Secrets in the Cellar [Mass Market Paperback]

John Glatt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 2009

Josef Fritzl was a 73-year-old retired engineer in Austria. He seemed to be living a normal life with his wife, Rosemarie, and their family—though one daughter, Elisabeth, had decades earlier been “lost” to a religious cult. Throughout the years, three of Elisabeth’s children mysteriously appeared on the Fritzls’ doorstep; Josef and Rosemarie raised them as their own. But only Josef knew the truth about Elisabeth’s disappearance…

For twenty-seven years, Josef had imprisoned and molested Elisabeth in his man-made basement dungeon, complete with sound-proof paneling and code-protected electric locks. There, she would eventually give birth to a total of seven of Josef’s children. One died in infancy—and the other three were raised alongside Elisabeth, never to see the light of day.

Then, in 2008, one of Elisabeth’s children became seriously ill, and was taken to the hospital. It was the first time the nineteen-year-old girl had ever gone outside—and soon, the truth about her background, her family’s captivity, and Josef’s unspeakable crimes would come to light.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A LOVING FATHER

Josef Fritzl was a 73-year-old retired engineer in Austria. He seemed to be living a normal life with his wife, Rosemarie, and their family—though one daughter, Elisabeth, had decades earlier been “lost” to a religious cult. Throughout the years, three of Elisabeth’s children mysteriously appeared on the Fritzls’ doorstep; Josef and Rosemarie raised them as their own. But only Josef knew the truth about Elisabeth’s disappearance…

A MISSING DAUGHTER

For twenty-seven years, Josef had imprisoned and molested Elisabeth in his man-made basement dungeon, complete with sound-proof paneling and code-protected electric locks. There, she would eventually give birth to a total of seven of Josef’s children. One died in infancy—and the other three were raised alongside Elisabeth, never to see the light of day.

AND THE AWFUL TRUTH THAT LAY HIDDEN JUST BELOW…

Then, in 2008, one of Elisabeth’s children became seriously ill, and was taken to the hospital. It was the first time the nineteen-year-old girl had ever gone outside—and soon, the truth about her background, her family’s captivity, and Josef’s unspeakable crimes would come to light.

With 8 pages of shocking photos!

About the Author

English-born John Glatt is the author of Lost and Found, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Billy Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including Dateline NBC, Fox News, A Current Affair, BBC World News, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime; Reprint edition (March 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312947860
• ISBN-13: 978-0312947866
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > True Accounts > True Crime

More About the Author

John Glatt is an investigative journalist with more than thirty years experience. In the last fourteen years he has written 12 true crime books and 4 biographies. With more than half a million books currently in print all over the world, Glatt is acknowledged to be one of the best true crime writers working today.

A native of London, England, Glatt left school at sixteen and worked in a variety of jobs - including tea boy and messenger - before joining a small weekly newspaper outside London, where he honed his keen news sense. Over the next few years he freelanced for many national English newspapers, including The Daily Express, The Sunday People, The Daily Mail and Woman Magazine.

In 1981 he moved to New York, working on staff for News Limited, as well as freelancing for Newsweek, Omni, the New York Post, the Australian, Modern Business and other newspapers and magazines worldwide.

His first book Rage & Roll: Bill Graham and the Selling of Rock, was published in 1993 to critical acclaim. Two years later he wrote Lost in Hollywood: The Fast Times and Short Life of River Phoenix, a well received biography on the tragic movie star. His next book, The Chieftains: An Authorized Biography, which was published in 1997, saw him nominated for a 2000 Grammy in the spoken word category. In 1998 wrote the well-received The Ruling House of Monaco: The Story of a Tragic Dynasty, uncovering many new revelations about the Grimaldis.

In 1998 he wrote his first true crime book, For I Have Sinned: True Stories of Clergy Who Kill. A year later he followed it up with Evil Twins, an anthology of twins that kill. And since then he has written a True Crime book a year for St. Martin's Press True Crime Library, establishing him as a master of the genre.

Over the years, Glatt has appeared on scores of television and radio programs all over the world, including Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography.

He and his jewelry designer wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worst Crime in History., March 10, 2010

By 

Nermeen Elsayed - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secrets in the Cellar (Kindle Edition)

As other reviews, I agree that the book has been well written, though repetitive towards the end- but an easy read. I was able to finish it in a day.

I think Glatt just compiled all the articles that were produced since the case went public. I doubt anyone has any information on Elisabeth's dungeon diary or court testimony.
Without any of those, you will not be able to get the details on this case. If you really want to get this book, just wiki it and read the footnote articles. I doubt you'll find anything new in the book.

This is the worst crime in history. I doubt anyone can top it with anything else. Nothing is comparable.

I have one question I wish someone can answer: How is she sane?

24 years, 3,000 rapes, living in a basement, no sunlight, no fresh air, no freedom, not knowing if 'the monster' will come, not knowing what to do if he died, bearing 7 children, seeing one child die in your arms, having 3 children taken away from your arms, living with 3 children- possibly seeing one of them raped by her father/grandfather (doctors were not able to confirm that Kerstin has been raped by Josef Fritzl) yet caring for them... Need I say more?

What I like about the book is the explanation of the psychology behind Josef Fritzl's actions. When the reader is given reasons why someone would commit such an act- it settles something within them- to know, things like this don't happen at random and for no reason.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So much more to the story, January 26, 2010

By 

Noname - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secrets in the Cellar (Kindle Edition)

"Secrets in the Cellar" is an excellent book, very well written. Some parts were difficult to read, yet the story is fascinating and so hard to put down. How was it that Josef Fritzl was able to maintain his secret? It seems impossible to build a dungeon, imprison his daughter, Elisabeth, bring in her children to raise, all without anyone including the renters and his wife ever knowing. "How?" is the question everyone wants to know.

John Glatt starts from the beginning, the childhood of Josef Frizl. He paints a portrait of Josef's double life during Elisabeth's ordeal. Glatt also details how Elisabeth raised her children and the effects of their imprisonment mentally and physically. There was more to the story than I had ever read in the papers. Included are details about the aftermath, Elisabeth's relationship with her mother, the children's therapy and how they are healing. Glatt covered so much, yet the story flowed seamlessly.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Fritzl case. It will not disappoint.

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The devil is to nice of a name for Jozef Fritzl!, March 10, 2009

By 

Sylviastel - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secrets in the Cellar (Mass Market Paperback)

In my opinion and reading true crime books, there are few cases that boggle the imagination and the case of Jozef Fritzl imprisoning his teenage daughter Elisabeth for 24 years and fathering her seven children is mind blowing.

Unfortunately for us, the author wasn't allowed contact with the victims who are secretly guarded against tabloid photographers and journalists all wanting her story. When the case broke out, everybody in the media preyed on the small Austrian town of Amstetten to find out how this man could be so diabolical, cruel, methodical, and truly evil. I have read about hundreds of books on true crimes and this one is truly horrifying.

He showed no mercy towards his daughter or his granddaughter, Kerstin, whose deathly illness helped free them. The author does an above average job in explaining the events but it's difficult when you are unable to communicate with the victims themselves and that's not his fault in the least.

He has plenty of willing and some unwilling to go on record of a man who terrorized his entire family and the community and I don't blame them. The death penalty would be too good for him. For 24 years, he didn't allow his daughter and children/grandchildren to enjoy the basic necessities of sunlight and fresh air.

Elisabeth's actions and survival is amazing because I think many of us would have done ourselves in if we were ever in her shoes. I admire Elisabeth's strength and determination to help her children think of their imprisonment as a game rather than real.

For Jozef Fritzl, I wanted to know more about the man's background. I felt that I didn't get enough information to analyze his motivations for imprisoning his own daughter. I hope that Austrian government puts him a jail cell smaller than his daughter's prison. Unable to act out his perverse sexual fantasies with a living partner, even prostitutes were frightened by his demands and wishes during paid sessions despite the money. Jozef Fritzl will have to answer to a higher power for his actions on earth.