Every Breath You Take

A True Story of Obsession, Revenge, and Murder

By: Ann Rule

Narrated by: Blair Brown

America’s #1 true-crime writer unveils the chilling true story of the Sheila Bellush murder, unveiling domestic violence, an obsessive ex-husband, and a desperate plea for justice in this gripping account written at the victim’s request.

“If anything ever happens to me…find Ann Rule and ask her to write my story.”

In perhaps the first true-crime book written at the victim’s request, Ann Rule untangles a web of lies and brutality that culminated in the murder of Sheila Blackthorne Bellush—a woman Rule never met, but whose shocking story she chronicled with compassion, exacting detail, and unvarnished candor.

Although happily ensconced in a loving second marriage, and a new family of quadruplets, Sheila never truly escaped the vicious enslavement of her ex-husband, multi-millionaire Allen Blackthrone, a handsome charmer—and a violent, controlling sociopath who subjected Sheila to unthinkable abuse in their marriage, and terrorized her for a decade after their divorce. When Sheila was murdered in her home, in the presence of her four toddlers, authorities raced to link the crime to Blackthorne, the man who vowed to monitor Sheila’s every move in his obsessive quest for power and revenge.

With her careful research and signature reporting, Ann Rule captures Sheila’s harrowing story while honoring a victim’s last request.©2002 Ann Rule, All Rights Reserved; (P)2002 Simon & Schuster Inc., AUDIOWORKS Is an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster Inc.

Good book

Worth "reading". Well researched and presented. Did not like the "history" type style of the book.
But fans of the crime genre will like it.

Well worth it

As an insatiable devotee to "Forensic Files," "City Confidential," and "American Justice," I could not wait to download and listen to Rule's "Breath." Though I was somewhat familiar with the subject matter, I found Rule's telling, complete with details not covered within any of the aforementioned television programs, entertaining, educational, and interesting. Her grasp of the criminal mind, and her ability to present it for the layman, are what drive the content of "Breath," and render it difficult to abandon once started. I strongly recommend both of the Rule books available at this site, and would encourage Audible to aquire those works outstanding.

Not Her Best Work....

I am a fan of Ms. Rule's. I am an even bigger fan of true crime stories. This story did not keep me interested enough in the characters, and offered too much insignificant information and background in the beginning.

Very good !!

If you like true crime stories then you found the right author. I love Ann Rule's books. She is one of my favorite authors.

the story master does it again!

Ann Rule knows how to tell a story. She amasses the facts and carefully organizes the details into a compelling, coherent tale that must be heard to the end. Even minor characters are memorable. Ann Rule's books are studies in human development and nature, what can go wrong in some people who still appear so attractive on the surface, and the extraordinary heroism of others, who also may appear ordinary. Her beat is the whole human circus. She is never sensationalizing or insensitive to human suffering, even when it ultimately produces monsters. The fascination is how hugely human beings can misread each other and how complex we are. Four stars only because it was an "open & shut case" compared to Green River, and no real surprises.