Married to Murder

I highly recommend this true crime book, which is about so-called "black widower" Robert Spangler, who seemed to experience more than his share of "tragedies," which for the most part he created. But it was one death where it appeared he had nothing to do with causing which unraveled years of deception. Interesting case, very good read.

I disagree with some of the other reviewers. I too read a lot of true crime books. Robert Scott has written a true crime book about one of America's most dangerous serial killers. Robert "Bob" Spangler was the adopted son of a prominent Iowa state professor. Sadly, all those around him started dying mysteriously. Bob who was married unhappily to Nancy Stahlman and the father of two teenage children wanted out of the marriage but his mistress did not want the troubles of teenage children. Sadly, Bob arranged to make his first wife's death to look like a suicide on December 30, 1978 in Littleton, Colorado (hometown of Columbine high school). He also murdered his children with a gun and made it look like it was entirely his wife's fault. Bob continued to live in the house of death afterwards without much conscience. His second wife who he killed for would also die under the suspicious circumstances of a pill-forced suicide in 1994. His third wife would be pushed down in the Grand Canyon in Arizona during one of Bob's many hiking trips. His adopted father died under mysterious circumstances despite his advanced age after a visit from his son. His motivation was all selfish. He never did anything for anybody else. He was a successful businessman in his own right but his personal life was surrounded by death. Bob could sleep very well in his Littleton house as well as other places. Until the law finally caught up with him, it just seemed like he was getting away with murder. His second and third wives had included him in his estate if they died before him. His father also had a sizable fortune. Bob just didn't want to work no more and he took a very different road. He killed his own children because he couldn't control them anymore as teenagers and showed absolutely no remorse for his crimes which are just unspeakable and horrendous. I can't imagine somebody to be so cold, calculated, and homicidal towards the people including his three wives and two children who he was supposed to love. Imagine, he shot to death his own children for no reason because they would just be trouble with his extra-marital relationship. I can't blame his wives because I think they were madly in love with him and paid dearly with their lives as well one way or another. His children were another story. Maybe they would have brought him to justice for their mother's death. Most people in Bob's situation would have just left the wife and divorce. I guess Bob just couldn't handle losing his money and grip on his life.

As a general rule, I found Robert Scott to be an excellent true crime genre writer; however, with this book I was a little disappointed. While the story was definitely one that should have been written, often the reader is subjected to phrases such as "It is unclear..." and "It is unknown..." Unfortunately, these phrases seem to proceed sentences that would have contained facts very important to the case...and, of course, the reader.

I brought this book and finished it withen a day, although a bit desturbing it is one that you will not be able to put down, i have a few of robert scoots books now & they are all easy reading & very detailed, a must for any book collection

I was spellbound by this story. It was quite amazing to walk inside the mind of a murderer. I wonder if it will ever come out how many people he disposed of in his lifetime. Wonderfully written.