Betsy Roberts

By: N.G. Neville

Narrated by: Katie Anna McConnell

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Betsy Roberts

This incredible story is based on true events concerning young Betsy Roberts: how she was kidnapped, abused, but survived America's first serial killers - the evil Harpe brothers - how she outlived and ultimately profited using her wits and sheer determination.

Betsy Roberts, a young woman from Kentucky, is brutally kidnapped by notorious outlaws Micajah and Wiley Harpe who abuse, then exploit her. The novel describes how Betsy uses her wits and courage to survive, and then ultimately prospers despite the most appalling conditions and treatment she suffers, in the wilderness of late 18th-century America. She gradually becomes tainted by the evil, murderous activities of the Harpe brothers who, amongst other things, use her as bait to lure travelers to their deaths. She does this under duress initially, but later becomes indifferent, even to the extent of being a willing accomplice.

Part two of the novel describes her long, gruelling journey of escape to New York in the early 1800s. It covers how she became a key figure there, developing businesses, illicit and legal, and the family dynasty she establishes.

The story is an extraordinary and gripping tale of horrific violence, a kaleidoscope of extraordinary characters, settings, and and yet also incredible willpower, survival instincts. Betsy ultimately becomes a strong, determined woman, but also uses almost any means to achieve her ends.

©2020 Peter Geoffrey Burke (P)2021 Peter Geoffrey Burke

spoiled by performance

While the story is good and the writing not bad, the performance ruined it for me. Her strong accent was sometimes hard to understand, she spoke way too fast, and the recording sounded like it was done in a tunnel. In addition, the volume of the recording was inconsistent.