American Mother: The true story of a troubled family, motherhood, and the cyanide poisonings that shook the world

Stella Nickell, a mother and wife, committed the unthinkable and the unforgivable by poisoning her husband Bruce and daughter Hayley with cyanide-laced painkillers. Gregg Olsen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of If You Tell, has uncovered the shocking true story of a troubled family in his book "American Mother."

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 496 pages
Publication date: 10 November 2022
Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group

Stella Nickell, a mother and wife, is the subject of a chilling true-crime narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. On June 5, 1986, an emergency call was made to the local sheriff's office in Auburn, Washington State, reporting that Stella's husband, Bruce, was experiencing a seizure. Officers rushed to their mobile home, only to find Stella standing frozen at the door, while Bruce was fighting for his life on the floor.

As the beneficiary of over $175,000 in a life insurance pay-out, forensic investigations revealed that Bruce had consumed painkillers laced with cyanide. Tragically, just a week later, Stella's daughter, Hayley, was getting ready for another school day when her mother, Sue, called out "I love you" before collapsing on the floor. Sue never regained consciousness, and an autopsy revealed that she had been poisoned by cyanide-tainted headache pills, just like Bruce.

While Hayley grieved the sudden loss of her mother, Cindy, a young woman, was contemplating turning her own mom, Stella, into the FBI. Cindy had grown up with a troubled family, marked by mistrust and deception. She had always been fascinated by the American Dream, but her fierce ambition led her to make the ultimate betrayal.

Gregg Olsen, the author of this captivating true-crime story, delves into a complex mother-daughter relationship that is rooted in mistrust and deception. He explores the journey of a sweet curly-haired little girl from Oregon, whose fierce ambition to live the American Dream led her to make the ultimate sacrifice.

American Mother is a sensational real-life mystery that will captivate readers who are fascinated by the likes of "The Staircase" and "Making of a Murder." It is a story that will leave readers pondering the depths of human nature and the consequences of our actions.

Weight: 432g
Dimension: 130 x 200 x 39 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781909770874