Never having been involved in the justice process- I am not understanding how the investigators are satisfied with just closing a case. If the wrong person (s) go into the system in addition to the injustice for them and their families- the victims, families and the public are still at risk of the true perpetrators.

Just when I need to have faith in the justice system- Framed removes the veil and will not let me be disillusioned. Chapter three regarding medical examination post mortem done not for public safety but for financial gains.
My favorite part it each chapter begins with the reader know who done it. And seeing just how off base the suspects are. This is a must read for true crime fans.

This is an important book as part of an important discussion. The judicial system is not looking great in these stories. The prejudice and incompetence described is astounding.
The first part of the book reads fast and like a novel, but the stories become repetitive half way through. Every individual story is devastating, but to keep the readers attention, I think the book would have benefitted from mere editing.
Hopefully this book can be part of a larger discussion about the judicial system in America.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Oh, this book.
I am so glad to see Mr Grisham turn his writerly talents to this desperately important issue. Coupled with the lived experience of Mr McCloskey, these stories, alternately told by each author, spring from the page directly into the heart of the reader. The criminal justice system has always been a travesty, and it isn’t getting better. The efforts of the folk who work for Mr McCloskey’s organization, Centurion, the Innocence Project, the Innocence Network, and others perform a highly-needed service in the cause of justice in America. The stories in this book represent a tiny fraction of the number of wrongly-convicted souls victimized by the sometimes egregious and outrageous errors made by those who would seek to rack up numbers of convictions, and seem to care much less for addressing and stopping actual wrongdoing.
It has been said that many times prosecutors and law enforcement officers focus less on finding the right answers, in favor of focusing on those cases they believe, rightly or wrongly, are able to secure a conviction. After all, if they actually addressed all criminal behavior and succeeded in wiping out crime, they would work themselves out of a job. Many times those enlisted by an unthinking public with the duty to right wrongs weirdly and inexplicably overlook obvious perpetrators, ignore leads, and even accuse those telling the truth of lying about the facts of a crime. In some cases citizens who come forward to offer assistance as eyewitnesses end up jailed and convicted of the very crimes they witnessed, because of the too-ready willingness by law enforcement to believe their own invented stories about a crime, that very often belie ready evidence and cold hard facts about a case, but instead conform to their own racist, sexist, and classist prejudices that blind them to truth.
The cases described in ‘Framed’ are important examples of the flaws in the criminal justice system. We should pursue reforms that tru,y reflect our purported reliance on innocent until proven guilty’. This would, of course, completely upend and overhaul the training and norms that are followed by law enforcement now. But until these reforms occur, we will continue to be threatened by the ravages of an unjust and dangerous mentality that places convictions above justice. And we cannot say we are ‘the land of the free’ so long as we look away and allow the unjust criminal justice process to continue.

A collection of ten stories about innocent people being found guilty of murders they did not commit. It’s easy to read in terms of writing style but difficult in terms of how corrupt law enforcement and the judicial system can be. A worthy read.

Framed is John Grisham's latest where he tells the factual stories of people who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. Through the telling of these stories we learn about how the justice system can go astray when winning instead of justice, is the objective. This non-fiction collection enumerates many miscarriages of justice, some of which are not accidental but instead are quite intentional actions by the law enforcement agents we count on to protect us.

This is an important book because having John Grisham's name on it will encourage many readers who have enjoyed his fictional outings.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Framed in exchange for an honest review. Framed is available now.

Good read, an unbelievable, yet true stories of justice gone wrong. So many Corrupt police, judges and practices that those wrongfully convicted have little to no hope. Grisham and McCloskey have done a great job documenting these stories.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. John Grisham is one of my favorite authors; one that is tried, tested and true. This book, though, was very different from most of his other books. I knew that going in and while I found the stories extremely frustrating and unjust, the whole book sort of slogged on and I found myself just trying to get through the pages vs. being engrossed in the story. I won't hesitate to read another John Grisham book, but I hope he returns to his typical writing.

Wow will this book infuriate you! Grisham and McClusky each share 10 stories of wrongful conviction. Each read more like a podcast episode so for that I enjoyed. I learned a lot and while I wish there was more of a solid resolution- what can be said other than out system is flawed?

Oh man! These powerful horrific stories call into question our justice system from the judges to the police. It is horrible to see the system that we all generally wholly believe in do the wrong thing time after time is heart breaking. This book is good but will leave you mad and how these miscarriages of justice happen.

I am an unabashed fan of John Grisham. I have never read a novel he wrote that I didn't like. This book is just as intriguing, and it is true. Grisham has co-written a book about those who are incarcerated for long terms and have been unjustifiably convicted, in many cases of crimes they did not commit and had no relation to doing. Sometimes it was a conviction that was venegeful, other times it was just laziness on the part of the criminal justice center in catching the so called perpetrator just to get the public, a family, or others off their backs. In many cases it is difficult to believe that a jury convicted these people, some are so outrageous. I enjoyed the stories. A well-written and interesting read by Grisham and Jim McCloskey.

Thank you PRHAudio for a complimentary audiobook and Doubleday for a digital ARC through Netgalley.

“Everybody that told the truth done time. Everybody that lied went home.”

I am so glad that more and more people are telling the stories of the wrongfully incarcerated. My earnest hope is that those who are still imprisoned will be exonerated and this will lead to change in the legal system that will end wrongful convictions. I’m thankful that John Grisham has used his platform to get these stories out, most likely with more far reading audiences than Jim McCloskey could do alone.

As with all of these type of stories, they are hard to read/listen to because the evidence seems so clear that the accused is innocent. In addition there was one story I ended up having to skip through because of the graphic nature. That said, I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
Just Mercy
The Sing Sing Files
Learning How the legal system needs to change

SYNOPSIS
- Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey is a powerful and eye-opening collection of ten true stories of innocent people being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned.
- Each story into the details of these devastating cases, shedding light on the systemic failures, including racism, incompetence, greed, and corruption, that led to these miscarriages of justice.

MY THOUGHTS
- Grisham and McCloskey alternate storytelling duties, with McCloskey bringing the perspective of his work as the founder of Centurion Ministries, an organization dedicated to exonerating the innocent. Their combined effort effectively exposes the harsh realities of wrongful convictions, showing not only the failures of the justice system but also the human cost—years lost, families destroyed, and lives irreparably damaged.
- While the subject matter is undeniably compelling, the execution and storytelling occasionally fall short. Some narratives lack the depth and emotional engagement expected from such harrowing accounts. Additionally, the similar structure and themes of the stories can make the reading experience feel repetitive and emotionally draining if tackled too quickly. I would recommend reading one story per day to absorb the full weight of each case without becoming overwhelmed or fatigued.
- One of the book’s most infuriating aspects is the ongoing presence of some of the individuals—prosecutors, judges, appellate courts, governors, and police officers—responsible for these injustices, many of whom remain in positions of power. Equally enraging is the fact that some of the wrongfully convicted individuals remain behind bars despite clear evidence of their innocence.
- Though there are a few “happy” endings with exonerations, these stories are bittersweet. The years stolen cannot be returned, and many released individuals face monumental challenges reintegrating into a world that has moved on without them. The book vividly illustrates the emotional and social toll of wrongful convictions, leaving readers frustrated and heartbroken.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Despite the occasional flaws in storytelling, Framed is an essential read for anyone interested in the flaws of the justice system and the ongoing fight for justice. It is a sobering reminder of the importance of accountability, reform, and relentless advocacy for the wrongfully accused.

Thanks to Doubleday Books & Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchanges for an honest review. This book is out now.

I loved this book! I'm not usually a fan of true crime - I prefer the made up stories - but all of these stories were so good they were hard to believe that they were true. As always John Grisham's writing style just brings you right into the action, and I really enjoyed Jim's writing as well. Would recommend to anyone!

I am a huge fan of John Grisham's fiction works, and now I'm also a fan of his nonfiction as well.
This book was a bit hard to read, as it's difficult to imagine that our legal system could fail so many people so spectacularly. While dense with information, this book is also interwoven with phenomenal story telling. It's never boring, but gives straightforward facts.
Phenomenal read.

Nonfiction. This was hard to read and took me a bit to get through. These are true stories. 10 of them. Corruption and injustice. All of these stories were tragic and many from right here in Texas. It will stay with you after reading.

As a fan of True Crime, this was not only an interesting, but fascinating read as well. The unbelievable things that get done, said, used, overlooked and inserted to get convictions is bone chilling. Stories are told by each Author. This book is so eye opening and our system is also something that really needs to be looked into. (doubtful).
Thank you to NetGalley, Doubleday Books and the Authors for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this was a really interesting concept, and Grisham/McCloskey definitely did the research to make these stories come to life. the first case was the most fascinating to me, and the rest of them had different levels of interest for me as I feel all 'short story' collections do, but this is a solid read for sure if you're interested in the topic.

As someone who’s always been fascinated by true crime and has spent years working in the legal field (even dreaming of becoming a lawyer at one point), this book hit close to home. It’s a powerful collection of ten TRUE stories of wrongful convictions that will absolutely blow your mind. These aren’t just cases of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They reveal shocking miscarriages of justice caused by ignorance, and at times, outright dishonesty by police and prosecutors—real evidence ignored, fabricated motives, and theories twisted to fit their narrative.

The result? Innocent people losing decades of their lives behind bars—and, tragically, one who didn’t live to see his conviction overturned. It’s gut-wrenching, yet an essential read for anyone passionate about justice reform. If we’re going to fix our flawed system, books like this are crucial for shedding light on its deep cracks. Highly recommend!

If you’re searching for a great #NonfictionNovember read, I highly recommend this book! As expected, Grisham’s writing is superb, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the stories shared by Mr. McCloskey. Their combined efforts made this a compelling and impactful read. Fingers crossed for a sequel—hint, hint!

EnjoyBle and horrifying all the same. Definitely could tell the difference of who was writing the story but enjoyed just the same

#1 Bestselling author John Grisham (favorite author) returns with his second work of nonfiction following The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (5 stars) with FRAMED — Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions in collaboration with Jim McCloskey, Centurion Ministries Founder (works to free the wrongly convicted).

This masterfully researched work offers a gripping and absorbing look at the injustices faced by victims of the criminal justice system in the US.

Their goal with this book is to raise awareness of wrongful convictions and help prevent more of them in some small ways. It is an effort to shine a light on some of the terrible and abusive tactics used by the authorities to convict innocent people.

About...

FRAMED consists of ten heartwrenching and harrowing true stories of wrongful convictions. Stories of people incarcerated for life or given death sentences for crimes they did not commit.

These are accounts of innocent men who, despite being found guilty, displayed immense courage and resilience. They were forced to sacrifice their lives, friends, families, and spouses, spending decades in prison while the guilty party remained free.

My thoughts...

The authors brilliantly share the tragic stories of the innocent in FRAMED. From their battles and struggles amid corruption, racial injustices, testimonies, misconduct, and the injustices of the legal and court system when not there to support them.

Sharing the battles within a world of innocent until proven guilty. Told with sympathy, compassion, and the shocking truth.

Powerful and emotionally moving, we hear from all aspects of the justice system: corrupt cops, investigators, experts, attorneys, judges, witnesses, snitches, professional misconduct, withholding of evidence, racial discrimination, misapplied forensic science, false confessions, perjured testimony, procedural issues, witness intimidation, and much more about the long road to exoneration with disappointments, courage, and appeals.

Sadly, there are many more untold stories, and those cases are not overturned before it is too late. These stories are critical and timely, and each story deserves the attention it deserves.

FRAMED is a deeply emotional read, evoking strong feelings as you immerse yourself in these true stories of individuals caught in a web of deceit, lies, and injustice, wrongly accused and convicted.

From the gripping storytelling to the harrowing accounts of suffering and corruption, FRAMED is a powerful call to action for society to address these injustices and strive for redemption.

A highly recommended, compelling read of innocent Americans wrongly convicted. Superb work!

Thanks...

I'm grateful to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing a digital early reading copy for an honest review. I also purchased the audiobook, narrated by my favorite narrator (Michael Beck), and the authors, John Grisham (my favorite) and Jim McCloskey, for a superb listening experience.

The Authors...

JOHN GRISHAM: A bestselling writer, attorney, politician, and activist widely known for his legal thrillers. When he’s not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.

JIM MCCLOSKEY: Founder of Centurion Ministries, the first organization in the world devoted to freeing the wrongly convicted. Since its establishment forty years ago, Centurion has freed seventy individuals, all of whom spent decades in prison serving life or death sentences for the crimes of others. McCloskey has a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. His memoir, When Truth Is All You Have: A Memoir of Faith, Justice, and Freedom for the Wrongly Convicted, was published by Doubleday in 2020.

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 15, 2024
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