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A review by book_concierge
The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
5.0
Digital audiobook read by the author.
From the book jacket: Before Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich begins a summer internship in Louisiana, working to help defend men accused of murder, she thinks her position is clear. The child of two lawyers, Alexandria is staunchly anti-death penalty. But the moment convicted murderer Ricky Langley’s face flashes on the screen as she reviews an old tape – the moment she hears him speak of his crimes – she is overcome with the feeling of wanting him to die. Shocked by her reaction, after she graduates from law school she begins digging deeper into the case. Despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar.
My reactions:
Wow. I was completely mesmerized by this memoir / true crime work. Marzano-Lesnevich puts me right into the narrative and I feel invested in both her story and that of convicted murderer, and pedophile, Ricky Langley. I totally understand her compulsion to research Langley’s case, and marvel at the strength of character shown by the author and by Langley. Yes, by Langley.
Here is a man who knew he had a problem and begged – repeatedly – for help. And here is evidence that was overlooked or flatly ignored. Questions that remained unanswered. And a jury’s decision that was perplexing. And here is an author who faced her own history, peeled back the layers of secrecy and denial to confront her own past.
Marzano-Lesnevich narrated the audiobook herself. I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job.
From the book jacket: Before Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich begins a summer internship in Louisiana, working to help defend men accused of murder, she thinks her position is clear. The child of two lawyers, Alexandria is staunchly anti-death penalty. But the moment convicted murderer Ricky Langley’s face flashes on the screen as she reviews an old tape – the moment she hears him speak of his crimes – she is overcome with the feeling of wanting him to die. Shocked by her reaction, after she graduates from law school she begins digging deeper into the case. Despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar.
My reactions:
Wow. I was completely mesmerized by this memoir / true crime work. Marzano-Lesnevich puts me right into the narrative and I feel invested in both her story and that of convicted murderer, and pedophile, Ricky Langley. I totally understand her compulsion to research Langley’s case, and marvel at the strength of character shown by the author and by Langley. Yes, by Langley.
Here is a man who knew he had a problem and begged – repeatedly – for help. And here is evidence that was overlooked or flatly ignored. Questions that remained unanswered. And a jury’s decision that was perplexing. And here is an author who faced her own history, peeled back the layers of secrecy and denial to confront her own past.
Marzano-Lesnevich narrated the audiobook herself. I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job.