Witch: The True Story of Las Vegas' Most Notorious Female Killer (Berkley True Crime)

Great book about Brookey Lee West, a Las Vegas woman who killed her mother then put her in a 55 gallon trash can and duct taped it closed, then stored it with some of her other odds and ends at a Self Storage Place. Eventually the smell got so bad the employees tried to reach West, but when they couldn't they opened the unit, found the body and then called the cops. The cops arrested West and discovered that her estranged husband, Howard St. John had been shot and dumped in the country by the redwoods and that West's younger brother, Travis Lee Smith was missing and hadn't been seen for at least 10 years but his social security checks were going to Brookey Lee West's account. She lost at trial and got life in prison

OK, I'll admit it: I'm giving this great book 5 stars simply because so many people have underrated it. I will say it deserves at least 4.5. I read it many years ago and the story has stayed with me enough that I had to buy a new copy to reread. I have read some of this author's other works and not been impressed; but I think he, himself was intrigued with this particular story and it shows in the detail and investigative work he carried out. This is exactly what I look for in true crime: Completely enthralling chapters describing the family and life story of the subject. I find it amusing that so many readers have lamented the murder of the subject's mother. I'll bet that no one who actually knew here were quite so bereaved. Not that I excuse the many crimes of the subject but I can understand that monsters are sometimes created by parents just like hers. In my opinion, this is great true crime. Enjoy!

I sometimes felt that the author was having a bit too much fun graphically describing the appallingly horrific details of the condition in which the body was found. I haven't read the other reviews so I dont know if that's just me being squeamish. Otherwise, i found the read to be interesting. It wasn't really overly focused on witchcraft or anything, which is good in my opinion.

I was hooked as a Glenn Puit fan the minute I started reading his work. I put off reading this one because of the title. It is a bit misleading, because this book isn't really about someone who practices witchcraft, voo-doo or black magic. This is a woman who is deranged and a seriously troubled person, whose mother is a bit strange too. She is the type of person I hope to never have a chance meeting with. She's a wicked human being who is a definite danger to society. Anyone who would kill their own mother is capable of killing anyone. I feel bad for Howard, the poor man struggling to get his life on track after battling alcoholism and other problems. She has a way of drawing people in and doesn't think twice about killing them if she feels they deserve it. I love the way Glenn Puit tells the story, keeping me attached to my kindle and hardly able to put it down. This is a definite must read for true crime fans and I anxiously await Mr. Puit's next book.

I'm a self-confessed true-crime junkie. I picked this up because I remember seeing part of the coverage on TRU TV back when Brookey was on trial. This book is wonderfully researched and presented. The photos are gruesome; even for a true-crime novel. You usually see grainy shots of uninteresting aspects of the crime. Here, it's right there in all it's horror. In addition, there are many side stories presented by the author, detailing some of Las Vegas' more notorious crimes. Unsettling and disturbing, "Witch" is a must add to your true-crime library. I hope to see more from this author!

I have read hundreds if not thousands or true crime books. I've been to law school and specifically studied female serial killers. This book is badly written. It is organized poorly. However, ultimately it has a catchy title with no backing. It mentions black magic three or four times and really doesn't dwell on how it deals with the deaths. For that matter, I'm not even sure I'd convict her. She may be crazy but it doesn't mean she isn't crazy like a fox and that undercover work like you see in Ann Rule and Aphrodite Jones books just isn't found here. This is a boring book that I prayed would real some nugget of information (but didn't) before it ended and then literally threw it away--it's not worth the passage to others or even the space on my bookshelf. I had assumed that a professional newspaper journalist with the back ground that this writer has would produce a better book, but it didn't happen.

I read this book because I am a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe which is the tribe that one of this woman's husbands (Howard St. John)was from. I was absolutely shocked at how twisted this woman and her family were. She had to have been a sociopath to be able to do the things she did. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading non-fiction and/or crime stories.

Intriguing, well researched, and well written! Quick and easy read. Hard to put down. Looking forward to reading more of his work!