Mr. Big: The Investigation into the Deaths of Karen and Krista Hart

by Colleen Lewis, Jennifer Hicks

Mr. Big is the shocking true story of a murder investigation in Newfoundland and Labrador that forever changed the face of the Canadian justice system.

On August 4, 2002, three-year-old twin girls Karen and Krista Hart drowned in Gander Lake. They had gone there with their father. He said it was an accident, but the police were convinced Nelson Hart had killed his daughters that day.

With not enough evidence to make an arrest, the RCMP launched a $500,000 “Mr. Big” sting operation to try to get a confession. This book examines the dramatic events that unfolded over the four-month period when Nelson was flying back and forth across the country working in what he believed to be an organized crime syndicate.

Central to this story is Jennifer Hicks, who reveals for the first time her life with her now ex-husband, Nelson Hart, and the events surrounding the deaths of her daughters. Together with television journalist Colleen Lewis, who closely followed Hart’s murder trial, Jennifer has reconstructed the tragic story of an abusive relationship and a mother’s worst nightmare.

Finalist for the 2016 Arthur Ellis Awards, Best Nonfiction Book Category

#10 on the Globe and Mail (Canadian Non-Fiction) Bestseller List (October 10, 2015)

#6 on the Globe and Mail (Canadian Non-Fiction) Bestseller List (October 17, 2015)

#6 on the Globe and Mail (Canadian Non-Fiction) Bestseller List (October 24, 2015)

#10 on the Globe and Mail (Canadian Non-Fiction) Bestseller List (October 31, 2015)

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

225 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2015

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inappropriately titled. This is not an investigation into deaths of two children, but a memoir of the surviving mother.

[Jasmine Coombs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting read, this book follows Jennifer Hick’s life and the investigation of the murder of her two daughters killed by her now ex-husband Nelson Hart. I loved that it was based in Newfoundland. it put a real perspective of things that can happen especially in a place where you may feel the safest.

This story is so tragic and heartbreaking. it had me feeling so many emotions at once. I was mad at Jennifer for her poor decision making most so many times but also sympathized with her because of all she had to deal with

He was a strange and distasteful man who wanted nothing but money and a title in life. He belongs in jail for a lifetime and even though they say that the trial and operation was inadmissible I totally believe that he’s guilty

[Julia Girard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Colleen did an amazing job capturing everything to draw you in and not put the book down! Read in a day!

[Sam H · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found that this book read quite dry and seemed almost like a long, one-sided news article.
In my opinion there was very little given about Nelson and his background, such as his lack of education and his poor upbringing.
There were references in the book that I just couldn't get past as well, such as mentions of "advanced diabetes", and as a diabetic myself, I know there's no such thing. Either you have it or you don't. Maybe "complications as a result of diabetes" would be a better way to phrase it? Regardless, incorrect medical terminology is something I find it quite difficult to overlook.
This is a heartbreaking story and while I found it frustrating that Jennifer kept returning to Nelson despite his apparent mental and physical abuse, I have to remind myself that this is a real story of the events of a real persons life. While the decisions she made were not always the smartest, they probably felt the best to her in those moments.
As for the book itself, I felt it was very dry and didn't have much flow to the words. Everything was very factual and almost robotic, and I felt that there was too much unnecessary focus on trivial things such as Jennifer's repeated trips to the food bank and fights with Nelson over money.
And being a Newfoundlander myself, I felt that a lot of the dialogue would have gone over any non-Newfoundlander's heads. Jennifer calls Nelson "my son" at several points and if you didn't know better you might assume that she was referring to him as her child, instead of the Newfoundland slang of "m'son" as a reference to another person.
Overall 2/5 stars. I wish I could give it more but I felt that it could have been written much more heartfelt and a lot of boring, drawn-out details could have been left out.

[Ammar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is it bad to say I hold the mother partially responsible for the murder of her two daughters by their father ?

The book is heartbreaking for sure. The sense of loss and it's after effects are present in the narrative.

What pissed me so much was the cycle of Jennifer Hart going back to Nelson Hart all through the years after the murder. this cycle should have been broken but she didn't want that and it really made me angry at the actions.

The legality of Mr. Big operation is debated in the legal system. Hopefully the family of the girls will see the justice that they need.

[Corylyn Dimmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although many have criticized this book for being "one sided", I disagree. In the end, I found myself wondering what really happened. Whereas, before reading, I already had my mind made up. It is difficult to read Jennifer's version of her life - you wonder how someone could let so many terrible things happen, especially once her daughters were born. You start to wonder if she was as odd as he was. Maybe she was. Or maybe she suffered abuse and confusion like many others do and just couldn't get out of it. Either way, it is a heartbreaking story that I couldn't put down.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not really about the investigation into the deaths of the girls...its Jennifer Hicks' version of events and her life with Nelson Hart. I don't think there was actually a great deal of research completed while writing this book. There is little in there about the trial and appeal.

[HT · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this one, but I think the story starts way too early in the protagonist's life. The book lost me with its slow pace and meandering, seemingly meaningless anecdotes. DNF at 15%.

[Chrissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was heartbreaking to read. It actually had very little to do with the trial. I was expecting more on that. It was really the mothers account on what happened and her horrible life with Nelson Hart. It would have been great to have more about the trial and his appeal afterword.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Stockholm Syndrome by an abused woman. A page turner, but very frustrating to read how someone can be victimized over and over again.

[Laurel · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is terrible, the title and blurb misleading, and while I understand its difficult to break a cycle of abuse, with this one, I just dont get it. She makes remarks about the women also living in transition housing, essentially saying why bother, they're just going to go back to their abusive exes. ...And then she does exactly that, again and again and again. Maybe don't judge the other women in similar situations..at least they didnt get their children killed by lack of action.. And this was not a case of lack of support, lack of place to go. She mentions repeatedly how often she went to stay with family and how they welcomed her (but absolutely not Nelson) into their homes. Yet she still goes back again and again. Even acknowledging its a bad idea, even recognizing it was against advice of family, friends & the police.

The book felt very biased, not really about the trial or case at all, and frankly, she bears responsibility in those girls' deaths. She acknowledges that she witnessed him physically hurting them, that he had intentionally damaged a stroller so it would break when out for a walk, that he withheld food money clothes and shelter from her and the girls. That he had taken them farther away/somewhere else than what he originally said. That he hated them and hated when she cared for them. And yet she still allowed him to be alone with them, ultimately causing their deaths. And then she still goes back.

This book frustrated the hell out of me. It comes across as her just wanting everyone to see what a victim she is, while also not taking an ounce of responsibility of knowingly endangering those kids by bringing them back to him, staying with him again and again.

DNF at 79%

[Noelle Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book was a little on the dry side, what really pissed me off was the cycle of Jennifer continuing to go back into a relationship with the killer of her children. While I don't know what I would have done or would do if I was in her situation, I would have hoped that the family in my life would have done their best to talk some sense into me and helped to keep me away from the bastard. This book is also more of a memoir of Jennifer's life instead of the actual trial regarding the deaths of those two precious kids. I just wished she could have broken the cycle of victimization.

[Sheila Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was constantly shocked by the stupidity of the mother. How could she have found him attractive in any way, and then even had children with him? Those poor girls never had a chance with them as parents. There is something very seriously wrong with him, he is not a normal human being. And yet she kept going back to him, and allowing him to be alone with those girls even after she knew he didn’t like them.

[Jan Tisdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer tells her story, married to Nelson and in 2002 her 3 yr old drowned in the car of their father. He said it was an accident but police were convinced he did it.

“On page 213, Phil Phillips, my first cousins husband, was mentioned, one of the RCMP officers. Happened in Gander.
I can’t believe what Jennifer endured living with him, he was a nut case and why she didn’t leave him. She must of been abused mentally and seemed special needs”.

[Lucyloo · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very sad story, and frustrating to read if only because the lack of resolution.
It was interesting to see the mom had a hand in writing this. While the story is sad and compelling, I didn't find the writing particularly awesome.

[Videoclimber(AKA)MTsLilSis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was impossible to read. Something was very strange about the writing. The wife kept calling her husband "my son". I don't know if these were errors or just bad edits. The abuse of the wife began early on. I could not recommend this book.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Desperate for editing

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tragic story. Not the best writing, but was clearly written by the mother of the victims.

[Janet Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

[Cathy Regular · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4/5.0

Hidden Gems:

In a sad sort of way, she was happy they had no friends. At least there was no one to see how bad things really were.

[Vanessa M · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Lee Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written book with a story line that flowed. It was easy to understand what the author was saying. Having said that, this book was so very frustrating and I found myself shaking my head more than a few times while reading it. Why would any woman put up with the crap she took from her boyfriend/husband? There were so many warning signs and red flags that this man was a danger to her and her daughters. Such a sad story because those deaths were preventable. I would like to read other books by Colleen Lewis and I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Canadian true crime stories.

[Jill Robbertze · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than anything, I found this true crime story frustrating beyond words. How this young Mother could go back to this abusive and dysfunctional man, time and time again even after she suspects that he has killed her 3 year old twin daughters, is really hard to understand. The sting operation was interesting but a very costly exercise that in the end didn't really have the best outcome......another frustration. A very sad story.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love when I read a book and can actually picture the places from being there...