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My Stolen Son: The Nick Markowitz Story
The true story of the shocking crime behind the hit movie Alpha Dog
One week after fifteen-year-old Nick Markowitz vanished, his mother received the Nick's body had been found in a shallow grave. Now she tells her own gripping story-the unbelievable motive for the murder, the shocking identity of the accused, and her own nine-year battle to bring her son's killers to justice.
One week after fifteen-year-old Nick Markowitz vanished, his mother received the Nick's body had been found in a shallow grave. Now she tells her own gripping story-the unbelievable motive for the murder, the shocking identity of the accused, and her own nine-year battle to bring her son's killers to justice.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2010
48 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Glatzer
48 books27 followersJenna Glatzer is an award-winning full-time writer who's written 28 books and hundreds of articles.
Her main writing interests are biographies and memoirs, and she often writes about health and parenting. She also loves writing for children, as well as writing humor essays and personal essays.
She's Celine Dion's authorized biographer and the author of The Marilyn Monroe Treasures, authorized by Monroe's estate.
Visit her website at www.jennaglatzer.com.
Her main writing interests are biographies and memoirs, and she often writes about health and parenting. She also loves writing for children, as well as writing humor essays and personal essays.
She's Celine Dion's authorized biographer and the author of The Marilyn Monroe Treasures, authorized by Monroe's estate.
Visit her website at www.jennaglatzer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
May 5, 2024
This book made me count my blessings real good.
August 25, 2015
Honestly, one of the BEST true crime books I have ever read, and, I read true stories 99% of the time...this is an unforgivable tragedy, and those of you who have seen the dramatization of the movie this book is based on, ALPHA DOG, NEED TO READ THIS TO SEE THE TRUTH BEHIND THE DRAMA!! Mrs. Susan Markowitz is a true hero that overcame a parent's worst nightmare of losing a child to seek justice and, eventually, spread the story, NICK'S STORY, to empower and teach others...
April 2, 2013
Heartbreaking true story behind the movie "Alpha Dog." It's inconceivable that one "short, wimpy-voiced" thug (Jesse James Hollywood)...who was only a kid himself at the time, had so many people under his control. Even more difficult to believe is the staggering number if people who were in some way witnesses to Nick Markowitz's abduction, but "didn't want to get involved" thus clearing the way for his murder. The pain that this mother went through in the 10 years that it took to bring justice to all involved nearly jumps off the page.
October 15, 2013
As a mother who lost her 17 year old son suddenly & needlessly, I relate to this book on a number of levels. I'm the mother of my 22yr old son, step mother to 2 amazing daughters (15&17yrs old), & married to the best husband in the world. And yet, the simple dedication "I'm sorry" speaks volumes. May we both & all mothers who belong unwontedly to this horrible club find the peace & forgiveness we deserve.
July 22, 2019
The whole story behind the movie Alpha Dog! Such an awful, tragic story! Absolutely heartbreaking. An amazing, well written true crime book, definitely worth reading, but so mindblowing and sad. Wow.
October 9, 2013
Personally, I saw the movie before I found out about the book behind this. Once I found out about the book, you bet I started reading this from my nook. I feel worse for that whole Markowitz family, especially the mother(Susan) and the older brother(Ben Markowitz). Throughout the book, I hate Jesse James Hollywood. I don't like what he stands for at all. He had all those people wrapped around his fingers(Jesse Rugge, Ryan Hoyt, William Martinez). As far as those people wrapped around his fingers, I classify them as followers. They followed behind Hollywood and his foolishness, especially when it came down to killing an innocent 15 year old boy(Nick Markowitz). Personally as far as Natasha Adams, Jesse Rugge's friend, she was also crushed when she found out about Nick's death. I knew that Jesse Rugge's and Graham Pressley's deception would catch up with them. It always does. Like Susan said, "these kids didn't think about how severe murder charges would be for them." As far as Graham, he was the only one that showed remorse and he also knew it was wrong to go along with the plan too. Talk about puppets on strings. Anyways, I'm glad that everyone got what they deserved in the end and Ben made a wise decision to get himself together, after he went to actual jail. But the thing that got me in the end after Jesse Hollywood was convicted was that the Hollywood family showed no sympathy towards anyone else in the Markowitz family, except for the father. Not the mother, not the older brother, Jesse's dad didn't even tell Nick's dad to say to his daughter that he sends condolisances. In my opinion, Hollywood's family, as well as the family of the other boys that were convicted, seem real hypocritical. Overall, I still think the book was good and so was the movie Alpha dog since I've seen that many times. I would recommend this book/movie to anyone.
November 27, 2012
Amazing book despite the tragedy behind it! Can't wait to watch the movie!
August 24, 2022
This was such a harrowing and deeply moving read. The true story of the film Alpha Dog. This is a mother’s words that- quite honestly- will stay with you a long time after you finish reading. Through her words, you feel like you get to know her son, a bright 15 year old boy just starting to blossom (and rebel a little as teenagers do) and find his way in the world.
She writes with such honesty about her struggle in a pit of despair and grief that left her in a mental hospital. It’s an unthinkable crime if only for its utter senselessness, yet this is the reality she faced. I closed this book so choked up but also inspired by her strength. I’m so happy she’s made it, for Nick.
5 stars. I highly recommend this book.
She writes with such honesty about her struggle in a pit of despair and grief that left her in a mental hospital. It’s an unthinkable crime if only for its utter senselessness, yet this is the reality she faced. I closed this book so choked up but also inspired by her strength. I’m so happy she’s made it, for Nick.
5 stars. I highly recommend this book.
January 22, 2024
August 6, 2000, Nick, an only child was killed. It’s how his dad and mom coped, the trial of the murder. He was killed in revenge..
“ you can feel the pain of the mother, and that good parents can raise kids that get into trouble with drugs and gangs.
The movie, Alpha Dog, was based on this story”.
“ you can feel the pain of the mother, and that good parents can raise kids that get into trouble with drugs and gangs.
The movie, Alpha Dog, was based on this story”.
June 24, 2024
3.5 Really, how can you rate someone's tragedy? Heartbreaking story. The mother's pain comes through every page. As someone who spent some of my late teens, early 20s in the SFV around this time, I was drawn in by the details. Somewhat repetitive and often nearly lifted from news articles, where I was searching a little more for the personal story.
January 26, 2023
Heartbreaking true story behind, Alpha Dog. Written by Nick’s mother, this gives her account of the events and trial of Nick’s murder. Very well written and emotionally bothersome—knowing his life could have easily been saved by the many witnesses who were with him in his final days.
March 31, 2024
Buen libro, lo disfruté de principio a fin, sin embargo, creo que hay un par de cabos sueltos. Un crimen horrendo, pero hay una descripción de ella misma (Susan Markowitz) que a veces es un poco irreal, creo que era una madre muy intrusiva con el hijo.
December 23, 2017
Such a heart moving story. Such a heartbreaking story. My heart goes out to Susan. As I can only image what she feels and goes through daily. This is a must read.
March 2, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It told the story so well and wasn't hard to read or follow as crime books can sometimes be. I felt invested in Nicks story and felt how much pain they have gone through.
September 27, 2019
I cried a lot reading this book. I found so much empathy for this mom. I thought about my boys and this type situation for me,I wouldn't do as well. Amazing strength in a horrific situation
December 24, 2021
Heart breaking story. Strong mama. As horrible as what happened, this book was a great read and I'm glad I got to hear Nick's story.
March 18, 2022
I couldn't put this down as I already knew of Nick and what happened but I cried many times reading this. I cannot imagine having to live this nightmare.
March 19, 2025
I could not put this book down from the minute it was delivered. Heartbreaking, start to finish. What an act of courage for the mother to write this.
January 28, 2025
DEPRESSING BUT SO SO GOOD
August 20, 2020
Parts of this book were great. Lots of really great detail, but then there were these really long stretches where Susan was just basically begging for attention and sympathy. It became more about her and instead of Nick. It got to the point where I was skimming. I truly felt sorry for her husband who lost a son and had to live with the fact that his older son was in some way responsible and he had to go through all of that alone because his wife couldn't get her shit together.
January 4, 2026
★★★☆☆ (3/5 stars)
My Stolen Son is a straightforward, sobering true-crime account of the 2000 kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz, a case that later inspired the film Alpha Dog. Jenna Glatzer tells the story primarily through the perspective of Nick’s mother, Susan Markowitz, chronicling the devastating events from the initial drug-debt dispute involving Nick’s half-brother to the senseless tragedy that followed at the hands of Jesse James Hollywood and his crew.
The book does a decent job laying out the timeline and key players without sensationalizing the violence too much. It’s clear Glatzer had extensive access to Susan, and the raw grief and regret come through in places, making parts of it genuinely heartbreaking. For anyone unfamiliar with the case, it serves as a solid overview of how a petty debt spiraled into an unthinkable crime.
That said, it’s a pretty average true-crime read. The writing is serviceable but repetitive many details and emotions are restated multiple times, which slows the momentum. The narrative leans heavily on Susan’s viewpoint, which limits broader context about the perpetrators or investigation. Some sections feel padded, and the pacing drags in the middle.
My biggest issue, though, was with Susan herself. While I completely sympathize with her unimaginable loss, I found her behavior and choices throughout the book increasingly frustrating and, honestly, a little crazy. The constant hovering, the explosive fights with Nick over minor things, and most uncomfortably her habit of secretly reading his private love letters to his girlfriend felt wildly invasive and controlling. It painted a picture of a mother who struggled with boundaries long before the kidnapping, and it made it harder for me to connect with her as the central grieving figure.
Overall, it’s a middling true-crime memoir: informative enough about a tragic case, emotionally heavy in spots, but hampered by repetitive prose and a protagonist whose actions often left me raising my eyebrows. A solid, unremarkable 3 stars if you’re interested in the case, it’s worth a read, but it won’t stay with you long after.
My Stolen Son is a straightforward, sobering true-crime account of the 2000 kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz, a case that later inspired the film Alpha Dog. Jenna Glatzer tells the story primarily through the perspective of Nick’s mother, Susan Markowitz, chronicling the devastating events from the initial drug-debt dispute involving Nick’s half-brother to the senseless tragedy that followed at the hands of Jesse James Hollywood and his crew.
The book does a decent job laying out the timeline and key players without sensationalizing the violence too much. It’s clear Glatzer had extensive access to Susan, and the raw grief and regret come through in places, making parts of it genuinely heartbreaking. For anyone unfamiliar with the case, it serves as a solid overview of how a petty debt spiraled into an unthinkable crime.
That said, it’s a pretty average true-crime read. The writing is serviceable but repetitive many details and emotions are restated multiple times, which slows the momentum. The narrative leans heavily on Susan’s viewpoint, which limits broader context about the perpetrators or investigation. Some sections feel padded, and the pacing drags in the middle.
My biggest issue, though, was with Susan herself. While I completely sympathize with her unimaginable loss, I found her behavior and choices throughout the book increasingly frustrating and, honestly, a little crazy. The constant hovering, the explosive fights with Nick over minor things, and most uncomfortably her habit of secretly reading his private love letters to his girlfriend felt wildly invasive and controlling. It painted a picture of a mother who struggled with boundaries long before the kidnapping, and it made it harder for me to connect with her as the central grieving figure.
Overall, it’s a middling true-crime memoir: informative enough about a tragic case, emotionally heavy in spots, but hampered by repetitive prose and a protagonist whose actions often left me raising my eyebrows. A solid, unremarkable 3 stars if you’re interested in the case, it’s worth a read, but it won’t stay with you long after.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2020
Good, real, emotional
I watched Alpha Dog on netflix and found myself annoyed with the lack of detail with the outcomes of the crimes which led me to this book, and I was not disappointed.
In fact the final awful crime, I checked, and when detailed in the book, it is not even half done, when it was close to the end of the film.
If you want the court details, raising the kids, the emotional mother journey, than this book is for you. It may be more about the mother journey than what you are looking for but by the end you should know all the details of what you want for this case.
Definitely one of the more compelling true story books I have read. Some may find it too troubling to read but I actually, even with my sensitive nature, just found it interesting. The crimes have been done some time ago but we can learn so much from them now and what it means to do nothing in this type of situation, as well as the circus frenzy courts can turn this situation into and the corruptness of the court in trying to make guilty people look innocent.
We also seem some humanity with some guilty people and their families.
Well worth the cheap kindle price.
I watched Alpha Dog on netflix and found myself annoyed with the lack of detail with the outcomes of the crimes which led me to this book, and I was not disappointed.
In fact the final awful crime, I checked, and when detailed in the book, it is not even half done, when it was close to the end of the film.
If you want the court details, raising the kids, the emotional mother journey, than this book is for you. It may be more about the mother journey than what you are looking for but by the end you should know all the details of what you want for this case.
Definitely one of the more compelling true story books I have read. Some may find it too troubling to read but I actually, even with my sensitive nature, just found it interesting. The crimes have been done some time ago but we can learn so much from them now and what it means to do nothing in this type of situation, as well as the circus frenzy courts can turn this situation into and the corruptness of the court in trying to make guilty people look innocent.
We also seem some humanity with some guilty people and their families.
Well worth the cheap kindle price.
May 15, 2013
The writing wasn't the best I've ever read, but this book captured me from the beginning. It was a heartrending, in fact the most heartrending story I've ever read. A mother who lost her 15-year-old son to a stupid, thoughtless, ruthless murder tells his story. The thugs murdered him because they didn't know what to do to protect themselves from jail after kidnapping him to get money that his older brother owed one of them. She tried to commit suicide 11 times after her son was killed.
At least 38 people could have intervened at any time after Nick was kidnapped since his captors kept hauling him from house to house so they could party. It's just amazing that none of them wanted to "get involved". They sure wanted to not be involved after the murder. It's also amazing how far our justice system goes to protect the criminals with no sympathy or compassion for the victim's family. I guess I've known that for a long time, but it still makes me very angry.
They made a movie about this murder, "Alpha Dog".
At least 38 people could have intervened at any time after Nick was kidnapped since his captors kept hauling him from house to house so they could party. It's just amazing that none of them wanted to "get involved". They sure wanted to not be involved after the murder. It's also amazing how far our justice system goes to protect the criminals with no sympathy or compassion for the victim's family. I guess I've known that for a long time, but it still makes me very angry.
They made a movie about this murder, "Alpha Dog".
October 6, 2014
A heart breaking true story that is any parent's nightmare! A mother's account of her 15 year old son being kidnapped and killed for a debt his half brother owes a drug dealing teen whom everyone is afraid to cross for fear of what will happen to themselves. Lots of repetition in the details. The beloved son was not an angel with some wild behaviors of his own, but hadn't deserved his fate. The author is a woman who suffered a loss no parent should ever have to face and an almost 10 year waiting to have all people responsible brought to justice. If you like true crime I would recommend this book, but be aware that it drags in places due to repetition of the happenings. I think I will have to watch the movie now.
August 6, 2015
I basically disliked every person in this book, even the author. (Which was weird since its nonfiction) I thought everyone was an irresponsible idiot. I did not like how the mom tried to pass off her son as an angel when clearly that kid was out of control, too. I didn't like the way they wrote scenes as if conversations and actions were fact, when they were hearsay at best. The mom really irked with me with some comments, such as when she refers to people she has never met and only sees in a doctors office as 'habitual aborters' or when she told her teenage sons ex girlfriend she wished he had gotten her pregnant.
October 10, 2013
read a bit like a research paper. If I had wanted to read a wikipedia article, I would have done so online without buying a book. I thought it would be a more personal account but it was all over the place and mostly about the facts. I prefer the movie, even if it was embellished. I didn't know anything about Jesse James Hollywood or Nick Markowitz before I saw Alpha Dog and had no clue about what was coming at the end. I don't think I've ever experienced such a disturbing moment of realization as in this movie. Heartbreaking.
July 3, 2023
The rest ... of the story
I watched, "Alpha Dog" years ago and afterward looked online for any tidbits I could find about the actual participants of this gruesome story. I viewed the movie several times actually, as It's not a one viewing movie. So I revisited it again just a few days ago
but, this time when I researched the internet I found Susan Markowitz's book. Eureka! I read it in it's entirety in practically one sitting and all my questions were finally answered. This is a remarkably emotional book and is a "must have" companion to the movie.
I watched, "Alpha Dog" years ago and afterward looked online for any tidbits I could find about the actual participants of this gruesome story. I viewed the movie several times actually, as It's not a one viewing movie. So I revisited it again just a few days ago
but, this time when I researched the internet I found Susan Markowitz's book. Eureka! I read it in it's entirety in practically one sitting and all my questions were finally answered. This is a remarkably emotional book and is a "must have" companion to the movie.
January 17, 2024
Absolutely breathtaking book!!!! I have been glued to this book for three days after work so I could finish it. I am so thankful that justice was done. God Bless you and your Family Susan. You will see your son in Heaven one day. He will run to you with a big hug and say, “Mom, I’m so proud of you.”
Please ignore any negative comments (like “wacko drama queen”). These people hopefully have no children because the love between a Mother and their child is the best kind of love there is.
Carol E. Howell
Danville, VA
Please ignore any negative comments (like “wacko drama queen”). These people hopefully have no children because the love between a Mother and their child is the best kind of love there is.
Carol E. Howell
Danville, VA
paused
January 12, 2022Soooo, when doing a bit of research in this case i came across with this book. And since 1) this story touched a spot on me 2) will be hepful for this new región literaria, i want to read this.
So yeah. Its not super long but i kind of know the story, but i guess this is a different POV on the whole thing, since is the mother, Susan, who has written it.
So yeah. Its not super long but i kind of know the story, but i guess this is a different POV on the whole thing, since is the mother, Susan, who has written it.
August 4, 2011
It has been a really long time where I read a book that I just can't put down, but I didn't want it to end either. Probably one of the most tragic stories I've ever read and I cried so much when I read it. It was well written and very good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews