Prophet of Death: The Mormon Blood-Atonement Killings [Hardcover]

Pete Earley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998

An account of the crimes of Jeffrey Lundgren describes how the fanatical preacher used his hypnotic oratory and his twisted interpretations of religious texts to justify the excesses of his church--perversion, sexual slavery, and human sacrifice. Reprint. NYT.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Like Cynthia Sasse and Peggy Widder's The Kirtland Massacre ( LJ 10/1/91), Earley's Prophet of Death recounts the 1989 Morman cult murders of the Avery family. Both books are well researched, but Earley's focuses much more on the dynamics of the group. He also provides greater details on cult leader Jeff Lundgren's growing psychosis. At 320 pages, the book seems too long, and some points are covered in too much detail. Still, this may be the better book for a psychological profile of a killer and the cult who assisted in the murders of five people. Perhaps as interesting as how the group came together is the disintegration that followed when the individuals realized they were facing murder charges. Their faith in Lundgren only seemed as strong as his ability to protect them; they squealed loudly at the trials. Of interest to large libraries, or those with true crime sections.
- Lois Walker, formerly with Winthrop Coll. Lib., Rock Hill, S.C.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Replica Books (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735100454
• ISBN-13: 978-0735100459
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,561,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Pete Earley is a former Washington Post reporter and a New York Times bestselling author. His book Circumstantial Evidence helped release an unfairly sentenced man and won the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Social Justice and an Edgar(r) Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The better of the two books written about the Lundgren case, September 11, 2003

By 

Vibiana (Kansas, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prophet of Death: The Mormon Blood-Atonement Killings (Hardcover)

I own both of the books about Jeffrey Lundgren, and this one is by far better than the quick-and-dirty "Kirtland Massacre" by Sasse and Widder. It goes into a great more detail and is far less scattered.

I knew the Avery family, all five of them, from the time Dennis and Cheryl started attending the same RLDS congregation as my family in the early 1970s, up through the early 1980s, when they changed congregations for the more conservative one where they met Lundgren. I remember when each of the three Avery daughters were born, and one of the things I was surprised to read about in this book was Jeffrey Lundgren's assertion that Cheryl Avery "wore the pants" in their marriage. That is definitely not how I remember them. Dennis Avery may have been something less than Clint Eastwood in the manliness department, but Cheryl Avery was a very dutiful and submissive wife in my memory, although one could concede that it's a child's memory.

In January 1990, I called my parents at the time the news broke about the identities of the bodies found in Kirtland. My mother made a statement to the effect that Dennis and Cheryl Avery had always been very trusting and rather naive, as well as easily led, which had finally resulted in tragedy.

Jeffrey Lundgren was not alone in his criticisms of the RLDS Church (now known as the Community of Christ) in the 1970s and 1980s, nor in his decision to leave it and form his own group. I grew up in Independence, Missouri, the world headquarters of the Church, and I saw the severe conflict and split that resulted from the 1984 revelation permitting women to become ordained in the church. The Church saw something like 40 percent of its membership break completely away and form smaller fundamentalist groups which clung to the traditionalist views most RLDS were familiar with.

My father, an elder in the church for many years, feels that the real issue in 1984 wasn't the ordination of women but the issue of continuing education that rankled most male priesthood members. The president of the RLDS Church at the time of the 1984 revelation was very committed to the idea of lifelong learning for priesthood members. The RLDS Church doctrine is very much centered in divine revelation, and a lot of longtime priesthood members felt they had no need of education once they were ordained -- that God would provide whatever knowledge or discernment they needed.

In my opinion, that doctrinal emphasis on divine revelation is a lot of the reason why Jeffrey Lundgren could come to power among a group of people. When you belong to a religion that encourages you to believe that God speaks through his ordained clergy, how easy is it to dispute what is said?

Although we grew up in the same town, I did not know Jeffrey Lundgren; he was fifteen years older than me and went to a different congregation of the RLDS Church. However, in the couple of years following my graduation from high school in the early 1980s, my circle of acquaintances included Richard Brand, Shar Olson, and Greg Winship, three of the people who were involved in the Lundgren group at one time or another. Shar got away before the Averys were killed. Greg and Richard are in prison, probably for life, and since I recall them, in high school and during their young adult years, as having been two extremely respectable, conscientious and honorable young men, the ease with which they were recruited into their roles as accomplices to the slaughter of five human beings almost defies my ability to understand.

I agree with those who have written that this book is extremely disturbing in its descriptions of Jeffrey Lundgren's actions and their aftermath. I have visited the website of the author, Pete Earley, and noted that he feels, in the years since writing "Prophet of Death," that including some of the more grisly details was a mistake. However, for me they were simply confirmation of how desperately Jeffrey Lundgren needs to never be allowed to breathe a free breath again.

This is an excellent book, and I cannot think of a single comment against it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Prophet of Death: The Mormon Blood-Atonement Killings, April 28, 2004

By 

Daniel L. Wheeler "lookabook" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prophet of Death: The Mormon Blood-Atonement Killings (Paperback)

This is the first `true crime,' that I've read in about four years. The research was impeccable .... the writing excellent [although there was a tendency to use too many articles]. Most books are slanted by the author to grind their hidden agendas into your psyche. This book is a pleasant exception. Although a bit too long, you are properly introduced to the main characters of the cult. Only problem? The graphic descriptions of Lundgren's possible rectum-retentive sexuality triggered my vomit reflex machine. It's a great read ... I couldn't put it down and finished reading the book in two days with sore eyes.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Soooo crazy..., August 25, 2003

By 

S. Pactor "reader" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prophet of Death: The Mormon Blood-Atonement Killings (Hardcover)

This book documents the "Mormon Blood Atonement" killing that took place in Kirtland, Ohio during the 80's. Kirtland, of course, is the sight of the original Mormon Temple built by Smith and Sidney Rigdon.
I should say that I read Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven", which deals with the same subject, so I may compare the two during the review.
The MOST interesting part of this book is that it takes you inside the Reorganized Latter Day Saints, a "splinter" faction of Mormonism that stayed behind in the Mid West when the Mormons trekked to Utah with Brigham Young. The RLDS (as it's called) is headquartered in Missouri. It's prophet was(at the time of this book) a lineal descent of Joe Smith. The chruch is also notable because it rejected polygamy (one of the main doctrinal reasons it split from the larger church.
Jeffrey Lundgren is the "prophet" at the heart of this book. He is one sick twist. I'm not going to get into it here, but this book is an NC-17 type of story. Do not read this if you are faint of heart!
Early has a news-papery writing style that fits the subject matter. His sourcing for the tale is outstanding. He managed to interview most, if not all, of the major players.
Unlike Krakauer, Early doesn't cut away from the action to full chapters about the history of Mormonism. His focus is tight on the story. As a result, you do get a fuller picture of Jeffrey Lundgren, but I believe that Early let the RLDS off the hook. Lundgren worked as a tour guide for the RLDS in Kirtland for several years as he assembled together his cult. The back drop to the story is the split in the RLDS between church "liberals", who voted in the '80's to allow women to be ordained in the church, and fundamentalists (like Jeffrey) who wanted to keep things old school.
I believe all of Jeffrey's followers were RLDS members who would describe themselves as "fundamentalist".
I'd have to say this book is just a touch "much" for most people. Fans of true crime or Mormon extremism will be tickled, however, I really can't emphasis enough how dirty this book gets, so you have been warned!