I was originally interested in this book because I live less than two hours from Dannemora, and remember the constant reporting of this escape while it was going on.

Having an “inside” view of the escape and manhunt was very interesting, but the writing itself was a bit rough. There were quite a few times where I felt that I was reading whole sentences I had already read. Being familiar with the North Country area, the explanation of roads and locations made sense to me, but I could see where that would be difficult to process for a reader unfamiliar with the area.

This did keep me turning the pages to see exactly what was happening during those stressful few weeks. Having all the connections to law enforcement and corrections officers allowed the author to give a side to the story that isn’t often publicized. Overall, this was a fairly quick and interesting read.

Good perspective from someone that is knowledgeable of the events that occurred. A good addition to the Showtime series.

Joyce Mitchell was a messed up, lonely woman living in the wildest part of upper New York State when she, like many residents in that area, went to work for the prison system…it seems prisons are a big industry in that part of the state. She met and married another employee and they worked at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora for years, with her job being a supervisor of the prisoners who worked in the tailor shop (they make more than license plates, it seems). While there, she got friendly – VERY friendly—with convicted double murderer Richard Matt and cop killer David Sweat, who used her vulnerability to develop a strong enough bond that she was willing to smuggle in the tools they needed to break out.

The plan was for her to be waiting when they emerged from manhole cover outside the prison, then they would all jump in her car and be off to Mexico and freedom. But the night they made their escape, she had a panic attack, was taken to the hospital emergency room, and freaked out enough to rat them out. The next three weeks there was the biggest manhunt in New York history as they tried to survive long enough to get away.

The author of Dannemora is a lifelong resident of the area and former correctional officer and trainer who began his career at the Dannemora prison, and he is a terrific writer. This is at once a fascinating true crime story, a look at the lengths to which a lonely woman can be manipulated, and the conditions and circumstances both at the prison in question and throughout the prison system (all the way to the Governor’s office in Albany) which led to the escape. I particularly appreciated the revelations about the use of prison labor for profit, the ethical lapses among the employees, and the political mess that brought enough budget cuts to make it impossible for the guards to do their work as regulations dictated.

With thanks to Kensington Books/Citadel and NetGalley, this is a strong four stars. And I still don’t get how Joyce’s husband stuck with her, and it annoys the hell out of me that she is still entitled to her entire pension!

Dannemora: Two Escaped Killers, Three Weeks of Terror, and the Largest Manhunt Ever in New York State

This is my second book on this breakout, so I’m fairly familiar with the subject. The author retired from 25 years in corrections and was born and raised in that area. He is currently a municipal court judge. I was interested in the subject so I thought I’d go for another viewpoint. This book is a good mix of background on the escapees, and the lead up to the escape, the two employees that were involved, and then the story of the escape itself. The writing is fine and moves along well, making this a good book for those interested in the topic. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Charles A. Gardner, and the publisher for my fair review.

When 2 convicted murderers escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, in New York in 2015, the region was paralyzed by fear and overwhelmed by a massive law enforcement response. As details of the daring escape, including the participation of a prison employee gone rogue, the nation was captivated by the story. A recent television miniseries has brought this story back to the forefront of public consciousness, and this book is the definitive account of what really happened, written by someone that's the ultimate insider: not only a resident of the area but a career New York state corrections employee with personal knowledge of the facilities and some of the people involved. The author does an impeccable reporting job and this book is well-written. In fact, I found myself unwilling to put it down as the story continued to unfold.

This true story took place not far from where I live so I couldn't wait to hear the never before known details and I was not disappointed! Excellent background on both Sweat and Matt. I really don't think the news coverage did these two justice- they were truly heinous, calculating and dangerous criminals. Albany is a true disgrace. This was a great educational read.