Twisted Triangle: A Famous Crime Writer, a Lesbian Love Affair, and the FBI Husband's Violent Revenge

Usually it takes me a week, and more like two, to read a good true-crime book. "Twisted Triangle" demanded that I finish it over two sneak-in-a-few-pages-every-chance-I-could days. It's not an easy task to condense some quarter-century of a life into a taut, fast-paced, compelling narrative. But Caitlin Rother's newsroom-honed skills takes the unbelievable you-couldn't-make-this-stuff story of former FBI agent's marriage to fellow agent Gene Bennett and turns it into a seamless stay-up-till-3.a.m. tale of astonishing torment -- and ultimate triumph. The real skill in recreating such a story is in knowing what to leave out -- and knowing that what must be expounded upon are often the most painful details. It takes a canny, empathetic interviewer to draw those details out, and it takes an attentive, deadline-seasoned journalist to weave those details into a wider connective tissue of time-sensitive narrative so it makes sense and sends the reader steaming full-bore into the next shocking series of events. It's Margo Bennett's story that should keep most readers captivated, and rightfully so. But as an aspiring true-crime writer myself, I find myself intrigued by the author's skill at taking on this enormous task, boiling it down to its most compelling and relevant elements, and delivering an attention-grabbing potboiler that doesn't lapse into sensationalism or skimp on necessary details and context. After "Poisoned Love," Rother's true-crime debut, I wrote a review in which I expressed the wish to see what Rother could do when she has a point of view from which to write. Now I know ... and know I know she was more than up to the challenge. In a world of hacks and cash-in artists, it's good to know that there are still authors like Caitlin Rother who deliver compelling goods while not giving an inch of ground away from objective truth. (My only quibble with the book is that the title seems to promise readers more dirt about Patricia Cornwell than the book can -- and frankly, should -- deliver. Cornwell is rightfully relegated to supporting-character status here. But part of that is Cornwell's own fault -- had she cooperated with the authors of this book as she initially said she would, her part of the story would have been that much more interesting and richly realized. And the irony is that there was no downside to cooperating -- it's not like "Twisted Triangle" hurts her reputation or makes her seem like a bad person.)

It is hard to imagine that this story is true, but it is. I am acquainted with Margo Bennett, and have been since this story unfolded, so reading this book was especially personal for me. Caitlin Rother's Twisted Triangle does a wonderful job of illustrating the emotional journey of a woman tormented by a psychotic husband, and her untimely and illicit encounters with a world renowned author. Superficial details of Gene Bennett's plots to defraud the FBI and various insurance agencies, and his attempts on the lives of his wife and her minister were covered in depth by the Washington, DC area press, but this book delves into the emotions Margo felt and the pain she suffered while trying to protect herself from her deranged husband and her daughters from their father. And while her detractors might say that she made a number of poor decisions in her life that ultimately lead to the events depicted in Rother's book, others will certainly counter that poor decisions are never an excuse for abuse, mental or physical. Rother has captured those abusive moments in vivid detail. I applaud Margo for having the courage to tell her side of the story. This book is definitely a page-turner - one you will find hard to put down.

Unless you have been in an abusive relationship it is truly hard to comprehend what a person must do to survive. "Twisted Triangle" by Caitlin Rother has shown how devastating that type of life can be. I applaud not only Margo Bennett's determination to survive an abusive husband and coming to terms with her sexual orientation but her willingness to share her story in the hopes of giving other the courage to do the same. Caitlin Rother has written a articulate story of Margo Bennett's struggles and given the impartial view point of each and everyone involved in the disturbing situation. With Rother's 20 year tenure as an investigative reporter and her newly developed skill as a thriller author, she has all the talent necessary to research all the facts of any non-fiction story and mold them into an intriguing and very readable novel

I stumbled on this book while looking up Patricia Cornwell to see if she had any new books coming up. I ordered it from the library and once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. Now Caitlin Rother is among my favorites. I can't wait to read the rest of her books. She is a wonderful author. Glad I found her.