Book Review: I Will Ruin You by Emilio Corsetti III

 

I Will Ruin You: The Twisted Truth Behind The Kit Martin Murder Trial by Emilio Corsetti III is a fascinating ripped-from-the-headlines true crime story that dives deep into heart of this controversial case. 

In May 2019, pilot and former army ranger Christian "Kit" Martin, was arrested for the murder of his three neighbors in the small town of Pembroke, Kentucky, right before boarding a passenger flight. Having slowly and painfully rebuilt his life since his ex-wife threatened to ruin him if he divorced her, Kit finds himself facing new charges that chip away at all he fought so hard to rebuild. 

Corsetti brings you through the life of Christian Martin from September 2012, when Kit told his then wife, Joan, he wanted a divorce. Joan's supposed response, "If you divorce me, I will ruin your career. I will ruin your life, and I know how to do it." 

From that moment on, Kit's life spiraled into years of defending himself against a never-ending series of accusations hurled at him by Joan and her children surrounding claims of domestic abuse, child abuse, child molestation, sexual assault and mishandling of classified information that would lead to his court-marital in 2015. When his neighbors Calvin and Pam Phillips, along with another neighbor, Ed Dansereau, are found brutally murdered in the fall of 2015, right before Calvin is due to testify for the prosecution, Kit becomes the prime suspect. 

For the most part, I felt Corsetti provided an even-handed deep dive into the Kit Martin case: the evidence that didn't quite add up, how the military's history of sweeping sexual assault claims under the rug led to a fervent pursuit of Martin, the missteps on both sides during the investigation and trial, and Kit and Joan's histories. 

Some have said that news that broke less than a month after this book's release discredits the idea that Kit was a wrongly accused innocent man, but that is between Martin and his maker. The news does not lessen the compelling narrative, the superb scene setting, and the detailed personal stories that unfold. 

If you love true crime, I Will Ruin You is an excellent choice.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ WildBlue Press (March 21, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 426 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1960332643
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1960332646

I purchased a Kindle version of this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.