Life Without: The Wrongful Conviction of Sandy Shaw

by Sandy Shaw, Dan Gleason

In 1987, when Sandy heard the bark of the first pistol shot right next to her ear, she bolted and ran for her life. After ducking behind desert scrub brush in the dim glow of the moonlight, she spotted eighteen-year-old Troy Kell and his buddy Billy Merritt standing over the dead body of James Cotton Kelly. Though only fifteen, this was the fourth murder Shaw witnessed in two years.
Touted as the “Show & Tell Killer” by the media because a crooked prosecutor told the press and jury she took classmates to view the dead body, Sandy was immediately mutilated by the press. She was convicted and sentenced to two life terms without parole and became the youngest female ever incarcerated in an adult Nevada prison. Shaw endured twenty-one years in prison and fifteen more on “lifetime parole” for this wrongful conviction before being fully exonerated in June of 2022 by the Nevada Supreme Court. Yet, she lost her entire youth in the process-the best years of her life. She never went to Prom. Never got married. Never had kids. Her dreams were stripped away.
And she has never told her story. Now-being fully free-the time is right to tell it.
Life Without is a crisis-driven tale of violence and murder, tragedy, and injustice, and ultimately-triumph. This book is the almost unbelievable, yet true life story of a woman with extreme bad luck, a childhood ripped away, generations of dysfunction before and alongside her, who endured abuse of all kinds, and who still found her way to freedom and redemption.

Genres: True Crime

296 pages, Hardcover

Published October 16, 2025

Reviews

[Dea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandy Shaw has lived a thousand lives. Born to parents who loved her but not each other, her first few years of life were filled with alcoholism and domestic violence. Once her parents split, Sandy and her brother became trapped in an explosive custody battle that resulted in them being kidnapped (more than once).

Regardless of the early life instability, Sandy remained positive, social, and made friends wherever she went. In seventh grade, she made a best friend, Jessica, and started spending a lot of time with her. During an innocent sleepover at Jessica’s house, chaos erupted and led to multiple people in the house being murdered by Jessica’s stepfather. Sandy and Jessica narrowly escaped that tragedy, but Sandy was left with untreated PTSD that would haunt her for decades to come.

While the story could stop there, Sandy’s life continued to be riddled with unfortunate events, including being stalked, witnessing two more murders, and being accused and wrongfully convicted of murder by the time she was fifteen years old. She became the youngest female to ever be incarcerated as an adult in the state of Nevada and even went on to be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at just fifteen years old (!!). This memoir recounts her truly unbelievable life story and her relentless drive to clear her name and lead a meaningful, impactful life.

I highly recommend this for anyone seeking an engaging, fast-paced memoir that inspires perseverance, even when all the odds are stacked against you.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bloomsbury Academic, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Life Without: The Wrongful Conviction of Sandy Shaw by Sandy Shaw and Dan Gleason

Rating: 4.5/5

Life Without: The Wrongful Conviction of Sandy Shaw is a harrowing yet ultimately inspiring account of injustice, resilience, and redemption. Co-authored by Sandy Shaw and Dan Gleason, this book is more than just a true crime narrative—it’s a deeply personal journey through systemic failure, personal tragedy, and the unyielding fight for justice.

From the very first pages, I was struck by the sheer weight of Sandy’s story. The emotional toll of her wrongful conviction at just fifteen years old is almost incomprehensible. Dan Gleason’s writing captures Sandy’s voice with empathy and precision, ensuring that her experiences—both traumatic and triumphant—are conveyed with the gravity they deserve. The book doesn’t just recount events; it immerses the reader in Sandy’s world, making her suffering, her perseverance, and her eventual vindication feel intensely real.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its refusal to sensationalize Sandy’s ordeal. Instead, it presents the facts with clarity and emotional depth, allowing the reader to fully grasp the magnitude of the injustice she endured. The legal battles, the psychological toll of incarceration, and the small but crucial victories along the way are all rendered with a compelling balance of detail and narrative momentum.

That said, there were moments when the pacing felt uneven—some sections delved deeply into legal or procedural details that, while important, occasionally slowed the emotional impact. However, this is a minor critique in an otherwise gripping and meticulously researched account.

Summary Takeaways:
-A searing indictment of a broken system and a testament to one woman’s unbreakable spirit.
- Heart-wrenching, infuriating, and ultimately triumphant—Sandy Shaw’s story demands to be heard.
- Dan Gleason masterfully brings Sandy Shaw’s voice to life in this unforgettable true crime memoir.

As someone who reads a lot of true crime, I found Life Without to be one of the most emotionally affecting books in the genre. It’s not just about the crime or the trial—it’s about the human cost of injustice and the long, painful road to reclaiming one’s life. By the end, I was left with a mix of anger at the system that failed Sandy and admiration for her relentless pursuit of freedom.

Thank you to the publisher, Boomsbury Academic, and Edelweiss for providing me with a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Life Without is a powerful, necessary read that will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended for true crime enthusiasts and anyone interested in stories of resilience and justice.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my Lord, what a story. I have no idea why Sandy Shaw isn’t a bitter, twisted, seriously angry woman, but she seems a decent, well adjusted human being. And that’s a miracle given what she’s gone through. And what ‘the system’ put her through when she should have been protected.

Ms Shaw tells her story framed by a legal hearing. Her childhood was a farce of her father kidnapping her and her regularly changing schools and then she personally witnessed a horrendous murder. It’s easy to see how she had psychological issues. At 15 she was being stalked and harassed by an older acquaintance. Unable to get rid of him, she asks a school friend to frighten him away or beat him up. That decision leads to Ms Shaw being locked up for "Life Without".

From the several incompetent lawyers who didn’t do their jobs properly, to a corrupt prosecutor with a point to prove, and then a prison guard who hated her and kept writing her up for infractions, you have to keep reminding yourself that this is real.

I’ve no idea how innocent Sandy Shaw is overall, but I do know that she was badly treated and desperately unlucky. I’m glad her mother stood by her and helped her where she could. This is a heartbreaking story of a system that really needs redrafting. But given how little the current administration cares for ‘the rule of law’, that’s unlikely to happen any time soon.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Without was a great book, but an infuriating one at the same time. The gross miscarriage of justice from start to finish on Sandy's case is unforgivable. It absolutely blows my mind that she spent 21 years in prison given the circumstances of her case. She was failed by pretty much every single person that was involved. The fact that she never gave up and just kept trying again, despite the dirty moves pulled by the justice department, is inspiring. I can't imagine the mental fortitude it would take to not give up after everything she went through.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book was absolutely insane in that the miscarriage of justice for Sandy should never have happened. This was a fantastic first hand look at what happened to her and what can happen to others from start to finish. I appreciated her sharing how she navigated everything and I was really rooting for her. This was such an important book because it helps the average person become aware that these things happen way more than they should. When I finished the book I just wanted to give her an enormous hug.

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a book. I'm so impressed by this incredible woman. It's unbelievable what a difficult life she's had. She was so badly screwed over by the justice system and her life stolen away from her. I hope the rest of her life is as good as it possibly can be. This was a really really good & quick read that anyone interested in true crime should snatch up right away.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is begging to be a TV movie. Sandy Shaw’s reality was crazier than fiction and keeps your turning pages and in awe of her resilience. She endures injustice and endures regardless with strength of spirit. Life Without is a must read for all true-crime junkies!