Cruel Games: A Brilliant Professor, A Loving Mother, A Brutal Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library) [Mass Market Paperback]

Rose Ciotta (Author)

Book Description

Series: St. Martin's True Crime Library | Publication Date: February 3, 2009

University of Pennsylvania professor Rafael Robb was in a class of his own. An expert on game theory, his colleagues and students marveled over his brilliance. But his wife, Ellen, knew his dark, calculating side…and in December 2006, after years of alleged psychological abuse, she was finally ready to leave him. Her divorce papers were nearly in order and she was about to sign a lease on a new home—and a new life. Until she was found dead in the home she shared with Rafael and their daughter, Olivia.

Rafael claimed that Ellen was the victim of a fatal intrusion. Many of Ellen’s friends and family suspected that Rafael committed the crime. Now, a high-stakes showdown was about to begin between local investigators and one of academic world’s greatest masterminds. But the police had almost no evidence—and the professor had only one strategy: to win at all costs…

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

WHEN THE STAKES ARE LIFE AND DEATH

University of Pennsylvania professor Rafael Robb was in a class of his own. An expert on game theory, his colleagues and students marveled over his brilliance. But his wife, Ellen, knew his dark, calculating side…and in December 2006, after years of alleged psychological abuse, she was finally ready to leave him. Her divorce papers were nearly in order and she was about to sign a lease on a new home—and a new life. Until she was found dead in the home she shared with Rafael and their daughter, Olivia.

THERE ARE NO RULES…

Rafael claimed that Ellen was the victim of a fatal intrusion. Many of Ellen’s friends and family suspected that Rafael committed the crime. Now, a high-stakes showdown was about to begin between local investigators and one of academic world’s greatest masterminds. But the police had almost no evidence—and the professor had only one strategy: to win at all costs…

CRUEL GAMES

With 8 pages of stunning photos!

About the Author

Rose Ciotta is a veteran award-winning investigative reporter and editor. She resides in suburban Philadelphia where she is an editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer. A native of Buffalo, NY and graduate of Syracuse University, she attended Stanford University on a John S. Knight journalism fellowship. She is a former board member of Investigative Reporters & Editors Inc., an international journalism group.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime; Original edition (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312947038
• ISBN-13: 978-0312947033
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #999,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of Money, March 22, 2009

By 

Valerie D. Kell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cruel Games: A Brilliant Professor, A Loving Mother, A Brutal Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of the kind of Books that readers of True Crime just find so difficult to read. The author gives no insight, appears to have only put together a glorified news account. She clearly does not understand what makes a really good true crime account. This book repeated info so many times and devoted a whole chapter to a Gazebo, that could have been a paragraph. I had to make myself finish it by shear will and that was done in a matter of hours. Do Not waste your money!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "cruel" reality of what goes on behind closed doors, February 22, 2009

By 

Kathleen Nelson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cruel Games: A Brilliant Professor, A Loving Mother, A Brutal Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library) (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoy mysteries but never expected such an engaging and fast read. A married couple, Ellen, wife/mother/friend a woman just like women in my social circle, and Robb, an arrogant man who felt he could control not only his wife, his child but authorities, the DA, detectives, his attorneys, prosecutors, co-workers, no one was beyond his control, hopefully like no one in my social circle. The author captures the personalities and lives of all involved without boring details. I felt an intimacy with each personality in this book.
I knew little of the story only that it is based on fact which made me feel I must read it.
The reality is overwhelming and engaging - this is a horror story of what goes on behind closed doors. You cannot help but become emotionally involved. Cruel Games (perfect title) is exactly what this is all about. And to think there are victims that live in situations like this everyday and the accused can get away with it. To read that the defending lawyer indicates that the victim must have done something to deserve it is beyond my comprehension!
This is not just another mystery but demands an awareness to continue to help all victims in a dangerous marriage.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smooth story-telling of hard facts, February 22, 2009

By 

Bob M. (Media, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cruel Games: A Brilliant Professor, A Loving Mother, A Brutal Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library) (Mass Market Paperback)

The author provides a fascinating read that places you in the middle of the investigation of this cruel crime, one that received a lot of media attention in the Philadelphia area. Enjoyed Ciotta's smooth story-telling of hard facts - not something that is easy to do. You won't be disappointed.