Murder, Trauma, and an Abundance of Love: Katie Gutierrez’s “More Than You’ll Ever Know”
“That’s what makes true crime so addictive. Godlike, you’re allowed to see the intricate chain of events leading to the end of someone’s life. You realize that everything you do, every decision you make, might bring you, too, closer to the abyss. Briefly, your own life feels precious.” - Katie Gutierrez, Author - More Than You’ll Ever Know
Cassie is a young but determined writer, struggling to turn her passion for true crime into a sustainable career. She gets by with regular blog posts – romanticizing brutal crimes for the enjoyment of others – but is less than fulfilled. One day, while researching whose violent end to write about next, she stumbles across an article covering a murder from 1985, 32 years earlier.
The story is about Delores “Lore” Rivera, a young woman in Laredo, Texas, married with two children. Lore is an international banker, regularly jet-setting to Mexico City for meetings with prospects and clientele. During one particular trip, after years of feeling despondent and restless in her marriage to Fabian, she meets Andres. A sweet, loving man, Andres pulls Lore out of the funk she had been in for far too long. Lore bounces back from Laredo to Mexico City, from Fabian to Andres, balancing a double life. It all comes to an end three years later, when Andres is found dead from a gunshot wound in a motel in Laredo, nearly 700 miles away from his home. Fabian is convicted of Andres’ murder and is sent to prison, both of Lore’s lives as she knew them ending in the blink of an eye.
Cassie, an investigator at heart, is immediately intrigued, her curiosity peaked to the point of no return. She decides to write a book about Lore’s life, determined to find the answer to “Why would a woman who seemed to have it all lead a double life?”
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In More Than You’ll Ever Know, Gutierrez tells the stories of the two women, Cassie and Lore, who both have buried secrets deep inside themselves. While two vastly different people, they live their lives similarly – hiding dark secrets deep down inside, nearly just going through the motions on the outside. Through the process of Cassie’s book writing, the two form an unlikely bond. Lore feels protective of Cassie, almost motherly. Cassie, on the other hand, finds inspiration in Lore and uses her story as a way to develop the strength to face her own demons.
Gutierrez gracefully penned a story that intertwines family, motherhood, love, trauma, and heartbreak. Delicately woven through the plot is an abundance of a culture – one so pure and inviting that it’s almost a character in and of itself. In her acknowledgments, the author introduced the leap she took with this, her first novel:
“... I began setting stories in South Texas, a place I used to think didn’t belong in literature because I never saw it there. I gave my characters familiar names, let them speak Spanglish when it suited them. I grew convinced that not only do Mexican Americans belong in literature, but we make it better.”
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While there are many victims in this story – such as those lied to and hurt by Lore’s choices – Gutierrez’s portrayal of Andres, the ultimate victim of a violent act, is nothing short of beautiful. So often when we read about crime, the focus is shifted to the murderer and gory details. “How did they become this way?” “What was their childhood like?” “Where are the crime scene photos?” The violent act itself is what gets sensationalized, and the story of the victim gets lost in the details.
It’s kind of like how some true crime fans can tell rattle off endless facts about Ted Bundy’s entire life but wouldn’t be able to name just one of his many victims.
We meet Andres and fall in love with him as Lore does, slowly and then all at once. We meet his family, learn his hopes and fears. Gutierrez describes a character so generous with his love and kindness, one that followed his heart into a situation that was the beginning of his end.
An incredible writer, Gutierrez introduces the families and friends of each woman, shedding light on the personalities, strengths, and weaknesses that have surrounded them throughout their lives. As the author transitions through points of view, cities, countries, and decades, readers are given an intimate look at Lore’s side of the story, one that has never been told before, not even to her children.
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Filled with twists and suspense, darkness and love, More Than You’ll Ever Know poses deep, rhetorical questions: how far will you go to truly feel alive? How far will you go for those you love?
About Samantha Kauffman
Samantha is a Cleveland-based creative and mental health advocate. She has more than a decade's worth of experience in marketing + content creation, and has dedicated her career telling the stories of local brands. Samantha has written two children's books and is currently working on her first novel, an autobiographical fantasy story that's been inside of her since she was just a kid. In her free time -- and when she's not putting pen to paper, so to speak -- she's going on adventures with her husband + dog, listening to true crime podcasts, or honing her photography skills.
