Escape from Dannemora: Richard Matt, David Sweat, and the Great Adirondack Manhunt

by Michael Benson

It was one of the biggest crime stories of the decade-two deadly killers, desperate and on the run. After months of planning, Ricky Matt and David Sweat cut, chopped, coerced, and connived their way out of a maximum-security prison in the wilderness of upstate New York and managed to elude police for three weeks, sending the region into lockdown and keeping the entire country on edge. The media called it "a bold escape for the ages," and veteran true-crime writer Michael Benson leads us along the story's every wild path to dig out a tale of adventure, psychology, sex, and brutality.

Escape from Dannemora examines the strange case of Joyce Mitchell, the long-time prison employee who had a sexual relationship with at least one of the killers, and who smuggled them tools and aided in the escape, while they cooked up a plan to kill her husband. In the end, Benson looks closely at conditions at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, a crumbling Gothic pile now under investigation for charges of drug trafficking and brutality.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime

Audible Audio

Published December 18, 2018

Reviews

[Aishuu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the audiobook, and I spent more time laughing at the narrator than anything else - I live in the search area and know the area. Place names are HARD, and there were a lot of incorrect pronunciations and place names that didn't actual exist (not sure if this was in the original text). It's a pretty well told crime tale, but I found it factual questionable in more ways than one. I did learn some things I didn't know about the hunt, but I'm not sure if I trust it because of other errors I DID pick up.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meticulously researched, but written in a stilted, fact-filled style I didn't care for.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by James Kessel, this was local to me. Getting more in depth information of what took over my breakfast news fascinated me.

[Heather Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up in Dannemora, have a Dad that is a retired corrections officer and a brother that was working at the prison (not on shift during the escape). Growing up in Dannemora, we always felt safe and always assumed if there ever was an escape, they wouldn't stick around; they'd have a getaway car to get as far away as quickly as they could. While I no longer live there, I did travel home for my nephew's piano recital when the manhunt was still going on. It was surreal. Car inspections every few miles, hundreds of guards going into the woods and just the feeling of terror, of not knowing where they were, with a plan of what to do, should something happen. I learned things about the town and the prison that I didn't know. Most of the story of the escape was already known, from talk around town or from watching Escape at Dannemora. The book was well written, but each chapter was a bit long. I was glad to see that he wrote that it wasn't just the complacency that was to blame, but many different factors that made for a perfect storm. Sometimes it takes something like this to realize the shortcomings of all of the factors involved.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cogent telling of the story. Some editorializing, although not enough to make a strong point. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator mispronounced SUNY - abbreviation for State University of New York (SOON-Y) as “sunny”, which put me off as a native New York speaker, though I do not speak the upstate dialect. A few other pedantic points of New York speak (such as saying “in Long Island” instead of “on Long Island”), etc.

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read if you're in the mood for something: dark, reflective, tense, & slow-paced

Book Rating: 2.25 stars
The only thing I can say about this book is it was so slow and just drags. It was hard to keep engaged with it. Oh, and it's needlessly graphic about the crimes committed to get the men imprisoned and brutality by the guards.

Narrator Rating: 2.0 stars
He had such a boring voice! It was so easy to get distracted because he was toneless.


Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual Content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Mental illness, Excrement, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from my local library. I was interested in reading it b/c I spent the summer of 2015 in upstate NY, about an hour from where this took place. I actually had to drive through Dannemora one day, and I was a little nervous as these guys were still on the loose.

This book was just okay. There was some things in it that I didn't know about before. However, there was almost too much information. Some of the stuff didn't seem all that important, and I found myself skimming a lot of the pages. I just wanted the good stuff.

It gave insight into their background and how they became the men they were/are (one survived). Had I not been living up in the ADK's during this time, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the book as much as I did.

[Lazy Cornish Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a detailed expose into the escape plans of two prisoners Richard Matt and David Sweat which came to fruition in June 2015 when they made their escape from Clinton Correctional Facility, Dannemora in New York State.

The detail was excellent and the book was entirely gripping. The build up to the escape was fascinating. A book that read like an excellent work of fiction but was all true!

Hard to put down. The pics at the end were the cherry on the top. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I perhaps would have liked more analysis as there was lots of build up to the escape and about the actual escape but otherwise this book ticked all the boxes.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin Nudi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do have a couple criticisms - first and foremost, this author thinks that the Adirondacks starts in Albany and that the area has "more bears than people," which is grossly inaccurate. He also refers to Wayne Schimpf as Matt's stepbrother in one instance, and half brother in another. And he references "Up North" a lot - we moreso call it the North County? The poor editing and stereotypes about what NYC folks think of our region did make me question what I was reading, but the book does appear to be otherwise thoroughly researched. Certainly a fascinating topic. Just get Upstate a little more before you write about our region again, author from Brooklyn. 🙃

[BonnieL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a title that is fascinating and immediate for anyone who lived within reach of Matt and Sweat in either northern NY or eastern Ontario and Quebec. It's also a recounting of how complacency, disregard of penal regulations and outright stupidity contributed to their escape and the fear they inflicted on the North Country for days. The writer has a bad habit of regressing into tabloid writing and language and it detracts from the overall impact of the account.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a fascinating and well-researched book, the author looks at the events leading up to, the actual prison escape of felons Richard Matt and David Sweat as well as the results from this frightening event in New York's recent history. Accompanying photos show how much work went into this effort by these clever prisoners who managed to outwit those charged with guarding them on many levels. This was a fantastic look at this prison break in upstate New York.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of several accounts of the daring (though not brilliantly executed) escape from the Clinton Corrections Facility in upstate NY by two vicious but ill-matched inmates. The writing was not superpolished, but the reporting is serviceable, and the book satisfied my curiosity about the event, of which I was aware because we live over the state line in neighboring northern Vermont.

[Dustin Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite an interesting read, especially after watching the really well directed tv adaption ( I found it odd the changes that were made from the actual incident). My biggest issue with the book was the authors repetitiveness, however the details provided on the people involved and more so the history of the prison ( and prior escapes) were really fascinating. Worth the read.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book detailing the Upstate New York prison break that captivated the nation. Plenty of detail exploring the criminal history of the protagonists, Matt and Sweat, as well as the escape plan, manhunt and aftermath. Very engaging. I was put off a little with some typos in the text that pulled me out of the story. Definitely a solid read.

[Jjean · Rating 5 out of 5]

True crime - Historical thriller - the strange case of how 2 prisoners manage to escape - a 3 week manhunt, story of the decade - psychology, brutality, & how/why a female prison guard helped them- will keep you reading - well written.

[Kimberly Bearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escape and stupidity

If you want to know what really happened with the escape and how easy it could happen this is the book for you. I can't believe it hadn't happened before. They had it pretty easy in that prison!

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

sadly it wasn't as good as i wanted. it gave you a background on the three main people involved. once you got the background i was hoping for more detail about the actual breakout and hunt it seemed to me like they were just rehashing the news reports

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for any true crime fan or anyone who lives near Clinton Correctional Facility. This isn't like most true crime novels since it also includes a strong look at the prison system and its faults.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was married to a CO once so I heard a few stories but this one was the craziest. How smart was Sweat to have escaped from prison as he did? Unfortunately for him he did not prepare himself with what could go wrong.
Definitely worth reading.

[Wendy-Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was expecting a lot more from this book. Nothing new here that hasn't been released in the news.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fed my fascination with this prison escape and these people well.

[Jim Christman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you watched the showtime mini series-you’ll be obsessed with this book! Great read.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Mackenzie Cronin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I thought the story was excellent and the writing ok.