• Fatal Charm

  • The Shocking True Story of Serial Wife Killer Randy Roth
  • By: Carlton Smith
  • Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
  • Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (293 ratings)

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Fatal Charm  By  cover art

Fatal Charm

By: Carlton Smith
Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
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Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of The Search for the Green River Killer: a chilling true account of the dream husband who was every woman's nightmare.

Randy Roth was handsome, hardworking, kind, and in top physical shape. But for all his charm and good looks, he was seemingly cursed with the ladies. His first marriage ended in divorce before the couple's fifth anniversary; his second wife plunged to her death during a hike; and his third wife left him after less than five months.

But when Roth's fourth wife, Cynthia, drowned in an apparent speedboating accident in Washington State's Lake Sammamish just weeks after their first anniversary, a pattern of suspicious behavior finally caught up to him. As Roth set about collecting on a hefty insurance payout, the authorities were on to his game.

Roth had been careful - and so close to getting away with it. But, as chronicled by Seattle Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist Carlton Smith, his lies were about to come crashing down around him.

©1993 Carlton Smith (P)2019 Tantor

What listeners say about Fatal Charm

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent True Crime! Great Story

I had not read any books by Carlton Smith nor listened to any narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright prior to happening on to FATAL CHARM. My favorite true crime authors are Jack Olsen and Greg Olsen; my favorite narrator is Kevin Pierce.
I have to say that Fatal Charm is in that level of quality.
Carlton Smith does a masterful job of bringing the characters to life and tells a complicated story with great clarity.
The story is very engaging and Kieth Sellon-Wright's narration is pitch perfect.
If you are into True Crime, you're gonna want to get this book.

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

SOOOO close to 5 stars

The story is terrific - this man is a creep. Working in insurance, I'm sorry to say that we have dealt with humans similar to him. it's frustrating, but sure if fun to uncover the lies they weave!! The narration was good. Kevin Pierce is my favorite narrator for true crime, but Sellon-Wright did a fantastic job. My review would have been 5 stars across the board if I had found out his fate a bit better & would have found out how his sons were doing today. Other than that, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys true crime reading.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

chilling

We were anxious to learn his fate when the trial ended. Would have liked to know how all the sons are doing now.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Total POS for a male!

This book describes why some Mothers eat their young but alas, the Mother of this male did not and then he was let loose on the females of the world! Extremely sorry excuse for a male!! Just as bad were the females that didn't go with their intuition and probably would have lived through it.

Absolutely terrible Narrator - sounded like he was sick and raspy the whole way through the book and after every single name of a person, he would 'synonym'?!?! Why, who knows but it was maddening and totally not needed!!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Get a Job, Randy

Author Carlton Smith does a pretty good job of outlining the facts of this dreadful story. Killer Randy Roth used his wives as a source of income to be tapped by insuring their lives, then murdering them. God help the children caught as collateral damage in his ruthless quest for ever more money.

We could have done without the detour into brother David's murderous history, although I suppose the digression offers some silent commentary on the upbringing experienced by the wayward siblings.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Heartbreaking

Randy Roth has no emotion, no conscience. How very sad what he did to these women and their families. He is the best example of the quote “the love of money is the root of all evil”. Everything he did boiled down to money.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

What A Creep!

Makes you scared to get married, purchase life insurance, to go hiking or be on the water...

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good Telling

Though the story was well told, I personally prefer not knowing the identity of the criminal at the onset of any story. I guess the title gave this one away, but I was looking for something to listen to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well written and Read

Good solid true crime writer.
“Just the Facts Mam” is what I got.
No long drama stories.
Enjoyed the book and recommend it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hate giving a true story a story rating

The story is terrible. No stars. But the book about the awful story is well done. Not boring and also no over the top tries for drama. Just facts and evidence and statements of those participants in the case. No bad language really and it kept my attention. Horrible people walk among us and I’m glad there are tireless good people who fight for justice

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