I know John Glatt is a prolific true crime writer, but this book fell a little flat for me. Perhaps it’s because the Watts family had such an online presence before the murders and the saturation of the case in the media following them, but I felt this book was mostly a transcript of Facebook posts, text messages, police videos, and media stories. I don’t feel there was anything “new” presented.

The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder was a good read by John Glatt. In this book the author reveals details about the tragedy of what happened to Chris Watts family. They seem to be the perfect family on social media but there are a darkness that no one knew about.

I am addicted to this case. The poor little girls. The poor woman who just would have been happy moving on In my opinion. I wonder how watts’s mind works, how he could have this idea and react the way he did. I have read, listened and watched this case. This book did. Wonderful job speaking about the case.

I was so excited for this book (as much as one can be for true crime). I did not follow it in the news so I was excited to learn more. I am an avid true crime reader but true crime books aren't exactly "quality literature" so I do keep that in mind.

I really enjoyed the first quarter of the book where it gave backgrounds on Chris and Shanann. The next part felt like a chronological detail of all Shanann's postings on Facebook. "On July 15, Shanann posted a picture of her girls and talked about how she loved them." And it continued, and continued.

The second half of the book was about the murders and the trial in which Shanann is painted as a control freak who essentially was lying about her perfect life on Facebook.

Also, there was soooo much information on Thrive in there.

I was really disappointed with this book but I would definitely pick up another John Glatt book.

I can still remember watching the coverage of the Watts family murders on the news, watching the TV specials, and even watching the Lifetime movie. What I didn't expect was for this to be a book that I couldn't put down. I will admit it is hard to review a true crime book., but this is a book that is well-researched and provides more information on a tragedy that shocked the world.

The first half of this book is just a summary of Shanann’s social media accounts and makes it seem like the author is blaming her for her own murder - she was controlling, she belittled her husband, etc. It’s not until the last section do we see what a psychopath Chris Watts is. He murdered his pregnant wife and two daughters. It was sickening to read what a “controlling” wife Shanann was when we know how it ends for her and her children.

#netgalley #arc #truecrime #bookstagram #chriswatts #shannanwatts #wattsfamilymurders #bookreview #theperfectfather #johnglatt ok. Oof. So. If you know ANYTHING about this murder. Or. Devoured it like I did because #truecrimelover then you were invested in this one. All of it. Blow by blow. This book. I was hopeful. I feel like it’s been too soon for an accurate portrayal but 🤷‍♀️ who knows. So. Thanks to #netgalley I received this book for an honest review. Here’s my thing. I’m team Shannan. All the way. I don’t think she was this controlling bitch that people claim. This one felt very heavy leaning towards the #watts side of the family and I. Personally it’s disgusting for me. I don’t think Chris is a victim in this. It was a hard read for me. I don’t value the opinions of his family. It was just sad. So. If you think shannan was an evil doer then please read the book. It is phenomenally written for you. If you think that Shannan was just a normal wife. Living life. Trying. Then. Don’t read this one. We all have our views about this case. And. Pending yours. This book may or may not be right for you. #booklover #bookstagrammer #itried #imsorry

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. The book test, which is kind of like a litmus test for books, is when I read to page 50. If I'm not 'feeling' a book at that point, I set it down. There are truly 'too many books, and too little time.' I wouldn't hesitate, however, to read another book by this author. I was really interested in the story and would be interested in seeing what Glatt puts out next.

Chilling, haunting, unputdownable. A true crime that focuses on a real life monster. I found this book hard to read a times but so very amazing with details that will have you checking you locks. John Glatt is my favorite true crime writer and this newest novel did not disappoint.

If you follow true crime even lightly, you’ll have heard Chris Watts’ name. The Perfect Father is the story of Chris Watts and the murder of his family by his hands.

I’m quite picky about the true crime books I read, and I tend to be a harsh critic with them. However, I really enjoyed Glatt’s book.

Glatt presents the lives of both Chris and Shannan since they were children up until the murders. He gives a very clear picture of their lives together before the murders and I found it fascinating.

Though Shannan is a victim and Glatt’s pretty clear about that, he doesn’t white-wash her history and shows all sides of Shannan, as she was a flawed person just like we all are. Some people were quite offended by his portrayal of Shannan, I found it refreshing. Shannan was real and she deserves a book that highlights her positives and doesn’t ignore her less-than-perfect attributes. Nothing Shannan could possibly absolve Chris of her murder or the murder of her children, and that doesn’t change when we realize that she was not a perfect woman.

Chris is presented in an equally fair manner. Glatt gives just the facts and evidence, with no sensationalism or opinions. His mistress, Nicole, is also discussed similarly, so you’re free to make your own determination.

That being said, this book is really just a quick overview. If you already know about both Nic(k)oles, the cocaine addiction, and the bedsheets, this likely isn’t detailed enough for you to learn more. For the people who read true crime, but you don’t know much about this case, this would probably be perfect for you.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author John Glatt for providing me with an ARC of the title The Perfect Father!

Wow, wow, wow. If you haven't heard the name Chris Watts, I'm sorry but you have to live under a rock! This story shook the world, and this quick and disturbing read delivered the rest of the details I was dying for. As soon as I saw this circulating the book world, I knew I wanted to read it. Badly. It did not disappoint at ALL! I loved that the author started at the beginning so that you were able to watch as Chris slowly dove into madness.

What a wild read. I loved it. Thanks again for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

“The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder” (2020) is a stunning and devastating portrayal of a crime that captured the attention of the national and international global media. Shanann Watts disappeared with her two daughters from her Frederick, Colorado home on August 13, 2018. Days later, a gruesome discovery followed at the Anadarko Petroleum facility where Chris Watts worked. British American journalist John Glatt explored this horrific crime and its impact on others. Over two decades, this NYT bestselling author has written over 30 books mainly of the True Crime genre.

As upstanding members of their elite community Chris and Shanann Watts resembled a perfect all-American family. The postings on Shanann’s social media accounts described only extreme happiness and stability in her marriage and family life. She was employed as a top sales associate for “Thrive” a multi-marketing company that sold weight-loss and dietary supplements. While the seemingly endless positive “glowing” posts may have been a marketing strategy to sell these products, (some of her family members had blocked Shanann’s posts) there was nothing to indicate the serious problems that the Watts family experienced.

While Shanann likely had a dominating and controlling personality, Chris didn’t seem to mind, and always deferred to his wife’s judgment, even after Shanann announced their daughters Bella (2013) and Celeste (2015) wouldn’t be permitted further to visits with his parents. Despite a bankruptcy filing (2015) the couple continued to live beyond their means: in a custom 5 bedroom home, drove luxury cars and insisted on the very “best” of everything which led to increased and excessive credit card debt.

It was when Chris began a secret romance with a co-worker at Anadarko, the façade of his storybook marriage began to crumble as he began to imagine another life without his family. Although he claimed to love his pregnant wife and daughters what happened to them is totally beyond all comprehension. As Watts was interviewed by law enforcement officials, Agent Graham Coders carefully explained to him that "his story didn’t add up, and he would need to explain what actually happened…” This highly skilled investigator coaxed Watts into revealing the terrible and shocking truth of what he had done. It was also interesting to note that no psychological assessment/profile pertaining to Chris Watts was requested or provided to the court. Glatt included little known facts of law enforcement personnel suffering from PTSD symptoms related to the case. Chris Watts is serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole at the Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun, Wisconsin. **With thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

A haunting read, The Perfect Father tell of the horrific crimes perpetrated against Shanann Watt and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste by the man that was supposed to love and protect them, her husband, their father Chris Watt. This is definitely not for the faint hearted but if you read true crime this is one to read

This book is about the horrific murder of a family at the hands of the person they should have been able to trust the most, and it is a well-hashed-out picture of the case, as well as the aftermath and the life before the crime. I found a lot of new information out, and the narrative approach makes this book horrible to read but also incredibly compelling, and I thought it gave a lot of insight into the families and people that the murders affected. With that being said, there was a fundamental issue that resulted in my lower rating.

Presenting both sides of the story is absolutely vital in true crime, but there's absolutely zero reason to present the story as though the murder was somehow justified regarding how 'controlling' Shannan was in respect to Chris. Regardless of how 'controlling' a partner is, there is the option for divorce over murder unless the relationship is beyond abusive, and to kill your children as well is something beyond justification. When a divorce is still an option, that option should be taken over suffocating your pregnant partner and your children, then stuffing their bodies into shrubbery and oil tanks. To try and justify the reprehensible act of killing someone over taking REASONABLE action isn't something I can support, and so I really need to point out that the author could have changed the way that this was presented- there's no reason to excuse someone killing their family, especially as it happens so often. While it may not have been the intention, a disclaimer at the least needs to be presented.

A devastating story of a man who brutally murdered his entire family. This true crime novel strives to be in depth, covering the events before and after the murders. Unfortunately the tone of the story seems to align with the murderer- casting. The story is a quick read but a difficult one due to the subject matter. Lovers of true crime stories will appreciate the authors effort to bring this story to the public. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

As soon as I saw this on Netgalley, I knew I needed to read it. I read it as soon as I was approved.

True crime has been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember. I did have a fairly extensive background of the case before reading. If you don't know much of the case then this is a good read for you.

The book is well written, I do feel that most of this information can be found by Googling the case. I felt that there was a lot of negative information about Shanann which turned me off the book because I hate victim shaming.

I'm thankful to NetGalley for sending me an eARC in advance in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars.

When I first saw this book, I knew I had to read it, as this has been a case that I’ve followed since it hit the news. It’s a devastating and horrifying case & Glatt doesn’t spare any detail, no matter how disgusting and unfathomable it is.

This book is broken up into three different parts - before, during, and after Chris Watts killed his pregnant wife, Shan’ann, and their two young daughters, Bella and Celeste. The chapters are short, which makes this a very quick read. Despite being a quick read, there were times when I had to put the book down because the details of the murders were so difficult and devastating to read. But I will say that, overall, it didn’t really seem like there were any *new* details in the book. Most information that Glatt included has been widely reported in the news over the last two years — i.e. Chris’ affair, Shan’ann’s social media presence, their bankruptcy, and Chris’ explanation(s) of what happened on that August day in 2018. However, I still thought the book was well written & the information of the case well presented.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for a copy of the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

True Crime is one of my favorite genres to read. This book is another reason why. All I can say is, Wow! There was so much about Chris and Shanann that you can never know from the news and media. It takes a good author to find out all the details so we can get a full picture of the life these people lived. I love when a story builds and you know the crime is coming. Yet, I cringe every time I read about the murder; especially when children are involved. In the beginning of this book I actually felt bad for Chris. I thought Shanann was very controlling and cared more about looking like the perfect family on social media despite whatever was really going on in her home. She seemed to value other peoples opinions very much and didn't consider anyone else's feelings in the process. However, when Chris realized another woman is interested in him and, in his opinion, listens to him more and shows him the attention he never got from his wife, he flips the script. Not under any circumstance is it okay to lash out and hurt someone when they make you mad or upset you deeply. Though we really don't know exactly how it happened, it's so hard to believe this man, or any man, can kill their own children and wife. I love true crime because I just don't see how someone can stop caring that much and kill someone with their bare hands, or any weapon. What possesses a person to be that cruel? I just don't see how a normal human being could ever commit these heinous crimes. Something has to take control for them to do this, right? Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book and thank you John Glatt for doing your research and giving us this chilling and gripping true crime novel.

The Perfect Father was an interesting read on such a shocking crime. While I thoroughly enjoyed the book due to the insight on the relationship and the crime, there were multiple things I had issues with, giving this book three stars. While I am sure that the wife was not the easiest person to live with, at times throughout this book, it felt as though the writer was attacking the wife. The author seems very one sided and I felt as though he tried to present reasons as to why the crime was committed, as though trying to explain it away. I wish that the author had been more impartial and not attempting to portray Watts as the good guy while portraying his wife as the bad guy.

Prefacing this review by saying that I love true crime but for some reason, I don’t really love to read true crime. I much prefer my info to come from TV shows/docs/movies and podcasts/social media groups dedicated to the subject.

Thank you to Netgalley, John, and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of The Perfect Father.

If you have an interest in true crime or just pay attention to current events, then you probably have heard of the Watts family murders. To this day, it’s still a crime with so many question marks around it that will likely never be resolved.

The Perfect Father dives deep into the 2018 murders of Chris Watts’ wife, two children, and unborn child committed by Chris…someone described by everyone (including his own in-laws) as the perfect father in the perfect marriage. Starting with both Chris and Shannan’s childhoods and going up to present day speaking to Chris’ parents about his incarceration, we get a voyeuristic look into the lives of the Watts, not unlike Shannan shared on her social media platforms. The difference being, in this book we get the sense that something was amiss in the family whereas Shannan portrayed the perfect life.

A book like this will definitely make you think twice about that friend or family member you have that’s always giving the impression that everything is more than fine.