"A Tangled Web" gives us the true-crime story of a regular guy and two women drawn together into incredibly devious murder and its bizarre aftermath. You've probably heard of this case (it was highlighted in a Dateline episode) but Rule's book really gives you and ins and outs of the murderers' catfishing over many years, and the numerous ways she used technology to track and intimidate her victims.

Rule points out that most women were very suspicious of the murderer, while men just didn't pick up on her insanity. And unfortunately, the people called to investigate the cases (arson, missing person, identity theft, etc.) were male and they seemed to have totally missed the manipulations until it was finally taken seriously and solved in a very definitive manner.

Rule is very thorough in her unraveling of the tangled web of data, but at times I wished for a much clearer focus on the murderer. However, (her family did not cooperate in any way to provide background so after all the details about the case, the murderer still remains illusive in a sense.

Leslie Rule does a good job of coordinating all the information and presented it in a clear fashion but at times I wished for the deeply personal way her mother, Ann Rule, framed and enriched the bare details. Ann had a way of digging into a murder that made it heartwrenchingly personal and close to home. Leslie is not quite there yet, but then again few crime writers are at the level of Ann Rule at her finest (which I would suggest is "Small Sacrifices")

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars for "A Tangled Web.".

It's true what they say...truth is stranger than fiction! And Leslie Rule's new book, A Tangled Web, bears that out in spades!

Dave Kroupa is recently divorced, and newly re-entered in the data game. He's not interested in a long term relationship, just in meeting like minded women to do things with. And he's very up front both with his dating website profile and the women he meets through it about what he's looking for. And then he meets Liz, a petite woman that will soon upend his life in ways that become deadly.

Liz (or Shanna, as she sometimes goes by) wants Dave. In spite of her soft and amiable presentation, she is also jealous, manipulative and dangerous. But who could tell, or would even believe that?

The Dave meets Cari, a warm and friendly woman who is interested in the same things he is. When Cari disappears, and then begins sending Dave foul and disturbing text messages, he wonders he could have misjudged her so completely. Soon any woman he dates is getting barraged with these strange messages and web postings from Cari....who hasn't been seen by her friends and family for weeks, and then months. Just what is going on? Who is responsible for these texts and terrible things that are happening?

A Tangled Web takes a deep dive into the mystery of Cari's disappearance, the police response, and the amazing work done by detective to figure out just what happened, how it happened, and who is responsible. Lovers of true crime stories will just love this book!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Not sure how many people have been stalked and its not really something that just comes up or people really want to talk about so most people don't know but I was cyberstalked for about 5 years, so with that past this was a really scary book. it alarming how many things she got away with and how many people suffered because of her, and how hard it was to prove everything makes it all the more terrifying. Im not sure if people who haven't been stalked will see this book differently but for me its a terrifying true story that hits close to home.

Wow, this is an extremely well researched and well written book!
A tangled story indeed, about a jealousy fuelled and obsessed stalker, who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
This story is quite disturbing, sometimes harrowing, but totally compelling and gripping.
A must read for fans of true crime everywhere.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

A Tangled Web is a great true crime told in a beautiful way! I love Rules writing style!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Tangled Web
by Leslie Rule
Publish Date: April 28, 2020

I went into this novel blind, not even realizing it was true crime. Now, I am a true crime addict. I love Oxygen, Discovery ID, true crime podcasts, and MurderMysteryMakeupMonday on youtube is like prime time television for me. So this book was such a happy surprise when I started reading it.

It is about a case I was not that familiar with, the disappearance of Cari Farver. Rule describes in great detail the background of David Kroupa the man at this center of this story. HIs relationship with Shanna Goylar and her descent into obsession and eventually murder. Goylar used emails, texts, and the internet to cover up her crime. Fooling not only Dave but law enforcement as well. This book was definitely a the truth is stranger than fiction scenario. I was astonished at the lengths this woman went to for a man that didn’t even treat her well.

This book was well written but at times I did feel like there was more backstory or explanation than was necessary. That however, is my only complaint.

I think most true crime fans will enjoy this book and the case itself. Leslie Rule covers it thoroughly.

4/5 stars for me!

Thank you @netgalley and @Kensingtonbooks and Citadel for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Leslie Rule's first true crime book is just as good as any written by her mother Ann. While I thought it went into to much detail at times (we don't need to be told how Facebook works), it did show the amount of research that went into this story. It was a well told story of how a woman manipulated almost everyone that came into her life, leading to murder, stalking & lies.

Leslie Rule does a magnificent job untangling a very complicated crime. Following in her mother's footsteps, author Ann Rule, Leslie has an easy, flowing writing style that allows the reader to make sense of a crime that has many parts. A Tangled Web is a book that you will find yourself reading in the middle of the night because you cannot wait to find out what happens next! Thank you to NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've been a big fan of Ann Rule for years so when I saw this book by her daughter, I was happy to see she was going to be writing true crime books too. I don't want to compare the two but I do want to say she is every bit as good as an author as her mom was.
This story is quite fascinating and the depth of manipulation is scary. Hindsight is always 20/20 but it is so hard to think this woman had so many people fooled for so long. And the dedication of the investigators is impressive. I highly recommend this book to fans of true crime books and especially fans of Ann Rule. I hope Leslie Rule continues to write too.

I was so excited when I saw that there was a true crime book coming out by Leslie Rule, Ann Rule’s daughter, that I was beside myself! Now I just had to get my hands on an early copy to review. I struck out in the first place I tried, then it turned up in another and I got it then. I was really thrilled to get an advance copy of this book folks, Ann Rule was one of my favorite writers and dear people. I still have some books that she signed for me just for sending them to her. She also took the time to respond to emails from people who thought they might have an interest in writing true crime, and had a newsletter with updates on the cases she wrote about, which was really cool.

So on to the book, A Tangled Web. This is an awesome case for a book, I must say. I do recall the case, whether it was in a book or on TV, I’m not sure, it’s been too long ago. But it’s a whopper, and Ms. Rule does a wonderful job with it from start to finish. She lays it out and explains the details in a manner that keep it from getting too confusing, despite the use of some Internet terms and different methods used online to try and cover your tracks. The story kept me engaged and turning the pages until it was over, and I can’t believe I inhaled it all at one go. It’s really a sick, twisted story that I would have doubted had I not already known of it, and that it was certainly true. Advanced electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Leslie Rule, and Citadel.

This was a true crime story that just blew my mind. The author had A LOT to unpack with this one. Liz spun a web of deception and violence that spanned multiple years and multiple people.

I think Leslie Rule did a great job with the order of the book: she started with Dave, flashed back to Garrett, and picked up with Dave again. I also think, however, that she did a terrible job with utilizing her chapters. One chapter started with a threatening Liz text, a great way to introduce the chapter, but only one. Why not all? Each of the 33 chapters needed either a title or an introductory quote from a Liz text or email. Something!

Also, some of the texts and emails would have been incredible if duplicated right into the book as screen shots. I can't imagine the author didn't have the ability to do this.

It seemed like there was no real editing, and I felt like the book was rushed to print.

The story, however, was so riveting that I couldn't stop reading about this crazy case. This was so reminiscent of Jodi Arias, another case that completely captivated me. Personally, I felt that some of the victims weren't completely innocent and should know better then to engage in casual sex with dating website strangers, but it doesn't make this case of cyberstalking and murder any less heinous.

After I read the book, I immediately bought the corresponding "Snapped" episode and was shocked at David's appearance. He looked nothing like the serial dating lothario I pictured.

I recommend this book to fans of "Dateline" and "Snapped ". It's a riveting true crime novel.

I’ve long been a big fan of true crime queen Ann Rule and have read almost all of her books over the years. So when I saw that her daughter Leslie Rule had a true crime book coming out, I was excited and nervous, hoping it would be as good as what her mother wrote. And I’m happy to say it is. A Tangled Web is a well researched and solid true crime story about a man who gets involved with a woman who is devious, manipulative, and essentially, evil.

Here’s the story:

It was a bleak November in 2012 when Cari Lea Farver vanished from Omaha, Nebraska. Cari, thirty-seven, was a devoted mother, reliable employee, and loyal friend–not the type to shirk responsibilities, abandon her son, and run off on an adventure while her dying father took his last breaths. Yet, the many texts from her phone indicated she had done just that.

It appeared that Cari had dumped her new boyfriend, quit her job, and relinquished custody of her son to her mother–all by text. While Cari’s boyfriend, Dave Kroupa, and her supervisor were bewildered by her abrupt disappearance, they accepted the texts at face value. Her mother, Nancy Raney, however, was alarmed and reported Cari missing. Police were skeptical of her claims that a cyber impostor had commandeered her daughter’s phone and online identity.

While Nancy was afraid for Cari, Dave Kroupa was growing afraid of her, for he believed Cari was stalking him. Never seen or heard, the stalker was aware of his every move and seemed obsessed by his casual girlfriend, Shanna “Liz” Golyar, often calling her “a fat whore” in the twelve thousand emails and texts he received in a disturbing three-year deluge.

How did the stalker know Dave’s phone numbers immediately after he changed them, the names of his lady friends, even what he wore as he watched TV? He and Liz reported death threats, vandalism, and burglaries, but the stalker remained at large. The threats were vicious, vile and often obscene, sent mostly via text and always in Cari’s name. There was some truth in the messages, but all of them contained one big lie. The culprit was not Cari — but had killed and planned to kill again.

With a style that reminds me strongly of her mothers, Leslie puts together a fascinating look at this crime and the very tangled web a woman weaved in order to gain control of a man. Highly recommended!

Published on April 28! Go here to pre-order.

Leslie Rule, daughter of famous true crime author Ann Rule, presents her debut true crime book. She did an excellent job researching this complicated case and her writing is very reminiscent of her mother’s. There were portions that were a bit repetitive and could be edited more but overall she did a very good job in presenting the timeline of this case and in delving into the background of the multiple characters involved.

Seriously, the perpetrator of these crimes is one of the worst, most diabolical and evil people I have ever heard about. I was also very surprised at how poorly law-enforcement initially handled this case. Apparently they know they did as well, as many of them do not allow use of their true names for that reason. The LE people who worked the case later did a great job in solving this highly circumstantial case. Fortunately the perpetrator was too stupid to realize how it easy she made it to be caught, even if it took longer than it should have.

This is a cautionary tale about the dangers of Internet hook ups and not knowing anything about the strangers you meet. Women are just as apt to be dangerous as the men as this case shows.

I am very excited that Leslie rule has decided to write true crime books and I hope she continues.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I am a huge fan of true crime, but this is the first I have read with cyber stalking at the center. The events moved along at just the right pace alternating between all of the people affected by the crime. The people were characterized effectively as if it could happen to anyone. I think that is a good point in true crime- this is not a media headline, serial killer true crime, yet it was just as riveting for me because of the role of technology. Since the events of the book, technology has advanced, as it rapidly does. Yet, hackers and cyber criminals have also advanced with the times. I particularly appreciated the author’s characterization of Liz- the reader was let to figure out her personality and the flaws and dysfunction without psychological textbook talk. This was a quick read for me because it was a page turner- I waned to know what was going to happen next.

I've been a fan of Ann Rule's true crime stories most of my adult life, and I've read them all, I believe. I've missed her distinctive writing style and her books since her death a few years ago. So I was immediately intrigued when I saw that her daughter, Leslie, had taken up the true crime writing mantle with A Tangled Web. I wasn't disappointed.

A Tangled Web tells the story of Shanna Golyar, a twisted, jealous woman who, for years, piled lie upon lie and wove them all together to fool her lover, Dave Kroupa, and many others, including those in law enforcement. She never believed that at some point, her lies and fantastical stories would be her undoing.

Dave Kroupa met Shanna on a dating website, and was instantly drawn to her. However, Dave wasn't looking for a relationship, just a fun time, and he made it clear to her that he would continue to see other women. After the first couple of dates, Shanna became extremely possessive, and despite Dave's continued insistence that he was seeing other women, she still managed to dig her claws in deep enough for him to continue to see her, as well.

Shanna set multiple crazy schemes in place, involving thousands of emails and texts, pretending to be other women, including Dave's ex-wife. One woman she became obsessed with was Cari Farver, whom Dave had dated for only two weeks.

The book details Shanna's psychotic behavior, which eventually led to Cari's murder, and her cover-ups through phishing, texting and emailing.

I enjoyed reading what felt almost like another Ann Rule true crime saga.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensignton Books and Citadel for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advanced e-copy from Net Galley. I don’t usually read a lot of non fiction, but this one caught my attention from the beginning. It shocked me that she got away with it for so long and the number of people who were fooled and manipulated by her. My only issue was that the characters were real and so were flawed and often unlike able. Overall an interesting and enjoyable read. (4.25)

Crazy story. What a page turner. Who would have known the twist and turns it would take. I loved this true crime book.

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I was excited to read this book due to the good reviews. I did not have any prior knowledge of the case. The only information I had was the book description. I typically enjoy true crime as long as it is well written.

I was disappointed in this book. I had a strong dislike for the main character Dave and was unable to sympathize with him. He was extremely self-centered and immature. Dave continued to make poor decisions throughout the book.

I didn’t find the writing style appealing. It seemed to include too much ridiculous texting. The dialog was immature. I had to force myself to finish the book to write the review. I gave it three stars because it did improve at the very end of the book when they were solving the crime.

Like Mother, like daughter. Leslie Rule' s entry into True Crime is just as compelling and entertaining as her mother's works. A missing person, cyber stalking, a little arson and a cast of characters caught up in a web of deceit and manipulation. Who is the stalker? A methodical and detailed story.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley