But I Trusted You

In this chilling volume of New York Times bestselling author Ann Rule's Crime Files, discover unforgettable cases of a spouse, lover, family member or helpful stranger who is totally trusted-until it's too late.

Whether driven to extreme violence by greed or jealousy, passion or rage, the calculating sociopaths in this true crime collection targeted those closest to them-unwitting victims whose last disbelieving words could well have been "but I trusted you...."



Headlining this page-turning anthology is the case of middle-school counselor Chuck Leonard, found shot to death outside his Washington State home on an icy February morning. A complicated mix of family man and wild man, Chuck played hard and loved many...but who crossed the line by murdering him in cold blood? And why? The revelation is as stunning as the shattering crime itself, powerfully illuminating how those we think we know can ingeniously hide their destructive and homicidal designs.



Along with other shocking cases, immaculately detailed and sharply analyzed by America's #1 true crime writer, this fourteenth Crime Files volume is essential reading for getting inside the mind of the hidden killers among us. Ann Rule (1931–2015) wrote thirty-five New York Times bestsellers, all of them still in print. Her first bestseller was The Stranger Beside Me, about her personal relationship with infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. A former Seattle police officer, she used her firsthand expertise in all her books. For more than three decades, she was a powerful advocate for victims of violent crime.

Laural Merlington has performed and directed for thirty years in regional theaters throughout the country. She has recorded over a hundred audiobooks, including many by Fern Michaels, and is the recipient of several AudioFile Magazine Earphone Awards. In addition to her extensive theater and voiceover work, Laural teaches college in her home state of Michigan.