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Until You Are Dead: Steven Truscott's Long Ride Into History
FULLY REVISED AND UPDATEDNational BestsellerWinner of the Canadian Authors Association Birks Family Foundation Award for BiographyFinalist for the Writers’ Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political WritingThe investigation that helped Truscott get a new appeal.In 1959, a popular schoolboy, just 14 years old, was convicted and sentenced to hang for the rape and murder of his 12-year-old classmate. That summer, Canada lost its innocence and the shocking story of Steven Truscott became imprinted on the nation’s memory. First published in 2001, “Until You Are Dead” revealed new witnesses, leads and evidence never presented to the courts. Now this national bestseller is fully revised and updated, and takes readers from that fateful night in 1959 up to the new appeal granted to Truscott in 2006. Julian Sher’s award-winning and insightful chronicle details Steven Truscott’s dramatic final battle – with the help of his family, investigative journalists and lawyers – to clear his name once and for all.
626 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 9, 2001
22 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 28, 2009
This is about the third book I have read in the last few years about someone that was wrongfully convicted of a crime and sent to jail for life. It really makes me question the death penalty. The book itself was a little repetitive but I think the author just didn't want to leave out how incompetent the police and prosecutor were. I still cannot quite believe that they honed in on a fourteen year old without even questioning other avenues which were reported. I had no idea that full discloure was really not mandated until the nineties. Makes me wonder how many poor innocents are sitting in our prisons. Thank goodness for DNA freeing some of these victims.
July 28, 2011
Fantastic. Grew up knowing he was innocent. This book proves it. Not, in my opinion, that it needed proving. Was pretty obvious he didn't do it.
March 29, 2014
One of the most important and disturbing books I have ever read, or that has ever been written about the Canadian justice system. It really hit home with me because we lived on this Air Force Base just 6 years after this happened. I remember well where the body of the young girl was found, we played there all the time. I am so in awe of Steven Truscott, the man he became in spite of the injustices done to him. I think every Canadian should read this book.
July 21, 2025
The epic story of Steven Truscott's murder conviction, prison life, and his fight afterward to overturn his conviction. Extremely detailed. Took me a while to get through.
December 28, 2010
I had to write an essay for Law class in highschool on Steven Truscott. This book was an enormous aid! It covered all the details of the incident, and details that I didn't know and was shocked to find out. It unfurled a fountain of information that everyone should know so Steven Truscott can be given another chance as an innocent person. This book is excellent for research and very interesting to read for leusire.
April 28, 2016
I first heard about Steven Truscott in High School and credit him with my reasoning for becoming a law clerk. His story is truly amazing, as is he. This is a MUST READ for any Canadian. It is wonderfully written novel of a huge miscarriage of Justice in Canada. He has always been innocent in my eyes and as of 2007 he had FINALLY been exonerated.
October 8, 2008
A very good review of the Steven Truscott case. Shows the power of the police and crown at the time. Some repetition and it stops short of the final chapter in this saga (although I imagine an update may be around the corner). In all a good look at this time period, especially in rural Ontario.
August 17, 2011
Wonderfully written detailed account of one of Canada's most egregious miscarriages of justice.
Sher's account into the seriously flawed investigation of Lynne Harper's 1959 murder ranks just behind
Isabel LeBourdais' 1966 groundbreaking book, The Trial of Steven Truscott, in importance.
Sher's account into the seriously flawed investigation of Lynne Harper's 1959 murder ranks just behind
Isabel LeBourdais' 1966 groundbreaking book, The Trial of Steven Truscott, in importance.
August 18, 2015
A very thorough documentation of the events that took place only 10 minutes from where I currently live. Sher has made this bit of local history an interesting read. If in the area, visit the Goderich Jail to see things through Steven's eyes back in 1959.
November 29, 2016
Extremely detailed and would be amazing for those readers who love all the details. Too long for my liking though so I cheated and watched the Fifth Estate documentary and then read the last few chapters starting at "The Last Battle." Awesome story!
March 1, 2020
Despite its clunky title, this is a very good book about the Canadian Steven Truscott, who in 1959, at the age of 15, was sentenced to hang for the rape and murder of 12-year-old Lynne Harper---a crime he did not commit. (His sentence was commuted to life in prison.) The book is partly a biography of Truscott and partly an investigation of the investigation into Lynne Harper's murder, pulling all the evidence out and examining it carefully, including evaluation of witnesses. The prosecution built its case on two child witnesses who couldn't keep their own stories straight but whose evidence pointed to Truscott's guilt, while seeking to discredit child witnesses who told consistent stories that exonerated Truscott. Also, because the laws of discovery in 1959 didn't require them to, the prosecution did not turn over to the defense a BOATLOAD of evidence that pointed toward Truscott's innocence, choosing instead to harp on the cherry-picked evidence that did not contradict the theory of Truscott's guilt. The trial judge was also biased toward the prosecution, and his charge to the jury was both biased and factually inaccurate. And then, of course, the authorities doubled-down as the legal question became a political question, not was Steven Truscott innocent? but were the police wrong? Judging by this book, it's almost impossible for someone living in 2020 to imagine how infallible the police and the legal system were perceived to be in 1959 and how vitally necessary the government felt that perception to be. (Many people in power seemed to feel that admitting error in the case of Steven Truscott would be tantamount to approving the downfall of Canadian civilization.) The history of Steven Truscott's attempts to prove his innocence is also a cultural history of the paradigm shift that is the 1960s, as mainstream culture learned to distrust its authority figures.
The book was published before a decision was reached in Truscott's final appeal, but Wikipedia tells me his conviction was overturned in 2007---even though, even then he wasn't declared innocent. It was merely admitted, finally, almost 50 years later, that his guilt was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
The book was published before a decision was reached in Truscott's final appeal, but Wikipedia tells me his conviction was overturned in 2007---even though, even then he wasn't declared innocent. It was merely admitted, finally, almost 50 years later, that his guilt was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
June 28, 2020
A case that captivated all of Canada, the murder of Lynn Harper and subsequent trial and conviction of Steven Truscott was one I heard about from a very young age. This book is an excellent deep dive into the history of the Canadian judicial system during a pivotal time where Canadians were very much at odds with one another and when the course of our history was changing in hugely important ways.
The chief complaint I've heard about this book is that it's dry, but I would disagree. If you are not someone who in interested in the minute and sometimes extremely graphic details of this case, you may find this book a slog. If, however, you're someone who wants to understand what went wrong here and how it could have been avoided, you will likely enjoy it very much.
I like that this book doesn't feel heavy handed. It presents facts, evidence, and timelines and allows the reader to absorb and interpret them for oneself. I believe this is a must read for true crime enthusiasts of all nationalities.
The chief complaint I've heard about this book is that it's dry, but I would disagree. If you are not someone who in interested in the minute and sometimes extremely graphic details of this case, you may find this book a slog. If, however, you're someone who wants to understand what went wrong here and how it could have been avoided, you will likely enjoy it very much.
I like that this book doesn't feel heavy handed. It presents facts, evidence, and timelines and allows the reader to absorb and interpret them for oneself. I believe this is a must read for true crime enthusiasts of all nationalities.
May 28, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It is a story that I am have heard about since I was much younger. So hard to believe that this really happened to such a young person in this country. Yes, it was a LONG time ago but still.... For a 14 year old boy to hear the words "You will be hung by the neck until you are dead!" must have been mind numbing. Being the mother of boys I can even begin to imagine what he and his family went through. The Truscott's were/are one strong group of people!! Survivors!! Good people to come out on top...eventually.
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June 15, 2021A great, thorough treatment of the case that caused Canadians to stop blindly trusting their police - a 14 year old was railroaded into a possible death sentence (he was actually sentenced to hang, but that was commuted due to his age) and years in prison for a crime that he, provably, did not commit. The research and detail in this book are astonishing! It's a great read and a well-told story.
June 9, 2024
Very long, very dry, extremely repetitive especially trying to establish the timeline. 609 Pages could have been condensed into 300. I will say the author is very thorough. Haven't heard of this case before but it was pretty evident early on that the prosecution had no case.
February 5, 2025
An innocent boy who was falsely accused of murder. A true story about the botched up legal system in Canada framing him for a crime he did not commit without any evidence. What a great book with lots of new information about this case.
July 23, 2025
This non-fiction book chronicles the horrifying lack of Canadian justice for Steven Truscott and many others who were wrongfully convicted.
I did read the entire book, and it is a good read. However, I think there was too much repetition of the details.
I did read the entire book, and it is a good read. However, I think there was too much repetition of the details.
January 31, 2021
This story is one of Justice gone wrong. A fascinating story and well worth the read.
July 23, 2021
Infuriating to read, but it’s well written. The logistics of the case can be a tad confusing, but I’d recommend in giving it a read.
February 20, 2023
The exceedingly detailed court details almost killed me, but I'm glad I stuck it out! Great investigative work.
July 5, 2023
RATING: 3.5
November 29, 2024
This is a must read if you like true crime. Especially those who thought Steven Truscott was guilty.
April 6, 2017
In the 50's, teachers were God, nobody would dare ask a doctor for a second opinion, and the police were considered infallible... or if you were on the other side of the law, corrupt.
Steven Truscott was convicted of a rape and murder at the age of 14 and sentenced to death. No other suspects were considered, even though there were a few sexual predators in the area. The military did not want to release information to the public on one of its men who lured girls into his car. Organizations protected their own. Doctors protected incompetent doctors, the courts protected their own incompetents, and the police system hid its errors.
This loyalty extended more than 50 years in a court system that ultimately tried to sacrifice one innocent man "for the good of the nation", thinking that revealing their errors would cause Canadians to lose their faith in the justice system. Duh.....Yes, I think so. And fighting so long to preserve an incredibly unfair verdict reinforced the lack of faith in the justice system, when it would not correct the injustice of half a century ago.
Were it not for the public who would not give up pressure on this case, Steven Truscott would still be living as a convicted murderer for a crime that he did not commit.
The hero in this book is Steven, who refused to admit to committing a crime that he did not commit, even if it meant that he would never be released from prison. He realized that his freedom came from living the truth, not a convenient lie. He has a warm and loving marriage and children who are proud of him and have legally taken the Truscott name as a sign of their pride in belonging to this family.
His long fight for justice reveals the degree to which politicians, police and the courts can twist the truth or avoid it altogether to keep their position. The recounting of these trials and appeals makes me think that I am watching James Comey and his political cronies. (I am Canadian and would make the same comment about the Watergate hearings, the Warren Commission, etc. So this is not a comment based on a political affiliation.)
If there is anything positive to be learned from this book, it is that grass roots participation can result in significant changes both for the individual and for the nation. Or put more simply, from Churchill, "Never, never, never give up."
Steven Truscott and his wife never gave up.
Julian Sher has written the most comprehensive account of the investigations, evidence, trials, imprisonment and subseqent freedom that I have ever read about Steven Truscott. Yes, it might appear tedious because of all the details, but nothing has been left out, to the degree that the reader is able to see the machinations of the court trying to twist the evidence to support the initial verdict, all the time revealing their desire to protect themselves at the cost of justice. Without this detail, it might be possible to believe their verdicts. But not with all the evidence that Sher presented, which was not available to the defense in the original trial.
I followed this story from its beginning and although I believed that Truscott was unjustly prosecuted, from the media I never got the understanding of the dishonesty, incompetence and spin of the justice system from police to Supreme Court. Sher manages to reveal all of this using facts and allowing the reader to come to his own opinion. He does not present his own opinion or outrage at what has happened. He is impartial and cool in his approach. Now I feel that I have the truth about this sad chapter of Canadian history.
In my opinion, Sher did an excellent job of this research. Yes, it seems awfully repetitive, but that is not his fault. This dragged out more times than necessary, almost as if they hoped that delay would make it go away, and each time Sher showed the changing testimony. He could not do that without repeating these details. And there is not a way to skip parts of this testimony, so it will be a long read. But it was worth it to me as a Canadian.
Steven Truscott was convicted of a rape and murder at the age of 14 and sentenced to death. No other suspects were considered, even though there were a few sexual predators in the area. The military did not want to release information to the public on one of its men who lured girls into his car. Organizations protected their own. Doctors protected incompetent doctors, the courts protected their own incompetents, and the police system hid its errors.
This loyalty extended more than 50 years in a court system that ultimately tried to sacrifice one innocent man "for the good of the nation", thinking that revealing their errors would cause Canadians to lose their faith in the justice system. Duh.....Yes, I think so. And fighting so long to preserve an incredibly unfair verdict reinforced the lack of faith in the justice system, when it would not correct the injustice of half a century ago.
Were it not for the public who would not give up pressure on this case, Steven Truscott would still be living as a convicted murderer for a crime that he did not commit.
The hero in this book is Steven, who refused to admit to committing a crime that he did not commit, even if it meant that he would never be released from prison. He realized that his freedom came from living the truth, not a convenient lie. He has a warm and loving marriage and children who are proud of him and have legally taken the Truscott name as a sign of their pride in belonging to this family.
His long fight for justice reveals the degree to which politicians, police and the courts can twist the truth or avoid it altogether to keep their position. The recounting of these trials and appeals makes me think that I am watching James Comey and his political cronies. (I am Canadian and would make the same comment about the Watergate hearings, the Warren Commission, etc. So this is not a comment based on a political affiliation.)
If there is anything positive to be learned from this book, it is that grass roots participation can result in significant changes both for the individual and for the nation. Or put more simply, from Churchill, "Never, never, never give up."
Steven Truscott and his wife never gave up.
Julian Sher has written the most comprehensive account of the investigations, evidence, trials, imprisonment and subseqent freedom that I have ever read about Steven Truscott. Yes, it might appear tedious because of all the details, but nothing has been left out, to the degree that the reader is able to see the machinations of the court trying to twist the evidence to support the initial verdict, all the time revealing their desire to protect themselves at the cost of justice. Without this detail, it might be possible to believe their verdicts. But not with all the evidence that Sher presented, which was not available to the defense in the original trial.
I followed this story from its beginning and although I believed that Truscott was unjustly prosecuted, from the media I never got the understanding of the dishonesty, incompetence and spin of the justice system from police to Supreme Court. Sher manages to reveal all of this using facts and allowing the reader to come to his own opinion. He does not present his own opinion or outrage at what has happened. He is impartial and cool in his approach. Now I feel that I have the truth about this sad chapter of Canadian history.
In my opinion, Sher did an excellent job of this research. Yes, it seems awfully repetitive, but that is not his fault. This dragged out more times than necessary, almost as if they hoped that delay would make it go away, and each time Sher showed the changing testimony. He could not do that without repeating these details. And there is not a way to skip parts of this testimony, so it will be a long read. But it was worth it to me as a Canadian.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews