Cruel Death

M. William Phelps

Feb 2014 · Pinnacle Books

About this ebook

The true-crime story of a homicidal husband and wife and a double murder in a Maryland resort town, by the bestselling author of Deadly Secrets.

It was Memorial Day weekend, the start of the summer season. Thousands headed to Ocean City, Maryland, to enjoy its scenic beaches, lively boardwalk, and trendy nightclubs. Among the bright-spirited vacationers was a couple with a much darker idea of fun. Erica Sifrit, a former honor student, was packing a gun in her Coach bag. Her husband, B.J., an ex-Navy SEAL, was trained in violence. What started as a chance encounter with another couple ended with two dismembered victims buried in a Delaware landfill. M. William Phelps updates this modern-day “Bonnie and Clyde” saga to create a haunting account of money, madness, sex, and murder . . .

Praise for New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps

“One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter

“Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies

Includes sixteen pages of dramatic photos

Ratings and reviews

This book is marred by an issue common to true crime books about "couples who kill". He spends a lot of energy arguing that one partner was the cunning mastermind, and their partner was bad, but not AS bad. Erika Sifrit is about as evil as a person can get, but she didn't turn BJ Sifrit into the kind of guy who has sex with headless corpses. Neither made the other into a monster. It'll be great if this ridiculous trope ever vanishes from our cultural popular understanding of criminal couples.

Another very well written true crime book by one of the top authors in this genre. Phelps is able to tell the story in a way that leaves nothing out but at the same time makes it very interesting and easy to read. If you have readother books by Phelps you know what to expect, if you haven't then you won't be disappointed. This story really shows two things clearly, firstly one can never be surprised just how low some will go in man's inhumanity to their fellow man, and secondly, the female is often deadlier tthan the male. Recommended rreading.

Well written!! My 2nd read from this author. Absolutely horrifying, great page-turner. However the 16 pages of photographs were not obtainable as the description says the book includes 16 pages of photographs. I would rate this book a 4.5 only because these photos as promised were not included as said.

About the author

New York Times bestselling, award-winning investigative journalist, executive producer and serial killer expert M. William Phelps is the author of more than forty nonfiction books and has made over 300 television appearances. He created, produced and hosted the series Dark Minds and is one of the stars of Deadly Women and Oxygen’s Snapped, Killer Couples, andREELZ’s Sex, Lies, and Murder. Radio America calls him “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer.” His iHeartRadio investigative podcast, Paper Ghosts: The Five, which he wrote, directed, and executive produced, debuted in 2020 and soared to #1 in popularity. Touched by tragedy himself through the unsolved murder of his sister-in-law, Phelps is able to enter the hearts and minds of his subjects like no one else. He lives in Connecticut and can be reached at his website, www.mwilliamphelps.com.