Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir
by Carla Conti
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Pub Date Nov 12 2024 | Archive Date Nov 12 2024
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Description
After three years in Europe, former journalist Carla Conti* just wanted to settle her family into the suburbs of Philadelphia. But her high school friend Scott Powell, a lawyer handling a brutal prison stabbing case, needed a favor. Before she knew it, Carla became part of the defense team and mired in the terrifying world of federal prison gangs, penal abuse, and corruption.
Then, when she agreed to write a tell-all book on the violent machinations behind the court case — with Scott’s client as an inside source — the stakes turned deadly. Two different prison gangs issued “hit orders” against the prisoner she and Scott now considered a friend, and the journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association.
CHAINED BIRDS is a true crime memoir of Carla’s 10-year journey to advocate for federal inmate Kevin Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. But the mission came at a cost as Carla struggled to balance her own, Scott’s, and Kevin’s safety while writing an exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
This thrilling, frightening book depicts a journey filled with unlikely friendships, invisible victims of prison abuse, failings in our criminal justice system, and redemption through storytelling.
*Carla Conti is a pen name used by the author to protect her real identity for fear of retribution.
A Note From the Publisher
Pre-orders are now available for CHAINED BIRDS: A True Crime Memoir, launching with WildBlue Press on Nov. 12, 2024.
Advance Praise
"Chained Birds is a book that will generate emotions from frustration to sadness and even awe at the events that transpired. Carla Conti has penned a book destined to be a future true crime classic."
—MANHATTAN BOOK REVIEW (5-STAR)
“A haunting and compelling true crime memoir that delves deep into the dark, often unseen corners of the American criminal justice system. ... The narrative is gripping, often reading like a thriller, but the fact that it's rooted in real events makes it all the more chilling. ... I highly recommend Chained Birds.”
—READERS' FAVORITE (5-STAR)
“The Bottom Line: An emotional, eye-popping and personal expose of the American prison system that begins with an orchestrated stabbing and ends with a realistic exploration of second chances. ... Written with a level of detail that would be the envy of any novelist, Chained Birds is ... an expose on the problems with the American justice system and the challenges of breaking free from a life of crime and incarceration. Highly recommended.”
—BESTTHRILLERS.COM
“Chained Birds unravels the kind of true crime memoir that reminds you that the truth really can be stranger (and darker) than fiction. ... It reads more like a fast-paced thriller than your run-of-the-mill true crime and is perfect for the true crime reader looking for something fresh that breaks the mold. ... Above all, this story lingers with you after the last page.”
—DAVID GWYN, HOST OF THE THRILLER 101 PODCAST
“Conti writes with an endearing balance of humor and passion, and she is a driven and intelligent advocate for those without a voice ... Chained Birds is like two great books in one: a captivating true crime story that exposes a deplorable prison program and an engrossing memoir of a journalist making a difference.”
—INDEPENDENT BOOK REVIEW
"Conti adeptly exposes how gangs operate in prison and the relentless "survival of the fittest" mindset, where individuals may resort to anything, including taking a life, to survive. ... The book also fearlessly addresses flaws in the judicial system, highlighting how cases can languish for years, causing profound frustration for inmates.” RECOMMENDED
—THE US REVIEW OF BOOKS
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781964730059 |
| PRICE | |
| PAGES | 435 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Valerie S, Reviewer
This was a really good read, and I inhaled it in several hours. I liked the whole story, Scott trying to assist Kevin in prison, then bringing Carla in to help out. And Jack joined them too, and the author shares how it affected all of them over the years. They all get drawn into Kevin’s world, and it is quite a crazy one. Recommended for those interested in prison culture and a wild true crime book.
Kathryn M, Reviewer
I appreciated Carla Conti sharing their story with the reader, it had that realistic element that I was hoping for. I thought it was a great true crime element and thought it was realistic and showed a portrayal that I was looking for. It was written well and thought it was a strong story. It really showed a lot of the dark elements and what was going on behind closed doors.
Kathleen R, Reviewer
Chained Birds by Carla Conti, is a remarkable true crime book and is a gripping read that reads like a thriller but is a true crime Memoir. Conti, who is a journalist, does a Favour for her former friends Scott Powel a defense lawyer who is handling a case about a brutal prison stabbing of a federal inmate and the two men who are charged with the assault.
Conti becomes part of the trials defense team and finds she is now navigating the terrifying world of gangster, corruption, gang issued hits and abuse. Carla agrees to write a tell all book on these gangs and the court case. Conti fearlessly confronts civil rights lawsuits concerning prison conditions and inmates' treatment and it becomes a ten-year journey to Advocate for the federal inmate Kevin Sanders but at a cost for both Conti and Powel.
This is an immensely powerful book on gangs and the American prison system, and Conti recounts her life before during and after the case which changes people’s lifestyle forever. 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.
Librarian 634230
A deftly written expose of the American prison system riddled with corruption, drug abuse and gang violence. Midway through the story the author becomes part of the narrative as she attempts to help the inmate put into an impossible situation by prison guards and threats of retribution. Living through the turbulence of the Trump presidency and Covid, yet still maintaining contact with a troubled inmate and documenting the fallout of prison life, Carla's gift for narrative non-fiction will reel you in.
Wendy M R, Book Trade Professional
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It is a well-written true crime story that reads like a novel. It reveals the corruption of the American prison system, which, like most prisons, doesn't lead to rehabilitation but makes the prisoner worse and more street-safe than before their incarceration. We see this with Kevin, Carla, and Jack and what effect the prison system had on them in later years.
It's a little too political, yet it's a true story told well and a recommended read.
Louise G, Reviewer
This is a true crime book with a difference as we see the wider impact of the fight for a review of a case. The effects of the process of reviewing the case are alarming and impact everyone involved in ways I am sure they did not expect. There is so much information in this book - the case itself, the legal process and the terrifying reality of the penal system. Really, really interesting and the personal perspective makes it absolutely compelling.
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