The Man in the Rockefeller Suit

The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Imposter

By: Mark Seal

Narrated by: Erik Singer

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

A real-life Talented Mr. Ripley, the unbelievable 30-year run of a shape-shifting con man. The story of Clark Rockefeller is a stranger-than-fiction twist on the classic American success story of the self-made man - because Clark Rockefeller was totally made up. The career con man who convincingly passed himself off as Rockefeller was born in a small village in Germany.

At 17, obsessed with getting to America, he flew into the country on dubious student visa documents and his journey of deception began. Over the next 30 years, boldly assuming a series of false identities, he moved up the social ladder through exclusive enclaves on both coasts-culminating in a stunning 12-year marriage to a rising star businesswoman with a Harvard MBA who believed she'd wed a Rockefeller. The imposter charmed his way into exclusive clubs and financial institutions-working on Wall Street, showing off an extraordinary art collection - until his marriage ended and he was arrested for kidnapping his daughter, which exposed his past of astounding deceptions as well as a connection to the bizarre disappearance of a California couple in the mid-1980s.

The story of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit is a probing and cinematic exploration of an audacious imposer - and a man determined to live the American dream by any means necessary.

©2011 Mark Seal (P)2011 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Has all the pace and drive of a suspense novel.” (Michiko Kakutani, New York Times)

“No mystery writer would script this - it’s too unbelievable." (The Christian Science Monitor)

“Fascinating.” (People, four stars)

Great story, well told

I loved it. The author made what could have been a implausible story believable.

If you think it couldn't happen to you...

Any additional comments?

I listened to this one a while ago - I think about a year - but it still sticks out in my mind for the exceptional story, the flow of the tale, and the unobtrusive narrator. The book deftly leads you to the point where you can see how someone would end up as one of his victims, or at least it provides some rational explanations. Good book.

Good Story, Good Performance

If you could sum up The Man in the Rockefeller Suit in three words, what would they be?

Crazy, Brilliant, Naive

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit?

After all of the cunning and brilliantly devious things he did, it came down to physically bowling over a guy to try to get away.

Which character – as performed by Erik Singer – was your favorite?

Main character was and should be favorite

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was good enough that I didn't want to turn it off when my drive ended and I often sat in the garage to get to a good stopping point.

Loved it!

This was a fascinating story! There was Never a dull moment! The narrator was great too! I Totally recommend this book!

Best book from Audible so far

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

I could hardly stop listening to this one. It's the best book I've received from Audible so far. Here is something to think about: This guy did whatever he could to become a Rockefeller. But on Netflix, there is a documentary about an actual Rockefeller who went to New Guinea and never returned; at the end of the documentary, they show a video and it appears the guy did everything he could to stop becoming a Rockefeller.

Fascinating

Crazy story with lots of twist and turns . Held me captivated the entire time . Highly recommend if you like true tales of liars and fakes .

Incredible Story

It’s even more incredible that it took place in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. We’ve all been taught by experience and the news to trust, but verify. This guy was so convincing that even his brilliant and talented wife failed to do that second step. Unlike the attorney who kept asking her incredulous questions about this, I completely understand her. Even so, the fact that he could pull the wool over the eyes of dozens, if not 100s, of people for literally decades is amazing. And the identity he chose was one that begged for verification.

I completely missed this story in the news so my review is tainted by naïveté, but I could not stop listening to the tale. It seems well told to me, and well researched. The narrator is professional, does some good accents and contributes to the experience.

What I would really like (and probably won’t get) is a retrospective review of this by Ms. Boss and her daughter. Sandra Boss is currently an incredibly powerful and successful financial executive in the UK. She’s moved on with her life. But she lived through a harrowing nightmare that few people ever experience. Maybe once she’s retired she can write her own book? I’m hoping …

great!

Great! This is exactly the book I wanted/needed to read at the moment! Truth is stranger than fiction...and what this dude pulled off for 30 years is unbelievable! Anyone who's HEARD this story from various true crime shows will love the "extended cut" of his cons...it's ASTONISHING what people with enough confidence could get away with!

I love this genre of true crime...where he wasn't some psycho serial murderer...(well...those 2 people) but a true con artist! This guy in another reality could have been an actor on par with Daniel Day-Lewis with his ability to inhabit a character! His major flaw was using this gift as a grift.

It's a 5star book/story, but I only give 5stars to books I'll reread...but I don't think I need to revisit this book

So. Slow.

I wanted this to be Catch Me if you Can, but it's not in the same league. It is an interesting book in theory, but this guy's scam was actually quite banal and he lacked the daring or creativity that would make for an interesting book. It's basically a paralyzingly slow look at a guy taking advantage of stupid people. Pass.