Well-written true crime; it's interesting that this isn't a particularly well-publicised or shocking crime, but part of the sordid everyday life of small towns. It's well-explored and treated with seriousness, but I feel like its connections to the opiod epidemic go relatively unexplored; opioids go missing from the dead man's bathroom, and the murderers have a clear relationship with pain medication, exaggerated injuries, and later harder drugs, but the link to the opioid epidemic is not strongly made, nor is the role it clearly played in the crimes examined. Phelp is, as usual, much more interested in the individual pyschology of the criminal, and especially the female criminal; calculated evil and female sexuality tend to go hand in hand in his works, in part because of his selection of cases but also because of his choice of where to lay emphasis. This was a good read, but because of this tendency of his, his true crime tends to the pulpy instead of the relflective.

Where Monsters Hide is a fascinating and engrossing true crime novel of a female serial killer. This book was well researched and we'll written.

Well researched and well written! This true crime story is a shocker from beginning to end.

Thanks to the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

****spoilers****Received an ARC copy for an honest review. This is a fantastic true crime book that reads like a novel. The author's narrative style tells a riveting account of a female serial killer, Kelly Cochran, currently serving life in prison for at least two murders, though she is believed to have committed several other killings. The genre of "true crime" can be very hit-or-miss in the quality of writing and interest, and this one is engaging from beginning to end. I look forward to reading other books by M. William Phelps. #WhereMonstersHide #NetGalley

"Where Monsters Hide" is a thorough account of the investigation into the murder of a man who became entangled in the twisted web of a horrifying couple. His disappearance and one cop's determination to get to the truth make this novel much, much stranger than fiction.

Author M. William Phelps dives into the story of Jason and Kelly Cochran, a couple living in small town Michigan. Kelly begins an affair with Chris Regan, her supervisor at work. Not long after her husband discovers her betrayal, Regan goes missing under very suspicious circumstances. Iron River police chief Laura Frizzo takes the first report of Regan's disappearance, and from that moment is determined to find the truth about the case. Phelps details the long cat and mouse game the Cochrans play with law enforcement, which only comes to a stunning conclusion with another death

This book is one of the best researched true crime novels I've ever read. At times, it is written more like a fiction novel than a detailed account of a true murder. It moves clearly and solidly from the beginning of the investigation to a very satisfying ending. The admiration and respect the author shows for Chief Frizzo is clearly detailed as her work to painstakingly piece Regan's last moments are beautifully written.

True Crime Time! I’ve been a fan of M. William Phelps for years – among TC writers, there are many that just crank out crap, there are one-hit wonders who put out a good ONE, and then there are the (very) few who consistently give us a well-researched, carefully written story. M. William Phelps is one of the few. His true crime books include Murder in the Heartland, Kill For Me, and Beautifully Cruel – with rare exception, I’ve enjoyed them all. So I was pleased to read and review Mr. Phelps’ latest, Where Monsters Hide, in return for my honest review (thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley).

One of the things that made this one stand out is that female serial killers/psychopaths are unusual. In addition, a good person-goes-missing-cops-get-obsessed-for-YEARS story is always interesting. The good person in this book is Chris Regan, a single father of adult children who lives in Michigan but is just about to leave for Asheville, NC, to start a new job. He and his namesake oldest son are planning the move together, and they are talking and texting constantly, nailing down all the details. One of the last things Chris needs to do is take a drug test for the new job he has accepted in Asheville. Chris the younger gets worried when he can’t reach his father. Chris Senior had an ex- named Terri O’Donnell, and because they had remained friends and kept in contact after the breakup, she also became worried when he disappeared, and she filed a missing person report.

The local police department is tiny, and another aspect of this story that stands out is the local police chief, Laura Frizzo. As she looks into the case, she learns that Chris had been having an affair with a married co-worker named Kelly Cochran, so her investigation naturally goes toward Kelly’s husband Jason. A search warrant on the Cochran’s house prompts them to up and move out of state unexpectedly. Then Jason turns up dead and the coroner rules it a homicide, so Laura starts looking at Kelly as a suspect. And OMG what happens to the body is – well, unique.
As the investigation goes on, Laura works closely with Detective Jeremy Ogden, and they REALLY get along! I found the treatment the two of them received from other members of law enforcement in Michigan pretty disgusting. At first, I thought it was just pointed at Laura, because of her gender – but Jeremy was a target as well.

The final unique aspect of this book is that Kelly is a SMART woman, a Purdue graduate and psychology major. She plays “catch me if you can” with Laura and Jeremy, and even though they just KNOW she is guilty, it takes a long time in real life for the unraveling of the story. Fortunately, the book moves right along, and will definitely be appreciated by true crime aficionados. I give stars within genres, and for true crime, this one is 5-star.

I enjoy reading true crime stories. Fans of these types of books will want to pick up a copy of this book to read. Mr. Phelps did his research with this book. His interviews with all those involved including Kelly were very insightful.

I liked Chief Laura Frizzo tenacity to keep poking around until the truth was revealed. She and Jeremy Ogden helped to bring justice for Chris. I could see how Kelly would be classified as a narcissist as the story that she gave the police was full of holes. However, I believe she went in believing that she would not be caught. She even tried to portray herself as a victim.

This was a fast read for me. This is because I was very interested in this case and finding out the truth. Laura really helped with this. After reading this book, I want to check out other books by Mr. Phelps.

In October 2014, after Chris Regan failed to arrive at his new job, his ex-girlfriend filed a missing-person report. Something was off. It was not like Chris, a devoted father, avid hiker, and all-around great guy, not to show up. When local Michigan police chief Laura Frizzo learned Chris was having an affair with Kelly Cochran, a married co-worker, suspicion fell on her husband, Jason. After a search warrant on their house revealed several suspicious items, the Cochrans abruptly moved to Indiana. As questions swirled around the case, the whereabouts of Chris Regan remained unknown.

Sixteen months later Jason Cochran died from a drug overdose. Friends and family rallied around the grieving and distraught Kelly. But when the coroner ruled Jason’s death a homicide, no one reacted more bizarrely than his widow. For months detectives tried to put Kelly’s past into focus, but the truth was buried under a patchwork of lies, contradictions, and brutally horrific revelations. As Kelly Cochran, a Purdue graduate and psychology major played “catch me if you can,” a mesmerizing story emerged that rivals today’s bestselling fiction in its drama and fascination. In the hands of veteran investigative journalist M. William Phelps, her staggering saga of murder, revenge, and payback surpass anything that could go wrong in a season of Fargo.

This was a thorough, impeccably researched book. Where Monsters Hide is a true-life crime. Very researched and just such evil. I was seriously drawn in, excellent. writing.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Netgalley and Kensington books for a copy of this e-book in return for an honest review.

This is a true crime novel that recounts the investigative processes of local Michigan police chief, Laura Rizzo, in the missing person case of Chris Regan.
His investigative journalism reads like fiction, as the story delves into the realms of evil in a twisted narrative.

I don’t want to give too much away regarding the plot because I went in cold and am glad that I did because the plot continues to surprise you throughout, particularly in regards to finding out the true nature of the main characters. I’d recommend others to do the same.

This book was a compulsive read and I would highly recommend it to fans of true crime.

M. William Phelps explores the case of a missing man, Chris Regan, Sr., from his Michigan home. Police and investigators learn that Regan had been having an affair with his co-worker Kelly Cochran,, and clues in his car and in Kelly and her husband Jason's home bring suspicion that the disappearance is a result of foul play.
As the book unfolds, we find that Kelky Coxhran is a conniving, manipulative woman who causes the ruin of the men in her life.

I did not know of this story before I read this book. The author does a great job providing all of the details of not just one, but two murders committed by a woman involved in a love triangle. It was amazing how evil this woman really is. It is also disappointing how difficult the Michigan State Police made it for the local police chief to follow her instincts in solving this crime. My biggest complaint about the book is the organization of the material. Even before the crime is described as "solved," the author includes interviews with and about the woman who is eventually convicted of murder. I think I would have preferred everything in more chronological order. All of the insights into Kelly's mind and personality should come after Laura Frizzo and Jeremy Ogden get Kelly behind bars. It just seemed that some discussions were out of place. It was great to hear that Laura and Jeremy ended up developing a personal relationship because of this case. I think the most difficult thing for me to understand is what Chris Regan ever saw in Kelly in the first place! Thank you netgalley and Kensington Books for providing an advance proof in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.
I understand that this was a true story and a tragic one at that but it was like I was there. I know that many people say that because of the way the story is told but I say that because I am originally from that area. My grandparents had a cabin up there and our family would go up there a lot.
We knew it like the back of our hands. I knew every spot the author described.
It's odd to hear about female serial killers and intelligent ones are even scarier. She knew how to get past certain things and how to play the game. She had no feelings of remorse for anything or anyone.
Meth is a bad drug and it is something that should not have been added to the list of things that she was doing.
She deserved a lot more than she got as far as I am concerned. And the female police chief deserves her job back with a major promotion and pay raise!

M. William Phelps is an excellent investigative journalist with experience in all areas of true crime writing who specialises in what can be a haunting area of expertise that of missing persons. Even he however, was shocked by what he found as he followed the story of Chris Regan, missing presumed dead, in Michigan in late 2014.

This is a first class book which highlights not only the unrelenting desire of two detectives to discover what happened to Mr Regan but also the way they themselves were treated by colleagues and bosses as they tried to make sure justice was served.

The very nature of a narcissistic psychopath is to keep the focus on themselves and control firmly within their grasp. Questions from law enforcement are met with disdain and lies but the best detectives know this and work to outsmart them as surreptitiously as possible. Mr Phelps effectively shows this throughout and the reader is able to follow the case with him as he retells the story via police and court transcripts as well as memories of family and friends.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone interested in true crime and the way police unravel confusing, disturbing and contradictory evidence to reach their ultimate goal.

What a terribly delicious story, unless we are talking neighborhood barbecues! M. William Phelps details the story of 34 year old Kelly Cochran, of Lake County, Indiana, who was sentenced to 65 years in prison for injecting husband, Jason Cochran, with a lethal dose of heroin before smothering him. I may never eat at the neighbors house again! Readers beware!!!

Wow! This was one messed up couple. This case makes me wonder how many more this woman or couple killed that we don't know about. I am sure that we will never know. I am glad she is unable to hurt anyone else. I was beginning to think that she was going to get away with it.

A true crime story that reads like a fictional story. A good guy disappears, and bad guy dies under suspicious circumstances and a woman seems to be the central character amongst them all.

She is simply scary, and the fact she is real and not a created character is more frightening still. All sorts of people get caught in her web-including the police who suspect her and have to doggedly pursue proving her crimes.

The book is well written, from several perspectives- and all the more disturbing because it is a true story.

All I can say is if you are writing a book about a woman accused of feeding her victim to her neighbors at a barbecue, you should lead with that fact. I remember reading about that in the news - and now I know the whole story. This was a thorough, impeccably researched book.

It was interesting to learn more about a female serial killer since they are pretty rare. It was also fascinating to get the perspective of law enforcement as they try to piece together the crime. Thank goodness for people like Laura Frizzo and Jeremy Ogden who went above and beyond to put Kelly Cochran behind bars.

If I have any criticism, the book was too thorough and detailed at times. It was occasionally repetitive.

Still, I finished the book wanting to know even more - I googled all the major players and I’ve learned there is a tv show detailing what happened. Can’t wait to watch it!

If you’re a fan of true crime, check this one out. It doesn’t disappoint! Big thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to preview in exchange for a review!

Where Monsters Hide by M. William Phelps – 4 Stars
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 9781496720818

I have not read other books in the True Crime category, so had nothing to compare this to and no preconceived expectations. It is an exhaustive, but compelling story of a woman who is described as “the worse female serial killer in modern America.” She was convicted of two murders and suspected of nine more.

The interviews with Kelly Cochran became tedious. Several times I set the book aside to switch to another book. The length of this book becomes understandable considering the hundreds of interviews and investigation over many years. The pictures at the end put a face to the people I spent hours getting to know. I developed great respect for Sheriff Laura Frizzo and Detective Jeremy Ogden for their persistence dealing with a narcissistic psychopath who was a master of manipulation.

Where Monsters Hide was a disturbing account. The insight into the evil mind of Kelly Cochran was fascinating and frightening. The courage of those in law enforcement who did not quit until she was convicted and imprisoned was inspiring. I thank Netgalley.com and Kensington Books for the opportunity to preview this book and introducing me to True Crime stories.

Reviewer: Nancy

This is an exhaustive account of the investigation into the crimes of a woman who was found guilty of killing her husband and one of her lovers 16 months apart.
Investigative journalist M. William Phelps details the story of 34 year old Kelly Cochran, of Lake County, Indiana, who was sentenced to 65 years in prison for injecting husband, Jason Cochran, with a lethal dose of heroin before smothering him. But she was already serving life for her involvement in the murder of Chris Regan, who vanished in 2014. Regan had been due to move to Florida with his son, but he was never seen again.
Iron River police chief Laura Frizzo, was the first officer to investigate Regan’s disappearance after another ex girlfriend, Terri O’Donnell, filed a missing person report. It transpired that Kelly Cochran had been having an affair with Chris shortly before he disappeared. Regan's car was found abandoned at a park-and-ride lot four miles east of Iron River, Michigan. Initially, Frizzo had a gut feeling that Jason had murdered Regan and that Kelly was somehow involved.
Attention had centred on Kelly because she was one of the last people to see Regan alive. When police searched her home with the FBI in March, 2015, they found nothing, but soon after, Cochran and husband Jason moved to Indiana.
Despite Frizzo's dogged determination to discover the truth, the case went cold until February 2016 when 37 year old Jason died of a suspected heroin overdose. Paramedics had been called to the house that Cochran shared with her husband. At first glance it looked like he had died of a heroin overdose, but the Indiana Lake County Coroner discovered that Jason had actually died from asphyxiation after being injected with heroin. Kelly Cochran later admitted that, two years previously, she and Jason had lured Regan to their home, shot him and dismembered him. Cochran said the slaying had been part of a “pact” to “kill off anyone involved in their extramarital affairs”. On October 13, 2014, Cochran lured Regan to her home with the promise of sex.
At times, Phelps' book reads more like a fictional thriller than an account of actual murders. The story is told from statements given by friends, neighbours and relations and reports from different law enforcement agencies. Overall, I felt it was Laura Frizzo who stands out in this story as she never let up trying to find what had happened to Chris Regan.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

Where Monsters Hide: Sex, Murder, and Madness in the Midwest
by W. William Phelps
2019
Kensington
5.0 / 5.0

October 14th, 2014 is the last time anyone heard from Chris Regan. He never showed up for work at his new job, and calls went unanswered. Known as a responsible, nice guy and a devoted father, his disappearance became even more suspicious. His ex-girlfriend filed a missing persons report, followed up by Michigan police chief Laura Frizzo.
Frizzo discovers that Chris was having an affair with a married, co-worker named Kelly Cochran and suspects Kelly husband, Jason is involved.
16 months later, Jason dies of an apparent drug overdose-until the coroner rules the death a homicide. Kelly, a Purdue graduate with a degree in psychology admits she is a psychopath.....has known it all her life. As her cat and mouse game with the detectives is played, more and more of her past is revealed. Chris may not be her only victim, as her acts of revenge and payback towards other men she feels slighted her are discovered. This is a women that gave me the creeps just reading about her. Her acts are vicious and staggeringly cold.
Phelps, one of my favorite true crime, has again given us a story of mystery, revenge, intrigue and creepy people. Phelps also explores the backstory of his horrendous crimes, how it has affected the lives of the detectives and investigators, as well as the families. I admire Frizzo. She was the one whose tenacity kept the cae alive and eventually lead to her getting as close to a confession as possible from a psychopath.
Intense, top notch story, masterfully explored and written.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Press for this e-book ACR for fair and honest review.
#NetGalley #WhereMonstersHide