I remember reading headlines about this case and listened to the true crime audiobook of Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida, by Mikita Brottman. Narrated by Leon Nixon, this takes us through the entire story and held me captive.
by Mikita Brottman
Narrator: Leon Nixon
Length: 6 hours and 49 minutes
Genres: True Crime
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 4 cups Speed: 1.5x
From the critically acclaimed author of the “enthralling” ( San Francisco Book Review ) An Unexplained Death , a breathless true crime tale of sex, religion, and murder in the deep South.
On the face of it, Denise Williams and Brian Winchester had the perfect, quintessentially Southern lives. The two were hardworking devout Baptists and together, with their respective spouses, formed a tight-knit friendship that seemed unbreakable. That is, until December 16, 2000, when Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole on the border of Georgia and Florida.
After no body was found, it was assumed that he had drowned and was consumed by alligators in a tragic accident. But things took an unexpected turn when Brian divorced his wife and married Denise. Their surprising marriage was far from happy and in 2018, he confessed to police he killed Mike with Denise’s help nearly two decades earlier.
Now, the full, shocking story is revealed by Mikita Brottman, acclaimed true crime writer and “one of today’s finest practitioners of nonfiction” ( The New York Times Book Review ). With tenacious investigating and clear-eyed prose, she exposes the dark underbelly of far-right conservative Christianity and how it led Brian to choose murder over adultery. A fascinating and in-depth page-turner, Guilty Creatures is destined to become an instant classic in the true crime genre.
On December 16, 2000, Denise’s husband Mike disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole on the border of Georgia and Florida. His body was never recovered.
The story that unfolds looks into the lives of Denise Williams and Brian Winchester, as well as their spouses. The four of them were friends in a tight-knit Baptist community in Tallahassee, Florida. Brottman did a wonderful job of laying out the story from backgrounds to facts as they were uncovered and how the truth finally came to light.
The author breaks down the whys of the crime, revealing what built up to Mike’s disappearance and what happened in the aftermath of his death. The story she told was laid out in a compelling way that drew me in and shared facts I wasn’t aware of. Religion, sex, and greed all played a role in this stranger than fiction case.
Fans of true crime will find the Guilty Creatures to be an engrossing tale. Leon Nixon narrates and enhances the overall tale by giving voice to the characters and setting the tone. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature)
This sounds exactly like the type of book my mom would love to read. She loves the true crime type of shows on tv. Thanks for sharing this one so I can tell her about it.
Carla@CarlaLovesToRead
This sounds like an interesting case. Devout Baptists is obviously for appearances only if they killed someone. Nice review, Kimberly.
Kimberly
It played a factor in what happened.
Bookworm
This sounds interesting. I watch a lot of true crime/cold case documentaries and this one sounds very familiar.
Laurel-Rain Snow
UPDATES
Katherine
I’m familar with this case and this sounds like an interesting read. I watch a decent amount of true crime but I don’t read much true crime for some reason.
Mary Kirkland
That does sound like a good story. Sad but good.
ER LeVar
I don’t usually listen to nf on audio, but I’ve enjoyed a few nf picks that way recently. Might have to give this one a go!
Mary Kirkland
I love reading as a story like this unfolds. This sounds really good.
Nadene
I am sure I would enjoy listening to this.
sherry fundin
Yeah, the south does have plenty of ways for disposing of bodies.
Anne - Books of My Heart
Wow. Great review! I would like reading this but also it would be creepy. The deluded extremes of the far right.