Customer Reviews

House Of Secrets

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I read house of secrets about a year ago and this book really opened my eyes as to what kind of sick and demented people exist out there. I feel very sorry for the family and the pain they had to endure from Ed Sexton and his sick ways. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finding out more about what True Crime is all about. I gave this book 5 stars because I think Lowell Cauffiel really did a wonderful job in including all aspects of the family, the crimes that were committed, and the background of Ed Sexton and "his" family. Like another review I read this book really changed the way I look at abuse and the effects that has on the families that endured it.

My sister recommeded this book to me and my sister-in-law was reading it at the time that I was starting the book and she said that she couldn't finish the book because of everything that Sexton did to his family and she couldn't go on to the end, but once I started I couldn't put it down. This by far is one of the best true crime books that I have read. As far as the pictures are concerned I do agree with the reader that said they could have done without seeing the picture of the infant that was murdered. I do feel sorry for the Sexton children because they were raised to believe the life they were living was normal thus is why they never questioned their lives and the things that were happening to them. Now they are entering into a life that is nothing compared to what they lived while living with their parents and I am sure that it is a huge culture shock for them, but at the same time a wonderful change. Great book if you can finish it I recommend it to anyone that is trying to understand and get a concept of what is actually out in the world happening to others and their families, it is not just strangers that get victimized.

As I was reading this well-written book, I kept asking myself, with all the police officers, social workers, neighbors and relatives who were involved at different levels in this family's lives, how did Eddie Sexton get away with all these unspeakable acts? To think that in this day and age, someone in our very own neighborhoods could be doing what he did is very scary and very sad. I've read many true crime books but none has had the impact that this one did. I think it is because many talk about what strangers do to strangers. This is a father and mother, who are supposed to protect and love their children above all else. I truly believe that Edddie Sexton epitomizes the word "dysfunction". My heart goes out to ALL of his children because they were living the world he had created for them. None had a clue as to normal. Mr. Cauffiel did a superb job investigating and reporting this tragic true horror story.

This true crime/horror tale was interesting but...the constant switching from legal names, then to nicknames was both confusing and annoying. I believe this was something a seasoned editor would have sorted out. All and all the book was a good read but...pick a name and stick to it throughout the entire book!

The tale of the Sexton's is not for the faint of heart.

This is a fairly well written book, although I will admit that the way the information was organized did not help the story flow at times.

But the fact that these people were allowed to escape detection for so long, (You cannot begin to fathom the twisted parentage the Sexton children were raised under. It will chill you to the core people like this exist) is what I felt most abhorrent.

While the book chronicles some of the freak show that was the Sexton Family life, I think it better serves to show just how inept our family service system has become.

This is a quite fascinating tale of a very evil man. It's not the greatest of true crime novels, but it certainly held my interest. But then again, I find horrible people to be the most fascinating people. Don't you? In any event, the murder itself is not the focus of this book, but the abuse doled out by Eddie is every bit as fascinating. If you need some light morbid reading in the airport, this is a good choice.

I live about 2 minutes away from where this all happened. I went to Jackson High School with one of the children. It is so hard to believe that this happened so close! What a great book, though! You could read the book with in 2 days...I recommend to all!

If you want a book that will keep you up all night, this is the one. This is a truly twisted, but tragic story of a father who not only abused and raped his own children, but taught them to be abusers and rapists too. These children thought this was the normal way to live life. The older boys were just as abusive to the younger children as the father was to them. The mother did nothing to protect her children, in fact she participated in the abuse. I feel sorry for the children, they went through so much. This book gets you thinking about all the abuse that goes on behind closed doors. I definitely recommend this book.

This book was one of the best I've ever read. It was so creepy and twisted it was hard to believe it was true! To think people like that walk on this earth among us is unreal! Pity those poor kids brought up in that wacky household. Ed Sexton shame on you -populating the earth with children through your own daughters!Shocking-simply because it all happened to be true!

I read a lot of True Crime, but this one was top of the list. Unbelieveable but true...made my blood boil. The worst case of incest/abuse I've ever read.