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Two Truths and a Lie: A Murder, a Private Investigator, and Her Search for Justice
A journalist-turned-private investigator returns to the case that has haunted her for decades--a death row execution that may have killed an innocent man--in a deeply personal quest to sort truth from lies.
In 1990, Ellen McGarrahan was a young reporter for the Miami Herald when she covered the execution of Jesse Tafero, a man convicted of murdering two police officers. When it later emerged that Tafero may not have committed the murders, McGarrahan became haunted by that grisly execution--and appalled by her unquestioning acceptance of the state's version of events.
Decades later, in the midst of her successful career as a private investigator, McGarrahan finally decides to find out the truth of what really happened. Her investigation takes her back to Florida, where she combs through court files and interviews everyone involved in the case. She plunges back into the Miami of the 1960s and 1970s, where gangsters and drug kingpins and beautiful women inhabit a dangerous world of nightclubs, speed boats, and cartels. Violence is everywhere. The tragedy of the two murdered police officers, she discovers, is only the start of the mystery. But even as McGarrahan circles closer to the truth, the story of guilt and innocence becomes more complex. She gradually discovers that she hasn't been alone in her need for closure, because whenever a human life is forcibly taken--by bullet, or by electric chair--the reckoning is long and difficult for all.
In 1990, Ellen McGarrahan was a young reporter for the Miami Herald when she covered the execution of Jesse Tafero, a man convicted of murdering two police officers. When it later emerged that Tafero may not have committed the murders, McGarrahan became haunted by that grisly execution--and appalled by her unquestioning acceptance of the state's version of events.
Decades later, in the midst of her successful career as a private investigator, McGarrahan finally decides to find out the truth of what really happened. Her investigation takes her back to Florida, where she combs through court files and interviews everyone involved in the case. She plunges back into the Miami of the 1960s and 1970s, where gangsters and drug kingpins and beautiful women inhabit a dangerous world of nightclubs, speed boats, and cartels. Violence is everywhere. The tragedy of the two murdered police officers, she discovers, is only the start of the mystery. But even as McGarrahan circles closer to the truth, the story of guilt and innocence becomes more complex. She gradually discovers that she hasn't been alone in her need for closure, because whenever a human life is forcibly taken--by bullet, or by electric chair--the reckoning is long and difficult for all.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
December 19, 2020
I cannot tolerate most true crime, but I was drawn to this book because the author had a strong tie to the case, when she witnessed a man's execution as a young reporter and couldn't ever shake it. It's the first time in a long time I've read a book like this where someone gets stuck on a case and you understand completely why. It's an interesting memoir, and McGarrahan learns a lot, but it's not fully satisfying because the book is about McGarrahan's efforts to learn the truth about whether an innocent man was executed when that's not really the thing that's haunting her. What's haunting her is the death penalty itself, which is only a minor part of this book. So we can follow along with her quest but it was clear to me all along that she wouldn't find peace because this story was just the thing she could solve, it wasn't the real thing.
The last third is the best, the most comprehensive and the most chronological. Much of the rest of the book jumps around and I wasn't always clear exactly when things were happening. Because McGarrahan followed the case for decades, especially when the co-defendant in the case is let off of death row on appeal, there are all kinds of things that happen before the main investigation that makes up most of the book. I wanted it to be clearer, to have a more straightforward narrative. It's much better when it is and feels muddled in other sections.
One reason I don't read true crime much is that I have worked in criminal justice and usually things pile up that rub me wrong or get me frustrated. I hoped to have less of that in this book, and in a way there was. But there are things that McGarrahan is absolutely stuck on that an objective observer would be able to easily toss as unreliable or unimportant. One witness to the crime was a 9-year-old boy that she is talking to 4 decades later, that she wanted him to be a reliable witness surprised me, and that she scolded herself after interviewing him for not pressing him harder with crime scene photos shocked me. She knows he was a child, she knows after the crime he was held in detention for months, and that because of the crime he was effectively an orphan. She also cannot drop one statement one person wrote down that allegedly came from the child, but that no one else in the case has ever heard about. There are several things like this, things that she should know are unreliable, people who are clearly untrustworthy, but she continually berates herself for not pressing harder, convinced that she can get the truth from these sources like water from a stone. It's very frustrating to read because it was clear to me that there was no way to get the truth from many of these people, that it was something they didn't have or wouldn't give. But at least you understand why she is so determined.
In the end, McGarrahan may not have all the answers, but she does piece together a narrative of the crime that seems like the most likely one. She's also very effective at questioning the way we accept all kinds of narratives as truth, both to find people guilty and to believe their innocence. One of the stories is included in the popular play and film THE EXONERATED, and McGarrahan so effectively destroys that story so that not even a shred of it can be believed, that the playwrights should remove it and the play shouldn't be performed again, in my opinion. Even as someone who is against the death penalty, I can't support outright lies being presented in favor of the position. Another story is that of jewel thief Jack Murphy, who has become more of a celebrity than a criminal, with stories of his exploits conveniently leaving out a trail of murders and much more.
The crime at the center of the story is just one piece, the execution does not go well and is described in detail, there are several other crimes that become relevant and many of them are quite brutal, and include sexual assault.
The last third is the best, the most comprehensive and the most chronological. Much of the rest of the book jumps around and I wasn't always clear exactly when things were happening. Because McGarrahan followed the case for decades, especially when the co-defendant in the case is let off of death row on appeal, there are all kinds of things that happen before the main investigation that makes up most of the book. I wanted it to be clearer, to have a more straightforward narrative. It's much better when it is and feels muddled in other sections.
One reason I don't read true crime much is that I have worked in criminal justice and usually things pile up that rub me wrong or get me frustrated. I hoped to have less of that in this book, and in a way there was. But there are things that McGarrahan is absolutely stuck on that an objective observer would be able to easily toss as unreliable or unimportant. One witness to the crime was a 9-year-old boy that she is talking to 4 decades later, that she wanted him to be a reliable witness surprised me, and that she scolded herself after interviewing him for not pressing him harder with crime scene photos shocked me. She knows he was a child, she knows after the crime he was held in detention for months, and that because of the crime he was effectively an orphan. She also cannot drop one statement one person wrote down that allegedly came from the child, but that no one else in the case has ever heard about. There are several things like this, things that she should know are unreliable, people who are clearly untrustworthy, but she continually berates herself for not pressing harder, convinced that she can get the truth from these sources like water from a stone. It's very frustrating to read because it was clear to me that there was no way to get the truth from many of these people, that it was something they didn't have or wouldn't give. But at least you understand why she is so determined.
In the end, McGarrahan may not have all the answers, but she does piece together a narrative of the crime that seems like the most likely one. She's also very effective at questioning the way we accept all kinds of narratives as truth, both to find people guilty and to believe their innocence. One of the stories is included in the popular play and film THE EXONERATED, and McGarrahan so effectively destroys that story so that not even a shred of it can be believed, that the playwrights should remove it and the play shouldn't be performed again, in my opinion. Even as someone who is against the death penalty, I can't support outright lies being presented in favor of the position. Another story is that of jewel thief Jack Murphy, who has become more of a celebrity than a criminal, with stories of his exploits conveniently leaving out a trail of murders and much more.
The crime at the center of the story is just one piece, the execution does not go well and is described in detail, there are several other crimes that become relevant and many of them are quite brutal, and include sexual assault.
January 1, 2021
I found I had mixed feelings on this one. The story was so interesting as it follows along with former reporter turned private detective, Ellen McGarrahan. While working as a new reporter, she saw a prisoner put to death in an execution in the electric chair, and it has haunted her ever since. She always wondered if he was guilty of his crimes or not. Some years later, it appears she had opportunities to dig into the story in her new job as a PI, when it started to really bother her again. She went back and began looking into it seriously, interviewing people and looking at police files and court records. Does she find out who really killed the cops, if it was the man she saw executed, or his girlfriend or co-conspirator? All three were at the scene and had access to weapons. You will have to read this twisty book to find out. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Ellen McGarrahan, and the publisher.
August 17, 2020
I was REALLY looking forward to reading this book. The author does a great disservice to this case, to the victims and to the victims families by writing this book.
If you want a love story about the author and the authors process of NOT solving this case...read this book.
I finished reading this book, but grew angrier every page that the author did NOT address the full nature of the crime, the suspects, and the victim's families.
Most of the book is the author stating how she watched one of the convicted criminals being executed by the state of Florida and how that affected her. She repeated this ad nausem......WE GET IT>>>>MOVE ON!
When she goes to interview people, the author would break down crying, NOT asking pertinent questions, and generally being too trusting (spending the night at Walters)....how she made a career as a private investigator is beyond my comprehension.
I am sorely disappointed by the author and the way in which she told this true crime story.
Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me write this honest review for reading this book.
If you want a love story about the author and the authors process of NOT solving this case...read this book.
I finished reading this book, but grew angrier every page that the author did NOT address the full nature of the crime, the suspects, and the victim's families.
Most of the book is the author stating how she watched one of the convicted criminals being executed by the state of Florida and how that affected her. She repeated this ad nausem......WE GET IT>>>>MOVE ON!
When she goes to interview people, the author would break down crying, NOT asking pertinent questions, and generally being too trusting (spending the night at Walters)....how she made a career as a private investigator is beyond my comprehension.
I am sorely disappointed by the author and the way in which she told this true crime story.
Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me write this honest review for reading this book.
February 8, 2021
2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book about do-overs or fresh starts.
April 15, 2021
The death penalty…that some states had and others still do, including Florida…is not something that almost every American is “on the fence” about. You are either for it or against it, and everyone has their own arguments to support their individual views. I am not going to make an argument for the support or the rejection of the death penalty itself in this review…so no matter how you feel…please read on. The author of this book thoroughly investigated what she was going to write about. She did this for 3 long years because a great deal of what she was discovering just didn’t mesh with what was presented in court and believed by the 12 good men and women that frankly was given a horrendous job that NO ONE should ever have to be engaged in. In addition to some stunning conclusion, she brings to the story a literary sense of its place in relation to the justice system and our society as a whole. If you think you are going to find a straight up rendition of the facts and only the facts…I can tell you …you are not. You will, however develop a great deal of sympathy for those 12 people that did have to assume that what they heard was the truth, the whole truth an nothing but the truth…but… it was not. You will also put yourself in that jury box from the safety of the words on a page that can be turned and a cover that can be closed. If you are inclined to have and give thoughtful consideration of all the elements contributing to a crime and its punishment, you will find that you and this author 100% share the idea of justice and wish it to be absolute…but again...it’s not.
August 7, 2022
Ellen McGarrahan was a young reporter in 1990 when she witnessed the execution of Jesse Tafero. She became obsessed with the case when she heard that Jesse may not have been the one to kill the two police officers that morning. This book follows her quest for the truth.
This is an extremely intense and riveting story. Ellen’s research and determination to find out the truth takes her to other countries and has her speaking with just about everyone involved in the case. She even hunts done the 9 year old boy who was in the back seat of the Camaro that morning. The incident happened in 1976, but Ellen continued her search for the truth, even when many involved where already deceased or now grown. She did way more research than any of the detectives did at the time of the murders. The best piece of evidence she got was the dummies they used to reconstruct the officer’s wounds and outlined the trajectory of the bullets. With this information I’m really surprised that the case did not end differently.
Throughout the book more and more information is discovered and more and more lies pop up. It was difficult to determine who was telling the truth. The reader finds out so much about the three people in the Camaro the morning officers were killed: Jesse Tafero, Sunny Jacobs and Walter Rhodes. None of them were truly innocent in the incident. None of them where law abiding citizens either. They all had extensive criminal backgrounds. The author did an excellent job painting a picture of what happened that morning at the rest stop and I felt like she solved the case. The only question left unanswered was why they did what they did. Neither Sunny nor Walter would explain that to the author.
This is an extremely intense and riveting story. Ellen’s research and determination to find out the truth takes her to other countries and has her speaking with just about everyone involved in the case. She even hunts done the 9 year old boy who was in the back seat of the Camaro that morning. The incident happened in 1976, but Ellen continued her search for the truth, even when many involved where already deceased or now grown. She did way more research than any of the detectives did at the time of the murders. The best piece of evidence she got was the dummies they used to reconstruct the officer’s wounds and outlined the trajectory of the bullets. With this information I’m really surprised that the case did not end differently.
Throughout the book more and more information is discovered and more and more lies pop up. It was difficult to determine who was telling the truth. The reader finds out so much about the three people in the Camaro the morning officers were killed: Jesse Tafero, Sunny Jacobs and Walter Rhodes. None of them were truly innocent in the incident. None of them where law abiding citizens either. They all had extensive criminal backgrounds. The author did an excellent job painting a picture of what happened that morning at the rest stop and I felt like she solved the case. The only question left unanswered was why they did what they did. Neither Sunny nor Walter would explain that to the author.
September 28, 2020
Most importantly, a big thank you to NetGalley, Ellen McGarrahan, and Randomhouse Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.
"I’m a private detective. This is a mystery. I know what I have to do. But I’ve never worked inside my own life before. Never dared to face my own shadows. And I am afraid of ghosts."
The things a private detective experiences has many repercussions. There's the toll the line of work takes on you and then there's the toll it takes on your life. This is the story of how just a few minutes can upend everything you thought you knew.
Ellen McGarrahan has never witnessed an execution before. So in 1990 when she sat down in the observation booth to watch Jesse Tafero's life end in Florida's electric chair, she didn't quite know what to expect. And it was proven that nobody could have when Tafero burst into flames from a malfunction with the device itself. A sight that she thought would haunt her for life. Until the woman that was incarcerated under the same evidence for the same crime as Jesse is exonerated. Did she watch an innocent man be tortured at the hands of negligence?
Written with captivating detail, 'Two Truths and a Lie" will keep the reader engaged and hungry for more as McGarrahan recounts her journey to find the truth behind what actually led Jesse Tafero to that botched execution and how it could happen. Unlike some other true crime stories, this one hands you the iconic magnifying glass and trench coat and invites you to walk side by side with the author through extremely risky interviews and high stake situations.
5 solid stars is what this picky true crime junkie is awarding 'Two Truths'. Thank you, Ms. McGarrahan for being a badass and putting it down on paper for us to enjoy.
"I’m a private detective. This is a mystery. I know what I have to do. But I’ve never worked inside my own life before. Never dared to face my own shadows. And I am afraid of ghosts."
The things a private detective experiences has many repercussions. There's the toll the line of work takes on you and then there's the toll it takes on your life. This is the story of how just a few minutes can upend everything you thought you knew.
Ellen McGarrahan has never witnessed an execution before. So in 1990 when she sat down in the observation booth to watch Jesse Tafero's life end in Florida's electric chair, she didn't quite know what to expect. And it was proven that nobody could have when Tafero burst into flames from a malfunction with the device itself. A sight that she thought would haunt her for life. Until the woman that was incarcerated under the same evidence for the same crime as Jesse is exonerated. Did she watch an innocent man be tortured at the hands of negligence?
Written with captivating detail, 'Two Truths and a Lie" will keep the reader engaged and hungry for more as McGarrahan recounts her journey to find the truth behind what actually led Jesse Tafero to that botched execution and how it could happen. Unlike some other true crime stories, this one hands you the iconic magnifying glass and trench coat and invites you to walk side by side with the author through extremely risky interviews and high stake situations.
5 solid stars is what this picky true crime junkie is awarding 'Two Truths'. Thank you, Ms. McGarrahan for being a badass and putting it down on paper for us to enjoy.
November 19, 2020
The author, a journalist turned private eye, witnesses the electric chair execution of a man convicted of the murder of 2 police officers. The event leaves her shaken, and she embarks on a decades-long search for the “truth”, which she finds is elusive. I was a little dismayed by the author’s actions throughout the book; her crying during interviews, her repeatedly referring to the convicted man as “possibly innocent of the murders” (even though it was clear he was completely involved, if not the actual triggerman), and her failure to alert authorities to the location of a wanted fugitive (who she interviewed) who was also convicted in this case is especially galling. Her subject is an unsympathetic rapist, drug dealer, and murderer. And through all her soul-searching, the physical evidence (which is where she probably should have started) convincingly points to the executed defendant, a conclusion she eventually comes to. This book seems to be her self-therapy, and unfortunately the reader has to go along for the ride. Disappointing. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2022
When Ellen McGarrahan was a young journalist just starting out, her newspaper sent her to go witness a death row execution. First she watched the defendant, Jesse Tafero, defiantly lock eyes individually with each person, including her. Then the jolt of electricity and suddenly his head was engulfed in flames. A malfunction in the system. It was torturous for him but also for McGarrahan. She could not get the image of him, staring at her, then suddenly flames coming out of his head. It would haunt her for decades.
Fast forward and McGarrahan has switched careers and is now a private detective. There are reports that lead her to believe Tafero may have been innocent. She just can't shake this case and the thought that an innocent man went to the electric chair, and died a horrific death. She needed to know the truth.
This book takes us on the journey with her as she becomes obsessed with figuring out the truth so she can finally, after 25 years, put this case behind her.
Fast forward and McGarrahan has switched careers and is now a private detective. There are reports that lead her to believe Tafero may have been innocent. She just can't shake this case and the thought that an innocent man went to the electric chair, and died a horrific death. She needed to know the truth.
This book takes us on the journey with her as she becomes obsessed with figuring out the truth so she can finally, after 25 years, put this case behind her.
May 9, 2021
I found the first half of this book to be intriguing and the back half to be incredibly tedious.
My issue is pretty straight forward: McGarrahan has spent decades of her life being obsessed with one capital murder case. And fair enough: it is a fascinating case and it directly impacted her life. But... I don't really understand why a reader would need to be as obsessed with the case as she is. The parts where she lays out the issues are fine; the first broad strokes of the investigation are compelling; but by the time she's interviewing the 47th witness my basic take was: enough already.
I understand that sounds a bit dismissive, and I want to be clear that I'm not faulting her for being thorough. The fact that she is so meticulous about collecting evidence is proof that she's a good investigator.
No, my problem is not that she's collecting so much evidence. My problem is that she can't see that no amount of evidence is ever going to answer the question she's asking.
It is a well established fact that human memory is faulty. It is especially faulty in times of stress. And you have to imagine that it is even more faulty if the stressed out person has just spent several consecutive days whacked out of their gourd on drugs. So given all that I don't understand why McGarrahan thinks that she can uncover a great hidden truth by going to known liars and asking them "hey, I know this case happened forty years ago and I know that you were in the middle of a week long pharmaceutical binge when it went down, but.... can you tell me what really happened at that double homicide?"
I don't think we will ever know what exactly happened in this case with an exacting degree of certainty. But I don't really think that's necessary. I think the real question is: was the case against Jesse Tafero good enough to justify his execution?
And it seems to me that question gets answered long before the book is finished, because I don't know that it really matters whether or not he was the one who specifically pulled the trigger. All three adults in that beaten up Camaro were heavily armed psychos who were on the run from the law for some pretty heavy offenses. They were all complicit in creating the situation that left two cops dead. On some basic level I think that they are all equally guilty, that all of them played a unique part in causing this tragedy.
I know it sounds callous to say "I don't care about the truth in a criminal case that left three people dead". And I know that there are inequities in this case that are troubling, and that it doesn't make a lot of sense to say "justice was done here" if you believe that all three defendants were equally guilty given that one of them was executed, one of them is still in prison and the third is currently free.
But I'm not saying that the truth doesn't matter; I'm saying that I have a limited ability to care about a case from the Carter administration where it seems like all of the people who were punished were actually guilty.
And I'm not saying that I feel like the death penalty is just, or that the inequities of this case aren't troublesome. But there are a lot of cases that make those points a lot better than this one - as McGarrahan briefly acknowledges in a few paragraphs at the very end of this book.
I get McGarrahan's personal stake in this case. What I don't get is why *I* needed to spend 300+ pages following an obsessed person as they go down an epistemologically suspect rabbithole across three different continents, all for a case that seems reasonably cut and dried, especially compared to a lot of other death row cases I've read about.
My issue is pretty straight forward: McGarrahan has spent decades of her life being obsessed with one capital murder case. And fair enough: it is a fascinating case and it directly impacted her life. But... I don't really understand why a reader would need to be as obsessed with the case as she is. The parts where she lays out the issues are fine; the first broad strokes of the investigation are compelling; but by the time she's interviewing the 47th witness my basic take was: enough already.
I understand that sounds a bit dismissive, and I want to be clear that I'm not faulting her for being thorough. The fact that she is so meticulous about collecting evidence is proof that she's a good investigator.
No, my problem is not that she's collecting so much evidence. My problem is that she can't see that no amount of evidence is ever going to answer the question she's asking.
It is a well established fact that human memory is faulty. It is especially faulty in times of stress. And you have to imagine that it is even more faulty if the stressed out person has just spent several consecutive days whacked out of their gourd on drugs. So given all that I don't understand why McGarrahan thinks that she can uncover a great hidden truth by going to known liars and asking them "hey, I know this case happened forty years ago and I know that you were in the middle of a week long pharmaceutical binge when it went down, but.... can you tell me what really happened at that double homicide?"
I don't think we will ever know what exactly happened in this case with an exacting degree of certainty. But I don't really think that's necessary. I think the real question is: was the case against Jesse Tafero good enough to justify his execution?
And it seems to me that question gets answered long before the book is finished, because I don't know that it really matters whether or not he was the one who specifically pulled the trigger. All three adults in that beaten up Camaro were heavily armed psychos who were on the run from the law for some pretty heavy offenses. They were all complicit in creating the situation that left two cops dead. On some basic level I think that they are all equally guilty, that all of them played a unique part in causing this tragedy.
I know it sounds callous to say "I don't care about the truth in a criminal case that left three people dead". And I know that there are inequities in this case that are troubling, and that it doesn't make a lot of sense to say "justice was done here" if you believe that all three defendants were equally guilty given that one of them was executed, one of them is still in prison and the third is currently free.
But I'm not saying that the truth doesn't matter; I'm saying that I have a limited ability to care about a case from the Carter administration where it seems like all of the people who were punished were actually guilty.
And I'm not saying that I feel like the death penalty is just, or that the inequities of this case aren't troublesome. But there are a lot of cases that make those points a lot better than this one - as McGarrahan briefly acknowledges in a few paragraphs at the very end of this book.
I get McGarrahan's personal stake in this case. What I don't get is why *I* needed to spend 300+ pages following an obsessed person as they go down an epistemologically suspect rabbithole across three different continents, all for a case that seems reasonably cut and dried, especially compared to a lot of other death row cases I've read about.
January 28, 2021
This book was, for lack of a better description, an absolute roller coaster of a read. I finished it faster than I finish most books, because I simply could not stop reading! I desperately wanted to know what the author wanted to know: the truth. Three, maybe even 4, people are convicted of various roles in a shooting. Two are sent to death row, one ends up facing the electric chair. Was it the right person though? The author witnessed the execution in 1990 and it never left her. She painted the most vivid picture, I felt that I was on the investigation trail with her, right in the seat beside her. I very nearly started a chart so that I could keep track of the information she was collecting! One page you think you've got it pegged, who was responsible for shooting 2 law enforcement officers early on the morning of February 20th, 1976. And then you read the next page and your idea is flipped on its head. And back and forth it goes - until you are certain that you'll never be sure. Two Truths and a Lie is the most captivating true crime story I've read in a long time, about a crime that I had no idea had ever even taken place. I was drawn in and invested in the story right from the first page though.
What I also took from this book is a lesson. Holding onto things can be damaging. Am I glad that the author held onto this, and invested all of the time and energy that she did in investigating and writing this book? Yes, because I enjoyed reading it. Do I think it was damaging to the author to have held onto something like this for over a quarter century? Yes, I do. It took pieces from her life, it consumed her thoughts, it drove her to obsession with finding the truth. In the end, what she found was not necessarily the truth, but an acceptance of what had transpired. An acceptance of what she was able to know, and what she might never know. I think that is the lesson - learning when to accept that what we know is all we may ever know, that we don't get to know everything. Leaving some things unknown is okay, and we have to find a way to be at peace with it, lest it consume our lives.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.
What I also took from this book is a lesson. Holding onto things can be damaging. Am I glad that the author held onto this, and invested all of the time and energy that she did in investigating and writing this book? Yes, because I enjoyed reading it. Do I think it was damaging to the author to have held onto something like this for over a quarter century? Yes, I do. It took pieces from her life, it consumed her thoughts, it drove her to obsession with finding the truth. In the end, what she found was not necessarily the truth, but an acceptance of what had transpired. An acceptance of what she was able to know, and what she might never know. I think that is the lesson - learning when to accept that what we know is all we may ever know, that we don't get to know everything. Leaving some things unknown is okay, and we have to find a way to be at peace with it, lest it consume our lives.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.
February 28, 2021
Holy shit — this book.
I'm neither a fast reader nor a regular reader of true crime, but I tore through Two Truths and a Lie in two days.
It's a modern-day Rashomon — driven by unreliable testimonies and shifting perspectives, by confessions and recantations, by principal figures and supporting characters who are never exactly as they appear on the surface, by the mute witness of physical evidence at the scene of the crime, and by the vagaries, abuses and exploitations of the criminal justice system — told in propulsive prose by a dogged, haunted narrator who for a quarter century could not let go of a case that burned a hole through her that could be filled only by the truth.
At a certain point, the crime itself — the horrible fact of it, the senseless deaths of its victims, the other lives it touched and changed forever — became a MacGuffin for me. It became less important for me to know the truth than to know that Ellen finally arrived at the truth.
Powerful, deeply felt personal storytelling. An astonishing work of investigation and reportage. I can't recommend Two Truths and a Lie highly enough.
I'm neither a fast reader nor a regular reader of true crime, but I tore through Two Truths and a Lie in two days.
It's a modern-day Rashomon — driven by unreliable testimonies and shifting perspectives, by confessions and recantations, by principal figures and supporting characters who are never exactly as they appear on the surface, by the mute witness of physical evidence at the scene of the crime, and by the vagaries, abuses and exploitations of the criminal justice system — told in propulsive prose by a dogged, haunted narrator who for a quarter century could not let go of a case that burned a hole through her that could be filled only by the truth.
At a certain point, the crime itself — the horrible fact of it, the senseless deaths of its victims, the other lives it touched and changed forever — became a MacGuffin for me. It became less important for me to know the truth than to know that Ellen finally arrived at the truth.
Powerful, deeply felt personal storytelling. An astonishing work of investigation and reportage. I can't recommend Two Truths and a Lie highly enough.
March 17, 2021
Note to future true crime authors: I don't care how obsessed you are with a crime, I only want to read about it if you find out something interesting. I don't care how fascinating a quest you've been on: I need you to discover something no one else has. Just like Cooper's We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence, this was much ado about nothing.
August 7, 2022
A current trend in nonfiction writing I do not like is that of authors putting themselves into the narrative. Usually this "but what about me," navel-gazing style of storytelling usually ruins books. Ellen McGarrahan dances on a knife's edge here, writing a true crime tale in which she is an important character, if not its heroine. For the most part it works, only to reveal the flaws in her investigation. For an experienced sleuth, she seems to be a bit trusting of the people she interrogates. She also keeps investigating long after she should realize Jesse Tafero was complicit in the murders for which he was executed. The more fascinating story, one that is given short shrift here, is that of a young reporter who witnesses an execution. The experience never leaves her, coloring her life for decades. I would have liked this book much better if had been more of that and less investigation of the crime that caused this execution. This book is not completely satisfying as true crime or memoir.
May 19, 2021
3.5 stars for this one, rounded up.
The author of this book is a journalist who witnessed the execution of a convicted murderer in the 1990s. The man proclaimed his innocence to the end. The execution didn't go as planned and was gory and horrifying. The experience affected the author profoundly, and she started a quest to figure out the truth of the murders in question.
As a reading experience, this book felt long and choppy. And I will say that I was never as interested in the particulars of this crime (the murder of two police officers in the 1970s) as the author was, so the back-and-forth about which bad guy stood in which position and who held which gun grew tiring. But the ideas behind this story -- whether there is a single truth, how memory can create and reinforce a truth, what guilt and innocence really mean, etc. -- were very compelling. And at the center, of course, is the question the book raises about the legitimacy of death penalty itself.
The author of this book is a journalist who witnessed the execution of a convicted murderer in the 1990s. The man proclaimed his innocence to the end. The execution didn't go as planned and was gory and horrifying. The experience affected the author profoundly, and she started a quest to figure out the truth of the murders in question.
As a reading experience, this book felt long and choppy. And I will say that I was never as interested in the particulars of this crime (the murder of two police officers in the 1970s) as the author was, so the back-and-forth about which bad guy stood in which position and who held which gun grew tiring. But the ideas behind this story -- whether there is a single truth, how memory can create and reinforce a truth, what guilt and innocence really mean, etc. -- were very compelling. And at the center, of course, is the question the book raises about the legitimacy of death penalty itself.
March 10, 2021
In Starke, Fl 1990, Jesse Tafero was a man on death row whose botched execution was witnessed by the author who was working as a reporter at the time. The 7 minutes it took for him to die after first the wires catching fire and 3 jolts was a trauma she would live with for years and ultimately consume her life.
It all ultimately began in February 1976 when a police officers were killed while making a routine check at a rest stop. They never expected the violence which ended their lives when they approached the beat up Camero with 3 adults and 2 kids sleeping. As it turned out, the occupants of the car were Walter Rhodes, Jesse Tafero and his girlfriend Sunny along with a baby and 9 yo son. They all have a shady criminal history and had weapons visible in the car when the police approached. What happened after that was total chaos leaving 2 police officers dead and the perpetrators pointing fingers at each other.
The story was so compelling that Barbara Walters covered the story on 20/20 television show. It was then made into a documentary play called Exonerated which again drew attention and speculation to the case. The main theory was that Jesse Tafero was the shooter which eventually freed Sunny from prison. The case was complicated with Rhodes confessing and retracting his confession several times.
The book is primarily about the author and her quest to discover the truth of the case. Since she felt burdened with guilt and confusion when questions arose to whether Jesse was innocent and executed unjustly. In 1992, she drives to CA and works in construction as a break from journalism. She slowly works her way into private detective work and eventually follows through with obtaining necessary training to work full-time. Meanwhile, she meets Peter a fellow private detective who patiently ensures her years long quest around the globe to satisfy the lingering questions of the Tafero case.
Her obsession with wanting to know the details of that fatal day were disturbing to say the least.
It’s understandable that after witnessing the execution and then questions of his innocence emerge were would be deeply unsettling. Her investigation into the truth was interesting and eventually revealed that these were all dangerous people involved in more dangerous criminal activity than initially revealed. When she begins uncovering connections with the Mafia and big time drug dealers, I’m thinking, clearly whatever happened none of them were innocent.
But, I found the author becomes unhinged with tracking down information and chasing dangerous people to discuss past criminal events. She clearly reflects on how her intrigue for information overwhelmed her common sense. The more she uncovers the more complex and dangerous the story becomes at which point…does it really matter? I’m thinking great work turn around and go home. Oh, please don’t go to Ireland to find Sunny. And no, don’t go to Australia to track down her son! Please say no when invited to spend the night with Rhodes and his girlfriend. Jack Murphy. Really?!!
As much as the truth felt so paramount to the author I felt she she herself in unnecessary danger around violent criminals only to discover what was evident from the beginning.
It all ultimately began in February 1976 when a police officers were killed while making a routine check at a rest stop. They never expected the violence which ended their lives when they approached the beat up Camero with 3 adults and 2 kids sleeping. As it turned out, the occupants of the car were Walter Rhodes, Jesse Tafero and his girlfriend Sunny along with a baby and 9 yo son. They all have a shady criminal history and had weapons visible in the car when the police approached. What happened after that was total chaos leaving 2 police officers dead and the perpetrators pointing fingers at each other.
The story was so compelling that Barbara Walters covered the story on 20/20 television show. It was then made into a documentary play called Exonerated which again drew attention and speculation to the case. The main theory was that Jesse Tafero was the shooter which eventually freed Sunny from prison. The case was complicated with Rhodes confessing and retracting his confession several times.
The book is primarily about the author and her quest to discover the truth of the case. Since she felt burdened with guilt and confusion when questions arose to whether Jesse was innocent and executed unjustly. In 1992, she drives to CA and works in construction as a break from journalism. She slowly works her way into private detective work and eventually follows through with obtaining necessary training to work full-time. Meanwhile, she meets Peter a fellow private detective who patiently ensures her years long quest around the globe to satisfy the lingering questions of the Tafero case.
Her obsession with wanting to know the details of that fatal day were disturbing to say the least.
It’s understandable that after witnessing the execution and then questions of his innocence emerge were would be deeply unsettling. Her investigation into the truth was interesting and eventually revealed that these were all dangerous people involved in more dangerous criminal activity than initially revealed. When she begins uncovering connections with the Mafia and big time drug dealers, I’m thinking, clearly whatever happened none of them were innocent.
But, I found the author becomes unhinged with tracking down information and chasing dangerous people to discuss past criminal events. She clearly reflects on how her intrigue for information overwhelmed her common sense. The more she uncovers the more complex and dangerous the story becomes at which point…does it really matter? I’m thinking great work turn around and go home. Oh, please don’t go to Ireland to find Sunny. And no, don’t go to Australia to track down her son! Please say no when invited to spend the night with Rhodes and his girlfriend. Jack Murphy. Really?!!
As much as the truth felt so paramount to the author I felt she she herself in unnecessary danger around violent criminals only to discover what was evident from the beginning.
March 28, 2021
I was torn about reading this book after I read the reviews on here. I was worried that the case may be distorted and misrepresented. After I began, my heart was broken. I knew this case, but I was taken in by the story told in the play and movie of The Exonerated. That is the case I knew. I was disturbed by the backgrounds presented about Jesse and Sunny, but I also believe that backgrounds do not necessarily tell one’s entire story.
I totally can feel how distraught the author would be after witnessing Jesse’s execution. No matter your feelings about the death penalty, I would think that one would have to admit that it would be a life-altering experience to view one, especially this one. I saw some of the reviews on here saying that the author should not have been so upset by the execution because she was a private detective. Anyone would be changed by witnessing such an atrocity.
My own issues came from the audacity of the author. Tons of people have studied this case—lawyers, actors, writers, private investigators—many people. Yet, this woman seems to believe that her judgment, which is at the least VERY questionable just from the instances shared in this book, is to be believed. She seems to be biased in some strange and distorted ways. She seems to believe and disbelieve in odd instances without any real justification. I was totally disturbed by some of her conclusions.
I can appreciate her journey and her desire for some closure in her own experience having to do with this particular case. I can see her need for knowing more, but the ways she goes about finding out and researching seem to be illogical and a bit off course. Perhaps her obsessions threw her off in some ways. I am not sure, but I do know that her quest seemed to be skewed and twisted.
I appreciate that the author was affected by such a case, and I believe that she needed to seek solace and find what she was seeking. But, her story seems to be her story. She seems to come to different conclusions than everyone else who has studied this case. She does not seem to factor in for prosecutorial misconduct or police bias or misconduct or any of the other heinous factors of our “justice” system. She seems to totally believe some of the most suspect folks and “evidence” and completely jump over other facts or ideas.
I am glad to have read it. I feel as if I was given another view to the story of Sunny and Jesse, but I am not sure how I feel about any of the information shared in the book. The people involved in this case have been through a lot, and I understand that she had to find her closure, as well. But, at some points, it feels as if she believes her own search is more important than what these other people have been through.
Sadly, I am not sure that the author presents any valid point of view about this case. I believe that folks could definitely be mislead by reading this book. Her search may have helped her, in the end, but it also seems to be fodder for harming others. For those who do not know this case before reading this book, please, read something besides this information. Study something more than what this book shares.
I totally can feel how distraught the author would be after witnessing Jesse’s execution. No matter your feelings about the death penalty, I would think that one would have to admit that it would be a life-altering experience to view one, especially this one. I saw some of the reviews on here saying that the author should not have been so upset by the execution because she was a private detective. Anyone would be changed by witnessing such an atrocity.
My own issues came from the audacity of the author. Tons of people have studied this case—lawyers, actors, writers, private investigators—many people. Yet, this woman seems to believe that her judgment, which is at the least VERY questionable just from the instances shared in this book, is to be believed. She seems to be biased in some strange and distorted ways. She seems to believe and disbelieve in odd instances without any real justification. I was totally disturbed by some of her conclusions.
I can appreciate her journey and her desire for some closure in her own experience having to do with this particular case. I can see her need for knowing more, but the ways she goes about finding out and researching seem to be illogical and a bit off course. Perhaps her obsessions threw her off in some ways. I am not sure, but I do know that her quest seemed to be skewed and twisted.
I appreciate that the author was affected by such a case, and I believe that she needed to seek solace and find what she was seeking. But, her story seems to be her story. She seems to come to different conclusions than everyone else who has studied this case. She does not seem to factor in for prosecutorial misconduct or police bias or misconduct or any of the other heinous factors of our “justice” system. She seems to totally believe some of the most suspect folks and “evidence” and completely jump over other facts or ideas.
I am glad to have read it. I feel as if I was given another view to the story of Sunny and Jesse, but I am not sure how I feel about any of the information shared in the book. The people involved in this case have been through a lot, and I understand that she had to find her closure, as well. But, at some points, it feels as if she believes her own search is more important than what these other people have been through.
Sadly, I am not sure that the author presents any valid point of view about this case. I believe that folks could definitely be mislead by reading this book. Her search may have helped her, in the end, but it also seems to be fodder for harming others. For those who do not know this case before reading this book, please, read something besides this information. Study something more than what this book shares.
July 6, 2021
Admittedly, this book was riveting. It was about a crime reporter who becomes obsessed with a case after watching the execution of one of three individuals involved in the murder of two police officers. After doing some initial research, she discovers that the person executed might have been innocent while another of the individuals who testified against him may have been the guilty one. She thus becomes obsessed about finding out the truth of the case. By obsessed, I mean obsessed. It takes over all her thoughts so much so that I started to think that the book may have been fiction and was more about the emotional journey of the main character rather than investigative journalism. The author quits her job, roams the country, becomes private detective ... all before she begins investigating the case on her own.
But in the end, the author discovers ... nothing. She tracks down all the major players (30 years after the fact), often (weirdly) staying at their houses. She encounters lying awful people who lie to her (or seemingly have mental issues that block truthful memories). She travels internationally to hunt down people, puts herself in dangerous situations, reprimands her husband for trying to help her, weeps for seemingly no reason, changes her mind about who is telling the truth, says she is putting everything behind her (but then does not), and continues on. Ultimately, she is able to meet with the original prosecutor of the case who goes over the physical evidence with her and demonstrates that the person convicted for the murders was the one executed for the murders. But even that is not the end of the book as the author goes onward with another chapter about other peripheral characters who lied along the way or tried to get others to lie about the crime. The book ends with the author pondering the death penalty (even for the guilty), but more so, pondering criminal law in general and how the case and all its uncertainties ruined her life for such a long time.
Overall, I just wasn't sure what the author was trying to do. The book wasn't really investigative journalism. There was no big reveal. The book also wasn't about an idea (e.g., "Why the death penalty is wrong."). The book also wasn't really about a personal journey, although there were a fair amount of personal details in the book that didn't make a lot of sense in relation to the story being told. It was just very difficult to understand the author's obsession with the event given that she really didn't need to search for truth at all. The prosecuting attorney already had all the answers to her questions. Despite this, the author remained obsessed with understanding the nuances of every aspect of the crime with absolute certainty despite acknowledging that would be impossible.
But in the end, the author discovers ... nothing. She tracks down all the major players (30 years after the fact), often (weirdly) staying at their houses. She encounters lying awful people who lie to her (or seemingly have mental issues that block truthful memories). She travels internationally to hunt down people, puts herself in dangerous situations, reprimands her husband for trying to help her, weeps for seemingly no reason, changes her mind about who is telling the truth, says she is putting everything behind her (but then does not), and continues on. Ultimately, she is able to meet with the original prosecutor of the case who goes over the physical evidence with her and demonstrates that the person convicted for the murders was the one executed for the murders. But even that is not the end of the book as the author goes onward with another chapter about other peripheral characters who lied along the way or tried to get others to lie about the crime. The book ends with the author pondering the death penalty (even for the guilty), but more so, pondering criminal law in general and how the case and all its uncertainties ruined her life for such a long time.
Overall, I just wasn't sure what the author was trying to do. The book wasn't really investigative journalism. There was no big reveal. The book also wasn't about an idea (e.g., "Why the death penalty is wrong."). The book also wasn't really about a personal journey, although there were a fair amount of personal details in the book that didn't make a lot of sense in relation to the story being told. It was just very difficult to understand the author's obsession with the event given that she really didn't need to search for truth at all. The prosecuting attorney already had all the answers to her questions. Despite this, the author remained obsessed with understanding the nuances of every aspect of the crime with absolute certainty despite acknowledging that would be impossible.
January 31, 2021
This one starts off almost like a work of fiction, but by the 3/4 mark I was dolefully aware that it was nonfiction. Don’t get me wrong I love a good true story who dunnit but it just petered out for me at the end. I would of given this less stars had the epilogue not been so well written. The epilogue was so necessary in tying this work of nonfiction up.
“You don’t always know who is telling you the truth and who is lying-especially in a situation like this. I guarantee you, there’s some people that can lie so good that you could not bust them.” This is the crux of the plot. A journalist needing to find an answer to a crime that haunts her past. Did she witness the execution of an innocent man? Two truths and a lie, 3 people involved in a deadly crime but only 1 person is telling the truth. Ellen sets off on a year long journey to figure out the truth and put the past that haunts her to bed, once and for all.
3 ⭐️ Thank you Netgalley and RandomHouse for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review
“You don’t always know who is telling you the truth and who is lying-especially in a situation like this. I guarantee you, there’s some people that can lie so good that you could not bust them.” This is the crux of the plot. A journalist needing to find an answer to a crime that haunts her past. Did she witness the execution of an innocent man? Two truths and a lie, 3 people involved in a deadly crime but only 1 person is telling the truth. Ellen sets off on a year long journey to figure out the truth and put the past that haunts her to bed, once and for all.
3 ⭐️ Thank you Netgalley and RandomHouse for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review
January 29, 2021
I was given, Two Truths and a Lie by the author for an honest review. This book left me with many thoughts and emotions. The book portrayed a woman that is strong to the core yet vulnerable and sensitive. I happened to read the book slowly over an extended period. This helped me get the feel of the long journey the author had, and I journeyed along with her—what an amazing story. I found myself scared, frustrated, elated at times, and the end left me with a sense of peace. I was wishing there really was a time machine through much of the story, a way to go back to that night at the rest stop to see exactly what happened. If I’m having time travel fantasies, that’s how you know this book struck a chord with me. I think this book will affect many people, and I can see it as a great film one day.
Ellen McGarrahan is an excellent writer and detective. I admire her talent. Two Truths and a Lie is a must-read true story.
Ellen McGarrahan is an excellent writer and detective. I admire her talent. Two Truths and a Lie is a must-read true story.
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June 1, 2021I read coverage of this book in the nyt (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/bo...) and thought it sounded pretty interesting, and yet after trying to read it for a month, I was really stumped. The premise seems good and the topics (especially the death penalty) are ones I want to learn more about, but the tangled and slow movement of this book are making me put it down.
December 27, 2021
I do not always read true crimes books but the premise and title made me request this at my library. So the crime in this book happened in the 1970s and the botched horrific execution in the 1990s. I felt the author did a great job researching for this book as private investigator. I like that she tried to remain neutral on her views about the death penalty. This book was just wow.
March 24, 2021
Decent true crime story about an event that took place in the 1970s, followed by an execution in 1990, and the execution witness who pursued the truth for decades afterward.
May 29, 2021
-journalist who witnessed a botched execution tries to solve the mystery, doesn’t
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2022
Journalist witnesses horrifically botched execution. Journalist has natural human reaction of horror and compassion. Journalist should *go to therapy* but instead quits journalism, becomes a PI, and becomes completely obsessed with the case that lead to the man's execution.
This book felt unhealthy to read. Her writing style is really not bad, but her investigative work is... questionable. Everyone she talks to (including the two other criminals involved) tells her that she is not going to get a definitive answer. She ignores this, develops weird inappropriate relationships with the other two potential killers, and eventually (toward the end of the book) gives us a more full picture of the events using actual forensic information.
And yet, as everyone told her, she still doesn't end up with an answer to what actually happened. All three of the adults involved in this crime were, at best, drug dealers who were endangering children and, at worst, murderers and rapists. It's hard to understand why she feels such a need to figure out exactly what happened when there's no new evidence that would actually make that a possibility.
This book felt unhealthy to read. Her writing style is really not bad, but her investigative work is... questionable. Everyone she talks to (including the two other criminals involved) tells her that she is not going to get a definitive answer. She ignores this, develops weird inappropriate relationships with the other two potential killers, and eventually (toward the end of the book) gives us a more full picture of the events using actual forensic information.
And yet, as everyone told her, she still doesn't end up with an answer to what actually happened. All three of the adults involved in this crime were, at best, drug dealers who were endangering children and, at worst, murderers and rapists. It's hard to understand why she feels such a need to figure out exactly what happened when there's no new evidence that would actually make that a possibility.
April 15, 2021
This was a really detailed exploration of a death penalty case. The author, Ellen McGarrahan, witnessed the execution, which was botched, early in her reporting career. It haunted her for years, eventually she became a private investigator and researched the case.
This wasn't really a mystery, and I wasn't invested in who did it. The book was filled with nuance about the death penalty system, the guilt of those involved, and even her personal role in investigating it.
This book looks at the crimes at all angles. I do feel that the purpose of this book is hidden under the exploration of the case. It is more about her journey in getting closure. This is why I gave it 3 stars. I felt frustrated at her on occassion, particularly when she spoke with a witness who was 9 years old at the time of the crime. I think it crossed some lines and I feel she was so determined to get closure, that she ignored some human elements.
This wasn't really a mystery, and I wasn't invested in who did it. The book was filled with nuance about the death penalty system, the guilt of those involved, and even her personal role in investigating it.
This book looks at the crimes at all angles. I do feel that the purpose of this book is hidden under the exploration of the case. It is more about her journey in getting closure. This is why I gave it 3 stars. I felt frustrated at her on occassion, particularly when she spoke with a witness who was 9 years old at the time of the crime. I think it crossed some lines and I feel she was so determined to get closure, that she ignored some human elements.
August 9, 2020
Thank you to #NetGalley, Ellen McGarrahan and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for my review. Two Truths and a Lie by Ellen McGarrahan is the story of the execution of Jesse Tafero who, along with his girlfriend and a friend, was convicted of murdering two police officers. McGarrahan, who was working for the Miami Herald as a reporter covered Tafero's execution and was a witness to the three malfunctions that occurred during the execution, causing flames to come from Tafero's head. The horror of this stayed with McGarrahan who later left the field of journalism and became a private investigator. Years later she decides to use her investigation skills to find out if Tafero was innocent, as he had claimed. This is a complex story with many twists and turns and many versions of what happened the day the two police officers were shot. The three adults in the car that day are all suspects and they all point the finger at each other. There are two truths and a lie, but which is which and even when you finish the book, you are left wondering. This book will definitely keep your interest and leave you wanting more.
January 28, 2021
Thank you @randomhouse for the #gifted advance copy. Two Truths and a Lie comes out on 2/2!
Where are my true crime lovers at? Ellen McGarrahan, journalist-turned-private detective had to cover a death row execution for work, and she hasn’t been able to get it out of her head. Jesse Tafero was sent to death row after being convicted of murdering two police officers. When word starts spreading that Tafero may not have committed the murders, McGarrahan becomes haunted by the execution that she witnessed. She sets out on a mission to get to the bottom of it. Was Tafero wrongfully convicted and executed?
I love true crime, and reading this one felt like I was watching a docu-series. I couldn’t help but put myself in McGarrahan’s shoes and think about the effects it would have on me. In a way, I was able to understand why she couldn’t put this case to rest. She had to know if she watched the execution of an innocent man or if he was truly guilty. Ellen McGarrahan’s writing hooked me from the beginning, and I was trying to piece together the information as she shared it. I liked that I didn’t have any background knowledge on this case. Overall, I really enjoyed this one!
Where are my true crime lovers at? Ellen McGarrahan, journalist-turned-private detective had to cover a death row execution for work, and she hasn’t been able to get it out of her head. Jesse Tafero was sent to death row after being convicted of murdering two police officers. When word starts spreading that Tafero may not have committed the murders, McGarrahan becomes haunted by the execution that she witnessed. She sets out on a mission to get to the bottom of it. Was Tafero wrongfully convicted and executed?
I love true crime, and reading this one felt like I was watching a docu-series. I couldn’t help but put myself in McGarrahan’s shoes and think about the effects it would have on me. In a way, I was able to understand why she couldn’t put this case to rest. She had to know if she watched the execution of an innocent man or if he was truly guilty. Ellen McGarrahan’s writing hooked me from the beginning, and I was trying to piece together the information as she shared it. I liked that I didn’t have any background knowledge on this case. Overall, I really enjoyed this one!
February 4, 2021
Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing this ARC. This is an interesting investigation and memoir that I would categorize as a lesser version of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. The author goes from naive cub reporter to a haunted and obsessive private detective, searching for answers that may never come in the hopes of finding peace for herself. The investigative parts got me hooked quickly (and I originally had zero expectations for this at all) but as I got further and further into the book, I started to lose a bit of interest in the solving of the questions and by the end I felt that it was really dragging. Recommended for true crime fans.
April 9, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
After witnessing a botched electric chair execution as a young reporter, the author, now a private investigator, needs to learn if the executed man was responsible for the shooting death of a policeman and a visiting Canadian law enforcement officer.
It’s long but compelling. More than 20 years after the execution, the author sought out every person and bit of evidence connected to the crime and the trial. File this under obsession, memories, misdirection.
Audio performance by Cassandra Campbell
After witnessing a botched electric chair execution as a young reporter, the author, now a private investigator, needs to learn if the executed man was responsible for the shooting death of a policeman and a visiting Canadian law enforcement officer.
It’s long but compelling. More than 20 years after the execution, the author sought out every person and bit of evidence connected to the crime and the trial. File this under obsession, memories, misdirection.
Audio performance by Cassandra Campbell
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