What do you think?
Rate this book
The Death Shift: The True Story of Nurse Genene and the Texas Baby Murders
Though doctors struggle to save them, babies are dying in the pediatric ward of a Texas hospital. A secret internal investigation reveals the sickening explanation: Genene Jones, a nurse on the 3-11 shift, is a cold-blooded killer. This true-life thriller reveals how Jones was able to work again--and kill again.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 16, 2022
In 1980 LPV Genene Jones works the mid-shift of the pediatric ICU at San Antonio, Texas's county hospital. Mysteriously, babies start having more codes on her shifts. Not only that, the death rate is going up. Rumors start flying about Nurse Jones and her behavior. Jones was quietly sent off—with a good recommendation—to a rural pediatric clinic. There, eight children under her care mysteriously stopped breathing and a 15-month-old baby girl died. Jones is finally arrested in 1984 and her madness is revealed to the world. Amidst the trial, you learn how the hospital shredded paperwork and covered its tracks. Five new murder charges were filed in 2017. This woman is evil. I hope hell is extra toasty and painful.
June 11, 2016
I called Munchausen by Proxy on this one early. This is enough to make a person scared to go to the hospital.
What I find infuriating is the total lack of accountability surrounding the doctors and administrators of the hospital. I do have to wonder why the prosecution didn't attempt to charge the administration of the hospital under the RICO statutes since they formed a conspiracy to cover up the truth.
Also infuriating, this monster will be released in 2018 (according to The Huffington Post) due to prison overcrowding.
What I find infuriating is the total lack of accountability surrounding the doctors and administrators of the hospital. I do have to wonder why the prosecution didn't attempt to charge the administration of the hospital under the RICO statutes since they formed a conspiracy to cover up the truth.
Also infuriating, this monster will be released in 2018 (according to The Huffington Post) due to prison overcrowding.
June 22, 2013
I found myself reading this book with the sense of urgency that the staff at her hospital should have had when dealing with the problem at hand. I thought it was well put together and easy to follow. I found it helpful to have the background of the other people involved like the doctors and lawyers. Knowing their political backgrounds and ambitions helped to understand why they might have handled the situation the way they did.
September 7, 2024
A lot of filler that I didn’t feel necessary to the story line
March 10, 2011
The story is absolutely horrifying. It makes you wonder how such highly intelligent, trained professionals could fail to notice that a nurse was killing all their patients. This lady sounds liek a complete sociopath, I mean didn't anyone think that her crying fits and then carrying the babies down to the morgue was more than a little odd. And then when they finally wise up after only say 35 babies have died on her shift, they just tell her she can't work in the ICU anymore. argh and then one of the doctors there hires her for her own office where yup she will be treating children. I think that the doctor that hired her is just as much to blame. she sounds like a little drama queen too. There is no way that she couldn't have connected the fact that what happened in the ICU at the hospitan and now the fact that nine times in less than a month healthy children have had seizures in her office. Even if she's not criminally negligable she is obviously too dumb to be treating babies if she didn't catch on that healty children should not have to be rushed to the ER everytime they come in with a sore throat.
The story was interesting, but the writing was very dry. I found myself skipping over unnessisary bios on people that I didn't care about to get back to the real story. I do give the author lots of props for bringing this terrible story to the publics attention and not holding back exposing thoes who deserve to be tagged as jackasses.
The story was interesting, but the writing was very dry. I found myself skipping over unnessisary bios on people that I didn't care about to get back to the real story. I do give the author lots of props for bringing this terrible story to the publics attention and not holding back exposing thoes who deserve to be tagged as jackasses.
January 5, 2023
Too much filler makes it boring
This book shouldn’t be as boring as it is considering the subject matter. Elkind includes a lot of unnecessary information; the book would be long enough without it. At times it feels like the author forgets that his subject is Genene Jones and not the hospital where she works or the state of Texas, etc. What he fails to include is insight into Jones’ behavior. What were her childhood and upbringing like, for instance?
There is also misogynistic wording in this book. More than once Elkind refers to Dr. Holland as a “lady doctor”. He describes one potential juror as “the most attractive woman in the courtroom” before saying she is a microbiologist. I wonder if he would have described a male microbiologist’s attractiveness. This type of wording was once a way to keep women down. I normally overlook mild misogyny in books with older publish dates, but Elkind updated and republished this novel. Since he made more money from it, he should have had the good sense to correct these things for a modern audience.
Otherwise, the writing and grammar are good, and the story is well organized and easy to follow.
This book shouldn’t be as boring as it is considering the subject matter. Elkind includes a lot of unnecessary information; the book would be long enough without it. At times it feels like the author forgets that his subject is Genene Jones and not the hospital where she works or the state of Texas, etc. What he fails to include is insight into Jones’ behavior. What were her childhood and upbringing like, for instance?
There is also misogynistic wording in this book. More than once Elkind refers to Dr. Holland as a “lady doctor”. He describes one potential juror as “the most attractive woman in the courtroom” before saying she is a microbiologist. I wonder if he would have described a male microbiologist’s attractiveness. This type of wording was once a way to keep women down. I normally overlook mild misogyny in books with older publish dates, but Elkind updated and republished this novel. Since he made more money from it, he should have had the good sense to correct these things for a modern audience.
Otherwise, the writing and grammar are good, and the story is well organized and easy to follow.
April 8, 2023
Genene Jones was born on July 13, 1950. She was adopted, and was provided a decent life by her parents. Even as a child, her capacity for dramatics and lies was unmatched. She attended cosmetology school, working as a stylist until she quit due to chemical allergies. (I am not convinced she had any chemical allergies.) She then attended nursing school, obtaining her LVN license. Very few coworkers had a good opinion of her, due to her dramatics, weird behavior, and lies. (I would not have tolerated her, nursing shortage or not, for her attitude. She wouldn't have had time to do crimes in my hospital.) A very high number of patients began to die under her care as opposed to everyone else, and she just simply got away with it for a long time. She is ultimately legally responsible for only two deaths, though it is believed she was directly responsible for upwards of sixty.
This case has been featured on a lot of shows, including Deadly Medicine, Deadly Women, and Forensic Files. I was pretty familiar with this case prior to reading this book, as I had seen it on television and had also listened to a podcast about it before. The author did a fantastic job of relating all of the facts of the case, as well as aspects of Genene's life, without sensationalizing it. I appreciate true crime books that are written in that way. I am interested in true crime and the criminal justice process, as well as the psychology behind crimes, but I really hate when they are sensationalized for dramatic value. If you prefer true crime books like that, this one is a good one for you to check out.
This case has been featured on a lot of shows, including Deadly Medicine, Deadly Women, and Forensic Files. I was pretty familiar with this case prior to reading this book, as I had seen it on television and had also listened to a podcast about it before. The author did a fantastic job of relating all of the facts of the case, as well as aspects of Genene's life, without sensationalizing it. I appreciate true crime books that are written in that way. I am interested in true crime and the criminal justice process, as well as the psychology behind crimes, but I really hate when they are sensationalized for dramatic value. If you prefer true crime books like that, this one is a good one for you to check out.
July 7, 2020
Great true crime read!! It only got bogged down a few times, for me, when they were talking about some of the hospital administration stuff. Other than that, I compusively read this book in about 5-6 days.
I remember watching a Dateline or similar show (maybe even the original 20/20 on rerun) and that was the first time I had heard of this case despite growing up in Texas and living in Central Texas for close to twenty years. While looking for something else in the public library catalog, I ran across this book. It was very well written and similar to most long form journalism I've read in Texas Monthly (Elkind was a Texas Monthly writer back in the day). I think that's what made it pop.
As for the crimes: I found myself forgetting these were real people and real events at times. Then I would remember and become horrified all over again. WHAT A BUTTHEAD, Genene Jones was/is!!! I get it, she's crazy but seriously?? Her actions were so incredibly unnecessary and screwed up.
If you stumble upon this book and you like true crime, you won't be disappointed (except in the huge machine called bureaucracy - sheesh!)
I remember watching a Dateline or similar show (maybe even the original 20/20 on rerun) and that was the first time I had heard of this case despite growing up in Texas and living in Central Texas for close to twenty years. While looking for something else in the public library catalog, I ran across this book. It was very well written and similar to most long form journalism I've read in Texas Monthly (Elkind was a Texas Monthly writer back in the day). I think that's what made it pop.
As for the crimes: I found myself forgetting these were real people and real events at times. Then I would remember and become horrified all over again. WHAT A BUTTHEAD, Genene Jones was/is!!! I get it, she's crazy but seriously?? Her actions were so incredibly unnecessary and screwed up.
If you stumble upon this book and you like true crime, you won't be disappointed (except in the huge machine called bureaucracy - sheesh!)
May 30, 2022
The book is ok, though it’s a bit too long.
After about half of it, I started just browsing through some sections.
It’s always nice to have some background on the characters, but here there are too many and the background is sometimes too long.
Yet, I still recommend reading that book. It is well researched and an eye opener on how a hospital may suspect a nurse is killing her patients) babies!!!) and yet the administration of the hospital keeps quiet out of fear of being sued by that nurse!!!
Of course Genene is the main culprit, but so are all those who decided to stay silent.
I can just hope such actions cannot happen nowadays…
After about half of it, I started just browsing through some sections.
It’s always nice to have some background on the characters, but here there are too many and the background is sometimes too long.
Yet, I still recommend reading that book. It is well researched and an eye opener on how a hospital may suspect a nurse is killing her patients) babies!!!) and yet the administration of the hospital keeps quiet out of fear of being sued by that nurse!!!
Of course Genene is the main culprit, but so are all those who decided to stay silent.
I can just hope such actions cannot happen nowadays…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2017
Very interesting in a disturbing way. So I had to look up where Genene Jones is currently, what her status is, etc. So she is set to be released in March of 2018. However, the San Antonio DA has now indicted her for the deaths of another 4 children, as of this summer in 2017. Such powerful circumstantial evidence, it is pretty clear that she killed these helpless babies. And I thought the author was very fair to her, and gave interesting perspectives and possibilities behind her behavior.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2022
The Death Shift is a very heartbreaking book that details the death of innocent babies by nurse Jones in Texas. This true story is very detailed and really packs a punch to the heart. I will admit this book made me cry for all the babies that were murdered and how cold and callous she was. Lee Ann Howlett did such a stellar job narrating that I could actually feel how the parents must have felt either their grief and pain. If you like true life crime books I highly recommend this book. This is my honest unbiased review that I am voluntarily leaving of my own volition.
June 29, 2024
Just...wow. The fact that this evil woman was able to continue working as a nurse for so long is heartbreaking. I heard about Genene Jones on Cold Case, and later again while reading Di Mio's memoir. So many children lost their lives or were harmed by her so that she could get some attention as the hero. And so many people let down their families because they would rather protect their image.
Like in my review of Doomsday Mother, I have a hard time believing that all those people fell under her thrall and 'good person' persona. Even her lawyers.
Like in my review of Doomsday Mother, I have a hard time believing that all those people fell under her thrall and 'good person' persona. Even her lawyers.
September 23, 2022
mind boggling
Having lived in the San Antonio area during latter part of this horrible saga of evil, I had superficial knowledge of the history. Never in wildest dreams did I realize how deep, wide and pervasive it was not how it almost went unprosecuted. An amazing story with terrific detail. The author is a master at weaving in a great amount of historical detail but never getting bogged down in minutiae. A feat many crime writers never accomplish.
Having lived in the San Antonio area during latter part of this horrible saga of evil, I had superficial knowledge of the history. Never in wildest dreams did I realize how deep, wide and pervasive it was not how it almost went unprosecuted. An amazing story with terrific detail. The author is a master at weaving in a great amount of historical detail but never getting bogged down in minutiae. A feat many crime writers never accomplish.
January 28, 2023
I hated this book because of the situation. But i loved how it was written. A true account of one of the most prolific medical killers in history. The corruptio of the medical system is so blatantly obvious it pisses me off. This lady deserves the death penalty in the same manner she killed all those children. As a nurse, I'm DISGUSTED. I feel the author did a good job of lining up the evidence and updating the book. How the story was presented had me in a chokehold until the very end.
July 12, 2017
Great!!
Sad sad story but such a great book. Well written and well researched!! A lot of characters sometimes makes it hard to follow. First time I've read a medical book; will be reading more!
Sad sad story but such a great book. Well written and well researched!! A lot of characters sometimes makes it hard to follow. First time I've read a medical book; will be reading more!
January 31, 2018
Excellent journalism that reads like fiction
I bought this book after reading the Texas Monthly article that inspired it. It did not disappoint! Highly engrossing, well written, and hard to put down.
I bought this book after reading the Texas Monthly article that inspired it. It did not disappoint! Highly engrossing, well written, and hard to put down.
March 7, 2024
Wow, just wow!! I don't remember this from when it was happening (I was not born yet), but I do remember my mom talking about it and how when I was born (1984) that it was scary and that a lot of women were afraid of the nursing staff in the mother and baby units in hospitals.
July 20, 2017
Sure hope she doesn't get out next year.
January 28, 2018
Interesting story but too much filler about the history of the towns in which the incidents occurred.
August 23, 2018
This is my second non-fiction book about a nurse murderer (the first was The Good Nurse), and this one was almost as fascinating as that one. Very well written.
November 7, 2019
Captivating
Very well delivered. The personalities, the medical facts, the circumstances.
Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
Very well delivered. The personalities, the medical facts, the circumstances.
Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
December 1, 2019
This book made me mad. It’s utterly ridiculous how long it took them to stop her, and that she only got charged with one murder.
June 14, 2021
Pretty good. The author got a little winded at times but the info was neat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2023
So sad what she did to the children and got away with for years!
September 25, 2023
What a horrific true story...
September 13, 2024
One of the most infuriating cases I've ever heard about
January 3, 2022
Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
A very well written and informative piece. Chilling to listen to. Nicely organized as well, brings the story through smoothly, through the different people involved and of Genene Jones from childhood to present day.
Narration by Lee Ann Howlett is amazing and well paced.
A very well written and informative piece. Chilling to listen to. Nicely organized as well, brings the story through smoothly, through the different people involved and of Genene Jones from childhood to present day.
Narration by Lee Ann Howlett is amazing and well paced.
December 5, 2013
True crime (or even crime fiction) is not usually my genre of choice, and although this book came highly recommended I put off reading it for quite a while because I thought it would be too disturbing. I mean, I have a baby, I don't want to think about someone deliberately trying to kill him in a hospital, of all places.
I have to admit that this is actually a very good book. The author is a complete expert on the subject of this case and put together a staggering amount of research into a book that ends up being an engaging read despite the horrific subject matter and the sprawling cast of characters. I did find the first 2/3rds of the book more interesting than that last part and I lost a bit of steam during the trial portion. I also found a few spots in the book that were blatantly repetitive, and I wish the editor had done a better job of catching those places and fixing them prior to publication.
Overall, though, this was a thrilling and disturbing story about a nurse that almost got away with murder. It made me contemplate the absurd and unethical lengths institutions will go to in order to prevent tarnishing their reputations, and the immense fallibility of well-educated people in which we often blindly place our trust.
I have to admit that this is actually a very good book. The author is a complete expert on the subject of this case and put together a staggering amount of research into a book that ends up being an engaging read despite the horrific subject matter and the sprawling cast of characters. I did find the first 2/3rds of the book more interesting than that last part and I lost a bit of steam during the trial portion. I also found a few spots in the book that were blatantly repetitive, and I wish the editor had done a better job of catching those places and fixing them prior to publication.
Overall, though, this was a thrilling and disturbing story about a nurse that almost got away with murder. It made me contemplate the absurd and unethical lengths institutions will go to in order to prevent tarnishing their reputations, and the immense fallibility of well-educated people in which we often blindly place our trust.
December 17, 2021
This is a well researched and thorough account of nearly inconceivable crimes, updated with current details that bring closure to this case. And Lee Ann Howlett's narration is excellent.
Note: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Note: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 24, 2014
Bought the book in a discount bin a few years back. It was intriguing and upsetting. How this woman wasn't stopped sooner was the continuous question in my mind. Why would anyone target babies? I would read it again. I will never forget the story. Never.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews