Synopses & Reviews
A MURDER THAT MADE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES.
Did she or didnt she? That is the question that riveted the world during the sensational year-long trial of Amanda Knox, the American foreign-exchange student accused of killing her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia, Italy.
THE FACTS—AND THE TRUTH—ABOUT THIS SHOCKING CASE.
Shortly after 12.30 p.m. on November 2, 2007, Italian police were called to the Perugia home that Meredith shared with Amanda. They found Merediths lifeless body on the floor beneath a beige quilt. Her throat had been cut. Cash was missing. Was it a home invasion? Or something far more sinister? Amanda, along with her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, were both jailed. What role, if any, did they have in Merediths murder? What was their relationship to Rudy Guede, an Ivory Coast drifter whose DNA was found at the scene of the crime? Author John Follain, who covered the case and trial for the London Sunday Times, conducted more than a hundred firsthand interviews with law enforcement officials and family and friends of both the victim and the accused to bring us the most balanced and exhaustively researched account of this controversial case.
“ITS HARD TO IMAGINE THERE WILL BE A BETTER BOOK ON THE SUBJECT.”—the observer
* Includes 8 pages of dramatic photos *
Review
“John Follain gives a riveting account of the whole affair, from the murder and trial to the electrifying appeals-court decision. Along the way, he offers a vivid portrait of the woman at the center of it all. . . . If people are indeed guilty for the good they did not do, from all one can see, very few in Perugia connected to this trial were innocent.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Follain has drawn upon the transcripts of Knox's lengthy trial and hundreds of interviews to give what may be the definitive account of the case. It's an ugly, confusing story but one he relates with clarity, compassion and a wealth of fascinating detail … Follains account of this saga is gripping.” —The Washington Post
“A gripping read: a balanced, detailed account that allows the reader to respond to the central question: did they or didn't they?...Its hard to imagine there will be a better book on the subject.” —The Observer (UK)
“A ‘must read. An excellent account of the tragedy and the very Italian drama that followed.” —The Sunday Times (UK)
“One of the most gripping court cases of recent times…[Follains book] does a good job of reminding us that amid the reams of print and reel are human lives; some innocent and some guilty, but all irreparably disfigured by this horribly sad story.” —The Daily Telegraph (UK)
“I was very much in the grip of this book. For two days I didn't switch on the TV...Follain's account will trouble you for days.” —The Evening Standard (UK)
“A hot-off-the press account of the riveting murder trial.” —The Newcastle Herald (New South Wales)
“A careful, factual account of the case from the very beginning, complete with exhaustive interviews with key players, assiduous explanation of the complex details of the case, and a good understanding of the Italian judicial process.” —The Canberra Times (Australia)
Review
“John Follain gives a riveting account of the whole affair, from the murder and trial to the electrifying appeals-court decision. Along the way, he offers a vivid portrait of the woman at the center of it all. . . . If people are indeed guilty for the good they did not do, from all one can see, very few in Perugia connected to this trial were innocent.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Follain has drawn upon the transcripts of Knox's lengthy trial and hundreds of interviews to give what may be the definitive account of the case. It's an ugly, confusing story but one he relates with clarity, compassion and a wealth of fascinating detail … Follains account of this saga is gripping.” —The Washington Post
“A gripping read: a balanced, detailed account that allows the reader to respond to the central question: did they or didn't they?...Its hard to imagine there will be a better book on the subject.” —The Observer (UK)
“A ‘must read. An excellent account of the tragedy and the very Italian drama that followed.” —The Sunday Times (UK)
“One of the most gripping court cases of recent times…[Follains book] does a good job of reminding us that amid the reams of print and reel are human lives; some innocent and some guilty, but all irreparably disfigured by this horribly sad story.” —The Daily Telegraph (UK)
“I was very much in the grip of this book. For two days I didn't switch on the TV...Follain's account will trouble you for days.” —The Evening Standard (UK)
“A hot-off-the press account of the riveting murder trial.” —The Newcastle Herald (New South Wales)
“A careful, factual account of the case from the very beginning, complete with exhaustive interviews with key players, assiduous explanation of the complex details of the case, and a good understanding of the Italian judicial process.” —The Canberra Times (Australia)
Synopsis
A DEATH IN ITALY John Follain London Times journalist John Follain presents the most comprehensive account of the most publicized and controversial trial in a decade Shortly after 12:30pm on November 2, 2007, Italian police were called to the Perugia home of twenty-one-year-old British student Meredith Kercher. They found her body on the floor under a beige quilt. Her throat had been cut.
Four days later, the prosecutor jailed Meredith's roommate, American student Amanda Knox, and Raffaele Sollecito, her Italian boyfriend. He also jailed Rudy Guede, an Ivory Coast drifter. Four years later Knox and Sollecito were acquitted amid chaotic scenes in front of the world's media.
Uniquely based on four years of reporting and access to the complete case files, and hundreds of first hand interviews, Death in Italy takes readers on a riveting journey behind the scenes of the investigation, as John Follain shares the drama of the trials and appeal hearings he lived through.
Including exclusive interviews with Meredith's friends and other key sources, Death in Italy reveals how the Italian dream turned into a nightmare.
About the Author
JOHN FOLLAIN has covered Italy for The Sunday Times since 1998. His previous books include The Last Godfathers and Zoya's Story on an Afghan resistance fighter, which was translated into fourteen languages. He was voted runner-up for the 2006 Paul Foot Award for Campaigning Journalism, and nominated for the 2008 Magazine Journalism Awards for his interview with the Knox family.