The Poison Tree

In this gripping Edgar Award Finalist, the harrowing true story of the Jahnke family unfolds against the backdrop of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Fifteen-year-old Richard and his seventeen-year-old sister Deborah, subjected to years of abuse by their father, take drastic action one fateful night, resulting in their father's murder. As the siblings face the consequences of their actions, questions of cold-blooded murder versus self-defense arise, spotlighting a flawed judicial system and the complexities of familial trauma. Written with the Jahnkes' cooperation, this account delves into the chilling realities of life within their home and the public's reaction to their desperate plight.