Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story [Book Review]

A sharp, unflinching dive into the Jennifer Dulos case that cuts through the true crime noise—privilege, ego, and murder behind the perfect facade.

I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I consume a lot of true crime as entertainment. The Dateline specials, the podcasts, the books—I’ve gone down more rabbit holes than I care to admit. Most of them blur together after a while, but Murder in the Dollhouse? This one got under my skin in the best (and worst) way.

Jennifer Dulos

If the name Jennifer Dulos rings a bell, you probably remember the headlines: suburban Connecticut mom of five disappears after school drop-off, never seen again. An ugly divorce, a flashy husband, a missing body—it’s a case that dominated the media. But what Rich Cohen does here is more than just retell what we already know. He gives the story weight and allows the details to breahe. It’s impossible to look away.

Jennifer and Fotis Dulos looked perfect on paper—Brown grads, beautiful family, all the trappings of privilege. But beneath that glossy exterior was a mess of control, entitlement, and, as it turns out, something far darker. Cohen doesn’t hold back when it comes to Fotis. He’s not cruel for the sake of it, but he’s also not afraid to show the guy exactly as he was: a manipulative, arrogant disaster of a man who left a path of destruction in his wake.

Book review: Cohen’s ‘Murder in the Dollhouse’ tells tragic story

My thoughts

I’ve watched the specials. I’ve read the articles. And still, I learned more from this book than from anything else I’ve seen on the case. Cohen did his homework, and it shows. He’s not interested in sensationalism—he’s interested in truth. And most importantly, he centers Jennifer, not just as a victim, but as a full, complicated person who deserved so much more.

If you’re into true crime that actually respects the people at the heart of the story, Murder in the Dollhouse is absolutely worth your time. But fair warning—you won’t walk away from it feeling good. Just angry. As you should be.