In June, 1986, Stella Nickell discovered her husband, Bruce, collapsed on the floor of their mobile home in Washington State. Bruce died later that night, with an autopsy finding he died of cyanide poisoning. A week later in a nearby town, Sue Snow also dies, another victim of cyanide poisoning. American Mother details the investigation and ultimate arrest and conviction of Stella Nickells for the murders of both her husband and Sue Snow, in which Stella laced Excedrin capsules with cyanide in an attempt to cash in her husband’s insurance policy. The book is meticulously detailed, culled from interviews, trial transcripts and police reports, as the author delves deep into Stella’s dysfunctional family history. The book gets slowed down in the chapters exploring Stella’s past, and the large cast of family members can get confusing, as does the jumping back and forth in time frames, but overall it’s a fascinating look at a national story, with the memories of the Tylenol murders in Chicago a few years earlier still fresh. I received an arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

American Mother is a deep dive into the Excedrin cyanide poisonings in Auburn, Washington in 1986. This book was obviously very thoroughly researched, but unfortunately there was so much detail packed into it that the story meandered and was frequently confusing. Too many characters, too much unnecessary detail -- by the end it felt like the author was striving to hit a specific word count rather than tell the story as well as possible.

I love a true crime read, If You Tell has been on my TBR for so long so I was super excited when I downloaded this onto my Kindle. Gregg Olsen just writes really well, it is a slow paced read but packed with such detail and information illustrating just how much research has gone into this novel. I knew of the Tylenol poisonings but was personally unfamiliar with this case.

What really fascinated me was the relationship between Stella and her daughter Cynthia and how that came to light and affected the trial. Olsen really involves you in the case and it felt like a proper deep dive. There were just so many people introduced quite early that I did get confused with who was who and how they related to the case itself.

All in all, a thoroughly researched albeit a bit confusing true crime read.

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

I picked up my first Gregg Olson book last year and I was absolutely blown away by If You Tell. After reading that, I've been looking forward to reading more by Olson. I jumped at the chance to read American Mother. The book started off great and pulled me into the story right away. One thing is clear, the Gregg Olson is thorough and meticulous in his research. I can't begin to imagine the hours that went into this book. I liked the start of this book, it was great! About a third of the way through though, I found myself drowning in characters and seemingly needless details. The story got hard to follow with so much jumping around, both the author's and on the part of the people in the story. There were so many family members, each one more trashy than the previous, and so many marriages, affairs, divorces. It was hard to keep track of it all. Overall, this book was very well researched and written but after awhile it just seemed to drag on.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thread Books for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sheila Nickell shook up the entire pharmaceutical industry with one chilling decision and American Mother breaks down the events leading up to this tragic event.... and the aftermath. . Gregg Olsen is a talented true crime writer and his books are interesting, engaging, and well paced. He breathes life into an old case. A great read for lovers of true crime

'The true story of a troubled family'... Well, not so much troubled I thought about having read 40% of the book, but since I'm not an authority, I cannot find a better word. The book started out fine, with describing how two unrelated people died from poisoning, and how local police and FBI are trying to find answers to the why, and how.
So far, I liked the clear way in which the facts were presented and the characters introduced. But then! This was followed by page after page with descriptions about an ever growing family where the men hardly ever worked, and if they did, they used their money for drink and women other than their own wives. The women sometimes worked but were more busy with getting pregnant (especially at a very, very young age), getting married, divorced and pregnant again, drinking a lot but not with their own husbands and so on and so on.
This description was complicated further because they all seemed to change names as easy as haircuts, using family names that were not their own, or keeping all family names of the husbands they married and divorced. Very, very confusing. There was just not one slightly 'normal' person. They moved around the country many times, which is also very strange because where did they get the money to move to different homes every few years? They never had any money and if they had, they spend it on drink.
In short: by the time I more or less got used to this bunch of characters, I lost all interest in the story. I just didn't want to spend any more time reading about horrible people doing horrible things to each other, to live such a useless life without ever trying to better themselves.
I can appreciate the author trying to give a clear account of what happened, and why, but frankly, why should this be interesting?
I gave the book three stars because I liked the style and I could see that a lot of research was involved.

This was my first Gregg Olsen book and I was impressed.

This book is very informative and detailed about the murders which I absolutely loved.

It lost a ppint because I thought some of it was very long winded but it was still a very enjoyable read.

American Mother Gregg Olsen

3 stars

Firstly this book was impeccably researched and meticulous in its detail.

Stella Nickell calls 911 as her husband has collapsed and is becoming unresponsive. However when the police arrive it is too late, Bruce has died. However right from the start Stella does not seem like a grief stricken wife and when the cause of death is discovered to be cyanide poisoning after his capsules have been injected suspicion mounts. Suspicion is compounded when another woman, Sue Snow, dies of cyanide poisoning and it transpires that the infected tablets had been placed in a drug store where she had bought them.

Everything points to Stella but proving this is a long and arduous process. I started off really enjoying the way the whole of Stella’s complicated family history is laid out for us but the problem I had was that not only Stella but everyone connected with her seemed to have at least 4 marriages and various children and I have to admit I lost track of who was who quite quickly.

As stated at the beginning of this review I have utmost admiration for the work that the author must have put into unravelling this complicated story and the meticulous description of the trial but it just seemed too long and detailed to hold my attention throughout the book.


Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

I love a good true crime story. This started when I was a young teenager and had read all the books that I wanted to read in the kids/teen section of the library so I moved upstairs to the adult section and got hooked on Ann Rule books. Now, all of these years later, I am still drawn to true crime. When I saw that Gregg Olsen had a new book out, American Mother, I knew I needed to read it.

This story was previously published under the title, Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders.

At 5.02 pm on June 5, 1986, an emergency call came into the local sheriff’s office in the small town of Auburn, Washington State. A distressed housewife, Stella Nickell, said her husband Bruce was having a seizure. Officers rushed to the Nickell’s mobile home, to find Stella standing frozen at the door… Bruce was on the floor fighting for his life.

As Stella became the beneficiary of over $175,000 in a life insurance pay-out, forensics discovered that Bruce had consumed painkillers laced with cyanide.

A week later, fifteen-year-old Hayley was getting ready for another school day. Her mom, Sue, called out ‘I love you’ before heading into the bathroom and moments later collapsed on the floor. Sue never regained consciousness, and the autopsy revealed she had been poisoned by cyanide tainted headache pills. Just like Bruce.

While a daughter grieved the sudden and devastating loss of her mother, a young woman, Cindy, was thinking about her own mom Stella. She thought about the years of neglect and abuse, the tangled web of secrets Stella had shared with her, and Cindy contemplated turning her mom into the FBI…

Gripping and heart-breaking, Gregg Olsen uncovers the shocking true story of a troubled family. He delves into a complex mother-daughter relationship rooted in mistrust and deception, and the journey of the sweet curly-haired little girl from Oregon whose fierce ambition to live the American Dream led her to make the ultimate betrayal.

Never has the saying, “Truth is stranger than fiction,” been more true. It’s hard to believe people can be so wicked, so evil. I thought this was a good book and researched well. The beginning had me hooked and it grew slower in the second half of the book. Still, for fans of true crime, this book will be a must-read.

Published on Nov. 8.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this book.
I’ve always loved true crime so I knew immediately this book would hold my attention.
It was definitely well researched and in-depth with all the information. It’s not a case I had heard of, or at least that I remember seeing or hearing about on any true crime related shows.
I almost felt like a juror, not knowing Stella Nickell, Bruce or daughter Cindy. Having a fresh mind, trying to figure out if she were guilty or not.
If you’re a true crime fan you’ll appreciate this book, I think if you’re a causal reader you’re going to think it’s too long, or too descriptive. I would absolutely recommend it to any fan of true crime.

I hadn't heard this story before starting the book and resisted the urge to Google! The story was very interesting and the story played out well. Highly recommended.

A few years ago I read the fiction book Lying Next to Me by Gregg Olsen and absolutely loved it. I am so pleased to report that Olsen's non-fiction did not disappoint. Apparently, this is an updated version of Bitter Almonds. I remember the Tylenol package tampering cases, in Chicago, in 1982, this case happened in 1986, so obviously it is a copycat, but a lot closer to home.

Wow, what a story this was. This is the type of book you wouldn't believe if it was fiction, you'd say to yourself no way is that even possible. Well let me tell you, it IS possible. The book isn't just about the murder itself, although Olsen does a great job of researching and telling that story.

What I really found compelling was the relationships, especially the mother/daughter ones, and Stella's and Cindy's is at the forefront. What would YOU do if you suspect your mother of murdering your stepdad? Would you turn her in? Or would you stand by her side? That is the question Cindy has to ask herself and what she did next completely shocked me.

I loved Olsen's writing style, he details the little things so it is easy to imagine what is taking place and what the family members and friends look like. The way he describes their homes, clothes, and demeanor was amazing. It is very obvious Mr. Olsen did an enormous amount of research. I also appreciated that the chapters were short as it made it so easy to "read just one more" and before I knew it I had finished the 400+ page book.

In the afterward, the author mentions how he heard from Cindy, finally, and that he kept up with the goings on of the two families who had members die from tainted Excedrin. He also mentions photos and I wish some of them were included, other than that this was a well-thought-out and researched true crime book.

The first half of this book is unbelievably compelling. I could not read it fast enough. The second half is a bit slower, with a detailed account of a trial. However, it was still interesting and I had to have my questions answered. Incredibly thorough investigative piece on an intriguing family.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This book feels like a novel, is really well researched, my only complain was that I got lost with the characters many times, we had so many details and went back and forth so many times that sometimes I would forget who the people that the chapter was talking about were… I really needed a guide to go to, to explain the connection the character had with the main story, OK on the end more or less everything make sense and it is true it all helped to make the story grow to a finale.

I also feel that when we got to the trial, maybe it could have been a bit shorter, but anyway it all comes together, it is just my opinion.

It was my first time reading Gregg Olsen, but I believe it wont be the last, I can feel the poetry on his words, it is a very good book about the infamous Stella Nickell, I really recommend this author and this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Gregg Olsen never disappoints, and once again, he writes a very compelling book. His way of weaving a story and exploring every avenue and thought keeps the reader so interested and entertained. I thoroughly enjoyed American Mother and highly recommend!
Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

As a fan of true crime, as well as a fan of Gregg Olsen’s previous work, I was happy to receive an ARC of American Mother. Olsen meticulously investigates his subject matter and presents it in a compelling and interesting way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book was so good. I love True Crime and Gregg Olsen is one of the best Authors to date on bringing true crime to the for front. I am always waiting for his next book. Highly recommend him to anyone.

This book just kind of went on and on and repeated itself a lot. I did not finish, so I will not rate on other sites. But I was not as engaged as I was with his past book. I wanted to get into it, but ultimately couldn't.

If you think your family has problems, wait until you read this book.

Gregg Olsen chronicles the story of a pair of cyanide poisonings in the late 1980s. This is actually an update of a book Olsen already published called Bitter Almonds. Does it matter? Not at all. The book is a great read and a must for any true crime nut.

Sure, the book is about the murders and how the case played out. There are twists and turns and the book would be good without anything else. However, this book becomes great because of the attention Olsen pays to the upbringing of the accused murderer and her daughter. A true crime case becomes a meditation and graphic illustration of how families perpetuate abuse through every generation. You may find yourself feeling sorry for some less than stellar people even if for just a second. Except for the weird juror. She just seems disturbed.

(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Thread Books. The full review will be posted to HistoryNerdsUnited.com on 11/8/2022.)