The reviewer enjoyed John Grisham's nonfiction book 'Framed,' which tells ten stories of wrongful convictions. While they found the stories compelling, they were disappointed that the book did not provide a broader analysis of the causes and solutions to wrongful convictions.
The reviewer has enjoyed many of John Grisham's books in the past, but his recent nonfiction work 'Framed' left them with mixed feelings. The book, co-authored with Jim McCloskey, tells ten stories of wrongful convictions, each chapter focusing on a different case. The reviewer found the stories compelling and the book interesting, as it highlights the human cost of erroneous convictions and the inspiring work of those who fight for exoneration. However, they were disappointed that the book did not draw broader lessons from these stories or propose specific reforms to the criminal justice system. The reviewer also noted that some of the chapters, particularly those written by Grisham, presented dramatic but perhaps oversimplified narratives of police and prosecutorial misconduct. While the book effectively portrays the harm caused by wrongful convictions, the reviewer felt that focusing on the most dramatic examples of malfeasance might obscure more commonplace failings of the system.
Quick quotes
The book effectively portrays the human cost of erroneous convictions.
The book illustrates the different meanings that can attach to terms like “wrongful conviction” or “exoneration.
I was surprised that the authors chose not to attempt to draw broader lessons from the ten stories.