What started as a love story … became a murder mystery
It made international news because it seemed so improbable: A romance novelist who wrote the article, “How to Murder Your Husband,” was later arrested for … the murder of her husband.
I was first connected to this podcast series to offer background: I knew Nancy Brophy from my writing club. Producers wanted to know what she was like, and more about our writing community.
Months later, they asked me to host and narrate this true crime podcast, which digs into the story behind the story. You’ll hear what police, investigators, and friends were really thinking — through each twist and turn of the investigation.
The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Wondery+ subscribers can listen early and ad-free.
Watch the live TV interview
Even with a background as a crime reporter, I never anticipated so many plot twists.
In this interview, I talked about what it was like to find out that I actually knew an accused murderer.
And I answer an unusual question: Did Nancy appear on the stand in the same way she did in real life?
As you dive into the podcast, here are more details and photos from the story…
Nancy Brophy was a romantic suspense author
She wrote stories of sex, betrayal and murder in a series called Wrong Never Felt so Right. And she knew what she was talking about: She came from a family of lawyers and her ex-husband was a cop.
Nancy moved to Portland in the early ’90s and enrolled in culinary school … where she fell in love with her instructor, Dan. (He was married at the time.)
After he divorced, Dan and Nancy married, and settled in a suburban home just outside of Portland. They were together for nearly 25 years.
Dan Brophy was a respected chef and instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute
He loved mushroom hunting, organic gardening, and he kept more than 40 chickens — plus a rooster named Jerry.
He turned their backyard into a science experiment, growing blackberries and edible flowers. And he was always reading to learn more.
It was opposites attract: Dan was as quiet as Nancy was loud and laughing, but friends thought they really worked.
Nancy was president of my romance writers’ group
The Rose City Romance Writers is a local chapter of the Romance Writers of America. Its mission is to help aspiring authors on their path to publication, so at our monthly meetings, we’d learn from experts on business, marketing and craft.
I was part of this group from 2013–2016. Later, I moved to a national group for professional commercial fiction writers.
Nancy is pictured in the photo above, second from left. The group hosted writer’s retreats, luncheons and a monthly seminar and meeting.
Nancy would give out roses to authors who had finished their books — I received a rose from her when I finished my fourth novel. She also heavily critiqued the cover of my fourth book (bottom right).
Nancy Brophy once wrote an essay, “How to Murder Your Husband”
She wrote for a blog intended to promote her self-published books.
At the time, author friends just thought the article was simply clever, dark humor — though one said, “I’m calling Dan to make sure he’s alright [sic].”
Another author replied, “Really, who hasn’t had the stray thought about murdering a spouse or lover? It’s not the big things (like cheating or abusing). For me it’s all the little things. Every time he leaves the toilet seat up?” She lists several more offenses, then writes, “Not that my DH [dear husband] does any of this. Nooooooo. He’s way too scared that I’ll actually carry out my threat of killing him.”
Dan’s murder was shocking. When Nancy was arrested, no one could believe it.
Messages lit up our group chats. It split the writing community in two: Team Guilty, and Team Innocent. (Nancy has always said she is innocent.)
But as investigators started uncovering clues, including placing Nancy at the scene of the crime when it happened — people began to wonder.
What if Nancy didn’t just write about murder? What if her stories — in which women shoot their husbands, and get away with it — were a blueprint?
At the trial, Nancy was confident, chatty, and even laughed as she shared anecdotes
As the district attorney reviewed the evidence, Nancy seemed to have a story for everything
Even though sometimes Dan and Nancy couldn’t pay their mortgage, Nancy spent more than $1000 to buy a Glock handgun — legally — and a gun kit, which doesn’t have to be registered. Nancy said the Glock was for personal protection. The gun kit, which she never assembled, she called a “toy.” She said it was simply research for a story she planned to write.
Police initially ruled out the Brophys’ gun as the murder weapon
But when they learned Nancy had purchased a separate slide and barrel from eBay, which could be used in Nancy’s gun, they had a new perspective. (receipts below)
Police searched Nancy’s home and storage units repeatedly but never found this piece.
Nearly four years after the murder, Nancy was found guilty
The jury didn’t deliberate for long. At the sentencing, we heard an anguished statement from Dan’s son, Nathaniel. Nancy will serve a life sentence with a possibility of parole after 25 years. By then, she will be 97 years old.
The case was covered internationally, including in People magazine — which, oddly, was how Nancy’s ex learned of the murder.
It even became a Lifetime movie starring Cybill Shepherd. It was also featured on A&E’s Taking the Stand.
“A New True Crime Podcast Digs Into the Case of a Beaverton Romance Writer Convicted of Murdering Her Husband,” by Rachel Saslow,Willamette Week
“Host of new podcast based on Oregon murder case talks about the shocking true story,” by Kristi Turnquist, The Oregonian
“‘Happily Never After’ podcast exposes stranger-than-fiction crimes of Oregon romance novelist,” by Zane Sparling, who reported this story, for The Oregonian
See the Tiktok video from The Oregonian
“Did Nancy Brophy Kill Her Husband Dan? Details Amid ‘Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy’ Podcast,” from InTouch Weekly
From Reality Blurred: “Listening to the first two episodes, narrated ably and with an appropriate top note of ‘get a load of this shit’ by Heidi Joy Tretheway…”
From Podcast the Newsletter: “Nancy also did a lot of other funny and dumb things, so while we don’t get to be happy that her sweet, quiet, mushroom-foraging husband was murdered, we can be really happy he didn’t get away with it. The host is good (former true crime reporter and romance novelist who was in Nancy’s writer’s group Heidi Joy Tretheway) and the script is good (Nichole Perkins is in the credits.) I love the cover.”
Super cool! Happily Never After became the #1 podcast on Apple and the #1 true crime podcast on Spotify. Thank you, listeners!
Thank you
I am exceptionally grateful to the talented team at Wondery for taking a chance on me to narrate this fascinating story.
Special thanks to Senior Producer Tracy Egbas, Senior Story Editor Nathalie Chicha, and Associate Producer Sam Hobson. They spent hours with me (virtually) in my bedroom closet — recording, rewriting, and coaching me through this process.
And I thought writing a novel was hard. ;-)