In the quiet town of Auburn, Washington, a series of devastating events would reveal one of the most shocking true crime stories of our time. It began on June 5, 1986, when emergency services rushed to the Nickell mobile home after Stella reported her husband Bruce having a seizure. What they discovered would change everything: Bruce was fighting for his life after consuming painkillers laced with cyanide.
As Stella collected over $175,000 in life insurance payouts, investigators began connecting dots that led to an even more horrifying revelation. Just a week later, another family was shattered when 15-year-old Hayley's mother, Sue, collapsed after taking headache pills tainted with the same deadly poison. The cyanide trail was becoming clear.
While one daughter grieved her mother's sudden loss, another woman—Cindy—found herself at a crossroads. Haunted by years of neglect and abuse, Cindy knew the tangled web of secrets her mother Stella had shared with her. She faced an impossible choice: protect the woman who raised her, or turn to the FBI with the truth that could put her mother behind bars forever.
Gregg Olsen masterfully reconstructs the journey of a sweet, curly-haired little girl from Oregon whose fierce ambition to live the American Dream ultimately led to the ultimate betrayal. This Wall Street Journal bestseller explores the complex dynamics of mother-daughter relationships, the psychology of deception, and the devastating consequences when family bonds turn deadly.
Perfect for fans of The Staircase and Making of a Murderer, this true crime classic originally published as Bitter Almonds will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Olsen's meticulous research and gripping narrative style make this an unforgettable journey into the heart of darkness that can lurk within even the most ordinary families.
