I adore everything John Grisham writes so requesting to read this was a no-brainer. I remember reading “The Innocent Man” several years ago, and “Framed” stays with the same theme of innocent men being found guilty without a fair chance to prove otherwise.

I’m an attorney and the first to acknowledge our criminal justice system has many flaws. Co-written with Jim McCloskey, “Framed” focuses on 21 different defendants, all of whom faced egregious miscarriages of justice.

I am proud that I teach at a law school that focuses on overturning wrongful convictions. This book emphasizes the importance of pointing out that justice can be blind in particular when it comes to flaws within our criminal law system

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this great read.

There’s no one else that I would trust to write stories of wrongly convicted people more than John Grisham. I found myself going down the rabbit holes with alot of the cases in this book and it’s really an eye opener to different parts of country and the justice system. Highly recommend this book. 📖

If there ever was required reading on true crime, this would top the list. In alternating chapters, Grisham and McCloskey present cases of justice miscarried resulting in the unwarranted incarceration of ten innocent people, many of which were railroaded into confessions after being beaten down in "interrogation" nightmares. Anyone who thinks that tv and literature depictions of police procedure is an accurate depiction should read this. What enraged me the most was the blind eye cast by authorities who would overlook exonerating material, sure that they "had their man." It took me a while to read since I had to put it down occasionally since it was so strong and disturbing, but don't let that stop anyone from what is a well written, involving page turner.

Thank you for this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book has several interesting cases that I found myself going down the rabbit hole with. Most of the cases were unknown to me before this book, which is always exciting. The topic of real people who were wrongly convicted is something that the True Crime literature world has yet to see...until now. Also, the authors, John Grisham, and Jim McCloskey, do a fabulous job of providing detailed evidence and making the case for innocence of the men and women highlighted in the pages of this book.
One of my letdowns was when Grisham calls someone “mentally retarded” — that is not an appropriate label for someone with a mental disability or lower IQ. The new and more appropriate label would be “intellectually disabled.” In my opinion, this piece of the book needs to be altered to reflect a more kind verbiage.
Another thing that was disappointing was that towards a the end of the book, I did feel like there was too much evidence and the book could have been a lot shorter if paragraphs were cut down.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Well This book was about the wrongful convictions of people arrested and found guilty for crimes that they didn't commit. There are still people in prison who were found guilty but they are innocent. This was horrifying to realize this really does happen. Hopefully now with DNA they can limit the number of wrongful convictions. This was so eye opening.

John and Jim's book introduces the significant concept that justice is not always administered swiftly, fairly, or equally, a notion that has been relevant for decades and continues to be pertinent today. By incorporating real stories from across the United States, the authors provide a comprehensive view into the experiences of the accused, as well as the professionals responsible for prosecuting and defending them. The narrative also explores the effects of crime on the families of the accused, the victims, the wider community, and the nation as a whole. The research supporting these insights is thorough and presented in a manner that is both clear and accessible, allowing readers unfamiliar with legal jargon to understand the recounting of court proceedings and legal events related to each case. This examination underscores the ongoing necessity for attention to the imperfections that still plague the justice system, highlighting the critical role of storytelling in the pursuit of its reform.

Framed is an eye opening, heart breaking read about men who were framed for crimes they did not commit. The lengths that some of these police officers, DAs and judges went to convict innocent men is disturbing. I always thought I was ok with capital punishment, but not after reading these 10 stories.

Due to the heavy content, it took me longer than usual to get through this book. I could not read more that one story at a time, it was just too much.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey. A lot of research and hard work and I'm sure tears brought this true story to us. What a heart-wrenching read. It took me a long time to read it through because it hurt me to learn of the dishonesty, cruelty, and even evilness of some of our court systems. From the DA, investigators, prosecutors, and even judges. I could only read one chapter at a time because it disturbed me so much. The injustice hurt me and made me angry. How could these people in power sleep at night? How can they operate their lives every day with the knowledge they advanced their careers by the lies they told and the pain they inflicted? This book is about only ten cases of injustice done by unethical despicable people in power. A story of ten cases of unjust prison sentences and even death sentence
I'm so glad they named names because even if they have retired or passed the world and families will know of their evil deeds. These were not just errors made, these are cases of manipulation and corruption not by any perpetrator but by the very law system that is supposed to be lawful. I know it's not all of course but it shows it happens not just in poor areas but all over the country. So many biased influential people, so many horrible decisions made to cover up the truth and prosecute innocent people for their own feather in their cap. Greed, laziness, and liars at the expense of human lives.
I do ask you to read this so you know the truth. Please get this book and even if it hurts your heart I hope it opens your eyes.
Thank you NetGalley and Double Day books for allowing me to read and review this book.

John Grisham bring his talent for writing thrillers to five stories of wrongful convictions. He gives blow by blow accounts of each crime and arrest of Americans who were innocent but found guilty. Jim McCloskey, founder of Centurion Ministries - an organization dedicated to freeing the wrongfully convicted - tackles five more stories. All the chapters evoke the true crime shows so prevalent on Friday night TV. If you are a fan of 20/20 or Dateline, you will enjoy Framed. This book highlights serious problems in our criminal justice system. It may not be easy, but is important to read.

DEFINITE recommend
4.0 stars

This is a non-fiction book by John Grishman, legal thriller author, and Jim McCloskey, founder of Centurion Ministries. This book is a set of ten stories of wrongly accused individuals who were framed, railroaded, and finally exonerated for crimes that they did not commit. It was horrific and sad as these individuals spent so much time in prison for crimes that they did not commit. The time the legal, judicial, and law enforcement agencies spent creating these false narratives was astounding. Not surprisingly, most of these stories occurred in the South.

I had to read this a little at a time. It was dark, graphic, and horrible. The minute details were included which I felt were a bit overwhelming to read. Additionally, there were so many names and individuals involved in each case so it was easy to get confused about the individuals involved.

I greatly admire the authors for writing this book and bringing the darkness to light regarding these wrongful incarcerations.

This review will be published:
• Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6701429877
• Books by Dorothea - https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2024/09/review-framed-ebook.html
Both reviews will be published on 9/9/2024

While this wasn't your typical John Grisham book, it was provided thought-provoking information about wrongful convictions that have taken place in the US. The book tells about ten real-like cases where innocent individuals were wrongly accused and imprisioned. Framed is a sobering read, but it also offers a glimmer of hope - showcasing the efforts of lawyers, investigators, and advocates who work tirelessly to exonerate the innocent.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Framed is a book that I had to take my time with. It's easy enough to read - both Grisham and McCloskey write in a familiar, conversational tone. The problem is the subject matter. It's infuriating. Several times while reading the stories contained in this book I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room. The level of corruption and incompetence displayed in the cases presented are almost too much to be believed. I found I had to read the book in pieces - a chapter here, a chapter there, with lighter books on less serious topics in between to keep my sanity.

For all that it is difficult and frustrating to read, Framed is an important book as well. I believe anyone who reads it will come away certain that our criminal justice system is in desperate need of reform.

This book was very well written and very engaging. I have to admit that it took me a long time to finish it, not because it was boring, but because it would irritate me so much to the point that I felt I had to put it away for a bit. The amount of incompetence was astounding! I cannot believe people like this exist in the judicial system. It is a very scary thing to think about because this can literally happen to any of us.

For some, they just happened to be at the wrong place and wrong time. For others, they were suspects just because they were trying to be good Samaritans and help with the investigations. These "detectives" along with the judges, need to be held accountable. No amount of money could ever give these people all the years they lost with their loved ones. Having to lose the opportunity to have a family and a career and spend time with their family and friends because of someone else's ineptitude, is mind boggling and quite frankly, heartbreaking.

Overall, a very articulate book with timelines that were easy to follow. I wish the outcomes were different in these true stories, but sadly, it is not the case. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. I had to digest this a chapter or two at a time because at times it was so heavy and dark that it was hard to stomach. Everyone needs to read this. Each chapter is a new story on a true case of those wrongfully convicted, with one even going so far as an execution. Grisham is such a dynamic powerhouse of a story-teller. You could just feel his hatred for these flawed prosecutors, judges and witnesses dripping off of his stories. There were times in his chapters that he described practices so ridiculous that if it wasn’t real life, I would’ve almost laughed and the sheer idiocy of it all. And then McCloskey as a co-author adds important perspective with his passionate work with Centurion, spending years working to free these innocent people who have had their lives destroyed by the legal system.

This is an absolutely impactful and important book. Can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this in October.

This reflects the poor people who have been wronged and no one held accountable for what happened. It also shows how the police departments and other officials have caused horrible problems for good citizens. A good wake up call for why people need to keep pushing for what they think is right.

Wow. This book was incredibly hard to read because it just hits home how easy it is for something to be misjudged. Many of the people described in the book were young and had no criminal record to speak of only to have their lives ruined. It is such a sad reminder of the mistakes our criminal justice system makes.

As someone who lives in Oklahoma and very near Texas, it is just crazy to see the trust we put into law enforcement and how easily they can bungle the whole case.

John Grisham has cemented his innate talent for true crime reporting in this collection of wrongfully convicted prisoners that he shares with Jim McCloskey. With a biting sense of injustice that neither author takes pains to rein in, this book does not shy away from condemning the systems that allow for such miscarriages of justice to take place all over America. A must-read for true crime aficionados and anyone who thinks "it can't happen here". It can, and it does.

I didn’t realize when I requested this book that it was non-fiction, might not have required if I had known, but I am glad I did. The book is a series of stories of people who were railroaded but the legal system and as a result spend decades in jail for crimes they didn’t commit. It is scary how easy it was for corrupt police, DA’s and Judges to have so much power over innocent people. The stories were compelling, heartbreaking and infuriating at the same time. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

As a fan of true crime, this book was a great, yet sad, read. It’s scary to think about how many wrongful convictions we have in our system. Recommend for all fans of true crime!

I vacillate on the idea of capital punishment. I find the details of "astonishing true stories of wrongful conviction" like those explored in this book to be strong motivators for me to want to join the developed countries that have abolished capital punishment. It is especially repellant to read of how police investigators seems to easily to double down on charging innocent people, even promoting increasing outlandish theories once they become invested in the wrong suspect. So often, the basest racism and prejudice appears to motivate these miscarriages of justice.

I rather expected to be challenged on whatever hope I had for an acceptable paucity of justice system Type I Errors. But, I did not expect to have my faith in bloodstain analysis challenged. From reading this, it appears the impression I get from documentary featured national experts does not gibe with the reality of part time practitioners coming out of a 40-hour training program.

Regarding bloodstain analysis, the report issued a number of critical warnings and ended with: “The uncertainties associated with bloodstain-pattern analysis are enormous.”


It was easier to be convinced of the unreliability of forensic odontology

In a 2001 study, twenty -five well-known bite mark experts were given four identical sets of bite marks and asked to compare them with seven sets of dental molds. The error rate was an astonishing 63.5 percent. Only one-third accurately “matched” the marks with the teeth. Almost all of them continued consulting and testifying in bite mark cases as if the study meant nothing.

...

But, science be damned. Bite mark analysis is still allowed in most jurisdictions; sought by prosecutors , presented by experts, approved by judges, believed by jurors, and rubber-stamped by appellate courts.


Co-author Jim McCloskey is the founder of Centurion Ministries, the first organization in the world devoted to freeing the wrongly convicted. To date, Centurion has freed seventy people serving life or death sentences for the crimes of others. Several of those affecting stories are told in this book.