“Alice & Gerald: A Homicidal Love Story” is going to be the best true crime book you’ll read this year, or in just about any other year. Author Ron Franscell combines exhaustive research and plenty of literary talent to deliver the classic saga of four brutal murders and the decades-long efforts of dogged investigators to bring the married perpetrators to justice. In the process, he reminds the rest of us who write in this genre how it ought to be done.”
—JEFF GUINN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Manson and The Road to Jonestown
“Compulsively readable. Imminently astonishing. Only Ron Franscell, one of America’s most talented and thoughtful crime writers, could render this story of a deadly and monstrous relationship with both lightning-paced prose and a keen awareness of the psychopathology of his subjects. Bound to be a bestseller.”
—GREGG OLSEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Starvation Heights and The Last Thing She Ever Did
“When you read about the dark, murderous secrets of Gerald and Alice Uden, you will think you are reading something Shakespearean. You will also think the story has got to be made up. But it’s all true. Ron Franscell has pulled off an amazing job of research and writing.”
—Skip Hollandsworth, author of The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal and the Hunt for America’s First Serial Killer
“Ron Franscell never disappoints. A disturbing yet mesmerizing read, ‘Alice & Gerald’ kept me turning pages, not wanting to close the book. Meticulously researched and skillfully written, this gripping true crime account of two twisted killers weaves together the threads of four cold-blooded murders committed in the name of a depraved love.”
—Kathryn Casey, bestselling author of In Plain Sight
“Wyoming is a place where one can hide and never be found.”
ALICE & GERALD
A Homicidal Love Story
“There are more places to hide dead people than live people will ever find.” That’s partly why Gerald Uden liked Wyoming so much. It was a spot where he could find himself, maybe a job, a place to shoot his guns, but most importantly: a wife. To no one’s surprise, “Gerald Uden liked girls who liked guns.” Even more, he longed for someone who needed him. He longed for companionship. He longed for a family. But three ex-wives and two adopted stepsons later, Gerald continued to strike out with women. By 1976, all he was left with were child support bills issued by his third wife, Virginia…until he met Alice.
Alice Prunty also had terrible luck when it came to marriage. She was married twice before meeting Gerald…or so she originally claimed was only twice. However, unlike Gerald, she didn’t long for someone who needed her. She didn’t long for companionship. She longed for control. And that was exactly what Gerald loved most about her.
“Alice was an aggressive leader in need of a submissive follower, and Gerald was a cowardly follower who needed a bold leader.”
ALICE & GERALD (Prometheus Books, 978-1633885127, $18.00, Original Trade Paperback) by Ron Franscell tells the riveting true story of the murders, secrets, and lies behind the disappearance of Virginia Uden and her two sons, Richard and Reagan. Nonetheless, a sunny September afternoon and a plan to meet Gerald at “the corner” didn’t seem out of the ordinary to Virginia. When she drove off in her mother’s station wagon that day, she had no idea it would be the last time anyone would ever lay eyes on her or her young sons.
“Just like that, he erased his last connection to Virginia and the boys. In fact, he felt kind of virtuous. Sure, he felt guilty about killing three people who’d once (and in the boys’ case, still) loved him, but they’d become nuisances and he had a new family to raise.”
Enticing, suspenseful and incredibly well-written by award-winning true crime writer Ron Franscell, ALICE & GERALD leaves readers on the edge of their seats as they delve deep into secrecy, uncover vital clues, and learn more about Alice and Gerald’s past relationships in the hopes of uncovering the truth about the murders of Virginia, Richard, and Reagan Uden. While all signs pointed authorities to Gerald, there was no solid evidence to support or deny that he was their killer. What about Alice? What part did she play? After previous hostile threats back and forth with Virginia, it was clear “Alice’s agenda, before, during, and after her crimes, was control.” Franscell paints an astoundingly vivid picture of just how and why the mystery went unsolved for nearly 40 years. So how does it end? Well, just when you thought there was a break in the case, another captivating turn leaves you clinging on to what could be the next telling clue.
“Maybe Gerald and Alice did something so literally unspeakable to the bodies that they don’t dare reveal it. Burned them piece by piece in a trash barrel? Chopped them up and fed them to the pigs?”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A veteran journalist, Ron Franscell is the author of 17 books, including the Edgar-nominated “Morgue: A Life in Death” and international bestseller “The Darkest Night.”
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