Don't Tell a Soul

I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books, Pinnacle for the ARC of "Don't Tell a Soul" by M. William Phelps for an honest review. The genre of "Don't Tell a Soul is true crime, and this is the first time I have read and reviewed a true crime novel. This genre reminds me of the true case trials on television, and through M. WIlliam Phelps' vivid descriptions of the crime and characters, I felt that I had a front row seat.
The author retells the death of Cherry Walker, a kindhearted woman with mental challenges, who is found murdered and burned on the side of the road. Kim Cargill often left her son at Cherry's house to babysit for days on end. Cherry has been given a subpoena to testify at a custody hearing dealing with Kim's abuse to her child. Kim Cargill has a history of abusing her ex husbands and children. If Cherry does testify, Kim will be in major trouble. With Cherry's death, Kim has no worries about her testifying.
I find it fascinating how the author can process and explain how a sociopath and complicated liar can manipulate people so easily. From the autopsy to the actual trial with witnesses. attorneys and the jury, the author manages to give a visual timeline. I felt like I was in the courtroom. I would recommend this book for those who would like to experience a true crime novel.

DON'T TELL A SOUL by M. Willam Phelps
I was provided with a digital copy of this book for review by Netgalley and Kensington Books.

I've long been a fan of M. William Phelps, investigative journalist and true crime writer. I enjoy the type of detailed writing that presents true crime stories in such a well-researched form. This book is another example of his talent for choosing interesting stories and sharing them in a way that makes us feel that we know the nitty gritty of the case. This case is a real heartbreaker. It involves a young lady who is adapting to finally being out on her own in her own efficiency apartment by the name of Cherry Walker. Her friends know her to be sweet and unselfish. Cherry was 39, but with her mental disability she was much like a child herself. She became attached to a young boy that a neighbor of hers in the same apartments was babysitting for. When the neighbor could no longer watch the boy, Cherry allowed herself to be talked into taking on the task.

Problem was, the boy's mother was unreliable, often leaving him for days without calling, with no clean clothes or food for him. Cherry put up with it because she loved the little boy, using part of her food stamps to feed him. Little did most people know, but the boy's mother Kim Cargill, was a woman with a lot of problems on a downward spiral. And when Cherry got a subpoena one day for her to testify against Kim in a Child Endangerment case, that's when something awful happened. Everyone's lives changed then. This story will leave you shaking your head at all of the things that had already gone on, and twisted outcome that develops.

Don‘t Tell a Soul by M. William Phelps

For some unknown reason, my guilty pleasure reading is True Crime. I’ve read a fair amount of crappy books in this genre, and also the “higher quality” titles from authors such as M. William Phelps, which are generally fairly well written. So I was happy to read an advance copy a Don’t Tell a Soul (provided by Kensington Books/Pinnacle and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I had never heard of this case, so I wasn’t aware of killer’s identity when I began the book, although of course as soon as I read that a woman named Cherry Walker was missing, I knew who the victim was! Cherry was a devoted and trusting young woman who happily took over the regular role of babysitter when a friend (who had previously been the babysitter) asked her if she wanted to babysit to earn some money. As the story unfolds, we learn that the little boy’s mother often left him at Cherry’s apartment for days on end, and he was generally hungry and dressed in ragged clothes. Cherry, at age 39, spent hours (days, actually) with the little boy, playing with him like she was his playmate rather than a responsible adult. We learn that she had only recently moved out of her parents’ house to live on her own, because she was “mentally retarded” (their term, not mine) and functioned at the level of a 6- to 9-year old.

Red flags!!! Seriously, what kind of mother would leave her young child in the care of someone with such limitations? It turns out that boy’s mother, Kim Cargill, was the WORST kind of mother. She had four children (with 4 different fathers) and she was abusive and cruel to all of them. Her ex-husbands tried to get custody to save their kids, but somehow Kim generally managed to avoid losing custody. Finally, as the court date nears for the custody hearing for the child Cherry babysits, Kim is horrified that Cherry has been asked testify in court against the child’s abusive mother. Sadly, Cherry never got the chance. On the Saturday before the scheduled Wednesday hearing, Cherry’s body was found on the side of a road, after being doused with lighter fluid and set on fire.
 
The book has the expected narrative style of a book by M. William Phelps, and pulls the reader along on a path of increasing horror as Kim’s behavior toward her children and their fathers is revealed. If you don’t know the story (as was the case for me), it may be difficult to read, although there is a straight retelling of the facts of the case, rather than a gratuitously violent recitation of the horrible events. If you DO know the story, I expect there will be quite a bit of “aha” moments, that somewhat explain how this woman came to be the monster who killed Cherry Walker. I truly hated Kim by the end of the book.

I did appreciate the fact that I didn’t know that Kim was white and Cherry was African-American until I saw the photos at the end of the book, because race was not relevant – Kim was equally cruel and vicious regardless of race. I also appreciated that Phelps went to some lengths to elaborate on the opportunities he had given Kim or her family to present her version of the story.

Fans of the true crime genre in general and Phelps in particular will want to read this. Four stars.

This book was well written, the characters, world, plot and story line were all well described, believable, deep and complex enough to make me fully vested. I really enjoyed the read! Twists I did not see coming and the smooth yet fast paced flow made the book stay in my hands till the last page! Really, this is a new author to me, and I am an instant fan!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC if Don't Telk a Soul by M. William Phelps that I read and reviewed.
Okay this is the first true crime book that I have ever read but I as an addicted to the ID television station so I figured I would give it a shot and I am glad I did. At first I can honestly say I had no idea way the author picked to write about Kim Cargill, at first she seemed like one of those crazy psychos I watch on ID all the time but as I got deeper into the book I realized she was her own kind of crazy. A woman who could kill and burn the corpse of her special needs babysitter because she did not want her to testify in court is one sick woman and then the things she did cover up the crime and see how the police we investigating, it would be something I would expect my favorite suspense author to write in a fiction novel not a person to actually do. Then how she abused her children and her exes and the people in her life just made me sick. I kinda wished I could have been on the jury and given the woman the death penalty myself.
Reading this book made me realize how evil someone can really be and I love the fact the author chose to highlight a woman on deathrow. We always hear about the evil men in society and the evil women are overlooked and this book looks at one of those women who are evil to the core but can hide behind a pretty face and make people do what she wants because she is pathological liar that can hide the evil extremely well. I believe that is why the author picked Cargill for his book she was so evil and she did not care about anyone but herself, yet no one realized that about her until it was too late and they were sucked into her world and in some way hurt by her. She was a very interesting person to study. As I reader I hated her but her lies kept drawing me in just like they did her victims.
I am giving Don't Tell a Soul five out if five stars.

Mr. Phelps is the only true crime writer I will read. He is the expert. Somehow he gets inside of the murderous villain explaining how and sometimes why they do what they do, and he also brings the victim, the innocent ones to the forefront fo the story.

Kim Cargill is a narcissist, a psychopath, a sociopath and just a down right mean woman! A horrible mother, abusive to her children and her husbands. A bad egg! When threatened with having her last child taken from her, she takes out the babysitter, the one person who could blow her world apart.

Cherry Walker is the exact opposite. While she may have the mind of a child, she knows right from wrong and isn't going to compromise herself for Kim. Unfortunately we know from the beginning of the book that Cherry was killed. But the person she was is told here and I will never forget her.

And in the end of this book, that will be who and what you remember. Cherry Walker, who stood up to the hell that was Kim Cargill.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this book!

DON'T TELL A SOUL by M Wm Phelps. Worried parents, who have a 39 year old daughter, Cherry. Though mentally challenge she is on her own, everything she did was structured, Where is she, her apartment is a mess, this is not like her .A guy going to work, spots something on side of road, a charred body. Cherry was naive and easily manipulated by Kim, which led to her down fall. Phelps give us a detailed look at a cold case, having done detailed research, and vivid description. A book that goes deep into a case may not be for all, different, good plot. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.