{"product_id":"down-to-the-bone-a-missing-familys-murder-and-the-elusive-quest-for-justice-hardcover","title":"Down to the Bone: A Missing Familys Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eCaitlin Rother\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA twisting, deeply engrossing investigation into the many lingering questions surrounding the sudden disappearance of the McStays, a family of four who vanished from their suburban San Diego home without a trace - until their skeletal remains were found in the Mojave Desert nearly four years later - from \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author Caitlin Rother.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOn February 15, 2010, Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons were reported missing from their new home in San Diego County. They left eggs and fruit rotting on the counter. Their Dodge truck sat in the driveway. Their dogs were abandoned outside without food. But investigators found no blood, signs of a struggle, or clues to their whereabouts. Did the family take an unannounced vacation? Were they running away from personal problems? Or were they victims of foul play? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNearly four years later, a motorcyclist found the McStays' remains in and around two shallow graves, one hundred miles away in the Mojave Desert. Their skulls showed signs of blunt-force trauma, likely due to the sledgehammer buried with them. Authorities focused on Charles \"Chase\" Merritt, a close friend and subcontractor for Joseph's company. Despite a lack of physical evidence, scenarios that defied logic, and numerous unanswered questions, prosecutors convinced a jury of Merritt's guilt. After an emotional sentencing hearing, the judge imposed the death penalty. But did another possible suspect, who was ignored by investigators and ducked a subpoena to testify, get away with murder? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this twisting, deeply researched true-crime mystery, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling investigative journalist Caitlin Rother hunts for answers to reveal the truth behind a heinous crime that became a nation's obsession, with a controversial trial in its wake, and lingering questions of justice.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaitlin Rother\u003c\/b\u003e is a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling true crime author and award-winning journalist. She worked for nearly two decades as an investigative reporter and has had work published in \u003ci\u003eCosmopolitan, The Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e The Boston Globe, \u003c\/i\u003eamong others. As a TV crime commentator, she has done more than 200 media appearances on episodes of \u003ci\u003e20\/20, People Magazine Investigates, Crime Watch Daily, \u003c\/i\u003eAustralia's\u003ci\u003e World News, Nancy Grace, Snapped\u003c\/i\u003e, and numerous shows on Netflix, Investigation Discovery, HLN, REELZ, Oxygen, E!, A\u0026amp;E, C-SPAN and various PBS affiliates. Rother also works as a writing\/research coach and consultant, and plays piano and sings in an acoustic band. She lives in Southern California and can be found online at CaitlinRother.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 384\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.29 x 9.14 x 6.39 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e June 24, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51979107205421,"sku":"9780806542621","price":28.19,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/YepmU4ABxK9780806542621.webp?v=1775819024","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/down-to-the-bone-a-missing-familys-murder-and-the-elusive-quest-for-justice-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}