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3.6

(887)

Casey Cep

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This “superbly written true-crime story” (The New York Times Book Review) masterfully brings together the tales of a serial killer in 1970s Alabama and of Harper Lee, the beloved author of To Kill a Mockingbird, who tried to write his story.Reverend Willie Maxwell was a rural preacher accused of murdering five of his family members, but with the help of a savvy lawyer, he escaped justice for years until a relative assassinated him at the funeral of his last victim. Despite hundreds of witnesses, Maxwell’s murderer was acquitted—thanks to the same attorney who had previously defended the reverend himself. Sitting in the audience during the vigilante’s trial was Harper Lee, who spent a year in town reporting on the Maxwell case and many more trying to finish the book she called The Reverend. Cep brings this remarkable story to life, from the horrifying murders to the courtroom drama to the racial politics of the Deep South, while offering a deeply moving portrait of one of our most revered writers.

True Crime

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More Details:

Author

Casey Cep

Pages

336

Publisher

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Published Date

2019-05-07

ISBN

110194787X 9781101947876

Community ReviewsSee all

"I really didn’t know what to expect when reading this book, but it was very well reviewed and written. This is basically the true story of 3 people. A rumored serial killer, his lawyer, and the famous Nelle Harper Lee who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird. The connection and story of the 3, and really Lee’s life, is very interesting. "

Sheldon Rapoza

"Part true crime, part biography, part history, this account of Harper Lee's attempt to write a second novel is truly fascinating."

Ricki Marking-Camuto

"I really enjoyed this book. The author can really write and you can tell she is talented. Also I love how she examines big topics like racism, fraud and the justice system with such poise. Would re read it!"

Ann B

"While I will say I don’t particularly enjoy true crime (real human tragedy is not something I revel in), I very much enjoyed this, mostly because it’s more Lee’s biography than anything else. I actually started this last year and read about half, which equates to the only “true crime” elements of this story. Had I known there wasn’t any crime remaining I may have finished the book sooner, but I returned to this due to seeing Richard Thomas in the current touring production of To Kill a Mockingbird. I throughly enjoyed it as a portrait of the author of one of my favorite stories, and thanks to Casey Cep’s handling, Lee’s humor and personality shines through. I may have to check out In Cold Blood as a follow up, as it’s a classic I’ve not read explored, but more than anything I am eager to revisit the enduring legacy of Harper Lee. She may have only written one book but she’s inspired millions to act with more tolerance through her work, and that far outweighs any number of published stories. Original Review DNF…I read the first 2 sections in order to participate in my local book club, and so far I am really enjoying this! Before I read the last section, which is more of a biography of Harper Lee, I would like to revisit To Kill a Mockingbird since it’s been years since I’ve read it. I want to go in with a full appreciation of the author, but I full intend to come back to this! Mar 13-27 2023 The Reverend and The Lawyer"

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Allie Peduto

"A very interesting read that I picked up from a library just through slight curiosity. Reading about Harper Lee and the Reverend Maxwell kept me interested the whole time ❤️"

Aubrey Rill

"Getting me through the heat wave"

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Marnie whelan

"I highly recommend this book. It is one of the best book of 2019! This book covers so many aspects of the South (Alabama): race, insurance fraud, murder, mystery, politics, and discuss why Harper Lee disappeared. I couldn't put this book down. "