Shattered: The True Story of a Mother's Love, a Husband's Betrayal, and a Cold-Blooded Texas Murder

"Shattered" by Kathryn Casey is a "Cannot Put Down Book!" over and above any other. Will be adding all her books to my list of must reads!!!

I really enjoyed this book. It is well written and gripping. Casey is one of my favorite True Crime writers because she brings life to the victims. She lets the reader make form their own opinions in all the people involved by offering facts and bringing situations to life on the pages. High recommended.

Don't all of us wonder why some people cross the line and commit murder? As an avid True Crime reader, that is all that matters to me--WHY? And Kathryn Casey, the master of True Crime, never disappoints. David Temple seemed to be a cherished son of Texas and certainly the "All-American Boy" with his superb football skills. He had an intense and charming demeanor which was seemingly irrestible, especially to certain women. He was adored by his parents and brothers, to the extent that all of them seemed to overlook or simply ignore his dark side, and there were plenty of warnings that it existed. Casey lists all of them. Did the delightful Belinda Lucas fall so desperately in love with this overbearing man because of her equally overbearing father? Certainly that's one explanation, but fall she did, to her enormous peril. There are some who still question that David Temple marched his eight-months-pregnant wife upstairs while holding a shotgun to her head and executed her, but I have no doubt he committed this chilling crime because of all the family background supplied by Kathryn Casey. I'm sure his parents (who never chastised David for anything--BIG parental lesson here) still consider him innocent of killing their daughter-in-law and granddaughter, but in this case the jury got it dead right. It's a true cautionary tale, well worth the read.

Kathryn Casey does it again with another story of a brutal Texas murder - a football hero husband who murders his 8 months pregnant wife, in order to pursue a relationship with another woman. A bully who has always gotten his way, who almost escapes justice because of the covering for him, and denial of the reality of his behavior, by his "good" family and his football star, "untouchable" image. Hard to put down, written in Casey's easy to read style, she writes of stories which show Texas in its unique, and not so flattering, realities.

I am an avid reader of many genre'. This books was one, that once I started, I couldn't put it down. David Temple was a handsome, large, hometown high school football and college hero. He was often referred to as the "Temple of Doom." While attending college David met Belinda Lucas. Belinda was a loving, beautiful, intelligent girl, with a zest for life. Both became teachers. Being a football hero, David got away with many things, that a regular Joe would not have gotten away with. He came from a so called "Christian Family (with Christians like the Temple's, who need's sinners?." After they were married, they had a son named Evan and Belinda was 8 months pregnant with a baby girl, Erin at the time of her murder. David had an affair with a fellow teacher Heather Scott. David controlled Belinda, going as far, as keeping her and their son away from her family. Once they were married, they did celebrated ALL holiday's with his family. David thought he was above the law, and he was for a good many years. Several years after Belinda and Erin's murder, David was finally arrested and charged with murder. He and his family tried to intimidate witnesses, and right out lied for David. If you enjoy true crime books, you will enjoy this one as well. Kathryn Casey has hit it out of the park, with this one!

Belinda Temple was loved by all: her fellow teachers, students, her family, her husband's family. Yet she was a troubled woman, suspecting her husband David of having an affair. And her suspicions were right on target. David was sleeping with one of his fellow teachers, Heather Scott. When Belinda, eight months pregnant, was found murdered in her home one afternoon by her husband, police were determined to catch the person who would commit such a cold, brutal crime. David, of course, was their first suspect. As the evidence continued to mount, it was obvious he was the ONLY person who could have killed his wife and his unborn daughter. But the Temple family wagons would circle and if not for the determination of one police investigator and a tough-as-nails prosecutor, David Temple might still be free today; free to live with his mistress-turned-wife and, possibly, kill again. Kathryn Casey doesn't disappoint true crime fans with her latest book that grabbed many people's attention when it aired on 48 Hours Mystery. More in-depth than the hour long television show, Casey creates a book that's extremely difficult to put down. Definitely add this one to your true crime reading list!