American Mother
Dangerous Women - True Crime Stories
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $31.26
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Karen Peakes
-
Written by:
-
Gregg Olsen
About this listen
From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of If You Tell comes the absolutely unputdownable and chilling true-crime story of Stella Nickell—a mother and wife who did the unthinkable…and the unforgivable.
At 5:02 p.m. on June 5, 1986, an emergency call came into the local sheriff’s office in the small town of Auburn, Washington State. A distressed housewife, Stella Nickell, said her husband, Bruce, was having a seizure. Officers rushed to the Nickells' mobile home to find Stella standing frozen at the door…. Bruce was on the floor fighting for his life.
As Stella became the beneficiary of over $175,000 in a life insurance payout, forensics discovered that Bruce had consumed painkillers laced with cyanide.
A week later, 15-year-old Hayley was getting ready for another school day. Her mom, Sue, called out "I love you" before heading into the bathroom and moments later collapsed on the floor. Sue never regained consciousness, and the autopsy revealed she had been poisoned by cyanide-tainted headache pills. Just like Bruce.
While a daughter grieved the sudden and devastating loss of her mother, a young woman, Cindy, was thinking about her own mom, Stella. She thought about the years of neglect and abuse, the tangled web of secrets Stella had shared with her, and Cindy contemplated turning her mom in to the FBI….
Gripping and heartbreaking, Gregg Olsen uncovers the shocking true story of a troubled family. He delves into a complex mother-daughter relationship rooted in mistrust and deception, and the journey of the sweet curly haired little girl from Oregon whose fierce ambition to live the American dream led her to make the ultimate betrayal.
A sensational real-life mystery, American Mother will hook those fascinated by The Staircase and Making of a Murderer.
This book was originally published as Bitter Almonds.
You may also enjoy...
-
Starvation Heights
- Dangerous Women: True Crime Stories
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1911 two British heiresses, Claire and Dora Williamson, read a brochure about a revolutionary fasting treatment that promised a lifetime of good health. The sanatorium in the village of Olalla, west of Seattle, was surrounded by a beautiful forest, sparkling waters and fresh air. The sisters agreed it sounded perfect and exactly the restorative holiday they needed. But within a month of arriving, under the supervision of Doctor Linda Burfield Hazzard, Claire and Dora began to realise the frightening truth – they were not patients but prisoners at the isolated sanitorium.
-
-
Unbelievable…
- By Alison L on 2023-02-05
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
If I Can't Have You
- Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
- Written by: Gregg Olsen, Rebecca Morris
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington, Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The tragic story of Susan Powell and her murdered boys, Charlie and Braden, is the only case that rivals the Jon Benet Ramsey saga in the annals of true crime. When the pretty, blonde Utah mother went missing in December of 2009 the media was swept up in the story - with lenses and microphones trained on Susan's husband, Josh. He said he had no idea what happened to his young wife, and that he and the boys had been camping in the middle of a snowstorm.
-
-
Well Researched
- By Melanie on 2020-12-14
Written by: Gregg Olsen, and others
-
American Black Widow
- Dangerous Women: True Crime Stories
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Colorado, 1976. When Reverend Mike Fuller and his beautiful wife, Sharon, arrive in the sleepy town of Rocky Ford, local residents think something’s off about the new couple. The God-fearing minister is gruff and cold, while charismatic Sharon has her husband wrapped around her finger.
-
-
Fascinating Story of Murder and Mayhem
- By Candice S. on 2023-09-06
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Cruel Deception
- The True Story of Multiple Murder and Two Devastated Families (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In and out of hospitals since birth, angelic nine-month-old Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be sudden infant death syndrome. Morgan's Texas-born mother, Tanya, a nurse and devoted wife, pulled up stakes with her grieving husband, Jim, and moved on. It was the best way to put the past behind them. Until their son, Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister....
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
The Last Thing She Ever Did
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The community along Oregon’s Deschutes River is one of successful careers and perfect families. For years, up-and-comers Liz and Owen have admired their good friends and neighbors, Carole and David. They appear to have it all - security, happiness, and a beautiful young son, Charlie. Then Charlie vanishes without a trace, and all that seemed safe is shattered by a tragedy that is incomprehensible - except to Liz.
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
If You Tell
- A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined.
-
-
Good Narration, Terribly Depressing Story Arc
- By Kerissa Marie D on 2020-10-02
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Starvation Heights
- Dangerous Women: True Crime Stories
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1911 two British heiresses, Claire and Dora Williamson, read a brochure about a revolutionary fasting treatment that promised a lifetime of good health. The sanatorium in the village of Olalla, west of Seattle, was surrounded by a beautiful forest, sparkling waters and fresh air. The sisters agreed it sounded perfect and exactly the restorative holiday they needed. But within a month of arriving, under the supervision of Doctor Linda Burfield Hazzard, Claire and Dora began to realise the frightening truth – they were not patients but prisoners at the isolated sanitorium.
-
-
Unbelievable…
- By Alison L on 2023-02-05
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
If I Can't Have You
- Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
- Written by: Gregg Olsen, Rebecca Morris
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington, Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The tragic story of Susan Powell and her murdered boys, Charlie and Braden, is the only case that rivals the Jon Benet Ramsey saga in the annals of true crime. When the pretty, blonde Utah mother went missing in December of 2009 the media was swept up in the story - with lenses and microphones trained on Susan's husband, Josh. He said he had no idea what happened to his young wife, and that he and the boys had been camping in the middle of a snowstorm.
-
-
Well Researched
- By Melanie on 2020-12-14
Written by: Gregg Olsen, and others
-
American Black Widow
- Dangerous Women: True Crime Stories
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Colorado, 1976. When Reverend Mike Fuller and his beautiful wife, Sharon, arrive in the sleepy town of Rocky Ford, local residents think something’s off about the new couple. The God-fearing minister is gruff and cold, while charismatic Sharon has her husband wrapped around her finger.
-
-
Fascinating Story of Murder and Mayhem
- By Candice S. on 2023-09-06
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Cruel Deception
- The True Story of Multiple Murder and Two Devastated Families (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In and out of hospitals since birth, angelic nine-month-old Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be sudden infant death syndrome. Morgan's Texas-born mother, Tanya, a nurse and devoted wife, pulled up stakes with her grieving husband, Jim, and moved on. It was the best way to put the past behind them. Until their son, Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister....
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
The Last Thing She Ever Did
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The community along Oregon’s Deschutes River is one of successful careers and perfect families. For years, up-and-comers Liz and Owen have admired their good friends and neighbors, Carole and David. They appear to have it all - security, happiness, and a beautiful young son, Charlie. Then Charlie vanishes without a trace, and all that seemed safe is shattered by a tragedy that is incomprehensible - except to Liz.
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
If You Tell
- A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined.
-
-
Good Narration, Terribly Depressing Story Arc
- By Kerissa Marie D on 2020-10-02
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Snow Creek
- Detective Megan Carpenter Tapes, Book 1
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Patricia Rodriguez
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective Megan Carpenter is no stranger to evil. Escaping the horrors of her old life, she’s vowed never to let anyone hurt her or those she loves ever again. Joining the small police force in Jefferson County’s Port Townsend, Megan is determined to get every victim of a crime the justice they deserve. So when Ruth Turner walks into the Sheriff’s office claiming her sister Ida Watson has been missing for over a month, Megan’s instincts tell her that she needs to do more than just file a report.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Billie-Jo on 2021-01-30
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
The Amish Wife
- Unraveling the Lies, Secrets, and Conspiracy That Let a Killer Go Free
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1977, in an Ohio Amish community, pregnant wife and mother Ida Stutzman perished during a barn fire. The coroner’s report: natural causes. Ida’s husband, Eli, was never considered a suspect. But when he eventually rejected the faith and took his son, Danny, with him, murder followed. What really happened to Ida? The dubious circumstances of the tragic blaze were willfully ignored and Eli’s shifting narratives disregarded.
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Lying Next to Me
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes, Scott Merriman, Katie Koster, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Adam and Sophie Warner and their three-year-old daughter are vacationing in Washington State’s Hood Canal for Memorial Day weekend. It’s the perfect getaway to unplug—and to calm an uneasy marriage. But on Adam’s first day out on the water, he sees Sophie abducted by a stranger. A hundred yards from shore, Adam can’t save her. And Sophie disappears.
-
-
great story.
- By Susan Stephens on 2022-06-28
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Everything She Ever Wanted
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 20 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this fascinating account, Ann Rule delivers a tour de force: a whirlwind of misguided love, denial, guilt, and passions out of control; a series of brilliantly manipulated crimes; the bizarre and horrifying tale of two families brought to ruin; and, at the center of it all, the heartless, supremely selfish sociopath whose evil hid behind soft words and gentle manners, but who destroyed—without mercy—those who loved her.
-
-
Are They Blind?
- By Anonymous User on 2024-10-11
Written by: Ann Rule
-
If You Really Loved Me
- Written by: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 20 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Brown was the consummate entrepreneur: a computer wizard and millionaire by age thirty-two. When his beautiful young wife was shot to death as she slept, Brown's fourteen-year-old daughter, Cinnamon, confessed to killing her stepmother. The California courts sentenced her harshly: twenty-four years to life. But in the wake of Cinnamon's murder conviction, thanks in part to two determined lawmen, the twisted private world of David Brown himself unfolded with astonishing clarity—revealing a trail of perverse love, twisted secrets, and evil mind games.
-
-
Good story, cringe narrator
- By LTRB on 2024-08-14
Written by: Ann Rule
-
The Sound of Rain
- Nicole Foster Thriller, Book 1
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Former homicide detective Nicole Foster has hit rock bottom. Driven off the force by her treacherous partner and lover, she's flat broke and struggling with a gambling addiction. All Nicole has left is the dream of a warm bed at a homeless shelter and the haunting memories of three-year-old Kelsey Chase—whose murder case ended her career. As Nicole obsesses over the old facts, she realizes everything about that case felt off.
-
-
Painful
- By Amazon Customer on 2021-03-26
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Bone Deep
- Untangling the Betsy Faria Case
- Written by: Charles Bosworth, Joel Schwartz
- Narrated by: Gary Bennett
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two days after Christmas, 2011, Russel Faria returned to his Troy, Missouri, home to find his wife, Betsy, dead, a knife still lodged in her neck. She had been stabbed 55 times in a brutal murder that would set off a chain of events leading to one man's wrongful conviction and imprisonment, another man's death, the revelation of a diabolical scheme, and an astounding miscarriage of justice left unresolved for another 10 years.
Written by: Charles Bosworth, and others
-
Abandoned Prayers
- An Incredible True Story of Murder, Obsession, and Amish Secrets (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- Written by: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Christmas Eve in 1985, a hunter found a young boy's body along an icy corn field in Nebraska. The residents of Chester, Nebraska buried him as "Little Boy Blue", unclaimed and unidentified - until a phone call from Ohio two years later led authorities to Eli Stutzman, the boy's father. Gregg Olsen's Abandoned Prayers is an incredible true story of murder and Amish secrets.
-
-
Didn't feel like a true crime novel
- By Sarah D. on 2023-06-20
Written by: Gregg Olsen
-
Broken
- The Most Shocking Childhood Story Ever Told. An Inspirational Author Who Survived It.
- Written by: Shy Keenan
- Narrated by: Judy Mason
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I was born and broken in Birkenhead, abused from infancy by a network of every kind of pervert from ‘thinks it’s love’ to ‘show it hurts’. I was unwanted, beaten, sold, swapped, photographed, filmed, left for dead, corrupted, blamed, betrayed, ignored and orphaned. But I was also born with a fire inside me. I call it my Phoenix Fire. I am no victim—that word only describes what happened to me. Nor am I a survivor because that implies I am over it. I am a Phoenix—a work in progress. This is my story....
-
-
Courage
- By Audrey on 2023-11-21
Written by: Shy Keenan
-
Dangerous Dozen
- Notorious USA True Crime Box Set
- Written by: Gregg Olsen, Katherine Ramsland, Rebecca Morris, and others
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 25 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A true-crime collection culled from the crime files of the New York Times best-selling series, Notorious USA.
-
-
Perfect for true crime lovers!
- By Geeky Mama on 2020-02-18
Written by: Gregg Olsen, and others
-
Under the Bridge
- Written by: Rebecca Godfrey
- Narrated by: Rebecca Godfrey, Erin Moon, Mary Gaitskill - introduction
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One moonlit night, 14-year-old Reena Virk went to join friends at a party and never returned home. In this “tour de force of crime reportage” (Kirkus Reviews), acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey takes us into the hidden world of the seven teenage girls - and boy - accused of a savage murder. As she follows the investigation and trials, Godfrey reveals the startling truth about the unlikely killers. Laced with lyricism and insight, Under the Bridge is an unforgettable look at a haunting modern tragedy.
-
-
narrater should never ever read professionally again
- By michelle on 2024-08-16
Written by: Rebecca Godfrey
-
The Bad Room
- Held Captive and Abused by My Evil Carer. A True Story of Survival.
- Written by: Jade Kelly
- Narrated by: Caro Clarke
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Jade Kelly met her new foster mother, she thought her prayers had been answered. Kindly Carol Docherty was everything her violent, drug-addicted mother was not. Loving and nurturing, she fed and clothed 10-year-old Jade and offered a life free of fear from near constant abuse. Or so Jade thought. As soon as social workers in Lancashire stopped their regular checks on Jade’s progress, Carol turned. Over the next six years Jade and three other girls were effectively kept prisoner in a bedroom she called the ‘bad room’ and subjected to unrelenting physical and mental abuse.
-
-
Determination
- By Suzanne on 2024-11-01
Written by: Jade Kelly