The Perfect Father

The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder

De: John Glatt

Narrado por: Shaun Grindell

In the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, Shanann Watts was dropped off at her Frederick, Colorado, home by a colleague after returning from a business trip. It was the last time anyone would see her alive. By the next day, Shanann and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, had been reported missing, and her husband, Chris Watts, was appearing on the local news, pleading for his family's safe return.

But Chris Watts already knew that he would never see his family again. Less than 24 hours after his desperate plea, Watts made a shocking confession to police: He had strangled his pregnant wife to death and smothered their daughters, dumping their bodies at a nearby oil site. Heartbroken friends and neighbors watched in shock as the movie-star handsome, devoted family man they knew was arrested and charged with first degree murder.

The perfect mask Chris had presented to the world in his TV interviews and the family's Facebook accounts was slipping - and what lay beneath was a horrifying image of instability, infidelity, sexual ambivalence, and boiling rage.

In this first major account of the case, best-selling author and journalist John Glatt reveals the truth behind the tragedy and constructs a chilling portrait of one of the most shocking family annihilator cases of the 21st century.

©2020 John Glatt (P)2020 Tantor

Very good book! Not so good narrator

This book is heavy! I knew what happened going into it, but once I heard what he did to his daughters, I had to stop reading and pick it back up the next day. Having a kid of my own really hit home for me. Overall, this book is very well written. The ONLY con I guess I could say is that the narrators voice isn’t my favorite. But it’s a great read!

Thoroughly chronologically detailed, informative.

This was definitely a hard read, but I am certain that those who are interested in this particular true crime story will find it interesting, informative and helpful in understanding that of which, is of course, the most unbelievable act of betrayal. How does a family man go about annihilating his beautiful wife and innocent children? I am disgusted with this crime, but I needed to know why did the kids have to be discarded like they where, and after reading this, I still have questions bless the people whom where involved and tread carefully, because this is not a happy story.

Discovery / Interviews

Before I get into my review of the actual book I just wana say that I did not enjoy the pick for the reader. I dont just feel this way because I would prefer it without an accent or anything, I actually enjoy the sound of an accent. My problem is when the accent butchers one of the victims names thru the entire book. Its just kind of annoying to me personally. I'm not saying it ruins the entire experience of the book but her names Bella and the reader kept pronouncing it like Beller and I couldn't stand it by the end of the book.

ANYWAY. Like everyone else I feel like if you've been following the case religiously, you probably won't be getting any great new information or anything super exciting. That said, if you're new to the case, this book is super informative, accurate and not full of assumptions and plagiarisms like Letters from freaking Christopher. That book is a disaster. I noticed someone else said it was in chronological order and mostly it is but there are a few parts i had a hard time following.

I have read and heard this book

Loved hearing this book and reading it myself! Author did an awesome job illustrating Chris Watts mentality!

Uncomfortable depiction of victim.

The first 75% of this book really seemed to paint Shan’nan in a negative light, while hoisting Chris on a pedestal. Sha’nan is portrayed as an attention seeking, controlling housewife with irresponsible spending habits. The story of the crime is thorough what it is almost written as to lay cause for what happened.

Additionally, Kessinger knew exactly what she was up to. She googled the family 9 months before connecting with Chris. She saw something she wanted and went for it.

No new insights

It’s a good timeline recount with everything you already know about the case. But doesn’t seem to have any new information or much input from people close to the situation. The author seems to have just taken everything from sources already widely available and putting them in timeline order.

Horror or horrors

I’ve become engrossed in this horrible case, watched videos many times, listened to this book and still cannot understand why this crime had to happen. The murderer had the ability to just leave his wife and children if he didn’t want to live the life he was living. What demons took his mind to give him the choice to murder his wife, daughters, and unborn son?

Fairly Comprehensive Account of a Horrible Crime

A lot of stuff I'd already heard or read about, but this is the first account that I thought painted a complete picture of their personalities and what could have lead to the horrible decision he made. Do not get me wrong I do not blame the victims in any way at all but it was the first account that I could even wrap my head around why he could have made the fateful decision he made. I got a better sense of Shanan's personality through the text messages as well as his mistress. Interesting how these murderers always seem to "find God" to get forgiven for what is truly unforgivable. May they all RIP.

True Crime detailing and narration at its best!

This story is a fast-paced narrative about the Watts murders. Very few words are wasted on unnecessary information about Chris’s and Shanann’s childhoods and other superfluous details. Instead, the story flows with important details which assist the reader as they eventually converge at the apex of martial & familial pathology and the dogged trappings of an extramarital affair. I could not stop listening to this book. I wish I could start it again from the beginning, being naive to the unfortunate conclusion. The male narrator has a soothing, mellifluous British accent which lends well to the slow yet effective build up of the storyline. Highly recommended!

The Facts

This is an excellent book the reviews saying that it’s biased or the author is victim shaming is utterly ridiculous! It’s an extremely accurate book and tells the facts and yes Shanann was bossy and yes Chris was passive those are the facts it’s not victim shaming if it’s true! It seems to me that authors who gloss over that are doing the victims an injustice if everything we’ve heard from Shananns family is true I’m sure she would like her story told as it was and she wasn’t some mousey little fragile girl no she was a fiery independent life loving mom and depicting her any other way is an injustice to her and her memory why do we insist upon canonizing people after death? It’s ridiculous! You won’t be disappointed at all I’ve read a lot of books on this case and this one is my favorite and the most accurate