Family Secret

By Warren Robert Hull

Book Overview

On June 20, 1947, one of the most notorious gangsters of the twentieth century, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, was murdered in the Beverly Hills mansion of his mistress, Virginia Hill. While there have been numerous theories in regard to who actually killed "the father of Las Vegas," the fact remains, the Siegel murder case is still officially unsolved...until now.

In 1941, when Bob MacDonald married Betty Ann Rockwell, it appeared as though their relationship was the start of a very majestic affair. The teens were from the upper class of Southern California society, exceptionally good looking, and by all accounts it seemed to be foreordained that they would live a full and happy life. MacDonald's father, Archibald, was the right-hand man of billionaire Howard Hughes, Jr., while Betty Ann's mother, Gaynell Rockwell-Applegate, was a woman of "new money". At a glance, it seemed as if the couple should have lived a life with a storybook ending. Sadly, in 1947, the life of splendor expected for the couple turned into a family nightmare with horrendous consequences.

On September 13, 1947, without apparent reason or motive, Bob MacDonald, age 27, shot his wife, Betty Ann, age 24, with his army rifle. He then turned the weapon on himself.
What possessed MacDonald, the son of a millionaire, a decorated war hero, and the father of two children, to commit such a gruesome act?

And, how was this murder-suicide related to the recent killing of mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel?

In the hours following the MacDonald tragedy, the couple's parents, using their financial capital, political ties and social contacts, formed a consortium of secrecy to ensure the public would never find the answer to those questions. It became a...Family Secret.

The shroud of secrecy was finally lifted in 1996, when one of the "family insiders" made a dramatic deathbed confession to Family Secret author, Warren Hull.

Honoring his father's request to tell the world the secret behind the Siegel killing, Hull, with Michael B. Druxman, provides an incredible explanation as to who murdered Benjamin Siegel, and more importantly, how and why the murder was never solved by the police.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1629335525
• ISBN13: 9781629335520
• Release Date: April 2020
• Publisher: BearManor Media
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

page turner

WOW This was the best book I have read in a long time. I simply could not put it down. It had me from page 2 .I am waiting for another book from Warren Hull.

Great Story

I liked several things about Family Secret. The Author does an excellent job of providing a fascinating and very believable story of how and why Benjamin Siegel's murder was never solved. I always felt Siegel's murder was never solved due to something amazing and this story llives up to that expectation. A very good read. I hope to see this one on the big screen one day. It's a great book, let's hope the film version does it justice!

A Great Surprise

When I heard Family Secret was a story that claimed to solve the Siegel murder mystery my first impression was one of skepticism. After reading this story however I am now convinced that the Author's have solved the Siegel killing with one of the few theories that makes sense. Wealth, power and political influence were just as strong in 1947 as they are today and this is an accounting of Siegel's demise fit for Hollywood. A very good story, well written and an unexpected treat.

Famous Mob Murder Mystery Solved

What a great story! I always wondered why Bugsy Siegel's murder was never solved. Siegel's murder was such a high profile mob killing that I knew the story behind his demise had to be something incredible. After reading Family Secret my hunches were confirmed. Mr. Hull's accounting of the how's and why's of this mystery make perfect sense. Not what I expected in a mob book... It was much better!

Must Read!

I couldn't put the book, Family Secret, down. I read this book in one sitting. If you are into the "Bugsy" Siegel mystery this is a "must read" book. It also has some great historical insight to the political running of Los Angeles in the 1920's, 30's and 40's. Family Secret is also interesting as it intertwines with the life of Howard Hughes as represented in the movie The Aviator. Double thumbs up from me.