If You Really Loved Me
Ann Rule
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1985 · California, United States
Linda & Cinnamon Brown
The story behind If You Really Loved Me
Fourteen-year-old Cinnamon Brown shot her stepmother, Linda, in California in 1985 and initially took responsibility. Investigators later uncovered a plot directed by Cinnamon’s father, David Brown, who stood to benefit financially. The case revealed how he manipulated his daughter into killing and accepting the blame, leading to further convictions.
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The Story
When1985
WhereCalifornia, United States
In this collection29 resources
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Love, Lies and Murder
1991 · dramatized miniseries
A dramatized interpretation; compare it with the reporting.
The Tragic Story of Cinnamon Brown
Morbid
An audio option for exploring this case while listening.
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Blogs & Essays
Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →
From the journal
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Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
True Crime Stories · Blog / essay
Cinnamon Brown
An outside blog or essay discussing Linda & Cinnamon Brown. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
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Books
CONTINUE YOUR READING
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Books
1 itemsAnn Rule
If You Really Loved Me
A nonfiction account of this case. See the linked edition for publication details and available formats.
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Movies & TV
Movies
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TV & documentaries
3 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
1991 · dramatized miniseries
Love, Lies and Murder
A dramatized screen interpretation of this case. Compare it with the nonfiction account; characters, dialogue, and chronology may differ. Check the listing for regional availability.
Fiction / DramatizationAccess Varies · Check Source
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Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & episode details
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · title/episode listing
Love, Lies and Murder (1991) — miniseries information
Dramatized screen account. Follow the link for the title listing or available viewing options; scenes and dialogue may be adapted.
Fiction / DramatizationTitle Details · Not Playback
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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · TV episode
The Investigators — A Daughter's Love (2004)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Listed release: 2004. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Screen TitleTitle Details · Not Playback
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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
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Audiobooks
Listen to a book connected to this story. Each edition below is matched to its author and audiobook source.
Audiobook
If You Really Loved Me
Unabridged
Audio edition verified at the linked source. The Amazon button is a title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed.
Edition checked 2026-10-12
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
1991 · dramatized miniseries
Love, Lies and Murder
A dramatized screen interpretation of this case. Compare it with the nonfiction account; characters, dialogue, and chronology may differ. Check the listing for regional availability.
Fiction / DramatizationAccess Varies · Check Source
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Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & episode details
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · title/episode listing
Love, Lies and Murder (1991) — miniseries information
Dramatized screen account. Follow the link for the title listing or available viewing options; scenes and dialogue may be adapted.
Fiction / DramatizationTitle Details · Not Playback
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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
15 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Morbid
The Tragic Story of Cinnamon Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released January 22, 2021. About 61 minutes.
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Rotten Mango
#84: The Girl In The Doghouse (Case of Cinnamon Brown)
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released July 28, 2021. About 90 minutes.
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Once Upon A Crime
A Family Affair: David and Cinnamon Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released October 9, 2023. About 56 minutes.
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Casefile True Crime
Case 335: Linda Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released October 25, 2025. About 110 minutes.
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Inhuman: A True Crime Podcast
Episode 510: Cinnamon Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released May 26, 2026. About 41 minutes.
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Can’t Handle The Crime And Scandal
006 A Fathers Deadly Influence - The Cinnamon Brown Case
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released March 24, 2024. About 49 minutes.
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Show 9 more podcasts
Killer Destinations
191. NO DARKER TRAGEDY THAN THIS: Cinnamon Brown - Garden Grove, CA 1985
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released April 29, 2025. About 33 minutes.
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Dark Hearts with Stacy Lee
The Doghouse Confession: Cinnamon Brown murders her stepmother but that's only half the story
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released March 30, 2026. About 31 minutes.
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Horror Wine & Crime
Cinnamon Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released January 16, 2023. About 114 minutes.
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Crime Scholar
7. Cinnamon Brown: Named for Fame
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released January 30, 2019. About 73 minutes.
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Crime & Comedy
Cinnamon Brown - La Ragazza nella Cuccia del Cane - 158
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released May 18, 2025. About 132 minutes.
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Buried Motives
Daddy's Little Fall-Girl: Cinnamon Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released July 14, 2022. About 72 minutes.
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True Crime Cases with Lanie
Love Bites: Cinnamon Brown
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released September 2, 2024. About 42 minutes.
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Drinking The Cool Aid
Cinnamon Brown // 85 // Part 1
Podcast coverage of the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Released November 21, 2021. About 64 minutes.
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Rotten Mango · Stephanie Soo
Rotten Mango — Linda & Cinnamon Brown (Episode 84)
Episode 84 discusses Linda & Cinnamon Brown. The official episode page identifies this case and provides the show’s listening options. Contains descriptions of violence; this is podcast commentary, not a court record.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
4 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
OverDrive · Greater Phoenix Digital Library · Library Access
If You Really Loved Me — Ann Rule (Audiobook)
An abridged audiobook about David and Cinnamon Brown. This is a specific library listing with a sample; borrowing requires an eligible library card and may involve a wait.
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OverDrive · Library Access
If You Really Loved Me — Audiobook
Ann Rule. Related reading for Linda & Cinnamon Brown. This library catalog lists the edition. Borrowing depends on membership in that library and current availability.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
If You Really Loved Me
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
If You Really Loved Me
Ann Rule. Related reading for Linda & Cinnamon Brown. Book information and any pages made available by Google Books; this is not a promise of full-text access.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, OverDrive · Greater Phoenix Digital Library, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
1 itemsLos Angeles Times
Newspaper & magazine reporting
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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Newspaper clippings
1 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Los Angeles Times · 1988-12-20 · Page 74
Cinnamon Brown testifies about her father’s role
Court reporting records Cinnamon Brown’s testimony that her father arranged the killing of Linda Brown.
Published during David Brown’s preliminary hearing; he had pleaded not guilty.
Newspaper ReportingAccess Varies · Check Source
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Read the original at Newspapers.com. Access and subscription requirements are set by the archive.
Open full clipping at Newspapers.comKeep following the newspaper trail.
Search original reporting, follow the trial, and compare how newspapers covered the case over time.
Explore more on Newspapers.comNewspapers.com controls access to its archive. A subscription may be required; existing subscribers can sign in.
Internet Archive
1 itemsAbout these sources
Library records and preserved media. A catalog listing does not guarantee full reading or playback.
Internet Archive · Library record · 1991
If you really loved me : a true story of desire and murder
Rule, Ann. A library catalog record for a book connected with Linda & Cinnamon Brown. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court opinionArchive copy
People v. Brown — David Brown’s conviction appeal
The appellate opinion examines David Brown’s role in Linda Brown’s murder and the testimony concerning Cinnamon Brown and Patti Bailey.
- Court / agency
- California Court of Appeal, Fourth District
- Document date
- April 23, 1992
- Case / citation
- G010073
- Hosted by
- FindLaw
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
5 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Once Upon A Crime | True Crime
💔 Cinnamon Brown: A Daughter Manipulated Into Murder | A Family Affair
Video from Once Upon A Crime | True Crime covering the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Length: 55:31.
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True Crime And Cocktails
Episode 167: Cinnamon Brown
Video from True Crime And Cocktails covering the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Length: 2:10:22.
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Oxygen
Father's Behavior at Murder Trial Raises Suspicions | Real Murders of Orange County (S3 E9) | Oxygen
Video from Oxygen covering the Linda & Cinnamon Brown case. Length: 9:51.
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TikTok · Creator channel
Dark Hearts with Stacy Lee — TikTok channel
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “The Doghouse Confession: Cinnamon Brown murders her stepmother but that's only half the story.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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Facebook · Creator channel
Buried Motives — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Daddy's Little Fall-Girl: Cinnamon Brown.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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