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Because You Loved Me
A Life Taken
Jeanne Dominico's fiancé found her body on her kitchen floor. More than forty stab wounds and blows to her head with a blunt instrument had cut her life short. What monster had struck in the heart of a peaceful New England town?
A Trust Betrayed
Jeanne was a hard-working single mother. Nicole, her fourteen-year-old daughter was on the honor-roll and head over heels in love--with an eighteen-year-old man she'd known only through the Internet. Once the lovers met in person, Jeanne's motherly instincts sensed trouble. If only she'd known that the life in danger was her own.
In The Name Of Love
With a history of psychological trouble and family misfortune, Billy Sullivan's obsessive and controlling power over Nicole contributed to the brutal slaying of her mother. But it was Nicole's stunning confession and guilty plea that led to Billy's sensational trial, where a sordid tale of love, loss, betrayal and murder finally took a cold-blooded killer offline--and on line for justice.
"Phelps is a first-rate investigator." --Dr. Michael M. Baden
Includes 16 Pages Of Shocking Photos
Investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the author of Murder in the Heartland, Perfect Poison, Every Move You Make, Lethal Guardian, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. He has appeared on dozens of national radio and television programs, including Court TV, The Discovery Channel, Good Morning America, Geraldo at Large and Montel Williams, and has consulted for the Showtime cable television series Dexter. He lives in a small Connecticut farming community with his wife and children.
Jeanne Dominico's fiancé found her body on her kitchen floor. More than forty stab wounds and blows to her head with a blunt instrument had cut her life short. What monster had struck in the heart of a peaceful New England town?
A Trust Betrayed
Jeanne was a hard-working single mother. Nicole, her fourteen-year-old daughter was on the honor-roll and head over heels in love--with an eighteen-year-old man she'd known only through the Internet. Once the lovers met in person, Jeanne's motherly instincts sensed trouble. If only she'd known that the life in danger was her own.
In The Name Of Love
With a history of psychological trouble and family misfortune, Billy Sullivan's obsessive and controlling power over Nicole contributed to the brutal slaying of her mother. But it was Nicole's stunning confession and guilty plea that led to Billy's sensational trial, where a sordid tale of love, loss, betrayal and murder finally took a cold-blooded killer offline--and on line for justice.
"Phelps is a first-rate investigator." --Dr. Michael M. Baden
Includes 16 Pages Of Shocking Photos
Investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the author of Murder in the Heartland, Perfect Poison, Every Move You Make, Lethal Guardian, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. He has appeared on dozens of national radio and television programs, including Court TV, The Discovery Channel, Good Morning America, Geraldo at Large and Montel Williams, and has consulted for the Showtime cable television series Dexter. He lives in a small Connecticut farming community with his wife and children.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2007
About the author
M. William Phelps
67 books1,090 followersCrime, murder and serial killer expert, creator/producer/writer and former host of the Investigation Discovery series DARK MINDS, acclaimed, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 30 books and winner of the 2013 Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award and the 2008 New England Book Festival Award. A highly sought-after pundit, Phelps has made over 100 media-related television appearances: Early Show, The Today Show, The View, Fox & Friends, truTV, Discovery Channel, Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, TLC, BIO, History, Oxygen, OWN, on top of over 100 additional media appearances: USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Mancow, Wall Street Journal Radio, Zac Daniel, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Channel, EWTN Radio, ABC News Radio, and many more.
Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.
Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.
Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.
Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.
Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.
Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.
Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.
Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 8, 2014
DNF
The author states, in his Notes to Readers, that the victim's immediate family wanted nothing to do with this book, so I don't feel too badly about the low rating. This is not because of the crime itself, which was heartbreaking, but because of the way the book is written.
It's repetitive and nauseating!
I understand that the victim was a warm, caring, wonderful person. I don't need to be continually beaten over the head to remind me. I got it the first time.
It was so bad I couldn't even force myself to finish it.
May 25, 2020
Jeanne Dominico’s 16-year-old daughter, Nicole, had become infatuated with 18-year-old Billy Sullivan. They wanted to go off and live together, be married and stay with each other forever. Teen love. Sullivan, who lived in Connecticut with his mother and his sisters, had visited Nicole’s family home in Nashua, New Hampshire at the beginning of August 2003. It was to become a fateful week.
Jeanne Dominico sounded such a lovely person. Bright and happy but with two teenage kids it was not easy for her. Her son, Drew, was in with the wrong crowd and Nicole worried that she was pregnant with Billy’s child. Jeanne’s fiancé, Chris McGowan, comes round to Jeanne’s house to find her brutally stabbed to death. It is savage. Stabbed 40 times and beaten with a baseball bat.
Then we go back to the online love / lust between Billy and Nicole in May 2002. The author looks into Billy’s parents. The father was drunk and physically abusive to Billy’s mother, Pat. This only aided Billy’s dysfunction as a child and adolescent. He had thoughts of suicide since the age of 6 and would be a constant visitor to the psychiatric hospitals and medicated with all kinds of drugs. It is interesting how the relationship develops between Billy and Nicole and also between Nicole and her mother. Nicole became totally obsessed with Billy. There was nothing else but Billy. She must be with him. He is a manipulator that is for sure. He brings her to this point.
Like many true crime books there is a lot of repetition. I have no real issue with that but do know that it irks some readers. What this does though is to make it feel like you know these people and you actually become emotionally invested. It is not just the murder of someone you care nothing about. You see everyone as a real person. The victim, the killer, and all in-between. It makes it that more tragic and in the case of this crime completely beyond reason.
This is my first book by this author and it was good. Nothing original in its delivery but I felt compelled to come back and read. The book is a little long so you will need to invest time and due to that I would recommend to true crime fans only. He clearly has his own opinion and that is pushed throughout.
Jeanne Dominico sounded such a lovely person. Bright and happy but with two teenage kids it was not easy for her. Her son, Drew, was in with the wrong crowd and Nicole worried that she was pregnant with Billy’s child. Jeanne’s fiancé, Chris McGowan, comes round to Jeanne’s house to find her brutally stabbed to death. It is savage. Stabbed 40 times and beaten with a baseball bat.
Then we go back to the online love / lust between Billy and Nicole in May 2002. The author looks into Billy’s parents. The father was drunk and physically abusive to Billy’s mother, Pat. This only aided Billy’s dysfunction as a child and adolescent. He had thoughts of suicide since the age of 6 and would be a constant visitor to the psychiatric hospitals and medicated with all kinds of drugs. It is interesting how the relationship develops between Billy and Nicole and also between Nicole and her mother. Nicole became totally obsessed with Billy. There was nothing else but Billy. She must be with him. He is a manipulator that is for sure. He brings her to this point.
Like many true crime books there is a lot of repetition. I have no real issue with that but do know that it irks some readers. What this does though is to make it feel like you know these people and you actually become emotionally invested. It is not just the murder of someone you care nothing about. You see everyone as a real person. The victim, the killer, and all in-between. It makes it that more tragic and in the case of this crime completely beyond reason.
This is my first book by this author and it was good. Nothing original in its delivery but I felt compelled to come back and read. The book is a little long so you will need to invest time and due to that I would recommend to true crime fans only. He clearly has his own opinion and that is pushed throughout.
February 8, 2011
I tend to read true crime and be intellectually engaged, but not always emotionally engaged. This one made me both sad and horrified. It's incredible that teens can become involved in the most bizarre things and think (at the time) that they are perfectly reasonable. The death of this woman was heartbreaking and so was what happened to the kids - two young lives completely destroyed. It very much reminded me of the movie Heavenly Creatures where both teens were so caught up in their own relationship that murder seemed like a reasonable act.
November 30, 2011
This is a true crime tale I found on the Kindle about who sounded a lovely lady in New Hampshire called Jeanne Domenico. She was murdered by her daughter's boyfriend with the knowledge and assistance of said daughter, a spoiled little bitch of the highest order..........all because Jeanne wouldn't let them live together. Her daughter had only just turned 16.
It is really sad as Jeanne had herself a lovely fiance, she worked like a dog to ensure her 2 kids wanted for nothing and all because that little cow couldn't get her own way she lost her life.
You could tell a heck of a lot about the victim reading what friends and neighbours said about the crime. She was clearly much loved and a very loving lady too. Such a bloody terrible waste.
I hope her daughter rots yet you can imagine Jeanne wouldn't wish that and would have forgiven her cos' that's the kind of person she was.
Very sad and very needless.
I was dismayed, however, at finding 7 apostrophe errors in the book and at times it tended to jump around a bit when it went back to earlier times in the narrative. All in all I really enjoyed it, though, and will look for more of his true crime titles.
It is really sad as Jeanne had herself a lovely fiance, she worked like a dog to ensure her 2 kids wanted for nothing and all because that little cow couldn't get her own way she lost her life.
You could tell a heck of a lot about the victim reading what friends and neighbours said about the crime. She was clearly much loved and a very loving lady too. Such a bloody terrible waste.
I hope her daughter rots yet you can imagine Jeanne wouldn't wish that and would have forgiven her cos' that's the kind of person she was.
Very sad and very needless.
I was dismayed, however, at finding 7 apostrophe errors in the book and at times it tended to jump around a bit when it went back to earlier times in the narrative. All in all I really enjoyed it, though, and will look for more of his true crime titles.
January 16, 2013
Jeanne Dominico was brutally beaten and stabbed to death, her injuries showed she fought with her murderer. She was a single mother of two trying to make a life for her children and protect them the best she could. Billy Sullivan was a troubled young man that Jeanne’s daughter met over the internet, she was head-over-heels in love. Billy was obsessive and controlling, Jeanne worried about Nicole’s sliding schoolwork, she thought that Billy would hurt Nicole, but that is not what happened. The murder shocked the community, first in its brutality and second in who committed it, and who conspired to commit it.
Another top-notch true crime account from Phelps. With interviews and summary of the police interviews and court transcripts, you get a complete picture of what happened, he takes you step by step through the crime, the after effects, how each person came to be where they were and how it all ended.
Another top-notch true crime account from Phelps. With interviews and summary of the police interviews and court transcripts, you get a complete picture of what happened, he takes you step by step through the crime, the after effects, how each person came to be where they were and how it all ended.
December 17, 2014
Loved this book, it was like the author was talking to me and that's what I call a good book.
August 27, 2015
Because you loved me was an online love affair, a real-time murder. This was one of the first books I have read of M. William Phelps and I have to say I was very pleased. I will definitely be reading more of his true-crime. This was such a very sad and heartbreaking story. One young girl, Nicole, without her father in her life looking for that love to replace her father's absence and Billy it was. I felt so hurt by what happened to Jeanne. She loved her children so unconditionally and only wanted what was best for them. Raising two children on you're own with three jobs. God bless you, Jeanne, and may you rest in peace. Jeanne's lover, best friend, and companion was always there for her. He truly loved her and it was so heartbreaking to know he had lost his lifetime soulmate by her own daughter. How tragic, really just utterly tragic. Jeanne did the best she could handling the relationship of her daughter Nicole and Billy. Billy was eight-teen years old and Nicole only four-teen! But because she loved her daughter she allowed them to visit. But as a mother myself and agreed with Jeanne I WOULD not allow my daughter to move to another stated with a boy she'd only known months. Then at the tragic end to find out Billy was a real sociopath. But in my opinion all the blame cannot be on Billy. Nicole and Billy made several other attempts to murder her mom but Billy knew wouldn't work but went along anyways. Sure they were both in lust but as they seen it love. But how can you premeditate to kill your mother? What's wrong with Nicole? Her own birth mother who loved, took care of her, and gave her everything a child would need. Nicole was selfishly in love and had obviously mental issues herself. She had ample of times to stop the murder or the previous premeditated murders, why didn't she? Billy may have been the one holding the knife and committed the murder but Nicole was beyond the being the murderer. Calling why Billy was attempting to kill Jeanne. Why didn't she go home and stop him. You have to say it was as if she held the knife herself and killed her mother. I also believe Nicole needed life in prison without parole. It was her mother she premeditated to kill and didn't move a finger to stop it but call Billy to see if it was done. Both Billy and Nicole are severally downright murderers who need to rot. I recommend this book to True-Crime readers. It was a four star page turner!
A quote I liked while reading this book and I fully believe it!
"Most would say Billy had choices, like everyone else. Mental illness is not an excuse-or license-for murder"
A quote I liked while reading this book and I fully believe it!
"Most would say Billy had choices, like everyone else. Mental illness is not an excuse-or license-for murder"
February 26, 2024
3/5⭐️
0/5🌶️
💻 “The most convincing legal arguments are rooted in uncomplicated facts.” 💻
❤️🔪👩👧 I read this book to fulfill my nonfiction read for February, but I can overall say it was still a decent read. What drew my attention to it to begin with was the fact that Nicole and Billy were two teenagers in love that met online. I think with dating apps and social media today, online dating is soooo prevalent in our current society.
I find it TERRIFYING that sociopaths and manipulative people who know how to take advantage of other’s weaknesses are out there. Even worse — PREDATORS are out there. It definitely makes me question the purity of social media…
While I found this book absolutely heartbreaking, I didn’t really connect to the characters like I did with my last nonfiction read. Obviously I was crushed by Jeanne’s death — she was such a PURE soul. And I was sad for Chris. He really loved Jeanne💔. But as for Nicole and Billy, I didn’t really have any super strong feelings towards them. I don’t know if it was just me, but the storytelling just made me feel super detached to them. I guess that’s a good thing though — I don’t really feel like sympathizing with murderers….
I also found myself getting bored here and there… the storytelling dragged quite a bit from time to time. But I also have the attention span of a goldfish sometimes soooo that just might be on me LOL.
With that being said, this story was quite appalling (that’s quite literally the point, Natalie🤣). I can’t even imagine murdering my mother for some stupid teenage boy. But then again, I also don’t have sociopathic tendencies. 👩👧🔪❤️
0/5🌶️
💻 “The most convincing legal arguments are rooted in uncomplicated facts.” 💻
❤️🔪👩👧 I read this book to fulfill my nonfiction read for February, but I can overall say it was still a decent read. What drew my attention to it to begin with was the fact that Nicole and Billy were two teenagers in love that met online. I think with dating apps and social media today, online dating is soooo prevalent in our current society.
I find it TERRIFYING that sociopaths and manipulative people who know how to take advantage of other’s weaknesses are out there. Even worse — PREDATORS are out there. It definitely makes me question the purity of social media…
While I found this book absolutely heartbreaking, I didn’t really connect to the characters like I did with my last nonfiction read. Obviously I was crushed by Jeanne’s death — she was such a PURE soul. And I was sad for Chris. He really loved Jeanne💔. But as for Nicole and Billy, I didn’t really have any super strong feelings towards them. I don’t know if it was just me, but the storytelling just made me feel super detached to them. I guess that’s a good thing though — I don’t really feel like sympathizing with murderers….
I also found myself getting bored here and there… the storytelling dragged quite a bit from time to time. But I also have the attention span of a goldfish sometimes soooo that just might be on me LOL.
With that being said, this story was quite appalling (that’s quite literally the point, Natalie🤣). I can’t even imagine murdering my mother for some stupid teenage boy. But then again, I also don’t have sociopathic tendencies. 👩👧🔪❤️
November 17, 2017
I have always heard of kids committing parricide but I thought there must have been something wrong in the relationship like abuse from the parents or drug use or money messing with the brains of the children. In this particular case none was the reason. The mom just decided to stand up to her newly 16 year old daughter saying she could not live with an 18 year old boy she found to be trouble. It's sad that standing up for herself caused her to die by the hands of her daughter and the boyfriend all over not being able to live together. I love my mom and we have disagreements like everyone but I could never fathom harming her or choosing someone to date who would harm her.
All that being said I thought the book was a bit too long. Some of the information was repetitive too but I think it was because the author wanted to make sure we didn't forget the details of the case. In a way I appreciate that but I also was frustrated because it seemed like Mr. Phelps thought we didn't have the respect to pay attention to his writing.
All that being said I thought the book was a bit too long. Some of the information was repetitive too but I think it was because the author wanted to make sure we didn't forget the details of the case. In a way I appreciate that but I also was frustrated because it seemed like Mr. Phelps thought we didn't have the respect to pay attention to his writing.
January 13, 2020
This book sets out to detail a horrific crime, however it's a nonstop assault on how amazing the victim was. The author also clearly pities Billy and believes that he was insane because he had mental illness and had a rough childhood, despite laying out in great detail the lengths that Billy went through to manipulate and gaslight teenage girls.
It is a slog to get through this book and I do not recommend it. Google articles on the crime and the trial instead for a more unbiased and easier to read account.
It is a slog to get through this book and I do not recommend it. Google articles on the crime and the trial instead for a more unbiased and easier to read account.
December 28, 2024
“Jeanne was, how can I say it, she was everything to a lot of people,” added Chris. “She lived to help other people. She made so many people happy.”
This was such a heartbreaker of a case, lord knows that there are plenty of bad cases around but this one is particularly sad. Jeannie, by all accounts an all around wonderful person is no longer in the world because her own daughter, a minor and her daughter's older boyfriend conspired to savagely take her life, simply because they did not want to live by her very reasonable parental rules.
One thing that sticks in my mind about this case is that the boyfriend Billy Sullivan (18 years old), met Nicole in an online chat room when she was all of 14. Perhaps something like this would have happened anyway, but it would have been highly unlikely that without the internet these two people would have crossed paths, as they lived in different states. Nicole made a deal with the prosecution for her testimony, the defense team tries to make the case that Nicole was manipulated and influenced by the older Billy, and while I can believe that there was a certain amount of that in this case, the fact remains that as stated to Nicole by Jeanne's fiance Chris, “The murder of your mother would never have happened without your complicity.”
Fortunately for society at large these two cold blooded killers are exactly where they belong, behind bars, Billy for life without parole and Nicole for 25 years(unless she gets paroled:(, and I very much hope that Chris, Jeanne's fiance found at least a small measure of peace after the legal proceedings were over.
This was an Interesting case and I would have given the book a higher rating, but like a lot of true crime books this one tended to be overly long and often repetitive.
This was such a heartbreaker of a case, lord knows that there are plenty of bad cases around but this one is particularly sad. Jeannie, by all accounts an all around wonderful person is no longer in the world because her own daughter, a minor and her daughter's older boyfriend conspired to savagely take her life, simply because they did not want to live by her very reasonable parental rules.
One thing that sticks in my mind about this case is that the boyfriend Billy Sullivan (18 years old), met Nicole in an online chat room when she was all of 14. Perhaps something like this would have happened anyway, but it would have been highly unlikely that without the internet these two people would have crossed paths, as they lived in different states. Nicole made a deal with the prosecution for her testimony, the defense team tries to make the case that Nicole was manipulated and influenced by the older Billy, and while I can believe that there was a certain amount of that in this case, the fact remains that as stated to Nicole by Jeanne's fiance Chris, “The murder of your mother would never have happened without your complicity.”
Fortunately for society at large these two cold blooded killers are exactly where they belong, behind bars, Billy for life without parole and Nicole for 25 years(unless she gets paroled:(, and I very much hope that Chris, Jeanne's fiance found at least a small measure of peace after the legal proceedings were over.
This was an Interesting case and I would have given the book a higher rating, but like a lot of true crime books this one tended to be overly long and often repetitive.
March 5, 2022
Very interesting, I’ll admit I became hooked on this true crime book, not wanting to put it down. I really enjoyed the smooth and easy manner of writing. The author truly recreated this story with words; a snapshot of a life and situations that went horribly wrong. This book gave you a feel for Chris and Jeanne, their relationship, as well as that of other key players in this story. 5 stars.
December 30, 2008
I really enjoy the writing of M. Phelps. Especially I enjoyed the beginning of the story. After a while though I was getting a bit bored. although that is not the right word. I felt very emphatic towards the friends of Jeanne. I even visited her memorial site so Mister Phelps managed to make her a real person to me. I think what the problem was is that this book is really about 4 people only. Chris, Jeanne Nicole and Billy so even though it is an incredible sad story and as a single mom myself of a teenager (18 now) and I can very much relate, I think more than 400 pages was a bit too much.
I still do not understand how Nicole turned out to be like this and looking at the memorial page there are no pictures of her. There are pictures of Jeanne and her son. I also would have liked to learn a bit more about him. Guess he did not want to cooperate?.
I still do not understand how Nicole turned out to be like this and looking at the memorial page there are no pictures of her. There are pictures of Jeanne and her son. I also would have liked to learn a bit more about him. Guess he did not want to cooperate?.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2022
I think the author does a good job and telling a case in a story like way so that it doesn’t get boring. And at least in this case it wasn’t a lot of trial stuff, which I find so boring. But in this book (and another by the author that I didn’t finish) he goes on and on about what a saint the victim was. I’m sorry no person in the history of the world was a perfect as he makes the victims out to be. I hate when authors do that it gives the case a fake feel. It was a sad case though.
June 5, 2014
A daughter's betrayal
A daughter's betrayal
Again I was unable to stop reading another of Mr Phelps's true stories. I believe that justice was done. I also have ask why the families of a convicted felons always say he was such a good person. In this case all the warnings sign were there. As stated in the book both families lost love ones.
A daughter's betrayal
Again I was unable to stop reading another of Mr Phelps's true stories. I believe that justice was done. I also have ask why the families of a convicted felons always say he was such a good person. In this case all the warnings sign were there. As stated in the book both families lost love ones.
September 10, 2024
Very well written and researched.
April 4, 2023
Well, I gave the book 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I felt the book was well written. The author always writes great true crime books. I saw a documentary about this crime. I remember watching it in one of the episodes called Snapped on TV. You can see it on YouTube, Nonetheless, this was a brutal crime about a beautiful mother who only wanted the best for her daughter. The saddest thing is that the daughter and the little nobody boyfriend she had were the ones that ended her life. This is a great true crime book. Definitely a book that true crime lovers should read. One thing that I have to say was I would have loved to know the Victim Jeanne Dominico. From all that I read about her she was an Angel on Earth. Rest In Peace Jeanne. 🙏🙏🙏
May 21, 2023
Very messed up story, but a really good read.
Things I like about Phelps:
1. I find that a lot of true crime authors write in a perspective where they always trying to make the defendant's lawyers the bad guys.. I can't stand that, they have a job to do just like the rest of us and shouldn't be looked down upon for doing it well. Phelps doesn't ever seem to do that in his books which I appreciate.
2. I also find that he doesn't insert his own feelings and opinions too deep into his books. Just a personal preference but I don't enjoy reading non fiction, true crime books with the authors opinion shoved down my throat.
My only complaint, and this seems to be a theme with all Phelps books that i read is that they tend to go on just a little too long. I find this is due to some repetitive information and adding too many unnecessary details. They aren't frequent enough to be utterly distracting however, so overall I think this book earns its 4 stars.
Things I like about Phelps:
1. I find that a lot of true crime authors write in a perspective where they always trying to make the defendant's lawyers the bad guys.. I can't stand that, they have a job to do just like the rest of us and shouldn't be looked down upon for doing it well. Phelps doesn't ever seem to do that in his books which I appreciate.
2. I also find that he doesn't insert his own feelings and opinions too deep into his books. Just a personal preference but I don't enjoy reading non fiction, true crime books with the authors opinion shoved down my throat.
My only complaint, and this seems to be a theme with all Phelps books that i read is that they tend to go on just a little too long. I find this is due to some repetitive information and adding too many unnecessary details. They aren't frequent enough to be utterly distracting however, so overall I think this book earns its 4 stars.
July 12, 2024
The problem with this book, it is repetitive and it hardly makes an effort beyond simplistic labelling to explain the true psychological motivations of the murderer.
Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to bother to review this book properly, but I really hope there are resources out there that handle this case better and certainly faster than this thing does.
Second book have tried by this guy and agree with my criminology friends his books are sensationalistic, superficial and do not help anyone at at all who really wants to understand the motivations that might have really driven the criminal.
Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to bother to review this book properly, but I really hope there are resources out there that handle this case better and certainly faster than this thing does.
Second book have tried by this guy and agree with my criminology friends his books are sensationalistic, superficial and do not help anyone at at all who really wants to understand the motivations that might have really driven the criminal.
Currently reading
April 8, 2009I just started this book and am reading half of the first chapter.
Because You Loved Me is a case study of different sorts of love, platonic, parental, romantic, and obsessive. It's easy to predict which type will go wrong. The High Queen of the drama queens, Nicole, falls in a twisted sort of love with macho manipulator Billy, and in a metter of days, she is blind to all the good things in her life. Her mom, her friends, her education, her home - Nicole no longer sees value in any of this, and when Billy enters the picture, purely by chance, her daily existence changes from normal to, in her estimation, a living hell. And suddenly, she cannot fathom how she can possibly live without this guy whom she barely knows. Together, Nicole and Billy make fateful choices that will ensure that they will have to live without each other, forever and ever. What is surprising is that they were so blind to the fact that their actions would have irreversible, devastating consequences.
M. William Phelps is a skilled researcher who knows how to delve for facts and nuances, and page by page, he uncovers the details, delineating the story of this young couple's disastrous obsession from its inception to its miserable conclusion. He approaches this murder from three angles, that of the victim and her fiance, that of the besotted, daughter and her maladjusted suitor, and that of the legal system. This is no mystery story; rather, it is a dissection of the anatomy of a crime committed by two terribly misguided, hysterical teens. It is nothing less than chilling, another example about what can happen when children are improperly parented. Highly recommended
Because You Loved Me is a case study of different sorts of love, platonic, parental, romantic, and obsessive. It's easy to predict which type will go wrong. The High Queen of the drama queens, Nicole, falls in a twisted sort of love with macho manipulator Billy, and in a metter of days, she is blind to all the good things in her life. Her mom, her friends, her education, her home - Nicole no longer sees value in any of this, and when Billy enters the picture, purely by chance, her daily existence changes from normal to, in her estimation, a living hell. And suddenly, she cannot fathom how she can possibly live without this guy whom she barely knows. Together, Nicole and Billy make fateful choices that will ensure that they will have to live without each other, forever and ever. What is surprising is that they were so blind to the fact that their actions would have irreversible, devastating consequences.
M. William Phelps is a skilled researcher who knows how to delve for facts and nuances, and page by page, he uncovers the details, delineating the story of this young couple's disastrous obsession from its inception to its miserable conclusion. He approaches this murder from three angles, that of the victim and her fiance, that of the besotted, daughter and her maladjusted suitor, and that of the legal system. This is no mystery story; rather, it is a dissection of the anatomy of a crime committed by two terribly misguided, hysterical teens. It is nothing less than chilling, another example about what can happen when children are improperly parented. Highly recommended
January 4, 2019
Teenage rampage. Very depressing. He said: "We have no choice but kill your mother". She said: "That b...ch. She is the only thing standing between our love." He said: "How do we do it?" She said: "Let us poison her." He said: "Yes, I know a way." They try out their plan but 'her' mother survives. Surprised, she asks: "How come it didn't work?" He says: "Let us burn the house down with her inside." She says: "But we will be inside the house." At last, they decide to knife her. 'He' does this over 40 times and leaves her for dead.
That was the story of Billy and Nicole. They hatched a plan that left the whole town talking about them and the rest of the world wondering what really happened. They were in love. The mother was the one standing in their way. What to do? She was depressed and disturbed and all she wanted was to be with Billy. Brought up by a single parent and bullied by her fellow students, she was left with little or no self esteem. Him from a violent family, constantly witnessing her mother and father fighting. Eventually, they divorced. The beginning of his problems. They were a time bomb waiting to be triggered. When they exploded, it was very very violent.
That was the story of Billy and Nicole. They hatched a plan that left the whole town talking about them and the rest of the world wondering what really happened. They were in love. The mother was the one standing in their way. What to do? She was depressed and disturbed and all she wanted was to be with Billy. Brought up by a single parent and bullied by her fellow students, she was left with little or no self esteem. Him from a violent family, constantly witnessing her mother and father fighting. Eventually, they divorced. The beginning of his problems. They were a time bomb waiting to be triggered. When they exploded, it was very very violent.
March 20, 2008
This is my first true crime read. I enjoy documentaries about the same subject matter, so I thought I'd give this a go.
The book starts fairly slow and I think the author spent too many chapters on establishing the good nature of the victim. Once the story got started, it held my interest and the author did a good job of creating a few cliff hangers even when I already knew the outcome of the story.
My only real complaints deal with the author's style of writing. First was his inconsistent use of swear words. In most cases, he uses asterisks to avoid the use of swear words, but other times he writes them out in full. Either write them out or don't. I also found his overuse of quotation marks annoying. I understand that they were used to quote actual dialog, but he rarely quoted a whole sentence, only a few random words here and there. By the end of the book, I never wanted to see anyone use air quotes again!
Overall, it was a good read for my first true crime book but may be a little boring for avid readers of the genre.
The book starts fairly slow and I think the author spent too many chapters on establishing the good nature of the victim. Once the story got started, it held my interest and the author did a good job of creating a few cliff hangers even when I already knew the outcome of the story.
My only real complaints deal with the author's style of writing. First was his inconsistent use of swear words. In most cases, he uses asterisks to avoid the use of swear words, but other times he writes them out in full. Either write them out or don't. I also found his overuse of quotation marks annoying. I understand that they were used to quote actual dialog, but he rarely quoted a whole sentence, only a few random words here and there. By the end of the book, I never wanted to see anyone use air quotes again!
Overall, it was a good read for my first true crime book but may be a little boring for avid readers of the genre.
January 23, 2013
Phelps delivers another great read, this one detailing the death of a mom by her daughter and boyfriend. A particularly devastating and totally needless act of desperation by two immature teens "in love". By all accounts the murder victim was a well-respected and much loved member of her community, a mom who acted in the best interests of her daughter, and paid the ultimate price for her love and commitment to her child. As a mother, it was beyond frightening to read how her ungrateful and immature teen felt so "trapped" by the constraints (constraints that any normal parent would put on them to try to insure their safety and best welfare)that she felt the only way out was the murder of her own mother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2012
Nicole Kasinskas met Billy Sullivan online. He was 18, she was 14. They fell in "teenage love" even though they lived hundreds of miles away. They vowed to do anything to be together, and made long trips for short visits, and tried to convince Nicole's mother, Jeanne Dominico, to allow Nicole to move in with Billy. As any mother of a 14 year old would, her response was "absolutely no" You can do what you want when you're 18, but for now, you live her. Driven to desperation, Nicole and Billy plot to kill Jeanne so that they can be together.
February 25, 2015
I wasn't aware of this case at all before I picked up this book. Even with my not being familiar with any aspect of the case, I still felt this book was too long. Had the author not repeated over and over how obsessed Nicole was with Billy and how in love they thought they were, the book could've easily been a 100 pages shorter. It also threw me off having to see the author overuse quotation marks. Seems like every other word, he felt the need to put quotes around, even if it wasn't dialogue.
March 2, 2023
I think this might be my favorite so far of Phelps’ true crime novels. Can’t wait to read another one!
November 4, 2017
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
This was such a very sad and heartbreaking story. One young girl, Nicole, without her father in her life looking for that love to replace her father's absence and Billy it was. I felt so hurt by what happened to Jeanne. She loved her children so unconditionally and only wanted what was best for them. Raising two children on you're own with three jobs. God bless you, Jeanne, and may you rest in peace. Jeanne's lover, best friend, and companion was always there for her. He truly loved her and it was so heartbreaking to know he had lost his lifetime soulmate by her own daughter. How tragic, really just utterly tragic. Jeanne did the best she could handling the relationship of her daughter Nicole and Billy. Billy was eight-teen years old and Nicole only four-teen! But because she loved her daughter she allowed them to visit. I don't know of any GOOD mother WOULD allow their daughter to move to another stated with a boy she'd only known months. Then at the tragic end to find out Billy was a real sociopath. But can all the blame be on Billy. Nicole and Billy made several other attempts to murder her mom but Billy knew wouldn't work but went along anyways. Sure they were both in lust but as they seen it love. But how can you premeditate to kill your mother? What's wrong with Nicole? Her own birth mother who loved, took care of her, and gave her everything a child would need. Nicole was selfishly in love and had obviously mental issues herself. She had ample of times to stop the murder or the previous premeditated murders, why didn't she? Billy may have been the one holding the knife and committed the murder but Nicole was beyond the being the murderer. Calling why Billy was attempting to kill Jeanne. Why didn't she go home and stop him. You have to say it was as if she held the knife herself and killed her mother. I also believe Nicole needed life in prison without parole. It was her mother she premeditated to kill and didn't move a finger to stop it but call Billy to see if it was done.
**
Jeanne Dominico was brutally beaten and stabbed to death, her injuries showed she fought with her murderer. She was a single mother of two trying to make a life for her children and protect them the best she could. Billy Sullivan was a troubled young man that Jeanne’s daughter met over the internet, she was head-over-heels in love. Billy was obsessive and controlling, Jeanne worried about Nicole’s sliding schoolwork, she thought that Billy would hurt Nicole, but that is not what happened. The murder shocked the community, first in its brutality and second in who committed it, and who conspired to commit it.
Another top-notch true crime account from Phelps. With interviews and summary of the police interviews and court transcripts, you get a complete picture of what happened, he takes you step by step through the crime, the after effects, how each person came to be where they were and how it all ended.
This was such a very sad and heartbreaking story. One young girl, Nicole, without her father in her life looking for that love to replace her father's absence and Billy it was. I felt so hurt by what happened to Jeanne. She loved her children so unconditionally and only wanted what was best for them. Raising two children on you're own with three jobs. God bless you, Jeanne, and may you rest in peace. Jeanne's lover, best friend, and companion was always there for her. He truly loved her and it was so heartbreaking to know he had lost his lifetime soulmate by her own daughter. How tragic, really just utterly tragic. Jeanne did the best she could handling the relationship of her daughter Nicole and Billy. Billy was eight-teen years old and Nicole only four-teen! But because she loved her daughter she allowed them to visit. I don't know of any GOOD mother WOULD allow their daughter to move to another stated with a boy she'd only known months. Then at the tragic end to find out Billy was a real sociopath. But can all the blame be on Billy. Nicole and Billy made several other attempts to murder her mom but Billy knew wouldn't work but went along anyways. Sure they were both in lust but as they seen it love. But how can you premeditate to kill your mother? What's wrong with Nicole? Her own birth mother who loved, took care of her, and gave her everything a child would need. Nicole was selfishly in love and had obviously mental issues herself. She had ample of times to stop the murder or the previous premeditated murders, why didn't she? Billy may have been the one holding the knife and committed the murder but Nicole was beyond the being the murderer. Calling why Billy was attempting to kill Jeanne. Why didn't she go home and stop him. You have to say it was as if she held the knife herself and killed her mother. I also believe Nicole needed life in prison without parole. It was her mother she premeditated to kill and didn't move a finger to stop it but call Billy to see if it was done.
**
Jeanne Dominico was brutally beaten and stabbed to death, her injuries showed she fought with her murderer. She was a single mother of two trying to make a life for her children and protect them the best she could. Billy Sullivan was a troubled young man that Jeanne’s daughter met over the internet, she was head-over-heels in love. Billy was obsessive and controlling, Jeanne worried about Nicole’s sliding schoolwork, she thought that Billy would hurt Nicole, but that is not what happened. The murder shocked the community, first in its brutality and second in who committed it, and who conspired to commit it.
Another top-notch true crime account from Phelps. With interviews and summary of the police interviews and court transcripts, you get a complete picture of what happened, he takes you step by step through the crime, the after effects, how each person came to be where they were and how it all ended.
November 22, 2021
Another good one by one of my fave authors
I love Phelps' writing. I have read probably half or more of his books. He reminds me of Ann Rule. He really does the most meticulous research for his subjects and approaches each case with an open mind and neutral attitude.
As he delves deeper into the twisted anything-but-love story of Billy and Nicole, you can't help but be mystified by the pure selfish and evil actions of these two kids. They were both very disturbed individuals before they met, but when they became involved in this codependent affair, they created their own little world where no one else mattered. Both were academically intelligent, yet mentally immature and both had low self esteem. They began feeding off each other. Phelps does a good job of equally devoting equal time and attention to the lives of both kids and how they approached their intense attraction to each other. Jeanne, Nicole's mom, is alarmed at the seriousness of their relationship. Nicole is only 14 and Billy is almost 18. Jeanne does what any good mom would do. She sees the red flags and starts trying to keep them from getting too wrapped up in each other. But these 2 kids are hellbent on being together. They live 100 miles apart and don't see each other in person but every 3 months or so for 15 months. Jeanne tries to be accommodating. She even drives Nicole to see him a few times and lets Billy stay at their house for a week. She keeps hoping Nicole will see that a teen LDR can't work. Nicole and Billy scheme. They want to live together at Billy's mom's house. Jeanne, of course, like a good mom, absolutely refuses to consider it. So they eventually decide Jeanne has to die. Billy stabs and beats her to death. A very violent, brutal, and painful death, all because she wanted what was best for her child. It is a terrible outcome. Jeanne sounds like a saint and Nicole is her evil duchess of darkness. A good read. I pray that Jeanne's tortured fiancee finds peace. The book is 14 years old so I wonder how Chris is doing now and the rest of the people who were devastated by her senseless death. God bless Jeanne and may she rest in peace.
I love Phelps' writing. I have read probably half or more of his books. He reminds me of Ann Rule. He really does the most meticulous research for his subjects and approaches each case with an open mind and neutral attitude.
As he delves deeper into the twisted anything-but-love story of Billy and Nicole, you can't help but be mystified by the pure selfish and evil actions of these two kids. They were both very disturbed individuals before they met, but when they became involved in this codependent affair, they created their own little world where no one else mattered. Both were academically intelligent, yet mentally immature and both had low self esteem. They began feeding off each other. Phelps does a good job of equally devoting equal time and attention to the lives of both kids and how they approached their intense attraction to each other. Jeanne, Nicole's mom, is alarmed at the seriousness of their relationship. Nicole is only 14 and Billy is almost 18. Jeanne does what any good mom would do. She sees the red flags and starts trying to keep them from getting too wrapped up in each other. But these 2 kids are hellbent on being together. They live 100 miles apart and don't see each other in person but every 3 months or so for 15 months. Jeanne tries to be accommodating. She even drives Nicole to see him a few times and lets Billy stay at their house for a week. She keeps hoping Nicole will see that a teen LDR can't work. Nicole and Billy scheme. They want to live together at Billy's mom's house. Jeanne, of course, like a good mom, absolutely refuses to consider it. So they eventually decide Jeanne has to die. Billy stabs and beats her to death. A very violent, brutal, and painful death, all because she wanted what was best for her child. It is a terrible outcome. Jeanne sounds like a saint and Nicole is her evil duchess of darkness. A good read. I pray that Jeanne's tortured fiancee finds peace. The book is 14 years old so I wonder how Chris is doing now and the rest of the people who were devastated by her senseless death. God bless Jeanne and may she rest in peace.
July 27, 2019
Very Disturbing and Chilling, but Very Well Written
I have been a true crime fan for years --beginning with reading "In Cold Blood" in high school in the 1970s. I have read probably hundreds of true crime books and short stories, with truthfully most not being very good. I have read several of William Phelps ' books and this one is his best. This story is chilling, the killers are some of the most disturbing and evil I have ever heard of. So very sad- that poor woman suffered horribly. Overkill is the only way to describe the brutal murder, and it was one of the most horrible reasons for a murder I've ever heard of. It is shocking that a child would retaliate when the mother was doing the right thing and being a good mother. Also shocking that Nicole got off so easy. She should have received the same punishment as her boyfriend but, to me, she is the epitome of evil and a sociopath. She is a worse person than her boyfriend was---it was her own mother and she had every chance to stop this crime. Her attitude and actions were deplorable. I wondered if she ever saw a psychiatrist because she obviously had issues as well, or is just plain evil. This story will stay with me for awhile.
I have been a true crime fan for years --beginning with reading "In Cold Blood" in high school in the 1970s. I have read probably hundreds of true crime books and short stories, with truthfully most not being very good. I have read several of William Phelps ' books and this one is his best. This story is chilling, the killers are some of the most disturbing and evil I have ever heard of. So very sad- that poor woman suffered horribly. Overkill is the only way to describe the brutal murder, and it was one of the most horrible reasons for a murder I've ever heard of. It is shocking that a child would retaliate when the mother was doing the right thing and being a good mother. Also shocking that Nicole got off so easy. She should have received the same punishment as her boyfriend but, to me, she is the epitome of evil and a sociopath. She is a worse person than her boyfriend was---it was her own mother and she had every chance to stop this crime. Her attitude and actions were deplorable. I wondered if she ever saw a psychiatrist because she obviously had issues as well, or is just plain evil. This story will stay with me for awhile.
July 31, 2022
Good book but not great
This is a true story that reveals the evils of 2 "love-struck" teens who thought they could not live without one another. The two of them were going through those early days and weeks of what they felt was "true love" when they couldn't get enough of one another and it led to a horrible, mixed up afternoon that destroyed the life of of a wonderful human being. It was an interesting story that really made me feel the love and great loss of all the people involved.
The one thing I felt was o bit repetitious was the description of the victim in this story. I have absolutely no doubts that Jeanne was a wonderful, loving, very special person but the author repeated her accolades over and over again until it began to sound kind of fake which I'm sure was not his intentions.
Other than that, the book was well written and easy to read. I would definitely recommend this book to all true crime buffs.
This is a true story that reveals the evils of 2 "love-struck" teens who thought they could not live without one another. The two of them were going through those early days and weeks of what they felt was "true love" when they couldn't get enough of one another and it led to a horrible, mixed up afternoon that destroyed the life of of a wonderful human being. It was an interesting story that really made me feel the love and great loss of all the people involved.
The one thing I felt was o bit repetitious was the description of the victim in this story. I have absolutely no doubts that Jeanne was a wonderful, loving, very special person but the author repeated her accolades over and over again until it began to sound kind of fake which I'm sure was not his intentions.
Other than that, the book was well written and easy to read. I would definitely recommend this book to all true crime buffs.
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