Romance Novelist Accused of Killing Her Husband Once Published Essay Titled 'How to Murder Your Husband'

The Oregonian reported on Tuesday that 68-year-old romance novelist Nancy Crampton Brophy, who was accused of killing her husband last week, once wrote an theoretical article on how one might kill their husband. Crampton Brophy was charged on September 6 with the murder Daniel Brophy, a 63-year-old chef who was reportedly shot and killed in a kitchen at the Oregon Culinary Institute, where he worked, in June.

The 2011 essay, which is no longer public but was originally posted on the website See Jane Publish, ran 700 words, and was titled “How to Murder Your Husband.” It sounds like that’s pretty much what it’s about. “As a romantic suspense writer, I spend a lot of time thinking about murder and, consequently, about police procedure,” Crampton Brophy wrote. “After all, if the murder is supposed to set me free, I certainly don’t want to spend any time in jail.”

Crampton Brophy has self-published several romance novels including The Wrong Husband and Hell on the Heart. People reports that Portland cops said of the author’s arrest following a three-month investigation, “detectives believe Nancy L. Crampton-Brophy is the suspect in Daniel C. Brophy’s murder.” They clearly did not go into detail.

The essay also reportedly included a meditation on why one might kill their husband; motives included infidelity, greed, and abuse. “Divorce is expensive, and do you really want to split your possessions?” Also explored in the essay: “What if killing didn’t produce the right results? Would they do it again? Could they do it again? What if they liked it?”