My Daughter Susan Smith [Paperback]

Linda Russell (Author), Shirley Stephens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2000

My daughter Susan Smith was never a violent person, never abused her children. She never committed an act of any kind that those close to her could point to later as an omen of the killing of her children. She loved them dearly. They were her life. But she sent 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex to their deaths in John D. Long Lake on a dark October night. In the 6 years since Susan was found guilty of murder, I am just now beginning to understand the silent devastation of mental illness. Obviously, I have to accept that Susan was responsible for the deaths of her children. But where does responsibility lie for what happened along the way that got her in that mental shape?

This book is a quest for understanding--for myself and for others.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

How would a mother handle a tragedy such as Susan Smith's murder of her own children? What happened in Susan's background to drive her to such an action? Is she the only guilty party, or are there other people who, by their actions, are culpable in what happened? These are the questions that compelled Authors Book Nook to publish My Daughter Susan Smith.

About the Author

Linda Russell wrote her book with the help of accomplished author Shirley Stephens. Mrs. Stephens has three other books to her credit: Under the S.S. Shadow, the story of a Nazi youth and his journey into faith; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the account of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; and A New Testament View of Women, a biblical study of what the New Testament really says about the role of women.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Authors Book Nook (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970107617
• ISBN-13: 978-0970107619
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #988,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shirley Stephens holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary. She has more than thirty years of writing and editing experience. Books to her credit are: Under the SS Shadow, the true story of a former Hitler Youth and the son of an SS major; A New Testament View of Women, a biblical study of all of the New Testament passages that relate specifically to women; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; From the Cell to the Cross, an update of Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle; My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women, nine truths that Jesus taught to women in dialog fashion.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth your time or money, December 8, 2005

By 

Susie Q "Sue" (Newfoundland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Daughter Susan Smith (Paperback)

This book is pathetic. Linda Russell has spent her time blaming everyone else for what her daughter did. There is no doubt that some of the people in Susan Smith's life behaved very inappropriately but in the end it was Susan who decided to murder her children and then lie about it. I really believe that she murdered her children because she still thought she would have a chance to be with Tom Findlay.

Linda Russell has no difficulty in blaming other people for what her daughter did but leaves herself out. Ms. Russell was pregnant and married at a young age to a very unstable man. She did not choose to get out of this situation but decided to bring two more children into it before he killed himself. She then married another man and stayed with him even after finding out that he had sexually abused her daughter on a number of occasions. Maybe if she had taken more responsibility for her own life those beautiful little boys would still be alive.

Ms Russell indicates that Tom Findlay is not an honourable man. I believe that he was very truthful with Susan and do not see how this makes him dishonourable.

How much did she get paid to write this junk? The only good that could become of this book is if she has decided to donate all of the profits to an organization that is interested in the protection and of children.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A self-serving, vengeful offering..., April 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: My Daughter Susan Smith (Paperback)

I have followed the Susan Smith case since the horrible day in 1994 that the press broke the story. After reading numerous accounts of the tragedy, I still ask "why?"

Linda Russell's account of the murder of her grandsons is the most self-serving, vengeful work I have read. She uses the book not as a "quest for understanding," as she claims, rather as a tool to point the finger and retaliate against those she deems "guilty"...the press, David Smith (the boys' father), David Smith's relatives, and so on. Not once does she look in the mirror and wonder about her own fault...what if she had filed for divorce from her husband (Susan's stepfather) the instant she discovered he had touched Susan inappropriately? What about the second episode? Was there a third? I believe she selfishly avoided the social stigma (of sexual abuse and divorce) by sacrificing her daughter.

Her hate of David Smith is likewise evident. She blames David for "helping put the children in their graves" by being "mentally abusive" to Susan. Many women in this country suffer mental abuse--and worse--daily, yet they do not use it as an excuse to commit murder. Susan Smith, and Susan Smith alone, pulled the hand brake on her car and allowed her sleeping children to roll to their death by drowning. Though Linda Russell tries mightily to excuse her daughter's crime by pointing a thousand fingers, she fails. (A small postscript here...Linda forgets that she effectively endorsed Susan's sexual abuse in her own home by allowing the perpertrator to continue living there...in doing so, didn't she "help put the children in their graves" also?)

Members of the media, Linda Russell claims, "spied on (her) family, misinterpreted (her) feelings, invaded (her) home, manipulated the truth to fit their biases," and so on and so on and so on. One wonders if Linda would have been as angry at the media had the outcome been different? What if the media's presence, and willingness to keep the story on the front page day after day, had been the tool that found the boys? Linda is angry only because the press portrayed her daughter as the murderer that she is, and deservedly so.

Save your money...don't even bother to read this obvious attempt at revenge. Instead, donate...to your local children's library. The money would be better spent.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Appalling read....., August 6, 2006

By 

C. Luttrell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Daughter Susan Smith (Paperback)

This book made me sick. How dare this woman basically blame David Smith for the murder of Micheal and Alex? Susan is the one who sent those babies into the cold, dark water of John D. Long lake to die. David lives every day, including yesterday, which would have been Alex's 13th birthday, without his sons. It is this woman's daughter who is responsible - no one else. Don't waste your money on this piece of trash.