This New York Times bestsellerโfrom โAmericaโs best true-crime writerโ (Kirkus Reviews) and the author of The Stranger Beside Meโis a shocking tale of greed, sex, scandal, and murder on an isolated and eerie island in the Pacific Northwest. The basis for the Lifetime movie event Circle of Deception.
With more than 50 million copies of her books in printโfrom her chilling personal account of knowing Ted Bundy to sixteen collections in her #1 bestselling Crime Files seriesโAnn Rule is a legendary true crime writer. Here, in Practice to Deceive, Rule unravels a shattering case of Christmastime murder off the coast of Washington Stateโpresented with the clarity, authority, and emotional depth that Ruleโs readers expect.
Nestled in Puget Sound, Whidbey Island is a gem of the Pacific Northwest. Accessible only by ferry, it is known for its artistic communities and stunning natural beauty. Life there is low-key, and the islandโs year-round residents tend to know one anotherโs business. But when the blood-drenched body of Russel Douglas was discovered the day after Christmas in his SUV in a hidden driveway near Whidbeyโs most exclusive mansionโa single bullet between his eyesโthe whole island was shocked. At first, police suspected suicide, tragically common at the height of the holiday season. But when they found no gun in or near the SUV, Russelโs manner of death became homicide.
Brenna Douglas, Russelโs estranged and soon-to-be-ex wife, allowed him to come home for a Christmas visit with their children. The couple owned the popular Just Bโs salon. Brennaโs good friend Peggy Sue Thomas worked there, and Brenna complained often to her that Russel was physically and emotionally abusive. Peggy Sueโs own life has been one of extremes. Married three times, hers is a rags-to-riches-and-back-again tale in which sheโs played many roles, from aircraft mechanic to โdrop-dead gorgeousโ beauty queen as a former Ms. Washington. But in 2003, her love affair with married guitarist Jim Huden led the two Whidbey Island natives to pursue their ultimate dreams of wealth and privilegeโeven at the expense of human life.
Unravel the tangled web woven by Russel Douglasโs murder in Practice to Deceive, a heart pounding true-crime tour de force.