A Beautiful Child

A True Story of Hope, Horror, and an Enduring Human Spirit

By: Matt Birkbeck

Narrated by: Skye Borgman

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY GIRL IN THE PICTURE

Sharon Marshall was a brilliant and beautiful student whose future was filled with promise—until her murderous, fugitive father drew her into a lifetime of deception that became one of the most baffling cases in the annals of American true crime.

A student at Forest Park High School near Atlanta, Georgia, popular blonde-haired Sharon Marshall was at the top of her class. Serving as a Lt. Colonel in the ROTC, she earned a full scholarship to Georgia Tech University to study aerospace engineering. She was the ultimate girl next door, sweet, generous, and well-adjusted. But Sharon had disturbing secrets so shocking and unique, they took more than a decade to unravel...

This is the horrifying true story of a mysterious young woman caught in the violent web of the murderous fugitive she called her father—and a heartrending testament to the profound courage and perseverance of one woman trapped in the grip of extreme evil.

very well written, through and heartbreaking too

wish they would add another authors now with an update on the 2005 update.

great book

loved it, very interesting audio book . multi faceted. Nicely written and wonderfully narrated. thanks

Amazing story.

What this child went through for so long is heartbreaking. This book is well written and well read. A+ true crime.

Stunning yet sensitively-written true crime

**If you are adopted &/or ate unaware of who your parents are/were or were sexually abused as a child, carefully consideration should be given before listening-this book details the theft of a young woman’s past, present, & future by a monstrous individual who also happened to be a victim or horrendous sexual abuse.**
This is the book behind the Netflix doc, “The Girl in the Picture.” It’s a well-written account of Floyd Franklin, a psychopath (in the truest sense of the word) who stole the 4 year old daughter of his girlfriend while she was briefly incarcerated & then pretended to be her “father” (I use quotation marks because Franklin doesn’t deserve that moniker but it’s the best descriptor for his role in Sharon’s life.)
The most heartbreaking part of the story for me was the several adults who were close enough to Jennifer to know something was wrong & yet did nothing because they “didn’t want to pry.” I’m particularly disgusted with the mother of Sharon’s best friend in high school who repeatedly told the teenager that “if she needed anything, just ask” & is described as loving Sharon “like a daughter” yet when Sharon finally does ask to stay at their home after giving birth as a 17 yo, she’s turned down flat because “they won’t raise another persons child while that person is still alive.” Sharon could’ve been saved & I hope Sue Fisher knows she has blood on her hands. Don’t say things like “if you need anything, let me know” if you can’t or won’t follow through, just don’t. I’ve been a victim of this myself but not where the stakes were anywhere near this high.

Most heartbreaking and amazing true crime story I have ever read

This story is riveting, terrible and impossible to forget. It’s well researched and written. The story is read by a woman who feels the need to inflect emotion into the text, which I found annoying. But other than that, I have only praise.