Ungrateful Bastard: The Shocking Journey of a Killer and Escape Artist
Feb 2026 · Bloomsbury Publishing USA
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7 reviews
Ebook
272
Pages
About this ebook
Gordon “Woody” Mower made worldwide news for his foiled attempt to escape a maximum-security prison in a getaway coffin. Now, behind the headlines is a story the notorious prisoner tells only to author Susan Ashline. Ungrateful Bastard unravels the making of a killer and escape artist, from a troubled upbringing on a rural farm to a descent into crime, fueled by abuse, addiction, and a thirst for vengeance. A haunting examination of the criminal mind, read some of the killer's tale through his own chilling words.
The murderer first rose to infamy in 1996 when, at eighteen years old, he shot his parents dead, forever silencing his mother's moniker for him: “Ungrateful bastard.” Mower fled, leading authorities on an international manhunt. When the fugitive was featured on the TV show America's Most Wanted, a tip led to his capture. The judge spared the teenager the death penalty, sending him to prison for life. The killer's relentless pursuit of freedom culminated in a daring scheme to escape prison buried alive under sawdust.
A gripping account, Ungrateful Bastard reveals the tragic events that shaped a killer's dark psyche, and the prison climate that allowed him to practice an escape repeatedly, without prison guards ever catching on. Ungrateful Bastard blows the lid off of the Mower case from the cradle to the (escape) coffin.
The murderer first rose to infamy in 1996 when, at eighteen years old, he shot his parents dead, forever silencing his mother's moniker for him: “Ungrateful bastard.” Mower fled, leading authorities on an international manhunt. When the fugitive was featured on the TV show America's Most Wanted, a tip led to his capture. The judge spared the teenager the death penalty, sending him to prison for life. The killer's relentless pursuit of freedom culminated in a daring scheme to escape prison buried alive under sawdust.
A gripping account, Ungrateful Bastard reveals the tragic events that shaped a killer's dark psyche, and the prison climate that allowed him to practice an escape repeatedly, without prison guards ever catching on. Ungrateful Bastard blows the lid off of the Mower case from the cradle to the (escape) coffin.
Gordon “Woody” Mower made worldwide news for his foiled attempt to escape a maximum-security prison in a getaway coffin. Now, behind the headlines is a story the notorious prisoner tells only to author Susan Ashline. Ungrateful Bastard unravels the making of a killer and escape artist, from a tro...
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Ratings and reviews
7 reviews
Gary Sacco
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April 29, 2026
What i heard and read about this one really didn't hook me. Would Ms. Ashline's latest work keep the pages turning? Yes is the answer. Woody's story was more than intriguing, started with a twisted upbringing, a violent solution, brief outlaw life and a crazy, almost irrational but possible escape plan from prison. Sure, her primary source waa Woody and she questioned the validity of his "stories." A very interesting book.
Michele Crossman
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May 4, 2026
I believe many things were not included because they could not be verified.
mudmilitia
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September 26, 2026
another dumpster fire of a book, dont keep them coming
About the author
Susan Ashline is the author of A Jacket Off the Gorge: True Story of the Biggest Liar (2023), and the nationally acclaimed true crime book Without A Prayer: The Death of Lucas Leonard and How One Church Became a Cult (2019). She is featured in the Hulu docuseries Cult Justice and How I Escaped My Cult. Susan is an Emmy Award-nominated journalist whose career spans more than twenty-five years. Her work has received major awards, including a first place Associated Press award for general excellence in individual reporting, and a Gannett Gold Medal award.
Susan Ashline is the author of A Jacket Off the Gorge: True Story of the Biggest Liar (2023), and the nationally acclaimed true crime book Without A Prayer: The Death of Lucas Leonard and How One Church Became a Cult (2019). She is featured in the Hulu docuseries Cult Justice and How I Escaped My...
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