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The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement
One murder, four guilty convictions, and a community determined to find justice. October, 1997. Late one night in Fairbanks, Alaska, a passerby finds a teenager unconscious, collapsed on the edge of the road, beaten nearly beyond recognition. Two days later, he dies in the hospital. His name is John Gilbert Hartman and he's just turned 15 years old. The police quickly arrest four suspects, all under the age of 21 and of Alaska Native and American Indian descent. Police lineup witnesses, trials follow, and all four men receive lengthy prison terms. Case closed. But journalist Brian Patrick O'Donoghue can't put the story out of his mind. When the opportunity arises to teach a class on investigative reporting, he finally digs into what happened to the "Fairbanks Four." A relentless search for the truth ensues as O'Donoghue and his students uncover the lies, deceit, and prejudice that put four innocent young men in jail. The Fairbanks Four is the gripping story of a brutal crime and its sprawling aftermath in the frigid Alaska landscape. It's a story of collective action as one journalist, his students, and the Fairbanks indigenous community challenge the verdicts. It's the story of a broken justice system, and the effort required to keep hope alive. This is the story of the Fairbanks Four.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published April 15, 2025
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January 23, 2025
This is a bit of a mess. The Fairbanks Four by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue is a book which is such an important story but told in a distracting way. The narrative is about a murder in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1997. Four men are convicted of the crime but numerous issues are apparent. The author, O’Donoghue, is teaching a college class in Alaska and uses this case as an example to dig into for his students. The work O’Donoghue and his class did to help shed light and bring justice to the case is extremely laudable. The way it is told is not.
There are numerous issues with how O’Donoghue presents the case to the reader. The first is organization. Chapters are broken down into sub-chapters which come at you fast and chaotically. This also means there are so many characters that it is hard to follow what is happening from page to page. Another problematic aspect is O’Donoghue himself. His tone comes off as extremely biased and strangely hostile from the first few pages. While some of these characters deserve our ire, he also takes pot shots at people for things that have nothing to do with the case and further muddle the narrative.
O’Donoghue also seems to insert himself when it is not necessary and talk about his personal life when it is not needed. There was so much more needed to flesh out the story, the setting, and the people and yet we get way too much of back and forth between characters who we don't know all that well. It's also problematic that in this true crime book, the author tells us in the beginning that he took "liberties" in reconstructing important conversations. I am firm believer this shouldn't happen at all in non-fiction, but especially not for important conversations.
Unfortunately, the book does not do justice to the incredible work done to help the Fairbanks Four.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Sourcebooks.)
There are numerous issues with how O’Donoghue presents the case to the reader. The first is organization. Chapters are broken down into sub-chapters which come at you fast and chaotically. This also means there are so many characters that it is hard to follow what is happening from page to page. Another problematic aspect is O’Donoghue himself. His tone comes off as extremely biased and strangely hostile from the first few pages. While some of these characters deserve our ire, he also takes pot shots at people for things that have nothing to do with the case and further muddle the narrative.
O’Donoghue also seems to insert himself when it is not necessary and talk about his personal life when it is not needed. There was so much more needed to flesh out the story, the setting, and the people and yet we get way too much of back and forth between characters who we don't know all that well. It's also problematic that in this true crime book, the author tells us in the beginning that he took "liberties" in reconstructing important conversations. I am firm believer this shouldn't happen at all in non-fiction, but especially not for important conversations.
Unfortunately, the book does not do justice to the incredible work done to help the Fairbanks Four.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Sourcebooks.)
April 13, 2025
“On the night of October 11th, 1997, Hartman was found unresponsive, lying unconscious across a curb at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Barnette Street. He had been brutally beaten, stomped on, and kicked. He died two days later at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.”
George Frese, Kevin Pease, Marvin Roberts, and Eugene Vent (Athabascan) are known as the Fairbanks Four who were found guilty (despite having a strong case) and convicted in February 1999. Sentences ranged from 33 to 79 years.
On December 17th, 2015 all four convictions were ‘vacated’. These young men had spent 18 years in prison - all wrongfully imprisoned.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!
Journalism professor Brian O’Donoghue, and his students spent years investigating the Fairbanks Four case. Their findings were published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a local paper, and became a major turning point in the case.
O’Donoghue’s book walks readers through the setting (the Native wedding, the issuing of the Permanent Dividend Fund cheques, the background of the four in question) and then examines the way the Fairbanks Police Department and the State of Alaska handled the cases, the retrial and the life after exoneration.
I was shocked to discover how unreliable the Alaskan justice system was, the extent of racism in the community and courtroom, and the incompetence of most people in handling this tragedy. The Alaska Natives and indigenous Americans were not granted a fair trial. The echo will be felt forever in this isolated, tight community.
Although it was a choppy read at times, O’Donoghue achieved his purpose in highlighting the broken justice system, the effort required to bring this trial to justice and keep the hope alive for the victim and the accused and their families.
“Freedom right now is worth more than money.”
I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
George Frese, Kevin Pease, Marvin Roberts, and Eugene Vent (Athabascan) are known as the Fairbanks Four who were found guilty (despite having a strong case) and convicted in February 1999. Sentences ranged from 33 to 79 years.
On December 17th, 2015 all four convictions were ‘vacated’. These young men had spent 18 years in prison - all wrongfully imprisoned.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!
Journalism professor Brian O’Donoghue, and his students spent years investigating the Fairbanks Four case. Their findings were published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a local paper, and became a major turning point in the case.
O’Donoghue’s book walks readers through the setting (the Native wedding, the issuing of the Permanent Dividend Fund cheques, the background of the four in question) and then examines the way the Fairbanks Police Department and the State of Alaska handled the cases, the retrial and the life after exoneration.
I was shocked to discover how unreliable the Alaskan justice system was, the extent of racism in the community and courtroom, and the incompetence of most people in handling this tragedy. The Alaska Natives and indigenous Americans were not granted a fair trial. The echo will be felt forever in this isolated, tight community.
Although it was a choppy read at times, O’Donoghue achieved his purpose in highlighting the broken justice system, the effort required to bring this trial to justice and keep the hope alive for the victim and the accused and their families.
“Freedom right now is worth more than money.”
I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 14, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Fairbanks Four, by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Fifteen your old John Hartman was found murdered, in late 1997. Police waste not tile in arresting four men for the vicious crime. An Innocent project to up their cause, that they were innocent. This was a heavy read.
April 8, 2025
Thank you to BookBrowse and Sourcebooks for the chance to read this book. Expected publication April 15, 2025.
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. But I had a real problem following the story. There were so many people in this story I could not keep them straight. It got to the point that I could not even remember the names of the 4 accused - who were the whole point of the book.
A young 14 year old boy was beaten to death in Alaska and soon afterward four boys were arrested - four Native American boys. And therein lays the problem. Half the town were sure those four boys were the correct criminals, the other half opposed to the quick arrest and unsavory police department who arrested them. This story played out for over 18 years before a final solution, showing us just how long it takes the justice system to admit mistakes and then to finally take any corrective action.
The premise of the story was solid, however I had a lot of trouble with how it was written. Not only were so many extra people thrown into the mix, more than once the author threw in a curve ball and just went off on something very unrelated - like the Iditarod. I really find it hard to believe that the author is both a journalist and professor of investigative journalism. Maybe short pieces are his thing, because this book was extremely hard to follow, had way too many unneeded people written in, went on way too long being repetitive and was hard to follow the real crux of the story.
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. But I had a real problem following the story. There were so many people in this story I could not keep them straight. It got to the point that I could not even remember the names of the 4 accused - who were the whole point of the book.
A young 14 year old boy was beaten to death in Alaska and soon afterward four boys were arrested - four Native American boys. And therein lays the problem. Half the town were sure those four boys were the correct criminals, the other half opposed to the quick arrest and unsavory police department who arrested them. This story played out for over 18 years before a final solution, showing us just how long it takes the justice system to admit mistakes and then to finally take any corrective action.
The premise of the story was solid, however I had a lot of trouble with how it was written. Not only were so many extra people thrown into the mix, more than once the author threw in a curve ball and just went off on something very unrelated - like the Iditarod. I really find it hard to believe that the author is both a journalist and professor of investigative journalism. Maybe short pieces are his thing, because this book was extremely hard to follow, had way too many unneeded people written in, went on way too long being repetitive and was hard to follow the real crux of the story.
January 12, 2025
The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue hit close to home for me. Literally, as I was not only the same age as John Hartman, but I lived on the same street the murder took place on. It was rather eye-opening and disturbing to read about all the gruesome details of this case that happened so close to me, but that I seemingly blocked out. I remember being a completely freaked out 14 year old, saddened and angry about the whole situation. Shocked. Scared. Yet, as an adult, the details surrounding the case were blurry at best. Reading this book brought me straight back to my freshman year and the horror that settled in my gut that winter. Fairbanks, although large in size, was still a small "everyone knows everyone" community, yet i was still surprised to hear name after name that I recognized. People that I went to school with, knew from my connections to the community. This story runs much deeper than I ever knew.
All these years later, I'm still disgusted by how this case was (mis)handled. All the injustices that were handed out without a second thought. I'm horrified that 5 boys lost their lives that night.
Although it wasn't an easy read, and I think this brought up some trauma that I clearly never dealt with, I'm glad it was written. No one wants to relive these details, but the story should still be told. Over and over if need be. For justice for John Hartman. For justice for George Frese, Marvin Roberts, Eugene Vent, and Kevin Pease. For closure for all involved.
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) for an advanced readers copy of The Fairbanks Four in exchange for an honest review.
All these years later, I'm still disgusted by how this case was (mis)handled. All the injustices that were handed out without a second thought. I'm horrified that 5 boys lost their lives that night.
Although it wasn't an easy read, and I think this brought up some trauma that I clearly never dealt with, I'm glad it was written. No one wants to relive these details, but the story should still be told. Over and over if need be. For justice for John Hartman. For justice for George Frese, Marvin Roberts, Eugene Vent, and Kevin Pease. For closure for all involved.
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) for an advanced readers copy of The Fairbanks Four in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2025
The premise of this true crime intrigued me. In an Alaskan village in the 1990s, four minority young men are accused and incarcerated for a murder that they were not involved with. This is unfortunately a tale that is all too familiar. It is tragic, heartbreaking and needs to stop happening. This story is very informative but has a lot of extraneous details highlighted by the author. The writing is a little too meandering and did not hold my attention like many true crime books do. Still, a story that deserves much attention.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Sourcebooks and Brian Patrick O’Donoghue for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Sourcebooks and Brian Patrick O’Donoghue for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 10, 2025
The story behind The Fairbanks Four is powerful and heartbreaking. The synopsis pulled me in immediately, and I was really excited to receive an ARC through NetGalley (huge thanks for that!). Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t live up to the weight of the story.
The case itself is incredibly important and deserves to be told with care and clarity. But this book felt jumbled, messy, and at times hard to follow. There were so many characters introduced quickly, and the chapters were broken into sub-sections that made it hard to stay grounded in the timeline. I found myself rereading parts trying to figure out what was happening and who was who.
The author’s perspective and personal involvement could’ve added something unique, but instead, it often distracted from the core story. The writing at times felt scattered and even hostile in tone, which made it hard to connect with. And the admission of taking “liberties” in reconstructing conversations in a nonfiction book, especially with such high stakes, really didn’t sit well with me.
I deeply respect the work that went into helping the Fairbanks Four and bringing awareness to a broken justice system. But I just don’t think this book did the story justice. It had the potential to be impactful, but the execution made it feel chaotic and unfocused.
The case itself is incredibly important and deserves to be told with care and clarity. But this book felt jumbled, messy, and at times hard to follow. There were so many characters introduced quickly, and the chapters were broken into sub-sections that made it hard to stay grounded in the timeline. I found myself rereading parts trying to figure out what was happening and who was who.
The author’s perspective and personal involvement could’ve added something unique, but instead, it often distracted from the core story. The writing at times felt scattered and even hostile in tone, which made it hard to connect with. And the admission of taking “liberties” in reconstructing conversations in a nonfiction book, especially with such high stakes, really didn’t sit well with me.
I deeply respect the work that went into helping the Fairbanks Four and bringing awareness to a broken justice system. But I just don’t think this book did the story justice. It had the potential to be impactful, but the execution made it feel chaotic and unfocused.
March 31, 2025
As a journalist, Brian Patrick O'Donoghue knew how to track thin threads of evidence to yield a larger picture of the truth. As a teacher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), he ignited in his Investigative Reporting students devotion to pursuing the facts. Together, they helped to bring freedom to four young men convicted of murder.
The investigative trail from arrest to release unfolded over several years and involved an ever-larger cast of characters. The students, who changed every semester, propelled the investigation with their varied skills and interests. The detectives were essential characters. Witnesses and family members led the investigating students to still others who might have information. When O'Donoghue and his students interested the Alaska Innocence Project, the story turned and unfolded like a legal thriller, with many lawyers taking center stage. At times, I was tempted to take notes to keep the characters straight. Yet, in the end, I saw that all the characters, both those who inhibited justice and those who pursued it, deserved to be named.
With all the characters and all the information uncovered, the story still moves along at a good pace. O'Donoghue offers a few unnecessary backstories but keeps the reader engaged with the next morsel of information and then the next right to the end of the book.
Taken as a whole, the book offers three interwoven themes. First, the need for equal justice under the law. This is closely tied to a second theme revolving around prejudice. Local Athabascan people testified to slights and injuries replicating those of Blacks or Mexicans in the lower forty-eight. Finally, it takes power to enforce unequal and prejudiced treatment. The powers vested in elected and appointed officials can be augmented by the forces of fear and prejudice present in almost any community.
"The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement" isn't just a book about the power applied for unjust ends. It's also a story infused with hope. It reminds us that wherever injustice is found, there can also be people who will work tirelessly and in concert with others to right the scales of justice again.
The investigative trail from arrest to release unfolded over several years and involved an ever-larger cast of characters. The students, who changed every semester, propelled the investigation with their varied skills and interests. The detectives were essential characters. Witnesses and family members led the investigating students to still others who might have information. When O'Donoghue and his students interested the Alaska Innocence Project, the story turned and unfolded like a legal thriller, with many lawyers taking center stage. At times, I was tempted to take notes to keep the characters straight. Yet, in the end, I saw that all the characters, both those who inhibited justice and those who pursued it, deserved to be named.
With all the characters and all the information uncovered, the story still moves along at a good pace. O'Donoghue offers a few unnecessary backstories but keeps the reader engaged with the next morsel of information and then the next right to the end of the book.
Taken as a whole, the book offers three interwoven themes. First, the need for equal justice under the law. This is closely tied to a second theme revolving around prejudice. Local Athabascan people testified to slights and injuries replicating those of Blacks or Mexicans in the lower forty-eight. Finally, it takes power to enforce unequal and prejudiced treatment. The powers vested in elected and appointed officials can be augmented by the forces of fear and prejudice present in almost any community.
"The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement" isn't just a book about the power applied for unjust ends. It's also a story infused with hope. It reminds us that wherever injustice is found, there can also be people who will work tirelessly and in concert with others to right the scales of justice again.
May 18, 2025
The Fairbanks Four audiobook tells the story of four Indigenous teens— Marvin Roberts, George Frese, Kevin Pease, and Eugene Vent—in Fairbanks, Alaska, wrongfully convicted of murdering John Hartman in 1997.
Narrated by Chris Henry Coffey, the audiobook is delivered with calm, respectful clarity. The narration is clear, steady, and respectful, which really suits the tone of the book. There’s no dramatization or overproduction — just a solid delivery that lets the story and the voices of the wrongfully convicted men shine. I appreciated how the audiobook allowed space for the emotional weight of the material to sink in, especially during the more intimate, personal moments.
The book itself is well-researched and thoughtfully written. It exposes deep flaws in the justice system — from rushed police work to racial bias — and centers the real human cost behind the headlines. The author also does a commendable job amplifying Indigenous voices and communities that are so often overlooked in mainstream true crime. It walks you through the legal missteps, the racial biases, and the human cost of a justice system that failed four young men simply because they were indigenous. It’s eye-opening and heartbreaking, but also filled with resilience and community strength.
I’m giving it four stars rather than five only because parts of the book, especially the mid-section focused on legal battles and court documents, can get a bit dense and harder to follow in audio format. I had to rewind a few times to keep track of names and timelines.
Still, this is a must-listen for fans of true crime that focus on justice, not just crime.
Thank you Net Galley for the Audio ARC!
Narrated by Chris Henry Coffey, the audiobook is delivered with calm, respectful clarity. The narration is clear, steady, and respectful, which really suits the tone of the book. There’s no dramatization or overproduction — just a solid delivery that lets the story and the voices of the wrongfully convicted men shine. I appreciated how the audiobook allowed space for the emotional weight of the material to sink in, especially during the more intimate, personal moments.
The book itself is well-researched and thoughtfully written. It exposes deep flaws in the justice system — from rushed police work to racial bias — and centers the real human cost behind the headlines. The author also does a commendable job amplifying Indigenous voices and communities that are so often overlooked in mainstream true crime. It walks you through the legal missteps, the racial biases, and the human cost of a justice system that failed four young men simply because they were indigenous. It’s eye-opening and heartbreaking, but also filled with resilience and community strength.
I’m giving it four stars rather than five only because parts of the book, especially the mid-section focused on legal battles and court documents, can get a bit dense and harder to follow in audio format. I had to rewind a few times to keep track of names and timelines.
Still, this is a must-listen for fans of true crime that focus on justice, not just crime.
Thank you Net Galley for the Audio ARC!
October 8, 2025
This could have been a really good book, but the storytelling was not there. I know Fairbanks. I was there when this happened. I made it through [the book and living in Alaska], but I can’t recommend it.
January 21, 2025
The Fairbanks Four is a true story about 4 teenagers that were wrongfully convicted of a murder back in 1997. I am a HUGE true crime fan, so this story was very interesting to me. I had heard of the Fairbanks Four, but never knew all the details. I love that Brian included his students in all of the research and interviews that pieced together this story. One thing I didn’t love about this book was that it was a little all over the place. At times it was hard to follow. That didn’t deter me from reading it and I would definitely recommend it to other true crime lovers, but just something to keep in mind. Overall, great read, very detailed, and the work was cited well! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thank you to @sourcebooks and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy!
Huge thank you to @sourcebooks and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy!
October 30, 2025
The book by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue offers a thorough look at the case's journey, highlighting growing awareness and support. Despite a less favorable outcome for those involved, some justice was achieved, and issues in the justice system and systemic racism were recognized.
However, parts of the book felt overly long, with unnecessary paragraphs that distracted from the main story. A more concise edit would improve the book's flow.
Overall, the story is informative but could benefit from removing extraneous sections to maintain focus on the central narrative.
However, parts of the book felt overly long, with unnecessary paragraphs that distracted from the main story. A more concise edit would improve the book's flow.
Overall, the story is informative but could benefit from removing extraneous sections to maintain focus on the central narrative.
March 28, 2025
3.5 rounded up to a 4
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Goodreads for the ARC!
This book overall was very informational and educated me on the Fairbanks Four very well. I don't think I had ever heard about them or this case until this book. It was very interesting how it took us through the entire life of the case as the author, Brian Patrick O'Donoghue, was there for it all. The fact that just a few people saw this injustice at first and slowly built up the audience and crowd it did was inspiring! I wish there was a happier outcome for the men but am glad at least some justice was served and the issues surrounding the justice system and systemic racism were brought to light.
However, I will say it did drag in some parts. I felt that there were many paragraphs/sections that didn't contribute to the story at all. I think the main story and issue were sometimes lost in the pages and made me feel like time wasted if the tangents didn't end up leading anywhere. I think overall if it was edited down a tiny bit it would flow a lot better.
Summed up, while the story was compelling and very interesting to learn about, I felt that there were a few unneeded sections and tangents that overall dragged the story. However, I really enjoyed being able to follow the story and the fight to get the case heard all the way through. It was a very thorough account of an unfortunate and angering situation.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Goodreads for the ARC!
This book overall was very informational and educated me on the Fairbanks Four very well. I don't think I had ever heard about them or this case until this book. It was very interesting how it took us through the entire life of the case as the author, Brian Patrick O'Donoghue, was there for it all. The fact that just a few people saw this injustice at first and slowly built up the audience and crowd it did was inspiring! I wish there was a happier outcome for the men but am glad at least some justice was served and the issues surrounding the justice system and systemic racism were brought to light.
However, I will say it did drag in some parts. I felt that there were many paragraphs/sections that didn't contribute to the story at all. I think the main story and issue were sometimes lost in the pages and made me feel like time wasted if the tangents didn't end up leading anywhere. I think overall if it was edited down a tiny bit it would flow a lot better.
Summed up, while the story was compelling and very interesting to learn about, I felt that there were a few unneeded sections and tangents that overall dragged the story. However, I really enjoyed being able to follow the story and the fight to get the case heard all the way through. It was a very thorough account of an unfortunate and angering situation.
April 26, 2025
I am an avid true crime lover, so the description and idea of this book is great. This book is about a young man that was kick, stomped and brutally beaten to death (he died two days later at the hospital, not at the scene). Then 4 young men were wrongfully arrested and convicted (with very shaky and hardly any evidence). This is a story that I have personally heard very little about and that is disheartening to me before this book because there was so much racism, negligence, shotty police work and overall neglect by the justice department. Professor O’Donoghue brought this case to his students at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks to do some investigative journalism and start the innocence project to get these men’s convictions overturned and their names cleared. This book is full of facts, a horrible and also amazing story but unfortunately just gets lost in the multitude of chapters that come out either choppy or super drawn out. I know that true crime books can be daunting at times and they are hard topics but they still need to be able to drawn in the reader or the narrator needs to be able to draw in the reader with the fluidity of their voice, which unfortunately just does not happen here. I think this story needs to be told and is very interesting and that is why I am rating this book a 3/5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to read and listen to this book! These thought are of my own personal opinion.
September 21, 2025
Thank you SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) | Sourcebooks for allowing me to read and review The Fairbanks Four on NetGalley.
Published: 04/15/25
Stars: 3
You can't please everyone. I had an extremely difficult time with the writing style. At times it felt like I was reading a mystery book. Other times it was a movie script,and then there are nonfiction moments.
Sadly it reads like a high school paper. There were times I had to remind myself these people are real.
I hope your experience is different.
Published: 04/15/25
Stars: 3
You can't please everyone. I had an extremely difficult time with the writing style. At times it felt like I was reading a mystery book. Other times it was a movie script,and then there are nonfiction moments.
Sadly it reads like a high school paper. There were times I had to remind myself these people are real.
I hope your experience is different.
May 23, 2025
I really wanted to like this book so much more than I did. Mainly, it boiled down to the structure of the book. There were so many asides about different news stories happening at the same time as the main story and there were so many people and opinions. It became difficult to follow what was happening and frankly, I couldn't seem to remember the names of the accused.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure that this book does justice to all the work that was done to help the Fairbanks Four.
Thanks to RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley for my audio arc!
Unfortunately, I'm not sure that this book does justice to all the work that was done to help the Fairbanks Four.
Thanks to RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley for my audio arc!
April 24, 2025
Maybe I’m just not that smart but it was lowkey kinda hard to follow 🤷♂️
June 6, 2025
2.5 rounded up. Incredible story, poorly told.
May 10, 2025
I have mixed feelings about this book. I think it was written well and engaging, but also made me mad at the failing 'justice' system. There's a line somewhere that I'm going to butcher that goes something like 'Do you really think they're innocent' 'It's more that they should have never been accused let alone convicted because of a huge lack of evidence'
I didn't really know a lot about the Fairbanks Four before reading this, so I felt like I learned a lot. I liked getting the information from a reporter and journalism teacher who was there at the time and had access to a lot of the info and people involved.
The narrator did a brilliant job, I very much loved his voice.
Thanks NetGalley and publishers for this ALC. All opinions are my own.
I didn't really know a lot about the Fairbanks Four before reading this, so I felt like I learned a lot. I liked getting the information from a reporter and journalism teacher who was there at the time and had access to a lot of the info and people involved.
The narrator did a brilliant job, I very much loved his voice.
Thanks NetGalley and publishers for this ALC. All opinions are my own.
August 6, 2025
DNF
An important story that I opted to research instead because this book is a rough slog to get through, nearly impossible to keep track of, and painfully meandering.
An important story that I opted to research instead because this book is a rough slog to get through, nearly impossible to keep track of, and painfully meandering.
April 25, 2025
Brian Patrick O’Donoghue’s The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement tells a compelling story of a wrongful conviction and the long fight for justice. The book shines a light on the tragic murders of John Hartman and Allen Peters in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the subsequent trials and tribulations of the four young men convicted of the crime. O’Donoghue effectively captures the sense of injustice that fueled the decades-long movement to exonerate the Fairbanks Four.
However, the book at times felt like it could have benefited from further editing. The organization occasionally felt disjointed, making it a bit challenging to follow the chronological progression of events and the various legal complexities. While O’Donoghue’s personal connection to the story and his reflections on his own experiences added a layer of depth, I found myself wishing for a greater focus on the details surrounding the murders themselves and perhaps a more in-depth analysis of the initial investigation and trial. The exploration of the author’s journey, while interesting, sometimes overshadowed the central narrative of the crime and the legal battles.
Despite these structural issues and the desire for more focus on the initial crime, The Fairbanks Four remains a worthwhile read for anyone interested in true crime, wrongful convictions, and the power of community activism. It successfully highlights a significant case of potential injustice and the unwavering dedication of those who fought for truth and freedom.
However, the book at times felt like it could have benefited from further editing. The organization occasionally felt disjointed, making it a bit challenging to follow the chronological progression of events and the various legal complexities. While O’Donoghue’s personal connection to the story and his reflections on his own experiences added a layer of depth, I found myself wishing for a greater focus on the details surrounding the murders themselves and perhaps a more in-depth analysis of the initial investigation and trial. The exploration of the author’s journey, while interesting, sometimes overshadowed the central narrative of the crime and the legal battles.
Despite these structural issues and the desire for more focus on the initial crime, The Fairbanks Four remains a worthwhile read for anyone interested in true crime, wrongful convictions, and the power of community activism. It successfully highlights a significant case of potential injustice and the unwavering dedication of those who fought for truth and freedom.
May 5, 2025
Edit to add:
I had this book in digital format and I DNFed it at 33% because of the organization. However, I really wanted to know what it was that got the "Fairbanks Four's" convictions overturned. So when I was given the opportunity to listen to the audio, I took it. I did end up finishing it because of this. However, my initial review remains much the same. The organization feels less confusing in audio format for some reason, but it is still extremely hard to follow who is important in this story and what the main idea is. I finished this book and I couldn't even tell you the names of the Fairbanks Four. I don't really understand what it was that got their convictions overturned, and I do not know what movement was born, as the subtitle indicates. This is a book about a journalist's journey, not the wrongly convicted's. I was very disappointed.
Original review:
What a bummer that the organization of this book was so all over the place. I thought perhaps I was just not paying enough attention, but other reviews show that I am not alone in feeling this way. I got 33% into the book and I realized I didn't even understand the murder other than the victim was found alone in the snow. It was so all over the place and it was hard to understand what was and was not important, as well as who the main characters in the 'story' were. It appears that the author did a great thing in helping to get the four wrongly convicted boys out of prison but sadly I couldn't even have identified which of the numerous names listed were the wrongly convicted.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had this book in digital format and I DNFed it at 33% because of the organization. However, I really wanted to know what it was that got the "Fairbanks Four's" convictions overturned. So when I was given the opportunity to listen to the audio, I took it. I did end up finishing it because of this. However, my initial review remains much the same. The organization feels less confusing in audio format for some reason, but it is still extremely hard to follow who is important in this story and what the main idea is. I finished this book and I couldn't even tell you the names of the Fairbanks Four. I don't really understand what it was that got their convictions overturned, and I do not know what movement was born, as the subtitle indicates. This is a book about a journalist's journey, not the wrongly convicted's. I was very disappointed.
Original review:
What a bummer that the organization of this book was so all over the place. I thought perhaps I was just not paying enough attention, but other reviews show that I am not alone in feeling this way. I got 33% into the book and I realized I didn't even understand the murder other than the victim was found alone in the snow. It was so all over the place and it was hard to understand what was and was not important, as well as who the main characters in the 'story' were. It appears that the author did a great thing in helping to get the four wrongly convicted boys out of prison but sadly I couldn't even have identified which of the numerous names listed were the wrongly convicted.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2025
Am I a 40something women who loves audiobooks and true crime documentaries? Yes. This book I feel was written for me to take on long walks and listen to then unfolding of one amazing professor who took his students on a journey of discovery and truth.
But seriously the narrator of this story sounded like Booger from Revenge of the Nerds and for me…. I don’t know I found that all more intriguing until I looked it up and was disappointed it wasn’t him.
But seriously the narrator of this story sounded like Booger from Revenge of the Nerds and for me…. I don’t know I found that all more intriguing until I looked it up and was disappointed it wasn’t him.
September 13, 2025
I have never read a book more in need of an editor. I’m exhausted just reading this book. As an Alaskan, I remember both the original story and the hearings in Anchorage 18 years later. However, given that the information I had at the time was piecemeal, I thought reading this book would give me a better understanding of all the events. I honestly think I spent most of the book getting even more confused.
Despite being a trained journalist, O’Donoghue writes the same way my 10 year old tells stories about summer camp. There were way too many irrelevant backstories that cluttered up the main story. I don’t need to know how the author’s wife felt about him doing an assignment in Iraq (with the only relevance being that an appeals decision came down during that time). Nor do I need pages dedicated to a story about a travel agent who concocted a Ponzi scheme in Fairbanks (years before the murder in question) in which the only connection I can discern is that the wife of a judge got taken in by the scam - not even any of the judges directly involved in the Fairbanks Four trials, but another judge in Fairbanks at the same time. I don’t care about the author’s Iditarod experience. I don’t care that he went to India and when he got back, there was a cracked window from the tenants he’d rented his house out to.
Rant number two: the author is often just plain mean-spirited for no apparent reason.
“Other than showing up for class, she remained one of my least productive Investigative Reporting students ever.”
“…former law partner of Governor Bill Walker, a genial, well-intentioned fool.”
I had read other reviews commenting on the writing and thought, “seriously, how bad can it be?” It’s bad. My only hope is that it’s intentional: as an investigative journalist he has to sift through boxes and boxes of useless information in order to find the important stuff - maybe he’s trying to give readers a similar immersive experience? “Here are pages and pages of verbal sawdust, now you find missing link.”
Despite being a trained journalist, O’Donoghue writes the same way my 10 year old tells stories about summer camp. There were way too many irrelevant backstories that cluttered up the main story. I don’t need to know how the author’s wife felt about him doing an assignment in Iraq (with the only relevance being that an appeals decision came down during that time). Nor do I need pages dedicated to a story about a travel agent who concocted a Ponzi scheme in Fairbanks (years before the murder in question) in which the only connection I can discern is that the wife of a judge got taken in by the scam - not even any of the judges directly involved in the Fairbanks Four trials, but another judge in Fairbanks at the same time. I don’t care about the author’s Iditarod experience. I don’t care that he went to India and when he got back, there was a cracked window from the tenants he’d rented his house out to.
Rant number two: the author is often just plain mean-spirited for no apparent reason.
“Other than showing up for class, she remained one of my least productive Investigative Reporting students ever.”
“…former law partner of Governor Bill Walker, a genial, well-intentioned fool.”
I had read other reviews commenting on the writing and thought, “seriously, how bad can it be?” It’s bad. My only hope is that it’s intentional: as an investigative journalist he has to sift through boxes and boxes of useless information in order to find the important stuff - maybe he’s trying to give readers a similar immersive experience? “Here are pages and pages of verbal sawdust, now you find missing link.”
May 6, 2025
DNF at 20%.
This is a true crime book, chronicling the case of the ‘Fairbanks Four’, a group of young men accused of murder.
Despite being 20% in, that’s really all I can tell you. The author has organised the book in a chaotic way which I found difficult to keep up with. He spends a lot of time in the early part of the book outlining the curriculum of the journalism modules he teaches and introducing us to various students - with the females being described using hair colour and attractiveness. Ick. He also writes with quite a judgemental tone from the start.
After restarting some segments a couple of times I eventually chose to DNF.
I ‘read’ the audiobook and also found the narrator not to my taste - very ‘gameshow host’.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy but sadly not for me and I won’t be recommending.
This is a true crime book, chronicling the case of the ‘Fairbanks Four’, a group of young men accused of murder.
Despite being 20% in, that’s really all I can tell you. The author has organised the book in a chaotic way which I found difficult to keep up with. He spends a lot of time in the early part of the book outlining the curriculum of the journalism modules he teaches and introducing us to various students - with the females being described using hair colour and attractiveness. Ick. He also writes with quite a judgemental tone from the start.
After restarting some segments a couple of times I eventually chose to DNF.
I ‘read’ the audiobook and also found the narrator not to my taste - very ‘gameshow host’.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy but sadly not for me and I won’t be recommending.
October 21, 2025
In my life, I’ve seen firsthand someone accused of a murder they didn’t commit. Although that person was never arrested, the police told the victim’s family and co-workers that they knew he did it, they just couldn’t find enough evidence to convince a jury. That potential miscarriage of justice was thwarted when, a year later, a man arrested for a completely different murder “happened” to confess to my co-worker’s murder. He wasn’t even being questioned about it when he revealed it. This was after causing the original suspect they were so sure had done it to have to move away to escape the stigma of the police accusations.
One night in October of 1997, 15-year-old John Gilbert Hartman was found beaten by the side of a road in Fairbanks, Alaska. He died two days later. The police pick up four young men, all under 21, who are of Native American and Native Alaskan descent. They are tried, convicted, and receive hefty prison terms.
Local journalist and professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Brian Patrick O’Donoghue, is teaching a class on investigative journalism and has his students begin looking into the case. What they uncover is racism, shoddy police work, and a broken justice system. It takes nearly twenty years for the four innocent men to be freed.
As you can imagine, with a story that spans twenty years, events move rather slowly. Although O’Donoghue and his students never give up, every year he must bring a new group of students up to speed. He manages to keep them from repeating the same investigation as they focus on different aspects of the crime and the investigation. There were glaring problems from the start. Two of the convicted men were picked up and questioned while still drunk. One of the so-called eyewitnesses doesn’t appear credible. There’s no forensic evidence to connect the four men to the crime. With how badly Hartman was beaten, there should have been traces of his blood on the perpetrators’ clothes and in the vehicle that was allegedly being driven.
It appears the police never looked for any of that. In a culture where the Native Alaskans are looked down on by many, it was easy to convict the young men, despite the fact that they all asserted their innocence, and there was no real evidence against them.
To read my complete review, please go to The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue – And Justice For All?
One night in October of 1997, 15-year-old John Gilbert Hartman was found beaten by the side of a road in Fairbanks, Alaska. He died two days later. The police pick up four young men, all under 21, who are of Native American and Native Alaskan descent. They are tried, convicted, and receive hefty prison terms.
Local journalist and professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Brian Patrick O’Donoghue, is teaching a class on investigative journalism and has his students begin looking into the case. What they uncover is racism, shoddy police work, and a broken justice system. It takes nearly twenty years for the four innocent men to be freed.
As you can imagine, with a story that spans twenty years, events move rather slowly. Although O’Donoghue and his students never give up, every year he must bring a new group of students up to speed. He manages to keep them from repeating the same investigation as they focus on different aspects of the crime and the investigation. There were glaring problems from the start. Two of the convicted men were picked up and questioned while still drunk. One of the so-called eyewitnesses doesn’t appear credible. There’s no forensic evidence to connect the four men to the crime. With how badly Hartman was beaten, there should have been traces of his blood on the perpetrators’ clothes and in the vehicle that was allegedly being driven.
It appears the police never looked for any of that. In a culture where the Native Alaskans are looked down on by many, it was easy to convict the young men, despite the fact that they all asserted their innocence, and there was no real evidence against them.
To read my complete review, please go to The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue – And Justice For All?
March 26, 2025
Beginning in 2001, University of Alaska, Fairbanks journalism professor, Brian O'Donoghue enlisted the aid of his students - over several years - to investigate a 1997 murder in which 4 men were convicted - he believed wrongly.
In 2013, the Innocence Project joined in and finally, the convictions were overturned and the men were freed.
It was an interesting idea to involve journalism students - who actually did excellent work in turning up sources and evidence. What was so disheartening was the time it took to unravel what actually happened. To some extent, it shows how difficult it can be to arrive at the truth, but also how when the pressure is on to solve the crime quickly, how easy it can be to railroad someone.
In this case three of the four were Athabascan Indians and the victim was white - which many think contributed to the immediate assumption of guilt and conviction despite lack of clear evidence. What was most troubling was the refusal of the prosecutor to seriously question the methods of achieving confessions, the problem with their star witness and most importantly the insistence that the confession of the actual killer (admitted not only to his lawyer, but also to a prison guard) should not be permitted to be heard. I hadn't realized until reading this that one of the exceptions to lawyer/client confidentiality occurs when an admission reveals that an innocent party has been convicted. And, of course, the admission to the prison guard was not confidential in any case. Yet she still argued for suppression.
The only criticism I have of the book was that there was too much detail. Many of the witnesses interviewed - at length - really had little to nothing to add to finding the truth. It did illustrate how difficult investigations of this sort are, but it was a slog at times to read all of it. Also, while the author was writing about his experience, some of the details of his life - like his trip to India, didn't add much to the story either.
Overall, I would recommend the book as a treatise in how the justice system often does not work without a lot of help from committed investigators.
In 2013, the Innocence Project joined in and finally, the convictions were overturned and the men were freed.
It was an interesting idea to involve journalism students - who actually did excellent work in turning up sources and evidence. What was so disheartening was the time it took to unravel what actually happened. To some extent, it shows how difficult it can be to arrive at the truth, but also how when the pressure is on to solve the crime quickly, how easy it can be to railroad someone.
In this case three of the four were Athabascan Indians and the victim was white - which many think contributed to the immediate assumption of guilt and conviction despite lack of clear evidence. What was most troubling was the refusal of the prosecutor to seriously question the methods of achieving confessions, the problem with their star witness and most importantly the insistence that the confession of the actual killer (admitted not only to his lawyer, but also to a prison guard) should not be permitted to be heard. I hadn't realized until reading this that one of the exceptions to lawyer/client confidentiality occurs when an admission reveals that an innocent party has been convicted. And, of course, the admission to the prison guard was not confidential in any case. Yet she still argued for suppression.
The only criticism I have of the book was that there was too much detail. Many of the witnesses interviewed - at length - really had little to nothing to add to finding the truth. It did illustrate how difficult investigations of this sort are, but it was a slog at times to read all of it. Also, while the author was writing about his experience, some of the details of his life - like his trip to India, didn't add much to the story either.
Overall, I would recommend the book as a treatise in how the justice system often does not work without a lot of help from committed investigators.
September 25, 2025
Ultimately, this is a story of racism, police corruption, prosecutorial abuse, and a broken justice system. It all started one night in late 1997 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Four young white men with sketchy legal backgrounds set out to assault and rob Alaskan Native youths. When they can't find an appropriate target, they settle for a drunk 14 year old white kid whom they stomp to death on the street.
Given the local environment, it should not be surprising to learn that 4 young Alaskan Natives were questioned, arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to 33 - 79 years in prison.
As it happened, O'Donoghue, the author, was a reporter for the local newspaper at the time and found the entire episode to be off-putting: no forensic evidence, multiple witnesses for the defense putting the four boys elsewhere during the critical time of the murder and one sketchy witness for the prosecution who recognized the killers from 500 feet away in the dark.
Shortly thereafter, the author accepted a job at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks teaching investigative reporting. The meat of the book is the story of the students' efforts to do the job that should have been done by the police and the courts. It took more than15 years and many classes of students plus an eventual partnership with the Alaska Innocence Project to win a grudging exoneration and release of all four victims and another 10 years for the last of the victim's lawsuits to be settled.
In reading this book, it is important to remember that this is not a carefully plotted novel where scenes can be appropriately sequenced and the number of characters limited for the convenience and comfort of the readers. This is real life in a relatively small community where everyone knows everybody else, where things don't happen in a logical fashion, and not everyone has a pristine motive. And maybe, because of the effort devoted to freeing the Fairbanks Four, future Alaskan Natives will have less to fear.
Given the local environment, it should not be surprising to learn that 4 young Alaskan Natives were questioned, arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to 33 - 79 years in prison.
As it happened, O'Donoghue, the author, was a reporter for the local newspaper at the time and found the entire episode to be off-putting: no forensic evidence, multiple witnesses for the defense putting the four boys elsewhere during the critical time of the murder and one sketchy witness for the prosecution who recognized the killers from 500 feet away in the dark.
Shortly thereafter, the author accepted a job at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks teaching investigative reporting. The meat of the book is the story of the students' efforts to do the job that should have been done by the police and the courts. It took more than15 years and many classes of students plus an eventual partnership with the Alaska Innocence Project to win a grudging exoneration and release of all four victims and another 10 years for the last of the victim's lawsuits to be settled.
In reading this book, it is important to remember that this is not a carefully plotted novel where scenes can be appropriately sequenced and the number of characters limited for the convenience and comfort of the readers. This is real life in a relatively small community where everyone knows everybody else, where things don't happen in a logical fashion, and not everyone has a pristine motive. And maybe, because of the effort devoted to freeing the Fairbanks Four, future Alaskan Natives will have less to fear.
May 10, 2025
[1.5 stars rounded down]
[DNF at ~35%]
What am I supposed to be paying attention to here? So many names are being thrown out at me. Too many strange tangents into random, barely related things that I can never tell if it’s actually important to the main story or not until after it ends.
Chapters are divided into sometimes short, sometimes strangely long subchapters that are only sometimes related. This is usually my preferred format for nonfiction books but they are executed so horribly in this case. Often, the next subsection continues just after the first one ended and I’m left wondering why it was even separated in the first place.
We spend a weirdly large amount of time on random things that, from what I could tell, had nothing to do with the story or case itself. Why are we constantly bringing up the Iditarod as if it has some importance here? Why do I need to hear about the author’s one off case he took on that lasted two subchapters and seemingly does not relate to anything other than that the author wanted to brag about his involvement in another thing in the area at the time? Maybe this all comes together in the end in some huge, amazing way, but I can’t make myself read in far enough to get to that point.
The author’s narration feels very hostile and self righteous against everything. I don’t think that it’s appropriate for a book covering this story. Though the portion of the book that I read and what the description states makes it understandable that he is rightfully proud of what he was able to accomplish, it becomes distracting and ultimately takes away from the story.
I’m not going to make myself finish this one. I can’t stand the author’s voice, the descriptions of events, or the formatting of the book. It’s a shame because I am interested in the story itself, but I guess I just won’t get it from O’Donoghue’s mouth himself.
[DNF at ~35%]
What am I supposed to be paying attention to here? So many names are being thrown out at me. Too many strange tangents into random, barely related things that I can never tell if it’s actually important to the main story or not until after it ends.
Chapters are divided into sometimes short, sometimes strangely long subchapters that are only sometimes related. This is usually my preferred format for nonfiction books but they are executed so horribly in this case. Often, the next subsection continues just after the first one ended and I’m left wondering why it was even separated in the first place.
We spend a weirdly large amount of time on random things that, from what I could tell, had nothing to do with the story or case itself. Why are we constantly bringing up the Iditarod as if it has some importance here? Why do I need to hear about the author’s one off case he took on that lasted two subchapters and seemingly does not relate to anything other than that the author wanted to brag about his involvement in another thing in the area at the time? Maybe this all comes together in the end in some huge, amazing way, but I can’t make myself read in far enough to get to that point.
The author’s narration feels very hostile and self righteous against everything. I don’t think that it’s appropriate for a book covering this story. Though the portion of the book that I read and what the description states makes it understandable that he is rightfully proud of what he was able to accomplish, it becomes distracting and ultimately takes away from the story.
I’m not going to make myself finish this one. I can’t stand the author’s voice, the descriptions of events, or the formatting of the book. It’s a shame because I am interested in the story itself, but I guess I just won’t get it from O’Donoghue’s mouth himself.
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