Sleep, My Child, Forever cover art

Sleep, My Child, Forever

The Riveting True Story of a Mother Who Murdered Her Own Children

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Sleep, My Child, Forever

By: John Coston
Narrated by: A. T. Chandler
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About this listen

The dark double life of Ellen Boehm, the mother who murdered her two sons - and nearly killed her daughter

Ellen Boehm, a single mom from St. Louis, Missouri, appeared devoted to her children. But in reality, she was unequipped for motherhood, financially strapped, and desperate. Within a year of each other, her sons, ages two and four, died mysteriously, and Boehm's eight-year-old daughter then suffered a near-fatal mishap when a hair dryer fell into the girl's bath. While neighbors wondered how Boehm remained so calm through it all, Det. Sgt. Joseph Burgoon of St. Louis Homicide had darker suspicions.

Burgoon soon unraveled a labyrinth of deception, greed, and obsession that revealed a cold-blooded killer whose get-rich-quick scheme came at the cost of her children's lives. Boehm had taken out insurance policies on her children with six different companies totaling nearly $100,000. Using police reports, case documents, and photos, journalist John Coston recreates the events that led to one mother's unspeakable acts of filicide - and a cop's relentless pursuit of the truth.

©1995 John Coston (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Murder Social Sciences True Crime Violence in Society Scary

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All stars
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This was an interesting tale of circumstances leading to the death of two children. I was quite shocked at the mothers attitude to her children, there is obviously a serious underlying mental health issue.

The book could be a little shorter, as parts (such as the interview process) were basically the same information repeated, just in a slightly different format…….I ended up fast forwarding part of it as the back and forth naming the people talking was just frustrating.
The book goes into detail on how the investigation was put together and then the subsequent charges.

The narration went at a nice pace and there was no attempt at acting (which is great in this type of book) and allowed me to relax into it.

A good listen but a little repetitive

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It was a true story so I cannot critique it in the same way as a fiction. it was interesting but the narrator made me want to sleep.

Interesting read

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This was an excellent book, fast paced and well performed. Highly recommend to all true crime fans.

Finished in the one sitting.

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I thought that too much was made of the descriptions of the murderess as`fat', 'un-attractive' & 'cold'. That's an opinion not fact. The account was lacking psychological analysis. The narration was fine.

Not as in depth as I would have liked.

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So this is around 8 hours of monotone recounting of events from various reports
At first I found this confusing and distracting but at some point adjusted to the style, that the heinous crime being recounted were not distracted by any form of dramatic storytelling, it were simply recalling statements of fact and fit to form of the true unfeeling nature of self serving Ellen, simply passing through the motions of the events.

For such a short piece and being true crime I did think it would be a one stop job and done however it was actually 3 days, I’m glad I learned about the lives of these children, that they existed, and it was interesting, I am one of those that do like to pick into the minds of why people take such paths and this does a good job of exploring behaviours and narratives, yet it did not grip me as such a documentary or podcast generally would.

Not bad at all, it’s style won’t be for everyone, it gets rather graphic in detailing the harm to the children, had me wincing while walking through the streets listening with cracks in my heart and acid churning in my stomach.
But the sweethearts stories deserve to be heard. If for that reason alone. Give it a go.

Interesting but not gripping

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Narrated well. Overall Enjoyed this book despite the sad circumstances it is based on.

Easy listen

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Those poor little kids, a dragon mother.
My one conclusion is they should have ended her.

A fascinating and horribly compelling listen.

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Great telling of this murderer, HOWEVER

the repeating " fat and therefore undesireable" commentary is unnecessary. she was not well liked due to her personality first and foremost

fat phobic comments in the entire book

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I managed to listen to the end and the story is heartbreaking, but it felt like the narator was reading a list rather a story.

Story ok, Narator seemed emotionless

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The story was very harrowing and sad but the narrator should get another job. Unfortunately it spoilt it for me

Robotic narrator

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