Book Reviews of Heart Full of Lies: A True Story of Desire and Death

I could not put this book down. Ann Rule writes true life murder in a compelling way which takes you into the psyche of the characters.

This is the first book that I have read by Ann Rule. It grabbed my attention from the first page! Liysa was a total sociopathic liar and a killer, not a victim. Excellent read!!

Fascinating look at the life of a brilliant woman who successfully manipulates everyone she meets until she creates her own downfall. Like all of Ann Rules books, this one is very well written.

I could not put the book down. I love Ann Rule's books!

I've read most all of Ann Rule's books and Heart Full of Lies is written with the same investigative excellence and style!

This book was particularly ramboly for Ann Rule. She repeated herself constantly, and all of her investigative work sounded like gossip. "The women from her pool group said this, but no one knew that his friend's where hearing just the opposite." I would rather read 100 pages of well written work than 420 pages of broken record.

And Liysa is NOT intelligent! If she was intelligent Ann Rule would have been writing about how this courageous woman fought back and killed her secretly psychotic husband. Instead Liysa couldn't even finish her trial because all of the evidence was so damning.

On October 8, 2000, commercial pilot Chris Northon was shot to death at a remote Oregon campground by his wife. Rule does her usual fine job of investigating the people and events leading up to the killing in an attempt to determine if Liysa Northon was an abused wife or a manipulative monster.

a true story of desire and death
ann rules gripping bestseller illuminates the lethal deceit inside a drean marriage, and asks: can a woman be deadlier than a man?

An idyllic Hawaiian wedding held the promise of a wonderful future for handsome Chris Northon, an airline pilot and confirmed bachelor. Then he met Liysa, an acclaimed surf photographer, loving mother and aspiring Hollywood screenwriter. But few had seen Liysa's other side -- her controlling behavior and dark moods, her insatiable hunger for money and property. And no one anticipated the fatal outcome of a family camping trip in Oregon forest. Liysa soon revealed herself as a victim of domestic abuse that culminated at the campsite where she shot Chris.

Very good book!

Former Seattle police officer and crime author Rule (Small Sacrifices; Dead by Sunset, etc.) knows a good drama when she finds one: it involves love, betrayal, greed and violence. In the story of Liysa Northon, a woman who murdered her third husband, Chris Northon, in order to collect his insurance money, Rule has found a real-life soap opera. In the fall of 2000, Liysa convinced Chris to go on a camping trip with her and their small son in the remote forests of Oregon. But the idyllic vacation didn't last long; Liysa would later admit to ending her husband's life by shooting him in the head in an act of "self-defense." From where she sits today (in an Oregon state prison), she still professes to have shot Chris only in innocence and fear-emotions she said were caused by her years as a victim of domestic violence. But according to her husband's parents and other sources, Liysa is a manipulative sociopath who spent years crafting a public façade of abuse persuasive enough to justify the cold-blooded murder of her husband.

Ann Rule always fascinates.

Affecting, tense, and smart true crime - A case study of the classic American con man crossed with the more exotic strains of the sociopath.

An idyllic Hawaiian wedding held the promise of a wonderful future for handsome, athletic Chris Northon, an airline pilot, a confirmed bachelor-turned-devoted-family man; and Liysa, an acclaimed surf photagrapher, loving mother, and aspiring hollywood screenwriter. But few, including Chris, had seen Liysa's other side-her controlling behavior and dark moods, her insatiable hunger for money and property. And no one anticipated the fatal outcome of a family camping trip in an Oregon forest. Liysa soon revealed herself as a victim of domestic abuse that culminated at the campsite, where she shot Chris in self-defense. But crime scene evidence led detectives to wonder if Liysa was a killer, not a victim. Her controversial trial stunned all who thought they knew her. A lifetime of sociopathic manipulations and lies had been expertly hidden behind her facade of perfection-as was her rage to destroy any obstacle to her ultimate happiness, even if if was the man she vowed to love forever.

I have beome an Ann Rule fan is just the last couple of years. This tale of a truly psychotic woman was very good.

Great Ann Rule true crime story!

Ann Rule's gripping bestseller illuminates the lethal deceit inside a dream marriage, and asks: can a woman be deadlier than a man?
"A convincing portrait of a meticulous criminal mind" Washington Post

Another great by Ann Rule. A true story of greed, desire and death.

True story of Liysa Northon who is convicted to killing her husband. Very interesting study of deceit and deception and as The Washington Post says, "A convincing portrate of a meticulous criminal mind."

very good book.

Ann Rule does another great job of presenting the facts surrounding a domestic murder case; and this time the alleged killer is a female.

Another great read by the queen of the true story writers. Better than the movie.

I thought this was one of Anne Rule's better books.

Another great book by Rule. I always enjoy the end of her books where she talks about the mental disorder that causes these murderers to what they do. This murder is about greed and selfishness, plain and simple.

chilling

When Liysa is tired of her husbands, she divorces...Except this time he's worth more dead. Was she a battered wife or a greedy wife?

Another really good book by ann Rule!

All of Ann Rules books are well researched accounts of true crimes, usually murders. She gives us insight into the criminal mind. Ann Rule is "America's best true crime writer". I have thoroughly enjoyed all of her books.

In the story of Liysa Northon, a woman who murdered her third husband, Chris Northon, in order to collect his insurance money, Rule has found a real-life soap opera.
In the fall of 2000, Liysa convinced Chris to go on a camping trip with her and their small son in the remote forests of Oregon.
But the idyllic vacation didn't last long; Liysa would later admit to ending her husband's life by shooting him in the head in an act of "self-defense." From where she sits today (in an Oregon state prison), she still professes to have shot Chris only in innocence and fear-emotions she said were caused by her years as a victim of domestic violence.
But according to her husband's parents and other sources, Liysa is a manipulative sociopath who spent years crafting a public façade of abuse persuasive enough to justify the cold-blooded murder of her husband.
Rule has done an impressive amount of research to reconstruct the history of Liysa's crime and the stories of the main people involved, interviewing dozens of police officers, investigators and private citizens across the country.

Another compelling true crime by Ann Rule. copyright 2003

First time reading Ann Rule & true crime stories... Great writing style.. definately gave me the creeps while reading it!

Another great book by Ann Rule. Profiles a manipulative woman who seems to have totally fooled many close to her.

True Story of a woman who kills her husband. Good book you really can't put down.

When Chris Northon married Liysa, it seemed the beginning of "happily ever after" for both of them. But marriage seemed to bring out a dark side of her that few had seen. When Chris was found fatally shot at a remote Oregon campsite, Liysa cried domestic abuse and claimed that she had acted in self-defense when she killed her husband. This book tells the tale of the investigators who painstakingly worked to unravel the truth in this complicated case, as well as the numerous members of Chris's family, who wanted his name cleared and justice to be served. This is an amazing book for anyone who is a fan of Ann Rule or true crime in general.

Can a woman be deadlier than a man? An idyllic Hawaiian wedding held the promise of a wonderful future for Chris and Liysa, but no one anticipated the fatal outcome of a family camping trip in an Oregon forest.

I found this to be a very interesting story to read!

A true story of desire and death.

Ann Rule's gripping best seller illuminates the lethal deceit inside a dream marriage, and asks: Can a woman be deadlier than a man?

True crime....good story as usual for Ann Rule

A compelling story set in Paradise; this woman had it all and squandered it in the worst way. Ann Rule is a wonderful writer and this is one of her best.

If you like true crime books, this is one for your collection. Ann Rule, as expected draws you in and almost puts you right in the middle of the crime. I couldn't put the book down.

True story that took place in Hawaii, Oregon, and California, among surf photographers, airline pilots, screenwriters, a firefighter, and many other interesting and unusual people.

Unlike most crimes that Ann Rule writes about, it wasn't immediately clear whether it was premeditated murder, manslaughter, self-defense, or accidental death.

Ideal marriage, devoted husband, loving wife & mother - then a family camping trip and the fatal shot killing the husband when she shot him in "self-defense". BUT was she the killer or victim???? Exciting......

If you like true crime, Ann Rule is one of the best.

From the back:

An idyllic Hawaiian wedding held the promise of a wonderful future for handsome, athletic Chris Northon, an airline pilot, a confirmed bachelor-turned-devoted family man; and Liysa, an acclaimed surf photographer, loving mother & aspiring Hollywood screenwriter. But few, including Chris, had seen Liysa's other side - her controlling behavior, her insatiable hunger for money and property. And no one anticipated the fatal outcome of a family camping trip in an Oregon forest. Liysa soon revealed herself as a victim of domestic abuse that culminated at the campsite, where she shot Chris in self-defense. But crime scene evidence led the detectives to wonder if Liysa was a killer, not a victim. Her controversial trial stunned all who thought they knew her. A lifetime of sociopathic manipulations and lies had been expertly hidden behind her facade of perfection - as was her rage to destroy any obstacle to her ultimate happiness, even if it was the man she vowed to love forever.

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