Nicole Weisensee Egan
Author/Investigator/Investigative Journalist
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About the book:
The definitive account of Bill Cosby's transition from revered father figure to convicted criminal, told by a veteran crime reporter and senior writer for People magazine
Bill Cosby's decades-long career as a sweater-wearing, wholesome TV dad came to a swift and stunning end on April 26, 2018, when he was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand. The mounting allegations against Bill Cosby--more than 60 women have come forward to accuse him of similar crimes--and his ultimate conviction were a shock to Americans, who wanted to cleave to their image of Cosby as a pudding-pop hero.
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Award-winning journalist and former People magazine senior writer Nicki Weisensee Egan was the first reporter to dig into the story when Constand went to the police in 2005. Other news organizations looked away, but Egan doggedly investigated the case, developing ties with entrenched sources and discovering incriminating details that would ultimately come to influence the prosecution.
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In her debut book, Chasing Cosby, Egan shares her firsthand account of Cosby's 13-year run from justice. She tells us how Cosby planned and executed his crimes, and how Hollywood alliances and law enforcement knew what Cosby was doing but did nothing to stop him. A veteran crime reporter, Egan also explores the cultural and social issues that influenced the case, delving into the psychological calculations of a serial predator and into the psyche of a nation that fervently wanted to put their faith in the innocence of "American's Dad."
Rich in character and rife with dramatic revelations about popular culture, media power, and our criminal system, Egan's account will inform and fascinate readers with its candid telling of humanity's most enduring tale: the rise and fall of a cultural icon.
PRAISE
"Egan's harrowing, meticulously reported book reveals how, for half a century, one of our most respected, most beloved entertainers got away with brazenly drugging and raping more than sixty women, abetted by prominent figures in law enforcement, the news media, and Hollywood. Although Cosby seemed to believe he was untouchable, Egan documents how he was eventually brought to justice by dogged prosecutors, some very courageous women, and the #MeToo movement."
Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven, and Where Men Win Glory
"Veteran crime writer Nicole Weisensee Egan takes apart one of the first great cases of the #MeToo era with finesse and ace reporting. She brings years of up-close reportage on the Cosby case, plus dozens of new interviews with accusers and back room accounts of the endless court battles, to expose the secret life of America's Dad, a premeditated sex predator and the trail of private wreckage he inflicted for decades."
Nina Burleigh, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of Golden Handcuffs: The Secret History of Trump's Women
"You might think you know the story of Bill Cosby's downfall. But until you've read investigative journalist Nicole Weisensee Egan's book, you don't know the whole story. Reporting on the case for more than a decade, Egan takes readers on a riveting journey documenting how numerous women came forward with horrific accounts of abuse leading to Cosby's arrest and ultimate conviction. The book is incredibly researched, compellingly written, and a must-read for anyone who followed the Cosby case or who wants to know the insider account of the unbelievable true story."
Shanna Hogan, New York Times bestselling author of Picture Perfect
"Egan's fascinating account of Cosby's 13-year run from justice, including how he planned and executed his crimes, and how Hollywood and the law looked the other way. She delves into the psychological calculations of a serial predator and into the psyche of a nation that fervently wanted to put their faith in the innocence of 'American's Dad.'"
Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Town
"The power of Chasing Cosby flows from Nicole Weisensee Egan's steadfast resolve to ascertain the truth. Her dogged reporting and deft storytelling paints a worthy portrait of those who suffered at the hands of 'America's Dad.' Egan's work reminds us of the great price our society pays when fame protects the mighty, and what it means to not be believed."
Chelsia Rose Marcius, author of Wild Escape: The Prison Break from Dannemora and the Manhunt that Captured America
"Nicole Weisensee Egan's powerful, personal account of the Cosby case is a perfect cautionary tale for our time. In the middle of the #MeToo movement, this riveting look at the shattered nice-guy facade of a man once dubbed 'America's Dad' unearths a greater truth: that the celebrities and leaders we exalt on TV (and elsewhere) are not always the people we want them to be; and sometimes the truth one finds behind the curtain of a public persona is much darker than we ever want to believe."
Mark Dagostino, New York Times bestselling co-author of Accused: My Fight for Truth, Justice, and the Strength to Forgive
"Riveting, page-turning."
Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Piece of the World and Orphan Train
"Egan’s meticulous research would be enough to make Chasing Cosby the definitive account of the comedian’s scandals, but her own connection to the story adds another layer to the book. ..Egan reads the audiobook, and readers can hear the resolve and empathy in her narration. Her clear voice and polished enunciation, not to mention her deep understanding of the story, are on par with professional narrators."
Literary Hub
"Egan’s immersion in the case, from the first crackle of scandal to Cosby’s final conviction in 2018, shows in her book’s forensically meticulous unpicking of the case and her willingness to address the issues of race, power and celebrity that it raised...For all her cliffhanger skill in pacing her complex material, it is this sense of anger that gives Chasing Cosby its moral heft. The writer challenges entrenched misconceptions about sexual assault — especially why victims often delay reporting an incident — and untangles the insidious mechanics of grooming."
The Times of London
"American author Nicole Weisensee Egan skilfully charts the destruction of William (Bill) Cosby and how the rich and brilliant American comedic writer and performer was protected for years by a shroud of lies and whitewash that withheld the truth from his adoring public and allowed him, according to his accusers, to repeat and repeat his vile conduct with liberty. Much of this compliance was manufactured by three conspiring forces: Hollywood, officialdom and law enforcement."
Winnipeg Free Press
"Most people are aware that actor Bill Cosby was convicted of sexual assault in 2018; however, many may be surprised to learn that the victim in that case reported the assault to law enforcement back in 2005... Egan, who worked for the Philadelphia Daily News at the time, followed the story from the beginning... [S]he traces some allegations back to the 1970s, then examines the factors that allowed Cosby to continue these behaviors for so long...VERDICT: The shocking details of the calculated, predatory crimes committed by a formerly beloved American icon are sure to draw wide interest."
Library Journal
