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Chained Birds: A Crimemoir
🚀 This "Author's Cut" 3rd edition is a re-launch of the award-winning true crime memoir, now with 20+ new photos, sketches, and prison artwork, plus a sample of Carla's next true crime book.
🏆 June 2025 Finalist True Crime from National Indie Excellence Awards
🏆 May 2025 1st Place True Crime from Next Generation Indie Book Awards
🏆 May 2025 Winner True Crime from Indie Reader Discovery Awards
🏆 May 2025 Silver Medal True Crime from Independent Press Book Awards
🏆 April 2025 1st Place Nellie Bly Journalism from Chanticleer Intl’ Book Awards
🏆 Feb 2025 1st Place Debut Author from Feathered Quill Book Awards
After three years in Europe, former journalist Carla Conti just wanted to settle her family into the suburbs of Philadelphia. But her high school friend Scott Powell, a lawyer handling a brutal prison stabbing case, needed a favor. Before she knew it, Carla became part of the defense team and mired in the terrifying world of federal prison gangs, penal abuse, and corruption.
Then, when she agreed to write a tell-all book on the violent machinations behind the court case—with Scott’s client as an inside source—the stakes turned deadly. Two different prison gangs issued “hit orders” against the prisoner she and Scott now considered a friend, and the journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association.
CHAINED BIRDS: A CRIMEMOIR is the story of Carla’s 10-year journey to advocate for federal inmate Kevin Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. But the mission came at a cost as Carla struggled to balance her own, Scott’s, and Kevin’s safety while writing an exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
Part investigative thriller, part raw memoir, CHAINED BIRDS is a gripping exposé of systemic injustice and a powerful reminder of the resilience it takes to uncover the truth.
🏆 June 2025 Finalist True Crime from National Indie Excellence Awards
🏆 May 2025 1st Place True Crime from Next Generation Indie Book Awards
🏆 May 2025 Winner True Crime from Indie Reader Discovery Awards
🏆 May 2025 Silver Medal True Crime from Independent Press Book Awards
🏆 April 2025 1st Place Nellie Bly Journalism from Chanticleer Intl’ Book Awards
🏆 Feb 2025 1st Place Debut Author from Feathered Quill Book Awards
After three years in Europe, former journalist Carla Conti just wanted to settle her family into the suburbs of Philadelphia. But her high school friend Scott Powell, a lawyer handling a brutal prison stabbing case, needed a favor. Before she knew it, Carla became part of the defense team and mired in the terrifying world of federal prison gangs, penal abuse, and corruption.
Then, when she agreed to write a tell-all book on the violent machinations behind the court case—with Scott’s client as an inside source—the stakes turned deadly. Two different prison gangs issued “hit orders” against the prisoner she and Scott now considered a friend, and the journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association.
CHAINED BIRDS: A CRIMEMOIR is the story of Carla’s 10-year journey to advocate for federal inmate Kevin Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. But the mission came at a cost as Carla struggled to balance her own, Scott’s, and Kevin’s safety while writing an exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
Part investigative thriller, part raw memoir, CHAINED BIRDS is a gripping exposé of systemic injustice and a powerful reminder of the resilience it takes to uncover the truth.
508 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2024
33 people are currently reading
3479 people want to read
About the author
Carla Conti
1 book26 followersCarla Conti is a former journalist and author of the award-winning true crime memoir CHAINED BIRDS: A CRIMEMOIR, a prison abuse exposé about justice and survival in federal prison. It took her ten years to write as she balanced the safety of the story participants (including herself) in this tell-all thriller of prison gang hit orders and corrupt officials.
CHAINED BIRDS has won multiple 2025 indie book awards, including 1st Place in True Crime from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Winner in True Crime from the Indie Reader Discovery Awards, Silver in True Crime from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), and a 1st Place Nellie Bly Journalism award from the Chanticleer International Book Awards.
In the summer of 2025, Carla obtained the rights to her award-winning debut back and re-launched CHAINED BIRDS with new 20+ photos, sketches, and prison artwork.
She's working on her next true crime book, THE JACKLIGHTER: MURDER, SECRETS, AND THE HUNT FOR TRUTH IN SMALL-TOWN PENNSYLVANIA , scheduled for release in 2026. A preview of THE JACKLIGHTER is at the end of CHAINED BIRDS' new edition, and her newsletter subscribers can get this sneak peek for free by signing up on her blog at https://carlajeanconti.com.
You can also follow Carla on social media:
Instagram — https://instagram.com/carlajeanconti
X — https://x.com/carlajeanconti
Threads — https://threads.net/carlajeanconti
Facebook — https://facebook.com/carlajeanconti
Pinterest — https://pinterest.com/carlajeanconti
CHAINED BIRDS has won multiple 2025 indie book awards, including 1st Place in True Crime from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Winner in True Crime from the Indie Reader Discovery Awards, Silver in True Crime from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), and a 1st Place Nellie Bly Journalism award from the Chanticleer International Book Awards.
In the summer of 2025, Carla obtained the rights to her award-winning debut back and re-launched CHAINED BIRDS with new 20+ photos, sketches, and prison artwork.
She's working on her next true crime book, THE JACKLIGHTER: MURDER, SECRETS, AND THE HUNT FOR TRUTH IN SMALL-TOWN PENNSYLVANIA , scheduled for release in 2026. A preview of THE JACKLIGHTER is at the end of CHAINED BIRDS' new edition, and her newsletter subscribers can get this sneak peek for free by signing up on her blog at https://carlajeanconti.com.
You can also follow Carla on social media:
Instagram — https://instagram.com/carlajeanconti
X — https://x.com/carlajeanconti
Threads — https://threads.net/carlajeanconti
Facebook — https://facebook.com/carlajeanconti
Pinterest — https://pinterest.com/carlajeanconti
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 12, 2024
True crime has long been an interest of mine. From watching documentaries with my mum as a kid, to discovering a massive interest in serial killers in my teens, and then developing a wider interest in all areas of criminality as I've grown up, it's always been in me to find intrigue in the illegal. Hell, even my job is in criminal justice...so it all goes without saying that Chained Birds was undoubtedly going to scratch a scandalous itch.
Following the ten year advocation for Kevin Sanders, a federal inmate in America's prison system, Chained Birds exposes flaws, danger, and mistreatment on multiple levels. Horrific conditions are detailed, and the fight to help get Kevin back into society eventually culminates in the closure of an experimental program at FCI Lewisburg in Pennsylvania.
To read the full review check out my blog post: https://kayleighannaleise.blogspot.co...
Following the ten year advocation for Kevin Sanders, a federal inmate in America's prison system, Chained Birds exposes flaws, danger, and mistreatment on multiple levels. Horrific conditions are detailed, and the fight to help get Kevin back into society eventually culminates in the closure of an experimental program at FCI Lewisburg in Pennsylvania.
To read the full review check out my blog post: https://kayleighannaleise.blogspot.co...
October 21, 2024
An emotional, eye-popping and personal expose of the American prison system that begins with an orchestrated stabbing and ends with a realistic exploration of second chances.
Chained Birds begins on a snowy Pennsylvania day in 2011, as Lewisburg prison inmate Steven “Oakie” Tremblay throws a snowball at a correctional officer named Captain MacDonald. Tremblay is then placed in a rec cage with two other inmates, where he suffers approximately 40 stab wounds in 30 seconds before a correctional officer calls off the attack, saying Tremblay has “had enough.”
Subsequently, a civil suit is brought by Tremblay against the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), while one of Tremblay’s attackers – Kevin Sanders – is charged and offered a five-year plea deal. The author, journalist Carla Conti, is contacted by Sanders’ attorney to help edit a website in hopes of using it to help raise funds to hire an expert witness.
The result is the fascinating story of Conti’s decade-long role on Sanders’ legal team, in which she serves as a paralegal, researcher and writer. Written with a level of detail that would be the envy of any novelist, Chained Birds is the story of her mission to advocate for Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. Why advocate for one of Tremblay’s assailants? Conti’s depiction of Sanders, who grew up in an abusive home, is unflinching to the end, but is also quite sympathetic, viewing him as a product of his environment. Sanders’ gang affiliation, both before prison and while incarcerated, is seen as largely a matter of survival. Behind bars, he’s a highly observant artist who devotes ample time to painting. Most of all, due to a threat by prison officials, Conti believes he had no choice but to assault Tremblay – or face his own demise.
The stakes get even higher as Sanders discovers a plot to kill him. And when gang members steal his address book, he warns Conti that her own life may be in danger.
The first third of the memoir is largely devoted to fascinating backstory on the book’s notable characters, including inmates, attorneys and prison officials. For context, Conti expands the narrative in the latter-half of the book to include the Airbnb craze, the COVID era and her (often hilarious) attempts to cope with the Trumpocalypse, including ordering a Trump voodoo doll. Throughout the multiple eras noted in the book, the story proves to be an effective and emotional expose on the problems with the American justice system and the challenges of breaking free from a life of crime and incarceration. Highly recommended.
Chained Birds begins on a snowy Pennsylvania day in 2011, as Lewisburg prison inmate Steven “Oakie” Tremblay throws a snowball at a correctional officer named Captain MacDonald. Tremblay is then placed in a rec cage with two other inmates, where he suffers approximately 40 stab wounds in 30 seconds before a correctional officer calls off the attack, saying Tremblay has “had enough.”
Subsequently, a civil suit is brought by Tremblay against the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), while one of Tremblay’s attackers – Kevin Sanders – is charged and offered a five-year plea deal. The author, journalist Carla Conti, is contacted by Sanders’ attorney to help edit a website in hopes of using it to help raise funds to hire an expert witness.
The result is the fascinating story of Conti’s decade-long role on Sanders’ legal team, in which she serves as a paralegal, researcher and writer. Written with a level of detail that would be the envy of any novelist, Chained Birds is the story of her mission to advocate for Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. Why advocate for one of Tremblay’s assailants? Conti’s depiction of Sanders, who grew up in an abusive home, is unflinching to the end, but is also quite sympathetic, viewing him as a product of his environment. Sanders’ gang affiliation, both before prison and while incarcerated, is seen as largely a matter of survival. Behind bars, he’s a highly observant artist who devotes ample time to painting. Most of all, due to a threat by prison officials, Conti believes he had no choice but to assault Tremblay – or face his own demise.
The stakes get even higher as Sanders discovers a plot to kill him. And when gang members steal his address book, he warns Conti that her own life may be in danger.
The first third of the memoir is largely devoted to fascinating backstory on the book’s notable characters, including inmates, attorneys and prison officials. For context, Conti expands the narrative in the latter-half of the book to include the Airbnb craze, the COVID era and her (often hilarious) attempts to cope with the Trumpocalypse, including ordering a Trump voodoo doll. Throughout the multiple eras noted in the book, the story proves to be an effective and emotional expose on the problems with the American justice system and the challenges of breaking free from a life of crime and incarceration. Highly recommended.
September 26, 2025
Thank you to Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Crimemoir Audio, the author and NetGalley for an LRC in return for an honest review
I really appreciated that Carla Conti narrated her own audiobook - it was extremely well written and clearly delivered, which made the story even more engaging. As a result, I will definitely be seeking out her other books.
One of the aspects I valued most was how Conti showed the personal consequences of being involved in a high-stakes case like Kevin Sanders’. She doesn’t just recount the legal events; she gives important background information that contextualises her decade-long involvement, showing how the case impacted everyone on the defence team. This approach provides a much more personal and rounded account than a traditional true crime book.
I understand that some reviewers have criticised the inclusion of political elements in the narrative, finding them tangential or unnecessary. However, I felt these sections added depth to the story, illustrating the type of relationships Carla had with Scott and others involved in the case. To me, these insights were intrinsic to the plot rather than distracting.
I requested a DRC as soon as I had finished the audio so that I could see in detail the 20 new photos, sketches and Kevin’s prison artwork. I found Kevin to be a gifted artist - the bird sketch featured on the book cover is exemplary. Although Carla’s website provides access to much of this extra material - including prison videos referenced in the book - the illustrations online are of a lesser quality and smaller, so I would advise viewing them either in the printed or digital versions of the book.
Chained Birds has won numerous awards, and it’s easy to see why. It provides a fascinating insight into the US prison system, but what sets it apart is its focus not just on the prisoner, but on how the case affected those involved in Kevin’s defence over ten years. This perspective gives the reader a more intimate understanding of the emotional and practical challenges faced by people on the inside of such a complex legal and social situation.
In summary, this is an outstanding and compelling true crime memoir that combines meticulous reporting, personal reflection and a vivid depiction of the consequences of prison life - both for inmates and for those drawn into their worlds.
#ChainedBirds #NetGalley
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."
Oscar Wilde
I really appreciated that Carla Conti narrated her own audiobook - it was extremely well written and clearly delivered, which made the story even more engaging. As a result, I will definitely be seeking out her other books.
One of the aspects I valued most was how Conti showed the personal consequences of being involved in a high-stakes case like Kevin Sanders’. She doesn’t just recount the legal events; she gives important background information that contextualises her decade-long involvement, showing how the case impacted everyone on the defence team. This approach provides a much more personal and rounded account than a traditional true crime book.
I understand that some reviewers have criticised the inclusion of political elements in the narrative, finding them tangential or unnecessary. However, I felt these sections added depth to the story, illustrating the type of relationships Carla had with Scott and others involved in the case. To me, these insights were intrinsic to the plot rather than distracting.
I requested a DRC as soon as I had finished the audio so that I could see in detail the 20 new photos, sketches and Kevin’s prison artwork. I found Kevin to be a gifted artist - the bird sketch featured on the book cover is exemplary. Although Carla’s website provides access to much of this extra material - including prison videos referenced in the book - the illustrations online are of a lesser quality and smaller, so I would advise viewing them either in the printed or digital versions of the book.
Chained Birds has won numerous awards, and it’s easy to see why. It provides a fascinating insight into the US prison system, but what sets it apart is its focus not just on the prisoner, but on how the case affected those involved in Kevin’s defence over ten years. This perspective gives the reader a more intimate understanding of the emotional and practical challenges faced by people on the inside of such a complex legal and social situation.
In summary, this is an outstanding and compelling true crime memoir that combines meticulous reporting, personal reflection and a vivid depiction of the consequences of prison life - both for inmates and for those drawn into their worlds.
#ChainedBirds #NetGalley
October 3, 2025
Unlike my previous reviewed books, this is a complete different ball game. It is a dense writing, with careful meaning in every line.
In one way it has a connotation of Shakespeare, the way the lines and structural flow progresses reminds me of that time period, as well as the use of Crows and Ravens, very Macbethian.
Definitely worth a read particularly when awake and alert as it carries meaning not a light , casual read.
Thank you voracious readers for the advance copy
In one way it has a connotation of Shakespeare, the way the lines and structural flow progresses reminds me of that time period, as well as the use of Crows and Ravens, very Macbethian.
Definitely worth a read particularly when awake and alert as it carries meaning not a light , casual read.
Thank you voracious readers for the advance copy
September 25, 2025
Chained Birds: A Crimemoir is a five-star read: a powerful blend of true crime and Conti’s personal memoir. She pulls back the curtain on the corruption and abuse of power woven throughout the prison system, in this case the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons. The corruption runs deep: from officers to wardens, lawyers, and even judges. Paperwork disappears, evidence can’t be verified, and inmates are deliberately put in harm’s way “to teach them a lesson.” It’s disgusting, and I witnessed it firsthand at the prison where I worked.
Conti also shows how gang violence “rules the yard,” creating an entirely different set of laws and survival codes inside the walls. There’s the world we live by on the outside, and then there’s the brutal system inmates are forced to navigate on the inside: where breaking those rules can mean death. What’s worse, society and prison staff help create these toxic environments and then punish offenders for reacting to the abuse, manipulation, and illegal activity that surround them.
Through Kevin’s story, Conti lays bare how cases are mishandled and the uphill battles faced when fighting for justice. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to dive into her second novel, The Jacklighter.
Conti also shows how gang violence “rules the yard,” creating an entirely different set of laws and survival codes inside the walls. There’s the world we live by on the outside, and then there’s the brutal system inmates are forced to navigate on the inside: where breaking those rules can mean death. What’s worse, society and prison staff help create these toxic environments and then punish offenders for reacting to the abuse, manipulation, and illegal activity that surround them.
Through Kevin’s story, Conti lays bare how cases are mishandled and the uphill battles faced when fighting for justice. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to dive into her second novel, The Jacklighter.
November 9, 2024
This book had me gripped from the beginning. The way it was written made me feel like I was there experiencing everything with them.
I felt for all 3 of the main personnel in this book, Carla and Scott (particularly Carla), for having the tenacity to see the story through to the bitter end. I found myself, wholeheartedly, rooting for Kevin, willing him across the finish line.
If you look the True Crime genre this book is definitely for you. If you like Police Procedural novels this book is for you too!
All through the book I found that I had to keep reminding myself that it was a true story and not the work of novelist. Who would have thought that so much could happen to 3 people as a group and individually?
I hope Kevin has managed to see his story in print.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from the author, through Voracious Readers Only. Thank you
I felt for all 3 of the main personnel in this book, Carla and Scott (particularly Carla), for having the tenacity to see the story through to the bitter end. I found myself, wholeheartedly, rooting for Kevin, willing him across the finish line.
If you look the True Crime genre this book is definitely for you. If you like Police Procedural novels this book is for you too!
All through the book I found that I had to keep reminding myself that it was a true story and not the work of novelist. Who would have thought that so much could happen to 3 people as a group and individually?
I hope Kevin has managed to see his story in print.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from the author, through Voracious Readers Only. Thank you
February 10, 2025
I found Chained Birds hard to put down. Ms Conti keeps the reader on the edge of their seat while she unfolds the impossible situation(s) Kevin faced in Federal prison dealing with gang violence, drug addiction, solitary confinement and corrupt guards.
On top of all that, she lays out the complexity of what it takes to manage a defense case in court, which she assists in, dealing with many prejudices within our justice. system. (The judge really seemed to have had his mind made up from the get-go!)
And finally, she also incorporates situations and relationships and stresses from her own life that she had to navigate at the same time.
The reader can hear Ms Conti’s personal frustrations and joys and her caring commitment to Scott and Kevin throughout the narrative.
On top of all that, she lays out the complexity of what it takes to manage a defense case in court, which she assists in, dealing with many prejudices within our justice. system. (The judge really seemed to have had his mind made up from the get-go!)
And finally, she also incorporates situations and relationships and stresses from her own life that she had to navigate at the same time.
The reader can hear Ms Conti’s personal frustrations and joys and her caring commitment to Scott and Kevin throughout the narrative.
September 30, 2025
I am grateful to have received a free advanced reader copy of this book, and am leaving a review voluntarily. I absolutely loved this book. It offers so much more than just information about crimes and the legal obstacles and heartache of the justice system. In addition to that, there are numerous subplots that further expand upon the incredible value and insight the book offers. I do warn that the author shares very strong political perspectives in parts of the book. Therefore, if you are already exhausted by political topics, you may either choose to wait to read this book or simply skip those sections, as you can do so without missing any information from the other subplots. Nonetheless, this was an absolutely phenomenal and captivating read.
September 6, 2025
I received this book from Goodreads in return for a review.
This book follows the case of a prison inmate who was wrongfully accused of being a part of the murder of another inmate. The author is a writer who was working as a paralegal for her friend who was the court-appointed attorney for the prisoner. They also had another lawyer working the case pro-bono. About 80% of the way into the book, it becomes quite apparent that the prisoner is conning everyone, and probably does not deserve all of the help and goodwill that the author and her lawyer friend have been providing. Overall, this is a well written story, and a pretty fast read. It pretty much reinforces what I've learned over the years about recidivist criminals. The one negative aspect I would state is that the auther uses the book as a soapbox to rail against a certain jackass politician, and while I happen to agree with her regarding him and his cult of followers, I think that will turn off a large number of people. Of course, most of them don't read anyway, so maybe no loss. I understand that her lawyer friend is part of that cult, but I'm just saying.
This book follows the case of a prison inmate who was wrongfully accused of being a part of the murder of another inmate. The author is a writer who was working as a paralegal for her friend who was the court-appointed attorney for the prisoner. They also had another lawyer working the case pro-bono. About 80% of the way into the book, it becomes quite apparent that the prisoner is conning everyone, and probably does not deserve all of the help and goodwill that the author and her lawyer friend have been providing. Overall, this is a well written story, and a pretty fast read. It pretty much reinforces what I've learned over the years about recidivist criminals. The one negative aspect I would state is that the auther uses the book as a soapbox to rail against a certain jackass politician, and while I happen to agree with her regarding him and his cult of followers, I think that will turn off a large number of people. Of course, most of them don't read anyway, so maybe no loss. I understand that her lawyer friend is part of that cult, but I'm just saying.
January 16, 2026
I have read a fair share of true crime books but I have never read one quite like this. Conti was right in calling this a Crimemoir. It isn't just about her decade long fight to get Kevin Sanders free and safe from a failing and brutal system, it is also about her how her life was directly affected because of it. I was blown away by the entire story.
It all started with a thrown snowball in the rec yard of a prison and gathers speed from there. Talk about a snowball effect (sorry, I couldn't help it.)
Conti, while telling Kevin's story, pulls back the curtain on prison brutality, gang violence, corruption in the prison system, and injustice for those seen as lost causes. It is an eye opening and heartbreaking tale told in a very open, honest, and eloquent way.
As someone with a loved one who has struggled with a shitty hand dealt to them, who turned to drugs and crime, a lot of this story hit very hard. Kevin was a smart and talented man who deserved more and I'm glad Conti and Scott were there for him through so many struggles later on.
This book will sit with me for quite a while.
Thank you to the author and Booksirens for an advanced copy of this book.
It all started with a thrown snowball in the rec yard of a prison and gathers speed from there. Talk about a snowball effect (sorry, I couldn't help it.)
Conti, while telling Kevin's story, pulls back the curtain on prison brutality, gang violence, corruption in the prison system, and injustice for those seen as lost causes. It is an eye opening and heartbreaking tale told in a very open, honest, and eloquent way.
As someone with a loved one who has struggled with a shitty hand dealt to them, who turned to drugs and crime, a lot of this story hit very hard. Kevin was a smart and talented man who deserved more and I'm glad Conti and Scott were there for him through so many struggles later on.
This book will sit with me for quite a while.
Thank you to the author and Booksirens for an advanced copy of this book.
November 19, 2024
While I don’t usually read true crime, Carla certainly made this a great book to read! Filled with action, as well as answered to a great many questions. She has taken relatively unknown subject and then wets your appetite for answers! Well done and totally worth the time to read!
Thank you Carla!
Thank you Carla!
March 24, 2025
This is a great book. It paints a crazy picture of life behind bars. It tells the tale of corruption and prison gangs. It was really quite interesting. I did not like the ending. It felt very vague. I understand what the author was doing, but I still would like to have had some closure. Overall a great book!
September 19, 2025
This was a engrossing look at an inmate At Lewisburg FCI in Pennsylvania. The author tells inmate Kevin’s story as he attempts to adjust to the rules of the gangs inside the facility.
I kept having to remind myself that this is a true story. I love True Crime, and if you do, too this should be on your list.
Thank you to BookSirens for my copy. It was nice to receive and review it.
I kept having to remind myself that this is a true story. I love True Crime, and if you do, too this should be on your list.
Thank you to BookSirens for my copy. It was nice to receive and review it.
October 13, 2024
Chained Birds by Carla Conti, is a remarkable true crime book and is a gripping read that reads like a thriller but is a true crime Memoir. Conti, who is a journalist, does a Favour for her former friends Scott Powel a defense lawyer who is handling a case about a brutal prison stabbing of a federal inmate and the two men who are charged with the assault.
Conti becomes part of the trials defense team and finds she is now navigating the terrifying world of gangster, corruption, gang issued hits and abuse. Carla agrees to write a tell all book on these gangs and the court case. Conti fearlessly confronts civil rights lawsuits concerning prison conditions and inmates' treatment and it becomes a ten-year journey to Advocate for the federal inmate Kevin Sanders but at a cost for both Conti and Powel.
This is an immensely powerful book on gangs and the American prison system, and Conti recounts her life before during and after the case which changes people’s lifestyle forever. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Conti becomes part of the trials defense team and finds she is now navigating the terrifying world of gangster, corruption, gang issued hits and abuse. Carla agrees to write a tell all book on these gangs and the court case. Conti fearlessly confronts civil rights lawsuits concerning prison conditions and inmates' treatment and it becomes a ten-year journey to Advocate for the federal inmate Kevin Sanders but at a cost for both Conti and Powel.
This is an immensely powerful book on gangs and the American prison system, and Conti recounts her life before during and after the case which changes people’s lifestyle forever. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 5, 2025
A man in prison, ‘goes where he’s told to go. He gets up when he’s told to get up. He goes to bed when he’s told to go to bed. And in the Special Management Unit at Lewisburg, he doesn’t go anywhere without an escort and without handcuffs.”
A snowball thrown at a prison guard by an inmate one day, is literally the start of a story that caused a snowball effect. A seemingly small act that sparked a chain of events that escalated into a violent stabbing.
Carla Conti doesn’t just explore the environment of prisons and the complex web of gangs, guards, and inmates. She also brings herself into the narrative, documenting her involvement in helping her friend, lawyer Scott Powell, defend Kevin Sanders, the inmate accused of being one of those involved in the violent stabbing.
Through Carla Conti’s eyes, we witness the blurry lines between right and wrong inside the prison system. A place where some guards will play a game of life or death with the inmates, leaving the question which side of the cell door some of them should be on.
The book is a hybrid of memoir and true crime. I love when authors allow themselves to be a part of the story, it adds perspective, but here, the narrative on more than one occasion drifts off course, exploring sides that feel somewhat disconnected from the main focus of the story.
I was initially intrigued to read this book after listening about the case on an episode of the Santa True Crime podcast. Overall, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. It could have been stronger if it fully committed to either being a true crime narrative or a personal memoir. Still, it’s a fascinating window into the world most of us will never see, with moments that are genuinely thought provoking and unsettling.
A snowball thrown at a prison guard by an inmate one day, is literally the start of a story that caused a snowball effect. A seemingly small act that sparked a chain of events that escalated into a violent stabbing.
Carla Conti doesn’t just explore the environment of prisons and the complex web of gangs, guards, and inmates. She also brings herself into the narrative, documenting her involvement in helping her friend, lawyer Scott Powell, defend Kevin Sanders, the inmate accused of being one of those involved in the violent stabbing.
Through Carla Conti’s eyes, we witness the blurry lines between right and wrong inside the prison system. A place where some guards will play a game of life or death with the inmates, leaving the question which side of the cell door some of them should be on.
The book is a hybrid of memoir and true crime. I love when authors allow themselves to be a part of the story, it adds perspective, but here, the narrative on more than one occasion drifts off course, exploring sides that feel somewhat disconnected from the main focus of the story.
I was initially intrigued to read this book after listening about the case on an episode of the Santa True Crime podcast. Overall, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. It could have been stronger if it fully committed to either being a true crime narrative or a personal memoir. Still, it’s a fascinating window into the world most of us will never see, with moments that are genuinely thought provoking and unsettling.
November 12, 2024
This is a true crime book with a difference as we see the wider impact of the fight for a review of a case. The effects of the process of reviewing the case are alarming and impact everyone involved in ways I am sure they did not expect. There is so much information in this book - the case itself, the legal process and the terrifying reality of the penal system. Really, really interesting and the personal perspective makes it absolutely compelling.
November 8, 2025
A great story, had me hooked from the beginning. Always love a good true crime story.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.
October 12, 2024
A really good read, more like a novel. Very interesting account, I learnt a lot about America, it's prison and legal system. I empathised with the people described and hoped for the best result. Carla spent many years both gathering information and being involved herself, before publishing this book.
September 11, 2025
It all began with a snowball ...
Four individuals chained to each other .. each with their own chapters to tell.
It reads like the script for a Tarrentino movie... bloodshed, violence, crime, brutality yet the sadness is that this for some is their reality.
It gives an eye opening insight into a prison unit that fails it's prisoners and the only way the condemned can survive is to commit further crimes.
The main hub of the story, Kevin, is as much a victim as an offender but how much is truth and how much is his fiction?
Four individuals chained to each other .. each with their own chapters to tell.
It reads like the script for a Tarrentino movie... bloodshed, violence, crime, brutality yet the sadness is that this for some is their reality.
It gives an eye opening insight into a prison unit that fails it's prisoners and the only way the condemned can survive is to commit further crimes.
The main hub of the story, Kevin, is as much a victim as an offender but how much is truth and how much is his fiction?
January 24, 2025
This was an interesting, informative and touching story. Carla does an excellent job of describing the main character’s experiences, feelings, and the impact the prison system has on his life. His legal battles at times are hard to watch unfold. Sometimes seeming so senseless. His legal team always had his best interest in mind. The engaging characters throughout balance the story and keep the reader invested.
March 20, 2025
Carla Conti is a former crime reporter who is pulled into a federal criminal defense case by one of her friends from high school. Her friend, Scott, seems to be a bit over his head in handling this federal case. Up until this court appointment, Scott’s experience is mostly in defending clients in state court.
The inmate, Kevin Sanders, along with his cellmate, have been accused of each stabbing another inmate while locked in an outdoor recreation cage in 2011. Kevin tells Scott that, per the prison gang code of conduct, if he hadn’t joined in on the fight that his cellmate had initiated, then his cellmate would’ve then turned the shiv on Kevin. Scott agrees to help Kevin fight the assault charges, but realizes he’ll need help to argue his client’s version of events in court.
After Scott is denied court funds to hire an investigator or an expert witness, he enlists Carla’s help, suggesting to her that by assisting in Kevin’s defense, she could then turn the case into a true crime book.
The book is incredibly detailed and well-written, and I found the defense’s unique legal approach to fighting a serious assault case interesting to read about, especially since I’m a former criminal defense attorney myself. I also appreciated reading about all the institutional problems occurring within the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), especially as it pertained to the experimental Special Management Unit (SMU), which housed some of the most problematic and violent federal prisoners.
Carla’s reporting of the fraught conditions within the BOP and the prevalence of prison gangs throughout the federal system is undoubtedly well done. She also presents a realistic portrait of the difficulties criminal defense attorneys and their teams face in representing a client in federal court, especially if they are court-appointed to represent an indigent defendant.
And I’m all for defense attorneys and their team fighting vigorously for humane and just treatment of their clients. I, myself, went beyond the standard defense of my clients and did all I could to improve their quality of life, whether that was trying to get their ankle monitor temporarily removed so they could obtain a liver transplant when the time came, or fighting a disciplinary report they did not deserve, or trying to find them the appropriate supportive services upon their release from incarceration.
Scott, Carla, and later their colleague and co-counsel Jack Bear should be proud of how fiercely they advocated for and tried to protect their client and friend, even if some of their methods for raising funds for Kevin’s defense seem to have bordered on violating federal rules or ethical guidelines. It’s clear that they were doing everything they could think of to provide Kevin with the best defense possible.
The book follows Scott, Carla, Jack, and Kevin through pre-trial hearings, the trial and its fallout. It details how the defense team’s individual relationships with one another change over time and continues after Kevin is eventually released from prison.
Not to spoil the ending, but eventually, Carla begins to think more critically about everything that her client, now friend, has been telling her.
It sounds as if Carla ended up learning a hard lesson about how manipulative and/or deceitful some criminal clients can be. Many of my clients presented all their struggles in life as being somebody else’s fault. Several minimized their culpability when speaking to me, even though they’d already given a full confession to law enforcement before becoming my client. The vast majority of inmates are said to, at the very least, suffer from antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is
“a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to purposely make others angry or upset and manipulate or treat others harshly or with cruel indifference. They lack remorse or do not regret their behavior.
People with antisocial personality disorder often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. They have difficulty consistently meeting responsibilities related to family, work or school.”
I’m obviously not a medical professional, and I’ve never met Kevin, but from Carla’s account, it appears as if Kevin might have suffered from ASPD. If you’ve spent any significant amount of time defending alleged criminals or being part of their defense team, this wouldn’t surprise you a bit. Annoy, frustrate, disappoint you? Yes. But surprise? No.
This isn’t necessarily a criticism of Carla, but she admittedly was new to this experience when she accepted Scott’s request to join the defense team, and she had absolutely no prior experience or training as a private investigator. And I think her naivete to the realities of trying to help an individual who rarely (if ever) accepts responsibility for his own actions, who manipulates, exaggerates, has problems with drug and alcohol use, cannot seem to hold down a job, and acts out emotionally and/or violently shows when reading this memoir.
I’m sorry that Carla, Scott, and Jack had to go through these experiences while providing a vigorous, empathetic defense of Kevin Sanders. It sucks when a client lies to you. It’s hard to watch them act against their own best interests. But it’s sadly not a unique story.
As interesting as the book was, and as much as I appreciate the defense team’s efforts on Kevin’s behalf, I think the memoir is ultimately more about Carla’s personal journey becoming more knowledgeable about the federal criminal justice system and the behavioral issues of many an incarcerated individual than anything else.
Maybe if that was all the book was about, I’d like it better. But Carla also awkwardly tries to shoe-horn in facts about her life and friend circle while relaying the facts about Kevin’s case. She details her arguments with Scott over their political leanings, making it exceedingly clear what she thinks of Trump voters. She even boldly and proudly describes acts of vandalism and/or destruction of property she participated in against Trump supporters. She slips in details that makes it clear she has money, although it’s unclear why that’s relevant. And bizarrely, she makes the choice to reveal a mutual friend’s alcoholism, Scott’s money, employment, and relationship issues, and a dark childhood secret of Scott’s, allegedly with Scott’s tepid permission to do so. It comes off as deeply invasive and unnecessary to the story.
That being said, if you ignore these sections of the book, it’s an interesting and enjoyable read.
The inmate, Kevin Sanders, along with his cellmate, have been accused of each stabbing another inmate while locked in an outdoor recreation cage in 2011. Kevin tells Scott that, per the prison gang code of conduct, if he hadn’t joined in on the fight that his cellmate had initiated, then his cellmate would’ve then turned the shiv on Kevin. Scott agrees to help Kevin fight the assault charges, but realizes he’ll need help to argue his client’s version of events in court.
After Scott is denied court funds to hire an investigator or an expert witness, he enlists Carla’s help, suggesting to her that by assisting in Kevin’s defense, she could then turn the case into a true crime book.
The book is incredibly detailed and well-written, and I found the defense’s unique legal approach to fighting a serious assault case interesting to read about, especially since I’m a former criminal defense attorney myself. I also appreciated reading about all the institutional problems occurring within the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), especially as it pertained to the experimental Special Management Unit (SMU), which housed some of the most problematic and violent federal prisoners.
Carla’s reporting of the fraught conditions within the BOP and the prevalence of prison gangs throughout the federal system is undoubtedly well done. She also presents a realistic portrait of the difficulties criminal defense attorneys and their teams face in representing a client in federal court, especially if they are court-appointed to represent an indigent defendant.
And I’m all for defense attorneys and their team fighting vigorously for humane and just treatment of their clients. I, myself, went beyond the standard defense of my clients and did all I could to improve their quality of life, whether that was trying to get their ankle monitor temporarily removed so they could obtain a liver transplant when the time came, or fighting a disciplinary report they did not deserve, or trying to find them the appropriate supportive services upon their release from incarceration.
Scott, Carla, and later their colleague and co-counsel Jack Bear should be proud of how fiercely they advocated for and tried to protect their client and friend, even if some of their methods for raising funds for Kevin’s defense seem to have bordered on violating federal rules or ethical guidelines. It’s clear that they were doing everything they could think of to provide Kevin with the best defense possible.
The book follows Scott, Carla, Jack, and Kevin through pre-trial hearings, the trial and its fallout. It details how the defense team’s individual relationships with one another change over time and continues after Kevin is eventually released from prison.
Not to spoil the ending, but eventually, Carla begins to think more critically about everything that her client, now friend, has been telling her.
It sounds as if Carla ended up learning a hard lesson about how manipulative and/or deceitful some criminal clients can be. Many of my clients presented all their struggles in life as being somebody else’s fault. Several minimized their culpability when speaking to me, even though they’d already given a full confession to law enforcement before becoming my client. The vast majority of inmates are said to, at the very least, suffer from antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is
“a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to purposely make others angry or upset and manipulate or treat others harshly or with cruel indifference. They lack remorse or do not regret their behavior.
People with antisocial personality disorder often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. They have difficulty consistently meeting responsibilities related to family, work or school.”
I’m obviously not a medical professional, and I’ve never met Kevin, but from Carla’s account, it appears as if Kevin might have suffered from ASPD. If you’ve spent any significant amount of time defending alleged criminals or being part of their defense team, this wouldn’t surprise you a bit. Annoy, frustrate, disappoint you? Yes. But surprise? No.
This isn’t necessarily a criticism of Carla, but she admittedly was new to this experience when she accepted Scott’s request to join the defense team, and she had absolutely no prior experience or training as a private investigator. And I think her naivete to the realities of trying to help an individual who rarely (if ever) accepts responsibility for his own actions, who manipulates, exaggerates, has problems with drug and alcohol use, cannot seem to hold down a job, and acts out emotionally and/or violently shows when reading this memoir.
I’m sorry that Carla, Scott, and Jack had to go through these experiences while providing a vigorous, empathetic defense of Kevin Sanders. It sucks when a client lies to you. It’s hard to watch them act against their own best interests. But it’s sadly not a unique story.
As interesting as the book was, and as much as I appreciate the defense team’s efforts on Kevin’s behalf, I think the memoir is ultimately more about Carla’s personal journey becoming more knowledgeable about the federal criminal justice system and the behavioral issues of many an incarcerated individual than anything else.
Maybe if that was all the book was about, I’d like it better. But Carla also awkwardly tries to shoe-horn in facts about her life and friend circle while relaying the facts about Kevin’s case. She details her arguments with Scott over their political leanings, making it exceedingly clear what she thinks of Trump voters. She even boldly and proudly describes acts of vandalism and/or destruction of property she participated in against Trump supporters. She slips in details that makes it clear she has money, although it’s unclear why that’s relevant. And bizarrely, she makes the choice to reveal a mutual friend’s alcoholism, Scott’s money, employment, and relationship issues, and a dark childhood secret of Scott’s, allegedly with Scott’s tepid permission to do so. It comes off as deeply invasive and unnecessary to the story.
That being said, if you ignore these sections of the book, it’s an interesting and enjoyable read.
October 6, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for sending me this book. Lewisburg prison created a program that would take a few years. If the inmates competed the program they could spend the rest of their sentence in lower security. However this program was flawed from the start. It was understaffed and rival gangs had too many interactions with each other and there was a lot of assaults and deaths. Kevin Sanders was in a cage with another inmate that was part of an Aryan gang and another inmates was put into their cage. Kevin told the CO not to do it but the did anyway. The other inmate attacked the other on and Kevin gets involved but doesn’t have a weapon. The assaulted prisoner lives but Kevin is accused of also assaulting the guy. This lead to several years of legal battles. His lawyer, Scott was the authors good friend and who got her involved. Over the years, her and Kevin bike a good relationship until he is released and it is obvious he was falling back into old patterns.
This book had so much potential of the author would have just stuck with the story. Only 50% of the book is about Kevin Sanders and the other half of the book is her political rants and airing out her closest friend’s business. How she treated one of her friends really rubbed me the wrong way. Adding this stuff to the story made the story not flow and caused a lot of disconnect. The crime/memior part is fantastic but the other stuff just didn’t belong in this story.
This book had so much potential of the author would have just stuck with the story. Only 50% of the book is about Kevin Sanders and the other half of the book is her political rants and airing out her closest friend’s business. How she treated one of her friends really rubbed me the wrong way. Adding this stuff to the story made the story not flow and caused a lot of disconnect. The crime/memior part is fantastic but the other stuff just didn’t belong in this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2026
As a former assistant Public Defender, I looked forward to reading this book. It advertised itself as Conti's involvement in a case regarding an inmate wo was charged with a prison yard assault at the Federal Penitentiary in Lewisburg. It was described as having additional focuses on issues on the safety/security of federal prisons and the mental health impact of mass incarceration. The first 40 chapters primarily focused on these issues. And then, the next 10 chapters, complete hatred and immaturity.
The first example was how Conti details she stole Trump bumper stickers and signs from her neighbors' cars and front yards. As a person who watched a friend saddened by his Biden signs being removed, I remain shocked that an accomplished author would write about doing the same to people expressing their first amendment right of free speech.
Secondly, Conti describes how in 2020, she took steps to ruin her lifelong friendship because he friend attended the rally at the National Monument on January 6. He was not a participant to storm the Capitol. Instead, he was there under his First Amendment right to peacefully assemble. At the same time, Conti praises her mom for attending George Floyd protests. You can't praise one and insult the other.
Thirdly, Conti spends multiple chapters calling the elected president of the United States, "Orange Man". Regardless of political leaning, this writing does more damage than Scott attending a protest. She undermines the elected president (like Scott did), and continues to undermine the importance of the role of the President.
Lastly, the immature Conti stopped befriending her own brother because he wouldn't wear a mask, but then criticized her friend, Scott, for not attending a funeral due to mask requirements/restrictions. Overall, the last 10 chapters seemed like a more fictionalized attempt to spread Conti's political leanings.
The only reason I read those remaining chapters was to see what happened to Kevin. By the way, Conti just mentions in passing that Kevin became a meth addict and she hadn't talked to him in 2+ years. As a "true crime" writer, I am certain Conti could have found tools to ultimately find out the status of Kevin and whether he could be saved. Conti, claims she wants prison reform (ultimately meaning we want minimal prison sentences, so inmates do not become institutionalized and therefore unable to become productive members of society), but then completely writes off a drug addicted friend. Sad!
By the way, Conti's husband sounds like a good man, who attempts to reason with her (mainly unsuccessfully because she is blinded by pollical hatred and bias).
I was debating about giving this 1 star, but I appreciated Conti's attempts at highlighting the affects of prison on individual's mental health and the need for prison reform.
The first example was how Conti details she stole Trump bumper stickers and signs from her neighbors' cars and front yards. As a person who watched a friend saddened by his Biden signs being removed, I remain shocked that an accomplished author would write about doing the same to people expressing their first amendment right of free speech.
Secondly, Conti describes how in 2020, she took steps to ruin her lifelong friendship because he friend attended the rally at the National Monument on January 6. He was not a participant to storm the Capitol. Instead, he was there under his First Amendment right to peacefully assemble. At the same time, Conti praises her mom for attending George Floyd protests. You can't praise one and insult the other.
Thirdly, Conti spends multiple chapters calling the elected president of the United States, "Orange Man". Regardless of political leaning, this writing does more damage than Scott attending a protest. She undermines the elected president (like Scott did), and continues to undermine the importance of the role of the President.
Lastly, the immature Conti stopped befriending her own brother because he wouldn't wear a mask, but then criticized her friend, Scott, for not attending a funeral due to mask requirements/restrictions. Overall, the last 10 chapters seemed like a more fictionalized attempt to spread Conti's political leanings.
The only reason I read those remaining chapters was to see what happened to Kevin. By the way, Conti just mentions in passing that Kevin became a meth addict and she hadn't talked to him in 2+ years. As a "true crime" writer, I am certain Conti could have found tools to ultimately find out the status of Kevin and whether he could be saved. Conti, claims she wants prison reform (ultimately meaning we want minimal prison sentences, so inmates do not become institutionalized and therefore unable to become productive members of society), but then completely writes off a drug addicted friend. Sad!
By the way, Conti's husband sounds like a good man, who attempts to reason with her (mainly unsuccessfully because she is blinded by pollical hatred and bias).
I was debating about giving this 1 star, but I appreciated Conti's attempts at highlighting the affects of prison on individual's mental health and the need for prison reform.
November 28, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
Carla Conti’s Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir is a harrowing and deeply personal account that delves into the dark underbelly of the American prison system. This memoir is a powerful narrative that exposes the systemic failures and human cost of incarceration.
The memoir begins with Carla Conti, a former journalist, returning to the United States after three years in Europe, only to be drawn into a high-stakes legal battle by her high school friend, Scott Powell. Scott, a lawyer, is defending Kevin Sanders, a federal inmate involved in a brutal prison stabbing. As Carla agrees to write a tell-all book about the case, she finds herself entangled in the dangerous world of prison gangs, corruption, and penal abuse.
Conti’s portrayal of the people involved is both empathetic and unflinching. Kevin Sanders emerges as a complex figure, a man shaped by his harsh environment but also capable of redemption. Scott Powell is depicted as a dedicated lawyer willing to risk everything for his client. Carla herself is a compelling narrator, balancing her professional detachment with personal investment in the case.
Conti’s writing is gripping and evocative. She skillfully blends journalistic precision with a narrative style that reads like a thriller. Her vivid descriptions of the prison environment and the people within it bring the story to life, making the reader feel the tension and urgency of the situation.
Chained Birds tackles several important themes, including justice, redemption, and the impact of systemic corruption. Conti’s exploration of the American prison system is both critical and compassionate, shedding light on the often invisible victims of penal abuse.
Overall, Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir is a powerful and thought-provoking read. Carla Conti has crafted a memoir that is a gripping true crime story and a poignant critique of the prison system. Her ability to weave her personal narrative with broader social commentary makes this book a standout in the true crime genre.
For readers interested in true crime, social justice, or memoirs, Chained Birds is a must-read.
Carla Conti’s Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir is a harrowing and deeply personal account that delves into the dark underbelly of the American prison system. This memoir is a powerful narrative that exposes the systemic failures and human cost of incarceration.
The memoir begins with Carla Conti, a former journalist, returning to the United States after three years in Europe, only to be drawn into a high-stakes legal battle by her high school friend, Scott Powell. Scott, a lawyer, is defending Kevin Sanders, a federal inmate involved in a brutal prison stabbing. As Carla agrees to write a tell-all book about the case, she finds herself entangled in the dangerous world of prison gangs, corruption, and penal abuse.
Conti’s portrayal of the people involved is both empathetic and unflinching. Kevin Sanders emerges as a complex figure, a man shaped by his harsh environment but also capable of redemption. Scott Powell is depicted as a dedicated lawyer willing to risk everything for his client. Carla herself is a compelling narrator, balancing her professional detachment with personal investment in the case.
Conti’s writing is gripping and evocative. She skillfully blends journalistic precision with a narrative style that reads like a thriller. Her vivid descriptions of the prison environment and the people within it bring the story to life, making the reader feel the tension and urgency of the situation.
Chained Birds tackles several important themes, including justice, redemption, and the impact of systemic corruption. Conti’s exploration of the American prison system is both critical and compassionate, shedding light on the often invisible victims of penal abuse.
Overall, Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir is a powerful and thought-provoking read. Carla Conti has crafted a memoir that is a gripping true crime story and a poignant critique of the prison system. Her ability to weave her personal narrative with broader social commentary makes this book a standout in the true crime genre.
For readers interested in true crime, social justice, or memoirs, Chained Birds is a must-read.
November 17, 2025
Chained Birds is the story of a young Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate, Kevin. After being involved in an assault at the Federal Penitentiary at Lewisburg, Kevin's case is picked up by an idealistic attorney, Scott. Scott then brings the author, Carla, on board as a website developer. They advocate for Kevin for around a decade.
The story is well told, if a bit fanciful.
Why do I say that? Well, I'm going to come at this a bit different than most of the other reviewers. I had the honor of working for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for over 20 years. Started as a Correctional Officer and retired in a management position. I see this story through a different set of eyes than most people. I saw a lot. A lot of violence, a lot of sadness, a lot of ruined people. But of all of that, the saddest thing I observed was the manipulation of members of the public by inmates. Not all of the inmates, but there definitely was a subset of truly manipulative ones. Inmates who would lie, cheat, and steal to get their way. Inmates who would manipulate family members into sending them money, introduce drugs, or believe that the inmate was being abused. Also staff and outside lawyers who would find themselves falling into the story, who in the end were burned by the inmate and found their own lives ruined. I observed so many women fall for an inmate, believing that they were going to build a future together, and then end up financially broke, morally broke, and sometimes criminally charged. It's like I first learned in my career, I'm only in the prison for 8 hours a day, while the inmates are there 24/7, and have all the time in the world to come up with ways to "beat" me. And I'm afraid that this is the situation poor old Kevin put Scott and Carla in. And which I completely believe they discovered too late.
According to Kevin, he was a victim of his upbringing. Which may be. But it was his decisions that kept making his situation worse. A course that he could not face, but had to rely on playing the victim. Nothing was ever his fault. He was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the authorities always had it out for him.
Prison life is no joke. It's a dehumanizing, violent, yet extremely boring existence. Best described as 99% boredom, followed by 1% total bedlam.
If Kevin was involved with the Aryan Brotherhood, he was no simple misunderstood inmate. The AB are not folks to fool around with. To become one of them is not like registering for a cooking class at your local community college. They are unabashed killers who have no time for society's rules. If that was Kevin, then he was much more dangerous than his outside team realized.
Finally, I must take issue with the general belief amongst the other reviewers that the BOP is a corrupt organization. I have known more than my share of dirty staff, people who should never have been employed by the BOP. They are out there, and they eventually get caught. But it is a minority of staff! Most of us were ordinary folk who believed in the mission, to keep the public safe. And to keep each other safe. I believe the overall goal of every BOP employee is to make it home safe to their family, and to end up their shift with the same number of inmates that they started with. They do not have the time to mess with the inmates, to abuse them, or to cheat them. They just want to go home to their families and provide a roof over their heads. "It's all part of 20" was another famous saying amongst the employees. Meaning, we will put up with a lot of crap from inmates and staff, as long as it doesn't interfere with our retirement. In my experience, if employees witnessed another staff doing something wrong, then they would (hopefully) bring it up privately to the offending employee, and tell them to knock it off before someone gets hurt. If that didn't work, group pressure could be brought to bear. And if that didn't work, or if it was something truly illegal and dangerous, NO ONE would risk their pension, and own security to coverup the misdeed. Many times in my career, I watched employees walked out of the institution by Lieutenants, Captains, or the FBI.
All in all, this was an interesting book. It did document some of the crazy stuff that goes on behind the wall. I hope that anyone reading it will think twice before becoming one of the "residents".
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
The story is well told, if a bit fanciful.
Why do I say that? Well, I'm going to come at this a bit different than most of the other reviewers. I had the honor of working for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for over 20 years. Started as a Correctional Officer and retired in a management position. I see this story through a different set of eyes than most people. I saw a lot. A lot of violence, a lot of sadness, a lot of ruined people. But of all of that, the saddest thing I observed was the manipulation of members of the public by inmates. Not all of the inmates, but there definitely was a subset of truly manipulative ones. Inmates who would lie, cheat, and steal to get their way. Inmates who would manipulate family members into sending them money, introduce drugs, or believe that the inmate was being abused. Also staff and outside lawyers who would find themselves falling into the story, who in the end were burned by the inmate and found their own lives ruined. I observed so many women fall for an inmate, believing that they were going to build a future together, and then end up financially broke, morally broke, and sometimes criminally charged. It's like I first learned in my career, I'm only in the prison for 8 hours a day, while the inmates are there 24/7, and have all the time in the world to come up with ways to "beat" me. And I'm afraid that this is the situation poor old Kevin put Scott and Carla in. And which I completely believe they discovered too late.
According to Kevin, he was a victim of his upbringing. Which may be. But it was his decisions that kept making his situation worse. A course that he could not face, but had to rely on playing the victim. Nothing was ever his fault. He was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the authorities always had it out for him.
Prison life is no joke. It's a dehumanizing, violent, yet extremely boring existence. Best described as 99% boredom, followed by 1% total bedlam.
If Kevin was involved with the Aryan Brotherhood, he was no simple misunderstood inmate. The AB are not folks to fool around with. To become one of them is not like registering for a cooking class at your local community college. They are unabashed killers who have no time for society's rules. If that was Kevin, then he was much more dangerous than his outside team realized.
Finally, I must take issue with the general belief amongst the other reviewers that the BOP is a corrupt organization. I have known more than my share of dirty staff, people who should never have been employed by the BOP. They are out there, and they eventually get caught. But it is a minority of staff! Most of us were ordinary folk who believed in the mission, to keep the public safe. And to keep each other safe. I believe the overall goal of every BOP employee is to make it home safe to their family, and to end up their shift with the same number of inmates that they started with. They do not have the time to mess with the inmates, to abuse them, or to cheat them. They just want to go home to their families and provide a roof over their heads. "It's all part of 20" was another famous saying amongst the employees. Meaning, we will put up with a lot of crap from inmates and staff, as long as it doesn't interfere with our retirement. In my experience, if employees witnessed another staff doing something wrong, then they would (hopefully) bring it up privately to the offending employee, and tell them to knock it off before someone gets hurt. If that didn't work, group pressure could be brought to bear. And if that didn't work, or if it was something truly illegal and dangerous, NO ONE would risk their pension, and own security to coverup the misdeed. Many times in my career, I watched employees walked out of the institution by Lieutenants, Captains, or the FBI.
All in all, this was an interesting book. It did document some of the crazy stuff that goes on behind the wall. I hope that anyone reading it will think twice before becoming one of the "residents".
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
November 11, 2025
I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 10 years in the making, Chained Birds tells the true crime story of Kevin Sanders and his struggles while incarcerated in the US prison system, and with addiction upon his release. While a scathing review of the said prison system, the book also delves into the relationship between Kevin, his defense attorney Scott, and Carla (the author), who was initially brought in to the fold by Scott to build a website to raise funds to pay for an expert at Kevin's trial. The book is narrated professionally by the author herself, which lends a personal touch.
While I am not new to the issues facing the American prison system (i.e., abuse of prisoners, violence among inmates, etc.), Chained Birds lays them out in a digestible and informative fashion. As a lawyer, I am also not new to the legal system, but I found the struggles Scott (and later a second lawyer, Jack) faced to give Kevin his due defense frustrating, to say the least.
The book is part true crime and part autobiography. We not only learn about Kevin's life/struggles, but also how they affect the author, as, throughout the long process of writing this book (in which years dragged on, during which she didn't even know she wanted to write it), she had become chained to Kevin. Because of this, we also learn about the author's political views (as a raging liberal, you can imagine how "the orange man's" (her words) presidency took a mental toll).
While I tend to lean toward liberal views myself, I wondered what place, if any, this discussion had in a true crime novel. Unless it was to showcase how her relationship became strained with Scott during this time (he was a raging anti-vaxing republican who believed that Trump's re-election campaign was "stolen"). Nevertheless, I found this section of the book interesting as well.
All in all, Chained Birds is a well-written, interesting read, and I would highly recommend it.
While I am not new to the issues facing the American prison system (i.e., abuse of prisoners, violence among inmates, etc.), Chained Birds lays them out in a digestible and informative fashion. As a lawyer, I am also not new to the legal system, but I found the struggles Scott (and later a second lawyer, Jack) faced to give Kevin his due defense frustrating, to say the least.
The book is part true crime and part autobiography. We not only learn about Kevin's life/struggles, but also how they affect the author, as, throughout the long process of writing this book (in which years dragged on, during which she didn't even know she wanted to write it), she had become chained to Kevin. Because of this, we also learn about the author's political views (as a raging liberal, you can imagine how "the orange man's" (her words) presidency took a mental toll).
While I tend to lean toward liberal views myself, I wondered what place, if any, this discussion had in a true crime novel. Unless it was to showcase how her relationship became strained with Scott during this time (he was a raging anti-vaxing republican who believed that Trump's re-election campaign was "stolen"). Nevertheless, I found this section of the book interesting as well.
All in all, Chained Birds is a well-written, interesting read, and I would highly recommend it.
September 22, 2025
Part true crime, part memoir. This story follows the unlikely friendship that blossoms between a convict, a liberal journalist, and a conservative lawyer.
I really liked how this story highlighted some of the darker elements of prison. Like how prisoners are mistreated, corrupt officials abuse their powers, gang violence vs gang necessity, and how vulnerable prisoners are on a daily basis.
A lot of the book follows Carla as she navigates life, her friendships, and her struggles with whether or not to write this book.
Overall, the story is very impactful and an important perspective to get.
My only complaint is that the description feels misleading. Maybe I misinterpreted it, but it felt like they highlighted the "grab your attention" points rather than the actual highlights of the story. It states that Carlas and the lawyers' lives were in danger from the gangs, but that never really happens. Obviously, the concern is valid, and I understand where they are coming from, but nothing ever came of that concern(at least in the book), and so it felt like the wrong point to focus on.
Quote: "The journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association."
Another misleading quote: "...while writing an exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewiburg, Pennsylvania."
She says, at the end of the book, how other journalists wrote about events at the prison that lead to the ending of the SMU program, and her story was meant to aid in the validation of those other stories.
Again, this is an incredibly important story to tell. I just feel like the wording was wrong, as I read it as CARLA was the journalist who aided in shutting it down. Perhaps this is me misinterpreting it, but I also don't think it's too unfair to ask for an honest description.
I really liked how this story highlighted some of the darker elements of prison. Like how prisoners are mistreated, corrupt officials abuse their powers, gang violence vs gang necessity, and how vulnerable prisoners are on a daily basis.
A lot of the book follows Carla as she navigates life, her friendships, and her struggles with whether or not to write this book.
Overall, the story is very impactful and an important perspective to get.
My only complaint is that the description feels misleading. Maybe I misinterpreted it, but it felt like they highlighted the "grab your attention" points rather than the actual highlights of the story. It states that Carlas and the lawyers' lives were in danger from the gangs, but that never really happens. Obviously, the concern is valid, and I understand where they are coming from, but nothing ever came of that concern(at least in the book), and so it felt like the wrong point to focus on.
Quote: "The journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association."
Another misleading quote: "...while writing an exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewiburg, Pennsylvania."
She says, at the end of the book, how other journalists wrote about events at the prison that lead to the ending of the SMU program, and her story was meant to aid in the validation of those other stories.
Again, this is an incredibly important story to tell. I just feel like the wording was wrong, as I read it as CARLA was the journalist who aided in shutting it down. Perhaps this is me misinterpreting it, but I also don't think it's too unfair to ask for an honest description.
November 3, 2024
This is a hard review to write. Every time I read a book, I wonder who the author wrote the book for.
This book, I have no clue who this book was written for. It wasn't really a true crime book. It wasn't totally a memoir.
I was drawn to it because you really don't hear too much about post conviction crimes and how they are handled.
I knew about the different ways in which the gangs control the prison. It was still interesting to read about.
However, after Kevin was convicted there was still over 40% left of the book. The author then filled it with rants against Trump.
This is where the book goes completely sideways. She goes on about her high school friends, things that Trump says, and visiting her mom in The Villages.
The next part with Kevin is when he scammed the author out of money for drugs.
The book is well written, but not cohesive. I was left wondering what was the entire book for? Was it just for the author's ego? I am not sure.
I can't recommend this book for true crime, nor can I recommend this book for a memoir.
I just don't know how to classify this book.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
This book, I have no clue who this book was written for. It wasn't really a true crime book. It wasn't totally a memoir.
I was drawn to it because you really don't hear too much about post conviction crimes and how they are handled.
I knew about the different ways in which the gangs control the prison. It was still interesting to read about.
However, after Kevin was convicted there was still over 40% left of the book. The author then filled it with rants against Trump.
This is where the book goes completely sideways. She goes on about her high school friends, things that Trump says, and visiting her mom in The Villages.
The next part with Kevin is when he scammed the author out of money for drugs.
The book is well written, but not cohesive. I was left wondering what was the entire book for? Was it just for the author's ego? I am not sure.
I can't recommend this book for true crime, nor can I recommend this book for a memoir.
I just don't know how to classify this book.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
October 4, 2025
Carla Conti is a former journalist and author of the award-winning true crime memoir Chained Birds, which is a powerful true crime memoir and I was lucky to have the audiobook to listen to and read the book to review. Chained Birds: A Crimemoir was narrated by Carla Conti.
It was a very powerful book, all about prison abuse which exposé about justice and survival in federal prison. It took her ten years to write, especially as she balanced the safety of the story participants and including herself to write and tell this tell-all thriller of prison gang hit orders and corrupt officials. What a brilliant book this was especially as it has won
multiple 2025 indie book awards, and including 1st Place in True Crime from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Winner in True Crime from the Indie Reader Discovery Awards, Silver in True Crime from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), and a 1st Place Nellie Bly Journalism award from the Chanticleer International Book Awards. This list goes on.
Chained Birds has over 20 photos and sketches and prison artwork in it and I really enjoyed reading this book. Sadly I did not enjoy listening to audiobook. But I am looking forward reading more books by this author. A very brave woman!
It was a very powerful book, all about prison abuse which exposé about justice and survival in federal prison. It took her ten years to write, especially as she balanced the safety of the story participants and including herself to write and tell this tell-all thriller of prison gang hit orders and corrupt officials. What a brilliant book this was especially as it has won
multiple 2025 indie book awards, and including 1st Place in True Crime from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Winner in True Crime from the Indie Reader Discovery Awards, Silver in True Crime from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), and a 1st Place Nellie Bly Journalism award from the Chanticleer International Book Awards. This list goes on.
Chained Birds has over 20 photos and sketches and prison artwork in it and I really enjoyed reading this book. Sadly I did not enjoy listening to audiobook. But I am looking forward reading more books by this author. A very brave woman!
February 22, 2025
Reading Chained Birds was like reading two books in one. A documentary about the horrible conditions and deplorable happenings at maximum-security and experimental prisons in Pennsylvania, and a memoir about a former journalist who was asked to join a legal team of former friends. CarlaConti’s insurmountable task was to document what was happening to a convict as he tried to weave his way through a difficult system of penal abuse in the hopes of a much shorter sentence after an orchestrated stabbing.
Two different federal prison gangs made no secret of their desire to rid themselves of the man on trial, continuously threading their way through a ten-year struggle to avoid justice.
Fear was spread at every level, and it became obvious that not only was the prisoner, Kevin at risk of being killed, but everyone working on his behalf, including Carla when they heard she was planning to write a tell-all book.
She came very close to walking away from the entire project. But, in the end, with the security of a pen name to protect her real identity, the story is on these pages for all of us to see.
Time well spent on a shocking tell all.
Two different federal prison gangs made no secret of their desire to rid themselves of the man on trial, continuously threading their way through a ten-year struggle to avoid justice.
Fear was spread at every level, and it became obvious that not only was the prisoner, Kevin at risk of being killed, but everyone working on his behalf, including Carla when they heard she was planning to write a tell-all book.
She came very close to walking away from the entire project. But, in the end, with the security of a pen name to protect her real identity, the story is on these pages for all of us to see.
Time well spent on a shocking tell all.
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