
November 21, 2022
2.5*... I've read many of Ann Rule's true crime books, and though some were better than others (largely dependent on the particular case), this one just dragged on entirely too long. .. 100+ pages could have easily been edited out without losing any information about the case. Usually I can fly through Rule's books, but for some reason this one just didn't keep me interested. I think I'd recommend any other of her books before this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews