Great read if you're into true crime! Enjoyed it. Thank you #netgalley and #Sourcebooks
Would highly recommend!

“On the night of October 11th, 1997, Hartman was found unresponsive, lying unconscious across a curb at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Barnette Street. He had been brutally beaten, stomped on, and kicked. He died two days later at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.”

George Frese, Kevin Pease, Marvin Roberts, and Eugene Vent  (Athabascan) are known as the Fairbanks Four who were found guilty (despite having a strong case) and convicted in February 1999. Sentences ranged from 33 to 79 years.

On December 17th, 2015 all four convictions were ‘vacated’. These young men had spent 18 years in prison - all wrongfully imprisoned.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!

Journalism professor, Brian O’Donoghue, and his students spent years investigating the Fairbanks Four case. Their findings were published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a local paper, and became a major turning point in the case.

O’Donoghue’s book walks readers through the setting (the Native wedding, the issuing of the Permanent Dividend Fund cheques, the background of the four in question) and then examines the way the Fairbanks Police Department and the State of Alaska handled the cases, the retrial and the life after exoneration.

I was shocked to discover how unreliable the Alaskan justice system was, the extent of racism in the community and courtroom, and the incompetence of most people in handling this tragedy. The Alaska Natives and indigenous Americans were not granted a fair trial. The echo will be felt forever in this isolated, tight community.

Although it was a choppy read at times, O’Donoghue achieved his purpose in highlighting the broken justice system, the effort required to bring this trial to justice and keep the hope alive for the victim and the accused and their families.

“Freedom right now is worth more than money.”

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

An intense and well researched look at the judicial system and its shortcomings. Innocent men were put away and only years later was their innocence proven. A great true crime story.

The Fairbank four, spent 18 years in prison for a murder they did not commit. The Fairbanks Four were arrested within a couple of days on suspicion of the murder, and it did not take long before 2 of his high school classmates George Frese and Eugene Vent confessed and implicated two other boys. Based on eyewitness testimony and a boot print on Hartman’s face that matched the tread on the boots worn by Frese the four were convicted of murder. This book looks at how their incarceration exposed the deep racial divides within the local community in Alaska and how Frese and Vent recanted their confessions. Fourteen years later the Fairbank four walked free after the innocence project revealed a confession by an entirely different group of young men. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily

A suspenseful True Crime books about the search for justice in a famous Alaskan murder case. I felt so much sympathy for the people affected by this tragedy, and was appalled by the way the police originally handled the case. Overall, a well written book, but I found the way the timeline jumped around occasionally hard to follow and had to go back to re-read to confirm which year was being discussed. That being said, I would highly recommend this book to any true crime fan.

The story was like a roller coaster, it would have parts that I couldn't put the book down and others where I struggled to move forward, but this is the life of a case of a mystery. I found there were times that it felt like the reader was having to skip around which made all the information choppy and confusing. But I do believe all needed information is present and still is a still good read for any who enjoys a true crime, especially those who understand the flow of true crimes.

The Fairbanks Four by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. While I spent many years in wild and cold Fairbanks, Alaska just before these events, I had never heard of these crimes or this author. This is a true crime story where a youngster was murdered by four people whom the police caught and they were convicted after confessions were made. Lo and behold, friends and family fought the convictions and eventually prevailed. The book jumps around crazily in time and people but it is well documented. If you, or someone you buy gifts for is interested in true crime/courtroom type novels, or just central Alaska in general, give this book a read.

3.5 stars

O'Donoghue, with the help of his journalism students and the Fairbanks community, digs into the case and uncovers shocking truths about bias and a broken justice system. Stories about broken justice always hit me hard, and it was tough to read about yet another case where innocent lives were destroyed. The book is so well-written, with a clear timeline and a narrative that made me feel like I was part of the investigation—an emotional and powerful read. It also shines a light on the resilience of the Fairbanks indigenous community, who never gave up hope. The dedication and persistence of the journalist and his students were inspiring and showed how collective action can lead to change. This story will stay with me for a long time.

This is an interesting story. Sadly, though, it is told in such a cluttered, choppy and confusing way that I could not continue reading it. I'm surprised Mr. O'Donoghue would write a book in such a way, considering his background. Sorry for no real review. I will only be posting this one here at NetGalley. Three stars for a neutral rating.

Brian Patrick O’Donoghue wrote a strong true crime novel, it had that research element that I was looking for and was engaged with what happened to the people in this case. It was brutal and was glad this was so well done.

Was this book written by a shotgun? Goodness, the topic changes are confusing!

I've never seen a book less structured than this. I am currently on page 30 of 286 and the book has already covered the murder, the investigation and the trial. Considering the later of those three things are the core basis of this topic, I really worry where the rest of this book is going.

At this point, I don't feel like I have any facts of the case, the crime or the participants. I've read about the victim, the witnesses, the responding officers, the dispatcher, the mother of the murdered boy, the Fairbanks Four, their relatives, their classmates, the judge, the prosecuting attorney, the defendants attorneys, the press, the Native community leaders, and God only knows who/what else. But each person and event is only given two or three paragraphs and then a new person or topic is introduced. At this point, I couldn't name the murder victim or any of the four.

I gave up at page 124. The rapid topic shifts has improved but only in that we now have 5-6 paragraphs and occasionally transcripts. That said, the author is now leap frigging back and forth in time. Each only a few paragraphs in length, we read of events in 04, 06, 04, 07, 07 again but prior to the last paragraph. And that is just one chapter. I can't keep up.

Also, its a minor gripe but the use of the hyphen in this book is outright abuse. There's a space after every hyphen but not before so it reads like this: walk- on late- night, etc.


I'm rating 3 stars because the amount of information presented is amazing and the author cites his sources so beautifully! I wish this story had been told in a linear fashion, I really think it would have been a very enjoyable read.



Thank you Sourcebooks and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

The Fairbanks Four by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue is a powerful, well-researched true-crime narrative that recounts the wrongful conviction and eventual exoneration of four young men in Alaska. The book dives deep into the details of the 1997 murder case, examining the flaws in the investigation, the manipulation of evidence, and the racial biases that led to the men's incarceration. O’Donoghue’s thorough investigation and clear, concise writing make the story both compelling and heartbreaking. It sheds light on a miscarriage of justice that affected not only the individuals involved but also the larger community. The Fairbanks Four is a sobering and thought-provoking exploration of the American criminal justice system, offering a profound look at the consequences of systemic failures and the pursuit of truth.

I do love me some true crime! And this book…this book is just that! the Fairbanks Four is a very interesting read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys digging into the nitty gritty of crimes!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️