2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

The oldest son, Charles, molested Caitlyn and Kelly but no mention was made about Amanda. Did you assume he had molested her, too, or did she murder him solely for what he did to the twins?

I didn't think of this until Anita pointed it out. Given Charles's proclivities, it is more than likely that he did and it could explain her murderous actions. That said, she could also just be as much of a sociopath as her brother.

In either case, I don't think she killed Charles because he molested the twins. She did it because she wanted revenge for herself and because she enjoyed it.

I didn't think about Charles molested Amanda until it was mentioned in the previous thread. Once mentioned, it made me think about Amanda's motives a little bit.

I don't think the abuse caused Amanda to murder her family although it did help her justify her actions. I don't think Amanda had any sympathy for the twins or anyone else for that matter. Amanda was jealous of all her siblings, legitimate and illegitimate. She wanted the entire Montgomery fortune as her birthright. Once the Copper, et.al filed the lawsuit, it put a fire under Amanda to speed up the murders. If they didn't file the lawsuit, I think she would have continued killing at the slower, less suspicious pace.

I firmly believe Charles abused Amanda, Kelly and Caitlyn. The abuse and the accident that killed Kelly contributed to Caitlyn developing MPD. Amanda was just bat s**t crazy.

Good point, I hadn't thought about that.

I think Amanda was born a psychopath and family matters just exacerbated what was already lurking in her psyche.

The old "nature vs nurture" debate.

You are probably right Lisa. A bad seed with a bad family.

I agree with Lisa. Amanda was truly a psychopath but I believe her first “kill” may have been triggered. I’m with Anita that Charles molested her. Why not?

Once she got away with Charles’ murder (and obviously enjoyed it), it opened her mind to killing off all that followed. Cross her and she’ll figure out how to end you. Copper, Sugar & Cricket crossed her by making a claim to the estate; Parker crossed her because he was annoying; Marta made the mistake of joining in with the Biscayne kids. Psychopaths don’t generally need a good reason after they start killing. They enjoy it.

I don't know. By that point, I was disgusted with the whole story.

Jonetta wrote: "I agree with Lisa. Amanda was truly a psychopath but I believe her first “kill” may have been triggered. I’m with Anita that Charles molested her. Why not?

Once she got away with Charles’ murder (..."

I honestly didn't think about Charles molesting Amanda. But, I bet Jonetta is right: "why not?" I definitely agree that she is a sociopath and enjoyed her killing. But I also think that she killed those who crossed her and those deaths she would have benefited from. I still think some of her motivation was the money.

It could be both, Hannah.