FOR THE FIRST TIME, EDNA COWELL MARTIN—COUSIN OF TED BUNDY—TELLS HER STORY OF GROWING UP WITH TED, LIVING IN SEATTLE DURING HIS MURDEROUS SPREE, AND LEARNING THE HORRIBLE TRUTH ABOUT THE MAN SHE THOUGHT SHE KNEW.
Edna’s world turned upside down when her close cousin, Ted Bundy, was linked to the gruesome murders that had plagued her hometown of Seattle. Both devastating and dangerous, she reveals her journey of discovering the truth about her cousin who was more like a sibling, a man she loved, admired, and thought she knew so well. Edna delves into the unbelievable and chilling episodes she experienced, from confronting Ted and discovering a side of him she never suspected to waking to the FBI at her door after he escaped jail.
Whether searching memories for signs she’d missed or detailing scenes of life under the radar in a world still fixated on her cousin, Edna’s account tells the Ted Bundy story from a critical, new perspective: someone who called him family.
What critics are saying
The first memoir penned by a Bundy blood relative, Dark Tide is powerful and thought-provoking. Once fiercely loyal to a man she believed was falsely accused, Edna Cowell Martin shares her sense of betrayal as family pride turns to shame in this skillfully crafted journey.
Leslie Rule
Part of what makes this true-crime account so compelling is the inclusion of personal correspondence that took place between the author and her cousin while he was in prison. As they reveal Bundy’s chilling nonchalance and Martin’s own heartbreak, the letters also offer insight into the trauma that pushed the author into a 50-year silence about her ties to a violent sociopath.
Martin imbues this well-covered story with fresh emotional urgency, pointing out that “Ted could be anyone. Even those we’d never suspect.” For fans of true crime, this is a must-read.
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About edna cowell martin
Edna Martin lives in a little town on Puget Sound in Washington State. She was born and raised in Seattle and also spent time in New York, Paris, and Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in history. For over four decades, she has had a career in both advertising and insurance sales in the Seattle/ Tacoma area.
Edna gets her inspiration from being outside enjoying nature in the Pacific Northwest. Although she loves to travel and discover new places, she loves long walks close to home (with no earbuds), being on the water or exploring the beaches of Puget Sound. Mostly, she loves being around her family and friends, reading a good book or dancing to great rock and roll. Writing her memoir introduced her to a whole new world of friends and supporters. It’s been an eye opening journey, one that she’ll never forget.
About megan atkinson
Megan Atkinson is a screenwriter and writer based in the Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles. She grew up in a small town in the mountains of Wyoming. After receiving her MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, Megan has written for Netflix, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, and Disney.
Megan is married to filmmaker Shane Atkinson and enjoys traveling with him on various projects. As a result, Dark Tide was written from several countries across Europe -- France, Poland, Czechia, Norway, and Ireland.
Despite her travels, Megan will never forget the day she sat with Edna at her dining room table and read through her and Ted's letters, which had been kept in a box for over thirty years.
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