The Perfect Father

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

By: John Glatt

Narrated by: 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

Straight forward

Covers the case in a pretty basic manner. I prefer “My Daddy is a Hero,” but they both have strengths and weaknesses. I learn how Chris was more involved with Thrive than I had known

Narrator is just fine. For some reason the British accent trying to be neutral drives me nuts. Every sentence ends on a down tone

May they rest in peace.

Evil personified

This is one of the most heart wrenching accounts I have heard in a long time. I had some knowledge of this case given the media coverage but found myself praying as narrator read. This man is a vile human being who has a special place in hell for his deeds

Gave context. Laid my mind to rest.

All the questions that come with this tragic story have plagued me as it has plagued so many others. This book gave unbiased context to Shanann Watts before she married Chris and after they were married. It also gives an account to Chris’s backstory. I found the details to align with the factual details portrayed in the movie American Tragedy. Given this horrible tale and the torment their poor families must endure, effort to maintain as much integrity and transparency in the details is important. There is still a lot of speculation out there, but not in this book, in my opinion. The depiction of Shannon‘s past life, as well as Chris’s, then into their budding relationship, marriage, etc. was a settling account to these normal individuals. It kept my attention with gentle curiosity. It’s the story of two people and who fall in love, run into typical challenges in a marriage that lead into the unimaginable horror that occurred. I give the book 5 stars for remaining neutral. It would’ve lost me had it been full of speculation and opinions. The author clearly tries to deliver truth. That’s it. It has given me some peace, in my desperate attempt to understand why or how he could do it… and feelings of guilt for allowing such a sad story to plague me the way it has. My heart bleeds for their families… now I can lay it to rest in my mind. Still sending prayers to the Rzucek family and the Watts family. May God bless you all.

Good book, a lot of details never before heard.

This book is a good read. I would recommend it for sure. I heard a lot of things I have never heard before. Good research completed when doing this book.

Clear insight of Chris Watts

For the first time, I have a better comprehensive understanding of the Watts family dynamics.