This is a hard book to review because although it was a very well written and detailed book the subject matter is so tough to read and re live what happened, it’s not for the faint of heart. I appreciate how the author did their best to provide both sides to the case and stuck with the facts. You can tell it was thoroughly researched and fact checked.
When reading this book I felt like I was grieving with the families and was trying to figure out how someone could do that? A good and tough read but be prepared for the unfortunate gruesome details. They are needed for a fact telling book but still heard to absorb.
Thank you Netfalley for the advanced copy.

If I hadn't known this was a true crime book and heard about this case in the news, I definitely would have thought it was fiction, as the story is so horrendous. A man killing his pregnant wife and daughters and then dumping their bodies at an oil site is just unimaginable. The issues below the surface were even more shocking and the author did a great job of laying out this story so that those who don't remember it from the news can follow it.

It is kind of weird to want to give a book about a murder story five stars. Yet, I felt like the author really did a good job of recapping this horrible and sad story of how Shanann, Bella and Celeste lost their lives. I still remember hearing and reading about this case as I live in Colorado.

It was interesting to see how Chris went from being submissive husband and father to a cold, blooded killer. Yet, in a way; I think that years of Chris taking more of a silent role caused him to exploded. Only when his fuse went off, he killed his family. The worse part was how distant he was during the whole event from killing Shanann...loading her body into the back of the truck and his daughters riding in the back seat with their dead mother on the floor. To killing each of his daughters and dumping their bodies into toxic oil drums.

What blows my mind besides the murders was that his parents can go on believing that their son is innocent; despite the various different stories he has told them about the murders. The other aspect that I and others I am sure don't really think about is how a murder affects the detectives and police involved in the case. There were many that suffered PTSD and had to quit afterwards.

This is a true crime book of the Watts family. Chris, the father his beautiful wife Shanann, their two little daughters and Nico the baby boy they've planned and longed for. They seem to be the opposite attract couple. Chris quiet, loving and caring for his family. He's happy for Shanann to be in the limelight. She's bright, vivacious, vibrant strong willed, determined. Really what Chris Watts is, is passive aggressive. He is not able to talk or Express or communicate his feelings. There will be a blowing point. No one can hold that much anger in and not destroy everything in it's path
And when it does there will be hell to pay.
Well written book about one of the most recent and horrifying stories of the year!

This was such a chilling and disturbing book/circumstance/whatever you want to call it. It didn't bring much new information, but it's a good way to follow along with what happened. I love reading true crime, and John Glatt definitely was the perfect writer for this.

Having already heard of this case on a recent podcast I debated even putting it on my TBR. However, I love true crime and it received high praise from Book Riot’s Liberty Hardy so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. This book offered fascinating insight into their relationship and detailed accounts of their lives leading up to the murders in chronological order. Every time I had to put it down I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys true crime and am anxious to see what else this author has written.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a digital copy of this wonderful book!

4.5/5 stars

This book is disturbing and disgusting and is definitely a page turner. It is difficult to put a rating on a horrific circumstance that affected so many peoples' lives.
The books is written in chronological order and has many details of what happened during this time. However, these details seem to be things that were gathered and already out there. I don't think this has new information or interviews/perspective of the friends or family members.
I also read it as more "pro" Chris Watts which bothered me. It felt like the author was critical of Shanann Watts and that she was to blame for being murdered.
True crime followers would probably enjoy this one.

Happy pub day to this true crime book: The Perfect Father. Thank you to #netgalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced copy for my honest review! This book is out today.

Synopsis: This true crime story is about the life of Chris Watts and the horrific murders of his wife, Shanann and their two young children. Chris was the “perfect” husband: attentive, doting, and loving of his family. It was inconceivable that he would be responsible for something so horrendous. This book shows the mental downward spiral he goes through during his life and marriage that ultimately led him to snap.


My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐ / 5 stars
First off, this is incredibly detailed and informative. It read almost like day by day account of Chris and Shanann’s life up to the days after the murder and the court hearings. Its eerie to read about what could cause someone to immediately shut off their feelings for their own family and disassociate unconditional love to cruel murder. The more I read, the more I was finding it hard to stomach this terrible tragedy I saw on the news a couple years ago. If you are interested in true crime, you will definitely will want to read this.

I don't typically gravitate towards true crime, but between The Southern Book Club's Guide To Murder (featuring true crime reading book club) and being captivated by If You Tell earlier this year, I have been more open to the genre this year. This book details Chris and Shannan Watts' lives - and the murder of Shannan, her unborn son and two young daughters ar the hands of her husband.

The book reads much like a serial article - or a script for a more in-depth Investigation Discover show. The author keeps himself completely out of it and attempts to stick to the evidence and facts. But in presenting a balanced view, there are some uncomfortable moments that seem to border on blaming the victim. And while Glatt mentions a few alternative theories, it is clear that he doesn't actually purport to any of them. There doesn't seem to be an inside view or any details not covered by public record (though this is still an intimate view, in large part thanks to the strong social media presence the family maintained). If personal interviews were a part of this, that research doesn't seem to be acknowledged.

I also wish that the motive had been a bit clearer... it does seem like a quick turn from an apparently loving (but pushed around??) husband to a murderous monster and his mistress' role also seems open to interpretation with the timely mentions of her internet searches and their long phone calls. It's a heartbreaking story, and while it's a quick read, I just wish that there had been a bit more depth to it. I was also surprised that more blame wasn't placed on the Thrive products that he seemed to be abusing with over-use and the reality of their financial pressures. I can certainly see why there are book clubs so devoted to this genre though - this certainly leaves a reader with a lot to talk about!!

John Glatt did an impressive job of presenting the background story of Shanann Watts and her two young daughters and their tragic demise at the hands of their "perfect" husband and father Chris Watts. As I often suspect when I see an ideal life portrayed on social media, the reality may be far different. This case had captured my attention from the beginning because it reminded me of Laci Peterson. I have long been drawn to true crime narratives through books and televised coverage because I want to know what leads up to such tragic acts of violence. In the case of Chris Watts, my own personal theory is that his excessive use of Thrive products and extreme weight loss could have led to a chemical imbalance. As the book clearly states, we will probably never know what really happened. The one good thing Chris did was to take a plea deal and save everyone from a long drawn-out court battle. I always feel sorry for the families of both the victims and perpetrator. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Dude. I had no idea about this story and was literally captivated from beginning to end. Highly recommend if you are a murder mystery fan, however, it does have violence towards children just as a word of warning. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader digital copy of this book. Having been interested in this sad true story since it occurred, this book was a must read. Previously unknown facts and interesting tidbits were revealed in this book. Any true crime fan would love this telling of Chris Watts and his creepy criminal psychotic behavior of slaughtering everyone who loved him most.

The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder by John Glatt is about real murders that takes place in Colorado. I live in Colorado, and remember this case clearly. The first time I saw Chris Watts on the news, I knew he was guilty of something. This story is unbelievable, to me. How could this man kill his pregnant wife and his two beautiful daughters? I do not normally read true crime books, but I knew I had to read this one. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy true crime books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is an overview of the Chris Watts story. He was an all-American boy, handsome, a hard worker, loyal son and friend, devoted family man...until he became a family annihilator. This case will continue to disturb investigators and although the book lays out one scenario, there are others to consider. I recommend reading the book, viewing the video releases on YouTube for deeper insights, but only if you want to. It's really dark stuff. Book is a good place to start and well written, investigative in nature. It is a case sure to be discussed for years until Chris Watts tells the full story, without lies.

How do you even review a true crime book?
Watts family seems to have it all. Shanann is running her own business and loved by her followers/Thrive family. Chris is a perfect husband and father - loving, hard working and supportive. Their daughters Bella and Celeste are their pride and joy. But one day Shanann, Bella and Celeste goes missing...
I remember hearing about this case and thinking "wow, getting some "Gone Girl" vibes!". Obviously - this is real life, Watts family case is tragic and the world has lost a mother, an unborn baby boy and two beautiful girls.
The Perfect Father is a well researched and written look at the Watts family case. Easy to read and it seems like you really get to know Shanann, Chris, Bella and Celeste. Some of the chapters were harder to read because of the subject matter tho.

This book was eerie and full-on creepy!

Chris and Shannan Watts were like most families - hard-working, raising two daughters, and they seemed to have everything going for them. So why did he then turn around and murder his pregnant wife and two young daughters? Shannan had a thriving business and was working to better their lives, although the family was deep in debt. Everything they had was nice, and the price tags that went with it were not small. They had declared bankruptcy once already and were in the process of being sued by their HOA for non-payment of dues. When Shannan came home from her business trip, she was hoping to spend the next weekend with her husband, working on their marriage. But Chris had other plans.

Chris Watts made himself the number 1 suspect through his actions and words on the day that his family disappeared. Throughout the entire process, he was withdrawn, and seemingly unaffected by their disappearance. He was even planning to continue going to work, he said, to keep his mind busy. He did not act like the husband and father of three missing people. He was still talking to his girlfriend on the phone, cleaned the entire house, and spent time giving interviews to new stations instead of looking for his family. But he didn't need to look - he knew exactly where they were.

This book, was hard for me to read. As a mother, cases with children are always hard to get through, but I wanted to read more about this one. I cried through the scene where he talks about how he smothered his children, and then disposed of them in the oil tanks. I was angry when he very calmly talked about how he had eradicated his entire family - without a single thought to the many lives that he was going to destroy in the process. I was livid when he tried to blame the deaths of the two little girls on his wife.

I loved and hated this book. I hated the reason it was written, but I enjoyed diving into the content and looking at what made this mild-mannered man snap and murder four people.

Where to even start here. First, I read about this case, and have lightly followed it since the beginning. I had read some things about Shanan, and honestly, she seemed like a true commanding, pain in the ass. I didn't like any of the things I heard or read about her. And I knew she wasn't someone that I would spend any time with if I ever had met her.

But then she was murdered. With her two daughters. While she was pregnant. And no matter how much of a pain in the ass, demanding, or needy someone may be, that is no excuse for the horrible, unforgivable things that Chris Watts did. Whether I liked Shanan has nothing to do with the story. I could see why Chris cheated. I could see why Chris wanted to leave her.

But murder is entirely different. And deplorable.

This book really highlights the bullshit that went on in their marriage. I'm not 100% sure if this book was supposed to be biased towards Chris, but the moment he killed the four women in his family, I hated him instantly. It's beyond fascinating to me how he ever thought he could get away with what he did. Beyond stupid and heinous on his part.

While this book was thoroughly interesting and a very good read, I hope Chris rots in prison.

The Perfect Father publishes 7.21.2020.

5/5 Stars

I thought The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder was a great read. This murder was horrific and this book did a good job laying out what happened. I give it four stars.

Ever since I first of this case, I have been drawn to the story. This book covers the whole story in depth and read like a thriller (even though I knew the ending). I finished it up in less than a day, couldn't put it down. Would recommend for fans of true crime.

I remember when this case was reported on in the news and read the stories. And then Chris was arrested and everyone was shocked that a father could do such a thing.
I was interested in this case and felt I could never get a full grasp of what really happened.
This book lays everything out, from the very beginning following Shannan and Chris when they first met, to their first date, right on up until the end when he committed the murders and went to trial, and finally, the aftermath of the devastation these crimes have caused.

In the first half of the book, we get an inside peek into the lives of Shannan and Chris. Shannan was initially a shy girl but soon broke out of her shell when she began to make friends. She went on to have a large friend group, made a lot of money doing various things, and was highly motivated.
Chris had dreams of working for NASCAR and became a mechanic, he was always quite shy and introverted and lived a quiet life.
Shannan and Chris met and soon began dating, got engaged and married. Shannan knew Chris was the right one for her when he helped to take care of her when she was going through a flare-up of Lupus. Chris was very subservient in the relationship, with Shannan being the more stern and bossy get-shit-done-and-do-it-right type. She told Chris what to do and when to do it. Chris would later resent this.

One thing all his friends said about Chris was that he was a great father to his young daughters, that he loved them very much.
In part 2 of the book, the break down of their marriage and the eventual crime is detailed. It seems Chris could never stand up for himself or his family and this is seen when we hear that Shannan would often criticize him in front of his daughters. Or his reluctance to say no to posting his life on social media at the behest of Shannan who was constantly posting and made a living from selling Thrive products. We also see this with the #NutGate incident when Shannan and the girls visited Chris’s parents without Chris present. Young Celeste has severe allergies to tree nuts of all kinds, ahead of visiting Shannan asked Chris’s mom to get rid of anything containing nuts. While visiting Bella’s and Celeste’s cousins were over, they were crowded in the kitchen when one of the cousins reached in the freezer to grab an ice cream that contained tree nuts. Celeste was right beside that cousin and could’ve died if she consumed any of it. Shannan went wild, while Chris’s mother downplayed the incident. Shannan took the kids and left and called Chris to tell him to speak to his parents about the incident. Chris never had that conversation to stand behind Shannan or Celeste. Chris could never stand up for himself or confront his parents.
This further weakened their relationship.

But Chris already knew he no longer loved Shannan and was cheating on her with a co-worker who he lied to on numerous occasions about the divorce proceedings- none were in place at this time as Shannan wanted to mend their relationship. As they became more distant Shannan could detect a change and thought there may be another woman as Chris wouldn’t touch her and no longer cared about the baby she was growing. In fact, he told her he wanted her to get an abortion.
After coming home from the work trip Chris already had a plan in action to murder his wife and daughters.

Part 3 details the murders in shocking clarity. How off Chris seemed about his wife and daughters being missing, the emotional coldness. Right from the beginning close friends of Shannan’s suspected him. None of it made sense. Shannan’s phone and purse were home, Cece’s epi-pens were home, the car with the car seats was still parked in the garage. Soon the media were one it, following every step in the case, Chris makes an emotional plea for them to come home. Chris’s mistress is shocked to find out that his wife and daughters are missing and that Shannan was pregnant- a major detail Chris hadn’t told her.
Soon the police are onto things, suspecting Chris.
Chris fails a polygraph. He tells detectives that Shannan, after an emotional conversation, suffocated their daughters, when he came across this he strangled Shannan. Then he disposed of their bodies, burying Shannan in a shallow grave and shoving Bella and Celeste in oil towers belonging to the company he worked for.
Detectives knew that Shannon wouldn’t kill her girls, they knew Chris was still lying.

Part 3 of the book focuses on the confession, the recovery of the bodies, the autopsies, and the court case. Chris actually revealed to his father while detectives looked on that Shannan killed the girls, he killed Shannan and disposed of their bodies. His father believed him and the Watts family have still maintained that Shannan killed the girls, not Chris, despite the evidence and later confession in which Chris detailed how that night really played out and how he killed the girls. Chris was arrested and charged with 3 counts of first-degree murder, 2 counts of first-degree murder of a victim under the age of 12 by a person in a position of trust, 3 counts of tampering with a deceased human body, and 1 count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy. Chris was placed in a Colorado prison but had to be moved as he was frequently being harassed by prison inmates. Shannan’s family didn’t want Chris to go on death row opting for a life sentence. Chris pleaded guilty to each count brought against him. The nine counts would run consecutively, Watts will be spending a total of 84 years with no possibility of parole.

This book does a great job of laying out the events that took place to help the reader understand how someone could do something like this. We really get a sense of who Shannan and Chris were as individuals, as a couple, and as parents.

This isn’t a one-sided perspective either, we have Shannon's account through texts she sent to friends, and posts she made on social media, we have accounts given about Shannan and Chris from friends that knew them, the people they worked with, their parents and Chris’s mistress whom many assume is the reason Chris committed the murders- so he could start fresh and be with her. We also have the detectives, the autopsies, and the evidence stacked against Chris.

Many could argue that Shannan was a controlling bitchy wife who drew her husband away from her, or that Chris’s mistress may have put him up to it. Some still believe that Shannan killed the girls.
What’s so unusual about this case is that Chris looks like such a nice guy, he and Shannan had a ‘perfect’ marriage, he was such a great father to those little girls. No one saw it coming. He wasn’t the typical killer. He wasn’t a violent person.
All these things don't make what he did any more or less ok. No normal person strangles their wife in front of their children, and smother the kids and disposing of their bodies like garbage instead of getting a divorce. It's unjustifiable.
For me, the most shocking part of this is that Chris’s parents still maintain that Shannan killed the girls, not Chris. Even with the confession he gave after the trial was over.

All in all, this book was a fascinating read that really showed you step by step how everything happened. There are some graphic depictions especially in the recovery chapter and detailing of the autopsies.
Really great writing, I highly recommend if you are interested in the case.
4 stars.

**ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review