The Tragedy of True Crime

by John J. Lennon

In 2001, John J. Lennon killed a man on a Brooklyn Street. Now he’s a journalist, working from behind bars, trying to make sense of it all.

The Tragedy of True Crime is a first-person journalistic account of the lives of four men who have killed, written by a man who has killed. Lennon entered the New York prison system with a sentence of 28 years to life but after he stepped into a writing workshop at Attica Correctional Facility, his whole life changed. Reporting from the cell block and the prison yard, Lennon challenges our obsession with true crime by telling the full life stories of men now serving time for the lives they took.

These men have completely different backgrounds — Robert Chambers, a preppy Manhattanite turned true crime celebrity; Milton E. Jones, a seventeen-year-old coaxed from burglary into something far darker; and Michael Shane Hale, a gay man caught in a crime of passion — and all are searching to find meaning and redemption behind bars. Lennon’s reporting is intertwined with his own story, from a young man seduced by the infamous gangster culture of New York City to a celebrated prison journalist. The same desire echoes throughout the lives of these four men: to become more than murderers.

A first-of-its-kind book of immersive prison journalism, The Tragedy of True Crime poses fundamental questions about the stories we tell and who gets to tell them. What essential truth do we lose when we don’t consider all that comes before an act of unthinkable violence? And what happens to the convicted after the cell gate locks?

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Memoir, Crime, Biography, Audiobook, Politics

352 pages, Unknown Binding

First published September 23, 2025

About the author

John J. Lennon is serving his twenty-fourth year behind bars, currently in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. His writing has appeared in the New York Review of Books, the New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Esquire, and New York magazine. His work has been anthologized in the Best American Magazine Writing, and he’s twice been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, in feature writing and reviews and criticism. His feature essay “The Apology Letter” was part of the Washington Post Magazine’s special issue that won the National Magazine Award. He is eligible for parole in 2029.

Reviews

[edie-may ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ‎ ── 3.50 stars .ᐟ


‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ❛ Am I a writer or a murderer?
‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎Am I both? ❜


‎ ‎ ‎ ⤷ started: oct 31, 2025
‎ ‎ ‎ ⤷ finished: nov 21, 2025


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 📑┆ review:

‎ ‎ ‎ this was actually incredibly interesting. hearing about the stories of murderers from the murderers themselves inside prison, written by another murderer, who is currently incarcerated? that’s next level. i really appreciated the different perspectives, and it was really intriguing to uncover the other half of true crime.

‎ ‎ ‎ it did take me a while to consume this, however, as it was very heavy reading. wasn’t too sold on the layout of the book. it jumps between three different men’s stories while the author inserts his own experiences throughout, and while i can appreciate how that would work in theory, it was very hard to keep up with in practice.


── ⟢ ・⸝⸝


┆ ⤿ 📷 ⌗ pre-read:

‎ ‎ ‎ ⤿ i wouldn’t class myself as a nonfiction girly in a million years… but the idea behind this is appealing to me, so i might as well give it a go.


જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹

[emma]

if true crime has no haters i'm dead

[Traci Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Lennon's first, he tells his own story and that of three other men who also were convicted of murder in New York. This is a powerful and searching examination of crime, punishment, and the impact of the true crime genre. This book brought up a lot of thought provoking and important questions about redemption and entertainment. Why do we need to relive the worst moment of some many people’s lives decades later? It also made me reflect a lot on storytelling and audience. I am so grateful to have spent time with Lennon and his own, very clear, grappling. Structurally I sometimes wished that Lennon had allotted himself his own sections instead of infusing his story in with the other three men. It was a stylistic choice that worked in some moments but in others left me a little confused.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by John J. Lennon, a man incarcerated for murder, tells his own story and that of three other incarcerated men. It gives a much needed perspective, as most do not have such first hand knowledge of prison life and those within its walls. It is not an easy place to be. I think most of us want a person who commits murder to really understand and come to terms with all the damage inflicted. Often, that does not occur. It appears, the author really does accept his actions and knows he was guilty and caused irreparable harm. Yet, once working on that, and it is forever on-going, he starts to carve a life for himself as a magazine journalist. So, appreciate this book just for bringing so many facts of sentencing to the forefront. You come to understand how we fixate on guilty or innocent, when most are guilty, but the sentence each receives varies greatly. Certainly, poverty and skin color play a factor here. Also, one man was gay and in an abusive relationship, but was the first person in NY to be put up for the death penalty. Another, was severely mentally ill to the point of being psychotic. The Robert Chambers case is well known, and that one bothered me the most. Jennifer Levin’s mother came to speak to the Domestic Violence Agency I worked at. It was unbelievable how her daughter got trashed as loss, into rough sex, and a drug user. Robert Chambers looks determined his sentencing of just 5-15 years. Yet, he served all 15 years for repeated violations. Then when the author is speaking about him, he is back is prison again for drug charges. He never appears remorseful. The author never says he is candid or really has examined himself. He gets high the whole time.

So, although I am really glad I read this and got a new glimpse into four inmates lives, it did not always make for a comfortable read. I imagine that is the point. Why, is horrific violence glorified and true crime used for entertainment? The author does question this. It is a legitimate question. The pain the families feel and will always feel is hard not to keep thinking about. I think an inmate who really examines all this, does know this, and has to live with that pain daily. Those who don’t, could never reestablish an honest life. Gave me much to think about.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews of books I read.

[Katie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Celadon Books for sending me a free advance copy!

I’ve read my fair share of true crime books over the years, but I do believe this was the first time I’ve read one from an inmate’s perspective. John J. Lennon is serving a sentence of 28 years to life for killing a man. Attending a writing workshop at Attica Correctional Facility sparked an interest in journalism. His writing has been featured in numerous publications like The New York Times and Rolling Stone. In this book he shares his story along with those of the 3 inmates he has served time with in prison. One of those men, Robert Chambers, gained notoriety in the 1980s and was nicknamed “The Preppy Killer”.

This book offers a unique look into the lives of these men. You learn about their childhoods, the crimes and convictions that sent them to prison, and how they fare behind bars. The structure of the writing was frustrating at times. Lots of bouncing around between the stories of the 3 men and the author interjecting his own thoughts and experiences. Breaking up the book into sections, each one featuring a different inmate, might have been a better method of presentation.

Fascinating content though especially learning each inmate had a different path on the road to coming to terms with the crime they committed. What do you do with your time left here on Earth when you have taken the life of another human being? If you can exercise some patience with how the info is presented, it’s an interesting read from a psychological standpoint.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tragedy of True Crime: Four Guilty Men and the Stories That Define Us by John J. Lennon

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Tragedy of True Crime is a powerful, thought-provoking exploration of crime, punishment, and human redemption. Written by John J. Lennon, a man who has personally experienced the harsh realities of the justice system after killing a man in 2001, this book offers a unique and deeply personal perspective on the world of true crime.

Lennon tells the stories of four men who have committed murder, each with vastly different backgrounds: Robert Chambers, a privileged Manhattanite who became a true crime celebrity; Milton E. Jones, a teenager pushed into a darker crime; Michael Shane Hale, a man caught in a crime of passion; and Lennon himself, grappling with his own past and the consequences of his actions. Through these stories, Lennon challenges our obsession with true crime, forcing us to confront the complex narratives behind acts of violence and the people who commit them.

What makes this book stand out is Lennon’s ability to humanize his subjects. While true crime often reduces perpetrators to one-dimensional villains, Lennon provides a rich, multi-layered portrayal of each man, showing us their lives before the crime, the factors that led them to commit murder, and their struggles for redemption behind bars.

The book goes beyond the usual sensationalism of true crime, asking important questions about the stories we tell, who gets to tell them, and what we lose when we only focus on the crime itself. The Tragedy of True Crime is a critique of the genre, asking readers to consider the humanity of those convicted and what happens to them after the cell gate locks.

Lennon’s writing is raw, poetic, and deeply reflective. He doesn’t shy away from his own mistakes, offering a vulnerable look at his own journey toward understanding the meaning of his actions. The combination of immersive prison journalism and personal memoir creates a rare and compelling reading experience.

This book isn’t just for fans of true crime—it’s for anyone interested in the complexities of justice, morality, and the human soul. The Tragedy of True Crime challenges us to rethink what we believe about crime, punishment, and the possibility of redemption. It is a haunting, necessary read that stays with you long after the final page.

If you're looking for something deeper than typical true crime fare, this book will change the way you think about the stories we tell—and the people we choose to judge.

Highly recommended.

[Anita Pomerantz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has two aspects that really set it apart from most books written about crime. First, the author is himself a person imprisoned for murder. And second, he manages to do an excellent job of telling the stories of four fellow prisoners while seamlessly intertwining his own memoir.

Lennon profiles some very violent murderers, and he does a good job of showing their humanity. As you might expect, there is definitely some social commentary (about the lack of rehabilitation in our prison facilities and the ongoing violence that takes place there and also about the vileness of "true crime" as entertainment). I have to say that I see some irony about selling a book focused on four crime stories while simultaneously deriding true crime as entertainment, but I see the point.

Overall, an interesting narrative, but more along the lines of a very extended Atlantic article than narrative non-fiction. Solid and teetering toward 4 stars.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An interesting premise: a man in prison for murder writes his story, alongside the stories of three fellow prisoners also in for murder. The stories are engaging and the author talented, though I do think he (or his publisher) let chasing the zeitgeist take precedence over what he really has to say, confusing his thesis. This isn’t a book focused on media criticism, though there is a bit of that. (The question of whether true crime’s popularity contributes to our feeling less safe even as we get safer is an interesting one, though I suspect TV news and social media are equally responsible. The question of whether its sensationalized portrayals of crime work against reform I had not considered, though on this the author only really has his own experience.) It’s much more of a criminal justice reform book, which interests me more anyway: following the four men’s lives leading up to their crimes, the crimes themselves and then their many decades in prison. However, Lennon’s attempts to bring all this back to true crime rather than policy arguments leaves the takeaway from the juxtaposition of these four stories a bit unclear.

For people interested in criminal justice reform, I think these stories are worth reading precisely because they’ll challenge your empathy muscles. Unlike most authors, who seek sympathetic subjects, Lennon almost seems to have sought the opposite. It’s unclear how he chose his (all three were somewhat high-profile and so perhaps people you might hear about in true crime?). The most sympathetic is Shane, who after a childhood full of abuse and neglect, wound up killing his much-older abusive boyfriend (in the heat of the moment, but not in self-defense; the boyfriend was trying to kick him out at the time). The least sympathetic crime is Milton’s: as a teenager and an inveterate follower, he helped a friend rob and brutally murder two priests. The most confusing inclusion is Rob, a privileged young man who murdered a hookup partner for reasons even he seems unclear about (I wasn’t entirely sure why he was even in the book, aside from being the most high-profile murderer willing to participate, since the author is openly frustrated by his lack of candor or self-awareness. Maybe to make everyone else look better by comparison). The author’s story is the most run-of-the-mill: he was a drug dealer enamored of the gang lifestyle, and murdered another drug dealer (his friend, and in cold blood).

The storytelling is good and Lennon writes about everyone as full people, tracing their context and their development over decades in prison. For being in prison, he also does a surprising amount of his own research. The book doesn’t excuse their crimes, but it did make me wonder about redemption—what this even means in the context of murder, how much self-flagellation is performative and to what extent we demand that. I found myself questioning the author’s angle sometimes, although he’s far more up-front about it than most; the reality of his position is that a brutal degree of self-awareness is the price of entry.

So overall this was certainly worth a read, though it would’ve been stronger if the author had let the true crime tangent go and zeroed in on a critique of particular aspects of the system. Lennon is very invested in his identity as a journalist and I do think he’s earned that: the writing is strong and readable and thoughtful, albeit the organization can be messy (I think he should’ve given himself his own chapters rather than letting his story erupt at random moments in other people’s. When he described having to write the book in 7000-character increments via email drafts on a tablet, the organization suddenly made a lot more sense). I’ll be interested to see what he writes next.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know that I’ve read a book quite like The Tragedy of True Crime by John J. Lennon. It’s about the many underacknowledged injustices that befall the lives of people spending decades of their lives in prison, a book about the societal norms and specific situations that landed these people in prison, and a book about how true crime might be making all of these things worse.

Lennon provides many insights about the dire lack of quality healthcare (from addiction treatment to mental health support to ergonomics) in prison, and he also provides a day-to-day window into how difficult it is for people to pursue the things that empower them (higher education, relationships with loved ones on the outside, or his own career as a journalist.) He also seems to be thoughtful about where he’d gone wrong in the past re: expressing remorse and compassion for the person he murdered, and seeing that person’s life as just as valuable as his own. Lennon is honest about his shortcomings throughout the story, and even if you don’t leave this book respecting him, you will at least respect his refusal to shy away from hard truths.

We have to care about each other as PEOPLE
I’ve tagged this book under my abolition bookshelf, not because the author fully endorses abolition of the prison industrial complex, but because Lennon provides information at the scale of human experience—something I rarely see in the abolitionist books people often recommend.

I’ve heard it described as “we have to love people more than we hate oppression”, but I think this can be expanded—we have to learn about people’s everyday experiences under oppressive systems, just as much as we learn about the historical and political mechanisms that uphold these oppressive systems. Caring about (and hopefully FOR) people requires specificity, curiosity, humility, and so much more. As I get older, I’m coming to believe this is just as important of an effort as learning about “the big things.” After all, our world’s indifference to human suffering is ENABLED BY us categorizing human suffering as “the small things”!!!!

I think someone would leave this book feeling more curious about how PIC abolition can help incarcerated people with their everyday life needs, and that to me feels like a really important level of consideration—precisely because it is humanizing. After reading The Tragedy of True Crime, I’m thinking about how abolition could help someone with sciatica from a terrible mattress get out of a supermax and into PT. That’s an important line of thought that I haven’t been “brought down to” in a while, so I’m thankful to this book for offering it.

Abolition…of the true crime industrial complex!!!
While Lennon is not calling for PIC abolition, he is calling for the abolition of the true crime industrial complex (TCIC). His book drives home the points we know deep down—it’s making us paranoid, it’s aligning us with cops and other brutal forces, and it’s making us think that people deserve protracted, debilitating punishment for harming others. Lennon shares that one of his goals as a journalist is to “wrest [these] stories away from the true crime industrial complex”, and he’s achieved this goal in my book. He shows how the rapacious, exploitative media industry manipulates victims, harmdoers, and their families alike—all for the sake of our precious true crime content. This manipulation reminded me of the media plot in My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, which commented on how journalists were often the “second predators” for many MeToo survivors.

I especially enjoyed Lennon’s thoughts on how the TCIC permanently freezes the life stories of people at the time that they’ve murdered someone. One of my besties is a historian, and I have learned from him that this sort of “freezing in time” is a hallmark of oppression. It happens to post-colonial countries, who are frozen at the time of their revolutionary wars in the minds of many of us within the imperial core. Another example: many people don’t think about the present-day conditions at Attica Prison, which Lennon describes in-depth, because they’ve frozen the place in 1971. Too often, we don’t stop to think what happened after the movie/book/other convenient media ended—to go back to the earlier point, we never think about the lives people are leading long after the moment in time that we know has passed. For Lennon and his interviewees, the challenge is to not internalize these narratives, and instead remind themselves that they CAN go on to have meaningful lives, instead of succumbing to the notion that their humanity ended after the terrible act of murder.

Connections to other work
Robert Chambers is one of the main interviewees in this book. Lennon’s focus on how Chambers struggled to overcome the media’s portrayal of him makes me want to reread (and rethink?) Jonathan Mahler’s coverage of Jennifer Levin’s murder in The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990. Lennon also discusses the perverse geography of state prison systems, and shows how if you want to study the history of New York City, you have to look at what was going on in Attica, Sing Sing, etc. I haven’t read a New York book that talks about this, but Ruth Wilson Gilmore’s Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California cleanly lays out the flow of Black and Brown people from major cities to state prisons, and how said prisons are built in these rural areas eager for any form of economic development—no matter how depraved it may be.

Finally, Chapter 8 continues many of the ideas discussed at the end of Antonia Hylton’s FANTASTIC Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum. If Hylton was describing the carceral nature of asylums before showing how their closure for “community-based mental health treatment” never materialized, Chambers is providing light on what emerged in its wake—a dystopia where people with mental health crises are either unhoused or incarcerated. Like always, this made me wonder about Gen X being the main people who saw this change occur within their lifetimes…like how did this impact their understanding of mental health crises, addiction, and the stakes of both?

In closing, I will give an endorsement of this book, and end with a haunting quote from Chambers:

In 1981, the same year a man with a psychotic disorder shot him, Ronald Reagan called for a repeal of Jimmy Carter’s recently signed bill to expand federal community mental health programs. Then came the ’80s crack era, in which many people who likely needed mental health treatment began abusing drugs. They committed crimes and got locked up. This is how jails and prisons became the new asylums. By locking up those with psychiatric diagnoses, we’ve boomeranged back to the way things were done in antebellum America.

What we are now doing in America’s prisons is worse than what President Kennedy wanted us to stop doing: confining suffering people until they wither away. To see psychosis in prison, and our own indifference to it, is itself depressing. It’s always around me in here. I used to ignore it, until I started writing about it. And this is how journalism, in a sense, taught me how to be more empathetic. Men with serious mental illness aimlessly wander in prison yards picking up cigarette clips—shuffle, shuffle, stoop…People in prison can go years without a diagnosis and proper treatment…bolts of frenetic energy, episodes of odd behavior…But that bizarre behavior, as Milton came to experience, can get you pummeled... (180)

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was really fascinating and powerful (and well-welcomed proof that it's actually possible to win goodreads giveaways)
John J. Lennon's exploration of three fellow inmates crimes, woven with his own story, was definitely a new take on "true crime." however, I don't know that this book fully lived up to its premise, which suggested that it would dissect and analyze the true crime genre as a whole. I think that mission got a little muddled, or perhaps Lennon still wasn't completely clear on what he wanted to say. beyond the introduction and the last chapter, there wasn't much page time given to discussing the impacts of true crime content on victims, perpetrators, and society.
I still really enjoyed the book—I thought it gave incredible insight into different aspects of the criminal justice system and shared illuminating, heart-breaking accounts of lives spent behind bars. But if you're super drawn in by the premise of a prison journalist calling out the true crime genre, I don't know that that's quite what this book did. It lacked a clear definition of what true crime content is, and didn't pull in much research outside of Lennon's primary reporting. I agreed with his small assertions about true crime's harms, they just weren't very deeply explored.
However, I did love the author's note, which explained the process of writing and publishing a book behind bars. Having worked in publishing, I thought it was so interesting—and might also help explain the lack of outside research.
reform prisons and abolish the cuomos fr.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

John J. Lennon is a convicted killer who enrolls in a writing class in prison. He wrote this book to tell the story of not only his life, but three other inmates as well. I really appreciated this unique perspective. The writing was different from what I'm used to, but I still found the book a very worthwhile read, and it was really informative. Glad I had the opportunity to read this! 

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own!

[ClairevoyantBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly thought-provoking book that highlights the complexities of crime, the justice system, perpetrators and their victims, prison conditions, and how true crime has evolved into sensationalism.
I had plenty of conflicting feelings while reading this, but I appreciated the candor through which Lennon told his own story and those of Michael Shane Hale, Milton E. Brown and Robert Chambers.
To me this really highlighted that various things can be true at the same time: the justice and prison systems can punish individuals based on the severity of their crime, but can also be corrupt and not account for nuance; people can deserve punishment, but at what point is it enough? And what and who should decide this? ; prisoners can commit violent acts that may not deserve absolution or forgiveness, but can still elicit compassion and deserve humane treatment.
At times I struggled with Lennon's own bias as the narrator, especially as one of the most prevalent criticisms is that true crime focuses too much on the people who commit the crimes and not the victims themselves. While, I appreciate this is a unique perspective that deserves to be told and listened to, I can't help but see how this narration still perpetuates that. It also felt like Lennon was looking for the answer to absolution, but I'm not sure we'll ever get that from anyone but ourselves and the beliefs we hold sacred. At the end of the day we are all imperfect human beings who inevitably will make poor decisions and mistakes we have to live with, some acts are worse than others.
At the end of the day I have a lot of complex feelings about this and I'm not sure I've fully worked through all of it yet (or ever will for that matter), but it makes me think of this Buddhist saying, "pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional".

[Angel (Bookn.All.Night) · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a long-time true crime fan, I was intrigued when Celadon Books offered me a review copy of The Tragedy of True Crime. The author, an inmate himself, brings a unique perspective that immediately piqued my interest.

While the insider viewpoint is interesting, the book’s structure leaves much to be desired. Within the same chapter (and sometimes paragraph ) the different stories are mixed together without clear transitions, making the narrative feel jumbled and disjointed. The author frequently inserts his own story mid-way through another, which disrupts the flow and made it hard to stay engaged.

That said, the inmates’ stories—how they ended up incarcerated and how they cope— were compelling. Despite the frustrating format, the content itself is worthwhile.

This one wasn’t quite for me, but true crime fans who can look past the structural flaws may find it a fascinating read. The Tragedy of True Crime releases September 23, 2025—thank you to Celadon Books for the review copy.

[Deanna (she_reads_truth_365) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who should be able to write about true crime? This question is at the heart of The Tragedy of True Crime along with our continuing obsession with true crime.

Part memoir and part true crime, The Tragedy of True Crime is like no other because the author writes this book while behind bars. You may ask, how did he get access to write behind bars?

In 2001, John J. Lennon killed a man on a Brooklyn Street. Now he’s a journalist, working from behind bars, trying to make sense of it all.

Lennon offered such a unique perspective in writing this book while incarcerated himself. As a journalist, Lennon writes about four imprisoned killers – one of them himself. Such a thought provoking book that addresses a wide variety of topics about the criminal justice system and incarceration.

The audio was narrated by Will Damron. I have listened to multiple audiobooks narrated by him, to include Bad Blood, NightShade and Listen for the Lie. All his books are exceptionally well done! I listened at 1.7x speed.

Thank you to Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook and the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

#ad much love for my advance copy @celadonbooks #partner
& @macmilan.audio #partner for the ALC

THE TRAGEDY OF TRUE CRIME
RELEASES: September 23, 2025

John Lennon comes across very well; creditable, honest, and a respectable reporter despite his past crime and having spent most of his life in prison.

Oof! A compelling read with unflinching honesty. It’ll have you looking at true crime and people and crime differently. This book covers so much it’s impossible to conceptualize it all in a review, but I’ll try by best.

The book is told through the voice of journalist John Lennon (no, not that one), who is serving a long sentence for a crime he committed in his youth. Behind bars, he found writing - publishing pieces in major newspapers/magazines and even appearing on television. He doesn’t shy away from his own past; instead, he owns it and has built a life of meaning within the chaos of prison walls. He is still currently in prison.

At the heart of the book are the stories of three men, each serving long sentences for murder. Two who you probably never have heard of and one that you most likely have - Robert “Bobby” Chambers. The Preppy Killer. Their narratives are harrowing, but they also peel back the layers of a justice system that is deeply fractured. These aren’t just stories of crime - they’re stories of a broken system, lost futures, and the humanity we often choose not to see.

🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and would def recommend the audio for this one. Will Damron is the perfect narrator for this book. His voices, his pitches, everything was literally perfect. Instead of background noise, his performance pulls you straight into the story and keeps you there. Truly a flawless narration. Damron also narrated Look Closer, Gray After Dark, and countless other great listens, and this one is right up there with his best.

So many shows or crime-happenings are referenced in this book - which I think for those who watch true crime will feel more connected to the story.

Unique and compelling, but also an important read. My only real complaint is the structure: the stories are told in rotation - first man, then second, then third, and back again. Just as you get fully invested in one man’s story, the narrative shifts to another, which was a little annoying. But then you get sucked back into that man’s story. But it’s all set up this way for a reason - which I get.

People will probably pick this book up to see how the “Preppy Killer” really is - since it’s really the first time he was ever honest about anything (as much as he could be) but readers will stay for the whole experience.

I doubt this author will ever see any of these reviews - who knows. But I hear and see him. This book will stay with me for a long time.

If you’re a CO reading this and you see your coworkers doing shit like this stand up for what’s right. I know easier said than done. But you guys aren’t the judge and jury - I get it’s complicated on both sides but some of these CO’s are fking terrible. How would you feel if they did this type of stuff to one of your family members?

Side Note: I don’t think they had Suboxone strips back in 2006?! Most got the pill form back then. It wasn’t until years later that strips became the norm. Okay the strips came out in 2010 or at least approved by the FDA.

Throwing Shawn’s mother’s ashes away??? THATS NOT YOUR JOB POPO. JUST WOW! She will never get them back ever. But they’re together now. So sad.

I hope John gets out one day he has lots to offer the world. I think it’s about time. And gotta admit I was a little bummed to hear him and Danielly divorced.

Finished in one sitting. Just phenomenal.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio for this one and followed along with the physical copy of the book. It was an informative and powerful read, with Lennon able to be a journalist from behind bars. He tells his story and the stories of three others, each with different backgrounds and paths to how they ended up where they did. I could not put this down, it is heartbreaking to read this, all while Lennon acknowledges each are in there for a reason and there are families on the outside who have lost someone due to their actions. He also provides a full picture of the person prior to committing the crime, not to absolve them but to provide more of an understanding of perhaps the ‘why’ behind what they did and how that is rarely, if ever, considered. There is a lot more covered in here, including the prison experience, but I could be here all day going through it. I definitely recommend this unique read, and think the audio is the way to read it if you can.

Thank you to Celadon Books #partner and to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies to review.

[Lori Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are things to be learned here surely, but the endless ploy for empathy and understanding was beyond what I could muster. These horrific men are exactly where they belong.

[Karen Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not recommend. Why I bothered to finish it, I’ll never know. Regrets.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Celadon books for sending me an advance readers copy of The Tragedy of True Crime. As someone intimately familiar with the criminal justice system, I thought this book was fascinating and extremely well written. Most importantly, it offered an invaluable perspective on the prison industrial complex, and one that we rarely get to hear from. I recommend this to all, as there is always something to be gained from listening to the marginalized people who are most affected by a system.

[Kate Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Caraline · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a compelling read! I would highly highly recommend!

full rtc!🍒

[Katee · Rating 3 out of 5]

True crime has been a topic of conversation for decades, but has become highlighted more with the advancements in podcasting and streaming networks. John J. Lennon is an incarcerated journalist who used to be a drug dealer when he murdered a friend of his, only known as E. In this nonfiction work, John tells his story along with the story of three other incarcerated men he comes into contact with. The names of these men are relatively unknown with the exception of one, Robert Chambers. While I appreciate the stories that John shared, it didn't always feel coherent. He inserted his story a lot while telling the stories of the three other men and their victims. At times he would also insert the stories of others that didn't always drive the narrative forward. I honestly got annoyed with how much his own story started to take over the narratives and overshadowed so many others in the book. Quite a few things also felt very repetitive. As a result, the overall narrative could have easily been tailored down quite a bit.

While there are a few good points brought up throughout the overall arching themes of the narrative, I feel like the murderers and their victims get lost in the way the narrative was presented. While he was trying to make a case for the tragedy of true crime and that it does more harm that good for everyone. This narrative is presented as just another one in the ether that adds to that very same noise. With his meandering thoughts the overarching thoughts John is trying to bring about get lost.

Thank you to Celadon Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

[Lauren Oertel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came into this one with fairly extensive knowledge on the topic after years of prison advocacy/organizing with current and formerly incarcerated folks, reading dozens of books on the subject, etc. While I was familiar with most of the ideas and concerns captured in these pages, the true crime connection was a relatively unique angle that I think was worth exploring.

I support the author's overall message/thesis:

"The stories we tell about the worst of humanity are a reflection on all of us. True crime is the antithesis of the notion that we are more than our crimes. It turns back the clock and replays the worst moments of someone's life, reconstructs and reenacts it all for entertainment, usually by exploiting the people most affected by the violence: victims whose wounds haven't healed, and perpetrators who haven't reckoned with their guilt. This is the tragedy of true crime."

It's something to sit with and consider, as true crime seems to be an obsession in our culture.

Other than the content and themes of the book, I think the structure of it could have been tighter, as it jumped around in a few ways, and I couldn't tell what the framework was. It also could have been shorter, as fewer pages could have presented the thesis well.

But overall, it was a strong and worthwhile read. I took notes on many passages that resonated. One of my favorites was a call to "break the good v. evil binary, which is lazy storytelling and an inaccurate depiction of why violence occurs." So true!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for a free audio copy of this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok this is a good book- it could’ve been 20% shorter but that’s fine. Honestly worth it for the chapter at the end about the methods he used to literally transcribe this book onto paper. Left feeling so grateful for the work of the incarcerated journalists who do this very essential reporting.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Audiobook

Overall this book was very informative but the information was overwhelming and a bit much to take in at times.

It really gives good insight about the prison system, moreso than true crime so it wasn’t what I was expecting based on the title. I thought it was going to go more into True Crime and how the public sorta craves these stories and how victims get lost in that and prisons don’t have as many opportunities to be rehabilitated or something.

I liked it, but the layout of the book made it hard to get into at times, I was like wait which story am I reading. I think it might’ve felt more cohesive and the flow might’ve been better if the author told his story at the beginning or end and then went into the stories of the others, rather than intertwining them but that’s just a personal preference.

I liked that the author took the time he had while in prison to focus his energy on something so productive and informative, by giving an insider account of what it is like to be in prison.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5, rounded up

[Madison ✨ (mad.lyreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

John J. Lennon wrote this book from inside a prison, where he is serving time for committing a murder when he was a young drug dealer. He also shares the stories of three other people who were incarcerated for murder, using them as examples of different types of people who commit murder. Lennon was the young kid who, due to a domino effect of bad decisions and circumstances, ended up in the world of drug dealing. Another killed his partner after years in an abusive relationship, in a time when domestic abuse did not necessarily include gay relationships. Another killed two priests, only to eventually get his own graduate degree in theology, but is used to show how mental health is not properly treated in prison. Finally, you have someone who committed a crime that became 'newsworthy,' used to examine how the fame of the crime impacted both the murderer's time in prison and the family of the victim.

There are so many incredible books written by people who were at one point incarcerated, but many of the ones that have staying power are written by those who were wrongly convicted. In contrast, this book acknowledges that some people - in fact, most people - in prison are, in fact, guilty. This is something that our society struggles with. We love to hear about the wrongly convicted person fighting for his way out of prison, but we do not like to consider those who are in prison for something that they did, in fact, do. American society is extremely punitive, and many people seem to believe that once someone commits a felony they are no longer a human deserving of care, empathy, or kindness. Lennon's book does a fantastic job of humanizing those who have wronged our society, and asks questions that our society truly needs to grapple with. One that really stuck out to me was regarding Milton, the inmate who struggled with mental health issues. Whether or not you believe he has served his sentence, Lennon asks, doesn't he deserve *treatment*?

If I could, I would make any fan of true crime read this book. I do not think the thesis in this book was overt enough, but you cannot read this book and think that the way our system is currently set up is the best way it can be. It makes you think deeply about what it means to punish someone, what do families truly need to forgive or move on, and how do we want to treat those who have killed? These questions are not answered in this book, but Lennon's experiences and reporting forces the reader to face these questions our society avoids face on.

Thank you to Celadon books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure the point. what is the tragedy? it is just telling stories of criminals and their crimes and an attempt to help us see that they are more than just their crimes. not worth a read, if you ask me.

[Kaitlin Klak · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy crap this book was absolutely incredible. i sort of picked it up on a whim from the library and i’m so glad i did! john lennon is a prisoner journalist in new york serving a sentence for a murdering a man when he was a young drug dealer. he wrote this entire book in prison, which i think is a feat in itself given the number of distractions and limitations that comes with. the main focus of the book is an in depth character study of lennon himself along with three other men who are also serving time for murder. each prisoner comes from extremely different circumstances: shane is a gay man who killed his abusive lover (i personally really felt for shane the entire time reading this), milton murdered two priests when he was a teenager and suffers from major psychotic breaks, and rob is a well known “true crime celebrity” who has inspired a song by the killers and an excerpt in american psycho from killing a woman in central park in the 80’s.

while i do feel like i got to know a lot about each character in john’s book, the good the bad and the ugly, i also learned so much about new york prisons in general and what life can look like behind bars. john doesn’t sensationalize anything but he doesn’t sugarcoat in either: prison sounds absolutely insane and harrowing. i feel like there are also moments of community and support among the men, but a lot of these moments are surrounded by ugly things at the same time. john speaks about prison policies and hidden hierarchies, shanking, abuse by the guards, the marginalization of gay men and the mentally ill, the lack of mental health support in general, loneliness and addiction issues that only exacerbate in prison. but he also talks about the relationships he’s made with others, how he’s seen other prisoners try to make amends with themselves and their victim’s families, the opportunities for prisoners to educate themselves and earn a degree, peer run programs, all really nice things! i felt like he painted a really true and honest picture of the prisons he’s been in and it was fascinating to read about.

i also appreciated john’s commitment to humanizing his subjects without rejecting the severity of their crimes. while he’s good at being empathetic towards others and recognizing that a lot of these crimes are the result of systemic issues, he doesn’t renounce himself or any of the men of what they’ve done. instead there’s only a recognition and hope to become better than you were yesterday while also recognizing that their victim’s families will still be damaged for years to come based on these men’s actions. personally i think that there’s no better way to report on this subject. john comes from a place of care when interviewing everyone involved and tries his best with what limited resources he has to create as much as an unbiased opinion as possible.

a lot of this book also comes back to how true crime entertainment can easily damage a lot of these prisoners and our perception of the justice system in general.
for example, rob’s notorious crimes and the way he’s been spoken about in popular culture have directly contributed to how he sees himself and his crimes and in turn have stunted his ability to heal and ask for forgiveness. the fact that some of these documentaries and shows have been given prisoner’s information without their consent is crazy to me. it was really interesting to read about how true crime affects the perpetrators as well as the victims of violent crime.

anyways i think you can guess that i highly recommend this one! i couldn’t stop flipping the page

[Nat :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The shaping of identity—it’s one of the unseen tragedies of true crime.”

That line feels like the thesis of The Tragedy of True Crime. This isn’t a book about crime as spectacle - it’s about time, punishment, narrative power, and what happens when a human being becomes permanently frozen in the worst thing they’ve ever done.

What makes this book quietly radical is who is telling it. John L. Lennon wrote this while serving time for killing a man. He’s not observing the true-crime machine from the outside, he’s living inside the system it feeds. And because of that, the book feels sober and morally serious rather than sensational or defensive.

Early on, Lennon reflects on incarceration and aging:
“Doing so much time can’t help but make you think about time… each year of incarceration takes two years off the average person’s life expectancy. I’ve been in prison twenty-three years… What does that even mean?”

This book is obsessed with time, not just sentences, but suspended life. Aging without forward motion. Existing without permission to change.

At its core, Lennon asks an uncomfortable question:
What are the consequences of illuminating human darkness for entertainment?

He points out how true crime routinely resurrects crimes decades later, long after perpetrators have changed and victims’ families are still grieving:
“When lurid storytellers reach out to us a generation after we committed our crimes and seek to portray us as evil… it mocks the idea at the center of criminal justice reform: Each of us is more than our crimes.”

Lennon isn’t arguing against accountability. He’s arguing about where stories begin and who gets to tell them.

“I refuse to approach their stories through their crimes. Instead, I’ve tried to show you who we are, hopefully without diminishing the lives of the people we’ve killed.”

Some of the most devastating passages are about remorse and how becoming a better person in prison can actually make the punishment harder:
“The more you strive to be decent in prison, the more you see and feel the cruelty of it.”

There’s also a sharp critique of the system itself. Lennon notes how prisons resist education and therapy while eagerly cooperating with true crime producers:
“True crime furthers narratives that justify the existence of their very jobs.”

By the end, he reaches his bleakest conclusion:
“Does illuminating human darkness increase the desire for punishment? I’m now convinced that one thing, more than anything else, is keeping me in prison: true crime.”

And finally:
“True crime is the antithesis of the notion that we are more than our crimes… This is the tragedy of true crime.”

TLDR: Thoughtful, unsettling, and deeply human, The Tragedy of True Crime interrogates the ethics of storytelling itself. Lennon never excuses violence but, he forces the reader to reckon with how punishment, narrative, and entertainment intersect.