The Menendez Murders, alongside the trial of OJ Simpson reinvented courtroom drama and basically changed forever how highly publicized crime would be presented and talked about in our culture. Foolishly, I neglected to watch either drama unfold live on television in the nineties as I was in kindergarten at the time.

As someone who knew next to nothing about the crime and trial, but wanted a more factual footing before watching the new (possibly wrongheaded) Netflix series about the case, I decided to give this book a read. By popular consensus it was held up as one of the best non-fiction titles on this subject.

It was pretty gripping honestly. The author was journalist (always a good background to have for true crime writing) with connections to the trials of the brothers. He doesn’t pretend to be totally unbiased or un-opinionated, (and how could anyone claim that with a straight face in this instance?) but does draw a clear line between facts and conjecture. The pacing of the book was well thought out and the writing felt informative without being dry, evocative without being melodramatic. Basically it lives up to the hype.