American Black Widow

Sharon Fuller should have been happy with the life she was given. However, nothing was good enough for Sharon. She wanted more. She wanted excitement, and she wanted as much money as she could get her hands on.

As a preacher's wife, she was finding that life was not fulfilling. After they transfer to a new congregation, she begins looking for her next victim, I mean husband. Although still married, she begins an affair with a doctor, one who happens to be an elder in their church. When the money runs out, and things start to unravel, Sharon convinces a lover to murder her husband.
When she remarries, she quickly finds that the match is not good - and it is not going to last. If she hopes to get any insurance money, this husband is going to have to have an accident - and soon.

Oh my goodness, this book. I hated this woman - her manipulations and the many families that she tore apart. She was working to have a better life than what she grew up in, but she ruined many lives along the way. Nothing was off limits, and she lived by no rules. The detectives who are looking into the death of her last husband are convinced that she is guilty of much more - and they had no idea what they were fixing to walk into.

It was an interesting read. As much as Sharon irked me, I could not put this book down. It was a fabulous book, with a very interesting array of characters.

2.5 I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it wasn't for the rampant misogyny that the author felt was needed in order to illustrate what kind of person Sharon Nelson is. And yes, I recognize that much of the book features language used from people who were interviewed back in the 90s, which while awful to listen to I can understand was more acceptable back then, but as an author he didn't remain objective and continued to drive that narrative home.

What a missed opportunity to explore the reason Sharon became the person she is. There was a small portion of the book dedicated to abuse she experienced growing up, but no further inspection of the lasting effects of that trauma or the narcissistic, manipulative tactics she displayed time and time again. No, instead we get page after page of slut-shaming diatribes both by those interviewed and story narrative from the author.

Deeply disappointed at the writing because it certainly had the potential to be a fascinating true crime novel about the impacts that a strict religious upbringing, physical abuse, and emotional abandonment, had on Sharon to create the manipulative personality that impacted every person she ever came in contact with.

***Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.