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Working for Justice: One Family's Tale of Murder, Betrayal, and Healing
When beloved educator Hadas Winnick was murdered, her sleepy, affluent hometown of Calabasas was rocked to the core. More shocking than her killing, though, was the process of convicting her admittedly guilty murderer.
Calabasas is a quiet, well-to-do California town often referred to as “The Bubble.” But on September 25th, 2007, that bubble burst with the murder of one of its longtime residents—high school math teacher Hadas Winnick. The upscale community was rocked by her gruesome death, but as shocking as the tragedy seemed, the years of abuse she faced that preceded it were more so. Even more devastating still, was the effort and time it took to sentence her murderer to prison, and the power that our systems-in-place allowed him while on his way there. Follow Hadas’s daughter, award-winning blogger Amy Chesler, on her often heart-wrenching—but eventually heart-warming—road to justice.
Calabasas is a quiet, well-to-do California town often referred to as “The Bubble.” But on September 25th, 2007, that bubble burst with the murder of one of its longtime residents—high school math teacher Hadas Winnick. The upscale community was rocked by her gruesome death, but as shocking as the tragedy seemed, the years of abuse she faced that preceded it were more so. Even more devastating still, was the effort and time it took to sentence her murderer to prison, and the power that our systems-in-place allowed him while on his way there. Follow Hadas’s daughter, award-winning blogger Amy Chesler, on her often heart-wrenching—but eventually heart-warming—road to justice.
224 pages, Paperback
Published April 6, 2021
20 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 3, 2021
Less true crime and more memoir...the story of a woman fighting for justice after her abusive brother murders their mother. Heart-wrenching and honest.
April 9, 2021
Resilience
This book is so well wriiten and heart wrenching. I'm amazed at the strength and perspective of the author having lived through such an agonizing incident and the on-going abuse of her brother. This story will stay with you.
This book is so well wriiten and heart wrenching. I'm amazed at the strength and perspective of the author having lived through such an agonizing incident and the on-going abuse of her brother. This story will stay with you.
May 1, 2021
What a fascinating story.
An utterly engaging audiobook that had me shocked and impressed at what can destroy a family, and how a person can move on after such a tragedy.
I was enthralled, and listened as often as I could, even though the content horrified me. Amy's story is a gripping true crime novel that enthusiasts will love, and this ticked all my boxes.
The writer's relationship with her brother was incredible, and my heart ached as I listened to what happened. Even as the book drew to a close, shocking revelations come out and constantly keeps the reader interested.
The story will stay with me long after I have finished.
Fantastic.
An utterly engaging audiobook that had me shocked and impressed at what can destroy a family, and how a person can move on after such a tragedy.
I was enthralled, and listened as often as I could, even though the content horrified me. Amy's story is a gripping true crime novel that enthusiasts will love, and this ticked all my boxes.
The writer's relationship with her brother was incredible, and my heart ached as I listened to what happened. Even as the book drew to a close, shocking revelations come out and constantly keeps the reader interested.
The story will stay with me long after I have finished.
Fantastic.
April 22, 2021
3.5 stars
This was a true crime memoir told with a raw, unapologetic voice. The author shares her story of losing her mother to murder and the ensuing years it took for the killer to face justice. She describes the agony and horrors she faced and the grief of losing her mother.
Readers should be prepared for a story that is based more on memory and emotion than cold hard facts. Mixed in with the details of the horrific crime and aftermath is narrative about the kind of person her mother was and the struggles her mother faced as a single parent with mental health issues.
The audiobook narrator delivered a solid performance and rendition of the story. It was a shorter book and a fast read.
Thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a true crime memoir told with a raw, unapologetic voice. The author shares her story of losing her mother to murder and the ensuing years it took for the killer to face justice. She describes the agony and horrors she faced and the grief of losing her mother.
Readers should be prepared for a story that is based more on memory and emotion than cold hard facts. Mixed in with the details of the horrific crime and aftermath is narrative about the kind of person her mother was and the struggles her mother faced as a single parent with mental health issues.
The audiobook narrator delivered a solid performance and rendition of the story. It was a shorter book and a fast read.
Thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2021
Amy writes so candidly about a nearly unfathomable experience that somehow still feels relatable. Within the first few chapters, her mother seems to fill the pages with love so strongly despite it literally being the description of the day she was murdered, and her warm presence only grows as it goes on. I find it difficult to find precise words to describe how I feel about the book overall, but while it tore out my guts, it left me feeling hopeful and in awe.
April 9, 2021
This book is amazing! A heartbreaking story of a murder that tears a family apart and the endless work to achieve justice. Amy B Chesler’s story brings you along through the devastating loss of her mother and her years of work to put the murderer behind bars for good. You will cry and laugh with Amy through her amazing story. A must read!
December 17, 2021
"My mom was murdered and my brother did it." A heartfelt memoir of a tragedy.
Chesler's story of the murder of her mother by her (by all accounts) narcissistic-sociopath brother is a intensely readable and emotional tale. In 2007, Hadas Chesler was murdered by her 25 year old son Rory while her 22 year old daughter was out. In a phone call, Rory cryptically tells Chesler not to come home. Upon returning home, Chesler discovers her mother's body and that Rory is on the run. He is eventually captured and we enter the long drawn out process of investigating and prosecuting someone for murder in California.
There's an immediacy to the writing that has a conversational (and sometimes stream-of consciousness) feel to it. This works well especially when Chesler is describing her emotional connection with her mother, her relationship with her father, and yes, even her relationship (and jailhouse visits) with her brother. The writing style lead to sometimes random asides and opens the reader to ask for more background or detail at certain times (at a couple points Chesler notes in passing that she worked for Arnold Schwarzenegger but doesn't provide any additional detail). Again, this works very well when Chesler is describing the vagaries of family dynamics and relationships.
Make no mistake, this is not a police or courtroom procedural. So while the title suggests a more active role by Chesler in the investigation or prosecution of her brother, that's not the case. The book is far more about Chesler's emotional processing of the horrific event and coming to grips with it than uncovering "clues" or legal strategies. The result is you get an honest (if understandably limited) view of California law enforcement, penal, and legal system from a lay perspective. Chesler is appropriately frustrated at various elements of that system even if there are legitimate counter-arguments to that frustration. A prime example is her frustration at her brother (or his attorney) for not just pleading guilty right away and attempting to plead diminished capacity. From a crime victim's perspective, this is a very human reaction. From a legal/institutional point of view, it's a different calculus.
As a memoir of a lay person's personal tragedy and her efforts to navigate the emotional and legal obstacles that invariably arise from that, "Working for Justice" is excellent.
Chesler's story of the murder of her mother by her (by all accounts) narcissistic-sociopath brother is a intensely readable and emotional tale. In 2007, Hadas Chesler was murdered by her 25 year old son Rory while her 22 year old daughter was out. In a phone call, Rory cryptically tells Chesler not to come home. Upon returning home, Chesler discovers her mother's body and that Rory is on the run. He is eventually captured and we enter the long drawn out process of investigating and prosecuting someone for murder in California.
There's an immediacy to the writing that has a conversational (and sometimes stream-of consciousness) feel to it. This works well especially when Chesler is describing her emotional connection with her mother, her relationship with her father, and yes, even her relationship (and jailhouse visits) with her brother. The writing style lead to sometimes random asides and opens the reader to ask for more background or detail at certain times (at a couple points Chesler notes in passing that she worked for Arnold Schwarzenegger but doesn't provide any additional detail). Again, this works very well when Chesler is describing the vagaries of family dynamics and relationships.
Make no mistake, this is not a police or courtroom procedural. So while the title suggests a more active role by Chesler in the investigation or prosecution of her brother, that's not the case. The book is far more about Chesler's emotional processing of the horrific event and coming to grips with it than uncovering "clues" or legal strategies. The result is you get an honest (if understandably limited) view of California law enforcement, penal, and legal system from a lay perspective. Chesler is appropriately frustrated at various elements of that system even if there are legitimate counter-arguments to that frustration. A prime example is her frustration at her brother (or his attorney) for not just pleading guilty right away and attempting to plead diminished capacity. From a crime victim's perspective, this is a very human reaction. From a legal/institutional point of view, it's a different calculus.
As a memoir of a lay person's personal tragedy and her efforts to navigate the emotional and legal obstacles that invariably arise from that, "Working for Justice" is excellent.
April 29, 2021
In September 25, 2007, Amy Chesler was on her way home but couldn’t get a hold of her mother. At a loss, she calls her brother, which puts her on a collision course with murder, loss, and betrayal. In Working for Justice, Chesler details the legal process of convicting a murderer, dealing with the fallout, and recovering from bone-deep depression and grief.
This book is being marketed as true crime, but I don’t think this is an accurate depiction. The book reads more like a memoir than a true crime story. Based on the description, it definitely seems like this book would be more focused on the crime, but in reality it really depicts Chesler’s experiences dealing with the aftermath of the crime and everything that happened. This didn’t make it a bad book, just unexpected.
Chesler’s narrative was heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. Her personal experience for the “after” was intriguing, because her story picks up where other stories end. I can’t imagine what her life was like after the incident, but she details her story with candor and grace.
I enjoyed the story, but wish the description of the book was more accurate. I think going in I would have known better what to expect and wouldn’t have been so thrown off. Overall an interesting read that will draw in anyone interested in the legal system. 3.5 stars.
I received a free digital ARC from NetGalley and RB Media in exchange for an honest review.
This book is being marketed as true crime, but I don’t think this is an accurate depiction. The book reads more like a memoir than a true crime story. Based on the description, it definitely seems like this book would be more focused on the crime, but in reality it really depicts Chesler’s experiences dealing with the aftermath of the crime and everything that happened. This didn’t make it a bad book, just unexpected.
Chesler’s narrative was heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. Her personal experience for the “after” was intriguing, because her story picks up where other stories end. I can’t imagine what her life was like after the incident, but she details her story with candor and grace.
I enjoyed the story, but wish the description of the book was more accurate. I think going in I would have known better what to expect and wouldn’t have been so thrown off. Overall an interesting read that will draw in anyone interested in the legal system. 3.5 stars.
I received a free digital ARC from NetGalley and RB Media in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2023
A high school math teacher living in Calabasas, California, Hadas Winnick, was a loving and compassionate mother whose life was taken by Rory Winnick, the victim's son and the author's brother. Amy Chesler chronicles the murder, investigation and arrest of Rory, her struggles to come to terms with this unthinkable act, and her efforts to keep the ball of justice rolling.
Was there any doubt that on September 25, 2007, in the kitchen of her home, Rory stabbed his mother? No. The story isn’t a mystery. There’s too much evidence for him to deny his crime. But Chesler must puzzle out his motives and evolving explanations, while trying to put together the cracked world the act has left behind. What emerges is Chesler’s account of her own life, her deep bonds with her mother, and her candid revelations of her brother’s relationship with her. We’ll learn that Rory, since pre-adolescence, has been a malevolent and manipulative force who has bullied and lied his way through life.
Rory expresses no regret for the murder, blaming his actions on drugs and various mental illnesses. He will tirelessly work the justice system to escape or reduce punishment. To get justice, Chesler has to counter his every move. A brave, disturbing story.
Was there any doubt that on September 25, 2007, in the kitchen of her home, Rory stabbed his mother? No. The story isn’t a mystery. There’s too much evidence for him to deny his crime. But Chesler must puzzle out his motives and evolving explanations, while trying to put together the cracked world the act has left behind. What emerges is Chesler’s account of her own life, her deep bonds with her mother, and her candid revelations of her brother’s relationship with her. We’ll learn that Rory, since pre-adolescence, has been a malevolent and manipulative force who has bullied and lied his way through life.
Rory expresses no regret for the murder, blaming his actions on drugs and various mental illnesses. He will tirelessly work the justice system to escape or reduce punishment. To get justice, Chesler has to counter his every move. A brave, disturbing story.
April 20, 2021
To be so young and have to clean up the actual mess of her brother's crime but also to be experiencing the most traumatic moments of her life, Amy Chester really lets us into what led to the murder that changed everything in her life. Her candid conversation within the pages allows us to see all the different kinds of abuse that led to this horrible day. I actually really liked this as a audiobook.
May 10, 2021
First I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book for free in exchange for an honest opinion.
What a mixed bag of feelings...so just being honest...
This was an audio book and if you get that...I did find the beginning of the book a slow start...I know that Amy felt the need to give background but just was a slow start for me..I don't skip ahead ....never know where you will end up...so I listened to it...about thirty five minutes in...there is a phone call...from the brother to the author...and this is where the book starts to gain speed.
The book did get more involved...but there was a lot of repetition...which didn't make things easy...but by the end it touched on the events that drove her feelings....I did write that I didn't like the author...which isn't totally true...there was a part of her that I didn't like as she worked with her brother giving in to him ...more than I would have ever done...and felt it shouldn't have went that way...but I know she had her horrid background which is explored later in the book.
I, of course...feel horrible for the family...no one should ever have to go through this ...I have had three family members murdered....an uncle...and two cousins...and an uncle beaten to the point he never recoverd...so I know this pain....but the author ...through so much of the book...I did think the writing style was not a normal crime story writing...I wasn't totally fond of that...but the author has her own style and am sure that is all hers...
Her brother is a total mentally abusive person...and was also physical...I can only hope he serves the entire sentence...he is despicable ...and should never see the light of day and I fear for people that will run amiss of him in the future if he gets out....
When she goes to her brother to try to get him to plead guilty...I had very mixed feelings...she knew he was abusing her...but still went back...that did bother me...but I also understand the hard time it is to get out from under an abuser...especially a family member...
she does finally move on...and I pray he never is in her life again...
One last thing...she points out how her brother used the system ...claiming his mental illness...going on meds...off meds...to keep pushing out the trial...and how this was so hurtful to her and her family...and how the system needs to be changed....and I feel for that...but I know someone who was put in jail with a wrongful conviction....32 years...while they fought to get out...and I am sure their family hated this also...but to be exonerated...to find out that someone is innocent....the system is how it is for a reason...and unfortunately...many times it is screwed up...for both sides...I do agree...the system needs to be changed for both sides.
Overall....it's an ok book...I feel for this family ...and the courage to move forward...I wish them the best and pray they can find peace at some point.
What a mixed bag of feelings...so just being honest...
This was an audio book and if you get that...I did find the beginning of the book a slow start...I know that Amy felt the need to give background but just was a slow start for me..I don't skip ahead ....never know where you will end up...so I listened to it...about thirty five minutes in...there is a phone call...from the brother to the author...and this is where the book starts to gain speed.
The book did get more involved...but there was a lot of repetition...which didn't make things easy...but by the end it touched on the events that drove her feelings....I did write that I didn't like the author...which isn't totally true...there was a part of her that I didn't like as she worked with her brother giving in to him ...more than I would have ever done...and felt it shouldn't have went that way...but I know she had her horrid background which is explored later in the book.
I, of course...feel horrible for the family...no one should ever have to go through this ...I have had three family members murdered....an uncle...and two cousins...and an uncle beaten to the point he never recoverd...so I know this pain....but the author ...through so much of the book...I did think the writing style was not a normal crime story writing...I wasn't totally fond of that...but the author has her own style and am sure that is all hers...
Her brother is a total mentally abusive person...and was also physical...I can only hope he serves the entire sentence...he is despicable ...and should never see the light of day and I fear for people that will run amiss of him in the future if he gets out....
When she goes to her brother to try to get him to plead guilty...I had very mixed feelings...she knew he was abusing her...but still went back...that did bother me...but I also understand the hard time it is to get out from under an abuser...especially a family member...
she does finally move on...and I pray he never is in her life again...
One last thing...she points out how her brother used the system ...claiming his mental illness...going on meds...off meds...to keep pushing out the trial...and how this was so hurtful to her and her family...and how the system needs to be changed....and I feel for that...but I know someone who was put in jail with a wrongful conviction....32 years...while they fought to get out...and I am sure their family hated this also...but to be exonerated...to find out that someone is innocent....the system is how it is for a reason...and unfortunately...many times it is screwed up...for both sides...I do agree...the system needs to be changed for both sides.
Overall....it's an ok book...I feel for this family ...and the courage to move forward...I wish them the best and pray they can find peace at some point.
July 13, 2023
I don't think this would be a book I would normally pick up, however I was tempted because it was in a little free book library AND had been plonked by the two girls who set up the library and do a reading pod cast.
It has been interesting enough, both in an intensely awful way as to how twisted a mind can be, but also hopeful in how one woman can get herself through life after so much awful trauma.
Really this is more memoir than crime, although crime sadly has a big role to play. Amy's mother also murdered by her brother, she found the body and then had to go through four years of limbo before the thing properly got to gge courts due to her brother playing the system. I have to admit, at the beginning it did sound like a suffocating home with an all too controlling mother. But the more you read of the back story, the more you see this was a tragedy waiting to happen, and ghe son, Rory, was properly messed up even as a youth. All the warning signs were there but the social system failed them as a family. Yes, it failed to give him care he obviously needed, but as so often, the victims get overlooked, and they were failed terribly. That she kept on going to see him in prison after the murder was something I found hard to get my head around. Yes she had to do it to get around a number of legal issues. Yes, she needed to get him to submit a plea so they could get out of that hellish limbo and she could move on. But this guy never shows any remorse of awareness of the damage he has done from her account. He will never come good, and I just wanted her to wash her hands of him and get on with her life. I even wish when he had been in jail earlier she and her mother could have just moved and never contacted him again. Retrospect is a great thing. And to do that to your own child... May well be impossible. But as a sibling Amy owed him less than nothing.
And thinking about ghe time lines, and him getting 15 to life in a plea bargain, he could be out now. I hope he can never harass her again.
It has been interesting enough, both in an intensely awful way as to how twisted a mind can be, but also hopeful in how one woman can get herself through life after so much awful trauma.
Really this is more memoir than crime, although crime sadly has a big role to play. Amy's mother also murdered by her brother, she found the body and then had to go through four years of limbo before the thing properly got to gge courts due to her brother playing the system. I have to admit, at the beginning it did sound like a suffocating home with an all too controlling mother. But the more you read of the back story, the more you see this was a tragedy waiting to happen, and ghe son, Rory, was properly messed up even as a youth. All the warning signs were there but the social system failed them as a family. Yes, it failed to give him care he obviously needed, but as so often, the victims get overlooked, and they were failed terribly. That she kept on going to see him in prison after the murder was something I found hard to get my head around. Yes she had to do it to get around a number of legal issues. Yes, she needed to get him to submit a plea so they could get out of that hellish limbo and she could move on. But this guy never shows any remorse of awareness of the damage he has done from her account. He will never come good, and I just wanted her to wash her hands of him and get on with her life. I even wish when he had been in jail earlier she and her mother could have just moved and never contacted him again. Retrospect is a great thing. And to do that to your own child... May well be impossible. But as a sibling Amy owed him less than nothing.
And thinking about ghe time lines, and him getting 15 to life in a plea bargain, he could be out now. I hope he can never harass her again.
April 27, 2021
I like this book cause i liked finding out the details of the murder and how the family dealt with it. I was shocked by this, i don't know if i could forgive someone for killing a person in my family. I don't watch the cause of this reason, it's nothing but death and murder. But when you turn on your family like this there is nothing forgivable. I just can't believe someone is this evil.
May 3, 2021
I was able to listen to this on audio, threw netgally. Thank You netgally. What this family went threw is horrible. To know that a loved one is capable of murdering their own family member is unfathomable to me, i don't understand how s justice system can allow a murder to further victimize the surviving victums...
May 13, 2021
Libby McKnight was the narrator, she did an excellent job with a hard true crime story to tell.
The heart wrenching true story of the murder of Hadas Winnick who was the authors mother and the process of convicting the guilty murderer taking years to fulfill. The author did a great writing of a hard subject for her, where finally justice prevailed.
The heart wrenching true story of the murder of Hadas Winnick who was the authors mother and the process of convicting the guilty murderer taking years to fulfill. The author did a great writing of a hard subject for her, where finally justice prevailed.
January 3, 2024
I enjoyed this book a lot more than expected. Memoirs aren’t my typical genre, but it was for Book Club, so I read it. It was compelling and held my attention, so I read it quickly. I felt so bad for the author and all of the injustices she has to go through while grieving the murder of her mother.
April 8, 2021
For an assortment of reasons I rarely get to completely immerse myself in a book these days. However this compelling personal account of a family rent asunder by murder and domestic violence, and then sorely tested on the long road to justice is extremely difficult to put down.
A tremendous read, and a powerful portrayal of travelling to a place of healing. x
A tremendous read, and a powerful portrayal of travelling to a place of healing. x
August 6, 2021
Beautiful, honest and heart breaking
An inside look at not only the justice system but sadly the truth about domestic violence and that it’s not always as one would think.
Amy has shared her heart and the story of her families journey and experience beautifully and honestly.
An inside look at not only the justice system but sadly the truth about domestic violence and that it’s not always as one would think.
Amy has shared her heart and the story of her families journey and experience beautifully and honestly.
August 16, 2021
This is a gripping and heart wrenching story. The author does a good job detailing the crime and the aftermath. This book felt more like a memoir to me rather than true crime. The audiobook was well done.
July 30, 2022
I really loved this book. I really liked the way the author would “flashback” to certain situations that were relevant to the story today. It’s heartbreaking of course and I hope justice will continue to prevail for her.
May 11, 2025
As soon as I learned about this book by Amy from the podcast, Something was Wrong, I had to read it. It is hands down a must read. What a story Amy, Thank You for being so vulnerable and sharing your story with us! I would have loved to know your Mother.
April 11, 2021
Such a beautifully written story of a family's turmoil, heartbreak, and tragedy. Also a story of hope and healing and shared memories and joys.
April 17, 2021
I am truly amazed by this story. Heartbreaking and hopeful.
April 23, 2021
What a heart breaking story. We dont often hear the stories of who is left to pick up pieces after a family member is murdered. Amy did an amazing job with this book. I felt like I was watching a crime documentary, very detailed, lots of emotions and left me with hope. Thank you for sharing your story. It goes to show that we really need to work on the mental health issues in this country
April 30, 2021
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Well worth the read, very interesting and gives more insight into how long cases can drag on for
May 12, 2023
Very beautifully written.
September 1, 2024
Truly beautiful true crime story by a survivor herself!
January 21, 2023
More memoir than true crime. Harrowing story about mental illness, our country’s lack of solutions for mental illness, and a front row seat to how the justice system can certainly re-victimize victims again and again. So much tragedy and loss for one person.
May 11, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title.
Working for Justice follows the author from the tragedy of her mother's death through to the sentencing of the person responsible for her mother's death. Amy's story is almost unbelievable except maybe to those of us who have endured this type of abuse before. Her ability to discuss what happened to her and her mother as truths makes this personal story worth the read. I highly recommend the audiobook. It's relatively short at 6.5 hours. A good, clear narrator and short-ish running time make this a great option for someone who is trying to get into audiobooks.
Working for Justice follows the author from the tragedy of her mother's death through to the sentencing of the person responsible for her mother's death. Amy's story is almost unbelievable except maybe to those of us who have endured this type of abuse before. Her ability to discuss what happened to her and her mother as truths makes this personal story worth the read. I highly recommend the audiobook. It's relatively short at 6.5 hours. A good, clear narrator and short-ish running time make this a great option for someone who is trying to get into audiobooks.
July 16, 2023
Not a light read by any means. It was very real and raw to me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews