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Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida
From the critically acclaimed author of the “enthralling” (San Francisco Book Review) An Unexplained Death, a breathless true crime tale of sex, religion, and murder in the deep South.
Mike and Denise Williams had a tight knit, seemingly unbreakable bond with childhood friends, Brian and Kathy Winchester. The two couples were devout, hardworking Baptists who lived perfect, quintessentially Southern lives. Their friendship seemed ironclad. That is, until December 16, 2000, when Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole. After no body was found, everyone assumed that Mike had drowned in a tragic accident, his body eaten by alligators. But things took an unexpected turn when, within five years of Mike’s disappearance, Brian Winchester divorced his wife and married Denise. Their surprising romance set tongues talking. People began wondering how long they had been a couple, and whether they had anything to do with Mike’s death. It took another twelve years for the truth to come out—and when it did, it was unimaginable. Now, the full, shocking story is revealed by Mikita Brottman, acclaimed true crime writer and “one of today’s finest practitioners of nonfiction” (The New York Times Book Review). Through tenacious research and clear-eyed prose, she probes the psychology of a couple who killed and explores how it feels to live for eighteen years with murder on the soul. A fascinating page-turner of modern noir, Guilty Creatures is destined to become an instant true crime classic.
Mike and Denise Williams had a tight knit, seemingly unbreakable bond with childhood friends, Brian and Kathy Winchester. The two couples were devout, hardworking Baptists who lived perfect, quintessentially Southern lives. Their friendship seemed ironclad. That is, until December 16, 2000, when Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole. After no body was found, everyone assumed that Mike had drowned in a tragic accident, his body eaten by alligators. But things took an unexpected turn when, within five years of Mike’s disappearance, Brian Winchester divorced his wife and married Denise. Their surprising romance set tongues talking. People began wondering how long they had been a couple, and whether they had anything to do with Mike’s death. It took another twelve years for the truth to come out—and when it did, it was unimaginable. Now, the full, shocking story is revealed by Mikita Brottman, acclaimed true crime writer and “one of today’s finest practitioners of nonfiction” (The New York Times Book Review). Through tenacious research and clear-eyed prose, she probes the psychology of a couple who killed and explores how it feels to live for eighteen years with murder on the soul. A fascinating page-turner of modern noir, Guilty Creatures is destined to become an instant true crime classic.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2024
337 people are currently reading
9612 people want to read
About the author
Mikita Brottman
33 books219 followersMikita Brottman (born 30 October 1966) is a British scholar, psychoanalyst, author and cultural critic known for her psychological readings of the dark and pathological elements of contemporary culture. She received a D.Phil in English Language and Literature from Oxford University, was a Visiting Professor of Comparative Literature at Indiana University, and was Chair of the program in Engaged Humanities with an emphasis in Depth Psychology at the Pacifica Graduate Institute from 2008 to 2010. She currently teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Brottman's articles and case studies have appeared in Film Quarterly, The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, New Literary History, and American Imago. She has written influentially on horror films, critical theory, reading, psychoanalysis, and the work of the American folklorist, Gershon Legman.
Brottman also writes for mainstream and counterculture journals and magazines. Her work has appeared in such diverse venues as The Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Bad Subjects, The Fortean Times, Headpress, and Popmatters, where her column, "Sub Rosa", ran from January 2007 to July 2009. Her essays have also appeared in a number of books and anthologies.
She is the author of the cult film books Meat is Murder and Hollywood Hex, as well as books on psychoanalysis, critical theory and contemporary popular culture. Her most recent book, The Solitary Vice: Against Reading (Counterpoint, 2008) was selected as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly, who said: "Sharp, whimsical and impassioned, Brottman's look at the pleasures and perils of compulsive reading is itself compulsively readable and will connect with any book lover."
Brottman's partner is the film critic David Sterritt.
(from Wikipedia)
Brottman also writes for mainstream and counterculture journals and magazines. Her work has appeared in such diverse venues as The Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Bad Subjects, The Fortean Times, Headpress, and Popmatters, where her column, "Sub Rosa", ran from January 2007 to July 2009. Her essays have also appeared in a number of books and anthologies.
She is the author of the cult film books Meat is Murder and Hollywood Hex, as well as books on psychoanalysis, critical theory and contemporary popular culture. Her most recent book, The Solitary Vice: Against Reading (Counterpoint, 2008) was selected as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly, who said: "Sharp, whimsical and impassioned, Brottman's look at the pleasures and perils of compulsive reading is itself compulsively readable and will connect with any book lover."
Brottman's partner is the film critic David Sterritt.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 590 reviews
August 10, 2024
ARC for review. Published July 23, 2024.
Described as “breathless true crime tale of sex, religion, and murder in the deep south.” Well, I like everything in that sentence but the Oxford comma, so should be great, right?
Zzzzzzzz. Huh? What? Am I drooling?
Mike and Denise Williams (even their names are boring) were high school sweethearts as were Brian and Kathy Winchester. The couples were both devout Baptists who lived in Tallahassee. On December 12, 2000 Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole. His body was never found and was presumed eaten by alligators.
Then, within five years, Brian divorces Kathy and has married Denise. Hmmmm. People started talking, I mean, can’t a poor widow woman just shack up with her best friend’s man in peace for the love of God? Then, years later, the truth comes out. I won’t spoil it, but if you can’t guess it, um, well, you might not even know what “spoil” means.
So, I get that there wasn’t going to be some big surprise here, but there usually isn’t with true crime. The key is in the writing. And this could have been good. But it wasn’t. Just dull. Dulldulldull. God bless Mike’s mom though. I’m sure she looked like a lunatic, marching around with her signs and all, but she was determined to find her son, and though it didn’t turn out like she hoped, I hope she knows that she is the reason it got resolved at all. Moms are awesome.
And where are the photos? True crime books used to always have photos! Why don’t they do that anymore? I always like seeing the real people. Let’s bring that back, you cheap bastards!
I do love crime, and this had potential, but this? Skip this one. Message me if you don’t know who did it. After I’ve finished laughing at you I will tell you. It was the gators.
Described as “breathless true crime tale of sex, religion, and murder in the deep south.” Well, I like everything in that sentence but the Oxford comma, so should be great, right?
Zzzzzzzz. Huh? What? Am I drooling?
Mike and Denise Williams (even their names are boring) were high school sweethearts as were Brian and Kathy Winchester. The couples were both devout Baptists who lived in Tallahassee. On December 12, 2000 Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole. His body was never found and was presumed eaten by alligators.
Then, within five years, Brian divorces Kathy and has married Denise. Hmmmm. People started talking, I mean, can’t a poor widow woman just shack up with her best friend’s man in peace for the love of God? Then, years later, the truth comes out. I won’t spoil it, but if you can’t guess it, um, well, you might not even know what “spoil” means.
So, I get that there wasn’t going to be some big surprise here, but there usually isn’t with true crime. The key is in the writing. And this could have been good. But it wasn’t. Just dull. Dulldulldull. God bless Mike’s mom though. I’m sure she looked like a lunatic, marching around with her signs and all, but she was determined to find her son, and though it didn’t turn out like she hoped, I hope she knows that she is the reason it got resolved at all. Moms are awesome.
And where are the photos? True crime books used to always have photos! Why don’t they do that anymore? I always like seeing the real people. Let’s bring that back, you cheap bastards!
I do love crime, and this had potential, but this? Skip this one. Message me if you don’t know who did it. After I’ve finished laughing at you I will tell you. It was the gators.
June 19, 2025
The whole story is in the title and summary description, so there's not a whole lot of surprises in the telling of the story. It's salacious, a lot of heartbreak, lots of finger pointing and he said/she said, and betrayal. It's a moral lesson most children learn early in life - adultery and killing are wrong. So it was clear why Brian spun out, but Denise, well, that's a whole different study in character. I think the juxtaposition of their two fallouts, though possibly in proportion to their personal contributions to the crime, is where the book makes itself interesting.
I kind of wish I could've served on this jury. I've been called up for jury duty four times in my life, and I never get called for voir dire. I'm always willing to serve and consider it a sacred civic duty, but I'm excused every single time before my number even gets called. I'm curious how much of what I read and see on TV/in movies actually mimic what happens in trials like this one. I'm curious how jurors grapple with life altering decisions. A little bit of insight is offered in this book on that too.
Overall, it's a fast and easy read, but I didn't really gain anything out of it personally. Closer to a 3.5, but not quite close enough to round up to 4.
I kind of wish I could've served on this jury. I've been called up for jury duty four times in my life, and I never get called for voir dire. I'm always willing to serve and consider it a sacred civic duty, but I'm excused every single time before my number even gets called. I'm curious how much of what I read and see on TV/in movies actually mimic what happens in trials like this one. I'm curious how jurors grapple with life altering decisions. A little bit of insight is offered in this book on that too.
Overall, it's a fast and easy read, but I didn't really gain anything out of it personally. Closer to a 3.5, but not quite close enough to round up to 4.
December 1, 2024
reads like a soap opera and i loved it!
April 4, 2024
Having gone to FSU in the early 2000s I was familiar with this story and excited to read this book thinking it would dive way deeper into it than what I may have known before. But it was very disappointing… The book was filled with distracting grammatical errors, conflicting information between the pages, and several tangents that the author went on for pages and pages. It read to me like a mix between a clickbait article and someone writing a college paper that they’d procrastinated on and were struggling to meet the minimum word count on. I received this as an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review so who knows… maybe the editors will give it another look through? I wanted so badly to like this book…
December 7, 2023
Two couples in Florida make up a close knit quartet of best friends, until one husband vanishes while out duck hunting, sparking a long running mystery that will remain unsolved for more than a decade.
In the annals of true crime, murder as the solution to an affair is a common occurrence, mundane even when stacked up the ranks of serial killers and mass murderers who generally get top billing. But even a 'mundane' crime is a story in itself, and the people they victimize deserve just as much attention as those that generally grab headlines. In this book, Brottman works to bring that well-deserved attention to the murder of Mike Williams.
This is a quick read, but an engrossing one. Brottman does a good job bringing the socially stifling world of the subjects to life, grounding us in their lives and the path to Mike's murder. She treats everyone with an even hand, making it easy to visualize them as they are - that is, the kind of people that we all know. By not 'othering' the murderers, the case only seems more immediate and tragic.
What's really astonishing about the case though is the aftermath. It was fascinating to see Brian and Denise continue to carry on with their lives as they slowly splinter under the weight of their consciences. I also liked that there was just enough supporting information to contextualize what happens between the pair and how they are treated in the media and by their community without pulling focus away from the story itself.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
In the annals of true crime, murder as the solution to an affair is a common occurrence, mundane even when stacked up the ranks of serial killers and mass murderers who generally get top billing. But even a 'mundane' crime is a story in itself, and the people they victimize deserve just as much attention as those that generally grab headlines. In this book, Brottman works to bring that well-deserved attention to the murder of Mike Williams.
This is a quick read, but an engrossing one. Brottman does a good job bringing the socially stifling world of the subjects to life, grounding us in their lives and the path to Mike's murder. She treats everyone with an even hand, making it easy to visualize them as they are - that is, the kind of people that we all know. By not 'othering' the murderers, the case only seems more immediate and tragic.
What's really astonishing about the case though is the aftermath. It was fascinating to see Brian and Denise continue to carry on with their lives as they slowly splinter under the weight of their consciences. I also liked that there was just enough supporting information to contextualize what happens between the pair and how they are treated in the media and by their community without pulling focus away from the story itself.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
July 18, 2024
Thank you to Atria Publishing and Mikita Brottman for my copy of this book! It was a true crime book about two couples, Denise and Mike and Brian and Kathy, who are both devout Baptists. They form a friend group that begins to branch out, trying group sex, drugs, and straying from the Baptist faith. Then Mike disappears while hunting on the lake, and when no body is found, everyone thought he was eaten by alligators.
But then Mike’s widow Denise marries Brian, who left his wife for her. Then two decades later, he confesses that he and Denise murdered Mike in order to be together. This is the shocking details of the case and how things came together for Brian and Denise to plot a murder that they believed was God’s will.
Thoughts: This was such a wild story. I had never heard of this case, and I’m so happy I got to learn about it. The story was so twisted, and growing up religious myself, I can see the way that religion can become overbearing and people can crack under the pressure. The fact that these couples were driven to murder was shocking and it was wild they thought it would fix their problems. It’s always hard to rate a true story, but for the writing, this book was 4.5 stars!
But then Mike’s widow Denise marries Brian, who left his wife for her. Then two decades later, he confesses that he and Denise murdered Mike in order to be together. This is the shocking details of the case and how things came together for Brian and Denise to plot a murder that they believed was God’s will.
Thoughts: This was such a wild story. I had never heard of this case, and I’m so happy I got to learn about it. The story was so twisted, and growing up religious myself, I can see the way that religion can become overbearing and people can crack under the pressure. The fact that these couples were driven to murder was shocking and it was wild they thought it would fix their problems. It’s always hard to rate a true story, but for the writing, this book was 4.5 stars!
June 29, 2024
One of the very best nonfiction books that I’ve read in years. An incredibly salacious story told through a journalistic lens, which manages to toe the line between informative and entertaining, perfectly.
June 28, 2024
As far as true crime novels go, this wasn’t one of my favorites. It embraced a very “tell not show” vibe, which, I can understand for the genre to an extent. But, it left me feeling very detached and I didn’t ever start to really care about the story.
If this crime intrigues you, give it a read. But if you’re not already interested in that certain story, I’d pass.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
If this crime intrigues you, give it a read. But if you’re not already interested in that certain story, I’d pass.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
August 22, 2024
On December 16, 2000, Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole on the border of Georgia and Florida. His body was never recovered.
The story that unfolds looks into the lives of Denise Williams and Brian Winchester, as well as their spouses. The four of them were friends in a tight-knit Baptist community in Tallahassee, Florida. Brottman did a wonderful job of laying out the story from backgrounds to facts as they were uncovered and how the truth finally came to light.
The author breaks down the whys of the crime, revealing what built up to Mike’s disappearance and what happened in the aftermath of his death. The story she told was laid out in a compelling way that drew me in and shared facts I wasn’t aware of. Religion, sex, and greed all played a role in this stranger than fiction case.
Fans of true crime will find the Guilty Creatures to be an engrossing tale. Leon Nixon narrates and enhances the overall tale by giving voice to the characters and setting the tone. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
The story that unfolds looks into the lives of Denise Williams and Brian Winchester, as well as their spouses. The four of them were friends in a tight-knit Baptist community in Tallahassee, Florida. Brottman did a wonderful job of laying out the story from backgrounds to facts as they were uncovered and how the truth finally came to light.
The author breaks down the whys of the crime, revealing what built up to Mike’s disappearance and what happened in the aftermath of his death. The story she told was laid out in a compelling way that drew me in and shared facts I wasn’t aware of. Religion, sex, and greed all played a role in this stranger than fiction case.
Fans of true crime will find the Guilty Creatures to be an engrossing tale. Leon Nixon narrates and enhances the overall tale by giving voice to the characters and setting the tone. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
July 27, 2024
Certainly a page turner and an interesting study in the wages of sin. Not exactly a surprising story.
March 9, 2025
I’m with you Barbara! This was very well done true crime.
“…the two had tied themselves together so that, if either one turned on the other, both would be destroyed.”
17 years later one of them cracks.
“People are murdered because they are loved, because they were once loved, or because they stand in the way of love.”
“Adulterous Baptist lovers beat a murder rap, collect on the insurance, but can’t escape each other. People love tale of outrage and scandal; they love to witness the unmasking of those who haven’t practiced what they preach. It’s a wish fulfillment fantasy: accomplices turn on each other.”
Final thoughts: With friends like these, you don’t need any enemies.
“…the two had tied themselves together so that, if either one turned on the other, both would be destroyed.”
17 years later one of them cracks.
“People are murdered because they are loved, because they were once loved, or because they stand in the way of love.”
“Adulterous Baptist lovers beat a murder rap, collect on the insurance, but can’t escape each other. People love tale of outrage and scandal; they love to witness the unmasking of those who haven’t practiced what they preach. It’s a wish fulfillment fantasy: accomplices turn on each other.”
Final thoughts: With friends like these, you don’t need any enemies.
January 3, 2024
This is a true crime story that was well publicized all over the Country. Because I do not watch this
type of programming, I knew nothing about the lengthy saga.
I found the actual murder to be the least interesting part of this story. The dogged determination of
Brian’s Mom is probably the single most compelling thing to me: Nothing can ever stand between a
Mother and her child.
As the story is told, it is clear that the entire far reaching community had a tight grip on how everyone
was expected to behave, and if we combine that with less than dedicated or aggressive investigation
techniques, the situation makes sense.
The book was well written, but might have had a bit more detail than I needed. However, we each bring
our own experiences to the table and this is a story with which I am familiar. The last third of the book is
well done. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy true murder stories.
My thanks to the Author, Mikita Brottman, her Publisher, Atria ~One Signal, via NetGalley for this
download copy for review purposes.
type of programming, I knew nothing about the lengthy saga.
I found the actual murder to be the least interesting part of this story. The dogged determination of
Brian’s Mom is probably the single most compelling thing to me: Nothing can ever stand between a
Mother and her child.
As the story is told, it is clear that the entire far reaching community had a tight grip on how everyone
was expected to behave, and if we combine that with less than dedicated or aggressive investigation
techniques, the situation makes sense.
The book was well written, but might have had a bit more detail than I needed. However, we each bring
our own experiences to the table and this is a story with which I am familiar. The last third of the book is
well done. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy true murder stories.
My thanks to the Author, Mikita Brottman, her Publisher, Atria ~One Signal, via NetGalley for this
download copy for review purposes.
July 23, 2024
My quick take on GUILTY CREATURES: Fascinating case. Not-so-fascinating writing.
This true crime has all the hallmarks of a riveting read. We have ongoing adultery, a best friend’s vicious betrayal, and a murder that went unsolved for decades, all against the backdrop of a small Christian community.
Unfortunately, I found the writing dry, with the vibe more news article than engaging narrative. I didn't feel any emotional connection.
I expected something different with the “far-right, conservative” Christian connection. The two women at the heart of this story were very much independent and sexually free. They just happened to go to church, as well.
In the end, I didn't care about any of these people.
I had the ebook, but I mostly listened to the audiobook. The narrator, Leon Nixon, was fine, though like the writing, his narration was just a straightforward recitation of facts.
*I received a free eARC and a free audiobook download from the publishers.*
This true crime has all the hallmarks of a riveting read. We have ongoing adultery, a best friend’s vicious betrayal, and a murder that went unsolved for decades, all against the backdrop of a small Christian community.
Unfortunately, I found the writing dry, with the vibe more news article than engaging narrative. I didn't feel any emotional connection.
I expected something different with the “far-right, conservative” Christian connection. The two women at the heart of this story were very much independent and sexually free. They just happened to go to church, as well.
In the end, I didn't care about any of these people.
I had the ebook, but I mostly listened to the audiobook. The narrator, Leon Nixon, was fine, though like the writing, his narration was just a straightforward recitation of facts.
*I received a free eARC and a free audiobook download from the publishers.*
December 20, 2023
As an avid true crime fan, I was shocked to have never heard of this case. A brutal tale of betrayal, religion, and adultery in the south ends in cold blood murder, because of course it does.
So much detail goes into this well researched book, but unfortunately it lacked flow and execution for me. Much more textbook material than a good non-fiction. The first half held my attention more so than when it finally came together.
But I will give it this. It made me want to research the case myself.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC and opportunity to read this for an honest review.
2.5 ⭐️
So much detail goes into this well researched book, but unfortunately it lacked flow and execution for me. Much more textbook material than a good non-fiction. The first half held my attention more so than when it finally came together.
But I will give it this. It made me want to research the case myself.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC and opportunity to read this for an honest review.
2.5 ⭐️
January 30, 2025
That was quite a story, well told. As always I find true crime is hard to believe. If it were a novel I’d be saying that could never happen. The old adage is right “truthis stranger than fiction.”
I still find it hard to fathom how they weren’t caught at the onset of the disappearance of Mike. A Walmart employee wouldn’t wonder at a purchase of barbells, a tarp and a shovel? His cop friend wouldn’t have noticed these odd items in the shopping cart? The other duck hunter at the burial site didn’t come forward to report what he saw? Brian’s truck wasn’t examined? How about all those muddy clothes? The list could go on and on. The police must have been off in nevernever land.
They were all trash and it was great to see their tangled we’d wrapped tightly around them.
Belle - can’t believe this is on your want to read list. I just grabbed it at the library because it was Florida and crime! Unbeknownst to me you’d discovered it too. Great minds……Enjoy, it was a page turner that kept me up late.
.
I still find it hard to fathom how they weren’t caught at the onset of the disappearance of Mike. A Walmart employee wouldn’t wonder at a purchase of barbells, a tarp and a shovel? His cop friend wouldn’t have noticed these odd items in the shopping cart? The other duck hunter at the burial site didn’t come forward to report what he saw? Brian’s truck wasn’t examined? How about all those muddy clothes? The list could go on and on. The police must have been off in nevernever land.
They were all trash and it was great to see their tangled we’d wrapped tightly around them.
Belle - can’t believe this is on your want to read list. I just grabbed it at the library because it was Florida and crime! Unbeknownst to me you’d discovered it too. Great minds……Enjoy, it was a page turner that kept me up late.
.
August 31, 2024
Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida by Mikita Brottman
Thank you so much partner @atriabooks #AtriaPartner for the gifted copy.
About the book 👇🏽
Mike and Denise Williams had a tight knit, seemingly unbreakable bond with childhood friends, Brian and Kathy Winchester. The two couples were devout, hardworking Baptists who lived perfect, quintessentially Southern lives. Their friendship seemed ironclad. That is, until December 16, 2000, when Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole.
After no body was found, everyone assumed that Mike had drowned in a tragic accident, his body eaten by alligators. But things took an unexpected turn when, within five years of Mike’s disappearance, Brian Winchester divorced his wife and married Denise. Their surprising romance set tongues talking. People began wondering how long they had been a couple, and whether they had anything to do with Mike’s death. It took another twelve years for the truth to come out—and when it did, it was unimaginable.
🐊 My thoughts:
What a wild story! Honestly, I did find this book to be a page turner. I love to read, listen, and watch all things true crime. And brownie points if the story teller is great at it! Because we all know there’s more than a few boring true crime tellers, but luckily that’s not this book! I was not familiar with this story so this one was brand new to me and hot damn!! Some people will really use religion as an excuse to do some extreme things… giving us christians a bad rap. Not cool. Whatever you’re beliefs, this is a crazy story and if you enjoy true crime, you gotta read it!!
Happy reading 📖 🐊
Thank you so much partner @atriabooks #AtriaPartner for the gifted copy.
About the book 👇🏽
Mike and Denise Williams had a tight knit, seemingly unbreakable bond with childhood friends, Brian and Kathy Winchester. The two couples were devout, hardworking Baptists who lived perfect, quintessentially Southern lives. Their friendship seemed ironclad. That is, until December 16, 2000, when Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole.
After no body was found, everyone assumed that Mike had drowned in a tragic accident, his body eaten by alligators. But things took an unexpected turn when, within five years of Mike’s disappearance, Brian Winchester divorced his wife and married Denise. Their surprising romance set tongues talking. People began wondering how long they had been a couple, and whether they had anything to do with Mike’s death. It took another twelve years for the truth to come out—and when it did, it was unimaginable.
🐊 My thoughts:
What a wild story! Honestly, I did find this book to be a page turner. I love to read, listen, and watch all things true crime. And brownie points if the story teller is great at it! Because we all know there’s more than a few boring true crime tellers, but luckily that’s not this book! I was not familiar with this story so this one was brand new to me and hot damn!! Some people will really use religion as an excuse to do some extreme things… giving us christians a bad rap. Not cool. Whatever you’re beliefs, this is a crazy story and if you enjoy true crime, you gotta read it!!
Happy reading 📖 🐊
September 5, 2024
My thoughts on this are ambivalent and that is how I would define this true crime story. Very detached and yet interesting psychological insights.
February 27, 2024
"The act of killing, to put it another way, doesn't require a particular kind of psychological makeup. Anyone who's loved intensely and passionately is capable of murder."
I was lucky enough to receive my copy of this book in the mail from a Goodreads giveaway. This is the first true crime book I've read because I usually prefer fiction over nonfiction. However, I love to listen to true crime podcasts!
This book literally read like a Serial podcast! I swear I could hear Sarah Koenig narrating in my head. It was great!
Team they were both guilty all the way; none of this she-used-her-feminine-wiles-to-put-the-idea-in-his-head, but he's-the-one-who-performed-the-action.
So glad that Cheryl got justice (and closure) for Mike in some form or fashion.
I was lucky enough to receive my copy of this book in the mail from a Goodreads giveaway. This is the first true crime book I've read because I usually prefer fiction over nonfiction. However, I love to listen to true crime podcasts!
This book literally read like a Serial podcast! I swear I could hear Sarah Koenig narrating in my head. It was great!
Team they were both guilty all the way; none of this she-used-her-feminine-wiles-to-put-the-idea-in-his-head, but he's-the-one-who-performed-the-action.
So glad that Cheryl got justice (and closure) for Mike in some form or fashion.
December 6, 2023
True Crime is one of my favorite genres to read and I've read hundreds. I don't recall this story so I was excited about reading it. It was very well researched but the way it's written just didn't work for me. It reads more like an article rather than a book. It seems that the author just compiled information from many different sources and compiled them into book form. It also lacked pictures which is almost a requirement for any great True Crime book. 2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 18, 2024
I saw this story years ago on the ID channel and I never forgot it. Of course this was before it was solved and Mike was missing. My heart broke for his mother who carried a sign on the side of the road so people wouldn’t forget him. This stuck with me all these years. I’m so glad there’s closure and this book explains everything. I do wish pictures were available but I googled the story and found some there.
March 22, 2024
An intriguing true crime story about a couple wearing a mask of two good Christians. This story took some crazy turns, proving truth is stranger than fiction.
July 17, 2025
I was intrigued by Guilty Creatures by the premise, religion, adultery, and murder (oh my!) in the South, by an author with critical acclaim.
Within a few pages, I realized I had already seen this case covered in a Dateline episode (yes, with Keith Morrison echoing in my head).
Unfortunately, the book didn’t offer anything new beyond that network summary.
The frustrating aspect isn’t the crime itself, which is tragic and layered, but the fact that Brottman presents it in such a flat, matter-of-fact tone.
We’re told what happened, in what order, who was involved, but there's a shocking lack of interiority. No textured exploration of motive, no voices from those involved. Where are the friends, family, or investigators?
There's just no emotional scaffolding to help understand how something so extreme unfolded. Just a clean line from A to B to C, which made the entire reading experience feel more like a summary sheet than a narrative journey.
This is the kind of true crime that makes me a self-confessed snob about the genre. I don’t read true crime just to know what happened.
I want to understand why it happened.
What drove these people?
How did faith, fear, desire, or dysfunction shape the decisions that led to a life taken?
At its best, true crime can hold a mirror up to our darkest impulses, help us question our assumptions about justice, and bring humanity into even the most haunting stories.
Brottman is referred to as “one of the finest practitioners of nonfiction,” I hope that praise is riding on earlier work, because this one doesn’t earn it.
If you're someone who reads true crime to understand rather than consume, this probably isn't the book for you.
Within a few pages, I realized I had already seen this case covered in a Dateline episode (yes, with Keith Morrison echoing in my head).
Unfortunately, the book didn’t offer anything new beyond that network summary.
The frustrating aspect isn’t the crime itself, which is tragic and layered, but the fact that Brottman presents it in such a flat, matter-of-fact tone.
We’re told what happened, in what order, who was involved, but there's a shocking lack of interiority. No textured exploration of motive, no voices from those involved. Where are the friends, family, or investigators?
There's just no emotional scaffolding to help understand how something so extreme unfolded. Just a clean line from A to B to C, which made the entire reading experience feel more like a summary sheet than a narrative journey.
This is the kind of true crime that makes me a self-confessed snob about the genre. I don’t read true crime just to know what happened.
I want to understand why it happened.
What drove these people?
How did faith, fear, desire, or dysfunction shape the decisions that led to a life taken?
At its best, true crime can hold a mirror up to our darkest impulses, help us question our assumptions about justice, and bring humanity into even the most haunting stories.
Brottman is referred to as “one of the finest practitioners of nonfiction,” I hope that praise is riding on earlier work, because this one doesn’t earn it.
If you're someone who reads true crime to understand rather than consume, this probably isn't the book for you.
November 30, 2024
The writing is strangely sympathetic to Brian and yet the author still has the audacity to end the book with a few paragraphs about how women are disproportionately punished/scrutinized in cases such as these. Call is coming from inside the house!
October 24, 2024
People will never cease to amaze me. 😒
August 3, 2024
Okay, so, this book, is totally wild. You’ve got Mike and Denise Williams, this seemingly perfect couple, and their BFFs, Brian and Kathy Winchester. They’re all like, super religious and good ol’ Southern folks.
But then, boom! Mike disappears while duck hunting. Everyone thinks it’s an accident, but nah, that’s not the case.
Fast forward a few years, and Brian and Denise are hitched. People are all like, "WTH?" Did they kill Mike? It takes another twelve years, but the truth finally comes out.
And let me tell you, it’s insane.
Mikita Brottman, this true crime writer, (& has to be a researcher too!) really digs deep into this whole mess.
It’s creepy, it’s fascinating, and it’s totally addictive.
If you’re into true crime and want to be shocked, this book is for you.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
But then, boom! Mike disappears while duck hunting. Everyone thinks it’s an accident, but nah, that’s not the case.
Fast forward a few years, and Brian and Denise are hitched. People are all like, "WTH?" Did they kill Mike? It takes another twelve years, but the truth finally comes out.
And let me tell you, it’s insane.
Mikita Brottman, this true crime writer, (& has to be a researcher too!) really digs deep into this whole mess.
It’s creepy, it’s fascinating, and it’s totally addictive.
If you’re into true crime and want to be shocked, this book is for you.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
December 27, 2024
The book slowly and methodically laid out details of a murder that took place in 2000. Very detailed . The author analyzes psychologically the pair who together planned the murder.
August 14, 2025
Ummm, yeah, that picture on the cover? That's not Tallahassee. That's a completely different part of Florida. Which pretty much tells you all you need to know about the accuracy of this book. I had said "That's not true" or "That's not the whole story" at least a dozen times by the end of the first chapter. (I've lived in the area my entire life. My father was in law enforcement there for decades.)
This book reads like a high school term paper the author forgot about, then patched together from internet clips at 11 p.m. the night before it was due. Padded out, of course, by her soap-box diatribes on everything from the breakdown of the US justice system to Baptists. (Man, she really doesn't like Baptists.) And don't forget the grand finale, denouncing the reader's prurient interest in true crime; you know, the very thing Makita Brottman makes her money writing about.
Several things in the text indicate that the author has never stepped foot in North Florida and likely never directly interviewed most of the subjects included in this book. As a local, I have my own theory as to where she got all her material from, but I'll keep that to myself.
Skip this book and listen to season 4 of the podcast Over My Dead Body for a more cohesive, well-told, less prejudiced version of this story. That has its flaws, but it's infinitely better than this.
This book reads like a high school term paper the author forgot about, then patched together from internet clips at 11 p.m. the night before it was due. Padded out, of course, by her soap-box diatribes on everything from the breakdown of the US justice system to Baptists. (Man, she really doesn't like Baptists.) And don't forget the grand finale, denouncing the reader's prurient interest in true crime; you know, the very thing Makita Brottman makes her money writing about.
Several things in the text indicate that the author has never stepped foot in North Florida and likely never directly interviewed most of the subjects included in this book. As a local, I have my own theory as to where she got all her material from, but I'll keep that to myself.
Skip this book and listen to season 4 of the podcast Over My Dead Body for a more cohesive, well-told, less prejudiced version of this story. That has its flaws, but it's infinitely better than this.
September 7, 2024
As a lifelong resident of Tallahassee who is very familiar with this story, I have to say this book was terrible. Terribly written. Just a regurgitation of other sources mostly. I was already irritated in the first five minutes after the way the author described our beautiful city - more trailer parks than gated communities and rusted cars up on blocks. I mean did she even visit? If you want to read a really good book about this case, skip this one and read Evil at Lake Seminole by Steven Epstein. That one is great!
August 24, 2024
What a story! Juicier than a soap opera, stranger than fiction, but it's all a very true and very sad crime. And controversial, too, in its aftermath. Two young couples, raised Baptist and law-abiding, tread into the dangerous territory of adultery and ultimately, murder. For all true crime readers.
September 3, 2024
I think brottman has become one of my go-to authors for true crime. Her writing style is fresh and sharp. I loved how she included so much literary criticism re: James Cain. It was a welcome surprise!
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