Did You Kill My Mother?
A memoir about a true crime
with Abbey Decker (Editor)
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Pub Date 10 Nov 2026 | Archive Date 28 Feb 2027
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Description
Peter Wlasiuk was convicted three times of murdering Ashlee's mother. She spent twenty-five years defending him. Then she found out, Patty might not have been his first.
When Ashlee Wlasiuk was nine years old, her father was arrested for murdering her mother. Peter Wlasiuk told police that Patty had drowned in the lake after their truck went off the road. Thirty-six jurors across three separate trials disagreed. Each conviction was overturned on appeal. Each retrial convicted him again.
Ashlee grew up inside that loop in small-town Guilford, New York: a childhood measured in verdicts, appeals, and visiting room hours, defending a father the state kept refusing to release.
That part of her story has a verdict and significant media attention. Oxygen, A&E, Forensic Files.
This part doesn't: in 1997, 5 years prior, her babysitter also died.
With Peter Wlasiuk approaching parole and a newborn son in her arms, believing her father was no longer merely an act of loyalty. Ashlee had to decide whether she was about to introduce her child to a wrongly convicted grandfather—or invite a murderer into his life.
Built from trial transcripts, recorded calls, and decades of correspondence, Did you kill my mother? asks the question of whether Peter Wlasiuk is actually a monster or deeply misunderstood.
Sardonic, where it could be maudlin and dry where it could be sensational, it belongs with Jennette McCurdy's I'm Glad My Mom Died and Jeanette Wall's The Glass Castle for voice and with Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich's The Fact of a Body and Sarah Perry's After the Eclipse for its refusal to let true crime stay a genre.
A Note From the Publisher
Ashlee Wlasiuk is an American author born in the nineties, to the convicted killer Peter Wlasiuk. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband and son, and while she is not recording her family-induced trauma in a 300+page memoir, she works remotely as a Creative Project Manager in product design.
Advance Praise
Wlasiuk’s greatest strength is her portrayal of how thoroughly a child can absorb the reality constructed by adults around her. Rather than imposing mature understanding on her younger self, she recreates childhood scenes with sharply observed details, mordant humor, and an unsettling innocence that allows readers to recognize manipulation before the narrator does. -Publisher's Weekly Booklife Reviews
A compelling and unflinching memoir of a young person coming of age in a tiny town with big family dynamics. I’m awed by the author’s bravery and clarity in writing this challenging but important memoir. Ashlee’s storytelling is creative, interesting, and honest, and she doesn’t sugarcoat any part of her life. The message is strong and the narrative will keep readers hooked from the first chapter. The evolution from both in the writing style and psychologically as the author grows up is well done and adds depth to her story. - Phylicia Fleming
This is a well-done memoir, one of the best I’ve read, and a major reason why is the voice. Watching the vocabulary and complexity of the language evolve into something intelligent and eloquent was a powerful way of showing the narrator growing up. I enjoyed my time with this story. It affected me emotionally, creating this cold feeling in my chest when I think about it as a whole. There is something beautifully raw which impressed and entranced me. Overall, I found myself compelled early on, and this feeling stayed steady throughout the manuscript. This is strong—emotionally powerful in a way that will stay with me. - J Flowers Olnowich
This memoir provides a unique first person look beyond the headlines, an unflinching account of family abuse and tragedy. The author shares her journey of discovery, searching for the truth and what it means for herself and her family. The reader will be devastated, outraged and furious, yet amazed at the personal strength the author must continue to demonstrate in her life. I highly recommend this book! - Dorian Bunting-Cliff
Marketing Plan
Hardcover and ebook on sale November 10, 2026. Ingram & Amazon
Kirkus review in progress (expedited); submitted to BookLife/Publishers Weekly. Advance reader campaign underway — 40+ ARC readers, 17 Goodreads reviews to date and counting.
Author-led social campaign on Facebook with active reader engagement; Goodreads Giveaway planned for October. Author available for interviews, podcasts, book clubs, and library events. Audiobook to follow.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9798997062606 |
| PRICE | $5.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 371 |
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