Thanks NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC! I'm a big true crime fan and I had actually heard about this case on the Let's Go to Court podcast and then also watched a Dateline episode about it. It's a crazy case and it turns out there are so many more INSANE details on this case than I thought. Overall I really enjoyed this book, Leslie Rule definitely is following in her late mother Ann Rule's footsteps. She thoroughly researched the whole case and provided some good insight from her time working with her mother and photographing killers for her stories. I will say that as a "millennial" I may not be the target audience for this book... I suspect the target audience is older women who have been fans of Ann Rule for a long time. I still enjoyed it, but there was an in-depth explanation about what Facebook is and how it works and what different terms from it are. I would definitely check out another of Leslie's books!

What a great true crime novel. I admit that I read this book because I’ve read many, many Ann Rule books and wanted to see how this would compadre. What I loved about Ann’s book is that she makes the characters seem real, and her daughter does that as well. It did feel a little longer than necessary and maybe went down a few road that didn’t need to be taken, but it was well written and I enjoyed this book.

The book details the twisted web of lies and cyber crimes that Shanna "LIZ" Goylar committed after she murdered someone.
The book was a hard one to keep reading. Not because of the content or the crime, it was the repetitive nature of the web itself. Yep, she texted and pretended to be someone else...the author HAMMERED HOME THAT POINT!
At 50% of the book read, I just wanted it to be over. I stuck with it and wondered if I had made good use of my time.
This is not a typical true crime book...its more jumbled, not in chronological order, not well written.
The author would also speculate about the crime and crimes of others.
To further all confusion, the author would introduce minor characters that really added nothing to the crime, the event, or telling of the story.

This book needed to be more heavily edited.
Maybe with time, the author may live up to her mothers name.

Ann Rule would be very proud of her daughter Leslie .She has written a chilling horrific story of cyber stalking I picked the book up to read a few pages and found myself reading late into the night.The pain the victims endured will shock you.Nomspoilers highly recommend,#netgalley#kensingtonbooks

“A Tangled Web”—Leslie Rule [5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️] Wow, where do I even begin? This book had me hooked from beginning to end as Leslie Rule did an excellent job telling us about this intriguing and horrifying true-crime case that started back in 2012. As you’re reading this extremely twisted story, you would have to wonder how this could possibly be real—but it is, and that’s the scary part! This story involves a real-life instance of fatal attraction with a sadistic sociopath who deceived and manipulated so many people over the years. Dave Kroupa met Shanna “Liz” Golyar on an online dating website, and they were casually on and off dating for quite some time—but Liz’s jealous and controlling demeanor was getting to be a big turn-off for David. David then meets single mother, Cari Lea Farver, who is beautiful and smart, and they seem to hit it off right away. Then one day out of the blue in November 2012, Cari simply vanished and left behind her son, her job that she loved, her family and friends, along with her new relationship with Dave—and all through simple text messages! Her family is bewildered by her sudden disappearance, and her mother knows something is wrong; she thinks there is a cyber imposter who has taken over her daughter’s phone and online identity. While her mother was afraid for Cari, Dave Kroupa was starting to be afraid of Cari, as he started receiving thousands of threatening emails and texts claiming to be from Cari, and he was afraid she was stalking him along with her obsession of his on and off again girlfriend, Shanna “Liz” Goylar. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but Leslie takes us on such a journey from the very beginning of this case all the way until the courtroom finale. What really happened to Cari Lea Farver? If you’re a fan of true-crime, you definitely need to read this and find out about the many complexities of this case along with the path to long-awaited justice. *Thank you to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review* 👍🏼📚

Wow, wow, WOW!!! This book is a must read for all true crime fans out there. While I have only previously listened to the audiobook version of two Ann Rule books, this book surpasses them both. The writing was sharp and smart. And the story was told very succinctly with very few instances of straying from the main story. There were times I thought the author was getting off topic, but then she would bring the story to a point where it became evident why she took you there. Almost everything in this book is essential to untangling this convoluted web woven by the perpetrator. And Leslie Rule has done a superb job of methodically unraveling this story in an unputdownable, must read for all true crime fans.

Thank you, Netgalley, Citadel Press, and Penguin Randomhouse for the opportunity to read and review this galley.

A riveting true crime debut that the readers of Ann Rule have been hoping for has arrived! While Leslie Rule’s writing style focuses more on nature versus nurture issues than police procedural techniques, she weaves a fascinating picture together of crimes that could only happen in this day and age. Thoroughly researched and deftly written, she has found her own voice in true crime, and I hope she found it fulfilling enough to continue exploring the genre. My only comment would be I thought that she could have delved a little deeper into the police investigations, especially the second team’s split theory approach.

Anne Rule has been one of my favorite true crime authors since I started reading the genre. When she passed I was sad because not only am I not going to get any of her amazing new books anymore, but because I respected her talent and fight for justice in her stories. So when I saw her daughter was going to take after her mother I grew very excited. A Tangled Web is an excellent novel and I was intrigued with the story. Leslie writes a detailed case here and lays everything out in a way that us readers can understand. I do hope she'll continue writing in the genre because I think she'll be as popular as her mom!

CHILLS. HORRIPILATION. That's my reaction during and after reading this book! This case sounds like a made-up story, and something fictional but unfortunately it is not. It is one convoluted, twisty, dark tale of obsession, cyberstalking and pure malice; a cold-hearted psychopath who eluded the authority and deceived everyone for many years.

A Tangled Web tells a bizarre case of obsession and jealousy which ended with murder. It begins with the strange disappearance of the 37 year old single mother, Cari Lea Farver in November 2012. It was out of her character to shirk her responsibilities and leave. Soon after, Dave Kroupa, (a man she recently dated) and Shanna "Liz" Golyar (Dave's on off girlfriend) begin to receive threats through texts and emails. Shanna's garage was broken into, Dave's family and female friends too receive vulgar texts and emails, and thing are getting out of control. Dave and even the police believed that Cari was behind all these, except for Nancy Raney, Cari's mother. These threats went on for four years until two brilliant investigators - Sgt. Jim Doty and Deputy Ryan Avis - begin to look at Cari's mysterious disappearance from a new perspective. With the help of Anthony Kava, a Digital Forensics and Technology Administrator, they begin to unravel this complex web of deception and lies, and what they discovered were just bizarre and mind-blowing!

Yes, Leslie Rule is the daughter of the famous true crime writer, Ann Rule. A Tangled Web is her first true crime book and I think it is absolutely well-written with in-depth research. This book certainly covers the width and depth of the case. Albeit jam-packed with information, it reads like a fiction and the writing held my interest. This is one peculiar case for sure and the deception was incredulous! You have to read it to find out for yourself. I also enjoyed reading the preface of the book as it not only shares Leslie's family background information, it also sets the stage for this case. I will recommend this book to true crime fans and even if you're not, this is the book you would want to read on this case.


Pub. Date: 28 Apr, 2020

***Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed in this review are my own and was not influenced by the author, publisher or any third party.***

While I didn't recognise Cari's name, I recognised her photo from a high profile solving of a cold case murder. I decided not to read any news articles before reading this book. While it's written largely from the perspective of Shanna/Liz being responsible for the murder (she was convicted recently), there is a great attempt by the author to explain why people reacted in the way they did, how events unfolded and were unconnected and a good attempt to look into Shanna/Liz's upbringing. This book felt well researched. It also felt long however I spent time reading it properly considering the evidence or circumstances as they arose - the book was written largely chronologically with a little bit of toing and froing depending on the perspective being explored. A dreadful crime, the author doesn't try to unfairly blame or excuse Shanna/Liz for her actions, Dave or anyone else for their reactions of events at the time or paint Cari as anything other than the human she was. Deeply sad and moving - I really feel for the family and the victims Shanna/Liz left in her wake - but not overly dramatic. Recommended.

A Tangled Web
A Cyberstalker, a Deadly Obsession, and the Twisting Path to Justice.
by Leslie Rule
Kensington Books
Citadel
Nonfiction (Adult) | True Crime
Pub Date 28 Apr 2020 | Archive Date 01 May 2020

I have read all of Ann Rule's books and I can see that I will be reading all of LESLIE'S books as well. Well Researched and an interesting read.

5 stars.

I have read all of Ann Rule's books and after having read this book by Leslie Rule, I can see that I will be purchasing all of her books as well..I started reading this and couldn't stop until I finished it. Meticulously researched, she has written a harrowing tale of murder and deception in the internet age. I found it totally fascinating and highly recommend this book.

Leslie Rule is True Crime Writer Ann Rule’s daughter. This is her first true crime novel. In the month of November in 2012, Cari Farver mother of 1 son disappeared. Leaving her son and family wondering what really happened to her. Wow, I loved this book so much. Leslie’s writing style and storytelling methods are amazing. It kept me hooked the entire time. I read every chance I got. I needed to know what was happening. I loved her detail-oriented writing and appreciated all the background information. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys true crime stories. I really hope to see more true crime novels from Leslie Rule in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Citadel for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: April 28, 2020

Leslie Rule has a lot to live up to when Ann Rule is her mother. That said, she's well on her way to a successful career in true crime storytelling.

In 2012, mother Cari Lea Farver was reported missing by her mother. Dave Kroupa believed Cari was stalking him and the woman he occasionally hooked up with, Shanna "Liz" Golyar. Dave and Liz received thousands of harassing texts and emails from Cari long after she disappeared. And then things started to get even more weird, but thankfully law enforcement were finally able to piece everything together.

Rule is able to lay out the story in a complete and organized manner, and in a way that didn't leave anything out or spoil the ending. It's the kind of true crime book I love reading and I can't wait for her next in-depth book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Genuinely gripping and suspenseful, well-researched and well-written. There's always a difficulty in consciously taking up the mantle of a parent's legacy, so - while being aware it was unfair - I expected this to be a lesser imitation of Ann Rule's work, but after the foreword this note was dropped, and the work managed to stand alone. It's also the kind of crime Ann Rule perhaps couldn't have written about as well, being so closely tied to the use of technology, texting, and apps. This was a very modern crime, but the technology itself is not pathologised and the methodology of the stalking is very clear. I will look out for further true crime from Leslie Rule in her own right.

Incredible! Much like the style of her mother, Ann Rule, Leslie Rule lays out the information you need to know without boring you and jumping into the action at just the right time. With a suspenseful build up and well-crafted story telling, it’s like every true crime podcast you’ve ever loved but in book form. I thoroughly enjoyed this and would definitely read more of Leslie’s work!

Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Books for proving me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Leslie Rule's A Tangled Web is one of the most fascinating and horrifying true-crime I have read. I read the synopsis and thought that sounds like an interesting case. Never in my wildest imagination did I think that I would be led into the craziest of cases to have happened. It's unbelievable and simply disturbing. The murderer and the stalker are so engulfed by the jealousy that the person took all the means necessary to achieve the goal. The murderer, in my opinion, had deep-seated psychological issues that never were treated and came out in forms bone would believe possible from a human being. The dedication and work the stalker put into building the most convoluted web of lies and deceit are astonishing. The book left me chilled to my bone and frightened. To know that someone who lived with us and had interactions with us is capable of the level of crime this stalker committed is scary to even fathom. I gave the book 5 stars and I recommend it. If you love true-crime and love cases that spanned several years with the intricate details tripping everyone involved, this book will be for you. The book also talks about the safety of online communications and the dangers that lurk in the shadows of the internet. The case happened in a small town with the stalker playing ghost until getting ensnared by the same trap the murder set up to bring in victims. It's a crazy story and the entire case feels like it's not something real, something that only happens in fiction. I would highly recommend checking it out to educate oneself about the potential dangers of online communications and also learn about a group of wonderful individuals' hard work in bringing justice to the victim. True-crime lovers should definitely check it out.

I was curious to read A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule, the daughter of Ann Rule (widely regarded as the queen of true crime writing). Thanks to Kensington Books/Citadel and NetGalley, I received a copy in exchange for this honest review.

First off, I have been a big true crime fan for years – my guilty pleasure. And I have read more than my share of crappy stories about real people and events, and am always pleased to find an author who is able to capture the facts of the crime as well as the personalities of the criminals and their victims. Ms. Rule has done a good job at both, and I expect we will hear more from her in the future.

The “Web” in the title refers both to the situation in the book and the Internet, which plays a prominent role in this tale of multiple victims of crimes including identity theft, cyberstalking, and murder. Set in Omaha, Nebraska, the story involves recently single Dave Kroupa, a thirty-something guy who uses online dating websites to meet women. Recently divorced, he is clear to everyone that he isn’t looking for a long-term commitment or even a serious relationship. He has an ongoing casual relationship with Shanna “Liz” Golyar, who wants more out of the relationship than he does. After meeting single mother Cari Lea Farver, it seems like Dave may have met “the one.” The, despite being a loving, dutiful daughter (close to her mother and dying father ) and a reliable employee, Cari suddenly disappears. She sends text messages to break up with Dave, quit her job, and basically give her young son to her mother to raise while she runs off. Cari’s mother reports her missing and tells skeptical police that someone else has obviously gotten Cari’s phone and is sending the texts.

Over the next three years, although Dave changes his phone number multiple times, he continues to get texts (over TWELVE THOUSAND of them), allegedly from Cari, increasingly foul and threatening. She is stalking him, somehow aware of his every move and obsessively slamming Shanna/Liz, the one friend who loyally stands by Dave and continues to be there for him (hoping all along that he will see the light and realize that she is the one for him). Together, Dave and Shanna/Liz are victims of vandalism, burglaries and death threats. In addition, any woman Dave begins dating is also the victim of foul messages, harassment, and threats. These are all supposedly from Cari, apparently alive and well, and the methods used to create and continue the cyberbullying are fascinating and horrifying.

Extremely detailed, it’s both a great story and a chilling cautionary tale. I will definitely read the next true crime book from Ms. Rule. Four solid stars.

First off, Ann Rule books are amazing and she was amazing herself. Thanks to this book I discovered her daughter has picked up the mantle of true crime author as well. And like her mother, she has and interesting life as well. She's also the author of YA thrillers and tales of hauntings, as well as holding the title of "Ghost Hunter."

I somewhat expected Leslie Rule's writing to be similar to her mother's writing style and I was not disappointed. It could be because she started assisting her mother in her teens.

A Tangled Web covers the strange case of the disappearance of Cari Lea Ferver. In 2012, Ferver, loyal employee, devoted mother, a woman generally loved by all, disappeared from Omaha, Nebraska. Those who didn't knew her suspected she had shirked her responsibilities and left her life behind. Those who knew Ferver never believed that she would leave her life, especially not her son. They were so sure of it that even when presented with the evidence that she had apparently gone off the deep end and began stalking casual boyfriend Dave Kroupa and his other casual girlfriend, Shanna Liz Goylar, they still believed something sinister was going on.

For years, Kroupa, Goylar, and some of the other women in Kroupa's life were barraged with seemingly never ending texts and emails threatening them and terrifying them.There were death threats, vandalism, and all of them contained several year's of tangled lies. But Cari was not the culprit, but the real culprit has killed and is ready to kill again.

Rule tracks every step of this insane, almost unbelievable case fully explaining the minute details that helped solve this case. Like I said, this case is almost too crazy to be real, but I enjoyed every last page. Rule has her mother's gift for true crime. I've already told many of my friends who loved Ann Rule to check this one out.

Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

"A Tangled Web" gives us the true-crime story of a regular guy and two women drawn together into incredibly devious murder and its bizarre aftermath. You've probably heard of this case (it was highlighted in a Dateline episode) but Rule's book really gives you and ins and outs of the murderers' catfishing over many years, and the numerous ways she used technology to track and intimidate her victims.

Rule points out that most women were very suspicious of the murderer, while men just didn't pick up on her insanity. And unfortunately, the people called to investigate the cases (arson, missing person, identity theft, etc.) were male and they seemed to have totally missed the manipulations until it was finally taken seriously and solved in a very definitive manner.

Rule is very thorough in her unraveling of the tangled web of data, but at times I wished for a much clearer focus on the murderer. However, (her family did not cooperate in any way to provide background so after all the details about the case, the murderer still remains illusive in a sense.

Leslie Rule does a good job of coordinating all the information and presented it in a clear fashion but at times I wished for the deeply personal way her mother, Ann Rule, framed and enriched the bare details. Ann had a way of digging into a murder that made it heartwrenchingly personal and close to home. Leslie is not quite there yet, but then again few crime writers are at the level of Ann Rule at her finest (which I would suggest is "Small Sacrifices")

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars for "A Tangled Web.".