If there were ever a must-read for true crime enthusiasts, this would be at the top of the list. In alternating chapters, Grisham and McCloskey recount the harrowing stories of ten individuals wrongfully imprisoned, their lives shattered by miscarriages of justice. Many were coerced into false confessions after enduring brutal “interrogation” tactics. Anyone who believes the portrayal of police work in TV shows and books is anything close to reality should read this.
What struck me the hardest was the utter disregard shown by authorities, who ignored vital evidence that could have exonerated the innocent, blinded by their own certainty that they had the right person. The rush to judgment is chilling.
Some have reviewed this and said how they needed to take breaks because of how powerful and disturbing the accounts are, I was the opposite. I was in momentary disbelief that those in authority, those that are supposed to be trustworthy can do what was done.
This is a well-written, gripping, and thought-provoking book that demands to be read.
