Matt Murphy

I read “The Book of Murder” in several sittings, which isn’t the best way to read it. Several of the cases he features involve a lot of people doing a lot of dastardly things, and keeping the people and events straight would be much easier if a reader tackled the book in longer reading sessions. Murphy’s book is both informative and entertaining. At times it is cringe worthy with details of his cases that are not for the faint of heart. It is easy to see how people in law enforcement show more and the prosecutors’ offices become jaded with the constant exposure to the seedy side of humanity. The book was instructive, but it was also depressing for that reason. show less

Wow, just wow. This book cause me sleepless nights and tired work days, with zero regrets! I am a true crime junkie and loved this insiders look at the system. It is written in a very humble way by a man that has seen it all and believes in what he does. Some cases are familiar to me and I now look at them somewhat differently. The author explains this very well and it never sounds like he is tooting his own horn. I enjoyed every page and every story. Recommended for any true crime fan. show more Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read and review this book. show less

"Examining murder from an insider’s perspective, Matt Murphy—a former senior deputy district attorney and current ABC News legal analyst—discusses cases from his career, how they strained his personal life, and how he found peace seeking justice for victims and their families.

Part taxonomy of murder, part prosecutor’s handbook, and part personal memoir, The Book of Murder goes through a dozen cases and his recollections of his 26 years in the Orange County DA’s office (17 in the show more Homicide Unit). Refreshingly honest about the toll such work takes on one’s private life, Murphy weaves his personal narrative throughout his casework in a way that humanizes the people entrusted with the duty of seeking justice on behalf of the public. As he does so, he lays bare the decision-making a prosecutor goes through in building a case to ensure justice is met while telling captivating tale after captivating tale of the world’s worst crime.

See how a prosecutor looks at—and lives with—the very worst crime. The insider’s perspective that Murphy gives on the notorious cases of Skylar Deleon, Rodney Alcala, “Dirty John” Meehan, and many others is a vital listen for true-crime fans everywhere."

What a great book that will give readers an insider's view to how cases are put together before reaching trial! There are many nuggets of information for each case that is covered by the author. This will lead to many moments where you will sit back and digest all the decisions made to bring charges against people or not. I look forward to other books written by Matt Murphy. show less

Deftly told tale, cleverly constructed to make it one of the most readable history books of the year.