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Ryan Green
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Black Widow: The True Story of Giggling Granny Nannie Doss (True Crime) Kindle Edition

by Ryan Green (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,380 ratings
In 1927, Charley Braggs arrived home to find two of his children dead. The doctor who observed the children in their last moments diagnosed food poisoning as the cause.

There was no need for an autopsy. His wife, Nannie, blamed tainted grains as the source but Charley wasn’t convinced. Charley didn’t feel safe around his wife. In the middle of the night, he took his eldest daughter and ran for his life.

The outpouring of sympathy doubled for Nannie when they discovered her husband’s treachery. To her community, she was a sweet lady renowned for her cheerful disposition. But behind the facade was a much darker and sinister reality. A truth that four of her future husbands, two of her sisters, her mother, her mother-in-law, her nephew and her grandson would perilously discover.

Black Widow is a dramatic and chilling account of one of the most shocking true crime stories in American history. Ryan Green’s riveting narrative draws the reader into the real-live horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.
CAUTION: This book contains descriptive accounts of abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to read any further
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  1. Part of series
    True Crime
  2. Print length
    150 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    May 6, 2019
  6. File size
    3.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Black Widow, Nannie Doss, Serial Killer, True Crime
Ryan Green, True Crime, Serial Killer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07RJXNQDC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ryan Green Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 150 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ True Crime
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,380 ratings

About the author

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Ryan Green

Ryan Green

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Ryan Green is a true crime author who lives in Herefordshire, England with his wife, three children, and two dogs. Outside of writing and spending time with his family, Ryan enjoys walking, reading and windsurfing.

Ryan is fascinated with History, Psychology and True Crime. In 2015, he finally started researching and writing his own work and at the end of the year, he released his first book on Britain’s most notorious serial killer, Harold Shipman.

He has since written several books on lesser-known subjects, and taken the unique approach of writing from the killer’s perspective. He narrates some of the most chilling scenes you’ll encounter in the True Crime genre.

"Ryan Green is an incredible storyteller...he doesn’t just tell the story, he allows you to be part of it."

- Blackbird

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,380 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this true crime book engaging and well-written, with one review noting how the author seamlessly moves from beginning to end. Moreover, they appreciate the story quality, with one customer particularly enjoying the portrayal of a female serial killer. The book receives positive feedback for its pacing, with customers describing it as very interesting. However, the research accuracy receives mixed reviews, with some praising its thoroughness while others note it's not entirely based on facts. Additionally, several customers find the book too short.

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27 customers mention "Readability"27 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and entertaining, with one mentioning it holds attention throughout.

"Fabulous book if you really like true crime stories. This is a great book, the author did a great job." Read more

"...like i am, then this is a good read for you" Read more

"...Another fabulous book Ryan." Read more

"...The author has a unique voice that keeps you intrigued the whole time, presenting Nannie's life and all of the twists and turns that come with..." Read more

21 customers mention "Story telling"21 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's storytelling, noting that the author writes seamlessly from beginning to end and makes it easy to read.

"...Accolades to the author Ryan Green for writing so exceptionally well to lessen the pain of this bizarre case. Five Stars." Read more

"...Grandly researched and finely told, a very unique serial killer if you're tired of reading about the "big ones"..." Read more

"...I am so glad that I did. This was an amazing read. The author has a unique voice that keeps you intrigued the whole time, presenting Nannie's life..." Read more

"...I find his books a perfect mix of story telling and factual accounts of true crime...." Read more

18 customers mention "Story quality"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this true crime book, praising the author's work and describing it as one of their favorites in the genre.

"...This is a great book, the author did a great job." Read more

"...Grandly researched and finely told, a very unique serial killer if you're tired of reading about the "big ones"..." Read more

"...Green is an amazing author, who brings these criminals to life with his words. Crime reports only tell so much...." Read more

"...One of my favorite true crime books. I put him in this rare category also because of his editing efforts...." Read more

12 customers mention "Pacing"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book engaging and interesting, with one customer noting it is riveting, while another mentions feeling emotionally connected to the main character.

"Ryan Green's book, Black Widow was riveting and his detail into the history and psychological profile of his subject was on par with the other true..." Read more

"...When she was a little girl I found myself with great sympathy for her. Her isolation, abuse, and poverty was almost unbearable to imagine...." Read more

"...He's a great storyteller. This may be his best. Nannie Doss is certainly too great character, though soulless!" Read more

"What a page turner! Great book makes you feel emotionally connected to the main character. See the whole story from the criminal’s perspective...." Read more

8 customers mention "Research accuracy"5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's research accuracy, with some finding it well-researched while others note that it is not entirely based on facts.

"...Grandly researched and finely told, a very unique serial killer if you're tired of reading about the "big ones"..." Read more

"Very short book. This was not about facts. It was the author’s view of Granny’s crimes. Granny was unbelievable...." Read more

"...I always find them well researched with lots of extra information that I haven’t found by a general search of the cases...." Read more

"Another unique novel by Ryan Green, who has a knack for finding information on very old cases & making them fresh & relevant...." Read more

6 customers mention "Shortness of story"0 positive6 negative

Customers find the book too short.

"So few pages, so many deaths. And now I am haunted by the thought of a hatpin...." Read more

"Very short book. This was not about facts. It was the author’s view of Granny’s crimes. Granny was unbelievable...." Read more

"...Gave four stars only because of short story." Read more

"A bit short, definitely nowhere near "book length". A bit of a rip off." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Julianne Cognito
    5.0 out of 5 stars Prepare to Lose Sleep.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I started this book in the evening and was up almost all night. Nannie Doss- even her name sounds cutesy-poo and giggly- was evil in a too-charming disguise, so charming that she got away with murder… many times. She craved a non-existent thing… the “Perfect Marriage”, complete with a perfect romance-novel man to sweep her off her feet and make her dreams come true… just like in the novels she adored. Alas, it never happened. Real Life kept getting in the way. Each handsome, perfect Prince Charming turned out to be a flawed human being, and you know what a pain in the @$$ they can be! Well, it was easy enough for Nannie to take care of that issue each time. This well-written and fascinating book will make you eye every sweet old lady you know a bit askance! Even ME! <Heh, heh, heh>
    * * * * *
    I do have one complaint, albeit a minor one. What unimaginative soul came up with the title "Black Widow"? What a cliche! Surely someone could have come up with a less overused and annoying title! I mean a really dreadful title like "Nannie’s Deadly Prunes" would be better than "Black Widow"!
    83 people found this helpful
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  • mary cunningham
    4.0 out of 5 stars The short length of this book was by no way, offputting.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    So few pages, so many deaths. And now I am haunted by the thought of a hatpin. I enjoyed this book so much, I am going to seek out and read all the books written by this author.
    Helpful
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  • Helene Stephens
    5.0 out of 5 stars How Devilishly CLEVER Nannie Was!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Nannie Doss was a brilliantly evil murderess. She married and murdered her husbands for money. Before the times of computer dating, she wrote letters to Newspapers’ Lonely Hearts columns. She selected her gentlemen-victims carefully and from all over the country. Nannie (real name Nancy) wrote letters that conveyed a hint of romantic passion, and she would send a sample of her fine cooking to further tempt her victim-to-be. She was an incredible cook, and the secret was in the poisoned prunes which the victim would taste later, after marriage.

    Nanny traveled far distances to meet her lovers, wisely knowing that she was entering as an unknown quantity, practically anonymous. Because she was not known in each area/town/state, there was little if no suspicion levered onto this dear and charming woman. After all, she was independently wealthy and had travelled across the country to meet her husband-to-be. This was her method: It was always a man she got to know through written correspondence.

    Accolades to the author Ryan Green for writing so exceptionally well to lessen the pain of this bizarre case. Five Stars.
    40 people found this helpful
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  • Rhonda
    3.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Very short book. This was not about facts. It was the author’s view of Granny’s crimes. Granny was unbelievable. She was supposedly down right gorgeous and she could catch any main she wanted with her cooking. Would not recommend.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Black widow.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Fabulous book if you really like true crime stories. This is a great book, the author did a great job.
    Helpful
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  • B. McKee
    4.0 out of 5 stars "...he got what he deserved"
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    From the moment of her birth, Nancy Hazle was looking for love. To her ruthless stepfather, she was worth no more than the work she could perform from the time she could walk. Instead of going to school, she was made to work in the fields, earning a beating if she didn't work hard enough.

    She escaped the farm when she was 15 by marrying Charley Braggs, not knowing she would be gaining a live-in mother-in-law who tormented her day and night. Then she discovered that she had married a womanizing drunkard. By now she had four children to raise. This was nothing like the romantic stories she lost herself in to escape harsh reality.

    In those days, magazine racks were loaded with monthly publications with names like True Romance, Modern Romance, Real Confessions and the like. Nannie never gave up in her search for true love, a man who would cherish her and be faithful to her. She never found that man.

    13
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Lil Miss from Michigan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great story telling
    Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Much of this is made up dialogue, as it occurred before the author was born, but that's the creative license that's allowed to be taken in true crime of a historical nature and Ryan Green makes it work!

    Grandly researched and finely told, a very unique serial killer if you're tired of reading about the "big ones" (BTK, Bundy, Night Stalker, Toy box Killer, Etc - Hundreds of books on each of them already!), like i am, then this is a good read for you
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Janice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Black Widow is a “Must Read” if you are a true crime fan
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    As a fan of true crime, I recently discovered author Ryan Green. I have read 4 of his books so far and loved all of them. I devoured this book in one sitting. Read this book......you won’t regret it.

    I was pulled in from the first chapter which begins with Nancy’s (Nannie) mother in rural Alabama in 1905, when she finds herself pregnant and unmarried. At the age of 7 Nannie had a severe head injury which caused permanent brain damage and she suffered from headaches, depression and uncontrollable bouts of rage the remainder of her life.

    Nannie loved reading romance novels and spent her adult life searching for her own Prince Charming only to be mistreated and taken advantage of over and over again. As you might imagine, this leads to her taking care of the problems in her own way!
    26 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jose Lacasse
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The storytelling of the Grinning Granny took me on a hard road to follow. How she was never questioned along the way, baffles me. There were suspicions along the way, but no one came forward until one Doctor finally did.
    Riveting reading from beginning to end. Not for the faint of heart.
    Report
  • Cheryl Jenkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting stiry
    Reviewed in Australia on November 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This book is told about a lesser known serial killer. It’s well written and very interesting to read about someone that a lot of people don’t know about. I’ve recently discovered Ryan Greens true crime stories and have purchased a few of them from Amazon. He’s a good writer and the topics of his books are fascinating. I would recommend his books to any true crime fan.
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  • LAURA
    5.0 out of 5 stars I’m hooked!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Ryan Greens books are brilliant, they are cleverly written and you feel apart of the stories in every page. I can not rate his books enough. I didn’t read much before picking up one of his books one day and now I’m hooked. Please do not hesitate in buying this book. You will not regret it. I love true crime/ horror always have and reading a book rather than watching a series brings the true perspective to life even more. I shall continue to add to my collection.
    Thank you
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  • Ingrid
    4.0 out of 5 stars Scary granny!!
    Reviewed in Australia on November 23, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Startling story. She was clearly ... not very nice!
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  • Freddie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent read from start to finish

    Excellent read from start to finish
    Report

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