*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this book in return for a honest review.*

Couple Found Slain follows the life of Brian, who was the person that ended up murdering his parents as a teenager. Brian was admitted into Perkins Hospital after the murders and stayed there.

In a way, I started to feel sorry for the patients of Perkins, and Brian himself, because of the treatment they endured at Perkins. But then I also had to remind myself of the different crimes the patients committed.

This takes a deep dive into the mind of Brian and talks deeply about mental health and how factors of our world makes people do things they normally wouldn't think of. I was not expecting how indepth this book was going to be about mental health and the mental health system. It was super interesting and was really insightful.

This book teaches you many things about the criminally insane sentence, what goes on behind closed doors in a mental health facility, how people's diagnoses change as they grow up, and how some people's mental illnesses can go into remission for years and years and never show up again.

I thought this book was really well done and presented. It was super insightful. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that it did get quite repetitive at the end, but I do understand why it was written the way it was. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed the audiobook. It definitely made me think a lot about the situation. I was at a crossroads because the crime was committed but he was not in his right state. I don’t think I would want to be in the position to make the decision.
This book really brought out some of the issues with the criminal justice system and mental health. Specially with the institution and how treating mental health is still very much opinion based. I loved that this book made me think a lot

Couple Found Slain is really very little about the couple and the crime and more about the aftermath. The book reveals the reality of the mental health system and the wya it interacts with the criminal justice system when those two things interact. The author tells the story from the point of view of Brian, who admits to killing his parents. The view of the inside of the hospital he spends half of his life in is told in mostly a pure POV of the patient. Sometimes this goes into the area of unreliable narrator. For example, Brian at one point writes to many different churches until he finds those who confirm his bias that the Nation of Islam is trying to take over and destroy the world. It becomes very clear that Brian Dunmore has made progress but that he also had some paranoia. It is a strange tone that treats all of his ideations with the same level of reliability. I found it compelling and chilling and a reminder that there are very few generalities when the mind is concerned.

More like 2.5, as it wasn’t horrible. But this book seemed to drag on. There were so many good parts to the story, but it felt like everything was repeated multiple times, which made me lose interest quickly. It does a good job of bringing to light how people who are put away in a patient asylum are treated worse than prisoners sometimes, and I felt horrible for all the “inmates/patients”. But I feel like this could have been written in a way that’s less repetitive and more attention-catching.

In 1992, Brian Bechtold shot and killed both his parents. He was twenty-two years old and told the police he was taken over by devils. Brian was found schizophrenic and not guilty by reason of insanity. Since his trial, he has spent twenty-seven years in a mental hospital in Maryland.

Brian grew up in a dysfunctional family. His parents had a loveless marriage and there were five children. His father ignored the children and his mother was overwhelmed. Both were physically and mentally abusive to the children.

This book was written about Brian's time in the hospital. Although he feels that he has not been ill for many years, he is caught in a cycle of misdiagnosis where if he talks about his feelings, he is considered paranoid and if he doesn't talk about them he is considered secretive. Both options can lead to more restrictive medicine regimens and even being moved to more restrictive wards. But Brian has not done himself any favors either. Over the years, he has escaped in an attempt to be either shot and killed or transferred to prison. He has attacked a staff member with a knife he constructed. He has refused treatment for serious illnesses including cancer. It leaves the reader sad for his life but able to understand the thoughts of the doctors who have kept him in the hospital all these years.

This book is written by Mikita Brottman. She is a British American author who specializes in true crime fiction. This book is different from many in the genre as it focuses not on the crime but its' aftermath. The horrors of Brian's life in a mental hospital are portrayed although it feels like not enough weight is given to the views of the doctors. I listened to this book and the narrators were good. This book is recommended for true crime readers interested in causes of crime and what happens afterward.

A true story with obviously disturbing scenes, this is the tale of Brian. He murders his parents - but that’s not this story. This story discusses the aftermath of what Brian goes through during his time in a mental hospital. He is diagnosed with a mental illness and we travel through his journey of recovery. My only critique is that the author seems at times to be overly sympathetic to Brian - in a little bit creepy manner. Interesting story and grateful to NetGalley for the early read.

I don’t often read true crime, let alone listen to it. But this book takes place in Maryland, my home state and I know of the Clifton T. Perkins Home for the Insane.
This is a sad story from the get go. Brian was the fifth child in a totally dysfunctional family. The beginning of the book is like watching dominoes fall. It really had me pondering the nature vs. nurture question. Brian walks into a police station admitting to killing both his parents. Since he admits to the crime, the majority of the story is after he’s assigned to Perkins.
What starts as a positive tale of rehabilitation quickly turns into a nightmare. During his 27 years incarcerated at Perkins, Brian bounced between maximum, medium and light security. He cycled through multiple psychiatrists, most of whom just relied on his prior diagnoses without any thought to improvement he might have had. Because he stood up for the rights of the patients, he was frequently labeled as troublesome. Brottman does a good job of giving Brian a voice, but not taking everything he says at face value. For all Brian’s assertions that he is now sane, he continues to violently express his anger. She fully expresses the differences between being a patient in a facility for the criminally insane, as opposed to a prisoner. A lot of the issues are the same - employees that don’t care, abuse, no attempts to truly rehabilitate. But prisoners actually have more rights.
I also appreciated the catch 22 the patients faced. For example, religious beliefs that are deemed acceptable, even if a little out there, in the general public are seen as proof of insanity. Every word, every action was open to interpretation by the psychiatrists and nurses. The word of other patients was also used as proof of Brian’s problems.
I appreciated this book for pointing out the many problems with dealing with the criminally insane. It fulfilled my goal for reading nonfiction - to educate me and make me think.
Christina Adelaide was a great narrator. This is nonfiction, so there’s no emotion, but she gave individuals separate voices in the dramatic recreations.
My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio. This book is deeply disturbing. Brian murdered his parents and was deemed criminally insane so he went to a psychiatric hospital and had been there for almost 30 years. This book is mostly about his journey to be released from this institution. This investigation appears very well researched and the culture at Perkins is not to help and heal the patient but to control and the medical diagnosis rather rote and not done with clear observation.
Brian’s family was full of mental illness and his history unhealthy.
I can’t say he is healthy and should be released but this book points out many inaccuracies in the levels of care. I believe this isn’t limited to one facility

I enjoyed the narration by Christina Delaine

I've read many true crime books and listened to even more crime related podcasts and audio books. Most delve into the case and end with the perpetrator being brought to justice. The cell door closes on the convicted criminal and the family/loved ones of the victim talk about justice....The End. That isn't how this book ends. Couple Found Slain starts with the history of the family involved, moves on to the murder, and then focuses on the subsequent decades of the killer's life in a psychiatric facility.

All true crime stories should be disturbing. They deal with harsh, real subjects, victims and punishment or cold cases where no solution was found. Those things are automatically disturbing. But this book takes it to a new level. I found myself completely disgusted by the victims...abusive, horrible people. And I was simultaneously sympathetic and judgmental of the killer....horrible way to grow up and understandable he finally had a mental break, but nobody has the right to murder anyone. And finally completely confused about how I feel about his incarceration in a mental facility. Should he be released? Should he stay confined? Yikes.... In the end, I just had to throw up my hands and say that I am not really qualified to have an opinion in this case. But, the book did get its point across. And leaves me with one main thought: is the justice system meant to rehabilitate and release at some point, or is it meant to permanently file mentally ill criminals away with no hope of living outside a facility? And are mental facilities real treatment, or extended torture for basically permanent residents? Like I said -- for me this book was disturbing as it left me with thoughts/questions on subjects that I am not qualified to even begin to form an educated opinion. I can form an emotional one....but not one based on facts.

Very interesting book! I loved the fact that the story didn't just revolve around the crime...but the history of those involved and the aftermath for the murderer. The entire story. Obviously careful and complete research went into this project!

I listened to the audio version of this book. Narrated by Christina Delaine, the book is just shy of 9 hours long, Delaine has a pleasant voice and reads at a nice steady pace. All in all, a good listening experience.

**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book from Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Couple Found Slain is a serious book and the narrators voice matched it with a matter of fact unemotional tone. Brian is introduced well and I understood his home life and background. Many new people are introduced, but the author and narrator do a good job not confusing them together. I could easily follow what was happening throughout Brian’s life. I liked that other people’s stories were talked about as well. It showed the different ways mental illness and a psychiatric hospitals affect others lives and behaviors. Overall the book was slow paced but not boring. I feel like by the time I finished listening I understand who Brian was and what life in a psychiatric hospital could be like.

I would LOVE to see more of this type of thoughtful true crime! Yes, I found it fascinating given my personal obsession with psychology. But more importantly, this type of story reminds us of the flaws within our own American institutions and (hopefully) inspires us to make them less dehumanizing and more effective.

Also, a huge THANK YOU to Macmillan Audio for giving me auto-approval on all of their titles! This is the first one I listened to after receiving that honor, and I look forward to many more!

One-sentence summary:
This work of true crime nonfiction pulls back the curtain on the state of our current psychiatric institutions by exploring the experiences of a young man named Brian Bechtold, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia after murdering his parents and has been locked away within the rather hopeless environment of a maximum security psychiatric hospital for 27 years with what appears to be no chance of ever leaving.

My thoughts:

This book is a cross between HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD, a nonfiction work that explores a family in which six children were diagnosed with schizophrenia, and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, which shows the dark underbelly of America’s psychiatric wards.

While the act that Bechtold committed at the age of 22 is horrible, Brottman - through her extensive research and ample compassion - is able to bring to light his humanity. She explores his struggles to find either a better existence within - or a way out of - a rigid psychiatric hospital that seems to be doing too little to rehabilitate its patients beyond prescribing copious amounts of drugs. His story, and her telling of it, reveals the flaws with which these institutions continue to operate, with the blessing of the legal system, and how this ‘serves’ society by locking away those with mental disorders indefinitely.

The latter part of the book touched on the high turnover of staff within the wards, sharing that those people who are more empathetic are often driven away from the job because of how difficult it is. I would have loved to hear more about this, and in particular, I think the inclusion of the stories and viewpoints of a psychiatrist and nurse from Brian’s ward would have added another dimension to the book. More specifically, I wonder how the policies of these institutions, along with the pressure the system puts on the staff to meet certain benchmarks, influences and perhaps inhibits them from doing their best work.

Besides being an excellent non-fiction author, Brottman is a certified psychoanalyst, and she seems to have a deep understanding of the current psychiatric landscape. In the book, she shares the shifts in thinking that have occurred around schizophrenia, which I found fascinating.

And this was narrated well by Christina Delaine.

I’d love to see more books like this in the true crime genre! I highly recommend this for anyone interested in true crime, psychology or the criminal justice system!

This comes out July 6!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

Couple Found Slain tells the true story of Brian Bechtold, who killed both of his parents in 1992 when he was 22 years old. Bechtold and his siblings were verbally and physically abused by both parents during their childhood. The family also had a history of mental illness. Bechtold was found to be criminally not responsible for the murders because of his mental illness and he was confined to a maximum security psychiatric hospital. This story describes Bechtold’s upbringing and murders; however, it primarily focuses on his treatment while he was in the facility. Brottmann also shines a spotlight on how the United States continues to struggle with effectively treating individuals with mental health issues.

A unique true crime book, Brottman focuses on three prongs - Brian Bechtold's childhood, the turning point at which he murders his parents, and his stay at a psychiatric hospital as a result of a "not criminally responsible" decision in the murder case. What I found most interesting about this audiobook was the fact that we were able to see Bechtold as a full human - not a "monster", not a "crazy person" - someone with a history of trauma and with a mental illness, but also other interests and personality characteristics. With prisons currently housing more people with mental illnesses than any other location, this book serves an important purpose in allowing us to get to know Bechtold. Too often, we focus only on the criminal act, and not the contributing factors, such a trauma, and the aftermath of how those who commit crimes are treated and given needed services - or not given those needed services, as is often the case.

Interesting perspective of a young man who pled insanity and was thrown into the chaotic and consent stripping psychiatric system. I personally found the narrator to be a little dry and I found myself drifting off at times.

Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder
by Mikita Brottman

**I was given a free copy of the audiobook ARC in return for an honest review.

Couple Found Slain does go over some things before during and directly after Brian Bechtold murdered his parents. All of these details are imporatant of course, but the bulk of the story actually takes place after Brian Bechtold is found mentally incapable of going to trial. Essentially we get an inside look at what happens at the maximum security psychiatric hospital in Jessup Maryland. As a reader/listener we are getting to have a slight feeling of what it is like to have no say in what happens in your own life.

**Possible spoilers ahead**

After listening to this audiobook, I have some strong feelings about what could be looked into when it comes to care for those that are staying at psychiatric hospitals. I seriously have been wondering if this book is complete fact and where liberties were taken. We see in this story that if you follow all of the rules, then you are incompetent. However, if you do not follow all of the rules then you are a big trouble maker and are incompetent. Also, I do not see how a doctors findings with a patient can go against that patient even when that doctor was found incompetent to the extent of needing to be committed themselves!! In other words, there was so much good information, that it really made me think about what is actually going on here.

This wasn't my typically "true crime" book I read, but I really enjoyed Brottman's dive into what happened after Brian Bechtold was found criminally insane. I appreciated how Brottman tackled the mental health care system in America and how many of the patients who are in these hospitals, don't feel like they're being listened to because "they're just crazy." I've always found the "why" a killer kills to be an interesting concept, but never really thought about what happens to them in these hospitals. Really enjoyed this take!

When I originally requested this book, I was under the impression that it was a story in the realm of true crime but was surprised that the crime happened very early on. Because of that, this was more of a look at mental health and how that plays into our every day actions and the major decisions we make. It was clear how much research was done for this because it was really detailed and accurate and gave me a much better perspective from the limited info I had on the case going into this. Overall, I thought this was really well done. I enjoyed the audio narration also. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is good for those who enjoy true crime. It gives a unique perspective on the murderer after the killings. Majority of the book pertains to his time at a mental hospital.

3.5 stars

Mental illness ran in Brian Bechtold's family, with an uncle who suffered from delusions, a cousin who went nuts, and a grandmother who spent time in a mental institution. This may help explain why Brian's mother and father were abusive parents who alternately neglected or tormented and beat their children. It may also help explain why in 1992, when Brian was twenty-two years old, he picked up a shotgun and killed his parents. Brian confessed to the police, and explained that he went temporarily insane.

*****

From a 1992 article in the Baltimore Sun:

On a quiet, tree-lined street in Silver Spring, shaken neighbors were still struggling yesterday to understand the deaths of Dorothy and George Bechtold, whose bodies were found after their son walked into a Florida police station and confessed he had killed them.

The youngest of the couple's five children, 23-year-old Brian Antonio Bechtold brought his Rottweiler dog named Ox when he walked into the police station in Port St. Joe, a town about 30 miles east of Panama City, and told Sgt. Timothy Hightower he wanted to turn himself in for murder.

"He said he was possessed by the devil and the devil made him do it," Sergeant Hightower said yesterday. "We talked for several hours at his request. He mentioned that he had been possessed for a while and five days before . . . he became religious and Jesus told him to turn himself in."

*****

Brian was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic who was incompetent to stand trial. So instead of prison, Brian went to the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Maryland, whose mission is to help patients get better and re-enter society (if possible).

At first, Brian seemed to make good progress. In 1994, two years after admission, a psychological evaluation found Brian to be appropriately dressed and groomed, of average intelligence, with relatively clear thinking. Brian thought he was cured, but psychiatrists thought Brian was cleverly ACTING sane while strategically hiding his emotions and distorted thoughts. Brian's doctors believed Brian had to confront his inner demons before he could 'get better', and Brian consistently avoided doing this.

In any case, Brian thought he should have fewer restrictions and less medication, and his doctors - thinking Brian was being sneaky and manipulative - prescribed more restrictions and more medication. This became a vicious cycle and drove Brian to depression and acting out. Over time Brian made two attempts to escape from Perkins, the second time with a homemade weapon and a hostage.

The author, Mikita Brottman, has a Ph.D. in English literature and conducts fiction workshops in the Maryland prison system and in forensic psychiatric hospitals. When Brottman met Brian at Perkins, he had been a patient for decades. Brottman became interested in Brian's story - as well as the tales of other patients at Perkins - and did extensive research for this book.

The narrative is a shocking exposé of Perkins, detailing poorly trained staff; workers who goof off and don't do their jobs; employees who abuse patients; rape and murder among residents; seeming random re-assignment of patients between minimal, medium, and maximum security; and more. In addition, most of the psychiatrists spend little time with patients, and just 'pass on' a diagnosis year after year.....without doing a re-evaluation.

As for Brian, Brottman tells his story in detail, with a concentration on his years at Perkins. Brian frequently wishes he went to prison instead of the hospital, because you get out of prison after serving your sentence.....but a psychiatric hospital can keep you forever.

For the reader, it's hard to determine if Brian is cured (as he believes) or is too sick to re-enter society (like his psychiatrists think). Brottman seems to come down on Brian's side, but I'm not convinced. Brian did, after all, kill his parents and do criminal things while at Perkins. In addition, Brian has an aversion to taking his medication. Psychiatric patients who get out and stop taking their prescriptions can relapse.

If nothing else, Brottman's book shines a light on mental institutions, which can certainly use improvement.

The narrative is well-written, interesting, and informative, though a bit too detailed in places. Highly recommend to readers interested in the topic.

Thanks to Netgalley, Mikita Brottman, and Henry Holt and Company for a copy of the book.

The title is very misleading and the description slightly so. This is not a story about a crime, but rather about how broken our mental health system is. I take issue with the description because this book is not just about Brian- while he is the main focus, we also get the perspective of many other patients.

I usually enjoy true crime, but I do not necessarily put this in the true crime category. Despite that, I still enjoyed the book. It is pretty eye-opening and I can only imagine how frustrating it would be to live it.

I listened to the audiobook and I have no complaints. Clear, paced well. I wasn't blown away, but I also was not annoyed ;)