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Book Reviews of House of Secrets

House of Secrets
House of Secrets
Author: Lowell Cauffiel
ISBN-13: 9780786005796
ISBN-10: 0786005793
Publication Date: 10/1/1998
Pages: 432
Rating:
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 20

4.2 stars, based on 20 ratings
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

22 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed House of Secrets on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Long and twisted true story. Some surprising ambiguous aspects - really leaves open ended questions about how children growing up in such a home are scarred by the experience - some of them were adults and did their own criminal acts by the time authorities intervened.
mglennx avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This story was about some of the most horrifying abuse of children that I have ever heard about. The father was a "charmer" to outsiders and raised his family like it was a cult. The people who got involved with this family all lived to regret it (or sometimes didn't live). The courage and strength it took one of the daughters in this "house of horrors" to finally come forward was immense. This is a story about how a few dedicated public servants can make all the difference. The efforts of the child advocates and dedicated law enforcement personal ultimately ended the reign of the scariest parents I have ever read about (Sybil included).
sadielynn avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 22 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A true story of family murder and madness. This book is gripping as well as disturbing and horrific and its an incredible read. If you like True Crime..you'll not only believe this but you probably won't ever forget it either. This is one book that TC lovers should NOT pass up.
JiminyCricket avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 150 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This has got to be the worst case of mis-justice and evil that I have ever read and for a True Crime avid reader THAT says A LOT! I say mis-justice because many got away with actual murder and many police,detectives etc...suffered emotional tramua from dealing with the case itself, not to mention the children damaged FOREVER by this pure evil man--even scarier, he could be parolled in FOUR YEARS!!! And be back on the streets causing more harm and death to innocent people, and his children, still. This man LITERALLY got away with some scary and horrific, beyong belief actions. Kept me up all night and at times I wondered if I should even finish it since it was so evil. This should be a classic case of how disfunctional and secretive some parents [and I say that extremely loose]can be and get away with it because of how our laws are worded, regardless of the deeds---sickening.
LoveBeingMOM avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 134 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
16 pages of photos...amazing the control one man has over so many. A MUST read for any true crime fan!
reviewed House of Secrets on + 158 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A true story of family murder and madness. Horrific, totally engrossing.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Many times throughout this book, I found myself having to remember that is is true crime, not fiction. It's a fascinating if horrifying story. A really good read.

There is no doubt this man is a monster, but I also found myself doubting some of the things the children came forth with. They ruined their own credibility by inconsistency.
lillinda avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 175 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A true crime story of a family in Florida. 16 pages of photos.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
ON AN OCTOBER NIGHT, AT ONE OF THE CAMPGROUNDS DOTTING FLORIDA'S GULF COAST, EX-CON EDDIE LEE SEXTON TOLD HIS DAUGHTER PIXIE TO SILENCE HER CRIYING BABY. INCREDIBLY, THE YOU MOTHER SMOTHERED THE HELPLESS INFANT,STUFFED IT'S TINY CORPSE INTO A GY BAG, AND THEN BURIED IT IN A SHALLOW GRAVE. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, EDDIE LEE ORDERED HIS SON WILLIE TO STRANGLE TH BABY'S BEREAVED DAD DURING A FAMILY PICNIC. SEXTON WAS PRIMING HIS THIRD VICTIM WHEN THE FBI AND FLORIDA COPS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM THEY HID HIS CRUEL ABUSE TUHORITIES SOON LEARNED THAT THESE KILLINGS WERE THE FINAL HEINOUS ACTS OF A SADISTIC, INCESTUOUS MONSTER WHOSE REIGHN OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE HAD BEGUN BACK IN OHIO. FOR YEARS, EDDIE LEE WHIPPED HIS CHILDREN DAILY, RAPED HIS DAUGHTERS, ABUSED HIS SONS, AND EVEN FATHERED THREE INBRED SEXTON BABIES. BUT IN EARY 1192,AFTER TEENAGED MACHELLE SEXTON'S COURAGEOUS FLIGHT TO AUTHORITIES THE WALLS OF SILENCE SURROUNDING THIS HOUSE OF HORRORS CRUMBLED. BY 1995 SEXTON WOULD BE SITTING ON FLORIDA'S DEATH ROW.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 63 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Difficult to put down, but tragic. It seems unbelievable that this type of horror goes on in America and no one saw it!
reviewed House of Secrets on + 87 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Eddie Lee Sexton is evil incarnate. Like Charles Manson, he exercised a cult-like mind control over others who did his dirty work. But unlike Manson, both Sexton's victims and his subjects were his very own flesh and blood." As strong as they are, these words from an assistant district attorney barely hint at the depravity hidden for years within the Sexton family. Strange notions about "Futuretrons" and hand markings that convey absolute power, revelations of incest and physical abuse, bodies buried in the camping area of a Florida state park-- House of Secrets has so many layers of weirdness that it will amaze even seasoned readers of true crime. Lowell Cauffiel has a talent for combining quotations from interviews and unembellished facts into prose that reads like a novel. Two people are dead, and the children who suffered the cruel fate of being born into the Sexton family may never completely heal from their injuries--but at least their story has been told.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
not your typical true crime book but well written. very disturbing.
wezzymay avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 14 more book reviews
This true account was unreal. This book was full of horror. I couldn't put this one down. Great book.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 54 more book reviews
I've read over 100 true crime books and this Book Got to me the most - The dad is a horrible EVIL man !!
reviewed House of Secrets on + 84 more book reviews
a real page turner
reviewed House of Secrets on + 18 more book reviews
Eddie Lee Sexton is evil incarnate. Like Charles Manson, he exercised a cult-like mind control over others who did his dirty work. But unlike Manson, both Sexton's victims and his subjects were his very own flesh and blood." As strong as they are, these words from an assistant district attorney barely hint at the depravity hidden for years within the Sexton family. Strange notions about "Futuretrons" and hand markings that convey absolute power, revelations of incest and physical abuse, bodies buried in the camping area of a Florida state park-- House of Secrets has so many layers of weirdness that it will amaze even seasoned readers of true crime. Lowell Cauffiel has a talent for combining quotations from interviews and unembellished facts into prose that reads like a novel. Two people are dead, and the children who suffered the cruel fate of being born into the Sexton family may never completely heal from their injuries--but at least their story has been told. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 10 more book reviews
This book is really good. Kept me from putting it down.
carmenc avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 31 more book reviews
Oh my gosh this is something horrible. I wonder what happened to all of them. This book will keep you reading until you finish it possible in one day.
calevanik avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 31 more book reviews
I have always been interested in true crime reads. I find is fascinating to hear how normal people's lives can be or seem before the horrid occurs. This book left me a little less than intrigued. It was not at all what I expected. These crimes were inhumane and ghastly. Worth the read, but only if you have the stomach to get through it.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 31 more book reviews
It's almost impossible to believe a person could do these things but especially to his own family and his own children. It's a devastating story. It's hard to put the book down because one page is more horrible and eye opening than the next.
reviewed House of Secrets on + 37 more book reviews
I've read this book twice and it is even better the second time around. A fast and interesting read.
mssheenaann avatar reviewed House of Secrets on + 107 more book reviews
Sick, Sick, Sick! This was one of the craziest true crime books I've ever read! It's so twisted what this man did to his family that it's almost unbelievable! It's definitely worth the read but be prepared to wonder though the whole book, what the hell is wrong with some people?