Listen free for 30 days
Secrets in the Cellar
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Family Next Door
- The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the 13 Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 28
On January 14, 2018, a 17-year-old girl climbed out of the window of her Perris, California home and dialed 911 with shaking fingers. Struggling to stay calm, she told the operator that she and her 12 siblings - ranging in age from two to 29 - were being abused by their parents. When the dispatcher asked for her address, the girl hesitated. "I've never been out," she stammered.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
not that easy to follow
- By Tracey Maher on 17-01-20
-
The Boy in the Cellar
- By: Stephen Smith
- Narrated by: Oliver J. Hembrough
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 55
Stephen Smith is the boy who did not exist. Born out of wedlock in the early 1960s, Steve's parents - both devout Catholics - had felt so 'shamed' by their son's illegitimate birth that they hid him away from the world by locking him in the cellar...for 13 years. Apart from a few admissions to hospital as a result of his 'imprisonment', Steve remained in the coal cellar of the family home where he was deprived of daylight, his childhood, school and human contact until he'd reached his teenage years.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Flipping heck
- By Catherine Gladwyn - Delegate VA on 15-01-20
-
If You Tell
- A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
- By: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 84
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brutal to hear
- By Team Joe Dawn on 20-01-20
-
The Lost Girls
- The True Story of the Cleveland Abductions and the Incredible Rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina Dejesus
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 67
In The Lost Girls, John Glatt tells the truly amazing story of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight - who were kidnapped, imprisoned, and repeatedly raped and beaten in a Cleveland house for over a decade by Ariel Castro - and their amazing escape in May 2013, which made headlines all over the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen
- By S-J on 23-08-18
-
The Pottery Cottage Murders
- The Shocking First-Hand Account of a Family Held Hostage by an Escaped Prisoner
- By: Carol Ann Lee, Peter Howse
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
A psychopathic criminal on the run from prison. A family of five held hostage in their home. A frantic police manhunt across the snowbound Derbyshire moors. Just one survivor. The definitive account of the terrifying 1977 Pottery Cottage murders that shocked Britain. For three days, escaped prisoner Billy Hughes played macabre psychological games with Gill Moran and her family, keeping them in separate rooms of their home while secretly murdering them one by one.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A compelling & disturbing read
- By Nucleargaz on 09-04-20
-
Keri 4: The Original Child Abuse True Story
- Keri Karin, Part Two
- By: Kat Ward
- Narrated by: Bridget Thomas
- Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
The year was 1975, and at age 16, young Keri was desperate to strike out on her own. However, as listeners of the first three volumes of this series will know, her childhood was hardly the loving, supportive, preparatory period it should have been. Should it really be any surprise then, after such a traumatic baptism into life, that her first foray into the adult world was hardly an unmitigated success? But just when she thought she'd finally left her demons behind, she found herself at the mercy of unsavoury characters yet again - and this time, without anyone to turn to...
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
kari 4
- By Keri 7 on 11-04-20
-
The Family Next Door
- The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the 13 Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 28
On January 14, 2018, a 17-year-old girl climbed out of the window of her Perris, California home and dialed 911 with shaking fingers. Struggling to stay calm, she told the operator that she and her 12 siblings - ranging in age from two to 29 - were being abused by their parents. When the dispatcher asked for her address, the girl hesitated. "I've never been out," she stammered.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
not that easy to follow
- By Tracey Maher on 17-01-20
-
The Boy in the Cellar
- By: Stephen Smith
- Narrated by: Oliver J. Hembrough
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 55
Stephen Smith is the boy who did not exist. Born out of wedlock in the early 1960s, Steve's parents - both devout Catholics - had felt so 'shamed' by their son's illegitimate birth that they hid him away from the world by locking him in the cellar...for 13 years. Apart from a few admissions to hospital as a result of his 'imprisonment', Steve remained in the coal cellar of the family home where he was deprived of daylight, his childhood, school and human contact until he'd reached his teenage years.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Flipping heck
- By Catherine Gladwyn - Delegate VA on 15-01-20
-
If You Tell
- A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
- By: Gregg Olsen
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 84
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brutal to hear
- By Team Joe Dawn on 20-01-20
-
The Lost Girls
- The True Story of the Cleveland Abductions and the Incredible Rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina Dejesus
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 67
In The Lost Girls, John Glatt tells the truly amazing story of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight - who were kidnapped, imprisoned, and repeatedly raped and beaten in a Cleveland house for over a decade by Ariel Castro - and their amazing escape in May 2013, which made headlines all over the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen
- By S-J on 23-08-18
-
The Pottery Cottage Murders
- The Shocking First-Hand Account of a Family Held Hostage by an Escaped Prisoner
- By: Carol Ann Lee, Peter Howse
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
A psychopathic criminal on the run from prison. A family of five held hostage in their home. A frantic police manhunt across the snowbound Derbyshire moors. Just one survivor. The definitive account of the terrifying 1977 Pottery Cottage murders that shocked Britain. For three days, escaped prisoner Billy Hughes played macabre psychological games with Gill Moran and her family, keeping them in separate rooms of their home while secretly murdering them one by one.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A compelling & disturbing read
- By Nucleargaz on 09-04-20
-
Keri 4: The Original Child Abuse True Story
- Keri Karin, Part Two
- By: Kat Ward
- Narrated by: Bridget Thomas
- Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
The year was 1975, and at age 16, young Keri was desperate to strike out on her own. However, as listeners of the first three volumes of this series will know, her childhood was hardly the loving, supportive, preparatory period it should have been. Should it really be any surprise then, after such a traumatic baptism into life, that her first foray into the adult world was hardly an unmitigated success? But just when she thought she'd finally left her demons behind, she found herself at the mercy of unsavoury characters yet again - and this time, without anyone to turn to...
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
kari 4
- By Keri 7 on 11-04-20
-
My Sweet Angel
- The True Story of Lacey Spears, the Seemingly Perfect Mother Who Murdered Her Son in Cold Blood
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36
Lacey Spears made international headlines in January 2015, when she was charged with the "depraved mind" murder of her five-year-old son, Garnett. Prosecutors alleged that the 27-year-old mother had poisoned him with high concentrations of salt through his stomach tube. To the outside world, Lacey had seemed like the perfect mother, regularly posting dramatic updates on her son's harrowing medical problems. But in reality, Lacey was a textbook case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting and thorough
- By Alexa on 08-06-17
-
Fred & Rose
- The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors
- By: Howard Sounes
- Narrated by: Howard Sounes
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 409
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 361
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 357
During their long relationship, the Wests murdered a series of young women, burying the remains of nine victims under their home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, including those of their daughter. What was left of Fred West's eight-year-old stepdaughter was dug up from under the Wests' previous Gloucester home; his first wife and nanny were buried in open country. Most victims had been decapitated and dismembered, their remains showing signs of sexual torture.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gripping, Respectful, Candid
- By Suzy on 21-06-15
-
Lost and Found
- The True Story of Jaycee Lee Dugard and the Abduction That Shocked the World
- By: John Glatt
- Narrated by: Randye Kaye
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 25
In 1991, eleven-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard was kidnapped on her morning walk to the school bus. But despite her family's tireless efforts, Jaycee's disappearance remained a mystery. Then, in August 2009, a registered sex offender named Phillip Garrido appeared on the University of California, Berkeley, campus alongside two young women whose unusual behavior sparked concern among campus officials and law enforcement. That visit would pave the way for a shocking discovery: That Garrido was Jaycee Lee Dugard's kidnapper.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
outstanding
- By marie on 27-02-15
-
Keri 1: The Original Child Abuse True Story
- By: Kat Ward
- Narrated by: Bridget Thomas
- Length: 26 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 112
From the outside, there was no reason to suspect the family life of young schoolchild Keri was anything but unremarkable. Two loving parents, a backdrop of 1960s Britain; life had provided for her, at least with the riches of modesty. Keri herself however, would often confound teachers with her erratic behaviour, which was at best sullen and withdrawn; at worst violently disruptive. When challenged, she would only exacerbate her growing reputation as a fantasist; weaving terrible tales about the "abuse" she was suffering at the hands of her very creators.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Keri 1
- By Golden girl on 17-09-18
-
The Babes in the Woods Murders
- The Shocking True Story of How Child Murderer Russell Bishop Was Finally Brought to Justice
- By: Paul Cheston
- Narrated by: Karl Jenkinson
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
On 9 October 1986, Russell Bishop sexually assaulted and strangled nine-year-old Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway, in woods near Brighton. He did not answer for his crimes for over 30 years. Bishop - a petty criminal known to both girls' families - was charged after his suspiciously close involvement in the search for the bodies. But a last-minute change of testimony from his then-girlfriend allowed him to go free, and the Babes in the Woods murders became one of Britain's most infamous cold cases.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Completed in 1 sitting
- By MRS S L MARTIN on 16-04-20
-
Keri 3: The Original Child Abuse True Story
- By: Kat Ward
- Narrated by: Bridget Thomas
- Length: 17 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 47
In this much-publicised third volume, Kat recounts her early-mid teen years; no longer a small child, but a girl on the cusp of adolescence. Still traumatized by her early experiences, but not entirely without that sense of vague hope that is the inalienable property of youth. Now at Duncroft Approved School for “emotionally disturbed girls”, her life had come to resemble that of a prisoner; a good day was a bad one and a bad day was horrific.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
when will you get the rest of the books
- By e fursland on 08-01-20
-
Evil Beyond Belief
- By: Wensley Clarkson
- Narrated by: Karl Jenkinson
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
This is the shocking story of a doctor who was addicted to murder: a man who wickedly abused the trust of his patients with horrifying results. He was a pillar of the community: attentive, kind, never too busy to chat. Yet behind this charming facade lay the world's most prolific serial killer, with at least 200 victims. Small, bespectacled Dr Shipman was making house calls - and then committing murder with bloodcurdling expertise and professionalism. He saw himself as playing God.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By craig on 08-01-20
-
Body for Rent
- By: Olivia Smit, Anna Hendriks
- Narrated by: Gemma Lawrence, Sarah Cullum
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Growing up in a quiet, middle-class suburb outside of Amsterdam, childhood best friends Anna and Olivia had their whole lives ahead of them. But every parent's worst nightmare came true when the teenagers fell in with the wrong crowd. Eleven years their senior, Ryan was charming and good-looking - and Anna and Oliva easy prey. Blind to his grooming, the girls were soon trapped in a terrifying cycle of sexual and physical abuse.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
horrifying but we need to know
- By bex on 21-04-20
-
A Stolen Life
- A Memoir
- By: Jaycee Dugard
- Narrated by: Jaycee Dugard
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 166
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
"In the summer of 1991 I was a normal kid. I did normal things. I had friends and a mother who loved me. I was just like you. Until the day my life was stolen. For eighteen years I was a prisoner. I was an object for someone to use and abuse. For eighteen years I was not allowed to speak my own name. I became a mother and was forced to be a sister. For eighteen years I survived an impossible situation. On August 26, 2009, I took my name back. My name is Jaycee Lee Dugard. I dont think of myself as a victim. I survived...."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An amazing story
- By Ms.Allison B on 06-05-12
-
The Murders at White House Farm
- Jeremy Bamber and the Killing of His Family. The Definitive Investigation.
- By: Carol Ann Lee
- Narrated by: Charlie Sanderson
- Length: 16 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
On 7 August 1985, Nevill and June Bamber, their daughter, Sheila, and her two young sons, Nicholas and Daniel, were discovered shot to death at White House Farm in Essex. The murder weapon was found on Sheila's body; a Bible lay at her side. All the windows and doors of the farmhouse were secure, and the Bambers' son, 24-year-old Jeremy, had alerted police after apparently receiving a phone call from his father, who told him Sheila had 'gone berserk' with the gun. It seemed a straightforward case of murder-suicide, but a dramatic turn of events was to disprove the police's theory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Riveting
- By miss kelly whelan on 15-01-20
-
My Story
- By: Elizabeth Smart, Chris Stewart
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Smart
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 52
On June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic, Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding and moving
- By Wicked on 21-02-15
-
Please, Let Me Go
- The Horrific True Story of a Girl's Life in the Hands of Sex Traffickers
- By: Caitlin Spencer
- Narrated by: Rachel Atkins
- Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
From the age of 14, Caitlin was completely controlled, repeatedly raped, provided with alcohol, given drugs, sold and passed on to new gangs over and over again. The majority of her abusers were Pakistani men, who were blatant in their attacks upon her, often collecting her from school or home, to be taken to flats they owned, family homes, or hotels booked for the day, to be horrifically and systematically abused.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why Just Why
- By Homa Maria Ebrahim on 09-12-19
Summary
Josef Fritzl was a 73-year-old retired engineer in Austria. He seemed to be living a normal life with his wife, Rosemarie, and their family - though one daughter, Elisabeth, had decades earlier been "lost" to a religious cult. Throughout the years, three of Elisabeth's children mysteriously appeared on the Fritzls' doorstep; Josef and Rosemarie raised them as their own. But only Josef knew the truth about Elisabeth's disappearance....
For 27 years, Josef had imprisoned and molested Elisabeth in his man-made basement dungeon, complete with soundproof paneling and code-protected electric locks. There, she would eventually give birth to a total of seven of Josef's children. One died in infancy, and the other three were raised alongside Elisabeth, never to see the light of day.
Then, in 2008, one of Elisabeth's children became seriously ill and was taken to the hospital. It was the first time the 19-year-old girl had ever gone outside - and soon, the truth about her background, her family's captivity, and Josef's unspeakable crimes would come to light.
More from the same
What members say
Average customer ratings
Overall
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars38
-
4 Stars19
-
3 Stars4
-
2 Stars3
-
1 Stars1
Performance
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars32
-
4 Stars21
-
3 Stars4
-
2 Stars3
-
1 Stars1
Story
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars36
-
4 Stars19
-
3 Stars4
-
2 Stars3
-
1 Stars0
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- s.millin
- 20-07-15
loved this book
What made the experience of listening to Secrets in the Cellar the most enjoyable?
Just loved this book, she explained every detail of what she did and felt.
How brave she is, to go through what she did, giving birth on her own, with no help from a doctor, and then coping with her children, and the life she was forced to endure.
How brilliantly she wrote this, so inspiring.
Who was your favorite character and why?
the main character.
What about Gildart Jackson’s performance did you like?
All of it, no faults at all.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
it made me cry, in several places.
Not much joy in this book.
Any additional comments?
you will want to listen to this all in one go. Beware serious time needed. You cant stop.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ben
- 31-03-15
Factual and dry, but an amazingly disturbing story
I recommend this book based on the astonishing and disturbing story alone. It delves into the mind of a truly sadistic and damaged man.
I found the part about Fritzels own up bring the most fascinating as it gives clues as to how a person can do such horrific acts to his own family.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- sara
- 02-01-15
Fascinating
Interesting yet gruesome, I found the detail behind this real story intriguing, how can some individuals carry out such horrors defies me.
At first I found the narration stilted, as though some sort of auto-tune is used which makes it on the monotone side.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- marie
- 12-12-14
interesting book
Narration was not great but the story was interesting, I would recommend this book, shocking you know it's true
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs F.
- 29-06-16
Griping & brilliantly read! English voice
First ever audio book and totally loved it. Was 3/4 way through within days.
Authors voice was great to listen to.
Such an interesting story, I've told many people about it already.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sally Howes
- 24-05-15
Secrets in the cellar
It's an uncomfortable book due to the subject matter. However it's well written and well narrated. A shocking story but worth a listen if you are interested in true crime.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Frankzippa
- 30-04-20
Shocking Sad Bizarre
An incredible story I only wish it had been fiction! But then it would take a very strange person to make it up.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Pee Popper Diddy Pop
- 03-02-19
Disturbing
Very disturbing story, but interesting, good author, and a well put together book, worth a listen
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Reebies
- 03-02-17
Totally harrowing
Finally. An informative, true and complete account of the somewhat incomprehensible story that lay beneath the ground, confined within the walls of that infamous cellar. Secrets in the cellar fills in the gaps that were left by the media since uncovering the truth behind Fritzl's 'secret family'
The story not only offers a brutal blow by blow account of Fritzl's depraved crimes but gives an entire timeline of events, witness testimony and full access to the back story, life and psyche of the Austrian man behind it all.
The book gives readers the opportunity to see behind the headlines and learn of the true nightmare that was Elizabet Fritzl's life and what followed.
A good read and well narrated. However, at times the narrator uses local accents, perhaps in an attempt to further dramatise and give more credence to the story. I felt this was unnecessary and at times, a fraction over done.
If you're a fan of true crime or merely seeking the truth behind the Fritzl story, this book should be on your wish list.
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Daniel
- 11-10-16
too gruesome
don't usually mind some dark subject matter, this was way too much. disgraceful behaviour
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eric Schurr
- 08-11-13
One of the most riveting and disturbing books ever
The story this book tells is truly "stranger than fiction." If it was a novel, you'd say it was too absurd to be true. But amazingly, and shockingly, it is.
From the very beginning, the story is well-paced and well-written. It contains enough details to send chills down your spine that such a sick, twisted man could ever exist. You will wonder how his victimized daughter ever survived and kept her sanity through numerous unthinkable acts: raped 3,000 times by her father, help captive for 24 YEARS, living in a dungeon that is only 5' 6" tall with no windows...it's truly unthinkable.
I listened to this book during my commute, and i was anxious to get into my car every day (how often does that happen to you?). In addition to the story being unbelievable, the narrator is perhaps the best i've ever heard. His voice is made for this kind of thing. It is truly one of the best books i've ever listened to.
My only word of caution: be prepared to be amazed, horrified, disgusted, and baffled.
You'll want to hug your children after you listen to this.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- ilovebooks
- 07-12-13
I was hooked. A great listen.
Any additional comments?
I know its a good book when I scour the web looking for anything I can about the main characters. This father was a sociopath of the worst kind. I think the author was too easy on the wife but I do live in a different part of the world and have had many things that women did not. Still, how could she let him do all those things to the kids while they were growing up? And the main character, she must really be something to have survived that. I send her and her family all of my prayers and well wishes.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Luthi
- 28-10-13
A Fact Filled Account of a Chilling Crime
I REALLY enjoyed this book. The author fills your mind with facts and details and the narrator dictates them to you in a clear, engaging manner of speaking. The subject matter, while horrifically grotesque is in a morbid way, quite interesting. By the end of the book, your heart will go out to the victims of this terrible crime.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joshua
- 04-10-13
crazy and disturbing
What did you love best about Secrets in the Cellar?
Im a big believer that non fiction is better than fiction and unfortunately this story makes that statement true. Its a horrible true thriller for anyone wanting to read it
What did you like best about this story?
the way the author and narrator made you feel like you were right there.
What about Gildart Jackson’s performance did you like?
awesome narrator!!!
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
I would never want to make a film of this book, Way to disturbing
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susan
- 01-08-13
The Most Chilling Book I have ever Read
Would you consider the audio edition of Secrets in the Cellar to be better than the print version?
I only do Audible books so I wouldn't know BUT I can't imigane it getting any better!
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
The fact that this is true and that a young lady's life was stolen for 24 years is beyond belief and to watch your own children suffer and not be able to stop it. My heart goes out to this woman....
What does Gildart Jackson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He allows you to truly feel the pain that this family went through, I couldn't wait to hear what happened. Nicely done!!
If you could give Secrets in the Cellar a new subtitle, what would it be?
How can one Human do this to another?
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- tina Johnson-gunn
- 30-06-14
Sickening
What did you love best about Secrets in the Cellar?
The actual story is horrible - the fact the father could do this to his own daughter is unreal. How she survived I have no idea.
What did you like best about this story?
That she survived - she had strength in her far deeper than most the people on this earth. A mothers love can do amazing things.
Have you listened to any of Gildart Jackson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
no
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Not saying do not want to give any parts away
Any additional comments?
Be ready to be mortified.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cheri
- 08-07-15
Awesome book
I'm still digesting it all. It was an unbelievable case! I highly recommend this book!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karen
- 13-07-14
Subject is horrible, story is well told
I love true stories, which is how I found this book. I don't remember ever hearing about this story in the news, but it sounds like it was a nationwide story.. It is a terrible subject, absolutely horrible what this woman and her children went through, but it is very well written, giving the listener a very clear idea of what is going on. I actually don't like knowing things like this even go on in our world, and after the first part of the book, I had decided I didn't want this horror in my mind, but after a few days, I had to listen to more to make sure Elizabeth survived.. She did/does survive, but the horrors her father put her through are unimaginable..
At the end of the book, a psychiatrist explains why he thinks this man did what he did. He isn't justifying it, just giving a psychiatric evaluation. I think that part is fascinating.. A lot of people would, and I'm sure do, just refer to his man's actions as being evil, but saying someone is evil is not a real explanation of why people do the things they do.. Everything has a reason, a cause, something turns something in a persons head to make them do the such horrific things..
Would I recommend this book to others? No, I wouldn't... It is very well written, but like I said, the subject matter is horrible...But if you don't mind this kind of thing being in your mind, and you enjoy true stories, then you will like this one.. I can't say anyone would enjoy this book.. Who would enjoy knowing this went on? But it is very well told...If I had heard about this story in the news years ago, and knew what it was about, I probably would not have purchased it..
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kate
- 20-01-14
Incredible
What made the experience of listening to Secrets in the Cellar the most enjoyable?
Filled with facts.
What other book might you compare Secrets in the Cellar to and why?
My Story by Elizabeth Smart
Both tales of survival against the odds.
Any additional comments?
Sometimes the repetition can be a little annoying, but I believe the author had the best of intentions. He paints a very clear picture of the events leading up to Elizabeth's capture, the horrors of her life in the cellar, as well as what happened after her eventual freedom.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- beverly
- 14-01-14
in your face that crazy people do crazy things
What made the experience of listening to Secrets in the Cellar the most enjoyable?
it held my attention threw the whole thig
Who was your favorite character and why?
the daughter
Which character – as performed by Gildart Jackson – was your favorite?
daughter
If you could give Secrets in the Cellar a new subtitle, what would it be?
crazy is not just a word
Any additional comments?
unbelievable that one man can have a standing in the town and all that money and be the sickest ticket in town and no one knew
1 person found this helpful