Fear of Our Father: The True Story of Abuse, Murder, and Family Ties
Fear of Our Father: The True Story of Abuse, Murder, and Family Ties book cover

Fear of Our Father: The True Story of Abuse, Murder, and Family Ties

Kindle Edition

Price
$9.99
Publisher
Berkley
Publication Date

Description

Review “A gut-wrenching story...Brace yourself… Fear of Our Father reveals one complication after another. If ever a story existed to change your conviction that there’s no such thing as justifiable murder, Fear of Our Father is it.”—Marti Rulli, author of Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour --This text refers to the paperback edition. About the Author Stacey Kananen is the adult survivor of child abuse and murder. After being accused by her brother of helping him to murder their parents, Stacey went on trial for her life. After being found not guilty, Stacey decided to share her intensely personal story and plans to use proceeds to develop a new kind of abuse advocacy program, in an effort to raise awareness, help repair the system, and to eventually create a safe haven for abused kids and their families to get the help they need. She is vitally interested in creating change in the social structure of how child abuse is handled in the court system. Her long term goals include the creation of the Marilyn Kananen Foundation, in honor of her mother who would be alive today if not for domestic violence and abuse. Lisa Bonnice was an award winning writer/producer for MSNBC.com, and worked as an on-air Internet reporter during her five years at WKJG-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She received two Excellence Awards from MSNBC.com during her tenure there. She has written two self-help books, and her pet project is a series of humorous fantasy novels. In addition to numerous guest appearances on radio and television interviews, she hosted her own show on BlogTalkRadio.com, with a focus on human consciousness and self-help. Lisa shares Stacey’s desire to develop a new kind of advocacy program, and is working closely with her to do so. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Features & Highlights

  • Even after a childhood of abuse and fear, Stacey M. Kananen was shocked when her brother, Rickie, admitted his guilt in the cold-blooded murder of their terrifying father, and years later, their helpless mother.
  • But the greatest shock was to come—when he claimed that Stacey had helped him.
  • In 1988, when Rickie and Stacey’s father, Richard Kananen Sr., apparently left their home in Orlando, Florida, the family was so relieved that they never reported him missing. Fifteen years later to the day, their mother disappeared. When police became suspicious, Rickie admitted to Stacey that their father’s body was under the cement floor of their mother’s garage, and their mother was buried in Stacey’s own backyard.   Overwhelmed by grief and horror, Stacey’s brother convinced her that they should commit suicide. After a failed attempt, she woke to discover her brother arrested—along with the realization that he had probably never intended to kill himself at all. But his betrayals were not yet over:  On the eve of his trial in 2007, he suddenly claimed Stacey had been in on it, and she found herself charged with murder with a gung ho rookie detective out to put her away no matter what.   This is the tragic and triumphant account of one woman’s struggle to overcome her past, clear her name in what would become a dramatic public spectacle of a trial, and finally escape the nightmares that had haunted her entire life.   INCLUDES PHOTOS

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(71)
★★★★
25%
(59)
★★★
15%
(35)
★★
7%
(17)
23%
(54)

Most Helpful Reviews

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OK, just not for me **Review may contain spoilers**

I suppose I will be ripped asunder for not giving this book 5 stars, but in my opinion, it just wasn't a 5 star read for me. I, too, grew up with an alcoholic father and witnessed untold incidents of domestic violence and more, so I can relate to this story. Yes, it is a horrific tale of a beyond belief dysfunctional family, but I started to sour somewhat over Stacey's continued belief her mom was innocent and always the victim. Yes, she suffered unimaginable domestic violence over the span of many years, but any sympathy I had for Mary flew out the window when she got the money to leave the husband, and then turns around and give it to the SOB! I believe her mother knew full well what happened to the father, maybe even doing the deed herself and enlisting the brother's help in covering up the murder. The brother is a piece of work, totally in a class by himself. The alleged reasons he murdered the mother are a little confusing (but the brother kept changing his story, so who knows?)and I had a hard time keeping track of them all. I think I would have liked the book more had it not been told in Stacey's own words (and more in a true crime style), and it would have been enlightening and interesting to hear why her sister was so convinced Stacey was involved up to her eyeballs. That being said, I wish Stacey and Susan well in the future and hopefully, she can mend fences with her sister, nieces and nephews.
17 people found this helpful
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What a waste of time

Poorly written just for a buck. This story may be a true story but on paper it comes across cheesy a phony.too bad. In parts I,s melodramatic and cheap. I would not recommend buying this book. I bought it because. I read some of the reviews. I should have read more. This book cheapens a very real and serious problem in this world. Too bad.
8 people found this helpful
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Too many errors

I would have given more stars but the grammar and punctuation was terrible. It made it difficult to read. Publisher/editor should have proofread.
7 people found this helpful
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Fear of our Father

A heartfelt depiction of a terrible injustice. I wish Stacy had found a better writer to tell her story. It was disjointed and lost a lot of the impact because of poor writing.
5 people found this helpful
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Excellent

It's hard to say a book about such monstrous parenting was great, but this was a great way of sharing a horrendous story.
4 people found this helpful
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I am so proud of Stacey

A true story of someone I know and care about. Stacey is an amazing woman! She will make a difference in her life and is a stronger woman for just sharing her horrific story so that others know you can come through it. I am so proud of her.
4 people found this helpful
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Brave Storytelling and Survival

Stacey's survival at the hands of her father is nothing short of a miracle. This book is an excellent recollection of her life experiences and the continued hell she survived when she was accused of murder. I am amazed at the resiliency this woman possesses and the spirit with which she is helping others who were abused. This is a book worth reading, a story worth knowing and Stacey's Amnesty cause is one worth supporting. Bravo!
4 people found this helpful
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Too Meandering

The book could have benefited from tighter editing. The main story was somewhat interesting but kept going on and on.
3 people found this helpful
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great read

Excellent,well written,and gripping.could not put it down. My heart gors out to stacy for such courage to tell her story
3 people found this helpful
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great read

Excellent,well written,and gripping.could not put it down. My heart gors out to stacy for such courage to tell her story
3 people found this helpful