Book Review: Wrecking Crew by John Ferak

Wrecking Crew by John Ferak

Publisher: WildBlue Press

Publication Date: November 20, 2018

Language: English

Kindle Edition: 363 Pages

Genre: Non-Fiction

ISBN: 9781947290976

About the Book

In 2016-17, while working for the USA TODAY NETWORK’s Wisconsin Investigative Team, author John Ferak wrote dozens of articles examining the murder case against Steven Avery, who had already beat one wrongful conviction only to be charged with the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2005. The case became the wildly successful Netflix “Making A Murderer” documentary.

In WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery, Ferak lays out in exacting detail the post-conviction strategy of Kathleen Zellner, the high-profile, high-octane lawyer, to free Avery. To write this book, Zellner, perhaps America’s most successful wrongful conviction attorney, gave Ferak unfettered access to the exhaustive pro bonoefforts she and her small suburban Chicago law firm dedicated for a man she believes to be a victim of an unscrupulous justice system in Manitowoc County.

About the Author

A native of Joliet, Illinois, John Ferak returned to his roots in 2017 to become the editor/reporter for the Joliet Patch. He previously spent five years with the Wisconsin Investigative Team for USA TODAY and nine years in Nebraska at the Omaha World-Herald newspaper. He is an authority on wrongful arrest and conviction cases. His 2016 book for WildBlue Press, FAILURE OF JUSTICE, chronicled the nation’s largest wrongful conviction case. His first book, BLOODY LIES told the story about a CSI director who went to prison for planting blood in high-profile Nebraska murder cases.

Disclosure:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley <https://www.netgalley.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review

This may be the first book that I have read about a corrupt police department. It brings back a light to the wrongdoing some people do when they feel they are "the supreme being," because they are in a isolated town. John Ferak takes the necessary time and research to actually write "Wrecking Crew." I don't fully understand the name he choose but I'm sure that can be cleared up in a interview with the author.

If you enjoy criminal law books that deal with cases such as this book does, I am sure you will enjoy this one.