Brutal and Dark

Mystery and thrillers are usually my cups of tea. Sometimes I need to sink my teeth into some true crime. This was given to me for an honest review by NetGalley. I am so glad that it hit my radar. This is a sad story about a woman who continued to make excuses for the man she loves and was constantly hoping will change. At the end of the day, it costs her a life and destroyed the lives of the two people she loved the most her children. Shele Danisheefsky who was the breadwinner in the family, put aside her pride and funded the lifestyle of the man she married without knowing what kind of monster he was and would become.
He was the type of person who is good at conniving and convincing those around him what a good father and great guy he was. Truth be told, he was a narcissistic scam artist, all show with no substance.
His life revolved around backgammon and women he met online. He thought of nothing and no one but himself. I do not understand how money could be more important than the health and wellness of his kids. When he saw that bad-mouthing Shele didn’t get the result he wanted he changed tactics to get what he wanted he turned her beautiful kids against her. She was willing to do anything to keep her kids' lives stable. When things failed to work in his favor, he brainwashed both the kids but especially Anna to think that her father was the best and that her mother was nothing.

In the end, he decided to eliminate her to try and get his hands on her money and the kids. I paced myself with this one because a large portion of this book is heavy and it requires time to process. I am so happy that after so many years that justice was served and Rod is in jail. This book should be read by anyone who is in an abusive relationship. Not so they can cry but so they can see themselves in Shele and get help before it’s too late to get help and all that is left is for their families to grieve them. This story has such a sad and satisfying ending. It is sad because these kids were shown that their father was the only one who loved them and it is so far from the truth. Satisfying because after ten long years justice was served.


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At All Cost: A Father’s Betrayal, a Wife’s Murder, and a Ten-Year War for Justice by Rebecca Rosenberg is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.

This is a true crime book centered around the mysterious death of Shele Danishefsky who was found dead in her bathtub. Eventually, her death was ruled a homicide and her husband Rod would become the primary suspect.
From that point on, Rob’s family and Shele’s, would embark on a decade long battle- one side, hoping to bring Rob to justice, the other to prove his innocence and keep custody of his children.

The evidence points to murder, and not an accident as the defense claimed. Beyond that, there is a strong circumstantial case, especially since Shele was very well off at the time of her death.

This book takes the reader through the entirety of the case, all the way up to the trial and the jury’s verdict, and the reactions of the two families in the aftermath.

This case was riveting. The author holds nothing back, making it seem like the reader is right there on the scene, sitting in the courtroom, or investigating the evidence. It’s rough at times, very heartbreaking, especially as the children were pulled and pushed, in a grueling custody battle.

Rod is a real piece of work, and despite my true crime affinity, which has desensitized me just a bit, it still left me shaking my head in disbelief.

The author did a fantastic job with the material, keeping organized, and moving along, examining all the angles, the two sides of the story- but the trial passages were the most absorbing.

Overall, this case is incredible, the book well-written, one true crime fans will want to check out. ( )

I briefly remember reading about this case. It was sad. Reading this book, it is shocking the great lengths that Rod would go to get custody of his children. Using the as pawns in his game by making them make accusations about their mother including wanting to set up his daughter for murder.

While reading this book, I felt a range of emotions from sorrow, anger, disbelief, and joy. Sorrow for the loss of Shele's life and what her children and family had to endure. Anger from Rod, his parents and the detectives investigating the case. It is kind of amazing that Rod was convicted with the way the case was handled. This is where some of my disbelief comes from as well and that Rod would use his children the way he did. Joy that Rod was convicted so that some justice could be had for Shele. Readers of true crime books may want to check out this one. It is a fast read. ( )

While reading At Any Cost by Rebecca Rosenberg and Selim Algar, I stopped so many times to read passages from the book out loud and express my outrage to my husband. As I kept reading, I just couldn’t believe the events that were happening, it was like something from a soap opera, a really messed up one. I know sociopaths and victims of domestic abuse act like this, but the books or movies I consume are usually fiction. At times I couldn’t believe At Any Cost was non-fiction.

Writing this review a day after finishing At Any Cost, I still have disbelief and anger running around in my thoughts. There are so many instances that I want to share with you so we can both go on about how crazy it was, but I don’t want to spoil that for you. I will say what Rod tried to get first his son and then his daughter to say about what family members did, and how Debra continued to stay with Rod, still has me fuming.

And don’t get me started on how the courts try to keep kids with their parents as much as possible. It takes a village to raise children, and there are times that the village should not include one or both of the parents. Plus there’s the fact that so many religions and cultures deem a woman only worthy upon her looks and if she has children. If Shele hadn’t been feeling the pressure that her time to marry/have children was almost up, there’s a good chance she wouldn’t have rushed to marry Rod. With all the various social, religious, and economical issues in At Any Cost, I think it would make a fantastic discussion for a book club.

Okay, I’m done with my rant. If you enjoy true crime, At Any Cost is one you need to read. ( )