Heart Full of Lies : A True Story of Desire and Death

Rating:
Summary: Not a Rule Masterpiece, But Solid
Review: Admittedly, I'm a fan of Ann Rule's, and I agree with other reviewers that this is not one of her finest books. But let's face it, even when she's not up to her own exacting standards, Rule still produces stellar work. For me, the first quarter of book moved a little sluggishly, and my interpretation of Chris, the murdered husband, was that he didn't have enough chutzpah or insight. He wasn't drifting through his life, but he wasn't the take-charge type, either. That is not a crime, I don't advocate all people be unpleasant, grim Alpha types. With a calculating personality such as Liysa, you need to be "onto her." Whereas others can take her at the surface, in an intimate relationship, you need to know what a person like her is capable of, her lies, deceit, etc., and WATCH OUT. Be wary. Perhaps that was a hallmark of all Liysa Northon's husbands, a personality quirk she could effectively use against them: they were successful but not particularly insane with ambition. She pushed and got what she wanted. Liysa is not as intelligent as she has animal cunning, and her narcissism, pretense and ambition fuel all her lofty goals. Still, even if this woman "achieved," it would never be enough. As with other emotionally disturbed women like her, it's never enough.

What I found puzzling about this woman, is if she had photography or writing talent, why wouldn't she pursue those goals on her own? Why would she have to marry and nag/bully her husbands into getting what she wanted? Intelligent career women do it on their own... then hook up with a husband.

I didn't think Rule portrayed Chris as a saint, but his faults weren't emphasized, either. For me, I see Liysa and other dangerous women like her as borderline personalities who present as narcissistic personality disorder. Borderline women are adept -- no, supremely skilled -- at polarizing people into opposing camps. They get people to fight over them. They believe themselves to be victims and manipulate others into believing it. They poison people's minds. God help the children any borderline's raising. Borderlines can appear as idyllic mothers, when they are anything but.

As others have pointed out, by virtue of attaching a 'y' to the middle of her name, tells you what you need to know about this woman. "Liysa." Give me a break.

As I read along, my biggest frustration was that so few people perceived this woman accurately. A sharp-eyed, discerning person would sense there was something off with Liysa Northon. I suppose her superficial chattiness, attractive shell and slim figure cloaked her capacity for evil... convincing people she was normal, even sympathetic.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Another winner from Ann Rule. The ultimate manipulative wife that kills her husband. Using (imagined, made-up) abuse as her excuse! Makes you wonder how many more women are out there like Liysa Northon...scary.

Rating:
Summary: Heart Full of Lies succeeds and raises an interesting issue
Review: For the reviewers above: I wonder who the heck reads Ann Rule for her "skillfull prose?" The story is what compells readers! I have an English degree and the lack of fluent prose does not even faze a reader who is caught up in the skillful depiction of real-life people. Those complaints are pointless. If you want good prose, try other literary genres. True crime is supposed to be relatively journalistic. I disagree with people upholding the Ted Bundy book as an example of wonderful prose by Ann Rule; I found it blowsy and distracting. This book was fascinating and absorbing, and the people involved make a deep impression on any reader. The story comes to life very quickly. A good author makes that happen, even if the style is not fluent. This book is also very relatable, we all have charismatic friends who (even though they may not be murderers) find a way to be the center of attention through dishonesty and manipulation.
Also, I am still reeling from shock at the reader above who claims that Ann Rule ignored all of these problems from Chris Northon and wrote a story based on the skewed versions of the Northon family and Liysa's old relationships. I hope it's a relative posing as an unbiased reader. I agree Ann Rule paints her victims as more saintly, (women as well as men!) but this person actually seems to believe that there was a plausible side to Liysa's allegations of abuse! Ann Rule did an excellent and merciless job showing the inconsistencies in Liysa's story, over and over. Also, she made the point very clear that Chris Northon was willing to seek therapy for his family, and included the therapist's notes about how his anger is nonviolent! She also wrote repeatedly that Chris did not appreciate Liysa's intellect and mental gifts, and ignored her ambitions. This, I agree, can be damaging to any person and is not the earmark of an attentive spouse, but it is FAR from abusive behavior. Used to feeling desired, Liysa of course was hurt when she realized Chris was used to his autonomous lifestyle. However, in her this hurt became a drive to rid herself of him in the way most beneficial to her, instead of working it out. And who were the "credible sources" who were ignored that knew about Chris's problems with alcohol? The reviewer above mentioned this, and where he or she got this knowledge is very unclear. Liysa not only murdered her husband but may have helped destroy the credibility of real abused women with her carefully concoted lies. The faking amnesia with her first husband was a practice session in her skillful deceit.
The most interesting issue this book raises is that of abuse of a male. It sounds like Chris was a victim of spousal abuse; emotionally. The damages to his character are pervasive. Anyone who still tries to find a solid thread of truth to Liysa's story of fear and abuse is doing a GREAT DISSERVICE to abused victims all over the world and is ignoring the real signs of abuse. Hopefully this woman's lies did not do damage to anyone's real story. Hopefully she asks for a new trial and gets NAILED with a life sentence so that her stories do not harm her sons.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good.
Review: I am a huge fan of Ann Rule, she never disappoints! While I don't think that this book is her absolute best, I still enjoyed in nonetheless.

And now about Liysa. I have never heard of a woman more in love with herself than Liysa Northon. Every single thing about her screams, "I want attention!" From her bragging attitude to the stupid 'y' she even added to her name, this woman is pathetic. It makes me sick that this woman actually got THREE men to agree to marry her, and even had two children. Scary. Her clueless friends need to wake up and realize that Liysa is one of the biggest manipulators around. I cringed when I read the statements they were giving to detectives about what a "monster" Chris Northon was. Gee, and how could they support their statements? Because LIYSA told them!! What a joke. I hope they read this book and realize how unabashedly stupid they look.

Ann, you've done a good job in telling this story. It couldn't have been easy to try to keep a fair attitude when telling this pathetic loser's story. Liysa Northon owes you a debt of gratitude for at least trying to give her SOME substance where no real substance actually exists.



Rating:
Summary: Good Airplane Read
Review: I bought this book at the airport in Sacramento and it was the perfect read for a long flight---quick and easy, suspenseful, etc. However, compared to some of Rule's other books, there are some serious flaws with this one. Namely, the lack of a legitimate psychiatric evaluation to support her claims that Liysa is histrionic, a sociopath, etc. I found that up until she murders her husband, Liysa appears simply self-centered and overly dramatic---not necessarily a sociopathic manipulator. In fact, I found that the only really unusual behavior she exhibited was her bout of "amnesia" and frankly I had to wonder about this guy and his mother that they would go along with that as long as they did!

It also bothers me that Rule dismisses Liysa's claims of abuse (both domestic and childhood)so easily. Although I am sure there are general characteristics that many abuse victims might share, there are exceptions to all of these.

Finally, some of Rule's comments are quite sexist. She describes Liysa's desire to have sex every day as a sexual compulsion. I don't know that daily sex qualifies as a "compulsion" and I wonder if a man expressed this same desire if it would be viewed in the same manner.





Rating:
Summary: Heart Full of Lies
Review: I found the book both intriguing and disturbing in that a woman could manipulate so many people in her life and think she could get away with it. I feel the author layed out the case superbly and that when she was finished with her details of the case there was only one conclusion one could establish. I thought it was well written and a good read. It kept me turning the pages way into the night.

Rating:
Summary: Nice piece of biased trash
Review: I have a lot of problems with this book. Firstly, let me state that I have always found Ann Rule to be highly over-hyped. She is nowhere near the brilliant true crime writer so many reviewers and readers consider her to be. You want good true crime, pick up anything by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker.
What bothered me the most about this book was the fact that Liysa's claims of abuse are, in essence, laughed off and ignored by Ann. I have no clue whether or not this woman was abused. My gut tells me 'no'. But do I have the right to decide this? Nope. Because I have not been given ANY of the information necessary to formulate such an opinion. The systematic destruction of character was nauseating, as was the fact that there was no involvement with Liysa's family in the writing of the book. It lacks credibility. I do believe Liysa is exactly where she belongs. I also believe that she is mentally ill. What I dislike so intensely about this book is the attempted bestowing of sainthood on the victim, Chris. The man has got to be one of the coldest, most pathetic excuses for a man I have ever read of. While I do not believe he beat her, I most certainly can recognise the emotional and psychological abuse he heaped on her. He did not deserve to die. He also does not deserve to be placed on that pedestal Ann Rule has hoisted him to.
I am grateful that Liysa's two children are being raised by her ex; perhaps they will have a chance to know what decent parents are like now. They clearly never had that while their father was alive and their mother was free.


Rating:
Summary: Classic Ann Rule
Review: I have read a number of the reviews for this book including the DeWitt family and I find it sad that so many lives have been negatively affected by this woman's insatiable desire to be the center of attention. This book is typical Ann Rule reading and anyone who has read her previous books will know what to expect. There is some repetition, however, I feel it is necessary to understand the characters better. I think the real problem with the storyline in this book is not in Ann's writing, but in the subject matter. I don't think either individual, Liysa or Chris, is exceptionally likable. I am a parent myself and I certainly wouldn't have put my children in the situations these parents did. That being said, the book is still worthwhile reading. Ann's ability to describe the beautiful Hawaiian locations is breath taking. Especially if you live in cold Michigan in January. I also find it amazing that such a promising photography career was abandoned. Liysa's photograph's really are beautiful. Check them out on the web sometime. (Liysa King)

Rating:
Summary: Liysa's an obvious sociopath
Review: I must admit that while reading this book, I couldn't help observing that the skill of Ann's prose is below par here. It's repetitive, disjointed, and the sentence structure sometimes had me reading back over to catch her meaning.
That being said, I still enjoyed this book. The story of Liysa DeWitt as told by Ann Rule is horribly fascinating. My heart goes out to the parents, sisters, and other relatives of Chris Northon, and especially to little Bjorn Northon whose "mydad" was taken so cruelly - evilly - from him by his own mother.
Liysa undoubtedly should have received a life sentence, seeing as the death penalty wasn't an option. The plea bargain, reducing her sentence to 150 months, made my hair stand on end. The evidence indicates that in the process of murdering her husband, Liysa drugged him, used a taser gun on him, tried to drown him, and then shot him through the temple. Good Lord! Chris likely would have died from the drug overdose alone! Can you say "Overkill"?? Twelve and a half years is a devastatingly low sentence for such a dangerous woman. She'll be out of prison at the age of 55 and will no doubt inflict much influence over her sons at that time. I can only imagine the havoc she'll wreak in their young lives, even if she thinks she's acting out of "love." (I personally believe she doesn't know what healthy motherly love is. The mention of her breast feeding until her first son was five years old, and still in the process of doing so with the younger son, not quite four, at the time of the murder seems to me a little over the top. Apologies to the La Leche gals.) She'll also likely go on to insinuate herself into the lives of unsuspecting people at that time, and if she killed once with no apparent conscience, who's to say she won't do it again? All I can say is, if you're a guy who will be middleaged in approximately ten years from now, don't get involved with any women named "Liysa"!
It's Ms Rule's opinion that Liysa suffers from personality disorders - antisocial, histrionic, and bipolar. I don't know whether personality disorders are hereditary, but I'd bet that her father and brother may also have them considering their illogical defence of her, the fact that they were either aware of what she was planning to do - or had done - and denial of what the evidence has shown. Can't they be charged with something? Removing evidence...aiding and abetting. Anything at all?? I'm surprised if what they did was legal.
Ann, keep up the good work. But maybe do a little more polishing of the final product before publication. You have a way of burrowing to the inner core of an evil person and revealing the horror inside.

Rating:
Summary: Writing is not up to Ann's usual standards
Review: I must admit that while reading this book, I couldn't help observing that the writing is not up to par. It's repetitive, disjointed, and the sentence structure sometimes had me reading back over to catch her meaning.
That being said, I still enjoyed this book. The story of Liysa DeWitt as told by Ann Rule is horribly fascinating. My heart goes out to the parents, sisters, and other relatives of Chris Northon, and especially to little Bjorn Northon whose "mydad" was taken so cruelly - evilly - from him by his own mother.
Liysa undoubtedly should have received a life sentence, seeing as the death penalty wasn't an option. The plea bargain, reducing her sentence to 150 months, made my hair stand on end. The evidence indicates that in the process of murdering her husband, Liysa drugged him, used a taser gun on him, tried to drown him, and then shot him through the temple. Good Lord! Chris likely would have died from the drug overdose alone! Can you say "Overkill"?? Twelve and a half years is a devastatingly low sentence for such a dangerous woman. She'll be out of prison at the age of 55 and will no doubt inflict much influence over her sons at that time. I can only imagine the havoc she'll wreak in their young lives, even if she thinks she's acting out of "love." (I personally believe she doesn't know what healthy motherly love is. The mention of her breast feeding until her first son was five years old, and still in the process of doing so with the younger son, not quite four, at the time of the murder seems to me a little over the top. Apologies to the La Leche gals.) She'll also likely go on to insinuate herself into the lives of unsuspecting people at that time, and if she killed once with no apparent conscience, who's to say she won't do it again? All I can say is, if you're a guy who will be middleaged in approximately ten years from now, don't get involved with any women named "Liysa"!
It's Ms Rule's opinion that Liysa suffers from personality disorders - antisocial, histrionic, and bipolar. I don't know whether personality disorders are hereditary, but I'd bet that her father and brother may also have them considering their illogical defence of her, the fact that they were either aware of what she was planning to do - or had done - and denial of what the evidence has shown. Can't they be charged with something? Removing evidence...aiding and abetting. Anything at all?? I'm surprised if what they did was legal.
Ann, keep up the good work. But maybe do a little more polishing of the final product before publication. You have a way of burrowing to the inner core of an evil person and revealing the horror inside.