Book-a-book of the Month Club discussion

I usually do characters and story discussion for our books, but non-fiction/true crime is a bit different. So, I will do just a general discussion thread for this one.

The whole false confession thing has always made me think. I don't understand it, but mental abuse by authorities is legal and I think it happens more than we know.
Reminds me of the Stephanie Crow case in San Diego. Very scary stuff. You would like to think innocent people are safe, but that isn't always the case. And you throw in youth, inexperience, or mental incapacity and you have a recipe.for disaster.

Vicki Willis wrote: "The whole false confession thing has always made me think. I don't understand it, but mental abuse by authorities is legal and I think it happens more than we know.
Reminds me of the Stephanie Crow..."


I've always thought about this. I know that I am generally a pleaser, and I am also easily intimidated. I can absolutely see how it could happen.

I finished this one.
Damn, that had to have been the most depressing book I have read this year.
It was just the most awful thing and it was almost unbelievable that something like that could happen. And even more unbelievable is that the people who pushed so hard could NOT admit they made a mistake or apologize or have any common decency. These things do happen.
The other thing that was/is so upsetting wasis the lack of mental health support and understanding in our society. It is such a horrible disease and people with bipolar and schizophrenia especially have difficulties staying on their meds.
It was just an upsetting book in every aspect.

I have spread myself pretty thin with books so I am making my way slowly through this one. But, when I get through I will come back and read all the comments to discuss.

Vicky, I commented on your review and agree with everything you said. I read this when it first came out, and did get it from the library when Matthew picked it, but by about the 110 page mark it was so depressing, knowing as I did how it ended, that I didn't finish before it fell off my Libby account.

I feel like I should borrow it again and complete just so I can review it again, but damn! I don't need depressing right now.

It really is sad how true is so often harder to read than make believe. How can people be this way?

Now I feel bad that I have depressed everyone! I need to pick something more light-hearted for next month!

Matthew wrote: "Now I feel bad that I have depressed everyone! I need to pick something more light-hearted for next month!"

Don't feel bad! But, yes please... ;-D

Matthew wrote: "Now I feel bad that I have depressed everyone! I need to pick something more light-hearted for next month!"

Yeah, don't feel bad. It is just one of those books that stick with you afterward.

I will comment more after you finish but I just wish (view spoiler)[ someone would have apologized or begged for forgiveness or done any little thing to recognize what was taken from him as a result of his experiences. (hide spoiler)]
I think it shows how my experiences in life have not (thank god) had any horrific situations and it just blows my mind.

I DID appreciate (view spoiler)[where he corresponded with the victim's mother and she realized/admitted it wasn't him and he forgave her. (hide spoiler)]That just broke my heart even more.

The shady interrogations are very frustrating. It would make anyone be worried about being at the wrong place at the wrong time and unable to do anything about it!

Matthew wrote: "The shady interrogations are very frustrating. It would make anyone be worried about being at the wrong place at the wrong time and unable to do anything about it!"

I think that's part of my reluctance to reread this. I find it scary, but not in a vampire / zombie / ghost way. More like a very real world, this crap can happen if the wrong people make up their minds about you.

I have to admit that I did enjoy it. Although I did find myself cringing while thinking about some of the awesome research I've heard from some of my friends over the last few years that address mental health and incarceration (aka people are trying to correct these kinds of things). Also, I did like that this was a true crime and focused on an innocent person.

Still taking my time on this one - so, looks like I will be finishing in September!