This was a difficult book for me to read and I struggled due to triggers like I knew I would. I put it off for awhile but it was well written and informative.

For a former crime reporter, this was an interesting read. Some good insight into rape, the investigations, and the history.

Would definitely recommend to others who have true crime interests.

Note: clearing old books from before 2019

Did not have time to read this book - still on my TBR. Thank you for the opportunity and my apologies for not getting to it.

I'm actually watching this on Netflix now and am gobsmacked. I will reocmmend that people read the book before watching - and I will follow up the series with the book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have to admit that I sat on it for a long time because the topic of rape is difficult for me and I need to be in the right mindset. So I waited. I even watched the Netflix adaption of this book before I remembered the book and went back to read it.

First and foremost, this was a difficult read for. Not that the ideas presented are particularly difficult--in fact, they're pretty straightforward--but that the book made me think a lot about my own trauma over the years. In the beginning, I struggled with Marie's interactions with the police because I also had a bad interaction with the cops when I tried to come forward. It was definitely therapeutic to read about Marie's later vindication, though I was upset (but not surprised) there weren't any consequences for how those cops treated her. Especially when the rapist went on to hurt several more women due to their incompetence.

I think reading this book would benefit a lot of people because Marie's story is all too common. We live in a culture that puts the onnus of the crime on rape and sexual assault survivors rather than the perpetrators. No one faults a murder victim for what happened to them. No one blames someone if a burglar breaks into their home. But in our rape culture, it is the victims and survivors who are meant to bleed ourselves dry to put away the bad guy. Even when people, particularly women, come forward, rapists rarely see any time or even face societal consequences. Rapists and abusers get elected into office or get to go one with their athletic careers unscathed. It shouldn't surprise anyone that more people don't come forward, not when it won't make a difference and they will likely end up more traumatized than they were to begin with. Like Marie. Like me.

Sure, it was nice to read about law enforcement actually doing their due diligence to bring justice to victims. I'm glad all the women were able to get justice. However, it is Marie's story that is much more relatable. Victims are still scorned for what happened to us. We rarely see justice, even when we "do everything right."

That's something that needs to change. Attitudes about rape need to change. We need to believe victims. We need to fight for them.

This book was haunting but also gave a lot of interesting perspective about rape and rape culture in the US. It shed light on how police departments do not work together, so a rapist who should have been caught years ago wasn't for nearly 10 years. The book did a great job of weaving together the narrative with statistics and facts about rape. The book is a bit slow at parts and infuriating (by no fault of the authors), but the rapist didn't really change his MO over the years, so it was incredible that he wasn't caught for such a long time. Overall, an enjoyable and important read.

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong is an in-depth look at reported rape cases in America. From Marie who is accused of falsifying a rape, to a string of women whose rape cases sound eerily familiar, to a historical view at how this country has viewed accusations brought forth by women, A False Report is a solidly researched journalistic view at where we are, where we’ve been, and how far we need to go.

I say this is a journalistic view because this is written mostly as the facts, just the facts. There isn’t much emotion involved, and there are no graphic, intensely detailed rape scenes. I read some reviews where people wanted more emotion, but I welcomed having an emotional distance from the horrific events. It doesn’t mean that reading this isn’t horrific, though. Reading all the facts, seeing how the police questioned women, especially those who had a sordid past, and getting insights from the rapist on how he stalked and took pleasure in this is still quite horrifying. I honestly don’t know if I could’ve made it through the whole book had more details and emotions been inserted, and quite frankly, it wasn’t hard to fill in the blanks on my own.

Through interviews, police documents, news reports, and court records, the authors pieced together the process that happens when one reports a rape. It’s long, meticulous, demeaning, and overwhelmingly aggravating to see how this process works. And it’s even more aggravating to read the sections of the book that highlight how women have always been given the side eye when reporting sexual assault. Quotes from Thomas Jefferson, an early Supreme Court Justice, and an historic leading legal expert infuriate me, but they sit right alongside current cases where officers assume a pregnant teen just wants revenge, or the first thing they ask a rape victim is how much marijuana they smoked that night.

We have a long way to go. This book doesn’t give any insight in where we may be going, but it definitely shows us that we need to do better. Believe women.

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America is a well researched and annotated account of the multiple failure of the criminal justice system in the USA painted across the larger context of toxic masculinity, sexism and racism. Written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, it's 304 pages and available in hardbound, paperback, ebook, and audio versions. Published by Crown Publishing, it was released 6th Feb, 2018.

Both T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong are award winning journalists and experienced authors and educators and they bring meticulous research and clarity in writing to bear. Make no mistake, this book is a difficult read. The subject matter is uncomfortable and I found myself putting the book down fairly often because I was angered, disgusted, and enraged in about equal measure.

I never considered myself a particularly naive person. I work in the healthcare sector, and even though I don't have direct patient contact, I'm not shielded from the reality of the horrific ways humans can inflict suffering on one another. This book goes beyond the pathology and calculated planned horror of a serial rapist to an examination of the fallout from the utter failure of the safety net which is supposed to protect victims in the aftermath of a crime.

Pretty much everything about this book upset me. I am appalled that the machinery of investigation and punishment was brought to bear on the victims of a serial rapist. I almost can't imagine anything worse than not being believed and trusted by those around me. When that callous disregard is turned on people without the same safety net and support, it is really awful.

This book has stark and horrifying relevance to today's headlines. When there's blowback from the #MeToo movement and people deride others for the strength to speak out, it points to a much larger underlying problem.

I sometimes despair for humanity. When politicians can joke about sexual assault, and they do every day, and whine about the unfairness of a serial assaulter suffering professional repercussions when he's exposed for the crimes he perpetrated on his former wives, it's not ok.

This book made me angry. It's also an important book. I sincerely hope that we can create a dialogue about rape which leads to real change in the process.

Four stars, very well written and VERY uncomfortable. Obvious trigger warnings apply.

"How do you defend yourself when someone accuses you of rape?", I believe that was the statement that William Kennedy Smith so stoically announced during his trial back in the early 90's. The public was glued to their television sets when Court TV was still on the air this was a tremendous trial. He was acquitted but guilty of that rape and several others. The woman who had the nerve to take him to trial had her creditability ripped her to shreds for all to see.

This book isn't about that case, but I can still picture him on the stand all smug and composed posing that question to the jury, that poor woman didn't stand a chance.

It's hard for a woman to come forward after a rape just thinking of many obstacles they face, let alone considering that chances of the perpetrator will be caught and brought to justice is slim to none. We hear of all these decades-old rape kits that are that are now being discovered in a basement at some police departments or the current ones that are waiting in line for DNA testing that may take years before they'll be tested is a daunting thought.

These women fought back; they did the right things they called the police, these survivors went to the hospital to get examined, they didn't wait.

I was stunning at the number of times that a specific survivor had to recall her assault because the detectives who caught her case kept finding inconsistencies in her statement. The survivor's prior behavior before and after the attack was in question regarding her case. I was furious that several people who were close to the young survivor went to the detectives and added more suspicions regarding her claim. There is no right or wrong way to how a survivor responds to a sexual assault.

I thought this book was very informative and I applaud the investigative reporters who brought this case to light. It was a real eye-opener, I've worked in Law Enforcement and dealt with sexual assault survivors and to quote one of the statements in the book, "You know what these complaints represent?" The Sgt. told Ms. Browmiller. "Prostitutes who didn't get their money." I've heard that statement before, and I was livid. If a prostitute reports a sexual assault they should be should be treated just as seriously as elderly Sunday Sunday teacher.

I'm glad that finally, detectives are getting the specialized training they need to handle these type of cases. In the past, it seemed as if a sexual assault case came through a police department it would always land on the females detective's desk

Another thing I liked about this book is that it's not bogged down with a lot of dry statistics it was an easy read.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The title and description didn't prepare me for what this book really was--a true crime page turner full of fascinating procedural detail and truly inspiring police work. I am in awe of the bravery and compassion of the people who set their agendas aside to work for justice.

This book took me quite a long time to read. Not because it was boring or substandard - it was riveting and very well-written. But I found myself feeling such heartbreak for Marie and such anger and frustration with the police, that I had to take breaks to re-ground myself. I believe that we’re making progress as a society and as our criminal justice system to understand better the whole concept of victim psychology but it still seems “not there” - not where it needs to be. The authors have written a very strong book. The research and the writing quality are first-rate. I highly recommend it. The only slight caveat is a warning that the sections on the rapist are very hard-hitting and detailed. This of course is a good thing but it may be difficult for some readers.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

RATING: 4.5 STARS
​(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY​)
(Review Not on Blog)

I had so many feelings as I read this well-written book. What started out as an article went on to win the journalists a Pulitzer Prize, and was expanded into A False Report. A young troubled woman trying to do better with her life is raped in her apartment. Her background and the bizarre story has the police making quick judgements. Instead of looking for the rapist they look to demoralize the victim. When she is not believed by the police she decides to recant her story and finds herself ostracized from the community that sees her as a liar. They see her as an attention-seeker and decide to charge the young woman of false reporting. In the meantime, the rapist escapes justices and goes on to rape more women.

Two years later, detective Stacy Galbraith comes across a bizarre rape case and runs it by her husband, who is also in law enforcement. He mentions that they had a similar case so she joins forces with them to uncover the rapist. Not only do they find the rapist they clear the victim that was charged with false reporting.

The writing and story just blew me away. Miller and Armstrong write with such compassion that at times my heart hurt for not just the victims but at the injustice of all of it. Had it not been for Galbraith and the task force I cannot even imagine what would have become of the victims and how many there would have been in the end. I recommend this book to every one as it teaches so much about what happens when we don't believe in a woman who reports rape - but more to the point when the police does not investigate it properly and lets judgements of the victim cloud there job. It is hard to read sometimes but so worth the end result.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended read! Thanks for providing through Net Galley. Five Stars *****

Many thanks go to Miller and Armstrong, Crown Publishing, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Extremely touching account of a serial rape investigation across state lines. What happens when police departments do not coordinate and evidence including DNA is not stored and recorded correctly. But what was most aggravating was learning how often detectives DO NOT BELIEVE the victims. Even in the 21st century women still ask for it, women still lie, and women are still charged for filing false charges. It's just too much for me to swallow. Their lives have cracked to pieces, they have no glue, and they are being accused of being whores STILL. To give you some statistics in 2009 in Detroit there were 11, 341 untested rape kits found in a warehouse. In 2015 the White House estimate the national backlog was closer to 400,000. Rape kits were only adopted in the 70's. There even exists a blog that focuses on "false rape reports" out of England that goes back to 1674. Obviously the system is against the victim. Women are held in the lowest esteem. There is no evidence that it's getting better nationwide, and when officers are finally proven wrong there is rarely an apology offered. This book made me sick. It tore at my insides. I feel fortunate to have read this, and I think every woman should to learn how to protect herself against " A False Report".

This was a book that everyone should be required to read. This made me think and question what has happened to our society that women decide setting up a man is a way to get attention or get back at him? But not just women either. It makes it harder for those assaulted to be listened to and come forward when they have to face all the questions. Important and thank you for letting me read this and write about it.

It makes you think...
No one should fear reporting an act of violence. No one. And yet, even here in the US, some victims, won't be believed, or worse, will be blamed for the crime perpetrated against them. This book details the story of one such victim who was labeled a liar and charged for reporting a rape.
It is also a story about investigations done right (or wrong), communications (or lack thereof) between police jurisdictions, and some history of forensic procedures related to rape investigations.

This is not always an easy book to read. Primarily, it chronicles the story of a young woman who was brutally raped by a serial rapist who broke into her home. Except... no one believed her. And the police even charged her with filing a false report (hence the title). She plead guilty. Until incontrovertible proof came to light that she was not, in fact, lying, she was perceived as part of a centuries-long deluge of women making up rapes. Except, of course, no such deluge exists. I wish that the book had spent a little less time in some of the minute policing details (there are SO MANY law enforcement names and jurisdictions and job titles to keep track of) and a little more time on the history of rape investigations and the persistent myths that surround it. Be warned that there are graphic and numerous depictions of rape throughout the book.

This is the chilling reality of how rape victims are treated, how the crimes against them are investigated and how rare it is for them to find justice.

I first heard about Marie 's story from the
Heartbreaking ProPublica story, and I often wondered about her and how she was doing, so I was glad to see that this had been made. A False Report is not an easy read, especially when the narration focuses on Marc. I wish this was not a relevant read, but it obviously is. The authors did a good job balancing a non-biased almost scientific tone while still humanizing all parties involved.

*Thanks to Netgalley, the authors, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

Until the recent #MeToo movement that empowered victims of sexual harassment to come forward and share their stories, they were mostly a marginalized group in the society. More often than not their accusations had been swept under the rugs as made up stories because for years the Americans have been instructed to be wary of false accusations. On a letter written in 1786 by Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father to James Madison, who would later pen the Bill of Rights, Jefferson almost in passing talks of his opposition toward harsh punishment for rape, “on account of the temptation women would be under to make it the instrument of vengeance against an inconstant lover, and of disappointment to a rival.”

While it is true that rape is an easy accusation to make, does it mean that we shouldn’t give benefit of the doubt to victims who come forward? There’s no way to determine how many women lie about being raped for sure – the percentages are all over the map. In 2016 a police surgeon in England concluded that 90% of rape allegations were false (his sample size had been 18 cases!), while Susan Brownmiller, a renown feminist pegged the number to be somewhere around 2%. According to researchers who study sexual assault, out of the rape allegations reported to the police that number lies in a range between 2-8%. So we know that some women lie about being raped, but what will happen if cops brush off a rape allegation before investigating because they think the victim’s account is false?

A False Report looks at the story of Marie, an 18-year-old who reported to the police of being raped at knife-point. In 2008 a man wearing a ski mask had broken into her apartment, tied her and then raped her for four hours. Not only that, the rapist had taken photos during the rape, which he threatened to post online. But when she went to the police and turned to her foster family for support, some cast doubt on her story. As a result, ultimately Marie was forced to recant her allegation and later charged with false reporting.

But as we see in A False Report, Marie’s allegation was not false. In fact, she was one of the first victims of a serial rapist who brutalized multiple women. Because she acted calm and collected, and there were some minor inconsistencies in her allegation (Marie had slept only for an hour before the rape, but the cops made her repeat her story five times without letting her rest), almost everyone around her thought that she lied.

While it is true that not every sexual allegation might be true, A False Report looks at how careful we must be when we approach rape victims. It takes a lot of courage for rape victims to come forward, so we shouldn’t dismiss them without proof of deception (at the same time, we shouldn’t convict an accused person without proof either).

A False Report is written by two Pulitzer winning journalists. Even though Marie’s story is the center of the book, alongside her story we are told how a group of Colorado detectives worked together to catch the serial rapist who raped Marie, showing how rightly sexual assault investigations can be done. So it is immensely readable and a good eye-opener.

This book is a fascinating look at Rape in America. It's a hard read, but a necessary one.