Deadly Blessing [Hardcover]

Steve Salerno (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The son of a former Texas governor and U.S. senator, Daniel felt himself the inheritor of a family tradition and rose to the speakership of the lower house in Austin before leaving politics. His first marriage was the sort he was expected to contract, to the daughter of a leading Texas family; it ended in divorce. His second marriage was to a waitress in a fast-food restaurant and they seem to have been incompatible from the start. In 1981 she killed him, or so charged the state. The trial for custody of the children preceded the murder trial, so that much of the evidence for the latter was unveiled during the former. The widow won custody of the children and also was acquitted of murder. Salerno (TNS) suggests a miscarriage of justice, perhaps because the case pitted "a poor girl" against a powerful and aristocratic family; hence the title. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In Texas, the Daniel name means politics and oil. Price Daniel, Jr.a descendent of Sam Houston and son of a former senator and governorhad all the blessings. Yet his political career and first marriage failed. In January 1981, he was shot dead by his second wife, an ex-Dairy Queen waitress. This well-crafted story of Daniel, his marriage, his death, and the two resulting trials focuses on these questions: Was he a wife and child abuser, or was he a hard-working family man, unjustly accused by his histrionic wife? Did Vickie Daniel commit first-degree murder? Should she get custody of the children? Devotees of "true crime" will be eager to read the answers. Recommended.Sandra K. Lindheimer, Middlesex Law Lib., Cambridge, Mass.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (November 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688065651
• ISBN-13: 978-0688065652
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A page turner with a point, November 5, 2005

By 

the chauncifer (Tulsa, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Blessing (Hardcover)

This story can be read on several levels. On its face, it is a top-notch example of the true-crime genre, from an era when true crime was still king in nonfiction. But it also has its points to make about men, ambition, and the singular Texas mindset. I wanted more in spots (more context, it sometimes had a bit of a condensed feel to it) but even as it is, I can certainly see how this got made into a TV movie: 1992's Deadly Blessing. Just a classic story line. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a great read!

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book!, July 4, 2001

By 

Melvin Hunt (Cleveland,, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deadly Blessing (Hardcover)

I personally found this book to be a good documentation of the death of Price Daniel Jr. and the subsequent events that followed. Vickie Daniel,the wife of Price Daniel Jr. was charged with murdering her husband Price Daniel Jr. Ganiel had been a State Representative and had also served as the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He was defeated by Mark White in a race for Attorney General. His father had served as Governor of Texas. Vickie was put on trial for the murder of her husband. She was represented by the Haines firm. This was a spectacular trial that eventually wound up with Vickie's acquittal. She was next taken to court by the Daniels family over her children.She was once again represented by the Haines fir, The Daniels family were represented by J.K. Zeke Zbranek(who now serves as a District Judge in Liberty County). Once again Vickie Daniels emerged victorious. This is a very interesting book that you can really get into. Read it.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read, August 16, 2004

By 

Ms_Scout (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Blessing (Paperback)

I vaguely remember hearing of the junior Price Daniel (son of former Texas Governor Price Daniel Sr.) being shot and killed by his wife in 1981. I live a couple of hundred miles north of Liberty, but I am in East Texas nonetheless. A TV movie about Price and Vickie Daniel prompted me to read this book and I found it to be an easy, interesting read.

I'm glad that Vickie Daniel had secret sympathizers who wanted to help her beat the "good ole boy" system that was firmly behind the prominent Daniel family. Price, Jr., was obviously a spoiled, abusive jerk who would have been painted as a saint if his sister, father et al had had their way. Thankfully, Houston big shot attorney Racehorse Haynes was brought in to level the karma.

I'm not saying Price Daniel, Jr. deserved to be shot and killed. But Vickie Daniel did not deserve to be railroaded if the shooting was truly an accident. And how stupid was it of the Daniel family to try and get custody of Vickie's kids before she had even been tried for murder? Maybe the words for that is stupid arrogance.