Death Sentence: The True Story of Velma Barfield's Life, Crimes, and Punishment

Name: Death Sentence: The True Story of Velma Barfield's Life, Crimes, and Punishment
Price: 3.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (975 reviews)
Author: Jerry Bledsoe

by Jerry Bledsoe

Memoir

4.3 (975)

4.3 stars from 975 reviews. Top 90% of Memoir books we track.

$3.99KU78% off peak

Last checked: Jul 10, 2026

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Price history: $0.99 – $17.99

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Price range: $0.99 – $17.99

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Perfect for you if...

You want true crime that examines systemic failure and addiction rather than glorifying killers.
You're interested in the death penalty debate and how justice actually works in practice.
You appreciate character studies that make you understand how ordinary people commit extraordinary crimes.

Maybe not for you if...

You need a fast-paced thriller with twists and reversals; this is methodical investigation.
You're looking for a sympathetic victim narrative; Velma Barfield's story is morally complicated.
You prefer true crime that sensationalises the murders rather than interrogates them.

About this book

When North Carolina farmer Stuart Taylor died after a sudden illness, his forty-six-year-old fiancée, Velma Barfield, appeared grief-stricken. An autopsy revealed traces of arsenic poisoning, and Barfield was turned over to authorities by her own son. She then revealed that Taylor's death was not her first murder. She was tried and sentenced to death. This account examines Barfield's descent into madness, her prescription drug addiction, and her attempt to find redemption through Christianity. It covers her difficult childhood, the crimes that sparked national debate over capital punishment, and the circumstances of her execution. Barfield was the only woman executed in the U.S. between 1962 and 1998.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$0.99 – $17.99

Currently on sale at $3.99 — 78% off peak. Price has dropped 30 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 55 days. Typically stays discounted for 12 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #87K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.3★ from 975 reviews

Gaining approximately 7 new reviews per month. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.4 to 4.3.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $3.99. It typically returns to around $17.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.