Every Breath You Take

A True Story of Obsession, Revenge, and Murder

By: Ann Rule

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

America’s number one true-crime writer fulfills a murder victim’s desperate plea with this shattering New York Times best seller.

“If anything ever happens to me...find Ann Rule and ask her to write my story.”

In perhaps the first true-crime book written at the victim's request, Ann Rule untangles a web of lies and brutality that culminated in the murder of Sheila Blackthorne Bellush - a woman Rule never met, but whose shocking story she now chronicles with compassion, exacting detail, and unvarnished candor.

Although happily ensconced in a loving second marriage and a new family of quadruplets, Sheila never truly escaped the vicious enslavement of her ex-husband, multimillionaire Allen Blackthorne, a handsome charmer - and a violent, controlling sociopath who subjected Sheila to unthinkable abuse in their marriage and terrorized her for a decade after their divorce. When Sheila was slain in her home, in the presence of her four toddlers, authorities raced to link the crime to Blackthorne, the man who vowed to monitor Sheila's every move in his obsessive quest for power and revenge.

©2002 Ann Rule. Originally published in hardcover in 2001 by The Free Press. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Well done

I loved the narration/ no put in voices for characters/ just plain, well articulated reading

Shocking and so very sad . .

It’s very sad to know that there are people in the world who always have to be right and get in the last word or action against former spouses, family members and generally ppl they once loved and cherished. Anne had written this true story of love, hate, evil, hope, empathy and righteousness.

One of Ann Rule's Best

Yes, this is very long. However, this was a very complicated case and there were many people involved.
Excellent research and great narration.
The epilogue is very dated though. A Google search will bring you up to date.
This was a hard one to put down and I miss Ann Rule. Her work was fantastic. Lots of details, always compassionately delivered.
5 stars.

By writing this book, Ann Rule met an incredible challenge! Good job Ann!

This book was hard to take at times, but I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did. It was worth it!! WOW!

Very Complex

The immense number of key players in this sad crime story was difficult to follow, albeit necessary to convey.

love true crime stories

Ann Rule rocks. very interesting read, she tells the story well and keeps interesting throughout.

Good story

A little long in some ways. But lots of good information about a murder that I had heard about in the past.

One of her best!

Ann Rule can make a sinister story come alive, and this one does not disappoint.

Excellent!

Another excellent book from Ann Rule, with her usual skilled research and writing! I did not remember this case and it is a complicated case, but written so well!
I enjoyed the narration too!

Love true crime!

Ann Rules books are gripping and make you feel as if you're right there seeing everything take place in real time! Excellent read and prefect follow up on where they are now.