The Fortune Hunter
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3.8 • 18 Ratings
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- $1.99
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
The New York Times–bestselling true crime author reveals the full story of murder and deception behind the Lifetime movie Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer.
Texas millionaire Steven Beard, Jr. fell hard for Celeste Martinez, a waitress less than half his age. She served the seventy-year-old widow his nightly cocktail—along with sexual favors—at a country club in Austin. After they married, Steven gave her cars, homes, jewelry, and designer clothes. But Celeste wanted more.
Claiming she had depression, Celeste checked into a psychiatric facility, where she met and seduced fellow patient Tracey Tarlton. Celeste soon convinced Tracey that the only way they could be together would be to kill Steve.
One early morning in October, Steve awoke to a shotgun blast to his gut. Tracey was arrested but refused to implicate Celeste . . . until she learned the truth about her lover. In a sordid trial that featured the antics of famed Texas defense attorney Dick DeGuerin, the depths of Celeste’s lies were revealed in a tale of lust, betrayal, and regret.
This new edition of The Fortune Hunter has been updated throughout.
“A brilliantly crafted and endlessly compelling true crime thriller, Spencer is among the best of the best.” —Edgar Award–winning author Burl Barer
Customer Reviews
Fascinating Story
This is a fascinating true story and kind of creepy as well. I only give it three stars because it is so poorly written. Maybe could have used a better editing job (?). At any rate, despite the poor editing job, it most definitely kept my interest all the way through.
A Good Story, but Not Well-written
I am a fan of true-crime stories, with their multitude of characters and the network of events that contribute to the committing of a crime. This story is as fascinating as any of them, but the way it is told is inexpertly done. The description of individual characters is often not concise, with important detail about a main character’s personality being mentioned much later, rather than drawing the complete person when introducing them in the story. Descriptions are dull, sometimes incomplete, and often cliché. Incorrect grammar and sentence structure confused me as to what actually was being explained about the characters’ actions or location.
With that said, the story itself is an entertaining and complex tale of greed, dissolute family relationships, and the harsh realities of ways in which neglect and abuse in childhood can shape the life of someone who becomes a killer. It’s also a fine lesson in the fact that fabulous riches cannot always bring happiness in life.