• Targeted

  • A Deputy, Her Love Affairs, a Brutal Murder
  • By: M. William Phelps
  • Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
  • Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (146 ratings)

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Targeted  By  cover art

Targeted

By: M. William Phelps
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
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Publisher's summary

"A gripping, no-holds-barred work of investigative journalism." (Steve Jackson, New York Times best-selling author of Bogeyman and No Stone Unturned)

When her missing boyfriend is found murdered, his body encased in cement inside a watering trough and dumped in a cattle field, a local sheriff's deputy is arrested and charged with his murder. But as New York Times best-selling author and investigative journalist M. William Phelps digs in, the truth leads to questions about her guilt.

In his first full-length, original true-crime audiobook for WildBlue Press, Phelps delivers a hard-hitting, unique experience, immersing listeners in the life of the first female deputy in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, who claims a sexual harassment suit she filed against the sheriff led to a murder charge. Is Tracy Fortson guilty or innocent? Listen and decide.

©2017 WildBlue Press (P)2018 WildBlue Press

What listeners say about Targeted

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    5 out of 5 stars

Did She or Didn't She . . .


This book is totally a WHODUNNIT and really had me going back and forth! Oh yea, she did it! No, wait. Maybe not. Naaa, she's crazy, she did it. I think. I still don't know! Talk about the bloody finger of guilt pointing directly at someone. There seemed to be PLENTY of evidence. Like lots. Almost TOO obvious. The only thing missing was a big red X on her front door.

Is it possible to tick off a bunch of fellow cops to the point that they all get together to set you up? Of course, but that is also a popular claim/strategy that an accused person often uses as well - especially when the cards are overwhelmingly stacked against you, and you have no other defense. Nearly every murderer on death row will tell you they didnt do it, or they were framed.

I'm sure that conspiracy theorists will LOVE sinking their teeth into this one! It definitely makes you think about what COULD happen if the police DID target you. What can you do? Scary thought. I like that this book does NOT give you a final *case closed* answer, leaving it up to you to argue the hell out of it with someone. And I'm sure you will. Lol.

Kevin Pierce will always be, hands down my MOST favorite narrator within the True Crime genre. He nails it every time. He can read a coloring book and make it sound awesome. :)

I was gifted this audiobook at no cost to me in exchange for an honest opinion. This was good, and had me on that guilty-not guilty rollercoaster ride for sure!

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24 people found this helpful

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A waste og my time and money

The reason I purchased this book was because Kevin Pierce was the narrator. I absolutely love to listen to his voice. He has an unique way of bringing the story and characters to life.

The book starts with the author ranting about how a true crime writer's (his) job is so difficult and unfair. Although I thought this was an annoying way to start a book, I still decided to give it a chance.

The story seemed interresting in the beginning, but the book turned out to be written in a disruptive back-and-forth manner, and full of long, self-righteous explanations of his methods as a journalist.

I will never buy another book from this author.

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10 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Riveting

A riveting true crime case. Even after finishing the book I don't know if she did it or was framed.
M William Phelps does a thorough job of documenting the case.
If your interested in true crime then this case is a must read.
The narration is clear and easy to listen to.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request, and voluntarily leave this review.

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7 people found this helpful

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Undecided

When I saw this book I jumped at the chance to listen to it for two reasons: 1) Kevin Pierce is one of my favorite narrators; 2) I've watched 2-3 true crime shows about this case and I was curious to see if there might be new information in the book. As for the first reason, I was not disappointed; Pierce's narration was excellent, as usual. When it comes to the actual book, I'm on the fence. It's clear the author has done his research and, after a minor rant, Phelps does a good job telling the story and laying out the facts of the case in a way that pulls the reader in for more. However, there were several times throughout the book it seemed the author wasn't sure which direction to lean and, IMO, it came across rather wishy washy. I also didn't like the author's "soap box" at the beginning of the book, and then again toward the end of the book. I received a review copy at my request and voluntarily reviewed.

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5 people found this helpful

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Author too self righteous

Hated the manner which the author kept defending his profession and the importance of his opinions.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Completely Unbiased, an earnest search TRUTH

I will admit that I avoided this newest title from MWP, despite being a longtime fan of his work. I mistakenly thought this was going to be an attempt to make me believe that an entire multi-jurisdictional state DOJ murdered a man in order to get revenge on the defendant for a harrassment case for unemployment compensation. I had seen, and read some details of this case beforehand.

However, my faith is Mr. Phelps is renewed after reading this book. As in all his books, MWP investigates each fact, and contention objectively, and reports both sides of this story. After reading this book, my opinion of Miss Fortson's guilt has not changed. However, I now see that there were some mistakes made, as has been the case in many, many crimes. To error is to be human, but there is nothing to suggest the investigation was botched. Unless you believe the conspiracy, it just doesn't make logical sense. Tracy will die in prison, because she will never admit her guilt to a parole board. I understand her hypothetical POV but the fact is, she IS a convicted murder....twice over!

What really makes me sick, is that she did this unspeakable act, and still continues to be the ultimate narcissist. She is so important, that the entire Oglethorpe Co. Sheriff's office put their livelihoods, their honor, and their freedom in order to pull off a frame-up job because of an unemployment comp case, and in addition, the GBI, DA office, and several citizens and medical professionals decided to get on the band wagon, and perjure themselves as well, all for the sake of putting poor, unassuming, naive Tracy Fortson in jail for a murder that was committed by someone else, anyone else but her....

If you believe that, after reading this book, I have some beachfront property to sell you in Florida...

Great investigative journalism Mr Phelps! Keep up the good fight!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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GOOD BOOK !

There are many things I would like to say and even some more questions in my mind regarding this case. This book, has a very different uniqueness, about it that really grabbed me. I think M. Williams Phelps,did a really ! good job with this book. I felt and still do like this may not be resolved yet at least not in my mind. I realize that as a jurist, you don't get all the detail through the trial as the gallery" if, you will", does, so there is still room thus far in my mind for reasonable doubt.... I plan to reread this again soon I had some distractions going on during this first audible listening. However ( Beyond a Reasonable Doubt ?) I'm not sure, if I had been on that jury.... I love your style Mr Phelps. Kevin Pierce, you are such a excellent narrator !!! I love it when you do the narration. I wish you could do all, I realize that's not possible, however, I wish you could do more of M. William Phelps true crime...... and more. Laurie B Nelson I'm looking forward to more of his books !

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well Crafted True Crime

So many True Crime novels seem to be nothing more than a compilation of Cut and Paste Newspaper articles. The True Crime there is that the authors are simply repeating verbatim the works of other writers and reporters. That is not the case with "Targeted"... M. William Phelps has done an outstanding job of researching the story, interviewing witnesses and people directly involved in the case, and presenting it in his own captivating writing style. Couple that with the skillful delivery of Kevin Pierce, and you've got a compelling story that will keep you listening from beginning to end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.

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Disappointing , full of micro-aggression, Big NO

I went into this work with an open mind, but more than a few things bothered me. Contrary to M. William Phelps other bodies of work there were constant "micro-aggressions' ' displayed throughout the body of this work. I was particularly bothered by M. William Phelps' repeated stance that the "police '' could never be involved in "faking or planting evidence". His constant diminishing of the supposed perpetrators' voice, led me to believe it was a slide against her simply because of her gender. In fact, toward the end of the book he spent several chapters defending" his own honor on writing this book against the supposed perpetrator. We the audience only get to hear some of the emails sent back and forth, I am sure at this point only a sliver of the picture, as now I find him dishonest. His constant aura of white male privilege is a constant reminder. The author chooses to literally defame the defendant in this case, and she is given no opportunity to really honestly be represented to tell any of her story. When contrary evidence through interviews was brought to light, the author chose to quickly diminish it and not represent the voice of the person he was exploring. In fact the supposed defendant in this book was framed in a light from the beginning to suggest guilt, to suggest that the "police '' could do no wrong, and any contrary evidence supplied by the interviewee was dismissed, often ridiculed and diminished. Any author that feels the need to expose how "honest and truth seeking" they are as an author is on bullsh*t pure and simple. This case was presented clearly in favor of law enforcement with no voice given to the actual person the author interviewed to write about.

I am not saying this woman did or did not do what she is being charged with. My issue with this book is the author chose to form an opinion, not use neutrality when presenting the story. The author constantly rallies for the side of law enforcement when in all honesty if he were " seeking the truth", you would not interject your one sided opinion as much as he did. I am particularly bothered by his white privilege displayed in this book in regards to his opinion on the "police ''. Stating time and time again as if it were a god given fact that the "police '' could never plant or fake evidence and it would never happen. It displays white male privilege as we know this to be contrary and has been contrary in society for many, many years back. I suppose as a white male since he is not exposed to this time and time again as minorities and women are, there is no reason to state it does in fact exist.

Overall I am very disappointed with this book and this author. I will be returning the rest of the works I purchased and have not listened to for credit. If you are going to lend your voice to recount a story, then lend it with neutrality. Don't go in as a micro-aggressive cheerleader for law enforcement and not represent all parties equally.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Kevin Pierce always delivers

I was lucky enough not to know a thing of this crime so I didn't know the outcome. I can see both sides of this trial, although I believe she is innocent.

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