Cruel Deception

The True Story of Multiple Murder and Two Devastated Families (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

By: Gregg Olsen

Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Gregg Olsen tells the whole shocking story of this true crime in Cruel Deception.

In and out of hospitals since birth, angelic nine-month-old Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be sudden infant death syndrome. Morgan's Texas-born mother, Tanya, a nurse and devoted wife, pulled up stakes with her grieving husband, Jim, and moved on. It was the best way to put the past behind them. Until their son, Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister....

First, the suspicion: Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Then, Tanya was charged and convicted with felony child abuse of her son. She was later tried and ultimately convicted for first degree murder of Morgan. It would become a landmark trial that unfolded in a series of reversals and bizarre twists of fate as it gradually revealed another side of Tanya Reid—of her own troubling childhood and the dark secrets that drove a woman to the cruelest deception of all....

©2022 Gregg Olsen (P)2022 Gregg Olsen

A mental health condition to be shared

This was good I learned a lot and grateful this story was shared. This crime needs to be told and shared.

What happens behind closed doors...

(As posted in Goodreads)
Shiver; what an icky feeling the whole case leaves in the reader. MSBP us one of the most unfathomable crimes known to man (OK, cliche, I know). As a mother, I know that an awful lot is expected of us, and it may be unreasonable to expect it all- for a bare minimum of care and concern for our babies- or even older children or offspring is fur from Unreasonable! In a questionable situation, I can see different people coming to different solutions, BUT SUFFFOCATING YOUR BABY/TODLER SON is NEVER One of them!
Gregg Olsen continues to write relevant and interesting (mostly true crime) books in a captivating and enthralling way; I am far from current on all of them, but I continue to embrace and enjoy.!

Munchausen

This is a great story of the beginning documentation of Munchausen in the U.S. Who would think a mother would do this to their own child? So sad.

An eye opener

Actually turned out good the story is sad but how it was told was good

Great read!

Superbly written and read. These cases are difficult for everyone but Gregg Olsen tells them well.

Olsen and Pierce never disappoint

I would listen to Kevin Pierce read a takeout menu, and Gregg Olsen is rapidly becoming the best true-crime author imho. Can’t wait for another pairing of these guys. Bravo.

Why does the title say multiple murder?!

False advertising. Only one murder… story is compelling… hits all court fighting.. sad depressing story.

Captivating story!

I thought the story was incredible MSBP has always been of interest to me - I just don’t understand how a mother can cause that to their own child & then is able to convince her family & friends that she is not the cause of it.
Greg Olsen’s story was well written. I felt the. narrator was not very good - tone of voice was rather monotonous.

The sins of the mother. Cruel Deception

The reader is very good. Gregg Olsen is my favorite author. He has done it again with this book.

The attention to detail, the suspense of who is telling the truth

Loved the written words and cadence of the orator. Introduced characters in understandable ways while not revealing the final decisions. This should be a movie! Have Anne Hathaway as Tonya!