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The Family Next Door: The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the Thirteen Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue
Thirteen siblings were held captive in their own home—and lived to tell their story.
On January 14, 2018, a seventeen-year-old girl climbed out of the window of her Perris, California home and dialed 911 on a borrowed cell phone. Struggling to stay calm, she told the operator that she and her twelve siblings—ranging in age from two to twenty-nine—were being abused by their parents. When the dispatcher asked for her address, the girl hesitated. “I’ve never been out,” she stammered. She wasn’t even sure how to spell her own last name.
Louise and David Turpin presented themselves as loving, faithful parents. On social media they shared snapshots of family outings and vactions, often with their children in matching outfits. But what police discovered when they entered the Turpin home would eclipse the most shocking child abuse cases in history. For years, Louise and David had kept their children in increasing isolation, trapping them in a sinister world of torture, fear, and near starvation. This is the definitive, devastating, and unforgettable account of the Turpins: a family whose dark secrets would shock and captivate the world.
“Thoroughly researched and thoroughly disturbing.” —Booklist
“Unflinching...this chilling portrayal of abuse and secrecy may leave readers looking differently at their neighbors.”—Publishers Weekly
RUNNING TIME ➼ 8hrs. and 1min.
©2019 John Glatt (P)2019 Tantor
On January 14, 2018, a seventeen-year-old girl climbed out of the window of her Perris, California home and dialed 911 on a borrowed cell phone. Struggling to stay calm, she told the operator that she and her twelve siblings—ranging in age from two to twenty-nine—were being abused by their parents. When the dispatcher asked for her address, the girl hesitated. “I’ve never been out,” she stammered. She wasn’t even sure how to spell her own last name.
Louise and David Turpin presented themselves as loving, faithful parents. On social media they shared snapshots of family outings and vactions, often with their children in matching outfits. But what police discovered when they entered the Turpin home would eclipse the most shocking child abuse cases in history. For years, Louise and David had kept their children in increasing isolation, trapping them in a sinister world of torture, fear, and near starvation. This is the definitive, devastating, and unforgettable account of the Turpins: a family whose dark secrets would shock and captivate the world.
“Thoroughly researched and thoroughly disturbing.” —Booklist
“Unflinching...this chilling portrayal of abuse and secrecy may leave readers looking differently at their neighbors.”—Publishers Weekly
RUNNING TIME ➼ 8hrs. and 1min.
©2019 John Glatt (P)2019 Tantor
Audible Audio
First published July 23, 2019
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About the author
John Glatt
39 books750 followersEnglish-born John Glatt is the author of Golden Boy Lost and Found, Secrets in the Cellar, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Bill Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including ABC- 20/20Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt
http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 926 reviews
November 16, 2022
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I heard about the Turpins when they first made international news back in 2018 (which feels like 100 years ago, at this point,) but I obviously didn't pay enough attention to the whole story because the level of insanity is just jaw-dropping once all the details are laid out, as John Glatt does for you in this true-crime novel.
I mean honestly, this is some fucked up shit.
I must have brushed it off as just another set of weird religious parents doing weird shit to their kids in the name of their self-tailored beliefs. That is one way to chalk it up. But when we get into the real details, this is a banana-sandwich story turned up to eleven. Spinal Tap, amen.
If you're looking for a story on how Louise and David Turpin went from falling in love to popping out 13 kids who they would regularly beat and chain up to their beds, only freeing them to brush their teeth or use the bathroom, then this is the book for you.
But what this book won't tell you is the why. Where in the fresh hell does the desire to do this to your kids come from? There are some mentions of abuse running in the family, and even an obsession with becoming the next Duggars, but it's circumstantial. I wanted the real deep shit, you know what I mean?
Googling the why is difficult to do. I get a lot of statements about how they "didn't mean" to abuse their children, how they "love" their children and are sorry, but I can't find a concrete reason as to why a 29-year-old woman had to be rescued from her gross parents' house - described as being so dirty you couldn't breathe - weighing only 82 lbs and having not showered for a year.
Sometimes religious excuses for things trip me out. This is one of those times. And it's just not good enough.
I want to know the psychological reasons behind David and Louise Turpin's actions, but nothing is really ever presented. The author has a firm grasp of the timeline and the physical details, but the book lacked psychology and emotion.
While the story itself is insane, gripping, stunning and heart-wrenching, all of that was missing from the writing, skating by purely because the details allowed it to. It doesn't provide the kind of insight I would want from a book like this.
But, shoutout for not underplaying the bowl-cut family hairstyle at all, because damnnnnnn, I looked that up too and it's easily one of the most disturbing elements of this family saga.
Honestly, if you can read the news, you can get this book for free. It needed interviews, quotes and first-hand detail to really make it worth the reader's time. Everything in here comes across as second-hand information and literally, the last half of the book is just court transcripts written out into digestible chunks.
Still, this could not be any more fucked up.
⭐⭐½ | 2.5 stars rounded down
I heard about the Turpins when they first made international news back in 2018 (which feels like 100 years ago, at this point,) but I obviously didn't pay enough attention to the whole story because the level of insanity is just jaw-dropping once all the details are laid out, as John Glatt does for you in this true-crime novel.
I mean honestly, this is some fucked up shit.
I must have brushed it off as just another set of weird religious parents doing weird shit to their kids in the name of their self-tailored beliefs. That is one way to chalk it up. But when we get into the real details, this is a banana-sandwich story turned up to eleven. Spinal Tap, amen.
If you're looking for a story on how Louise and David Turpin went from falling in love to popping out 13 kids who they would regularly beat and chain up to their beds, only freeing them to brush their teeth or use the bathroom, then this is the book for you.
But what this book won't tell you is the why. Where in the fresh hell does the desire to do this to your kids come from? There are some mentions of abuse running in the family, and even an obsession with becoming the next Duggars, but it's circumstantial. I wanted the real deep shit, you know what I mean?
Googling the why is difficult to do. I get a lot of statements about how they "didn't mean" to abuse their children, how they "love" their children and are sorry, but I can't find a concrete reason as to why a 29-year-old woman had to be rescued from her gross parents' house - described as being so dirty you couldn't breathe - weighing only 82 lbs and having not showered for a year.
Sometimes religious excuses for things trip me out. This is one of those times. And it's just not good enough.
I want to know the psychological reasons behind David and Louise Turpin's actions, but nothing is really ever presented. The author has a firm grasp of the timeline and the physical details, but the book lacked psychology and emotion.
While the story itself is insane, gripping, stunning and heart-wrenching, all of that was missing from the writing, skating by purely because the details allowed it to. It doesn't provide the kind of insight I would want from a book like this.
But, shoutout for not underplaying the bowl-cut family hairstyle at all, because damnnnnnn, I looked that up too and it's easily one of the most disturbing elements of this family saga.
Honestly, if you can read the news, you can get this book for free. It needed interviews, quotes and first-hand detail to really make it worth the reader's time. Everything in here comes across as second-hand information and literally, the last half of the book is just court transcripts written out into digestible chunks.
Still, this could not be any more fucked up.
⭐⭐½ | 2.5 stars rounded down
July 16, 2022
The story itself was horrific, the writing, merely average. When I open a book to see larger print and wide margins, it's usually a tip off: not much to say, so I'll make it look that way.
It read like the author just copied information from news casts and what anyone could have found online; there did not appear to be much personal investigation.
It was also interspersed regularly with quotes from "experts"-child psychologists and the like, opining on how these children "could be" feeling or "may act". None of them personally involved with the case.
The chapters were choppy; short paragraphs followed by longer ones, not always tying in together.
I found it sickening that the relatives of the abusers never saw (or chose not to) notice anything wrong in all that time. The children were chained to their beds and only had showers (maybe) once a year. They slept in sheets that had not been changed for years. So you go to visit them, when you're finally "allowed" to and you see NOTHING UNUSUAL???
Also sickening that the Mother's sister and cousin chose to capitalize on this by writing their own books and repeatedly going on talk shows. In my opinion, you helped to perpetuate the abuse by ignoring it, never reporting it, and letting it affect the next generation. Only waiting to confront the grandfather when he was in his 90's-days before he died-and only after all had been said and done. How convenient that it would help you sell more books and/or give you attention from media!
Sad that abuse runs in families like this and just continues down the line. Teachers, neighbors, police, friends, relatives, school districts-all saw parts of this and did nothing. Though they were part of it, the only two who were 100% responsible were the parents. A shame they only got 25 years. We have a pathetic system of law.
Oh and by the way, the author states "Father" looked like Jim Carrey from Dumb & Dumber. It was actually Jeff Daniels. A simple fact check.
It read like the author just copied information from news casts and what anyone could have found online; there did not appear to be much personal investigation.
It was also interspersed regularly with quotes from "experts"-child psychologists and the like, opining on how these children "could be" feeling or "may act". None of them personally involved with the case.
The chapters were choppy; short paragraphs followed by longer ones, not always tying in together.
I found it sickening that the relatives of the abusers never saw (or chose not to) notice anything wrong in all that time. The children were chained to their beds and only had showers (maybe) once a year. They slept in sheets that had not been changed for years. So you go to visit them, when you're finally "allowed" to and you see NOTHING UNUSUAL???
Also sickening that the Mother's sister and cousin chose to capitalize on this by writing their own books and repeatedly going on talk shows. In my opinion, you helped to perpetuate the abuse by ignoring it, never reporting it, and letting it affect the next generation. Only waiting to confront the grandfather when he was in his 90's-days before he died-and only after all had been said and done. How convenient that it would help you sell more books and/or give you attention from media!
Sad that abuse runs in families like this and just continues down the line. Teachers, neighbors, police, friends, relatives, school districts-all saw parts of this and did nothing. Though they were part of it, the only two who were 100% responsible were the parents. A shame they only got 25 years. We have a pathetic system of law.
Oh and by the way, the author states "Father" looked like Jim Carrey from Dumb & Dumber. It was actually Jeff Daniels. A simple fact check.
September 29, 2019
Such tragedy-and the history and progression to how this horrendous situation developed- it is told. It's told in detail to witness and observations. But no photos. And you wouldn't get much "aftermath" information about the 13 children's "post escape" years either.
And the writing is lengthy where it's also highly redundant and jumps over the most essential. It did for me. As easy read as the prose level or words used, the continuity was at times extremely difficult to grasp. The entire 2 or 3 generations before this couple on each side were quickly reviewed- but that introduced so many characters, siblings, etc. that it's a name, relationship genetic mix listing that only grabbed the religious extremes and sexual abuse aspects to any full extent for all those individuals involved. Each generation having so much bizarre relationship and behavior, especially within the maternal line and that atrocious grandfather.
It's not just the writing though. It's more than that which is difficult here. It tries to hit the bull's eye, but somehow just barely gets on the outer circle of the target. You DO know how damaged the parents themselves were. BUT! But how to this degree over so much time did they do to their children what they clearly did! So many locations that were lived in too. Lockheed transfers and all those different houses, rentals, trailer. And no one ever oversaw huge "parts" of this? Without even one home inspection or any definitive investigation to speak of for homeschooling conditions? (Especially for those years when Jennifer attended school in the condition she did.) For these many children of accurate hospital birth record? It's just not enough to say that they "fell off the radar"- so repeatedly.
Why didn't the neighbors in Texas do more than they did. Ask questions beyond just going to the door? Any neighborhood, even of distance between houses like this was? I've called DCFS for far less than what they saw. And what their own children saw.
Homeschooling is often overseen within far, far more intrusive methods required. While this family seemed to just float over all requirements and authorizations.
It's a terrible, terrible record of the reality, but in this book it is mostly told by outsiders or relatives from a distance that never lived in any of their "homes".
It started to bridge some gaps of how, but the eyes of this writer needed far more psychological training and knowledge to begin to explain the whys. He tried to do that but all told the answers were too narrow. This is not cult but much worse. Control beyond sick.
I don't suggest this read unless you want particulars of the escape and the years just prior to the arrests in California.
And the writing is lengthy where it's also highly redundant and jumps over the most essential. It did for me. As easy read as the prose level or words used, the continuity was at times extremely difficult to grasp. The entire 2 or 3 generations before this couple on each side were quickly reviewed- but that introduced so many characters, siblings, etc. that it's a name, relationship genetic mix listing that only grabbed the religious extremes and sexual abuse aspects to any full extent for all those individuals involved. Each generation having so much bizarre relationship and behavior, especially within the maternal line and that atrocious grandfather.
It's not just the writing though. It's more than that which is difficult here. It tries to hit the bull's eye, but somehow just barely gets on the outer circle of the target. You DO know how damaged the parents themselves were. BUT! But how to this degree over so much time did they do to their children what they clearly did! So many locations that were lived in too. Lockheed transfers and all those different houses, rentals, trailer. And no one ever oversaw huge "parts" of this? Without even one home inspection or any definitive investigation to speak of for homeschooling conditions? (Especially for those years when Jennifer attended school in the condition she did.) For these many children of accurate hospital birth record? It's just not enough to say that they "fell off the radar"- so repeatedly.
Why didn't the neighbors in Texas do more than they did. Ask questions beyond just going to the door? Any neighborhood, even of distance between houses like this was? I've called DCFS for far less than what they saw. And what their own children saw.
Homeschooling is often overseen within far, far more intrusive methods required. While this family seemed to just float over all requirements and authorizations.
It's a terrible, terrible record of the reality, but in this book it is mostly told by outsiders or relatives from a distance that never lived in any of their "homes".
It started to bridge some gaps of how, but the eyes of this writer needed far more psychological training and knowledge to begin to explain the whys. He tried to do that but all told the answers were too narrow. This is not cult but much worse. Control beyond sick.
I don't suggest this read unless you want particulars of the escape and the years just prior to the arrests in California.
Read
November 8, 2022I don't rate non fiction.
I found this quite repetitive and although there appears to be a lot of detail and backstory, there's no references to back up the facts. At times I also felt very uncomfortable with the way this was written. It's almost voyeuristic at times, with the author profiting off this family's horrors in a way that isn't positive or constructive. If you want to hear the Turpin siblings story, I'd recommend the ABC documentary that actually talks to Jordan and has footage from the night she makes the very brave decision to escape and save her brothers and sisters. It's harrowing.
I found this quite repetitive and although there appears to be a lot of detail and backstory, there's no references to back up the facts. At times I also felt very uncomfortable with the way this was written. It's almost voyeuristic at times, with the author profiting off this family's horrors in a way that isn't positive or constructive. If you want to hear the Turpin siblings story, I'd recommend the ABC documentary that actually talks to Jordan and has footage from the night she makes the very brave decision to escape and save her brothers and sisters. It's harrowing.
February 16, 2022
Nie, to nie jest fikcja literacka. Nie, to nie wydarzyło się siedemdziesiąt lat temu. Nie, to nie działo się na rubieżach tego, co dzisiaj nazywamy trzecim światem. Ta historia wyszła na światło dzienne w styczniu 2018 roku.
Dzieje rodziny Turpinów obnażają niedoskonałość amerykańskiego systemu, jednocześnie ukazując bolesną znieczulicę współczesnego świata. Turpinowie nie kryli się w cieniu, nie chowali się przed światem. Coś strasznego działo się z ich dziećmi całymi latami, nikt jednak nie chciał reagować na sygnały alarmowe dobiegające z ich posesji, z ich domów. Łatwiej było uwierzyć w baśniowy, fikcyjny świat rodzinnej szczęśliwości, jaki budowali na publikowanych zdjęciach. Przerażająca historia.
Dzieje rodziny Turpinów obnażają niedoskonałość amerykańskiego systemu, jednocześnie ukazując bolesną znieczulicę współczesnego świata. Turpinowie nie kryli się w cieniu, nie chowali się przed światem. Coś strasznego działo się z ich dziećmi całymi latami, nikt jednak nie chciał reagować na sygnały alarmowe dobiegające z ich posesji, z ich domów. Łatwiej było uwierzyć w baśniowy, fikcyjny świat rodzinnej szczęśliwości, jaki budowali na publikowanych zdjęciach. Przerażająca historia.
December 23, 2019
This book appears to be a quick attempt to share lurid details of a traumatized family. There are no citations and even simple things like photo captions include wild speculation.
I did not read the entire book because I felt so uncomfortable with the way the writer seemed to be exploiting this family’s extensive trauma. This book is voyeurism.
I did not read the entire book because I felt so uncomfortable with the way the writer seemed to be exploiting this family’s extensive trauma. This book is voyeurism.
June 9, 2022
This was my first John Glatt book, and it lived up to my expectations. I know he's written about cases I've heard about and ones I haven't and after this I intend to read about them all.
As for the Turpin case, this was one I was very aware of. I read news articles, watched documentaries, but this was my first book about them and I love how in depth it goes.
It covers generations of the family, and provides a possible reason why Louise went off the rails and became abusive. She sadly couldn't break the cycle. David, on the other hand, is a mystery. How is it that he "changed" Louise into an abusive person while rarely participating in the abuse himself? It's really odd.
And the way that no relatives or neighbours ever noticed something was terribly wrong with the family makes no sense either. Sometimes you really can't know, but shouldn't some relatives just come over for a surprise visit when they couldn't see the children any longer? It's not like they didn't know where they lived...
A random thing I'd like to focus on, is David's brother Randy's book that's mentioned in this novel, in which he describes that after three days of fasting (as in no food at all), people are no longer hungry (and have a heightened awareness of God).
And he has a 3-week fasting plan which includes a journal that you write down your cravings in and it's supposed to help with the process.
From my personal experience with an eating disorder, this is actually true. The first three days are the hardest, and it gets easier from there. I wouldn't say you're no longer hungry though, but it's something that gets pushed into the background the more you go without food, and eventually becomes a slight annoyance if I can describe it that way.
And the writing down helps a lot too. One summer I didn't eat a single thing for two whole months, and during that time I wrote down all my food cravings, telling myself that if I could hold on just a bit longer I'd be able to satisfy them.
Now, I do wonder if Randy's book/beliefs had any effect on David and Louise and why they starved their children. Maybe, maybe not. But why not starve themselves as well in that case? Because they're monsters.
If the fasting book was part of the cause, the poor children did not consent to it. I do believe that fasting for proper reasons and not eating disorder related ones can be beneficial in small quantities, but this is just inhumane.
Moving on, I expected a tiny bit more about the siblings' lives after the escape. We only got their hospital stay and the trial, no mention of where they are now, how are they doing and so on.
The trial too, was repetitive. We were already told what happened to the kids in the first portion of the book, there was no need to fill up page space by repeating it over and over again.
Also, I listened to the audiobook and had to pause it a few times, especially at the start, to process how horrific things actually were. I think the narrator did a good job, and I didn't want to speed him up too much (a compliment, as most narrators talk too slow for me and I struggle to listen below 2.5x speed for most books).
As for the Turpin case, this was one I was very aware of. I read news articles, watched documentaries, but this was my first book about them and I love how in depth it goes.
It covers generations of the family, and provides a possible reason why Louise went off the rails and became abusive. She sadly couldn't break the cycle. David, on the other hand, is a mystery. How is it that he "changed" Louise into an abusive person while rarely participating in the abuse himself? It's really odd.
And the way that no relatives or neighbours ever noticed something was terribly wrong with the family makes no sense either. Sometimes you really can't know, but shouldn't some relatives just come over for a surprise visit when they couldn't see the children any longer? It's not like they didn't know where they lived...
A random thing I'd like to focus on, is David's brother Randy's book that's mentioned in this novel, in which he describes that after three days of fasting (as in no food at all), people are no longer hungry (and have a heightened awareness of God).
And he has a 3-week fasting plan which includes a journal that you write down your cravings in and it's supposed to help with the process.
From my personal experience with an eating disorder, this is actually true. The first three days are the hardest, and it gets easier from there. I wouldn't say you're no longer hungry though, but it's something that gets pushed into the background the more you go without food, and eventually becomes a slight annoyance if I can describe it that way.
And the writing down helps a lot too. One summer I didn't eat a single thing for two whole months, and during that time I wrote down all my food cravings, telling myself that if I could hold on just a bit longer I'd be able to satisfy them.
Now, I do wonder if Randy's book/beliefs had any effect on David and Louise and why they starved their children. Maybe, maybe not. But why not starve themselves as well in that case? Because they're monsters.
If the fasting book was part of the cause, the poor children did not consent to it. I do believe that fasting for proper reasons and not eating disorder related ones can be beneficial in small quantities, but this is just inhumane.
Moving on, I expected a tiny bit more about the siblings' lives after the escape. We only got their hospital stay and the trial, no mention of where they are now, how are they doing and so on.
The trial too, was repetitive. We were already told what happened to the kids in the first portion of the book, there was no need to fill up page space by repeating it over and over again.
Also, I listened to the audiobook and had to pause it a few times, especially at the start, to process how horrific things actually were. I think the narrator did a good job, and I didn't want to speed him up too much (a compliment, as most narrators talk too slow for me and I struggle to listen below 2.5x speed for most books).
September 16, 2019
I’m really it quite sure how I managed not to hear about this horrifying case of the Turpins until the book popped up in my social media feeds, unless it’s because I steer clear of most "news" media aside from PBS, NPR, and BBC. I’m not quite sure why I am morbidly fascinated by people who mistreat others so badly; maybe I am just looking for the why of it, since I could barely hurt a fly.
David and Louise Turpin ultimately have 13 children, and instead of caring for them in a supportive and loving environment, they chain the children up for various infractions, refuse to allow them to bathe more than once a year, and prevent them from obtaining any kind of education, with the exception of their eldest son, whom they do allow to attend a community college. But even then, his mother drives him to all his classes and waits in the hallway throughout his class periods. Yet at times, the parents scrub their kids clean of all the filth (including their own waste) and take them to DisneyLand to prove to their outside world what a great family they were.
It doesn’t surprise me too terribly much that their neighbors didn’t really know what was going on. In one of their homes, the neighbors had no idea that there were that many children in the household (although the 15-seater van should have been a clue), since only one or two were seen at one time. Then the Turpins realized that fewer questions would be asked if they forced the children to sleep during the day, since they were supposed to be at school anyhow.
I’m glad that Jordan finally mustered the courage to escape, to save her siblings, and to ultimately bring her parents to justice. That said, this book isn’t nearly as insightful as you’d want this kind of book to be. The information seems to be only what is available publicly, without the author contacting any of the people of interest directly. The writing is also very repetitive and elementary. The end portion, focusing on the preliminary trial of the parents, is just a word-for-word account of the lawyers and witnesses called, most of which had already been covered in detail earlier in the book.
I have no idea what causes people to mistreat others so very badly, but I am glad that the children are away from their twisted and evil parents, and that the parents will be in jail for a long, long time. They deserve no less after imprisoning their 13 children for so many years.
David and Louise Turpin ultimately have 13 children, and instead of caring for them in a supportive and loving environment, they chain the children up for various infractions, refuse to allow them to bathe more than once a year, and prevent them from obtaining any kind of education, with the exception of their eldest son, whom they do allow to attend a community college. But even then, his mother drives him to all his classes and waits in the hallway throughout his class periods. Yet at times, the parents scrub their kids clean of all the filth (including their own waste) and take them to DisneyLand to prove to their outside world what a great family they were.
It doesn’t surprise me too terribly much that their neighbors didn’t really know what was going on. In one of their homes, the neighbors had no idea that there were that many children in the household (although the 15-seater van should have been a clue), since only one or two were seen at one time. Then the Turpins realized that fewer questions would be asked if they forced the children to sleep during the day, since they were supposed to be at school anyhow.
I’m glad that Jordan finally mustered the courage to escape, to save her siblings, and to ultimately bring her parents to justice. That said, this book isn’t nearly as insightful as you’d want this kind of book to be. The information seems to be only what is available publicly, without the author contacting any of the people of interest directly. The writing is also very repetitive and elementary. The end portion, focusing on the preliminary trial of the parents, is just a word-for-word account of the lawyers and witnesses called, most of which had already been covered in detail earlier in the book.
I have no idea what causes people to mistreat others so very badly, but I am glad that the children are away from their twisted and evil parents, and that the parents will be in jail for a long, long time. They deserve no less after imprisoning their 13 children for so many years.
March 5, 2022
It never fails to blow my mind how horribly human beings can treat one another. I just don’t understand it and I don’t think I ever will. I find it even more bewildering when it’s parents harming their own children. Maybe I’ve just been blessed with having great parents but I just can’t imagine a parent laying a finger on their child, let alone the unimaginable horrors the Turpins inflicted on their children. This case is so far beyond horrifying, I can’t even put it into words. The daily terror and torture these 13 children endured for YEARS at the hands of their parents made me feel physically ill at times and that was just reading about it, I can’t even begin to imagine the utter despair Turpin siblings must have felt. Glatt does a great job of telling their story and really takes us on the full journey, from how Louise and David grew up to the beginnings of their marriage to the slow descent into hell right into the trials. My only minor complaint is that once it got to the trials it was a bit repetitive. Hearing about the horrors the children endured once was enough, it didn’t need to be rehashed in the trial portion of the story.
August 16, 2019
I’m not even half way through this book but I don’t think I can finish it. It’s so poorly written. It’s not a full size hardcover, the font is big and the margins are wide to make it look bigger. But ok.
The author didn’t seem to do any real research of his own. He took news stories, easily obtained public records, and quotes from the many tv appearances that the families of these monsters did to capitalize on the children’s pain, wrote it all down and slapped a cover on it.
It is very repetitive. There are random paragraphs that suddenly take you out of the story to give you some random fact about the family, witness story that has nothing to do with what you were just reading about, or “expert” testimony about the psychological effects of child abuse. There are side stories interspersed that have absolutely nothing to do with anything else in the book, like the time before the parents of these children were even born when a man delivering gas to a Shell station catches fire and dies from his injuries. It’s sad, but why is it in this book?
There is so much story padding to make the book longer, it’s ridiculous. The name of the hospital where the children were born has 5 or 6 words in it, so it is named in full over and over to increase word count. As is the complete newspaper announcement for the birth of each child. It’s not needed and it’s just bad writing.
I read the news articles when this story first broke. I wanted to read this book because I hoped it had more information, specifically about the children’s lives now. How they were able to move forward after what they endured at the hands of their “parents”. But I don’t think I’m going to get that because the author doesn’t seem to have any information that the general public didn’t already have.
The author didn’t seem to do any real research of his own. He took news stories, easily obtained public records, and quotes from the many tv appearances that the families of these monsters did to capitalize on the children’s pain, wrote it all down and slapped a cover on it.
It is very repetitive. There are random paragraphs that suddenly take you out of the story to give you some random fact about the family, witness story that has nothing to do with what you were just reading about, or “expert” testimony about the psychological effects of child abuse. There are side stories interspersed that have absolutely nothing to do with anything else in the book, like the time before the parents of these children were even born when a man delivering gas to a Shell station catches fire and dies from his injuries. It’s sad, but why is it in this book?
There is so much story padding to make the book longer, it’s ridiculous. The name of the hospital where the children were born has 5 or 6 words in it, so it is named in full over and over to increase word count. As is the complete newspaper announcement for the birth of each child. It’s not needed and it’s just bad writing.
I read the news articles when this story first broke. I wanted to read this book because I hoped it had more information, specifically about the children’s lives now. How they were able to move forward after what they endured at the hands of their “parents”. But I don’t think I’m going to get that because the author doesn’t seem to have any information that the general public didn’t already have.
July 24, 2019
This is the third true crime book I have read by John Glatt and it did not disappoint. When I saw this title on St. Martin's Press upcoming releases, I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send me a finished copy. This is the first book that has really gone into this case and beyond the news, there haven't even really been an documentaries about the case so far. The book begins by explaining some of the background on both Louise and David Turpin, as well as how they were raised, which I found very interesting as it gave me some insight into how they got to the point that they did. The middle part of the book goes into how Louise & David Turpin met and married, as well as their younger life and the time period when they started having children. The last part explains in more detail the horrors these poor children went through and how they were eventually rescued. This book is very interesting and disturbing at the same time and will certainly make you pay more attention to your neighbors.
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for sending me a review copy of this book.
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for sending me a review copy of this book.
September 22, 2019
I didn’t love the author’s writing style - there was a lot of repetition and events told out of sequence- but I felt that this portrayed the full story nonetheless. The subject matter is deeply disturbing and incredibly difficult to grasp.
July 5, 2022
I was not prepared for how amazing, yet disturbing this book was.
I'm a new lover of True Crime, and this book just makes me want to jump straight into more reads from this genre. This book was so fascinating and shocking to read, and I didn't know about this case prior to this book.
This is about the 13 Turpin children who were extremely abused their whole lives, even into adulthood, by their parents. They were beaten, starved, and even chained up for months at a time! I was even more shocked when I found out they were only just rescued in 2018. I really enjoyed the photos that were included in the book as well, but I now want to watch the documentary, so I can see footage from the rescue.
To hear more thoughts, watch my reading vlog: https://youtu.be/QpmJqQGOako
I'm a new lover of True Crime, and this book just makes me want to jump straight into more reads from this genre. This book was so fascinating and shocking to read, and I didn't know about this case prior to this book.
This is about the 13 Turpin children who were extremely abused their whole lives, even into adulthood, by their parents. They were beaten, starved, and even chained up for months at a time! I was even more shocked when I found out they were only just rescued in 2018. I really enjoyed the photos that were included in the book as well, but I now want to watch the documentary, so I can see footage from the rescue.
To hear more thoughts, watch my reading vlog: https://youtu.be/QpmJqQGOako
August 23, 2022
1.5 stars
Make no mistake, this case and the cruelty these children endured was downright horrific and maniacal. You can’t even makes sense of the craziness. Absolutely CRAZY.
My rating has nothing to do with this case. The WRITING was just horrible. Glatt just seems to get lazier and lazier in his writing. Not only was this book the epitome of REDUNDANT, but it seemed like all the man did was copy and paste from the headlines, transcribe a few interviews, make a book, and slap a cover on it. In a nutshell, this book was just thrown together and filled with repetitious “fluff”/reporting. Not cool.
Make no mistake, this case and the cruelty these children endured was downright horrific and maniacal. You can’t even makes sense of the craziness. Absolutely CRAZY.
My rating has nothing to do with this case. The WRITING was just horrible. Glatt just seems to get lazier and lazier in his writing. Not only was this book the epitome of REDUNDANT, but it seemed like all the man did was copy and paste from the headlines, transcribe a few interviews, make a book, and slap a cover on it. In a nutshell, this book was just thrown together and filled with repetitious “fluff”/reporting. Not cool.
August 7, 2019
This is the story behind a bizarre and shocking criminal case that stunned the world in 2018. As with so many cases of this nature, there were numerous incidents when an outsider detected something was "off," but authorities were never alerted.
I wish as a culture we would stop repeating the myth that having a family will automatically turn a bad person into a good person. A psychopath who has a spouse and/or children is just a psychopath with new victims.
I wish as a culture we would stop repeating the myth that having a family will automatically turn a bad person into a good person. A psychopath who has a spouse and/or children is just a psychopath with new victims.
February 14, 2022
Holy 😳!!!!
Done in 24 hours.
If you tell was my fav book of 2021
Pretty sure this will be the one of 2022
Incredibly heartbreaking but also such a great book. John Glatt did a great job of covering this case.
I’m so glad these survivors are on the road to a better place now. 🙌🏼
Done in 24 hours.
If you tell was my fav book of 2021
Pretty sure this will be the one of 2022
Incredibly heartbreaking but also such a great book. John Glatt did a great job of covering this case.
I’m so glad these survivors are on the road to a better place now. 🙌🏼
July 22, 2022
To historia rodziny Turpinów. David i Louise Turpin najgorsi z najgorszych rodziców. Ludzie którzy szczycili się życiem według zasad wiary zielonoświątkowców. Louise kiedyś powiedziała swojej siostrze, że urodzi Davidowi dwanaścioro dzieci i urodziła, a nawet trzynaścioro. Niestety tylko je urodziła. Dzieci nie zaznały miłości, opieki, dobroci, właściwie żadnych dobrych uczuć od swoich rodziców.
Uwięzienie trwało latami, najstarsze z potomków Turpinów podczas uwolnienia miało prawie trzydzieci lat. Podczas lektury zastanawiałam się dlaczego nie uciekali chociaż nie raz była ku temu okazja, dlaczego nie wzywali pomocy, nie powiedzieli rodzinie co się dzieje i jak żyją. Niesety jest to kolejny przykład z cyklu "syty nie zrozumie głodnego". Dzieci były tak zmanipulowane i zastraszone przez rodziców, że choć mieli telefon stacjonarny i dostep do internetu nie mieli odwagi z wezwać pomocy.
Kolejna historia, która porusza i przeraża, która pokazuje, że ludzka psychika nigdy nie będzie do końca zrozumiana i poznana.
Co powoduje, co składnia ludzi do takich zachowań, dlaczego rodzic krzywdzi dziecko. I jak to możliwe, że kolejny raz swój trafił na swego i w tej nienawiści do swoich dzieci szli ramię w ramię?
Uwięzienie trwało latami, najstarsze z potomków Turpinów podczas uwolnienia miało prawie trzydzieci lat. Podczas lektury zastanawiałam się dlaczego nie uciekali chociaż nie raz była ku temu okazja, dlaczego nie wzywali pomocy, nie powiedzieli rodzinie co się dzieje i jak żyją. Niesety jest to kolejny przykład z cyklu "syty nie zrozumie głodnego". Dzieci były tak zmanipulowane i zastraszone przez rodziców, że choć mieli telefon stacjonarny i dostep do internetu nie mieli odwagi z wezwać pomocy.
Kolejna historia, która porusza i przeraża, która pokazuje, że ludzka psychika nigdy nie będzie do końca zrozumiana i poznana.
Co powoduje, co składnia ludzi do takich zachowań, dlaczego rodzic krzywdzi dziecko. I jak to możliwe, że kolejny raz swój trafił na swego i w tej nienawiści do swoich dzieci szli ramię w ramię?
January 27, 2022
I was surprised the rating of this book is so bad! Its basically a solid true crime podcast episode in book form. I absolutely recommend the audio for this one, but it gives a great complete picture of this case from the origins to the trial.
February 13, 2022
Czuję się trochę... rozczarowana tą pozycją. Jest to nie przeczę, historia straszna, ale czegoś mi tutaj zabrakło. O ile pierwsza połowa napisana świetnie, słuchało się tego niemalże jak powieści kryminalnej, to już druga część, opisy tego, co się stało po wydostaniu się z tego domu... strasznie sucha, wydawała się wręcz pozbawiona emocji, przez co strasznie mnie zmęczyła. Nie umiem powiedzieć, czy jest to literatura dla mnie, bo pierwszy raz po taką sięgam, ale nie do końca się w niej odnalazłam. Jak dla mnie zbyt długa forma, przez co traci, bo na dłuższą metę robi się monotonnie i nudno.
Ale był taki moment, że zebrało mi się na płakanie, więc poziom emocjonalności w określonych momentach jest dobry. Może to nie być wina książki, ale mnie, bo w literaturze mało co mnie rusza.
Ale był taki moment, że zebrało mi się na płakanie, więc poziom emocjonalności w określonych momentach jest dobry. Może to nie być wina książki, ale mnie, bo w literaturze mało co mnie rusza.
August 15, 2020
This case is heartbreaking. The level of abuse suffered by the Turpin children is astounding, and the indifference showed by the parents is hard to fathom.
So, here's what I thought of the actual- and audiobook, since I mostly listened to it.
1. The audiobook is narrated by a British narrator. o.O
2. This book is fairly repetitive. The same incidents are recounted over and over again.
3. I feel like pretty much anyone could have written this book by looking up some articles, interviews and court documents. It didn't feel like the author really did a lot of deep research, which explains the above mentioned repetition.
So, here's what I thought of the actual- and audiobook, since I mostly listened to it.
1. The audiobook is narrated by a British narrator. o.O
2. This book is fairly repetitive. The same incidents are recounted over and over again.
3. I feel like pretty much anyone could have written this book by looking up some articles, interviews and court documents. It didn't feel like the author really did a lot of deep research, which explains the above mentioned repetition.
January 4, 2023
I gulped this down in a day. Like all John Glatt's books this was well-written and the story moved right along. So many unanswered questions are left, but the important ones were answered in these pages. Prison is really the closest we can come to "eye for an eye" punishment for these two birds...but no punishment really fits these crimes unless you deprive the wrongdoers of food, medical attention and soap & water. Really left me wondering wth is the matter with some people.
April 3, 2022
The Family Next Door is hard to review.
I feel like it's safe to say, we all remember what went on in The Turpin Family. So I'm not going to talk about the abuse they suffered at the hands of their parents. Instead I'm going to talk about how brave these kids were.
Jordan was 17 years old when she made the 911 call that ultimately saved them. She told the dispatcher she's not allowed outside. She didn't know the word 'medication'. She tells police that her siblings knew she was taking pictures of them in their vulnerable state because that's what she needed to help them. And it worked.
John Glatt's book stops right after their parents plead guilty. He speaks about the kids time in the hospital, the adult kids being placed with a custodian, and the younger siblings being spread out across two foster homes. But he doesn't talk about how some of the siblings were re-victimized in their new homes. While they are now learning how to live, they continue to see the evil side of humanity.
It breaks my heart to hear they went from one horrible living situation to another. But seeing Jordan post about her new life and sharing posts about her siblings lets me know that they're gonna make it. They've been through the worst of the worst. But now they can live life on their own terms.
More John Glatt book reviews on A Reader's Diary!
I feel like it's safe to say, we all remember what went on in The Turpin Family. So I'm not going to talk about the abuse they suffered at the hands of their parents. Instead I'm going to talk about how brave these kids were.
Jordan was 17 years old when she made the 911 call that ultimately saved them. She told the dispatcher she's not allowed outside. She didn't know the word 'medication'. She tells police that her siblings knew she was taking pictures of them in their vulnerable state because that's what she needed to help them. And it worked.
John Glatt's book stops right after their parents plead guilty. He speaks about the kids time in the hospital, the adult kids being placed with a custodian, and the younger siblings being spread out across two foster homes. But he doesn't talk about how some of the siblings were re-victimized in their new homes. While they are now learning how to live, they continue to see the evil side of humanity.
It breaks my heart to hear they went from one horrible living situation to another. But seeing Jordan post about her new life and sharing posts about her siblings lets me know that they're gonna make it. They've been through the worst of the worst. But now they can live life on their own terms.
More John Glatt book reviews on A Reader's Diary!
September 22, 2019
This book about the abuse that the thirteen children of the Turpin family suffered at the hands of their parents is a ripped from the headlines story. It's unbelievable that anyone could treat their children like this but it happens again and again all over the world.
This was an interesting compilation of the news reports about the Turpin family. There isn't much here that couldn't be found elsewhere but it is all well put together and an interesting book to read. It reports what happened but there are no answers to WHY it all happened. I also thought that there were too many quotes from psychiatrists who never met the family- how can a person be an expert on a family that they've never met. It is sad to think that no one called Child Protection about these children - not the school when the oldest daughter was going to school, not the neighbors and not the other family members. When it finally went to trial, David and Louise were given life sentences with a chance of parole in 25 years - so they are finally being punished for their sins.
This was an interesting compilation of the news reports about the Turpin family. There isn't much here that couldn't be found elsewhere but it is all well put together and an interesting book to read. It reports what happened but there are no answers to WHY it all happened. I also thought that there were too many quotes from psychiatrists who never met the family- how can a person be an expert on a family that they've never met. It is sad to think that no one called Child Protection about these children - not the school when the oldest daughter was going to school, not the neighbors and not the other family members. When it finally went to trial, David and Louise were given life sentences with a chance of parole in 25 years - so they are finally being punished for their sins.
July 30, 2019
A very interesting true crime book but after reading it I was left with too many questions.
There was also a lot of repetition and although it was written quite well by John Glatt who is a great writer I did feel a bit led down in the end.
I want to know what was wrong with this couple. Why did they treat their children so. Perhaps they never wanted to be interviewed so then it is not the author's "fault" but it is all so crazy. One adult was allowed to go to college.Okay mum brought him there and picked him up and then there are all those Walt Disney days where the children were dressed to the nines. (Even though they hardly had a bath once a year! )
That being said (I see the parents did indeed not speak out,well I can't find anything) then without that info and not knowing how the kids now are living and what they are doing, then I must say the author did a good job.
3.5 *
There was also a lot of repetition and although it was written quite well by John Glatt who is a great writer I did feel a bit led down in the end.
I want to know what was wrong with this couple. Why did they treat their children so. Perhaps they never wanted to be interviewed so then it is not the author's "fault" but it is all so crazy. One adult was allowed to go to college.Okay mum brought him there and picked him up and then there are all those Walt Disney days where the children were dressed to the nines. (Even though they hardly had a bath once a year! )
That being said (I see the parents did indeed not speak out,well I can't find anything) then without that info and not knowing how the kids now are living and what they are doing, then I must say the author did a good job.
3.5 *
June 6, 2020
Wow what a bizarre true story. The entire time I couldn’t believe what I was reading!
This book was the true story of the Turpin family who had 13 kids keeping them in deplorable conditions and non stop abuse but posing to the outside world as a happy family. Eventually one of the older girls escapes leading to their rescue.
This is a terribly sad story but hopefully story as the Turpin children are now moving forward.
My only issue with this book is I wanted more after the children were rescued. Maybe more where are they now, how are they coping. There was so much leading up to before and background info on the parents that seemed it was a bit unnecessary.
These stories always shock and amaze me!
This book was the true story of the Turpin family who had 13 kids keeping them in deplorable conditions and non stop abuse but posing to the outside world as a happy family. Eventually one of the older girls escapes leading to their rescue.
This is a terribly sad story but hopefully story as the Turpin children are now moving forward.
My only issue with this book is I wanted more after the children were rescued. Maybe more where are they now, how are they coping. There was so much leading up to before and background info on the parents that seemed it was a bit unnecessary.
These stories always shock and amaze me!
July 20, 2021
I remember hearing about this case when it happened. Why have that many children and then chain them up? That was bad enough. But what really happened to these children is horrifying! What makes it even worse is that the people around them - relatives and neighbors - never asked for a checkup on them.
They bought these kids toys they never played with, bikes they never rode, cakes and pies that rotted on the counters. I can only pray that God will have an adequate punishment for parents like this.
They bought these kids toys they never played with, bikes they never rode, cakes and pies that rotted on the counters. I can only pray that God will have an adequate punishment for parents like this.
November 21, 2022
What we knew from the news accounts, just stretched out over 320 pages. Heartbreaking.
At about the halfway point, this started to feel…gossipy, over detailed, like the author was including absolutely every detail that he possibly could. For example, so-and-so smiled at so-and-so at this particular point of the trial. It was just a little weird.
At about the halfway point, this started to feel…gossipy, over detailed, like the author was including absolutely every detail that he possibly could. For example, so-and-so smiled at so-and-so at this particular point of the trial. It was just a little weird.
September 26, 2019
I'm a BIG fan of true crime. I thought this book was poorly written and disorganized in its presentation. I was really looking forward to this story and was hugely disappointed.
November 29, 2021
an argument against going to church and Disneyland
June 18, 2020
Decent book, but I was hoping to learn more about this case, and was left feeling unsatisfied. I don't blame the author, though, as I suspect the answers I'm searching for can never be found. Why did the Turpins have so many children if they were incapable of loving them? Why did none of the neighbours do anything?
I'll never understand why David and Louise kept having children once they realized parenting was not "their thing." The reality show angle doesn't seem like enough of a motive for me, but perhaps I'm trying too hard to rationalize the irrational.
I hope the thirteen are managing to live productive, healthy lives now. They've suffered enough for a million lifetimes.
I'll never understand why David and Louise kept having children once they realized parenting was not "their thing." The reality show angle doesn't seem like enough of a motive for me, but perhaps I'm trying too hard to rationalize the irrational.
I hope the thirteen are managing to live productive, healthy lives now. They've suffered enough for a million lifetimes.
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