A Warrant to Kill: A True Story of Obsession, Lies and a Killer Cop [Mass Market Paperback]

Kathryn Casey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2000

She tried to tell her friends. She even went to the police. No one would believe her--and now she was dead.

Problems had always followed Susan White, but when she remarried and moved to Houston's posh suburbs, she thought the past was behind her--until she met a deputy sheriff named Kent McGowen who would soon become her worst nightmare.

McGowen was an aggressive cop with a spotty record. When Susan rebuffed his advances, she claimed he stalked and harassed her, using her troubled teenage son as bait. And then, in an act of arrogance and revenge, he made good on his threats, setting her up for the kill.

In A Warrant to Kill, Kathryn Casey meticulously pieces together the tragic shards of the case to create a riveting story of vengeance, fear, and justice--of the terrifying power a badge can have in the wrong hands.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kathryn Casey joins Carlton Stowers as the premier chroniclers of Texas crime," --NYT bestselling author Gregg Olsen

"Kathryn Casey stakes her claim as one of the best in the business," M. William Phelps, author of Love Her To Death

"A true crime classic! A chilling study where both the victim and the stalker are bizarre and inscrutable..." -- Ann Rule

"Kathryn Casey has crafted a gripping psychological study--a real-life nightmare...A book as fascinating as it is troubling." -- Carlton Stowers, Edgar Award-winning author of Careless Whispers

From the Author

"One day you'll believe me, but by then I'll be dead."

I first heard those words in 1992, repeated by a man in a restaurant piano bar not far from my Houston home. We’d been introduced by a mutual friend, and that night Ray Valentine belted down drinks, his eyes wet with tears, as he told the story of the tragic death of a woman he’d dated, Susan White.

Throughout that hot Houston summer, White had complained that a man named Joseph Kent McGowen was harassing her. She said she’d rebuffed his advances and in retaliation he’d stalked her, threatening revenge against her and her troubled teenage son.

"One day you'll believe me but by then I'll be dead, and it'll be because Kent McGowen killed me," she'd said.

Valentine hadn't believed her. McGowen was a cop, a deputy sheriff who’d sworn to protect and defend. "A cop's not going to hurt you," he’d insisted.

But Valentine didn't know McGowen.

By the time I first heard about her entreaties, Susan White lay buried in her grave, the victim of three bullets fired by McGowen’s county-issued gun. McGowen was on duty, serving a warrant signed by a judge for White's arrest. He claimed he'd fired only when she'd pulled a gun. White’s gun was found on the scene. At first it seemed a clear case of self-defense.

But the rumors persisted, talk of a power-hungry cop not adverse to manipulating the legal system to satisfy a vengeful rage.

In the end, I would spend years investigating Kent McGowen, Susan White, and how their paths so fatally intersected. Theirs is a cautionary tale of the terrifying power of one bad cop and the helplessness of a woman caught in his sights.

I hope you enjoy "A Warrant to Kill." Kathryn Casey

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (October 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380780410
• ISBN-13: 978-0380780419
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > True Accounts > Murder & Mayhem

More About the Author

Hello to Everyone:

Amazon's suggestion is that I use this space to tell you a little about myself. So, I'll try: I'm an immigrant to Texas from the upper Mid-west, but I moved here in the early eighties so I consider myself a naturalized Texan. Houston is an amazing place to live, exciting and full of life. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I ventured into true crime writing purely by accident. I was working at Houston City Magazine in the eighties when a fascinating murder took place in the Big Thicket, the wide expanse of pine forests that meld Texas and Louisiana. My editor suggested I cover the case. I did and, from that point on, I was hooked. I've never looked back.

Since then, I've written six true crime books: "A Warrant to Kill," is on Houston's Kent McGowen case, that of a murderous deputy and the woman he terrorized. Next came "She Wanted It All," on Austin's incredible Celeste Beard case. It's hard to beat that one for twists and turns!

2007 introduced "Die My Love." It's an account of the Piper Rountree case, that of a Houston attorney and her professor ex-husband, Fred Jablin. The book is a fascinating, in-depth look at a train-wreck marriage that ended in a tragic murder.

June 2008 debuted "A Descent into Hell," on Austin's bizarre Colton Pitonyak case. Then, that November, "Evil Beside Her," a rerelease of "The Rapist's Wife," my first book, with a new title, cover, photos and an update. Last year, "Shattered" hit bookstores, an account of the tragic case of Belinda Temple, a young mother murdered by her football star husband.

My foray into fiction began in 2009 with the birth of a mystery series featuring Texas Ranger Sarah Armstrong, a single mom, investigator and profiler. The series started with "Singularity," followed by "Blood Lines," and "The Killing Storm." All the books have garnered stellar reviews, and the third was named a best book of 2010 by Library Journal.

There's been little publicity for any of my work, so it's all word-of-mouth. Yet that's carried "A Warrant to Kill" into a ninth printing and "She Wanted It All" into a seventh. "The Killing Storm" was only out for a few months when it went into a third printing. Truly remarkable!

The credit goes to all of you who read the books and recommend them to friends and family. Keep up the good work! Spread the word! It's appreciated!

I'm not sure how often I'll check in here, but you can always peruse my website: kathryncasey.com, to keep abreast of upcoming events and new books. And email me at [e-mail]. I'll look forward to it!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I bought a copy for my best friend, October 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Warrant to Kill: A True Story of Obsession, Lies and a Killer Cop (Mass Market Paperback)

I have this friend who loves true crime books and after reading this I've decided to stick a copy of "A Warrant to Kill" in his Christmas present this year. It's a super book, so engaging. I got in trouble at work because I couldn't put it down. I wish there were more books like this. I love Ann Rule's books and I can see why she recommended this one. You have the same feeling you know the people and the places at the end that you do when you read one of her books. I'm from Houston and this book really has a sense of place.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing True Crime, April 25, 2002

By 

Mcgivern Owen L (NY, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Warrant to Kill: A True Story of Obsession, Lies and a Killer Cop (Mass Market Paperback)

I feel a short review of books like "Warrant to Kill" are best because no one, however unintentionally, should give away the ending of a true crime story. Set in Houston, WK is a first rate tale of murder of an innocent woman by a police officer. It is obvious early on that this cop never should have been issued a badge. I found WK personally disturbing because I believe there are more bad apples on most big city police forces than we care to admit. The resolution of the crime will definitely leave many readers dissatisfied. This is no fault of author Casey. Was justice done in this instance? One will just have to read WK to find out for themself. What I've always termed the "Ann Rule rule" is in effect! Do not read the centerfold pictures until the end! As in many true crime tales, they give away the ending. Why do editors permit this? WK is an absolutely safe choice for true crime fans, especially those that live in Texas. Recommended!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping, chilling tale, October 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Warrant to Kill: A True Story of Obsession, Lies and a Killer Cop (Mass Market Paperback)

Casey has done an excellent job of putting the reader smack in the center of the action - clearly the result of exhaustive research and an understanding of the people involved. She's sympathetic toward her victim while at the same time acknowledging Susan's mistakes and misguided efforts, and she takes the reader step-by-step through the process that allowed Kent McGowan to retain his badge and plot his awful schemes. It's terrifying to think that such things happen in America today - cops can stalk and target the innocent and get away with it - but this book serves as both an eye-opener and a cautionary message: Power in the wrong hands can be lethal.

A must-read for true-crime fans - or just fans of good writing.