If You Really Loved Me

Ann Rule writes another gripping true crime book exposing corruption in a vile family. A father who gives his 14-year-old daughter handfuls of drugs before manipulating her into killing her stepmother "If she really loved him." Worse yet, the man marries the dead wife's sister, only two years older than his daughter. Is that enough for him? No, then he plots for THIS wife's death. Or does he? Is it all a crazy, messed up teen-ager who then tries to commit suicide? A father couldn't be so horrible that he'd try to kill his own daughter with drugs to cover up the murder of his wife? Readers will have to dig into this book to know.
Very detailed, written like a novel, a great read! Also a Lifetime movie, but the book's way better!
I read an updated version with an afterword from 2002 from Ms. Rule. Nice to know what these people are doing now! And praise goes to the investigator and DA who wouldn't let a "simple" murder go without digging further!

Although it is hard to believe, I feel that David Brown is just a sadistic a sociopath as Ted Bundy was, although, unlike Bundy, he did not commit murder with his own two hands. He violated the trust of a daughter in her father and with the sly wiliness of a cunning fox, manipulated her into committing the one deed that can never be undone - the act of murder. With lies and false promises, he turned his teenage sister-in-law into his lover,until she was so blinded by adoration for him that she reached the point where she conspired to kill her own sister and then concealed the true reason for the murder's commission afterward. The author takes us into the mind of a man whose selfishness, inhumanity and plots of murder did not stop with the slaying of his young wife, but merely started with it. With this book, Ms Rule does a fantastic job delving into the ocean of immorality. It's a deep ocean, so I would advise readers to bring some SCUBA gear.

If you like true crime, you really must read "If You Really Loved Me". Ann Rule is one of my favorite authors, not because she writes about gory crimes, but because she delves into the psychological aspect of crime. She has written several excellent books which examine the lives of killers who abuse and victimize their own families. What is the story behind the psychological makeup that drives a human being to become a betrayer, a liar, a con man so self-involved that he could kill those closest to him? "If You Really Loved Me" is about just such a character. Ann Rule did an excellent job describing the contrast between how unattractive David Brown is, short, ugly and pockmarked, with the beauty and youth of the young women he married, then discarded in their early 20s. He was very good at finding young girls (literally girls, in their young teens) from deprived backgrounds who would be impressed with his success and money. He created a world where he was king, he provided everything. Once a girl started to mature, he could no longer hold such control over her every thought, so he had to move on to a fresh, naive victim. If you ever wondered how brainwashing could be possible, this book explains it. This story of family abuse, manipulation and murder is truly fascinating.

I can't believe that David Brown really did this to his daughter, his own flesh and blood!! He manipulated his 14 year old daughter into killing his wife so he could collect the insurance money!! There are no words to describe how demented this "man" really is. Then he tried to have his daughter killed from prison! Unbelievable! This "man" deserves to rot in hell for all eternity~

If you really love me is Ann Rule's best book. The story is never boring, and there are a lot of action and suspense.
The story is about a young girl named Cinnamon, who is accused of her mother-in-law murder. In the beginning she confessed to the policemen , but after she accused her father. One policeman believed that she is innocent, so he investigated to prove that. The investigate is very exciting, and it's hard to find the real murderer.
I very enjoyed it !

In case no one has heard, David Brown died from natural causes in prison recently. He's burning in Hell now, right where he belongs.

In case no one has heard, David Brown died from natural causes in prison recently. He's burning in Hell now, right where he belongs.

I read this book about 7 or 8 years ago and i recently made an account on Amazon and i can tell you this book was one of the best books i have ever read about. I remember this entire book like i read it yesterday! What Cinnamon Brown went through as a pre-teen...the manipulation, the pressure she had on her and then to have to go to jail for this man, David Brown was just absoultly sick. I couldn't believe with the pressure she was put under by Brown that she would have to do any time at all and was repulsed when i read on and found out what they gave her. She is free now but still. It must have been hell on a kid that was practicaly forced to do something like that to someone she had to secretely love, and we know as a child she secretely loved her step mother.

Shocking, sad and unfortunatly...so true...

By: Marisol Cervantes (Real Name)

The story of a man who suffered in his childhood but made anyone he met pay for it, especially young girls, especially his own first daughter at fourteen; anyone who ran into him had to suffer for it. A masterful recount, psichologically deep, and recreation of how complete lack of conscience ravages and defiles everything in his way, treading ruthlessly on innocent lives. Unbelievable as it may seem, this convoluted tale of evil defies any master thriller writer, and Miss Rule creates the ambiance that goes with it, the anguish those girls had to live, many times from their very infancy. I must say, to write this review I cheated a little, saw the end of the afterword (to this morning I've read three fourths of it), of course I'm not telling. Suffice it to say that at this moment I have a lot of translation work to do, and I've been sneaking to this book for a week to see what continues to happen... I'll only say if I were an authority in Orange County, the criminal would certainly be gassed, or hang, or whatever it is they do in California. But I'm not telling if: she?, he? it? hung.

A masterful reconstruction of an evil mind, full of evil, devoid of conscience.

Ann rule is the best so of course this book is great

I live about a mile from where all of this happened.

the jail is just down past Harbor where Disney Land is.

And if you have seen a picture of David Brown this guy is not good looking at all. I can not see why any of these girls/women thought he was so wonderful. yuck.

He is a user & a looser. And a murderer.