Behind Closed Doors

The Chris Watts Murders

By: Mark Stokes

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

In August 2018, a young Colorado mother and her two daughters vanished without a trace. What began as a missing persons case quickly spiralled into a national obsession — and then, a nightmare. Behind the Watts family's polished social media presence and picture-perfect suburban life, a far darker story was taking shape. When Chris Watts, Shanann’s husband and the girls’ father, stepped in front of the cameras to plead for their safe return, few could have imagined the devastating truth that would soon emerge.

Behind Closed Doors takes readers deep inside one of the most haunting family murders in modern American history. It explores the chilling gap between appearances and reality, the breakdown of a marriage hidden in plain sight, and the slow-burning tension that led to an unthinkable crime. Through detailed accounts of the investigation, reconstructed timelines, and insight into the psychological unraveling of a seemingly ordinary man, this book paints a vivid portrait of control, manipulation, and cold-blooded violence. It also examines the role social media played — not only in masking the cracks within the family, but in shaping public perception in the days that followed.

Gripping, tragic, and impossible to forget, this is the true story of a family destroyed — and the lies that kept the truth hidden until it was too late.

Incorrect information

The AI voice was annoying. Information was wrong thru-out but horrible at the end stating - Shannan’s first child Nikko was left alive to mourn his mother and is being raised by his aunt and uncle. - What????

A few questions

Some errors in the story. Shannons brother speaking at trial.... he didn't and what was that in chapter 7 about Nico, Shannon and Chris's first child who lost his mom and was raises by his uncle. I've never heard that. Nico was the unborn child. Seriously, did I hear that wrong?

Meh

No real new information. Factual inaccuracies. The computer narrator is absolutely awful. Mispronouncing words, inconsistent pronunciations wore me out.

Factually inaccurate!

The author states that Nico was raised by an aunt and uncle. However, he perished with his mom and 2 sisters. Shannan had 1 brother not 2. And a spokesperson read Frankie’s victim impact statement. How this book passed thru the editor is beyond me.

Terrible, couldn’t listen past first few minutes

So many factual errors, obviously sloppy research and badly written. Avoid this one if accuracy matters to you at all.