A very different kind of true crime novel. Brian Bechtold killed his parents, there has never been a question of his guilt, just his mental capacity. Mikita Brottman follows Bechtold's commitment to an asylum for the criminally insane through his many years in this violent community that most know nothing about. The book reminds me in many ways of Gregg Olsen's true crime books. Shocking is one of the first descriptors that come to mind. The story is fascinating and horrifying at the same time. If you are a true crime fanatic, you have to read this book.

This true crime novel was wild. Glad I read it. I enjoy learning about the minds of people who commit these kinds of crimes

In February of 1992, a young man of only 22 years old walks into his local precinct and admits to shooting and killing his parents in their family home in Silver Springs, Maryland. Brian Bechtold claims that at the time of the murder he was possessed by the devil. Eventually, after psychological evaluation, he is diagnosed with schizophrenia and deemed "not criminally responsible " for the brutal slaying of his parents. Rather than be sent to prison, he is sent to Clifton T. Perkins Hospital to serve his sentence.

The author of this book actually hosted workshops in many of the Maryland Prison and Hospitals. After visiting Perkins, she becomes personally invested in Brian's story. This book definitely reflects all the time and research that she put into his case. Brockman does a phenomenal job at bringing awareness to the issues that often plague our prisons and institutions for the mentally ill.

Overall, 'Couple found Slain' isn't a terrible book, but I do find it to be somewhat problematic. Brian is often portrayed more as a victim than a villain. There is a large focus on Brian's upbringing and family history of mental illness. It's as if it's trying to exonerate his actions fully.

Repeatedly, his parents are slandered and painted as the villains of this story... and maybe in many ways they were. But for me personally, I struggle with this way of writing. It's all very one-sided. Abuse doesn't obsolve you from your moral obligations. While abuse could have been a catalyst for his actions, it doesn't negate his own liability.

Reading about the conditions and treatment of the patients at Perkins Hospital is heartbreaking. Whether criminal or insane, these are still people and deserve common decency. Brottmans book successfully shines a light on a system that urgently needs improvement.

In conclusion, 'Couple found Slain' serves more as a testament to our penal systems failings and less of a true crime retelling. I can appreciate Brottmans' intentions in writing this. It definitely made me stop and think about the concept of nature vs. nuture. If you are looking for a true crime book that focuses more on perpetrator and less on their crime, you may actually enjoy this book.

As always thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review

The book follows what lead to Brian Bechtold murdering his parents. Years of abuse to him and his siblings resulted in Brian killing his abusers - his parents. He confessed, went to trial and was sentenced to various mental institutions due to his schizophrenia and other mental issues.

Once at the facilities, Brian routinely refused to take his medications or speak to the therapists. At one point, he escapes and gets himself into a hostage-like situation. He consistently did not understand how his actions would have consequences.

A quarter of the book discusses Brian's childhood and what lead to the murder of his parents. But the rest of the book dissects Brian's time in mental facilities and how these institutions handle patients such as Brian who had been found guilty of criminal acts.

So while the book was fascinating, it was not what the title nor description lead you to believe. It's not a true crime book. We get insight into why Brian did what he did, but too much of the book focused on how mental institutions handle criminal patients.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an e-copy of COUPLE FOUND SLAIN to review.

I rate COUPLE FOUND SLAIN three out of five stars.

Ooh time goes by and if i don't write the review right away...sigh. I'm trying to be better. The best i can do right now is give a star count...

Wow. This was a very interesting read of what happens when a murderer is found not guilty by reason of insanity. Very interesting read.

This book was not what I expected. I expected it to be your typical true crime. I would hear the story and get the details of what happened. However, this book did have some of that in the beginning, but it really focused on the after. It follows Brian through his journey in the Maryland State mental illness system. I found this in depth look at what Brian experienced and how the system works fascinating. As a psychology teacher, I found many parts interesting and usable in my classroom. I think many students would enjoy reading this as well. It took me some time to get through it. However, if I had known what to expect I could have read it at a more appropriate time. If you are expecting something light and like many true-crime books, this is not it. But it ends up being so much more.

Couple Found Slain was an interesting take on a true crime. Not only did it highlight the murder of the parents but how the doctor went about treating him and the others in the same facility as him. Interesting read.

Very well written. Such a shocking story. This one is going to stay with me. for quite a while. A very sobering read.

I don't think I have ever read a true crime book quite like this. Brottman takes readers inside a psychiatric hospital and follows the case of Brian Bechtold who went temporarily insane and murdered his parents. This was so heartbreaking to read. While it was interesting to read true crime from a timeline after the actual crime, it was hard to read about how poorly Brian was treated when he seems to be much better. This was an eye opening read and insight into this country's mental health system.

Whoa wasn't expecting this book. It was something else. Creepy but good. Tense at times. Man I didn't want it to end.

This is not a true crime book, as the title suggests. It is a book that deals with mental illness and how it is treated.

In 1992, when Brian Bechtold was 22 years old, he murdered his parents inside of their Silver Spring home. He then fled to Florida where he eventually walked into a police station and turned himself in. He claimed that at the time of the murders he was possessed by the devil but had since found religion. Brian was diagnosed with schizophrenia and found unfit to stand trial. He was sent to Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Howard County, Maryland.

I was so excited to read this book, because I grew up in the area where it took place and had never heard of this case. However, I have such mixed feelings about this book. The author did a great job of documenting the many instances of neglect at this hospital, from poorly trained staff, abuse, rape, murder, constant overturn of psychiatrists, and lack of basic humanity for these patients.
However, even though Brian tells his story in great detail and you can’t help but have sympathy for him, he did commit murder and was not always the model patient. He, and I feel that the author, thinks he is ready to be released back into society, but I respectfully disagree.

Overall, the author did a great job of highlighting mental illness and the need for reform in mental institutions.

Thank you to Netgalley, Mikita Brottman, and Henry Holt and Co., for providing me with a copy of this book.

This was a fascinating read! Being someone who has struggled with their mental health, this book really hit me hard. His story was both fascinating and horrifying and I felt myself drawn to his plight. Psychology is sooo subjective and it blew my mind how he went through so many different doctors/diagnosis with no end in sight. The story was told very well and read like fiction. Highly recommend!

This is a crazy story! It reads like an episode of dateline (which I love)! So many informational parts that explain what happens to someone with mental illness and what happens to them in the system. Easy to read and a quick read! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review.

Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder by Mikita Brottman tells the story of Brian Bechtold, a 22-year-old male, who murdered his father and mother in 1992. He admitted to the murders, was found not criminally responsible, and was admitted to a maximum-security psychiatric hospital. While Bechtold’s history prior to the murders is discussed, most of the book focuses on his life in the hospital. An interesting but disturbing account of mental health in the criminal justice system. #CoupleFoundSlain #NetGalley

Brian tell us this account of his story. It starts in 1992, when Brian walked into a Florida police station and told them that he had murdered his parents in Maryland.
After this had been confirmed, Brian was taken in for interrogation and found to be mentally unstable. He was sent to a maximum security psych facility. Brian tells of the atrocities he has witnesses there over the years, the abuse between patients themselves and also the staff towards the patients.
We also learn about Brian's childhood life and what brought him to do what he did.
This is more a biography than a true crime book as it centers more on his time in the psych wards.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys reading true crime or has an interest in mental health institution experiences. This is a book that focuses at first on the main crime itself, and then the majority of it is what happens when patients go to mental institutions, instead of prison. I think this gives a great insight into what these places are really like - lack of funding and resources and revolving employees leads to poor treatment and analysis of patients. It brings up the questions of “when is someone essentially ready to re-enter society after having their mental illness treated? Should a patient be able to determine whether or not they need certain medications?” Another great true crime book that shows how badly we need resources and reform for our various institutions. Truly a captivating and unique read.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is a newer author for me which I look forward to reading more from them. I enjoyed being pulled into the story from the beginning. I also enjoyed the author's use of details to make the story feel realistic. This is a well written story where the characters not only kept the story engaging but brought the twists and turns to a new level. The characters are connectable and made the story easy to read. This is a story about a twenty-two year old man who confesses to killing his parents. What will happen to him when he is found to be not responsible for his actions because of a mental condition? What happens to people like him? This is where the story takes a turn for full on action. I won't say much more about this story as I think you should pick it up. This is a really great story that I truly enjoyed. I highly recommend this book. It is worth the pick up.

When Brian Bechtold was 22 years old, he walked into a police station in Florida to confess to shooting and killing both of his parents in their Maryland home. He is confused, not sure how many days ago it actually happened, and says he felt "weird" when it was happening. He explains that he is indeed mental, and. hears voices, and thinks that everyone is following him and out to get him.

"I've been crazy and possessed." he says..

This book does quickly take us through Brian's childhood, his crime, and his ultimate demise from committing that crime, but it is ultimately about his lifelong stay and struggles at Perkin's Hospital Center, and about the shocking things that went on there.

I found this book to be extremely interesting, as Mikita Brottman describes the introduction of antidepressants and a-typical anti psychotics, as well as her in depth exposure of the schizophrenia diagnosis and the flaws that can be found when both multiple diagnoses and multiple psychiatrists are involved. I did, however, find it a bit repetitive at times, but still enjoyable.

If you like reading about mental illness then I highly recommend this one, however, if you're looking for more of a total true crime, it won't deliver.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mikita Brottman and Henry Holt and Company for this eARC!

Mikita Brottman's "Couple Found Slain" offers insight to the life of an individual who has been found not criminally responsible for a crime in court by following the case of Brian Bechtold, who was determined criminally insane after murdering his parents in 1992. Brottman takes the reader from Bechtold's childhood to present day, shedding light on the intricacies of daily life in a maximum security psychiatric hospital and the ongoing legalities that lead to being kept inside. I felt especially educated on the matter of medication and how little power patients have over which medications are administered.

This account may have benefited from multiple perspectives, as the author's opinions very much craft the story. While the read lagged at times, I found "Couple Found Slain" informative and interesting.