The Road Out of Hell

Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders

By: Anthony Flacco, Jerry Clark

Narrated by: Anthony Flacco

Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

From 1926 to 1928, Gordon Stewart Northcott committed at least 20 murders on a chicken ranch outside of Los Angeles. His nephew, Sanford Clark, was held captive there from the age of 13 to 15, and was the sole surviving victim of the killing spree. Here, acclaimed crime writer Anthony Flacco - using never-before-heard information from Sanford’s son, Jerry Clark - tells the real story behind the case that riveted the nation.

Forced by Northcott to take part in the murders, Sanford carried tremendous guilt all his life. Yet despite his youth and the trauma, he helped gain some justice for the dead and their families by testifying at Northcott’s trial, which led to his conviction and execution. It was a shocking story, but perhaps the most shocking part of all is the extraordinarily ordinary life Clark went on to live as a decorated WWII vet, a devoted husband of 55 years, a loving father, and a productive citizen.

In dramatizing one of the darkest cases in American crime, Flacco constructs a riveting psychological drama about how Sanford was able to detoxify himself from the evil he’d encountered, offering the ultimately redemptive story of one man’s remarkable ability to survive a nightmare and emerge intact.

©2009 Anthony Flacco (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Poor Narration

This story is really very good but the authors narration is quite irritating, especially in the voice of Gordon Stuart Northcott (Uncle Stewart). He may have been performing this way in order to exaggerate the "creepiness" of the character. If so, he succeeded. I did not care for it.

A true testament to how cruel life can be

Hard to imagine the horrors that Sanford Clark experienced in his youth. Well worth listening to for the sake of hearing this man's struggles and how he overcame the nightmare that he experienced at the hands of his uncle and grandparents, not to mention the betrayal and abandonment by his mother. Inspiring story of courage and human spirit in the face of adversity.

Interesting book although very heartbreaking

Writing was very good and moved story along quickly.
Narration was good but the speaker used inflection and animation very similar between characters at times.
The story itself is not for the faint of heart. The story reveals truly horrendous acts of a lunatic while also showing the determination and resilience of one of his victims.

This might be the best audiobook I’ve heard.

Having suffered as a child myself. It warms my heart to hear about someone who came out the other side, and pieces their life back together. Everything about this book is amazing. But read the description. If ANYTHING mentioned is too difficult for you then this may not be the book for you.

Remarkable story of triumph

At several moments I was brought to tears. Out of anger, sadness, but then out of hope, sympathy, and victory. Such an incredible story.

Road to Redemption

Loved it. I cried. Definitely recommend. So Inspiring and Great narration. Where's the movie?

a must read

alot was hard to hear. but the story must be told. it is a story of hope and love even in the face of the devil. this story definitely gives me hope.

Heartbreaking and inspirational

This is the story of Sanford Clark, a boy whose early life was a nightmare. He was cruelly mistreated by his mother and a father who turned a blind eye to the abuse, but things took an unthinkably hideous turn when his uncle took him to his remote farm. The first part of the book is hard to listen to even, I would suggest, for readers of true crime. But the second part is remarkable for the life that this man was able to build for himself, thanks to his sister, a sympathetic and enlightened official, a rehabilitation program which was way ahead of its time, his wife, and above all to his own character and determination. It is nothing short of a miracle that a child so abused could find his way back to become a devoted husband and father and a respected member of his community. I am not a fan of books with a great deal of reconstructed dialogue, but it works and it's all perfectly believable - Anthony Flacco, with Jerry Clark, has done a first class job with the original material. Flacco's narration is at times a little overdone but this is excusable given the events he is recounting. The participation of Sanford's son is heartwarming - his input tells us about the wonderful man his father was - an inspiring ending to a true horror story.

Chilling!

This book gave me the chills. It's beyond me how some people can commit such horrible acts.

All Around Great Listen

If you could sum up The Road Out of Hell in three words, what would they be?

Times Have Changed

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

I can't believe how different the world is now compared to back in the 1920's, the way the world works sure is shown in this book. The way women are perceived unmarried to the way child murderers are dealt with to the way America and Canada have a relationship. I was blown away about the truth behind this story to the way the world turns.

What does Anthony Flacco bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Anthony Flacco was brilliant in the way each character was portrayed differently, you always knew which character was speaking. The emotion he brought out of each character was amazing, when someone was scared or crying you could feel it. This man knows how to paint a picture with words, just right.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Most of this book emotionally moved me in so many ways, the decisions this kid had to make would turn your stomach and make you believe....would I do the same thing?!

Any additional comments?

Great story, from beginning to the end, If you want to experience true human emotion from horror, to fear, to heroic response this is the book. If you like True crime, this is a MUST hear. DO IT!