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THE INNOCENT MAN:  Murder and Injustice in a Small Town – Review

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Litercurious Book Review

The Innocent Man by John Grisham
TitleThe Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a
Small Town
AuthorJohn Grisham
PublisherAnchor (March 9, 2010)
FormatKindle, Hardback, paperback & Audiobook
Pages449
GenreTrue Crime, Murder & Mayhem, Legal Thrillers,
Non-Fiction, Legal History, Law Enforcement,
Mysteries
LanguageEnglish
ASIN# B003B02NZQ

AUTHOR

John Grisham is a master storyteller and one of America’s best-loved authors. Born in Arkansas, Grisham’s journey from practicing lawyer to bestselling author is as compelling as the stories he writes. With over 300 million books sold and several of his works adapted into major motion pictures, Grisham has captivated readers with his intricate legal dramas and unforgettable characters. His deep knowledge of the law and his gift for suspense have made his books perennial bestsellers.

SYNOPSIS

“The Innocent Man” by John Grisham is a riveting true-crime masterpiece that unravels the harrowing tale of Ron Williamson, an all-American dreamer turned tragic figure in a small Oklahoma town. This book dives deep into the flaws of the American justice system, illuminating how easily an innocent life can be destroyed by wrongful conviction.

In “The Innocent Man,” we journey through the tumultuous life of Ron Williamson, a former minor league baseball star whose promising career was derailed by mental illness and personal demons. In 1982, the quiet town of Ada, Oklahoma, was rocked by the brutal murder of Debra Sue Carter, a young waitress. The town’s desperation for justice led to Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz being accused of the crime. Despite a glaring lack of physical evidence and an array of questionable tactics used by law enforcement, both men were convicted

Grisham paints a vivid picture of the flawed investigation and the series of injustices that followed. We see Ron’s life spiral as he battles schizophrenia, all while enduring the horrors of death row. Grisham highlights the shaky testimonies, coerced confessions, and overlooked exculpatory evidence that sealed Ron’s fate. The narrative intensifies as the reader learns about the tireless efforts of Ron’s family and the Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to freeing wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and legal advocacy.

The book takes readers inside the courtroom and behind prison walls, revealing the emotional and psychological toll on Ron. Grisham’s powerful prose and detailed account of Ron’s eventual exoneration in 1999, after 11 years on death row, underscores the fragility of the judicial process. It’s a testament to human resilience and the unyielding quest and fierce determination for the justice.

CONCLUSION

“The Innocent Man” is more than just a chronicle of a grave miscarriage of justice; it is a poignant call to reform. John Grisham shines a light on the systemic failures that can lead to tragic errors and emphasizes the importance of vigilance and advocacy in the pursuit of true justice. This compelling narrative is a stark reminder of the real human cost of wrongful convictions and serves as an urgent plea for reform in the legal system.

The Innocent Man marks a departure from John Grisham’s usual legal thrillers. Stepping into the realm of true crime with a journalist’s eye for detail, Grisham turns legal intricacies into an engaging narrative; that talent is on full display here. He masterfully humanizes Williamson, introducing him as a victim of incredible injustice and a man battling personal demons. However, The Innocent Man is not without its weaknesses. Grisham’s transition from fiction to non-fiction is difficult—at times, constrained as it is by procedural details and legal jargon. As a result of these necessary evils, the prose did become formal, resulting in a more strictly formed narrative. I did not find that this impeded my enjoyment of the work, but a few may prefer his creative writing over his real-crime retelling. 

Despite these critiques, “The Innocent Man” remains a powerful and important read. It appeals to those interested in true crime, legal dramas, and stories of justice and redemption. It’s a must-read for anyone who cares about the integrity of the legal system and the profound impact it can have on individual lives. This book will resonate deeply with readers who value truth, fairness, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Grisham’s meticulous research and gripping narrative style make this book not just a read, but an experience.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR

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book review, Drama, Non-Fiction, True Crime

THOSE WHO WANDER – Review

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Litercurious Book Review

SPECIAL MENTION

THOSE WHO WANDER IS CURRENTLY

READ FOR FREE ON KINDLEUNLIMITED

TitleThose Who Wander: America’s Lost Street Kids
AuthorVivian Ho
PublisherLittle A (September 1, 2019)
FormatKindle, Audiobook, Hardcover
Page208
GenreSociology, Crime, Psychology
LanguageEnglish
ASIN #B07J56H9YH

AUTHOR

Vivian Ho is a journalist who covered the criminal justice beat for the San Francisco Chronicle and served on the newspaper’s breaking news team for six years. She was recently selected as a Livingston Awards finalist for her work on “A Life on the Line,” a series of two articles covering the story of San Francisco resident Cecilia Lam, a victim of domestic violence who was killed by her boyfriend in 2014. The same piece also won first place for the 2017 California News Publishers Association Award for In-Depth Reporting, and was awarded the Asian American Journalists Association 2018 Written Journalism Award for General Excellence.


Before she joined The Chronicle in 2011, Vivian reported for the Boston Globe and the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. She has bylines in the Guardian, Topic, San Francisco magazine, the Muse, and Bustle.
A New England native, Vivian graduated from Boston University in 2011.

Vivian Ho biography from Amazon

SYNOPSIS

Those Who Wander is the debut offering from Vivian Ho. The central theme is the brutal double murder committed by homeless kids. Morrison Haze Lampley, Lila Scott Alligood, and Sean Angold murdered twenty-three-year-old Audrey Carey and sixty-seven-year-old Steve Carter. Because of the murders, the homeless, drifters, and runaways of the Bay Area were persecuted by the San Francisco populace.

Vivian takes us on a journey both gritty and disturbing into the life and times of the growing homeless population of children and young adults in modern day America. She delves deep into the homeless subculture and exposes abuse, drug addiction, failed foster care and over tasked child protective services. She exposes the tragic, the good and the bad surrounding the homeless subculture in San Francisco.

CONCLUSION

An Insightful and disturbing examination of the profound challenges, suffering, and implications for society; from the minor and adolescent itinerants roving the streets, unloved and uncared for.

Always honest and brutally frank, Vivian Ho’s account of life for children on the streets in the present day United States is brutal; and the brutality extends beyond the affected children.

The quality of writing alone makes this book worth reading, but combined with the investigative journalism makes this an exceptional monograph. I can say with confidence that I fully expect Vivian Ho to become an esteemed and prolifically successful popular author in the years to come.

Skillful journalism, perfectly paced and combined with a compelling writing style make Those Who Wander an absolute must read. It is infectious from the first pages to the last. I highly recommended this book to anyone who enjoys a well written prose.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

OTHER BOOKS AVAILABLE ON KINDLEUNLIMITED

2 / 8

Don’t forget that Those Who Wander it is read for free for a limited time on KindleUnlimited

book review, History, Non-Fiction

WILLIAMS’ GANG – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

TitleWilliams’ Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and
His Cargo of Black Convicts
AuthorJeff Forret
PublisherCambridge University Press (January 16, 2020)
FormatKindle, Hardcover
Pages479
LanguageEnglish
ISBN # 1108493033

AUTHOR

Discover the Prof. Jeff Forret, the author of Williams’ Gang on his page here.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE

Forret’s manuscript is an invaluable tool for those wishing to understand and appreciate the mechanisms of the slave trade.

SYNOPSIS

Jeff Forret’s work is an extensive and comprehensive examination of the slave trade from the perspective of William H. Williams. 

Williams hailed from Washington DC (District of Columbia), Virginia where he engaged in the flesh trade in a private home known as the Yellow House. The property, surrounded by a twelve-foot wall patrolled by men and ferocious dogs, was more of a human warehouse/sales lot for his chattels than a home. The slaves (men, women, and children) were kept in the basement of the two-story house and then sold at auction in the yard. If selling abducted human beings wasn’t bad enough, he engaged in the kidnapping free “men” or former freed slaves and selling them into servitude. 

The now famous Solomon Northup, a free man of New York, was just one of the people the Williams Gang thrust into bondage. You may recognize his name as he was the writer of in Twelve Years a Slave where he recounted his life experiences as a free man and a slave. 

Forret goes onto chronicle the range of legal wrangles and the events surrounding Williams’  purchase of 27 convicts in 1840 for transport and sale outside of the United States. After illegally transporting the convicts to New Orleans, Louisiana he became entangled in legal proceedings lasting decades; well past the abolishment of slavery by the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  

Based on a plethora of reference material, Forret describes the attitudes, economies, and politics of the time surrounding the slave trade.  

CONCLUSION

An excellent primer for anyone wishing to gain a greater knowledge of the workings of the United States Slave Trade during the 1800’s. The attitudes, politics, and economics of the era are eyeopening and intriguing. Williams’ Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and His Cargo of Black Convicts is an excellent look into the history of human bondage in the United States.

As I read the book, I found similarities to the style of writing in a work called Stolen, written by Richard Bell. You can find my review for Stolen here on Litercurious.

Further reading about Williams’ Gang can be found here.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Jeff Forret, NetGalley, and Cambridge University Press for affording me the opportunity to review Williams’ Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and His Cargo of Black Convicts.