Murder in Italy: Amanda Knox, Meredith Kercher and the Murder Trial that Shocked the World

by Candace Dempsey

Reprinted for third time in 2013, following the overturning of Amanda Knox's acquittal.
Amazon Top Ten in True Crime and Criminology. Best True Crime Book Editor's & Reader's Choice Awards. Library Journal Bestseller .

Police found the body of beautiful British exchange student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy in 2007, police discovered the body of Meredith Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini blamed the murder on satanic rituals, Manga comic books, Halloween and Day of the Dead. American college student Amanda Knox, quickly became the prime suspect and became the star of a sensational international story, both vilified and eroticized by the tabloids and the Internet.

Award-winning journalist Candace Dempsey gives readers a front-row seat at the trial and reveals the real story behind the media frenzy.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Biography, History, Italy

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 27, 2010

About the author

Candace Dempsey is the award-winning, Italian-American author of MURDER IN ITALY

the true story of Amanda Knox, the American honor student convicted of killing her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in a seemingly idyllic Italian hilltop town.

You've seen the Amanda Knox movie.
Now get the real story behind the headlines.
MURDER IN ITALY
This is Eat, Pray, Love gone horribly wrong.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candace Dempsey‘s book Murder in Italy: The Shocking Slaying of a British Student, the Accused American Girl, and an International Scandal sets out to tell the real story beyond the “media frenzy,” according to the backcover blurb.

Full disclosure: I received a review copy of the book and have known Candace since before Kercher’s murder (Candace’s family comes from Calabria so that is how we initially “met” online). In fact, Candace and I exchanged several emails about the case throughout the investigation. Candace soon began writing about the case on her blog Italian Woman at the Table, and it’s no secret that Candace has been an *extremely* strong supporter of Knox from early on — and although I know Candace tried hard to be objective, that support continues in this book.

I’m sorry to say that Murder in Italy wouldn’t be my first choice to get a balanced account of the facts of this case, although to be fair, I’m not sure if one exists anywhere as there are strong emotions on all sides. In Murder in Italy, the choice of evidence discussed, the way it’s presented, phrasing, and word choice all paint Amanda as innocent and the Italian police and judicial system as idiots at best, intentionally framing innocent people at worst.

That said, the book covers the main events of the case well, offers details in matters that haven’t been greatly publicized, and delves into the personal backgrounds of many of the major players. For anyone interested in this case, you can find a lot of background information and become familiar with one perspective of what happened. To be honest, I didn’t read anything in the book that I hadn’t heard before, but I had been following the case fairly closely as a legal geek.

Aside from that, though, some little things bothered me throughout the book — misspelled/misused Italian words, sweeping generalizations about Italians and their beliefs, inconsistencies in Knox’s and Sollecito’s statements that were never addressed let alone explained, repeated themes that without proof behind them (Knox’s Italian is described as very basic and even poor, but I’ve heard her speak Italian, and it’s not) and various phrases in quotes that aren’t attributed to any sources. To put it mildly, the editing should have been much tighter, and I chalk that up to the publisher wanting to get this out as fast as possible.

But the final verdict: would I recommend this book? Yes, I would, largely because of its most promising quality that I haven’t touched upon yet: readability.

Murder in Italy reads like a novel with so many plot twists and turns and complex characters, you won’t want to put it down. In fact, I read this in a couple days, never losing interest even though I already knew the essentials of the story. Candace has said that she wanted to write about the story as a dream turned into a nightmare, and she accomplished that. She also did a great job of painting the scene in Perugia and giving readers a little peek into this unique corner of Italy where a new crop of young foreigners pass through all the time.

So if you’re interested in the Amanda Knox case and/or enjoy true crime books, give Murder in Italy a look, knowing that you’re in for an engaging although not impartial read.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Won a free copy on Goodreads! I found this book absorbing and fascinating, despite the fact that I knew the ending! I'm convinced now that Amanda Knox and Raffiele Sollicita are innocent. The writing is good for the genre; this is not great literature but the pace is fast and readable. At times, the descriptions seemed trite, such as when she repeatedly called Amanda and her boyfriend "lovebirds". But I was impressed by the authors knowledge of the case and her attempts to present all the facts, as well as the treatment this case received in the press. What a sad and strange set of circumstances. Read this if you want to know what the case is really about. Do not depend on the media reports. I was especially interested in this book because I live in Seattle. Amanda Knox was from Seattle and went to the University of Washington. I feel for her sitting in prison for years, her youth wasted because of a corrupt and unjust legal system.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG. What a terrible book. I am very disappointed. First of all I did not know anything about this case when i started reading. At first I liked the book, the writing style was fine but then i started to notice the author was constanty telling us that one girl in the book was innocent. If there is something I hate it is a writer who is too biased. Of course many true crime writers have feelings when they write a book, but this author, constantly she was finding excuses for Amanda Knox, so much so that it annoyed me so much i could not keep reading. So now I still do not know what happened. grrrrr

[Q. Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I sat to read the book “Murder in Italy” by Candace Dempsey, I had vague knowledge, at best, of the Amanda Knox case. About a year ago, I’d watched an hour-long special on the case on TV–one of these news magazine shows. I don’t even remember which show. The special, aired after Knox, her boyfriend and another man were found guilty of murdering her roommate, said that Knox claimed she was treated unfairly and that her trial was a sham. I did not give her claims much thought, attributing them to things all guilty people say. She probably WAS guilty, I thought. After all, I reasoned, a court would not have found her guilty.

Wrong.

Yesterday, I started “Murder in Italy” and had a hard time putting it down. I’m ashamed for the quick conclusion I leaped to a year ago. Not only is it possible Amanda is innocent, it’s quite very likely positively wholeheartedly true that she IS innocent. First up, the Italian justice system is very different from the American system. Jurors are allowed to talk to one another, watch coverage about the case on TV and read media and news reports. Jurors are allowed to sleep in court. There does not seem to be a presumption of “presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Amanda’s trial was a dazzling array of character assassination, wild guesses and scandal. The prosecution had NOTHING tying her to the crime. No blood evidence, no DNA, no nothing. The book is well worth reading to see how events spiraled out of control.

Knox’s case is under appeal right now, and I hope justice is eventually served.

(Disclaimer: Some reviewers elsewhere have said Candace Dempsey is a friend of the Knox family and blogged on the case throughout. Whether this is true, I do not know, but even taking this in mind, I find the way Amanda was railroaded shameful. I am going to read a few other Knox books to get other perspectives.)


The police and prosecutors made so many missteps I don’t know where to start. But here’s a huge one. They wiretapped (without permission) Amanda’s phones and her conversations in police rooms, including conversations between only her and one of the suspects. If anything incriminating would be said, it would be then. Nothing was said. However, soooo conveniently, the police did not record their interviews with Amanda herself. So, her confession and her allegations of police brutality–not on tape. I have to say that this book has kind of scared me off from visiting Italy, lest I accidentally get caught in the country’s “in”justice system.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from goodreads in a firstreads giveaway and I would like to thank the author, Candace Dempsey, for hosting an international giveaway and I would also like to thank the goodreads team for providing me with the opportunity to enjoy such an engaging piece of work.

I have never before read a true crime novel and it never crossed my mind to actually ever try one, since I’m the type of reader who prefers to escape reality and enter exotic and fantastical worlds, far away from the harsh reality and nitty-gritty of life. I tend to ignore newspaper headlines and newspapers in general, but for some reason (perhaps the mention of my favourite social networking site- facebook), I sat up and paid attention when I came across the headline of an article about the murder of a British student in Italy. This tragic tale stayed with me and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I’d won a copy of a book based on the mysterious circumstances surrounding this case.

Throughout the reading of this book, I was struck by the injustice of it all. The harsh allegations made against American student Amanda Knox, who was the prime suspect and later went on to be sentenced for the murder of her roommate, were without sufficient evidence and I believe that her arrest and sentencing were as a result of prejudice (due to her nationality) and the need for a speedy conclusion to the case. Amanda’s bubbly, free-spirited and somewhat eccentric personality worked against her by serving to confirm suspicions held by authorities that she was unstable and capable of murder. While I have to admit that certain aspects of her behaviour may indicate an underlying layer of pathology, especially in a country where behaviour tends to lean towards the conservative, the fact that psychological assessments conducted on both Amanda and her boyfriend, the co-accused Raffaele Sollecito, did not come up with any results indicative of pathology serves to work against this theory. It is understandable, though, how Amanda could appear unstable after hearing accounts of an episode in a restaurant when she met her roommate’s British friends for the first time at a restaurant and randomly burst out singing at the table- an action which would create a lasting negative impression among the more reserved British students. However, it is quite obvious from descriptions of Amanda in the Italian media and from statements made by police officials, that she was often judged by her loud and assertive personality as they kept making mention of the fact that she would loudly complain of tiredness, hunger and thirst. One thing I found particularly irrelevant and confusing was why they would view Amanda’s and Raffaele’s lovebird-like behaviour with suspicion. They were often referred to as co-conspirators because they were always together and when one of them was called in for questioning, the other would naturally follow.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the quaint little hilltop town of Perugia with it's buzzing student life and party scene which provided an insider's view into the social customs and general attitude of Italians to foreigners. I particularly enjoyed getting to know each character involved in this case on a more personal level and found it funny how Raffaele was often described as an Italian Harry Potter. After viewing the photographs captured by the author of the accused and deceased as well as their families, I can see why Raffaele was described in that manner and why Amanda was described as having sweet, innocent features that could easily lead lower-ranking officers to lose objectivity in her presence. The fact that both Amanda and Raffaele could not accurately remember their alibis for the night of the murder due to drug use serves as a strong argument against the use of drugs and has taught Raffaele a lesson that will remain with him, I am sure, for the rest of his life. Reading about their time spent in isolation in prison made me imagine myself in their shoes and I realised the full import of the judgement that would be made.

I found it appalling how manipulative the wardens were by encouraging Amanda and Raffaele to keep journals in prison only to later turn around and use their written words against them. The pulling of information, pictures and videos off their facebook, myspace and blog pages to prove that they were capable of murder was one aspect of this tale that just scared the crap out of me. It shocked and disgusted me to see how the media twisted their words and used statements (even those made in e-mails, text messages and diary entries) as well as videos and pictures out of context and presented them as ‘evidence’. The fact that the public unquestioningly bought it all and were just relieved to return to a sense of safety angered me.

I believe that that Italian police made a hasty decision after coming under pressure to crack the case as soon as possible or risk being regarded as incompetent and that, in serving their own interests, they may have ruined innocent lives.

[Mark Saha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply put, this is easily the best read to date -- a solid retelling of events leading to the murder of Meredith Kercher and conviction of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito.

If there appears a slight bias toward Knox, it is perhaps inevitable because the case against her was so absurd. Edgardo Giobbi of Italy's Serious Crimes Squad boasted on video that physical evidence was not necessary because "psychological observation" quickly allowed them to arrest the guilty parties:

Search YouTube for: Amanda Knox - Behavior = Guilt/Giobbi:"Case Closed"

The physical evidence, when finally processed, told an entirely different story. Rudy Guede, a serial burglar released by police only a week earlier, broke into the apartment through a roommate's window. Kercher was murdered when she returned home unexpectedly and caught him in the act.

Guede was quickly arrested and convicted.

But Giobbi, Prosecutor Magnini, and the Perugia police had already paraded three innocent people though the streets of Perugia. Amanda had been slandered in the press as a "she-devil" who vindictively seduced two men into killing her roommate. Despite a lack of evidence, she was convicted and sentenced to 26 years for having masterminded the crime. Her boyfriend received 25 years. Guede's 30 year sentence was reduced to 16 in return for implicating them, and with good behavior he will likely be released in another two or three years.

Amanda and Raffaele have since been acquitted. One would hope that Perugia's police and prosecutor will face serious charges of forced confessions, falsifying evidence, and destroying evidence.

Apparently, that is not to be. Despite the acquittals, this saga is still under litigation in Italy. Prosecutor Mignini is suing both Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito for slandering him.

Those wishing to know how it began cannot do better than Candace Dempsey's chilling and fascinating page-turner.

Highly recommended.

[Christina-marie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace Dempsey does a phenomenal job of sorting through the sensationalism surrounding the case of Meredith Kercher and her accused killers - specifically, Amanda Knox.

MURDER IN ITALY reads like a novel, telling the story of Kercher's last days, (briefly) describing the horrific scene of her murder, and provides insight to the lurid headlines that accompanied the public spectacle of the investigation and trials.

Readers learn the origin of the much-broadcast nickname for Amanda Knox, "Foxy Knoxy," and relive her description of the long, taxing interrogation that ended with a confession Knox would later recant. Dempsey describes the public and private mourning of two families who've lost daughters - one to murder, the other to an Italian prison. All the players are described in vivid detail, from the prosecutorial team to the forensic experts to the innocent bar owner fingered by Knox in her recanted confession.

We're left to wonder how a murder scene could be handled so shoddily by investigators as we learn the Postal Police were the first to arrive and allowed tenants of the home to enter the crime scene to retrieve possessions. Eyewitness accounts of police activity don't match police testimony, and in the end, it all seems to come down to "police said" versus "everyone else said."

I've never given much thought to the criminal justice systems of other countries I consider to be modernized, but after reading MURDER IN ITALY, I'm very grateful to live in the United States, where legal and even journalistic standards try to protect the "innocent until proven guilty" label applied to those charged with criminal acts.

In all, the book is an excellent read and - even though many have seen the case play out in the media - sorts fact from fiction in an effort to bring reality to the mystery.

I give MURDER IN ITALY my highest recommendation!

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was curious to learn more about this case and also to try out a "true crime" paperback. But this book was terrible. A poorly organized, poorly written and too personal exculpation of this American girl. Don't read this book.

[Cheye-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Umm..she didn't do it, plain and simple. This book lays out all the facts without all the emotions. What a waste of life. Amanda needs to be freed.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

on a true-crime kick as of late. this was a quick and pretty informative read. i predict amanda knox (who is so obviously innocent) will be out of prison and back in the U.S. within a year.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a disturbing true story about a Uni.of Washington student who goes to Perugia,Italy to study and finds herself caught in a web of deceit, drugs, lies and eventually the murder of her roommate.For those of you who followed the events that occurred in November 2007 of Amanda Knox roommate, Meredith Kercher from England, a student as well, murdered, Amanda is now in prison in Italy for 26 years convicted on skimpy information on what appears to be an inadequate investigation, based on he said she said, and prosecutors who wanted to make a name for themselves from what I can understand. I am very disturbed after reading Candace Dempseys impression of the actual happenings and events, and I am feeling that all the Italian police wanted was a conviction and notoriety. By convicting the American girl accused of the British girls murder worked perfectly for them, quick and an American, how better could it get? Though her Italian boyfriend was also found guilty (Amanda's). The problem here is Amanda never knew when to breath, take a minute to think about what she should say and when not to say it, and not let the police push her into a false confession that she gave under duress again in my opinion. This is a young girl who at times could not tell reality with imaginary events. I am bothered by this and though still have about a hundred pages left to read I felt I needed to express my feelings and see if any of my friends have read the book or followed this case? I would appreciate your input.

June 2010. I completed the book.Candace Dempsey wrote an amazing book about this real life complicated murder and trial.Based on skimpy evidence, Amanda Knox was convicted to 26 years in an Italian Prison.At best this should have been a mistrial because clearly the Italian justice system did not have evidence sufficient to prove their case.I believe the chain of evidence was grossly broken time and time again.I hold strong to my conviction that this girl should be free,that the evidence was not strong enough to convict Amanda Knox and so much was based on hearsay.

Clearly so many facets of this case would have been deemed hearsay and inadmissible in the USA because of the sloppy way evidence was "thrown together" to convict Amanda Knox. I have never met this young woman and have no personal stake in her one way or another. However,I strongly believe as a lay person I have witnessed a disgusting miscarriage of justice in the halls of the Italian Judicial System.This conclusion for me came through countless hours of reading books other than this,newspaper articles, TV interviews and all the sources that reported on this trial. I started out with an open mind, and I am sure that as I went through the mountains of information I was able to access through the aforementioned resources as well as the internet, that I continued to have an open mind. I see a young, vulnerable American girl who has become a scapegoat to get a conviction as some of the Italian people involved in getting a conviction were on a short leash based on past disgusting behaviors in the courtroom. And by the way,for you the reader of my post.If you believe I am prejudice because I am from America,I am from Australia to set the record straight.My heart goes out to the Kercher family and the horrific death of their beautiful young daughter. That must always be the focus of this young girl dying so young at the hands of a wicked person, who by the way, if you read this book, will find the answer to who that is.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading true crime and was thrilled to be sent a copy of "Murder in Italy: The Shocking Slaying of a British Student, the Accused American Girl, and an International Scandal" by Candace Dempsey. I recall seeing news reports during the time period prior to and during the time and like many others wondered about what had happened. Candace Dempsey does a great job filling the reader in on the important details that occurred in the story. My initial impression from news reports was totally changed by reading the details of the case. I do not wish to give any spoilers so I'll just say this book is a must read for those curious about the case and true crime enthusiasts. Anyone who is planning to travel or study overseas would also be well advised to read this book. What happened to Amanda Knox illustrates how different the legal system operates in other countries and the power of the press in influencing popular opinion. Earlier this week I happened to see on the news that Amanda Knox is now on trial for "slandering" accusing the Italian police. I am sure I know what the verdict will be.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amanda Knox left Washington for the small Umbrian university town of Perugia to complete a year of studying abroad and to brush up on her Italian language skills. Many students take advantage of opportunities to study abroad, but for Amanda her year abroad turned into a legal nightmare. Coming home one morning she discovers the body of her murdered roommate, Meredith Kercher. After months of half-hearted investigation, language barriers and poor forensics she finds herself and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito sentenced to prison for 26 and 25 years, respectively.

This story has captured headlines around the world and also captured the imagination of a friend of mine. In an attempt to be able to carry on an intelligent conversation I picked up this book to familiarize myself with what happened. Admittedly, if you enter “Amanda Knox Trial” as a Google search this information is readily available, but I found that Ms. Dempsey put it together in an engaging, chronological manner, without offering any personal suppositions.

[Anneirwinward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recently read this after hearing someone refer to Amanda Knox as "Foxy Knoxy" on an episode of 30 Rock and I didn't even know what that meant. I looked online and came across the book. A guilty pleasure more than anything, but I enjoyed reading about the case. It is a bizarre case to me, but it would be interesting to know what the "other side" would point to that made them jump to such wild conclusions. I am amazed that this case was allowed to be continued against Amanda Knox and Rafael on what the author provides - as though the prosecutor/police had it in their mind who was guilty then worked to make sure that they made a case, rather than relying on evidence and building a case. Modern day witch hunt, if you go by the facts as presented it is hard to see it as anything else. You can talk all day long about someone's character and behavior, but that doesn't make them guilty if there isn't a shred of evidence supporting your theory. I found the leaps of imagination that were required to allege Amanda and Rafaelle as guilty in this murder to be astoundingly nonsensical.

[Bap · Rating 4 out of 5]

The trial was a travesty and she was wrongly convicted. And by the way never,never let yourself be interrogated concerning a serious crime unless you are represented by counsel. If you are not lawyered up, you could end up like this 20 year old convicted of a heinous crime with a thirty year sentence. This crime is memorizing and the book is a real page turner.

My premise is that a person with no criminal background, mental instability,propensity for violence, or motive should be convicted without out compelling eyewitness testimony or physical evidence. Here the physical evidence was virtually non-existant and the case was built on coercive interrogations and speculation.
There is also culture clashes galore and the presumption that ab American coed from Seattle was sex crazed, wild, and a witch.

[Kevin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting reading, but largely propaganda. Dempsey has been an outspoken apologist for Knox both before and after her conviction and makes no effort at objectivity or true journalism in any way, shape or form.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know too much about Amanda Knox before reading this book and I thought the author did a brilliant job in bringing her story to life. I was hooked from the very beginning.

[Nikisha Evans mckinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this. I followed the trail as I read this book....

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read Monster of Florence - same subject, more info

[Jennie Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

When this trial occurred I only remember thinking how scary it would be to be Ananda Knox, on trial in a foreign country. I had no idea just how awful the ordeal was. Unbelievable that she was convinced without proof.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I registered this book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14155021

Better than most true-crime books.

I have been curious about Amanda Knox since I first heard of her arrest. Like many others, I initially thought "maybe she is guilty". Then the television series Guilt came out. So that made me wonder what really went on. I hunted online and found this book was recommended as the most thorough.

And it is. It is a bit repetitious, but probably necessarily so. But let's start at the beginning.

Amanda Knox lived with three roommates in Perugia, Italy, in 2007. Amanda is American, her roommate Meredith Kercher was British, and the other two women were Italian. They had been living together for two months when Meredith was murdered in their apartment. It was a holiday weekend so Meredith spent the night alone and was found the next day by Amanda, her boyfriend, and others.

Within a few days the prosecutor had settled on Amanda and her boyfriend as the likely perps. He developed a theory involving sex and violence and a third person. His theory was leaked, as almost everything was in this investigation over the next years. The press picked it up and ran with it, worldwide.

This book explores the lives of the participants, the days before and after the murder as well as the night itself, and the Italian legal system. It is clear that the author has a bias in favor of Amanda, but the evidence does speak for itself. I found it engaging and interesting and it satisfied my need to know the story. Except that it was published in 2010 and further events, including Amanda's release on appeal, had not yet happened.

I found the description of the legal system and the way that trials are run especially interesting. I think such a system is only going to work when all persons involved are careful to stick to facts, and that is unlikely to happen.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an injustice for both families. I may not be popular for saying this, but based on the physical evidence & the corrupt, grandstanding prosecutor, the biased judges & police investigation, Amanda Knox seems to have been railroaded along with her boyfriend. With no physical evidence tying either to the crime, and only evidence convicting Rudy Guede, how could Ms. Knox & Mr. Sollecito still be imprisoned. I admit she made some poor choices in pointing the finger at her former boss & making statements that could make her appear questionable to the authorities, but it happens all the time in this country where a suspect is questioned for hours & hours on end & gets confused thus stating things that don't make sense. Add in the enormous language gap/barrier and this girl didn't stand a chance. The prosecutor & judges simply made up their own ludicrous theories as the trial went along & when evidence did not fit into the theories, they made up other, completely different ones.

Lost in all of this too is Meredith Kercher, the victim whose family deserves the peace of being able to put it all to rest so they can grieve their daughter, which cannot happen with the appeal process & more trials.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon finishing Candace's book, I joined the ranks of those who actually feel that Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito might just be innocent. I'd suggest you read the book and decide for yourself! Author Bruce Fisher, in the introduction to his book Injustice in Perugia, points readers to Candace's book: "If you would like to read a far more detailed account of the people and places along with wonderful insight on Italian culture, I highly recommend Murder in Italy by Candace Dempsey..." How's THAT for free advertising! I concur that Candace covers the story thoroughly as well as offers important insights into the Italian culture that sought to seal Amanda's fate. We'll see how effective it was upon appeal. A most interesting read!

[Joslynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Amanda Knox story really caught my attention when I first saw a 48Hours on it. It's very frightening what the media and the Italian legal system did to Amanda and her boyfriend. It did sound like Amanda had some strange behavior following the murder but I think she was just being a 20 yr old girl in a different country and probably smoked a little too much hashish that nght. I don't think she did it.

[Mick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best true crime book I've read this year. Vivid, fast-paced, and scary. I thought I knew all about the Amanda Knox case until I picked up this book. I enjoyed entering the peculiar hilltop town of Perugia and the real-life characters like Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito and prosecutor Mignini, who are impossible to dream up. I also appreciated the tactful treatment and concern shown for the victim, Meredith Kercher.

[Rachelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a big fan of the whole Amanda Knox story I was really excited to read this. And while it did cover all the sensational details that were told time and again in the newspaper, it also covered some of the more personal reflections of the main suspects that I hadn't read in the papers. Overall it was an interesting, quick read that covered a lot of the details I already knew while adding a lot more background details that really fleshed out the story.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about the murder of Meredith Kercher. The police discovered the body on November 2, 2007. The book is good but is a lot digest. Author shows a little about her before her life ended. Also what happens to Amanda Knox, the prime suspect, after the media frenzy roared into her life and the people around her.
Good book.

[Vern73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know much about this case before I read this book. I found it very interesting and found myself wondering what I would have done in the same circumstances. I can't wait to see what the final chapter of this case ends up being.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate a mystery without an end. I don't know if we'll ever really know what happened to Meredith.

[Kammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked it up because I remembered the story recently in the news, and was curious...I have no idea why these two kids were convicted after I read it..interesting read.