The Lazarus Files

A Cold Case Investigation

By: Matthew McGough

Narrated by: Matthew McGough

Length: 27 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

This program is read by the author.

A deeply reported, riveting account of a cold case murder in Los Angeles, unsolved until DNA evidence implicated a shocking suspect - a female detective within the LAPD’s own ranks.

On February 24, 1986, 29-year-old newlywed Sherri Rasmussen was murdered in the home she shared with her husband, John. The crime scene suggested a ferocious struggle, and police initially assumed it was a burglary gone awry. Before her death, Sherri had confided to her parents that an ex-girlfriend of John’s, a Los Angeles police officer, had threatened her. The Rasmussens urged the LAPD to investigate the ex-girlfriend, but the original detectives pursued only burglary suspects, and the case went cold.

DNA analysis did not exist when Sherri was murdered. Decades later, a swab from a bite mark on Sherri’s arm revealed her killer was in fact female, not male. A DNA match led to the arrest and conviction of veteran LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus, John’s onetime girlfriend.

The Lazarus Files delivers the visceral experience of being inside a real-life murder mystery. McGough reconstructs the lives of Sherri, John, and Stephanie; the love triangle that led to Sherri’s murder; and the homicide investigation that followed. Was Stephanie protected by her fellow officers? What did the LAPD know, and when did they know it? Are there other LAPD cold cases with a police connection that remain unsolved?

©2019 Matthew McGough (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

loooong story.... unecessarily

the author gave waaay too much detail on stories unrelated to Sheri and Lazarus. He could've spent a paragraph on certain topics, but chose to go on and on and on which combined with his dull voice, made my eyes glaze over!!! but overall, a good story😉

An Amazing Cold Case Story

A very detailed account of a cold case that was 23 years old at the time the investigation re-opened. Some interesting details that are not outlined anywhere else. The performance and reading is great to go to sleep on - very monotone. It definitely sounds like the script is being read from a paper document. Nonetheless, if you are interested in this case and how it was solved, then it is an interesting script of the intimate details of the Rasmussen case. The interesting part was that Stephanie was named as a suspect by the Rasmussen family early on, but she was not investigated because she was a police officer at the time of the murder. A case of "If I can't have him, then no other woman can". It is good that all of the information regarding the Rasmussen case is all in one place thanks to Matthew McGough!

To protect and serve?

One would like to think that our police officers are good and willing to follow the sworn credo to protect and serve. But when you have an entire police force as reputable as LAPD acting in their own best interest, it is down right frightening. You will have a whole new perspective of law enforcement after listening to this book. And this is just one case. How many more exist? Great research by the author. I literally could not stop listening and we also purchased the book so we could see the pictures of the victim and her killer.

Very Detailed

This is a very long listen! The story is extremely detailed, sometimes over detailed. The author did not do the book justice by reading it, very monotone. However if you can get past that you are in for an interesting listen.

Total Immersion

A very thorough and detailed presentation of the crime that the reader goes through step by step. Would you have read the situation correctly and accurately accessed the risk ? Would you have been able to spot the clues and uncover the truth ? What would you have done and when ? So many twists and turns and so many challenges are faced by the reader. This is real life. How well would you have done if you were involved ?

Heartbreaking but fascinating story, excellent book

Book was perfect. Told the heartbreaking story in great detail and showed the failures that led to it in an objective way.

brilliant compelling astonishing

layered realized writing as Sherri Nels John Stephanie the LA police department
emerge becoming fully present
one is drawn within the complexity of murder
Wow a stunning achievement

Fascinating story, well told!

I am always honored to see any book narrated by the author. So a very big shout out of great appreciation to Author Matthew McGough for personally narrating this for audio book readers!!!! Thank you so much!
I found the narration evenly paced and just right in tone, pitch and voice for this fascinating, hard to put down, well written book. I've been listening to many audiobooks, podcasts, books on tape over many years and have long been fond of books read out loud with care to keep pacing, tone and quality in keeping with the story, , Voices should be as diverse as people are, and I thought Matthew McGough had a voice that was refreshing new but well matched to the book content, and performed excellently. That he doesn't perform in an overly dramatic, emoting, or flowery voice, and maintains a level tone, is perfect- if he placed more emotion, lilt, or fluctuation of tone, this would detract from his terrific paced, clear delivery of serious story content. Great read!

Frustrating

Overall I did like the book... I am just as confused now as I was before.. I guess that’s why it’s called a mystery

The authors monotone voice was irritating and took away from the book.

The story itself is fascinating, but the author sounded very depressing and like an A.I. bot.