Lyra's review
I found Trell the most interesting character as I was fascinated by her determination to get Romero out of jail even after she found out what other crimes he had committed.

I didn't like Frank Flanagan as he was evil and just wanted to look good in front of other people. 

I found the book extremely exciting and couldn't seem to put it down!

What stands out to me in the book is how it was based on a true story and a man wrongfully imprisoned. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, this was my favourite book out of the three by far and has inspired me to want to be an investigative journalist.

Miles's review
Right off the bat, I loved this book, the great battle of the underdog. Trell Taylor, and her accomplices, embarked on an electric battle against the establishment. Taking a stand to the prejudiced criminal justice system, a stand that continues to weave into our current events.

Every paragraph opened up new emotions, stories and people. Said stories, emotions and people told a story of injustice on a record-breaking scale; the only thing more shocking than the injustices involved is the fact the story is based on true events.

The character I enjoyed reading about the most, was prosperous, turn hermit writer Clemens Bittner. Trell’s first, and continually unsuccessful, encounters searching to recruit Bittner in the fight for her father unravelled the story of a tortured genius. A born writer and reporter struck with haunting tragedy. Learning of his calculated slaughter of the establishment in his past works, liberating a man similarly accused of a crime instead of a murder he was convicted of arson, showed his freakishly natural ability to wield the truth as a weapon for defeating injustice. However, later on the tragedy that leads him into isolation, was revealed. The very surreal death, so quick and sudden, that occurred when his son suddenly passed. Bittner’s background mixes the thrill of the arson case, and the almost depressing tragedy creates a character that encapsulates the grappling hook of thrill the book reels you in with.

Thankfully, the revival of his life, escaping from the isolation and depression, helping in Trell’s struggle, brings an exceptionally enjoyable character arc, that remains unmatched in the books I have read in the past.

The most revered character in the story, for me at least, is officer white. White encapsulates the authoritarian values that one too many within the police system hold. He speaks to Trell in such a horrible way, it seeps into the emotion of the reader. The officer is the direct representation of the system that robbed Romero Taylor of his freedom.

The stunning realisation of the book is that the events are true. The events falling within recent times open up unknown realities that have begun to be highlighted in recent months. 

When we think of oppression, specifically oppression put upon black people, we usually think of two extremely important moments, even in the minds of Brits, of American history. The horrors of Slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. Of course, the time the book is set, neither Martin Luther King JR nor Abraham Lincoln were even alive. It is both shocking and important to remember, that despite the fact we do not live in the 60s or 1800s, the virus of racial prejudice still spreads through our society, and into the institutions that are here to protect us.

The plot is a huge mixture of atmospheres and topics, through the book Lehr does an amazing job of bouncing between emotions. The flavourful mixture of thrill, like when Romero Taylor was released. Sadness, like when learning off Clemens Bittner’s tragedy; and terror, like when the details of the murder are exposed. This exceptional use of language that Lehr wields, got my eyes glued to the pages of the book. 

The novel's surrealism, showing the nitty-gritty of the first-degree murder case, sparks an interest in true crime books and other related material. The battle of prosecutors and lawyers sparks an interest in criminal trials. In fact, the book has inspired me to look into the case of O.J Simpson. A mix of true crime and its sister topic, criminal trials. The book lead to me learning of a thrilling topic I had no real knowledge of previously.

I wouldn’t just recommend this novel to my fellow students, I would recommend it to anyone for a wide selection of reasons. Just for its value as a read, the various flavours of atmospheres and topics. It also holds huge value for its portrayal of the true-crime and criminal case of Shawn Drumgold . And finally, it also deserves a read for its telling of a story that teaches the struggles of a war against a prejudice establishment. In short - Read! This! Book!