Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Hello fellow True Crime readers,


Welcome to our discussion about If You Really Loved Me, a non-fiction selection, by Ann Rule. Your discussion leader is Gem.
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about spoilers

Please note: If you have not finished reading the book spoilers are permitted in this discussion from the start. If you would like to use the spoiler formatting it can be found on the top right of the comment box in the "(some html is ok)" menu.
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Summary

There was only one way to please her father: Murder his wife...

David Brown was the consummate entrepreneur: a computer wizard and millionaire by age thirty-two. When his beautiful young wife was shot to death as she slept, Brown's fourteen-year-old daughter, Cinnamon, confessed to killing her stepmother. The California courts sentenced her harshly: twenty-four years to life. But in the wake of Cinnamon's murder conviction, thanks in part to two determined lawmen, the twisted private world of David Brown himself unfolded with astonishing clarity -- revealing a trail of perverse love, twisted secrets, and evil mind games. A complex and often dangerous investigation suggested a horrifying scenario: Was the seemingly bland David Brown really a stone-cold killer who convinced his own daughter to prove her love by killing for him? A man who turned young women into his own personal slaves, who collected nearly $1 million in insurance money, and married his dead wife's teenage sister, David Brown was a sociopath who would stop at nothing... a deadly charmer who almost got away with everything.

Discussion Questions

1) Do you think statements made by a suspected to medical staff (at a hospital) should be permitted into evidence as a confession?

2) How do you think David Brown was able to pull the wool over so many people's eyes?

3) What was your opinion of Cinnamon Brown?

4) What did you think about the number of wifes David Brown had and the fact that they were so young? How did this not set off alarm bells to anyone prior to the murder?

5) What other books by this author have you read? How did they compare to this book?

6) Would you read another book by this author? Why or why not?

I'll be starting this book today or tomorrow, is anyone else planning on reading this selection?

I ordered mine yesterday. It is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow!!!

Excellent! The only edition I could get was an audiobook edition. My library is terrible.

I’m so addicted to physical books I ordered a used one on Amazon. I have a used book store that I bring in my books to donate and usually find treasures on their shelves but I haven’t been in there since Covid hit. Sad but getting ready to put them on my must go to list!!

Donna wrote: "I’m so addicted to physical books I ordered a used one on Amazon. I have a used book store that I bring in my books to donate and usually find treasures on their shelves but I haven’t been in there..."

I admit I prefer a physical book in my hands, but I love the dictionary feature that is on my tablet. That's the one benefit I get from the e-readers.

I just realized the only edition my library has (audio) is abridged. So, I'll likely be missing some of the finer details.

I'm adding discussion questions at the bottom of the original post.

I just started this one. I like that my copy does have the afterward by the author to update us. I like that in true crime books to give us more current updates on the cases after publication.

For a true crime this one has parts that almost read like fiction. I like the way Ann Rule writes!

I haven’t noticed the discussion questions but I think we might be the only ones reading this. Cinnamon’s dad is so destructive and evil!

I like the way he reflects all the blame into someone else.

I think that is common with true devious manipulators. Masters of deflection and excuses.