I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

The murder of a Boston Police Officer leads to the arrest and false conviction of murder against a young black man named Sean Ellis, and in this book author Elaine Alice Murphy goes on a journey to examine the 4 trials to attempt to exonerate Sean Ellis and show why he was wrongfully convicted in the book “In For Life: A Journey Into Murder, Corruption, and Friendship”. 

The Synopsis

The case of Sean Ellis (covered by Netflix’s Trial Four) who was falsely accused and convicted of a murder he did not commit. In for Life follows the personal journey of journalist Elaine Alice Murphy as she fights to allow her friend Sean’s story to be heard and help him gain his freedom

The Review

A truly moving and engaging true-crime read, the author did an incredible job of balancing a narrative memoir writing style with descriptive prose that painted a vivid image of the case itself. The personal connection the author had with this case and the young man imprisoned falsely amplified the emotional connection readers had with Sean, and the way the author handled both the actual case and her own personal work in investigating and championing on behalf of Sean was both professional and passionate in her delivery.

The theme of racial prejudice in the justice system and our world as a whole was thoroughly explored in this nonfiction read. The story has had an even greater impact in recent years, with the level of violence between police officers and people of color increasing exponentially in the last decade and becoming much more public. Sean becomes a prime example of how the justice system has been created to work against people of color, especially young Black men, and the exploration of not only this grave injustice in the United States but the dramatic nature of the crime itself was enough to keep this reader on the edge of his seat, enthralled with each twist and turn in the case.

The Verdict

Beautifully written, heartfelt in its delivery, and thought-provoking both thematically and in the actual investigation, author Elaine Alice Murphy’s “In For Life” is a must-read true-crime thriller and nonfiction read. The vital importance of Sean’s case both personally for himself and the author and for the direction our nation as a whole has gone in over the last decade made this such an impactful read, and I highly recommend anyone wanting a better understanding of how both the justice system and society for young Black men in the United States to grab their own copy of this worthwhile book. Preorder your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Elaine Alice Murphy holds degrees from Boston College in English literature and Harvard University in human development. Her work on the Ellis case earned her a Senior Justice Fellowship at Brandeis University’s Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism.

Trial 4 | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube

Book: In for life — Justice for Sean Ellis