Final Analysis

The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case

By: Catherine Crier

Narrated by: Catherine Crier

In October 2002, Susan Polk was arrested for the murder of her husband, Felix, kicking off what would become one of the most captivating murder trials in recent memory. Now, former judge and current Court TV host Catherine Crier turns an analytical eye to Susan's story, delving into her past and examining how over twenty years of marriage culminated in murder. When Susan was in high school, Felix, who was more than twenty years her senior, had been her psychologist, and during their sessions as therapist and patient, a romantic entanglement began. These troubling beginnings grew into a difficult marriage that produced three healthy boys but led to disturbing accusations of abuse from both Felix and Susan.

Crier dissects this dangerous relationship, exposing the painful psychology that motivated this complex marriage. She masterfully reconstructs the tumultuous chronology of the Polk family, telling how Susan and Felix struggled to control their rambunctious sons and disintegrating marriage in the years and months leading up to Felix's death. Here Crier also elucidates the methodic police work of the murder investigation and scrutinizes the remarkable trial, exploring Susan's struggles with her defense attorneys and her shocking decision to represent herself. Dark, psychological, and terrifying, Final Analysis is a harrowing look at the recesses of the human mind and the trauma that reveals them.

©2007 Crier Communications Inc. (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"A stunningly intimate window into the case." (New York Post)

"Definitive...[Crier's investigation] yielded information that never made it to the jury." (USA Today)

It's okay

but its not something I would purchase again. It's a good story but its missing something. Maybe its just the voice of the reader. It would have been much better if more passion was used in the telling of the story.

Very good and interesting case

I attended almost every day of this trial in Martinez, CA. With Susan Polk being her own lawer it made it very interesting.

Well worth the listen

I disagree with the previous 2 reviews: this is a great listen if only for the dissection of Polk's flailing attempts to defend herself and the delusion rants she embarked on that undermined her presentation and could have jepoardized her changes of winning jury sympathy and a possible aquittal. This audio book brings that aspect out well, in detail. My only criticisnm is that it is abridged and therefore I suspect some of the most interesting portions have been shortened e.g. the final analysis of the psychological impact on the children.

It is a serious listen, not frivolous or sensational.

Recommended.

just plain bad...

I rarely write these reviews, but I listen to a LOT of audiobooks, and this one was pretty baad! Just the story itself was stilted, the dialog sounds fake, and the narrator is not easy to listen to. I didn't even finish listening.