Ann Rule’s Impressive Net Worth
Isabella Harris
Published May 11, 2026
Ann Stackhouse’s net worth stands at an impressive
$10 Million
Ann Stackhouse’s Background and Success
Born on October 22, 1931, in Lowell, Michigan, Ann Rae Stackhouse was a renowned writer celebrated for her contributions to the true crime genre, notably for books such as “The Stranger Beside Me” (1980), “Small Sacrifices” (1987), “Bitter Harvest”, among others, which significantly elevated her net worth. She continued to pursue her writing career until her passing in July 2015.
Did you ever question the wealth Ann Rule accumulated over the years? Reports state that Ann Rule’s net worth was estimated to be $10 million, a result of her remarkable writing talents, evident in her publication of 35 books, all of which substantially contributed to her net worth.
Ann Rule’s Earnings: $10 Million
As the daughter of Chester R. Stackhouse, a sports coach, and Sophie Marie Hansen, a teacher dedicated to children with learning disabilities, Ann Rule spent her summers as a volunteer in a county jail during her teenage years, an experience that undoubtedly influenced her decision to delve into crime and serial killer literature.
She attended Coatesville High School in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and pursued an associate degree at Highline Community College in Des Montes. Ann furthered her education at the University of Washington, where she studied criminology, creative writing, and psychology, cementing her passion for a writing career.
Prior to her successful writing career, Ann Rule served as a law enforcement officer for the Seattle Police Department and volunteered at a suicide crisis hotline in Seattle, where she encountered Ted Bundy, later revealed to be a notorious serial killer, and the focal point of her book “Stranger Beside Me”. Before her debut book, Ann wrote for True Detective magazine under the pseudonym Andy Stack.
With substantial success and her initial book, Ann embarked on furthering her writing career. By the late 1980s, she released four more books, namely “The Lust Killer” (1983), “The Want-Ad Killer” (1983), “The I-5 Killer” which focuses on Randall Woodfield, and “Small Sacrifices” (1987), all contributing to her growing net worth.
In the 1990s, Ann initiated a series of books titled Crime Files, with the first volume, “A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases”, published in 1993. She authored 16 volumes in the series, with her latest release being “Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors, and Other True Cases” in 2012. In addition to the series, she also published “Bitter Harvest” (1997) and “And Never Let Her Go” (1999) during the 1990s.
Ann Rule continued to write and published several more books, ultimately authoring nearly 40 books in total, all contributing significantly to her net worth.
On a personal note, Ann was previously married to Bill Rule, with whom she later divorced in 1972. She left behind four children, one of whom, Leslie Rule, is also a writer. Ann passed away from a heart attack in July 2015 at Burien, Washington State, USA, a day after being transferred to hospice care.
- Structural Info
- Facts
- Filmography
| Full Name | Ann Rule |
| Net Worth | $10 Million |
| Date Of Birth | October 22, 1931 |
| Died | 2015-07-26 |
| Place Of Birth | Lowell, Michigan, U.S. |
| Profession | Writer, Producer, Miscellaneous Crew |
| Education | University of Washington, Coatesville Area High School |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Bill Rule |
| Children | Leslie Rule, Andrew Rule, Michael Rule, Laura Harris |
| Parents | Sophie Hansen Stackhouse, Chester R. Stackhouse |
| IMDB | |
| Awards | Anthony Award for Best True Crime |
| Nominations | Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime |
| Movies | The Hunt for the I-5 Killer, Too Late to Say Goodbye, Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me, And Never Let Her Go, Small Sacrifices, Every Breath You Take |
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Was an intern student of the Oregon State Training School for Girls. | 2 | Was a Seattle Policewoman until her supervisors found out about her extreme nearsightedness. | 3 | She wrote her first book under the name Andy Stack for fear that a woman writing about crime would not be a success. | 4 | She took courses in crime scene investigation, police administration, crime scene photography and arrest, as well as search and seizure while studying for two years at Highline Community College. | 5 | She is the daughter of Chester R. and Sophie Hansen Stackhouse. Her father was a football/basketball/track coach and her mother was a teacher of the developmentally disabled. | 6 | She is active in support groups for victims of violent crimes and their families, in the Y.W.C.A.’s program to help battered and abused women, and in Childhelp and Childhaven, support groups for children. | 7 | She is a certified instructor in ‘many states’ on subjects such as: Serial Murder, Sadistic Sociopaths, Women Who Kill, and High Profile Offenders. | 8 | She graduated from Coatesville High School. | 9 | Obtained her BA from the University of Washington in Creative Writing, with minors in psychology, criminology and penology. | 10 | Her first book contract was to write about a serial killer known only as ‘Ted’. She later found that her very good friend, whose name was Ted Bundy, was in fact the ‘Ted’ she was contracted to write about. | 11 | Ann’s grandmother used to prepare meals for prisoners. One prisoner was a ‘sweet’ lady who taught Ann to crochet. Ann wondered why this woman could possibly be going on trial for murder. Ann says this is what lead her to the ‘whys’ of criminal behavior. | 12 | Ann comes from a family loaded with crime fighters. Her grandfather and uncle were Michigan sheriffs. Her cousin was a prosecuting attorney, and another uncle was a medical examiner. |
Writer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Hunt for the I-5 Killer | 2011 | TV Movie book “The I-5 Killer” | |
| Everything She Ever Wanted | 2009 | TV Mini-Series book – 2 episodes | |
| Too Late to Say Goodbye | 2009 | TV Movie novel | |
| Every Breath You Take | 2003 | TV Movie novel | |
| Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me | 2003 | TV Movie novel | |
| And Never Let Her Go | 2001 | TV Movie book | |
| Dead by Sunset | 1995 | TV Mini-Series book – 2 episodes | |
| Small Sacrifices | 1989 | TV Movie book |
Producer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| And Never Let Her Go | 2001 | TV Movie executive producer | |
| Dead by Sunset | 1995 | TV Mini-Series executive producer – 2 episodes |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| The Investigators | 2002 | TV Series documentary footage – 1 episode | |
| Biography | 1995 | TV Series documentary additional material – 1 episode |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Twisted | 2011 | TV Series documentary with thanks to – 1 episode | |
| The Investigators | 2002 | TV Series documentary special thanks – 1 episode |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| The Perfect Murder | 2014 | TV Series | Herself – Author, ‘If You Really Loved Me’ |
| 48 Hours | 2001-2012 | TV Series documentary | Herself – True Crime Author / Herself |
| Twisted | 2011 | TV Series documentary | Herself – Author, ‘Green River, Running Red’ |
| Born to Kill? | 2010 | TV Series documentary | Herself – Author, ‘The Stranger Beside Me’ |
| Conversations with a Serial Killer | 2008 | TV Series documentary | Herself – True Crime Author |
| THS Investigates: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer | 2005 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
| Biography | 1995 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| The Oprah Winfrey Show | 1988 | TV Series | Herself |