You Are Accused

by Raphael Rowe

What would you do if you were accused of something terrible?

What if it happened when you were vulnerable, in an unfamiliar country, or under a media spotlight?

How would your life and the lives of the people you love be affected?

You Are Accused is an urgent piece of investigative journalism by Raphael Rowe—himself falsely convicted for a murder he did not commit—exploring the frightening world of accusations in the modern world.

Join Raphael as he meets the people who have been through the transformative experience of accusation. Hear their stories first-hand and discover the impact that an accusation can have; on those accused, on their families, friends, and communities.

Through deep dives into headline cases such as the UK Post Office scandal, infamous cases including Amanda Knox, as well as social media, sexual allegations, and legal experts fighting for change, Raphael shines a light on cases from the UK, US and beyond.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction

8 pages, Audible Audio

Published August 10, 2023

Reviews

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this for the most part. I love true crime and anything that casts light on the judicial system. I'm surprised by the low ratings, this was fascinating.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Are Accused is a fascinating yet harrowing look at the long history of miscarriages of justice in the criminal justice system and the terrifying impact this can have on a person's life and the lives of their loved ones. I can't imagine it being easy to live with a black cloud of mistrust over one's head despite knowing you never perpetrated the crime you are often publicly being lambasted for. Looking at a multitude of cases, the author, who was himself incarcerated for years for a crime he did not commit and was later acquitted of, illustrates just how often the wrong person or people are accused of heinous crimes and the devastating impact it has on their ability to live any semblance of a normal life from that day forward. Rowe served time in prison for murder and aggravated robbery after his conviction at the Old Bailey in 1990 alongside two other individuals who were together dubbed the "M25 Three" by the press before justice was restored in arguably one of the worst miscarriages of justice the UK has ever seen, and what he went through is still, and always will, affect his way of life. We hear about how it affected his life then and now.

It looks at those from right across the spectrum: the most hard done by are those who were convicted of a crime they did not commit right through to those who were "merely" suspected of being the culprit - both of which disrupt life immeasurably and cause extreme hardship and adversity, and that's before we even mention those who committed suicide because they couldn't handle the snide remarks, public sniping and media bias that often occurs long before a case is settled in court. The media often act as judge, jury and executioner. Having studied for a law degree, this is an area that I find very interesting; in fact, it's enough to make you wish anonymity was a stipulation until or unless the accused is convicted of said crime. Too often these days people have an intense need to avenge a past incident and this certainly opens up the use of false accusations as a method of revenge to "get back" at someone for something with the main outcome being to besmirch their reputation. People's names should not be defiled without proof. A compelling, well-researched piece of investigative journalism from start to finish, replete with cases from around the globe both infamous and little-known, and a must-read for those with an interest in the criminal justice system.

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for true crime reader and anyone interested in tge judical system. This uses real life people and stories to talk about being accused wronglt and its impact on you and your family in different locations and how this ipact you further on. The dact that it is narrated by a man who has spent time in hail fir a crime he fidnt commit before being freed really brings it home all the stories feature the people concerned whoch made it a really compelling listen. It was hard listen in places. Sime chapters seems too long and others too short and then sadly it was over.
The fact that this exists sadly shows there is much the world needs to sort out. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it as a solid 4 star listen.
Thanks to net gallery and tge publisher for my arc.

[Julie Herringa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an intense and harrowing collection of stories. I enjoyed the format of multiple situation spanning from a range of charges, countries, and circumstances. I was most interested in this book because I immediately thought of Amanda Knox, and her story is included as I expected. However, I was not expecting such resiliency displayed in her life after the event or her candor regarding what she will tell her child regarding the situation.

As a law abiding citizen, I reevaluated how I feel when I hear of an accusation. I used to tend to assume there was at least some truth or evidence to accusations or arrests on charges like embezzlement, or murder. However, this was a compelling argument for prudence.

I enjoyed that this was specifically a book about accusation. Usual crime books focus on trails, convictions, and sentences. I found the concept of a deep-dive into the feelings and ramifications of accusation to be unique and compelling in a genre like true crime which is often unoriginal due to over saturation.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book!

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling Exploration of Wrongful Accusations - 4.5 Stars

"You Are Accused" by Raphael Rowe is an immersive audiobook that takes listeners into the lives of individuals who have faced the turmoil of false accusations. As a newcomer to the book's premise, I was intrigued by the prospect of delving into the aftermath of these unjust experiences.

Structured in an interview format reminiscent of a podcast, the audiobook establishes an engaging and personal rapport with its audience. While certain interviews suffer from minor sound quality issues, these concerns do little to dampen the overall impact of the content.

The audiobook artfully divides into succinct segments, each spotlighting individuals accused of offenses ranging from murder to fraud. These segments provide invaluable insights into the nature of the accusations, the legal outcomes, and the path to recovery. Expert interviews featuring professionals like detectives and lawyers are thoughtfully incorporated, offering a well-rounded perspective. This inclusion is especially significant given the author's own experience with wrongful accusations, ensuring a balanced representation of viewpoints and highlighting the inadequacies within the legal system.

The audiobook thoughtfully sheds light on lesser-known cases like Jo Hamilton's and the post office scandal, a narrative that personally resonated with me. The extent of their suffering over extended periods is nothing short of astonishing. Equally gripping are stories such as that of Jeff Harper, who endured imprisonment in China.

Listening to the audiobook left me eager to further explore these cases. Rowe's writing style, marked by clarity and precision, adeptly navigates intricate subjects while emphasizing the shortcomings within the UK's legal framework.

In essence, "You Are Accused" is a thought-provoking audiobook that immerses listeners in the lives of those wrongly accused. Its podcast-style presentation, while occasionally marred by sound hiccups, delivers an engaging experience. The comprehensive coverage of diverse cases is enriched by expert interviews that provide depth and insight. Despite minor sound concerns, this NetGalley audiobook stands as an enlightening endeavor. My heartfelt appreciation goes to NetGalley and the publisher, W.F. Howes Ltd, for granting access to this eye-opening audiobook.

[Liv Davies · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d say it was amazing how this guy managed to interview some high profile falsely accused cases when the audiobook reads like a GCSE essay.

Amanda Knox is so knowledgeable and yet she was constantly interrupted with these shallow interjections, and lacklustre observations which lacked any nuance or deeper research. Constantly linking back to Rowe’s own accusation, which if you’re interested in, he’s already written an entire book about before. The ‘investigation’ seems to never really penetrate below surface level. If given more time to discuss her case, and all of the expertise she’s gained since her trials, I think there could have been a lot more interesting points brought to light. Instead we just get to hear Rowe make a lot of statements and even guesses about the law, and facts. Did he not research this book at all?

I also was surprised at the choice to include someone who openly advocates for taking phones off rape victims, something that has been shown to lead to the discarding of legitimate rape cases by creating a character assassination. Was this the best choice to include?

Overall, all of the interesting points of this book were raised by people who were not Rowe. Maybe someone at some point in this process should have pointed this out to him.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books that explore injustice and "unfairness" in our society, particularly within the realm of the law. Raphael's own story is one of struggle to clear his name after being wrongfully accused. However, he takes a back seat in this book to share the stories of others who have shared his fate in order to amplify their voices and provide insight into how the system can break down across cultures and nations. Overall this book is informative and gripping, though with the multiple interviews and recorded perspectives it felt more like a podcast than an audiobook. I did feel a little taken out of the stories from time to time, as the author often interjects between segments of interviews to add additional commentary. However, more often than not, this commentary ends up being a summary of what we've just heard and doesn't add much -- it felt a little "hand-holdy." In general, I do enjoy this book and would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[Otis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Liked the concept, and I enjoyed the case studies and first hand experiences. Rowe is obviously passionate about this topic, and I feel gets solid interviews out of the people who talks to.

However, as much as I am a fan of Rowe, the biggest fan of Raphael Rowe, is Raphael Rowe. He talks way too much and inserts his perspective into literally every point the interviewees make. Sometimes it adds something, but more often than not, it doesn't.

The way he attempts to add to Knox's segment of the book is almost embarrassing, as she is exceptionally erudite and knowledgeable about the topic, and Rowe keeps interjecting with his 'its almost as if...' and 'it's kind of like...' ruminations.

The final chapter of the book falls very flat also. I understand the interviewee was quite emotionally vulnerable, but she didn't have much interesting to say and Rowe had to pull everything out of her to make the chapter remotely worth listening to. Her voice was also pretty irritating to listen to...but that's hardly the book's fault.

[Robert Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook explores how being falsely accused of something impacts the accused person and those connected to them. This audiobook is a series of interviews between the author and others. Examples include a woman who worked for the UK post office was accused of stealing 36,000£, a man who helped someone in China and was falsely accused, a woman who was invited to Iran by a university to talk about her research and was arrested and accused of espionage. The most famous case discussed was the one of Amanda Knox. The author also weaves in his own story as he was falsely accused, imprisoned, and ultimately released. Something that won’t leave my mind anytime soon is how many family members such as parents or siblings pass away before their name is cleared.

I have always been interested in true crime, but something that is worthy of exploration and sharing is false accusations and the consequences based on this. Our justice system isn’t perfect, but we need to make strides to make sure that innocent people aren’t charged and found guilty of crimes they didn’t commit.

[Eevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The collection of stories of false accusations contained in this book were very insightful on the ways the justice systems in different countries let down the people they are supposed to protect and how they emotionally impact those people. The focus is on the emotions these people felt and the effects these false accusations had on their lives rather than the minutiae of the accusations themselves. This gives the book a very human element which I strongly appreciated. Strongly recommend to anyone interested in true crime and wanting to know more about the failings of the justice system rather than only hearing its successes, which I feel gives a very rose-tinted look on how justice ends up working for the real people involved.

[India · Rating 3 out of 5]

For lovers of True Crime and those who have an interest in the Criminal Justice system I would highly suggest giving this a listen.

You Are Accused follows several different stories and it truly is fascinating to hear from those who have experienced this firsthand, learning how their lives have been deeply changed by what happened to them and about what these miscarriages of justice may do to their future.

It only makes it more compelling a read that Raphael Rowe has his own experience with false accusation/imprisonment.

[Tir · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the interviews were very interesting, on some the audio quality was just bad which made it had to understand. I'm not sure why this is an audiobook and not a podcast.
The information given about false confessions is basic on the verge of naive. The idea that false confessions don't lead to convictions if there are no supporting evidence misses completely the issue of evidence contamination (where the confession causes forensic bias, which in turn manufacturer evidence against the defendant).

[BallHer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great interviews here including the very famous Amanda Knox. The audiobook is very much a podcast so it was a bit hard to hear the guests. Also, the British accents were sometimes difficult to understand for my North American ears. Very important conversations, though. Very much in my area of interest.

[Anee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a tough listen. Of course all the accused gloss over a lot of their time in prison for good reason probably. Still made it difficult to listen to their stories about being accused and I appreciate getting to listen to not only the victims but the police/detectives perspective as well. I’m glad it wasn’t just all one sided.

[Rhiannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not earth shattering