The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder
John Glatt
In The Perfect Father, New York Times bestselling author John Glatt reveals the true story of a Colorado family whose storybook life turned into a nightmare. In the early morning hours of August 13th, 2018, Shanann Watts was dropped off at her Frederick, Colorado home by a colleague after returning from a business trip. It was the last time anyone would see her alive. more
304 pages, Hardcover
First published St. Martin's Press
3.92
Rating
5876
Ratings
792
Reviews
John Glatt
33 books 587 followers
English-born John Glatt is the author of Golden Boy Lost and Found, Secrets in the Cellar, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Bill Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including ABC- 20/20Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt
Community reviews
It is all Shanann Watts fault. She was too controlling, always nagging and belittling her husband. She didn’t let him do what he wanted. She separated him from his hometown and family. She had a toxic relationship with them and constantly fought with them and him. more
“The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder” (2020) is a stunning and devastating portrayal of a crime that captured the attention of the national and international global media. Shanann Watts disappeared with her two daughters from her Frederick, Colorado home on August 13, 2018. Days later, a gruesome discovery followed at the Anadarko Petroleum facility where Chris Watts worked. British American journalist John Glatt explored this horrific crime and its impact on others. Over two decades, this NYT bestselling author has written over 30 books mainly of the True Crime genre. more
Release Date: July 21, 2020 Actual Rating: 3. 5 stars True Crime FIRST THOUGHTS: A devastating and haunting true crime novel that I won’t forget. This book had me rolling in emotions. MY REVIEW: John Glatt is a seasoned true crime writer and when I saw he was writing a book about the Chris Watts case (it made headlines around the world) I knew I needed to read it. For one thing, the story is absolutely devastating. more
I can't believe John Glatt wrote this. The Watts case is one of the most horrific murder cases in recent years, and instead of properly sympathizing with Shanann Watts, the pregnant young wife and mother who was brutally murdered by her cheating husband, Glatt defames her character and basically puts the blame for her own demise on Shanann. She broadcast the family's personal milestones and lives on social media. (Gasp. ) She had a strong personality, and apparently her timid, quiet husband was bowled over by her--even though he managed to find the gumption to actively pursue both her and the co-worker he was screwing behind her back. more
This seems to be a well researched and written book about family tragedy that took us all by surprise and shock at the time it happened. It seemed like we watched Shannan’s Facebook videos over and over on an endless loop for days on end with all of the news and news shows. I’m not sure what was so fascinating about the horrific situation, but it was impossible to turn away when it was on, for me anyway. Hoping at first that Shannan and the girls would be found alive, of course. And then the complete horror when they were found. more
Hi. I hate this book. I stopped reading at page 40, which was much longer than it deserved. Pros:I didn't know Shanann had lupus and fibromyalgia. Cool. more
In The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder New York Times bestselling author John Glatt reveals the true story of a Colorado family whose storybook life turned into a nightmare; yet another example that things are not always what they seem. In the early morning hours of August 13th, 2018, Shanann Watts was dropped off at her Frederick, Colorado home by a colleague after returning from a business trip. It was the last time anyone would see her alive. By the next day, Shanann and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, had been reported missing, and her husband, Chris Watts, was appearing on the local news, pleading for his family's safe return. But Chris Watts already knew that he would never see his family again. more
This book is about the horrific murder of a family at the hands of the person they should have been able to trust the most, and it is a well-hashed-out picture of the case, as well as the aftermath and the life before the crime. I found a lot of new information out, and the narrative approach makes this book horrible to read but also incredibly compelling, and I thought it gave a lot of insight into the families and people that the murders affected. With that being said, there was a fundamental issue that resulted in my lower rating. Presenting both sides of the story is absolutely vital in true crime, but there's absolutely zero reason to present the story as though the murder was somehow justified regarding how 'controlling' Shannan was in respect to Chris. Regardless of how 'controlling' a partner is, there is the option for divorce over murder unless the relationship is beyond abusive, and to kill your children as well is something beyond justification. more
Well that was a brutal listen. This is what I knew about the Chris Watts case before reading: An American man, husband & father killed his pregnant wife & two daughters because he fell in love with another woman. That’s about it. I’m sure I’ve even confused this case with Scott Peterson’s crimes at some point. This book is a comprehensive account of what led to this horrendous act, a walkthrough of the crimes, and then trial & follow-up. more
A book about a case that I've been following since the beginning. of course I had to read it. This case has always been fresh in my mind, and I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard that Shanann Watts and her kids were missing. It's one of the first cases that I followed so closely in real time/as it was happening, so it will always have a special "folder" in my brain. Since then I've seen every documentary and special, so it was about time I get to the books. more
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. more
I had a lot of issues with how they portrayed Shannan. Being clean and organized, even having OCD is not a reason for you to be murdered. Chris was a grown adult who could have left whenever he wanted, he chose to be with her and start a family. I don’t feel like enough was put on him refusing accountability and more was about his family blaming the woman he murdered. He gets to “find god” in jail and live his life, after murdering his wife and killing his daughters TWICE. more
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. more
I always feel so wrong "rating" true crime books. & this story is especially heart breaking. As far as the writing though. It was well researched & if you're not familiar with the case, it's to the point & informative. Turns out I already knew most of this though, i guess from articles and/or tv shows. more
3. 5 StarsThis was an intriguing and disturbing true crime story. My main issue is that the wife was initially framed as being "at fault" for her victim hood. However, the actual story was quite compelling with a tight narrative. I would recommend this one to readers who are curious how seemingly "normal" people can do despicable things. more
In depth review to come. Thank you to Netgalley, John Glatt & St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The publish date is July 21, 2020. more
A Chilling, gripping, and very harrowing account of the events leading up to and after, the murders of Shannan Watts and her children. True crime fans will enjoy the intelligent narrative of this book, as the story is told in a neat chronological and factual way. It is NOT a pleasant read, but you will find it difficult to put down. 4 stars 🌟. more
Lubię reportaże Glatta. Tym razem jednak czegoś mi zabrakło. Chyba nie do końca poczułam powagę sytuacji. . more
I recently watched a series of videos on the Facebook page, Law & Crime -- the "Watts Family Murders. " This book provides much of the detail not included in the docudrama but it's still true that no one will ever know what really happened that night and why this man did what he did. I do think it's apt, however, to describe Chris Watts as a monster. Family annihilation is the ultimate betrayal. True crime fascinates me, and I've recently rediscovered my love for this genre. more
I read this book in a day because once I began reading I didn't want to stop. Chris and Shanann both seemed utterly normal, although he was quiet and she was the opposite. The author meticulously documents their life before meeting and during their marriage and also the crime itself and the trial afterwards. The crime is of course horrific but the story of how this couple got to that point is fascinating in itself and well laid out. What also intrigued me about this book was how much of Chris and Shanann's lives and the murder itself played out on social media and how the case against Chris was largely built by reclaiming data from email, internet and webcam. more
Wstrząsająca historia, o której słyszałam swego czasu w mediach, ale nie znałam jej szczegółów. Naprawdę rzetelnie napisana, z dokładnością o szczegóły, a cała sprawa Chrisa Wattsa wydaje się być bardzo intrygująca. Pytanie tylko dlaczego śledczy, policja oraz ludzie zajmujący się tą sprawą nie przeprowadzili testów psychologicznych bądź nie zbadali tego jak plastry Thrive wpłynęły na percepcję mężczyzny…. . Nie wiem dlaczego, ale odnoszę wrażenie, że przyczyną zabójstwa, jakiego dopuścił się Chris było zgrywanie idealnego taty, maska osoby, która jest potulna, posłuszna, nigdy na nic się nie skarży, nie podnosi głosu- to było aż wręcz przejmujące, że nie okazywał on żadnych emocji. more
Nie będę rozpisywać się o fabule, bo nie o ocenę zbrodni chodzi, a o przekaz tej książki true crime, która jest jakby spóźniona. Już dwa lata temu można było obejrzeć na Netflix film dokumentalny „American Murder: The Family Next Door” przedstawiający rodzinę Watts'ów. Zbudowany jest on z oryginalnych nagrań, internetowych wpisów w mediach społecznościowych, materiałów organów ścigania. To w filmie można zauważyć prawdziwe oblicze Chrisa, sposób wypowiedzi, mowę ciała, mimikę, która nie współgrała z oczekiwanymi odruchami, brak zmartwienia w oczach, jego reakcje w trakcie przeszukania domu. Podczas oglądania miałam wrażenie, że ten psychopata świetnie się bawił, a przeraził się dopiero z obawy o odnalezienie dowodów świadczących o tym, że zamordował dwójkę swoich dzieci oraz ciężarną ��onę. more
This is one of the worst written books I've read in a while. I'm about 1/3 through, and the contents have been "She was so difficult and bossy, he was so perfect and quiet, she posted this on Facebook this day, rinse repeat". The victim blaming so far is blatant and I'm DNFing. Save your money and your time. more
Well researched account of the deeply disturbing destruction caused by brutal acts of senseless violence. more
This is a truly horrendous example of the often repeated statement that truth is stranger than fiction. Except here, the truth is far more grisly and unbelievable than any crime writer could have thought up. I had not heard of this crime at all before reading this so it came as a total shock to me to read the manner in which Chris Watts eliminated his pregnant wife and two little daughters. Seen as having an ideal marriage, the driven and successful Shanann and her quiet but loving and seemingly acquiescent husband had it all in the eyes of the world. She was involved in the multi level marketing of Thrive, a weight loss product and took every opportunity she got to involve her family in her social media posts regarding the product. more
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The family annihilator. A crime which is so inconceivable to the population at large, and yet occurs with an alarming regularity in households across the US. The Perfect Father chronicles the events that led to Chris Watts murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters in 2018. more
Thank you to St Martin's Press for the review copy Back in 2018, the story of the Watts family murders was making national news – a father had murdered his wife and children, and then went on the news to plea for their safety. The nation had a gruesome fascination with the brutal murders of Shan’ann and her children – for a few weeks it was impossible to see a tabloid without an article about the tragedy. Needless to say, everyone wanted to get to the bottom of why Chris Watts did it, and what exactly happened that night. In The Perfect Father, John Glatt expertly chronicles Chris and Shan’ann’s family dynamic, who Chris was, and what exactly happened to the Watts family. Obviously, the murders of the Watts family were horrific – seemingly out of the blue, Chris Watts murdered his wife and children. more
If you follow true crime, then you’re definitely familiar with the story of Shanann Watts and her daughters, Bella and Celeste. In August 2018, Shanann’s husband Chris murdered her, their daughters, and their unborn son, Nico. After initially feigning innocence, Chris later confessed to the murders. The crime came as a shock to the country and perhaps the world–this picture-perfect, Instagram-ready family seemed to have it all. In The Perfect Father by John Glatt, we’re given a history of the Watts family. more
The author devotes constant energy to destroying Shanann Watts character, making her the villain instead of the victim. His micro-aggressions towards a strong, ambitious mother who loved her kids and wanted to save her marriage was despicable. He portrays Chris Watts, not as a psychopath who murdered his entire family, but as the long suffering pushover who snapped. There was not a single positive description of Shanann in this book, not one. Page after page built up the lie that she somehow earned her fate. more