Honeymoon With A Killer [Paperback]

Don Lasseter (Author), Ronald E. Bowers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2009

Rebecca Salcedo had an easy smile, a sexy body, and strong appetites - she wanted the world. Bruce Cleland, she decided, would buy it for her. The shy engineer quickly fell victim to her charms, getting her whatever she wanted. A new car. A boat. A house. But he wasn't Rebecca's only admirer...Even after Rebecca manipulated Bruce into marrying her, hoping to divorce him and take him for everything he had, she occupied herself with a series of lovers. Male strippers, women...they all spent time in Rebecca's bed. But when she learned that a divorce would only get her a few pennies, she knew she had to find another way to secure Bruce's fortune. Enlisting two family members as killers-for-hire, Rebecca set in motion her solution to the problem. While she watched, the first bullet hit Bruce in the face. Three more would follow. But while Rebecca kept the blood off her hands, she could not conceal evidence that led straight to her, culminating in a trial that would shock a community.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Prolific true crime author Lasseter and retired L.A. County prosecutor Bowers (You'll Never Find My Body) team up again to tell the sordid tale of an innocent man and the woman who plotted his murder. In December 1995, at a swap meet near Pasadena, Calif., successful, single 40-something Bruce Cleland meets beautiful Rebecca Salcedo, and her smile changes his life forever. Rebecca insists he support her lavishly, orchestrates a wedding, then demands a divorce, hoping to take Bruce's wealth. When Bruce refuses to pay spousal support, promiscuous, scheming Rebecca arranges for her husband's death. Lasseter and Bowers provide readers with a highly detailed depiction of events leading up to and following the gruesome murder of Bruce Cleland. True crime aficionados will savor this riveting read. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pinnacle; Original edition (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786019298
• ISBN-13: 978-0786019298
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #475,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars After the First 181 Pages, It's All Redundant, December 4, 2009

By 

Kim Cantrell "Soap Box Bandit" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeymoon With A Killer (Paperback)

Rebecca Salcedo was a woman used to getting her way using her sexuality; and when she met Bruce Cleland, a well-to-do 42-year-old bachelor, she knew she could get him to marry her.

Within six short months of the marriage, and thousands of dollars worth of debt later, Bruce Cleland would die in what was intended to look like a carjacking.

It didn't take police long to learn of Rebecca's statements to friends that she had only married Bruce for his money. And from there, police honed in on Rebecca, her male-stripper cousin and his sinister-looking brother.

Honeymoon With A Killerby veteran true crime writer Don Lasseter with retired District Attorney Ronald Bowers, details how a poverty-stricken Hispanic girl would grow up into a woman willing to kill for riches.

While I've found several of Lasseter's books to be good reads, I found this book to fall a bit shy of even being mediocre. The first 181 pages of Honeymoon With A Killer is fast-paced, filled with engrossing details of Rebecca; yet the remaining 159 pages is nothing but a rehashing of the first part during the trial.

As a result, I found myself skimming a big portion of the book. The only thing that kept me hanging in was the hoping of seeing a woman like Rebecca get her just desserts.

And in that, I was not disappointed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars ...last time I read a Lasseter, January 9, 2010

By 

Gloria M. Siecinski "who 'dat" (Florida - predator capital) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeymoon With A Killer (Paperback)

I really hoped this paperback would be well written. Similar to Mr.Lasseter's "Die for Me". You know, full of detail with that 'can't put it down' element. Not happening. Reads slow and skimpy. Left it in the employee lunchroom on purpose.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast Paced, Engrossing, May 10, 2010

By 

Leonard Wood "Len" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeymoon With A Killer (Paperback)

I decided to not purchase this book after reading some of the reviews. Fortunately, I was given a copy by a friend. I absolutely loved the book. This is an unusual case and Lasseter and Bowers do an excellent job relating the circumstances and facts. Unlike some true crime authors, Lasseter and Bowers waited until the defendants exhausted their appeals before writing their book, so I didn't have to go on the internet to find out what happened. I also appreciated the fact that the authors didn't bore us with the life histories of secondary players. I found the book excellent, from the beginning to the final page.