A review by joeholmes
The Crime of Sheila McGough by Janet Malcolm

4.0

Janet Malcolm writes about a woman who was convicted of fraud though apparently innocent, and Malcolm tracks down and talks to every person connected to the original crimes and trial. But if you know Janet Malcolm's work, you'll know that this isn't a thrilling tale that rips down the facade of our justice system. It's Malcolm's beautifully-written investigation into the difference between truth and stories, between facts and the truth, between those who lie for profit and those who tell the truth to be punished. Honestly, if Malcolm were not such an incredibly talented writer, the stories of McGough and her prosecutors (or persecutors) would not have held my interest. But Malcolm's eye finds the deeply revealing detail in the most mundane of events.