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Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Nonfiction (2019)The stunning story of an Alabama serial killer and the true-crime book that Harper Lee worked on obsessively in the years after To Kill a Mockingbird.
Reverend Willie Maxwell was a rural preacher accused of murdering five of his family members for insurance money in the 1970s. With the help of a savvy lawyer, he escaped justice for years until a relative shot him dead at the funeral of his last victim. Despite hundreds of witnesses, Maxwell’s murderer was acquitted–thanks to the same attorney who had previously defended the Reverend.
Sitting in the audience during the vigilante’s trial was Harper Lee, who had traveled from New York City to her native Alabama with the idea of writing her own In Cold Blood, the true-crime classic she had helped her friend Truman Capote research seventeen years earlier. Lee spent a year in town reporting, and many more working on her own version of the case.
Now Casey Cep brings this story to life, from the shocking murders to the courtroom drama to the racial politics of the Deep South. At the same time, she offers a deeply moving portrait of one of the country’s most beloved writers and her struggle with fame, success, and the mystery of artistic creativity.
Reverend Willie Maxwell was a rural preacher accused of murdering five of his family members for insurance money in the 1970s. With the help of a savvy lawyer, he escaped justice for years until a relative shot him dead at the funeral of his last victim. Despite hundreds of witnesses, Maxwell’s murderer was acquitted–thanks to the same attorney who had previously defended the Reverend.
Sitting in the audience during the vigilante’s trial was Harper Lee, who had traveled from New York City to her native Alabama with the idea of writing her own In Cold Blood, the true-crime classic she had helped her friend Truman Capote research seventeen years earlier. Lee spent a year in town reporting, and many more working on her own version of the case.
Now Casey Cep brings this story to life, from the shocking murders to the courtroom drama to the racial politics of the Deep South. At the same time, she offers a deeply moving portrait of one of the country’s most beloved writers and her struggle with fame, success, and the mystery of artistic creativity.
544 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2019
About the author
Casey Cep
2 books558 followersCasey Cep is a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her first book Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee was an instant New York Times bestseller. You can follow her on Twitter (@cncep) and Instagram (@caseycep).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,529 reviews
April 27, 2019
Divided into three parts, Furious Hours tells the true story of Alabama serial killer the Reverend Willie Maxwell. In the 1970’s he was accused of murdering five family members in order to collect the life insurance money. With the help of a very clever lawyer, ( although rumour had it that Maxwell used voodoo to aid his success) he escaped justice, but at the funeral of his last victim, he was shot dead by one Robert Burns.
The first part of the book illustrates the life of Willie Maxwell, the murders, the fear that he induced in the community because he was thought to use voodoo, and the revelation that he took out insurance policies on almost everyone he had close contact with.
The second part introduces Maxwell’s lawyer Tom Radney who strangely also represented Maxwell’s killer, and despite there being hundreds of witnesses in the church, Robert Burns walked free. Present at Burns trial was none other than Harper Lee ( To Kill a Mockingbird). She kept a low profile and spent a year gathering material for a book she was to write about this strange case, but it was a book that never came to fruition.
The third part of the book tells the story of Harper Lee - her relationship with Truman Capote, the choices she made that shaped her future, and the struggles that she had with her writing.
The author has painted a wonderfully in depth portrait of this great writer, and she also illustrates the cultural and political climate of the times. The research carried out to produce Furious Hours must have been immense - the practice of law and the history of life insurance are just two of the things we learn about in great detail ( perhaps a little bit too much for me) however it was a fascinating read that shone a spotlight on this somewhat mysterious writer, but I personally found the first part of the book featuring Willie Maxwell the most intriguing.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for my ARC, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
The first part of the book illustrates the life of Willie Maxwell, the murders, the fear that he induced in the community because he was thought to use voodoo, and the revelation that he took out insurance policies on almost everyone he had close contact with.
The second part introduces Maxwell’s lawyer Tom Radney who strangely also represented Maxwell’s killer, and despite there being hundreds of witnesses in the church, Robert Burns walked free. Present at Burns trial was none other than Harper Lee ( To Kill a Mockingbird). She kept a low profile and spent a year gathering material for a book she was to write about this strange case, but it was a book that never came to fruition.
The third part of the book tells the story of Harper Lee - her relationship with Truman Capote, the choices she made that shaped her future, and the struggles that she had with her writing.
The author has painted a wonderfully in depth portrait of this great writer, and she also illustrates the cultural and political climate of the times. The research carried out to produce Furious Hours must have been immense - the practice of law and the history of life insurance are just two of the things we learn about in great detail ( perhaps a little bit too much for me) however it was a fascinating read that shone a spotlight on this somewhat mysterious writer, but I personally found the first part of the book featuring Willie Maxwell the most intriguing.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for my ARC, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
August 2, 2019
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep is a 2019 Random House publication.
The case involving the Reverend Willie Maxwell is one I was completely unfamiliar with. I never heard of him, or Robert Burns or their attorney, Tom Radney- until I picked up this book. As this was all unchartered territory for me, I found the case riveting. I could hardly believe what I was reading. The ease in which Maxwell purchased life insurance policies, not just for relatives, but for neighbors too, is staggering. That he got away with murder, time and time again, is astounding. But his luck finally ran out, when he was shot to death, at a funeral, in front of a slew of witnesses, by Robert Burns, a relative of one of Maxwell’s many victims.
Ironically, Burns would be defended by the same attorney that defended Maxwell- Tom Radney. It is also interesting to discover that famed author, Harper Lee, was once seriously considering writing a true crime story based on this case and went so far as to attend Burns’ trial, doing a little legwork, and even conducted a few interviews with those closely associated with the case.
Obviously, no book about the reverend Willie Maxwell ever surfaced.
Divided into three segments, the first of which tells how easily Willie Maxwell purchased life insurance policies, naming himself the beneficiary, then murdered the insured person and collected the money. He was a preacher in the more traditional way, but was rumored to practice voodoo, as well. This is a truly strange story and I was horrified by it. Then came the story of Robert Burns which is also compelling. The trial parts are good, and the way it all turned out is fascinating.
The second segment is centered around the attorney, Tom Radney, who defended both Maxwell and Burns. Radney was a central figure in both cases, and even had a hand in helping Lee with her research, probably hoping to find himself prominently featured in her book. I understand why the author spent a little time detailing the man’s career and life, but this part was a too extensive, and a bit boring.
The third part of the book is mostly a short biography of Harper Lee. There was nothing in this bio that I had not heard before and has nothing whatsoever to do with this case. The only thing I didn’t know is that she had followed this case, started a manuscript for a book about it, at some point, but it never came to fruition.
A book about this case, fully fleshed out, with a chapter about Tom Radney and the bit about Harper Lee, tossed in as an interesting piece of trivia, would have been good all on its own. Yet, somebody, somewhere, decided to market the book using Harper Lee’s name to generate interest and boost sales. I’d label that as exploitation, to be honest, but that’s just me.
I had mixed feelings about the book, as I think the title is misleading and Lee’s connection to the story is nothing more than an interesting aside, in my humble opinion, which was a major turn off and even angered me a little. However, it looks like I’m in the minority on this one.
That said, the criminal case is compelling and I’m glad I read this book for that reason. I’m not sure how to rate this one due to my mixed feelings about it. Although, I’m still conflicted, I’m going to go with 3 stars for this one.
The case involving the Reverend Willie Maxwell is one I was completely unfamiliar with. I never heard of him, or Robert Burns or their attorney, Tom Radney- until I picked up this book. As this was all unchartered territory for me, I found the case riveting. I could hardly believe what I was reading. The ease in which Maxwell purchased life insurance policies, not just for relatives, but for neighbors too, is staggering. That he got away with murder, time and time again, is astounding. But his luck finally ran out, when he was shot to death, at a funeral, in front of a slew of witnesses, by Robert Burns, a relative of one of Maxwell’s many victims.
Ironically, Burns would be defended by the same attorney that defended Maxwell- Tom Radney. It is also interesting to discover that famed author, Harper Lee, was once seriously considering writing a true crime story based on this case and went so far as to attend Burns’ trial, doing a little legwork, and even conducted a few interviews with those closely associated with the case.
Obviously, no book about the reverend Willie Maxwell ever surfaced.
Divided into three segments, the first of which tells how easily Willie Maxwell purchased life insurance policies, naming himself the beneficiary, then murdered the insured person and collected the money. He was a preacher in the more traditional way, but was rumored to practice voodoo, as well. This is a truly strange story and I was horrified by it. Then came the story of Robert Burns which is also compelling. The trial parts are good, and the way it all turned out is fascinating.
The second segment is centered around the attorney, Tom Radney, who defended both Maxwell and Burns. Radney was a central figure in both cases, and even had a hand in helping Lee with her research, probably hoping to find himself prominently featured in her book. I understand why the author spent a little time detailing the man’s career and life, but this part was a too extensive, and a bit boring.
The third part of the book is mostly a short biography of Harper Lee. There was nothing in this bio that I had not heard before and has nothing whatsoever to do with this case. The only thing I didn’t know is that she had followed this case, started a manuscript for a book about it, at some point, but it never came to fruition.
A book about this case, fully fleshed out, with a chapter about Tom Radney and the bit about Harper Lee, tossed in as an interesting piece of trivia, would have been good all on its own. Yet, somebody, somewhere, decided to market the book using Harper Lee’s name to generate interest and boost sales. I’d label that as exploitation, to be honest, but that’s just me.
I had mixed feelings about the book, as I think the title is misleading and Lee’s connection to the story is nothing more than an interesting aside, in my humble opinion, which was a major turn off and even angered me a little. However, it looks like I’m in the minority on this one.
That said, the criminal case is compelling and I’m glad I read this book for that reason. I’m not sure how to rate this one due to my mixed feelings about it. Although, I’m still conflicted, I’m going to go with 3 stars for this one.
July 30, 2019
2.5 Stars — I decided to read “Furious Hours” after reading a magazine review of this book and being very interested in the subject matter of an Alabama serial killer that I never heard of before. The author did a good job of researching certain aspects of the life story and background of the Reverend Willie Maxwell, who was suspected of killing five of his relatives in the 1970’s. His case drew statewide publicity after Rev. Maxwell was shot and killed at the funeral service of his daughter (who he was the top suspect of murdering a few days before). Unfortunately, after laying out the basics of what Rev. Maxwell was accused of doing and the details of his death, the author does very little else in getting to the bottom of this mystery or the killer’s motive and plan of killing the Reverend just days after his latest heavily insured relative met an untimely death. The Author instead concentrates on other subjects like a boring and expansive explanation of life insurance and a way too detailed explanation of the life story of Rev. Maxwell’s killer’s attorney, Tom Radney. Although at times somewhat interesting, I would have much rather read a more detailed account of the murder trial — that was only briefly covered. The author concludes with a short biography of Harper Lee which provides no real explanations(only speculation ) as to what went wrong in Lee’s planned book about this subject. I did enjoy reading about the eccentric Lee, but I wanted to read more about the Reverend and what kept the author from ever writing an article about a subject she was so intimately familiar. The book was okay but just not enough meat to sustain my interest.
June 7, 2019
Absolutely fabulous and gripping! The novel tells three incredible stories of Reverend Maxwell, a murderer of five members of his own family, of Tom Radney, a lawyer who defended both Maxwell and the man who eventually killed Maxwell, and of Harper Lee, who came to the trial and followed it in hope of writing another novel. Personally, I found Part 3 most interesting as I knew next to nothing about the author of one of the greatest American classics. Casey Cep wrote a gem in the category of non-fiction although actually her book reads like the best fiction.
July 11, 2019
Accursed
Furious Hours is an engrossing documentary style book, which brings three enthralling stories together around a series of events involving a serial killer. Each part focuses on the perspective of a renowned personality; Reverend Willie Maxwell (Serial Killer, Preacher), Tom Radney (Lawyer) and Harper Lee (Author).
The structure of the book feels more like 3 shorter stories with a theme, rather than 3 integrated parts in the one story. Each part covers the biographical background of each character with great awareness and commentary. The research details are comprehensive and pursue threads to an extent that sometimes feel quite a distance from the connecting thread. This is especially true for the section detailing Nelle Harper Lee. That's only a slight criticism as the narrative is great and the content is normally engrossing, but it does feel a separate piece of work.
Part 1, focuses on Reverend Willie Maxwell, a preacher accused, but never convicted, of murdering 5 members of his family in order to benefit from life insurance policies he held on them. The narrative reads very visually, outlining the background, history, facts and supposition, all collated from witness accounts, law-enforcement records and background research. The coverage creates a sense that various salient points are explored to their full conclusion. For example, the research into the history and operation of life insurance policies in the US is thoroughly investigated but verges on overindulgence. The means by which Maxwell escaped prosecution and the autopsy finding on some of the deaths earned him the facade of a Voodoo Preacher.
Part 2, the lawyer, Tom Radney, represented Reverend Maxwell in the insurance claim pay-outs and investigations. After Maxwell was shot dead he represented Robert Burns, the man accused of shooting his former client. Radney was a very colourful character that seemed to have a propensity in defending minorities and difficult unsavoury cases. His background into politics and his ability to seduce an audience, particularly a jury, is fascinating. The dialogue and exchanges of courtroom drama are entertaining and cleverly drawn by Casey Cep.
The glamorous aspect of the story is that Harper Lee attended the court trial of Robert Burns with the intention of inspiring and generating ideas for the plot and theme of a new story. Her love of real crime, having written To Kill a Mockingbird and having worked with Truman Capote in the research for his book In Cold Blood had her deeply intrigued in this case. Part 3, covers in wonderful detail the biography of Nelle Harper Lee from her childhood with Truman Capote, up through her studies and writing career, before and after To Kill a Mockingbird. The struggles to finally deliver her masterpiece and the issues she faced following the fame, glory and financial success, are compelling and presented in a very coherent manner.
The Harper Lee content consumes 50% of the book, and a major friendship with Capote during many of those years shows two individuals that faced difficult internal demons but love for literature. She reflects on her childhood friendship ending as
At times I wondered about the structure of the book and whether the parts were tenuously held together with a convenient thread, however, the reading of the material provided great insights and revelations. The research and its presentation were extensive and to read a factual account of events in a fictional style was impressive.
The best non-fiction book I’ve read this year and I would recommend it. I'd like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
Additional Book Ratings
Cover Design: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Title: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Proofreading Success: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quality of Book Formatting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Format/Status: Kindle/ARC
Illustrations: N/A
Number of Pages: 311
Number of Chapters: 24 (approx 13 pages per chapter)
Furious Hours is an engrossing documentary style book, which brings three enthralling stories together around a series of events involving a serial killer. Each part focuses on the perspective of a renowned personality; Reverend Willie Maxwell (Serial Killer, Preacher), Tom Radney (Lawyer) and Harper Lee (Author).
The structure of the book feels more like 3 shorter stories with a theme, rather than 3 integrated parts in the one story. Each part covers the biographical background of each character with great awareness and commentary. The research details are comprehensive and pursue threads to an extent that sometimes feel quite a distance from the connecting thread. This is especially true for the section detailing Nelle Harper Lee. That's only a slight criticism as the narrative is great and the content is normally engrossing, but it does feel a separate piece of work.
Part 1, focuses on Reverend Willie Maxwell, a preacher accused, but never convicted, of murdering 5 members of his family in order to benefit from life insurance policies he held on them. The narrative reads very visually, outlining the background, history, facts and supposition, all collated from witness accounts, law-enforcement records and background research. The coverage creates a sense that various salient points are explored to their full conclusion. For example, the research into the history and operation of life insurance policies in the US is thoroughly investigated but verges on overindulgence. The means by which Maxwell escaped prosecution and the autopsy finding on some of the deaths earned him the facade of a Voodoo Preacher.
Part 2, the lawyer, Tom Radney, represented Reverend Maxwell in the insurance claim pay-outs and investigations. After Maxwell was shot dead he represented Robert Burns, the man accused of shooting his former client. Radney was a very colourful character that seemed to have a propensity in defending minorities and difficult unsavoury cases. His background into politics and his ability to seduce an audience, particularly a jury, is fascinating. The dialogue and exchanges of courtroom drama are entertaining and cleverly drawn by Casey Cep.
The glamorous aspect of the story is that Harper Lee attended the court trial of Robert Burns with the intention of inspiring and generating ideas for the plot and theme of a new story. Her love of real crime, having written To Kill a Mockingbird and having worked with Truman Capote in the research for his book In Cold Blood had her deeply intrigued in this case. Part 3, covers in wonderful detail the biography of Nelle Harper Lee from her childhood with Truman Capote, up through her studies and writing career, before and after To Kill a Mockingbird. The struggles to finally deliver her masterpiece and the issues she faced following the fame, glory and financial success, are compelling and presented in a very coherent manner.
The Harper Lee content consumes 50% of the book, and a major friendship with Capote during many of those years shows two individuals that faced difficult internal demons but love for literature. She reflects on her childhood friendship ending as
“Truman did not cut me out of his life until after In Cold Blood was published. I never knew why he did it, the only comfort I had was in the discovery that he had done the same to several others, all faithful old friends. Our friendship, however, had been life-long, and I had assumed that the ties that bound us were unbreakable.”I also found it quite fascinating that To Kill a Mockingbird came from the amalgamation of 2 shorter stories; Go Set a Watchman and The Long Good-Bye. Interesting that her second and last novel was released on July 14, 2015, 56 years after her first book, and used the title Go Set a Watchman. Nelle Harper Lee died on February 19, 2016.
At times I wondered about the structure of the book and whether the parts were tenuously held together with a convenient thread, however, the reading of the material provided great insights and revelations. The research and its presentation were extensive and to read a factual account of events in a fictional style was impressive.
The best non-fiction book I’ve read this year and I would recommend it. I'd like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
Additional Book Ratings
Cover Design: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Title: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Proofreading Success: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quality of Book Formatting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Format/Status: Kindle/ARC
Illustrations: N/A
Number of Pages: 311
Number of Chapters: 24 (approx 13 pages per chapter)
May 2, 2019
She wrote one book, a book that defined a time period. A book that made her wealthy, but took away the privacy she cherished. She became recognizable everywhere, and though writing was her passion, this she little expected. Why did she write only one book, when everyone who knew her said writing was her passion, that she was always writing.
The case of the Alabama minister, a man whose nearest and dearest were murdered for their insurance money. He pretty much got away with it, until the last and during that trial something unexpected happened, and the lawyer who defended him now defended so done else. Nell spent too years in Alabama trying to write this story, but eventually she gave up? Why? After two years?
The book is divided into three sections, the minister snd his heinous activities first, the lawyer next. Nell doesn't appear until halfway through the book. Having never read a biography of Harper Lee, there were some surprising facts I didn't know. Her and Capote, friend from youth, and their joint venture when Capote wanted to write, In Cold Blood. Seems some of that book was not quite accurate.
A slower read, but I thought one that was fascinating.
ARC from Edelweiss.g
The case of the Alabama minister, a man whose nearest and dearest were murdered for their insurance money. He pretty much got away with it, until the last and during that trial something unexpected happened, and the lawyer who defended him now defended so done else. Nell spent too years in Alabama trying to write this story, but eventually she gave up? Why? After two years?
The book is divided into three sections, the minister snd his heinous activities first, the lawyer next. Nell doesn't appear until halfway through the book. Having never read a biography of Harper Lee, there were some surprising facts I didn't know. Her and Capote, friend from youth, and their joint venture when Capote wanted to write, In Cold Blood. Seems some of that book was not quite accurate.
A slower read, but I thought one that was fascinating.
ARC from Edelweiss.g
February 27, 2021
“One by one, over a period of seven years, six people close to the Reverend [Willie Maxwell] had died under circumstances that nearly everyone agreed were suspicious and some deemed supernatural. Through all of the resulting investigations, the Reverend was represented by a lawyer named Tom Radney, whose presence in the courtroom that day wouldn’t have been remarkable had he not been there to defend the man who killed his former client…Reporters from the Associated Press and other wire services, along with national magazines and newspapers…had flocked to Alexander City to cover what was already being called the tale of the murderous voodoo preacher and the vigilante who shot him. One of the reporters, though, wasn’t constrained by a daily deadline. Harper Lee lived in Manhattan but still spent some of each year in Monroeville…Seventeen years had passed since she’d published To Kill a Mockingbird and twelve since she’d finished helping her friend Truman Capote report the crime story in Kansas that became In Cold Blood. Now, finally, she was ready to try again. One of the state’s best trial lawyers was arguing one of the state’s strangest cases, and the state’s most famous author was there to write about it…But for decades after the verdict, the mystery was what became of Harper Lee’s book.”
- Casey Cep, Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee
I have no idea how Casey Cep reacted when she first stumbled upon this story. I am positive, though, that it involved a large, cartoon lightbulb going on above her head.
The bait on this hook is about as irresistible as you can conjure. You start with a little-known true crime story of a potential serial killer who was himself murdered at a funeral, throw in an incredible twist or two, and finally add the presence of one of America’s most famous and reclusive authors.
There are very few things in life that can be categorized as can’t miss, but this tale certainly qualifies. Even a pedestrian retelling would rivet your attention. Thankfully, Furious Hours is anything but pedestrian.
Reverend Willie Maxwell was a black preacher living in rural Alabama who had the curious practice of taking out insurance policies on the lives of others (before rules were changed to ensure that a person purchasing a policy had an “insurable interest”). During the 1970s, five of his family members died. This included his first wife, found beaten in a car. Maxwell was charged with her murder, but was acquitted when a key witness – who soon became Maxwell’s second wife – changed her original story. The thread connecting all these mysterious deaths to Willie Maxwell was the insurance policies by which he profited from their demises.
Gossip swirled around Maxwell – including allegations of voodoo practices. This gossip continued right up until the moment a man named Robert Burns shot Maxwell three times in the head, at the funeral of Maxwell’s stepdaughter – who Maxwell was suspected of murdering – after Maxwell had given the eulogy. Things only get nuttier. When Burns went to trial, he was defended by locally-famous attorney Tom Radney, who had made a handsome living helping a certain man-of-the-cloth recover insurance benefits for deceased relatives.
Clearly, these are the pieces of a potentially great book.
That was Harper Lee’s thinking, at least. Having become world famous – and extremely wealthy – Lee had not yet written a follow-up to her beloved To Kill a Mockingbird. Perhaps thinking to emulate her friend Truman Capote, whom she had assisted in researching In Cold Blood, Lee went to Alexander City to attend the trial of Robert Burns. Despite a monumental effort, Lee never got around to publishing anything about the Maxwell-Burns affair, leaving yet another question mark in a life littered with question marks.
As Cep demonstrates in Furious Hours – both explicitly and implicitly – there is simply not enough hard information to support a book solely about the mysterious Reverend Maxwell. As a black man born and raised in the deep south, there is precious little by way of documentation about his life, at least those parts of his life that did not involve the justice system. Instead, there was rumor and myth and lore, all of it entertaining, but little corroborated.
Fortunately for Cep, she had an angle that eluded Harper Lee. That angle was Harper Lee herself.
Making a virtue out of necessity, Cep structures Furious Hours (the title comes from Lee’s description of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, given during one of her exceedingly rare public appearances) as three separate mini-biographies.
The first section covers what is known of Reverend Maxwell’s background, including his purported crimes. This section ends with his murder. The second tells the story of Maxwell’s and Burns’ attorney, a Kennedy Democrat named Tom Radney. This section includes Radney’s deft handling of Robert Burns’ murder trial. The third and final section centers on Harper Lee’s attempts to uncover the truth of Willie Maxwell, to determine whether he was a stone psychopath, treating his victims like walking ATMs, or the unluckiest lucky man alive, who kept losing his family but gaining needed infusions of cash.
This triptych-like setup might be off-putting to readers expecting a straight-ahead, chronological, and methodical true crime book. For those willing to go with the flow, however, Furious Hours is a true pleasure, filled with entertaining diversions and side-trips. During the Maxwell section, for instance, Cep engages in a lively recap of the history of insurance. This sounds dreadfully dull, as in, the textbook definition of dull. But in Cep’s hands, it is quite fascinating, especially when you consider that much of the history of insurance is also the history of mankind’s proclivity for creative fraud.
Given that I knew little about Harper Lee, I also really liked the segment devoted to her life. With brisk prose and confident efficiency (the whole book is less than 300 pages), Cep covers Lee’s struggles to publish her first novel (which turned out to be To Kill a Mockingbird but was almost Go Set a Watchman), her friendship with Capote (including her instrumental contributions to In Cold Blood), her weird fixation with having to pay a lot of taxes, and her struggles with alcohol.
Technically, a lot of what Cep includes in Furious Hours appears to be filler. It is not necessary, for example, to have eight chapters devoted to attorney Tom Radney, much of which covers his short, laudable political career as an Alabamian who believed in both the South and civil rights. In a book this short, though, the filler is a necessary ingredient. Otherwise, this would be pretty thin gruel.
(That said, Cep’s attempts to mine symbolic meaning from the Alabama Power Company’s damming of the Tallapoosa River, or the slaughter of Creek Indians at Horseshoe Bend, never quite connects).
A more pertinent criticism is the way that the three sections – or parts – don’t quite fit together as a seamless whole. Often times, each part feels like its own book, disconnected and untethered. This is partially due to Cep’s decision – likely for dramatic purposes – to withhold certain revelations for their narrative impact. The most obvious example is the recounting of the Burns trial in Part Two, where Harper Lee is never mentioned as being present. That only comes later, in Part Three. This isn’t necessary, and it’s a bit confusing. Moreover, the three separate sections do not inform each other as much as they should. In Part One, Tom Radney is presented as a typical lawyer – a bloodsucking leech willing to help Reverend Maxwell collect on his insurance policies for a healthy commission. Then, in Part Two, Tom Radney is presented as a courageous, colorblind advocate, willing to take on any case. That is, he is presented as Atticus Finch himself. Cep never attempts to square these two diametrically opposed portraits, and it is frustrating. There were also times during the Lee bio that I utterly forgot this was a book about the death of Reverend Willie Maxwell. Truth be told, it seems like Cep forgot this as well.
Ultimately, Furious Hours does not feel complete. This is not a function of Cep’s abilities as a writer or researcher, but a function of life itself, which often eludes our attempts to mold disparate and diverging events into coherence. Thus, we have an instance where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Nevertheless, those parts make for a worthwhile literary experience.
- Casey Cep, Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee
I have no idea how Casey Cep reacted when she first stumbled upon this story. I am positive, though, that it involved a large, cartoon lightbulb going on above her head.
The bait on this hook is about as irresistible as you can conjure. You start with a little-known true crime story of a potential serial killer who was himself murdered at a funeral, throw in an incredible twist or two, and finally add the presence of one of America’s most famous and reclusive authors.
There are very few things in life that can be categorized as can’t miss, but this tale certainly qualifies. Even a pedestrian retelling would rivet your attention. Thankfully, Furious Hours is anything but pedestrian.
Reverend Willie Maxwell was a black preacher living in rural Alabama who had the curious practice of taking out insurance policies on the lives of others (before rules were changed to ensure that a person purchasing a policy had an “insurable interest”). During the 1970s, five of his family members died. This included his first wife, found beaten in a car. Maxwell was charged with her murder, but was acquitted when a key witness – who soon became Maxwell’s second wife – changed her original story. The thread connecting all these mysterious deaths to Willie Maxwell was the insurance policies by which he profited from their demises.
Gossip swirled around Maxwell – including allegations of voodoo practices. This gossip continued right up until the moment a man named Robert Burns shot Maxwell three times in the head, at the funeral of Maxwell’s stepdaughter – who Maxwell was suspected of murdering – after Maxwell had given the eulogy. Things only get nuttier. When Burns went to trial, he was defended by locally-famous attorney Tom Radney, who had made a handsome living helping a certain man-of-the-cloth recover insurance benefits for deceased relatives.
Clearly, these are the pieces of a potentially great book.
That was Harper Lee’s thinking, at least. Having become world famous – and extremely wealthy – Lee had not yet written a follow-up to her beloved To Kill a Mockingbird. Perhaps thinking to emulate her friend Truman Capote, whom she had assisted in researching In Cold Blood, Lee went to Alexander City to attend the trial of Robert Burns. Despite a monumental effort, Lee never got around to publishing anything about the Maxwell-Burns affair, leaving yet another question mark in a life littered with question marks.
As Cep demonstrates in Furious Hours – both explicitly and implicitly – there is simply not enough hard information to support a book solely about the mysterious Reverend Maxwell. As a black man born and raised in the deep south, there is precious little by way of documentation about his life, at least those parts of his life that did not involve the justice system. Instead, there was rumor and myth and lore, all of it entertaining, but little corroborated.
Fortunately for Cep, she had an angle that eluded Harper Lee. That angle was Harper Lee herself.
Making a virtue out of necessity, Cep structures Furious Hours (the title comes from Lee’s description of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, given during one of her exceedingly rare public appearances) as three separate mini-biographies.
The first section covers what is known of Reverend Maxwell’s background, including his purported crimes. This section ends with his murder. The second tells the story of Maxwell’s and Burns’ attorney, a Kennedy Democrat named Tom Radney. This section includes Radney’s deft handling of Robert Burns’ murder trial. The third and final section centers on Harper Lee’s attempts to uncover the truth of Willie Maxwell, to determine whether he was a stone psychopath, treating his victims like walking ATMs, or the unluckiest lucky man alive, who kept losing his family but gaining needed infusions of cash.
This triptych-like setup might be off-putting to readers expecting a straight-ahead, chronological, and methodical true crime book. For those willing to go with the flow, however, Furious Hours is a true pleasure, filled with entertaining diversions and side-trips. During the Maxwell section, for instance, Cep engages in a lively recap of the history of insurance. This sounds dreadfully dull, as in, the textbook definition of dull. But in Cep’s hands, it is quite fascinating, especially when you consider that much of the history of insurance is also the history of mankind’s proclivity for creative fraud.
Given that I knew little about Harper Lee, I also really liked the segment devoted to her life. With brisk prose and confident efficiency (the whole book is less than 300 pages), Cep covers Lee’s struggles to publish her first novel (which turned out to be To Kill a Mockingbird but was almost Go Set a Watchman), her friendship with Capote (including her instrumental contributions to In Cold Blood), her weird fixation with having to pay a lot of taxes, and her struggles with alcohol.
Technically, a lot of what Cep includes in Furious Hours appears to be filler. It is not necessary, for example, to have eight chapters devoted to attorney Tom Radney, much of which covers his short, laudable political career as an Alabamian who believed in both the South and civil rights. In a book this short, though, the filler is a necessary ingredient. Otherwise, this would be pretty thin gruel.
(That said, Cep’s attempts to mine symbolic meaning from the Alabama Power Company’s damming of the Tallapoosa River, or the slaughter of Creek Indians at Horseshoe Bend, never quite connects).
A more pertinent criticism is the way that the three sections – or parts – don’t quite fit together as a seamless whole. Often times, each part feels like its own book, disconnected and untethered. This is partially due to Cep’s decision – likely for dramatic purposes – to withhold certain revelations for their narrative impact. The most obvious example is the recounting of the Burns trial in Part Two, where Harper Lee is never mentioned as being present. That only comes later, in Part Three. This isn’t necessary, and it’s a bit confusing. Moreover, the three separate sections do not inform each other as much as they should. In Part One, Tom Radney is presented as a typical lawyer – a bloodsucking leech willing to help Reverend Maxwell collect on his insurance policies for a healthy commission. Then, in Part Two, Tom Radney is presented as a courageous, colorblind advocate, willing to take on any case. That is, he is presented as Atticus Finch himself. Cep never attempts to square these two diametrically opposed portraits, and it is frustrating. There were also times during the Lee bio that I utterly forgot this was a book about the death of Reverend Willie Maxwell. Truth be told, it seems like Cep forgot this as well.
Ultimately, Furious Hours does not feel complete. This is not a function of Cep’s abilities as a writer or researcher, but a function of life itself, which often eludes our attempts to mold disparate and diverging events into coherence. Thus, we have an instance where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Nevertheless, those parts make for a worthwhile literary experience.
August 30, 2019
Casey Cep has written a fascinating account of Harper Lee's obsession with writing a true crime novel about the Reverend Willie Maxwell, who murdered five family members in Alabama for the insurance policies he took out on them and got away with it. After giving a eulogy for his stepdaughter (one of the five relatives he was suspected of killing) at her funeral in 1977 he was infamously shot dead in front of 300 people by Robert Burns, an uncle of the dead girl. Harper Lee not only attended Burns' trial but spent years collecting a meticulous amount of research about Willie Maxwell for a book that she proposed calling "The Reverend". Although, by all accounts, Harper Lee collected more than enough information for writing the book and never stopped working, the book never eventuated.
In writing the book, Cep has retraced Lee's steps, interviewing the witnesses and lawyers involved. She was also lucky enough to be able to look at the same briefcase of documents on Maxwell that Tom Radney originally provided to Lee. The book is organised into three sections in order to highlight this extraordinary case. In the first section, we learn of Willie Maxwell's life, the murders he almost certainly committed and the extensive life insurance claims he made after his victims died amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The second section is focused on the lawyer, Tom Radney who successfully defended Maxwell and sued any reluctant insurance companies for payment of policies. In a strange turn of events, Radney was also the lawyer who defended Robert Burns on the charge of killing Willie Maxwell.
Having set the scene, the final section is an account of Harper Lee's life, leading up to her interest in the Maxwell case, including her lifelong relationship with Truman Capote and her unrecognised contribution to the research for his book "In Cold Blood". Although not concluding why Lee was never able to finish her book on the Reverend, Cep gives a sympathetic account of the struggles and barriers that Lee might have faced in the decades after "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published, that may have contributed to her inability to complete a manuscript she was happy to send to an editor.
This book hooked me in, first with the amazing case of William Maxwell and his ability to get away with so much probable fraud and murder and then with the account of Harper Lee's attempts to write what would have been a fascinating book. Highly recommended!
With many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing a digital ARC of the book.
In writing the book, Cep has retraced Lee's steps, interviewing the witnesses and lawyers involved. She was also lucky enough to be able to look at the same briefcase of documents on Maxwell that Tom Radney originally provided to Lee. The book is organised into three sections in order to highlight this extraordinary case. In the first section, we learn of Willie Maxwell's life, the murders he almost certainly committed and the extensive life insurance claims he made after his victims died amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The second section is focused on the lawyer, Tom Radney who successfully defended Maxwell and sued any reluctant insurance companies for payment of policies. In a strange turn of events, Radney was also the lawyer who defended Robert Burns on the charge of killing Willie Maxwell.
Having set the scene, the final section is an account of Harper Lee's life, leading up to her interest in the Maxwell case, including her lifelong relationship with Truman Capote and her unrecognised contribution to the research for his book "In Cold Blood". Although not concluding why Lee was never able to finish her book on the Reverend, Cep gives a sympathetic account of the struggles and barriers that Lee might have faced in the decades after "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published, that may have contributed to her inability to complete a manuscript she was happy to send to an editor.
This book hooked me in, first with the amazing case of William Maxwell and his ability to get away with so much probable fraud and murder and then with the account of Harper Lee's attempts to write what would have been a fascinating book. Highly recommended!
With many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing a digital ARC of the book.
June 24, 2019
Despite the title, Harper Lee doesn’t appear on these pages until the last 1/3 of the book and even then it was about her life and her writing, not a trial.
The book is divided into 3 sections, with a thin thread connecting them all: the first dealing with the serial murderer, Rev. Willie Maxwell, the second was about the lawyer connected to the case, and the third on Harper Lee. The Rev. was an enigma and it’s shocking that he was able to get away with his crimes for so long but his story was told dryly, not like a typical true crime. I didn’t really care about the lawyer in the second section but there were some interesting historical details. Unfortunately, it was delivered in a very dry manner that felt like filler and failed to keep my interest. The third section reads like a biography. I learned some things about Harper Lee that I didn’t know but it was so unflattering that I wish I could unknow them.
This is a case of a misleading title setting up expectations that were unmet. It would have made a terrific magazine article, but as a book it didn’t work for me.
*Many thanks to Edelweiss for a copy of this book for review in exchange for an honest review.
* This was a buddy read with Marialyce and we both listened to it on audio. The narrator did a fine job. It was the content that was a snooze. We both struggled with it.
The book is divided into 3 sections, with a thin thread connecting them all: the first dealing with the serial murderer, Rev. Willie Maxwell, the second was about the lawyer connected to the case, and the third on Harper Lee. The Rev. was an enigma and it’s shocking that he was able to get away with his crimes for so long but his story was told dryly, not like a typical true crime. I didn’t really care about the lawyer in the second section but there were some interesting historical details. Unfortunately, it was delivered in a very dry manner that felt like filler and failed to keep my interest. The third section reads like a biography. I learned some things about Harper Lee that I didn’t know but it was so unflattering that I wish I could unknow them.
This is a case of a misleading title setting up expectations that were unmet. It would have made a terrific magazine article, but as a book it didn’t work for me.
*Many thanks to Edelweiss for a copy of this book for review in exchange for an honest review.
* This was a buddy read with Marialyce and we both listened to it on audio. The narrator did a fine job. It was the content that was a snooze. We both struggled with it.
March 18, 2024
4 stars!
I listened to this book because it was part of my local book club and I was curious. I am not normally a great nonfiction reader, but this book sounded compelling and I was curious to dive in. Furious Hours is about a murder that happens in a small town. At a funeral, a reverend is shot down in front of a whole room of people, and his murderer is not convicted. The reverend was known around town for the possible murder of five or more other people, and it seemed justice was served. In comes Harper Lee, famous novelist who wants to write a book about the murders and trial, and then never publishes it. Why?
I have to say the format took a bit of getting used to for me. The author is incredibly smart and did wonderful research. But before presenting ideas she did this massive information dump on certain subjects that had me sitting there like, why do I need to know this? It was helpful, but I am a reader for escape and not always information so it’s the kind of format that doesn’t always work for me.
The possible murders of Reverend Willie Maxwell were fascinating. I personally think he did it, because there’s no way someone is that unlucky. But I am amazed they were never able to prove whether or not he did it. The trial was also extremely interesting, in which we know a man is guilty but that’s not what seemed to be on trial.
I also liked hearing about Harper Lee, her life, her struggles and why she was interested in this case. I am sad she never wrote a book about it (that we know of) and would have loved to have read it. But I guess we will never know.
Definitely worth reading and I am glad I left my reading genre comfort zone to listen to this one.
I listened to this book because it was part of my local book club and I was curious. I am not normally a great nonfiction reader, but this book sounded compelling and I was curious to dive in. Furious Hours is about a murder that happens in a small town. At a funeral, a reverend is shot down in front of a whole room of people, and his murderer is not convicted. The reverend was known around town for the possible murder of five or more other people, and it seemed justice was served. In comes Harper Lee, famous novelist who wants to write a book about the murders and trial, and then never publishes it. Why?
I have to say the format took a bit of getting used to for me. The author is incredibly smart and did wonderful research. But before presenting ideas she did this massive information dump on certain subjects that had me sitting there like, why do I need to know this? It was helpful, but I am a reader for escape and not always information so it’s the kind of format that doesn’t always work for me.
The possible murders of Reverend Willie Maxwell were fascinating. I personally think he did it, because there’s no way someone is that unlucky. But I am amazed they were never able to prove whether or not he did it. The trial was also extremely interesting, in which we know a man is guilty but that’s not what seemed to be on trial.
I also liked hearing about Harper Lee, her life, her struggles and why she was interested in this case. I am sad she never wrote a book about it (that we know of) and would have loved to have read it. But I guess we will never know.
Definitely worth reading and I am glad I left my reading genre comfort zone to listen to this one.
November 25, 2022
Furious Hours by Casey Pep is a well written true-crime story involving a number of very suspicious murders in Alabama in the 1970s.
The dubious Reverend Willie Maxwell is suspected of murdering five, yes FIVE, of his family members, all having insurance policies where Maxwell was the primary beneficiary. Many of these policies were taken out under dodgy circumstances. He made thousands of dollars as a result of these policies. The main reason Maxwell escaped conviction was down to the brilliant representation of lawyer Tom Radner.
Maxwell was eventually murdered by a family member, shot at close range at the funeral of one of his alleged victims. Interestingly, Radner represented the shooter. This provided a fascinating narrative, as Radner had benefitted financially over the years by helping Maxwell escape prosecution, and now he found himself representing his killer. In many ways I thought Radner was the most fascinating character of this story, which was full of many colourful individuals. It really illustrated to me how professional he was, how focussed he was at the task of defending his client, his total belief in the premise that “everyone is entitled to a rigorous defence”.
The author describes the lives of each of the main actors in this story – in microscopic detail – and Radner was a decent man. He was just extremely professional, it highlighted to me the importance of one of the central tenets of our legal system. Unfortunately, the obviously guilty sometimes escape punishment.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this complex story involves Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee learns about the trial of Maxwell’s murderer and decides to cover the story, and write a book called The Reverend. Casey Pep covers Harper Lee’s life in detail, I just loved learning more about this enigmatic author. Her special friendship with childhood mate Truman Capote was interesting – oh my, Capote was certainly a colourful individual. But the one thing I found remarkable about Lee was her devotion to writing, she spent most of her waking hours writing (as well as drinking and smoking), but unusually there was negligible output. In fact, The Reverend never made it to publication. We don’t seem to have any evidence it existed at all.
This made me reflect on writers and the art of writing in its purest form. Why does it have to be applied? Why does it need a tangible outcome? Perhaps writing in its purest form is an act of self-fulfillment, perhaps it satisfies an internal drive and need? An end-product is not always necessary, maybe? Harper Lee was either not satisfied the end-product of her industrious writing was sufficient to publish, or perhaps she just wrote for writing’s sake? I believe the latter holds true.
This book will stay with me for a while, this review superficially scratches the surface of this ‘deep dive’ of a tale. If the stories of the main characters of Maxwell, Radnor, Lee, Capote and all of their families and friends isn’t enough, the author also describes the history and politics of Alabama, life in New York, she also introduces us to countless other characters and even Voodoo makes an appearance for heavens sake (I must read more about Voodoo).
This is a heavy piece of work, well written and fascinating.
4 Stars
The dubious Reverend Willie Maxwell is suspected of murdering five, yes FIVE, of his family members, all having insurance policies where Maxwell was the primary beneficiary. Many of these policies were taken out under dodgy circumstances. He made thousands of dollars as a result of these policies. The main reason Maxwell escaped conviction was down to the brilliant representation of lawyer Tom Radner.
Maxwell was eventually murdered by a family member, shot at close range at the funeral of one of his alleged victims. Interestingly, Radner represented the shooter. This provided a fascinating narrative, as Radner had benefitted financially over the years by helping Maxwell escape prosecution, and now he found himself representing his killer. In many ways I thought Radner was the most fascinating character of this story, which was full of many colourful individuals. It really illustrated to me how professional he was, how focussed he was at the task of defending his client, his total belief in the premise that “everyone is entitled to a rigorous defence”.
The author describes the lives of each of the main actors in this story – in microscopic detail – and Radner was a decent man. He was just extremely professional, it highlighted to me the importance of one of the central tenets of our legal system. Unfortunately, the obviously guilty sometimes escape punishment.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this complex story involves Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee learns about the trial of Maxwell’s murderer and decides to cover the story, and write a book called The Reverend. Casey Pep covers Harper Lee’s life in detail, I just loved learning more about this enigmatic author. Her special friendship with childhood mate Truman Capote was interesting – oh my, Capote was certainly a colourful individual. But the one thing I found remarkable about Lee was her devotion to writing, she spent most of her waking hours writing (as well as drinking and smoking), but unusually there was negligible output. In fact, The Reverend never made it to publication. We don’t seem to have any evidence it existed at all.
This made me reflect on writers and the art of writing in its purest form. Why does it have to be applied? Why does it need a tangible outcome? Perhaps writing in its purest form is an act of self-fulfillment, perhaps it satisfies an internal drive and need? An end-product is not always necessary, maybe? Harper Lee was either not satisfied the end-product of her industrious writing was sufficient to publish, or perhaps she just wrote for writing’s sake? I believe the latter holds true.
This book will stay with me for a while, this review superficially scratches the surface of this ‘deep dive’ of a tale. If the stories of the main characters of Maxwell, Radnor, Lee, Capote and all of their families and friends isn’t enough, the author also describes the history and politics of Alabama, life in New York, she also introduces us to countless other characters and even Voodoo makes an appearance for heavens sake (I must read more about Voodoo).
This is a heavy piece of work, well written and fascinating.
4 Stars
June 6, 2019
This is one of the best nonfiction books I've read this year.
"Furious Hours" is both the story of a true crime in 1970s Alabama and the story of famous writer Harper Lee. I was interested in the particulars of the crime, which involved a sketchy preacher who was linked to a series of suspicious deaths, and I just lovedlovedloved the section on Harper Lee, which included interesting details of her longtime friendship with Truman Capote.
I'm impressed with how Casey Cep managed this feat: she wrote a fascinating true-crime narrative, which Harper Lee had been investigating as a potential book topic, and then Cep writes a magnificent section on Lee's struggles to become a writer, and later, her struggles with her fame, her drinking problem, and her inability to produce any more books.
It's an incredible work of nonfiction. Highly recommended to both fans of true crime and those who like reading about writers.
Favorite Quotes
"We are bound by a common anguish." -- Harper Lee
"At its core, the Burns trial had turned on two kinds of primitivism: belief in the supernatural and belief in vigilante justice. It wasn't the first time that a white jury in Alabama had heard compelling evidence of murder yet reasoned their way to an acquittal. Vengeance is as old as violence, and many white southerners can trace their moral genealogy through family feuds and gentlemen's duels, across rivers and oceans and all the way back to medieval courts and biblical dynasties."
"Whatever she had told herself before about law school — about acquiring discipline or fulfilling her father's dreams — it wasn't enough anymore. Six weeks shy of graduation, Nelle Lee dropped out. It had become obvious to her that a writer is someone who writes, and also that sooner or later everyone disappoints their parents: better, she figured, to get started on both."
"Capote was writing full-time, and his stories seemed to move effortlessly from his mind to the pages of magazines and the shelves of bookstores. But Nelle was busy earning a living, covering the costs that even the most frugal New York City existence incurs, and she had become distracted by the city itself. Like a lot of small-town bookworms, she was too well-read to be a true country bumpkin, but too country, even after Montgomery and Tuscaloosa, to be anything but mesmerized by Manhattan."
[Personal Note: I hadn't realized before just how important Harper Lee was when Capote was working on his book "In Cold Blood." After reading "Furious Hours," it seems clear that Capote wouldn't have been able to write that book at all without Lee's research assistance and her ability to make friends with the folks in Kansas.]
"More than mere transcripts, Lee's voluminous notes are those of a careful observer, a keen legal mind and a tragicomic chronicler of American history."
"To be a serious writer requires discipline that is iron fisted. It's sitting down and doing it whether you think you have it in you or not. Every day. Alone. Without interruption. Contrary to what most people think, there is no glamour to writing. In fact, it's heartbreak most of the time." -- Harper Lee, 1966
"Nothing writes itself. Left to its own devices, the world will never transform into words, and no matter how many pages of notes and interviews and documents a reporting trip generates, the one that matters most always starts out blank."
"Most of us in the Western world make our own lives ... Life doesn't make us. We create our events. Nobody asked us to be born, but while we're here we should do the best we can with what we have." -- Harper Lee
"Furious Hours" is both the story of a true crime in 1970s Alabama and the story of famous writer Harper Lee. I was interested in the particulars of the crime, which involved a sketchy preacher who was linked to a series of suspicious deaths, and I just lovedlovedloved the section on Harper Lee, which included interesting details of her longtime friendship with Truman Capote.
I'm impressed with how Casey Cep managed this feat: she wrote a fascinating true-crime narrative, which Harper Lee had been investigating as a potential book topic, and then Cep writes a magnificent section on Lee's struggles to become a writer, and later, her struggles with her fame, her drinking problem, and her inability to produce any more books.
It's an incredible work of nonfiction. Highly recommended to both fans of true crime and those who like reading about writers.
Favorite Quotes
"We are bound by a common anguish." -- Harper Lee
"At its core, the Burns trial had turned on two kinds of primitivism: belief in the supernatural and belief in vigilante justice. It wasn't the first time that a white jury in Alabama had heard compelling evidence of murder yet reasoned their way to an acquittal. Vengeance is as old as violence, and many white southerners can trace their moral genealogy through family feuds and gentlemen's duels, across rivers and oceans and all the way back to medieval courts and biblical dynasties."
"Whatever she had told herself before about law school — about acquiring discipline or fulfilling her father's dreams — it wasn't enough anymore. Six weeks shy of graduation, Nelle Lee dropped out. It had become obvious to her that a writer is someone who writes, and also that sooner or later everyone disappoints their parents: better, she figured, to get started on both."
"Capote was writing full-time, and his stories seemed to move effortlessly from his mind to the pages of magazines and the shelves of bookstores. But Nelle was busy earning a living, covering the costs that even the most frugal New York City existence incurs, and she had become distracted by the city itself. Like a lot of small-town bookworms, she was too well-read to be a true country bumpkin, but too country, even after Montgomery and Tuscaloosa, to be anything but mesmerized by Manhattan."
[Personal Note: I hadn't realized before just how important Harper Lee was when Capote was working on his book "In Cold Blood." After reading "Furious Hours," it seems clear that Capote wouldn't have been able to write that book at all without Lee's research assistance and her ability to make friends with the folks in Kansas.]
"More than mere transcripts, Lee's voluminous notes are those of a careful observer, a keen legal mind and a tragicomic chronicler of American history."
"To be a serious writer requires discipline that is iron fisted. It's sitting down and doing it whether you think you have it in you or not. Every day. Alone. Without interruption. Contrary to what most people think, there is no glamour to writing. In fact, it's heartbreak most of the time." -- Harper Lee, 1966
"Nothing writes itself. Left to its own devices, the world will never transform into words, and no matter how many pages of notes and interviews and documents a reporting trip generates, the one that matters most always starts out blank."
"Most of us in the Western world make our own lives ... Life doesn't make us. We create our events. Nobody asked us to be born, but while we're here we should do the best we can with what we have." -- Harper Lee
October 16, 2019
To Kill a Mockingbird remains one of my favorite novels. In a nonfiction reading year, I managed to reread it for the fourth time this spring. Naturally, when I noticed a new book that features Harper Lee, I had my curiosity piqued. Casey Cep is a debut author, who has studied literary fiction. Her impetus for this book is a discovering why Lee, who wrote one of the most beloved books in American history, only wrote one book. Cep takes readers back to a court trial in Lee’s native Alabama in 1977, as Lee realized that she might have discovered the perfect material to write a second book.
Furious Hours is attributed to Harper Lee’s determination to publish a book or magazine article by its deadline, but the title and Lee’s involvement are misleading. Cep presents her findings in three parts. The first two focus on the crime, the criminal turned defendant Reverend Willie Maxwell, and his attorney, Alexander City’s leading lawyer Thomas Radney. The case itself is straightforward. Maxwell was a reverend who got caught up in insurance fraud and his greed got the best of him. Radney, who at one time could be thought of as a John Kennedy of Alabama and then turned lawyer, believed everyone was entitled to a lawyer and fair trial. Over the years, he represented Maxwell, when most people feared him and his motives. Their stories, despite being labeled as a true crime, moved slowly, perhaps as I grew impatient waiting for Lee’s involvement in them.
Harper Lee finally makes her appearance in the third section of the book. It appeared that Cep was more interested in writing about Lee than a Reverend gone bad and her bias is evident in this third section. Cep pours more emotions into writing about Alabama’s favorite author, detailing her life, dissecting where truth becomes fiction, and returning to Mockingbird time and again. Whereas Lee might have been content having had one published book, the literary community for years clamored for more. With the Reverend Maxwell’s case, Lee found the perfect opportunity to return home from New York and craft a true crime story equal to her friend Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Even as Lee became charmed by Radney and Alexander City’s residents, a second book wasn’t meant to be. Knowing this prior to reading Furious Hours, I had high expectations for Lee’s role in the book. Like the development of a new book, it wasn’t meant to be.
Many writers are known for their one opus book and while readers may have desired additional novels, the writers for whatever reason only wrote the one book and moved on with their lives. Harper Lee fits into this category of writers, yet her one book is often listed as the best American novel of all time. With her name in the title of a book, I was intrigued to read it and was left slightly disappointed. While Furious Hours may have lived up to its hype for many, for me it falls as flat as Harper Lee’s involvement in it. I hope for better material if Casey Cep pens a second book.
3 stars
Furious Hours is attributed to Harper Lee’s determination to publish a book or magazine article by its deadline, but the title and Lee’s involvement are misleading. Cep presents her findings in three parts. The first two focus on the crime, the criminal turned defendant Reverend Willie Maxwell, and his attorney, Alexander City’s leading lawyer Thomas Radney. The case itself is straightforward. Maxwell was a reverend who got caught up in insurance fraud and his greed got the best of him. Radney, who at one time could be thought of as a John Kennedy of Alabama and then turned lawyer, believed everyone was entitled to a lawyer and fair trial. Over the years, he represented Maxwell, when most people feared him and his motives. Their stories, despite being labeled as a true crime, moved slowly, perhaps as I grew impatient waiting for Lee’s involvement in them.
Harper Lee finally makes her appearance in the third section of the book. It appeared that Cep was more interested in writing about Lee than a Reverend gone bad and her bias is evident in this third section. Cep pours more emotions into writing about Alabama’s favorite author, detailing her life, dissecting where truth becomes fiction, and returning to Mockingbird time and again. Whereas Lee might have been content having had one published book, the literary community for years clamored for more. With the Reverend Maxwell’s case, Lee found the perfect opportunity to return home from New York and craft a true crime story equal to her friend Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Even as Lee became charmed by Radney and Alexander City’s residents, a second book wasn’t meant to be. Knowing this prior to reading Furious Hours, I had high expectations for Lee’s role in the book. Like the development of a new book, it wasn’t meant to be.
Many writers are known for their one opus book and while readers may have desired additional novels, the writers for whatever reason only wrote the one book and moved on with their lives. Harper Lee fits into this category of writers, yet her one book is often listed as the best American novel of all time. With her name in the title of a book, I was intrigued to read it and was left slightly disappointed. While Furious Hours may have lived up to its hype for many, for me it falls as flat as Harper Lee’s involvement in it. I hope for better material if Casey Cep pens a second book.
3 stars
June 10, 2019
4.5 stars
I was fascinated with the character of Scout Finch in Harper Lee's masterpiece To Kill A Mockingbird when I was a kid.
When I re-read the novel for my high school lit class, I was in awe of the layers of the story and its topics that are only complicated by growing up. Scout kept it honest and that's what made her the perfect narrator; the adults are what complicated matters.
I knew Harper Lee had never published another novel but when I decided to look into work she'd done in the following years, I immediately hit a dead end in the age of Google. Lee valued her privacy above all else and stepped out of the spotlight almost immediately after the publication of To Kill A Mockingbird, which brought with it instant wealth and fame. While she was quick to reply to letters from readers, she rarely gave interviews or attended events.
I wondered if she'd written TKAM and decided it was her one and only masterpiece and put down her pen, if she'd written privately for years but never shared because she feared or resented the spotlight, or if she simply became overwhelmed at the thought of a follow up to such an important novel.
After turning in her final draft of TKAM to her publishers, Lee accompanied her life-long friend Truman Capote to Kansas where she assisted in researching the shocking murder of the Clutter family. The notes taken by the pair later became the true-crime novel In Cold Blood, which is considered Capote's masterpiece.
Little did I know that Lee learned about a serial killer in her home state of Alabama and a case that was so compelling she decided to write her own true-crime novel which she tentatively called The Reverend.
Lee (as far as we know about the secretive writer) didn't write that true-crime novel but now author Casey Cep has pieced together the facts of the case that Lee spent years researching in the upcoming novel Furious Hours.
Readers are given the history of the small Alabama town where rural preacher Reverend Willie Maxwell grew up and what little is known about his early life. Then, things take a curious turn. Five of Maxwell's family members die over a short period of time, all under highly suspicious circumstances, while Maxwell holds multiple life insurance policies on each.
With the help of lawyer Tom Radney, Maxwell is found not guilty of the murder of his first wife and manages to collect large sums from the life insurance companies who were refusing to make payment because of the blatantly obvious crimes. In each case, the police never gather enough solid evidence to charge Maxwell with murder.
At the funeral for his last victim, Maxwell is shot dead by Robert Burns in front of hundreds of witnesses.
Robert Burns is aquitted... with the help of Tom Radney, the same lawyer who had previously defended the Reverend.
Writer Harper Lee is sitting in the courtroom during the trial, taking notes on what she hopes to be her next novel.
When Lee sat down to figure out how to write The Reverend, she realized she needed a protagonist, and set her sights on lawyer Tom Radney, who worked both sides of the curious case for years. Radney was willing to help Lee in any way he could to get the book written and more importantly, he was an ideal morally complex character. Radney had kept Maxwell out of prison and profited from the multiple insurance litigations and then in a surprising turn of events went on to win an aquittal for Maxwell's murderer.
The problem was that Radney wasn't a reliable narrator.
Lee wanted accuracy and it was maddening to find that her protagonist misremembered events of both the case and his own life.
Looking into the early life of Maxwell was equally troublesome because there were so few records of his life before the murders.
Short on facts, worried about the writing process and possible implications, Lee's writing floundered. While those close to the private author knew never to ask what she was working on, she had offered information through the years on The Reverend, and the vague details given turned into myth as people have attested to wildly different levels of its progress.
Furious Hours is divided into three parts: The Reverend, The Lawyer, and The Writer.
Casey Cep gives us the solid facts on the life of the Reverend, from the sparse details of his beginning to his dramatic end at the funeral of his final victim.
Next, we learn the facts of Tom Radney's life leading up to his work in the cases involving Willie Maxwell. Cep was able to gather a wealth of information about Radney, who passed away before she began researching this book, thanks to the help of his family.
Last but certainly not least, Cep sticks to the facts of Nelle Harper Lee's notoriously private life.
The mystery surrounding Lee's life and work has fascinated me to no end since I was a teen so when I learned last year that someone had taken the time to research both and that at the center of that mystery was a true crime story, there are no words for the level of excitement I experienced.
Cep did an exceptional job of researching the case of Willie Maxwell and Harper Lee's surprising involvement. Lee did not write the true-crime novel she set out to but thanks to Cep's research, the dramatic case has finally been placed into the hands of readers with what I believe to be the same fair and accurate reporting that Lee would've given.
Both a fascinating true crime story and a candid look at Harper Lee's life and effort to write a second novel, Furious Hours is a compelling book* that does justice to both stories told.
I have been anticipating this book for months. I cannot possibly thank Knopf Publishing Group and the First To Read program enough for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy!
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee is scheduled for release on May 6, 2019.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
I was fascinated with the character of Scout Finch in Harper Lee's masterpiece To Kill A Mockingbird when I was a kid.
When I re-read the novel for my high school lit class, I was in awe of the layers of the story and its topics that are only complicated by growing up. Scout kept it honest and that's what made her the perfect narrator; the adults are what complicated matters.
I knew Harper Lee had never published another novel but when I decided to look into work she'd done in the following years, I immediately hit a dead end in the age of Google. Lee valued her privacy above all else and stepped out of the spotlight almost immediately after the publication of To Kill A Mockingbird, which brought with it instant wealth and fame. While she was quick to reply to letters from readers, she rarely gave interviews or attended events.
I wondered if she'd written TKAM and decided it was her one and only masterpiece and put down her pen, if she'd written privately for years but never shared because she feared or resented the spotlight, or if she simply became overwhelmed at the thought of a follow up to such an important novel.
After turning in her final draft of TKAM to her publishers, Lee accompanied her life-long friend Truman Capote to Kansas where she assisted in researching the shocking murder of the Clutter family. The notes taken by the pair later became the true-crime novel In Cold Blood, which is considered Capote's masterpiece.
Little did I know that Lee learned about a serial killer in her home state of Alabama and a case that was so compelling she decided to write her own true-crime novel which she tentatively called The Reverend.
Lee (as far as we know about the secretive writer) didn't write that true-crime novel but now author Casey Cep has pieced together the facts of the case that Lee spent years researching in the upcoming novel Furious Hours.
Readers are given the history of the small Alabama town where rural preacher Reverend Willie Maxwell grew up and what little is known about his early life. Then, things take a curious turn. Five of Maxwell's family members die over a short period of time, all under highly suspicious circumstances, while Maxwell holds multiple life insurance policies on each.
With the help of lawyer Tom Radney, Maxwell is found not guilty of the murder of his first wife and manages to collect large sums from the life insurance companies who were refusing to make payment because of the blatantly obvious crimes. In each case, the police never gather enough solid evidence to charge Maxwell with murder.
At the funeral for his last victim, Maxwell is shot dead by Robert Burns in front of hundreds of witnesses.
Robert Burns is aquitted... with the help of Tom Radney, the same lawyer who had previously defended the Reverend.
Writer Harper Lee is sitting in the courtroom during the trial, taking notes on what she hopes to be her next novel.
When Lee sat down to figure out how to write The Reverend, she realized she needed a protagonist, and set her sights on lawyer Tom Radney, who worked both sides of the curious case for years. Radney was willing to help Lee in any way he could to get the book written and more importantly, he was an ideal morally complex character. Radney had kept Maxwell out of prison and profited from the multiple insurance litigations and then in a surprising turn of events went on to win an aquittal for Maxwell's murderer.
The problem was that Radney wasn't a reliable narrator.
Lee wanted accuracy and it was maddening to find that her protagonist misremembered events of both the case and his own life.
Looking into the early life of Maxwell was equally troublesome because there were so few records of his life before the murders.
Short on facts, worried about the writing process and possible implications, Lee's writing floundered. While those close to the private author knew never to ask what she was working on, she had offered information through the years on The Reverend, and the vague details given turned into myth as people have attested to wildly different levels of its progress.
Furious Hours is divided into three parts: The Reverend, The Lawyer, and The Writer.
Casey Cep gives us the solid facts on the life of the Reverend, from the sparse details of his beginning to his dramatic end at the funeral of his final victim.
Next, we learn the facts of Tom Radney's life leading up to his work in the cases involving Willie Maxwell. Cep was able to gather a wealth of information about Radney, who passed away before she began researching this book, thanks to the help of his family.
Last but certainly not least, Cep sticks to the facts of Nelle Harper Lee's notoriously private life.
The mystery surrounding Lee's life and work has fascinated me to no end since I was a teen so when I learned last year that someone had taken the time to research both and that at the center of that mystery was a true crime story, there are no words for the level of excitement I experienced.
Cep did an exceptional job of researching the case of Willie Maxwell and Harper Lee's surprising involvement. Lee did not write the true-crime novel she set out to but thanks to Cep's research, the dramatic case has finally been placed into the hands of readers with what I believe to be the same fair and accurate reporting that Lee would've given.
Both a fascinating true crime story and a candid look at Harper Lee's life and effort to write a second novel, Furious Hours is a compelling book* that does justice to both stories told.
I have been anticipating this book for months. I cannot possibly thank Knopf Publishing Group and the First To Read program enough for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy!
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee is scheduled for release on May 6, 2019.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
May 13, 2019
Harper Lee was intrigued with the true-crime story of the Reverend Willie Maxwell. She did an amazing amount of research, and then floundered when she tried to write a tale that would appeal to her many fans. Cep has succeeded where Lee failed.
Willie Maxwell was born in Alabama in 1925, served two tours in the Army, and earned a Good Conduct Medal. He married Mary Lou in 1947, worked two jobs and preached at three different churches. At least, he did so until people around him started dying—first his wife Mary Lou, then his neighbor’s husband Abram Anderson, his 2nd wife—Dorcus Anderson, his brother J.C. Maxwell, his nephew James Hicks, and finally, his step-daughter, Shirley Ann Ellington. Funny thing, the Reverend was the beneficiary of insurance policies on most of these victims. Indeed, this showcases the odd practice whereby life insurance policies could be taken out on people without them ever knowing about it.
It was no surprise that a relative of Shirley Ann took issue with the bizarre circumstances of her death. However, it WAS a surprise when he shot Willie Maxwell three times AT HER FUNERAL. Talk about vigilante justice! Clearly he needs a REALLY GOOD attorney. Enter Defense Attorney Tom Radney!
And who chose to attend the sensational trial, take copious notes and interview anyone and everyone associated with the case? You guessed it, Nelle Harper Lee. Cep provides a window on the life of the reclusive author—including her long friendship with Truman Capote beginning when they were children. I certainly did not know that she provided a lot of the research for Capote’s In Cold Blood. Highly recommend.
Willie Maxwell was born in Alabama in 1925, served two tours in the Army, and earned a Good Conduct Medal. He married Mary Lou in 1947, worked two jobs and preached at three different churches. At least, he did so until people around him started dying—first his wife Mary Lou, then his neighbor’s husband Abram Anderson, his 2nd wife—Dorcus Anderson, his brother J.C. Maxwell, his nephew James Hicks, and finally, his step-daughter, Shirley Ann Ellington. Funny thing, the Reverend was the beneficiary of insurance policies on most of these victims. Indeed, this showcases the odd practice whereby life insurance policies could be taken out on people without them ever knowing about it.
It was no surprise that a relative of Shirley Ann took issue with the bizarre circumstances of her death. However, it WAS a surprise when he shot Willie Maxwell three times AT HER FUNERAL. Talk about vigilante justice! Clearly he needs a REALLY GOOD attorney. Enter Defense Attorney Tom Radney!
And who chose to attend the sensational trial, take copious notes and interview anyone and everyone associated with the case? You guessed it, Nelle Harper Lee. Cep provides a window on the life of the reclusive author—including her long friendship with Truman Capote beginning when they were children. I certainly did not know that she provided a lot of the research for Capote’s In Cold Blood. Highly recommend.
January 6, 2020
The mysterious author, Harper Lee, a fascinating story of murder in the South and a study of the maddening creative process of writing a book. I especially enjoyed reading about Lee and her
struggles with the absorbing research of the infamous Alabama trial. Highly recommend.
struggles with the absorbing research of the infamous Alabama trial. Highly recommend.
May 22, 2019
It is rare that I can't finish a book - especially a murder book! But my god. This is not a book about a serial killer. This is a book that gives a painstaking detailed history of the largest lake in Alabama and the life insurance industry. I'm almost halfway through and it's too unbearable to finish. It really feels as though the author wanted to tell the story of the murders but didn't have enough material so she just fluffed it up - but with the dryest, most boring fluff to ever exist. Google the Reverend Willie Maxwell if you want to know the cliffs notes without the snooze-worthy asides.
January 18, 2020
I don't often read nonfiction. Too often, it’s dry and doesn’t flow. When I do read it, I insist that it flows as well as a good novel. I also expect it to teach me something. And while I’m not a big true crime fan, I love a good murder mystery.
And the first half of the book is a hell of a story. The Reverend Willie Maxwell loses wives and relatives like no one’s business. Funny thing, how they keep dying on him. Lucky for him he had all those insurance policies on them. The state keeps trying to convict him of murder but never does. Insurance companies fight the payouts he seeks.
“Never mind that their client was possibly the least likely poster boy for civil rights in the entire African American population of Alabama”, his two lawyers use discrimination as a means to get him his payouts when the insurance companies try to cry foul.
But the trial that interests Harper Lee isn't one of Willie’s. It’s for the man that shot Willie. Which, in a wild twist of fate, has as the defense attorney the same lawyer that used to represent Rev. Maxwell.
As with the best nonfiction, the first half of this book gives us a panoramic picture of the place and time. We learn about Alabama politics and it’s judicial system. It’s also wildly entertaining. Big Tom Radney, the attorney, is larger than life.
Unfortunately, as fun and entertaining as the first half was, the second half, which tackles Harper Lee, is equally dull and dry. Maybe because her life has already been covered multiple times and there’s nothing new here. Maybe because while she was a great writer, she wasn’t that exciting a person.
While I ate up the first half, I found myself skimming the second. A shame, because the book started with such promise. I found myself wishing Cep had limited herself to Maxwell’s and Radney’s story. Given the promise of the first half of the book, I’ll definitely check out her next endeavor.
May 10, 2019
I must start by saying that Furious Hours is probably the best true crime work I have had the pleasure of reading; it has so much more to it than one would initially imagine and that's what makes it such a gripping book. It's an amalgamation of true crime, American history, legal thriller and biography of Harper Lee, which is a very interesting mix and works well. For many years Lee was obsessed with one particular case - that of church minister Reverend Willie Maxwell, and set in the context of the time and place - 1970s rural Alabama, United States - it provides much thought-provoking information on the racial, political, cultural and societal circumstances at the time.
It's certainly very easy to get swept up in this story, and I indeed was. Part of my fascination, being a law graduate, was the trial of Reverend Maxwell's killer and seeing the differences in American law when compared to the British and the nuances of the system. The case begins with murder and insurance fraud and from that point onwards the body count grows and grows. As it is a little-known case it's one many people, including myself, will not have been aware of; this is quite refreshing as most true crime books focus on infamous crimes and convicts.
The depiction of the deep south, also referred to as the gothic south, is vivid and evocative, and Casey Cep does a wonderful job of writing the book that Lee worked on for years after her most celebrated work, To Kill a Mockingbird, but could not finish. Included is information on the development and growth of the insurance business, paying particular attention to life insurance which it is widely believed was the motive behind the Reverend's killing spree. The irony of the lawyer, Tom Radney, who managed to get Maxwell acquitted, later repeats this in respect of Maxwell's killer, Robert Burns.
The first half focuses on the case and trial whilst the second discusses lawyer Tom Radney and the final section goes into detail about Harper Lee herself. Her struggle to become accustomed to the fame and fortune that comes with achieving bestseller status and her perfectionist tendencies which led to her being unable to complete and release this book in her lifetime as she'd planned. I loved that we found out more than we ever have before about the enigmatic Ms Lee. All in all, this is a brilliantly compelling and well-structured work of non-fiction and the engaging writing and touch of humour keep you turning the pages long after the sun goes down. Many thanks to William Heinemann for an ARC.
It's certainly very easy to get swept up in this story, and I indeed was. Part of my fascination, being a law graduate, was the trial of Reverend Maxwell's killer and seeing the differences in American law when compared to the British and the nuances of the system. The case begins with murder and insurance fraud and from that point onwards the body count grows and grows. As it is a little-known case it's one many people, including myself, will not have been aware of; this is quite refreshing as most true crime books focus on infamous crimes and convicts.
The depiction of the deep south, also referred to as the gothic south, is vivid and evocative, and Casey Cep does a wonderful job of writing the book that Lee worked on for years after her most celebrated work, To Kill a Mockingbird, but could not finish. Included is information on the development and growth of the insurance business, paying particular attention to life insurance which it is widely believed was the motive behind the Reverend's killing spree. The irony of the lawyer, Tom Radney, who managed to get Maxwell acquitted, later repeats this in respect of Maxwell's killer, Robert Burns.
The first half focuses on the case and trial whilst the second discusses lawyer Tom Radney and the final section goes into detail about Harper Lee herself. Her struggle to become accustomed to the fame and fortune that comes with achieving bestseller status and her perfectionist tendencies which led to her being unable to complete and release this book in her lifetime as she'd planned. I loved that we found out more than we ever have before about the enigmatic Ms Lee. All in all, this is a brilliantly compelling and well-structured work of non-fiction and the engaging writing and touch of humour keep you turning the pages long after the sun goes down. Many thanks to William Heinemann for an ARC.
June 18, 2019
Utterly brilliant. I was fascinated both by this tale of an actual serial killer in Alabama (and his murder), and the desperate way that Harper Lee tried (and failed) to find in his story and trial her own second act. Casey Cep is also a gifted stylist: this is a work of non-fiction written with elegance and beauty and grace.
July 14, 2019
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee was the first book of author Casey Cep and an amazing debut it was. Ms. Cep has a delightful way of presenting factual data, of which she researched diligently. Basically the book focuses on the serial murders of a lot of relatives of the Reverend, who coincidentally happened to have taken out large insurance policies on the victims. Also central to this tale is the larger-than-life defense attorney, Tom Radney. He first defended the Reverend Willie Maxwell, and later his killer, Robert Burns, shooting the Reverend in front of three hundred-plus witnesses. During this time, Radney formed a friendship with Nelle Harper Lee, returning to her native Alabama to witness this trial as material for her next book. What happens throughout this book is riveting as it unfolds in a most interesting way. There are many questions throughout that holds one's interest and why not, a perfect storm of plots circling, and, at the heart of it, an author that still is surrounded in mystery and controversy. This book will not put any of that to rest but will make you wonder more. I loved it.
"We are bound by a common anguish."-- Harper Lee
"But if Radney missed his political career, that loss was mitigated by how much the courtroom felt, to him, like the campaign trail. Like many politicians, he had always been extroverted and charismatic, and he loved the performative aspects of being a trial lawyer. After years of trying to win over tens of thousands of voters, he found it easier to convince twelve jurors."
"The first requirement of a sound body of law is, that it should correspond with the actual feelings and demands of the community, whether right or wrong. If people would gratify the passion of revenge outside of the law, if the law did not help them, the law has no choice but to satisfy the craving itself, and thus avoid the greater evil of private retribution." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
"We are bound by a common anguish."-- Harper Lee
"But if Radney missed his political career, that loss was mitigated by how much the courtroom felt, to him, like the campaign trail. Like many politicians, he had always been extroverted and charismatic, and he loved the performative aspects of being a trial lawyer. After years of trying to win over tens of thousands of voters, he found it easier to convince twelve jurors."
"The first requirement of a sound body of law is, that it should correspond with the actual feelings and demands of the community, whether right or wrong. If people would gratify the passion of revenge outside of the law, if the law did not help them, the law has no choice but to satisfy the craving itself, and thus avoid the greater evil of private retribution." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
May 15, 2019
Seventeen years since the publication of, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee lat in a courtroom in Alabama. She was planning to write a true crime book about the case she was watching, but that book was never published. In this volume, author, Casey Cep, writes not only a compelling explanation as to why this book never appeared, but also combines true crime and biography, in a riveting account of a crime and the characters involved.
She begins by looking at the murder victim, the Reverend Willie Maxwell, whose exploits almost defy belief. Born in 1925, Maxwell was a man who had a tendency to insure almost everyone within his orbit; benefiting by their deaths, which seemed to happen with alarming regularity and in suspiciously similar circumstances.
The second character was lawyer, Tom Radney, who swopped from dealing with Maxwell’s, seemingly endless, insurance claims, to defending his killer. Through looking at Radney, Cep manages to incorporate the history and politics of the area. To my mind, the talk of sharecroppers, voodoo and unspoken segregation, spoke of an earlier age, and it was almost a shock to discover that this book took place, mostly in the Seventies.
Lastly, the author turns her attention to Harper Lee, looking at her life, her friendship with Truman Capote, and her first experience with writing true crime, when she was involved in the research for, “In Cold Blood.” I knew very little about Harper Lee, so I think I found this the most interesting part of the book, although, to be honest, I was riveted by all of it.
It is hard to imagine that this is a debut, as it is so self-assured and well written. I trust that Casey Cep has further works planned, as she is an author to watch. A fascinating account of a crime, with excellent historical and literary background. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review and recommend it highly.
She begins by looking at the murder victim, the Reverend Willie Maxwell, whose exploits almost defy belief. Born in 1925, Maxwell was a man who had a tendency to insure almost everyone within his orbit; benefiting by their deaths, which seemed to happen with alarming regularity and in suspiciously similar circumstances.
The second character was lawyer, Tom Radney, who swopped from dealing with Maxwell’s, seemingly endless, insurance claims, to defending his killer. Through looking at Radney, Cep manages to incorporate the history and politics of the area. To my mind, the talk of sharecroppers, voodoo and unspoken segregation, spoke of an earlier age, and it was almost a shock to discover that this book took place, mostly in the Seventies.
Lastly, the author turns her attention to Harper Lee, looking at her life, her friendship with Truman Capote, and her first experience with writing true crime, when she was involved in the research for, “In Cold Blood.” I knew very little about Harper Lee, so I think I found this the most interesting part of the book, although, to be honest, I was riveted by all of it.
It is hard to imagine that this is a debut, as it is so self-assured and well written. I trust that Casey Cep has further works planned, as she is an author to watch. A fascinating account of a crime, with excellent historical and literary background. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review and recommend it highly.
June 29, 2019
This book can be classified as both true crime and biography. What has made it worth reading for me is what I learned about Harper Lee. I I have a deeper understanding of her as a person. I am comfortable with the author’s, Casey Cep’s, presentation of facts. One has cause to be wary given the huge amount of hearsay and rumors that have swirled about Lee in the press.
After writing her famed novel To Kill a Mockingbird everyone has been begging for more. Rumors said Lee was working on another book. Go Set a Watchman came out in 2015 but proved not to be new. In 2016 she died. Casey Cep's Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee gives us an idea of what Lee had been working on for years. In Lee’s view, there remained too many unknowns and problems with the central protagonists to complete the book. As she aged, health issues played in too.
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee is divided into three sections:
*The Reverend--about Willie Maxwell
*The Lawyer--about Thomas Radney
*The Writer-- about Harper Lee
The book begins by presenting the facts surrounding the true crime story Lee had been working on. Willie Maxwell had most probably murdered six people over a span of seven years, five of whom were members of his own family! He took out life insurance policies making himself the beneficiary when those insured died, and die they did, one after the other. Courts failed to find him guilty. Again and again he was acquitted. Maxwell was a Baptist preacher and rumored to be proficient in the art of voodoo. The townspeople feared him. The insurance companies were furious. The legal authorities were at a loss of what to do. Alabama is the setting.
The second section shifts to Maxwell’s lawyer, Thomas Radney. When Maxwell is murdered, Radney becomes the lawyer of Maxwell’s killer!
The third section focuses directly on Lee, events in her life through to her death. This portion is about half of the entire book. I found quite revealing that said about her relationship with Truman Capote and their work together on In Cold Blood. This is directly relevant to her work with the Maxwell / Radney case study.
A prospective reader needs to know that the documentation of the first two sections, those about Maxwell and Radney, that is to say the entire first half of the book, are minutely detailed and at times complicated and confusing. This is a book of non-fiction. To make sense of the true crime story Lee was trying to write, detail is required, but do see this as a word of warning.
Hillary Huber narrates the audiobook. Her performance I have rated three stars. It is clear and easy to follow, but flat in tone. It is just not all that pleasant to listen to. Sorry, but I am terribly picky.
While the first half of the book did give me some trouble, by the end I understood the complexities of the case Lee was working on. As Lee herself realized the case was not enough to form the basis for a really good book, but by tying in biographical elements about Lee, Cep’s book is very good. Cep’s book speaks volumes about Harper Lee.
********************
Related books:
The Grass Harp, Including A Tree of Night and Other Stories 2 stars
Other Voices, Other Rooms 4 stars
In Cold Blood 4 stars
Breakfast at Tiffany's 4 stars
Go Set a Watchman 3 stars
To Kill a Mockingbird 5 stars
The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee
Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee
After writing her famed novel To Kill a Mockingbird everyone has been begging for more. Rumors said Lee was working on another book. Go Set a Watchman came out in 2015 but proved not to be new. In 2016 she died. Casey Cep's Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee gives us an idea of what Lee had been working on for years. In Lee’s view, there remained too many unknowns and problems with the central protagonists to complete the book. As she aged, health issues played in too.
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee is divided into three sections:
*The Reverend--about Willie Maxwell
*The Lawyer--about Thomas Radney
*The Writer-- about Harper Lee
The book begins by presenting the facts surrounding the true crime story Lee had been working on. Willie Maxwell had most probably murdered six people over a span of seven years, five of whom were members of his own family! He took out life insurance policies making himself the beneficiary when those insured died, and die they did, one after the other. Courts failed to find him guilty. Again and again he was acquitted. Maxwell was a Baptist preacher and rumored to be proficient in the art of voodoo. The townspeople feared him. The insurance companies were furious. The legal authorities were at a loss of what to do. Alabama is the setting.
The second section shifts to Maxwell’s lawyer, Thomas Radney. When Maxwell is murdered, Radney becomes the lawyer of Maxwell’s killer!
The third section focuses directly on Lee, events in her life through to her death. This portion is about half of the entire book. I found quite revealing that said about her relationship with Truman Capote and their work together on In Cold Blood. This is directly relevant to her work with the Maxwell / Radney case study.
A prospective reader needs to know that the documentation of the first two sections, those about Maxwell and Radney, that is to say the entire first half of the book, are minutely detailed and at times complicated and confusing. This is a book of non-fiction. To make sense of the true crime story Lee was trying to write, detail is required, but do see this as a word of warning.
Hillary Huber narrates the audiobook. Her performance I have rated three stars. It is clear and easy to follow, but flat in tone. It is just not all that pleasant to listen to. Sorry, but I am terribly picky.
While the first half of the book did give me some trouble, by the end I understood the complexities of the case Lee was working on. As Lee herself realized the case was not enough to form the basis for a really good book, but by tying in biographical elements about Lee, Cep’s book is very good. Cep’s book speaks volumes about Harper Lee.
********************
Related books:
The Grass Harp, Including A Tree of Night and Other Stories 2 stars
Other Voices, Other Rooms 4 stars
In Cold Blood 4 stars
Breakfast at Tiffany's 4 stars
Go Set a Watchman 3 stars
To Kill a Mockingbird 5 stars
The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee
Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee
June 24, 2019
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud And The Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep is a great true crime book it's based around 3 main characters a serial killer ( The Reverend Willie Maxwell) the lawyer (Tom Radney) who defended the reverend and the other killer ( you definitely need to read it to find out what that one did 😏) and Harper Lee an author made famous by her fabulous book To kill a mockingbird, it's also about her issues with the fame after it.
Harper Lee had a friend from childhood (Capote Truman)who wanted to write a crime book (In cold Blood) which isn't what it seems, These 3 people stories all intercept and became this book.
It's set in Alabama before , during and after the war the history is fascinating but can be a little drawn out but still a page turner which I definitely recommend 📖
Harper Lee had a friend from childhood (Capote Truman)who wanted to write a crime book (In cold Blood) which isn't what it seems, These 3 people stories all intercept and became this book.
It's set in Alabama before , during and after the war the history is fascinating but can be a little drawn out but still a page turner which I definitely recommend 📖
August 18, 2019
3.75 stars rounded up - Reverend William Maxwell was an enigma in his lifetime and even after reading this book, he remains so. As Casey Cep relates in her book, not much is known of Maxwell’s early years, but after a stint in the army, he returned home to Coosa County, Alabama, where he met and married Mary Lou Edwards. Although Maxwell worked at powdering (blasting rock) and pulpwooding, his main vocation became the ministry. Known for his eloquent speech, snazzy dress style, and fervent prayers, his title around town soon became simply, ‘The Reverend.’ After twenty plus years of marriage, his wife, Mary Lou was found battered to death in her Ford Fairlane alongside the road, and Maxwell was the prime suspect. The case makes for fascinating reading, but nothing is resolved, and over the next few years, Maxwell’s family members fall around him like felled trees, until their accumulated bodies number five. The most incriminating evidence in connection with all these deaths appears to be the insurance policies taken out by Maxwell on the victims, and he will use attorney Tom Radney, to collect on them.
The book is divided into three sections ‘The Reverend,’ ‘The Lawyer,’ and ‘The Writer.’ Each section is distinct and separate, yet, their tie-in is obvious. Seventeen years after publishing "To Kill a Mockingbird," Lee will sit in on the trial of the man accused of murdering Reverend Maxwell, planning, as she would tell many, to write a book. Roberts Burns's trial for the murder of the Reverend is a compelling narrative in itself, theatrical and absorbing. The same lawyer who defends Maxwell's insurance policy collections now goes to bat for Maxwell’s murderer. Cep reveals that Tom Radney doesn’t even want to know if his client is guilty. Radney believes in giving the best defense possible to every person, regardless of innocence or guilt. Because Radney’s career was a very political one, I learned a lot about Alabama politics. Casey Cep writes,
“So began the inauspicious age of Wallace in Alabama politics. These were dark, demersal years, when white voters were pandered to by politicians at every level of government, promised power they’d never had at the expense of African Americans they were assured never would.”
Radney’s political career as state senator of Alabama will turn on race relations. Cep will bring focus to bear on the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the events that began to take Radney off the political map, for he is not 'a Wallace man,' and land him squarely in the law office beside Alabama’s Alexander City Courthouse.
My favorite part of “Furious Hours” belongs to Harper Lee. Writing doesn’t come easily for her, and yet she yearns to capture how it is to grow up in a small town like Monroeville, just as her friend, Truman Capote captured it in “The Glass Harp.” When she does finally finish her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, she is thirty-three years old. It seems she is never truly able to come to terms with fame, unlike Capote, who reveled in it. For anyone who would like to know why Harper Lee stalled out on her writing after “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and why she was never able to finish the book on Reverend Maxwell, I think Casey Cep sheds light on this, and other aspects of the reclusive writer fans have grown to love.
The book is divided into three sections ‘The Reverend,’ ‘The Lawyer,’ and ‘The Writer.’ Each section is distinct and separate, yet, their tie-in is obvious. Seventeen years after publishing "To Kill a Mockingbird," Lee will sit in on the trial of the man accused of murdering Reverend Maxwell, planning, as she would tell many, to write a book. Roberts Burns's trial for the murder of the Reverend is a compelling narrative in itself, theatrical and absorbing. The same lawyer who defends Maxwell's insurance policy collections now goes to bat for Maxwell’s murderer. Cep reveals that Tom Radney doesn’t even want to know if his client is guilty. Radney believes in giving the best defense possible to every person, regardless of innocence or guilt. Because Radney’s career was a very political one, I learned a lot about Alabama politics. Casey Cep writes,
“So began the inauspicious age of Wallace in Alabama politics. These were dark, demersal years, when white voters were pandered to by politicians at every level of government, promised power they’d never had at the expense of African Americans they were assured never would.”
Radney’s political career as state senator of Alabama will turn on race relations. Cep will bring focus to bear on the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the events that began to take Radney off the political map, for he is not 'a Wallace man,' and land him squarely in the law office beside Alabama’s Alexander City Courthouse.
My favorite part of “Furious Hours” belongs to Harper Lee. Writing doesn’t come easily for her, and yet she yearns to capture how it is to grow up in a small town like Monroeville, just as her friend, Truman Capote captured it in “The Glass Harp.” When she does finally finish her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, she is thirty-three years old. It seems she is never truly able to come to terms with fame, unlike Capote, who reveled in it. For anyone who would like to know why Harper Lee stalled out on her writing after “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and why she was never able to finish the book on Reverend Maxwell, I think Casey Cep sheds light on this, and other aspects of the reclusive writer fans have grown to love.
June 5, 2019
This is a true crime story about Reverend Willie Maxwell who was implicated in the deaths of 6 people over the course of 7 years. He was tried and acquitted once and was murdered by the uncle of his purported final victim before charges could be brought against him. Suspiciously, he had bought life insurance polices insuring the victims; in the case of his second wife, at least 17 policies. The accusations against Maxwell kept his attorney, John Thomas Radney, busy for years. Ironically, it was also Radney who represented the man accused of shooting Maxwell.
The book is divided into 3 parts: Maxwell, Radney and Harper Lee. I expect that it is the name of Harper Lee on the cover that will sell this book. I don’t usually read true crime stories, so I was lured in by the Lee connection. She devoted a lot of time researching Maxwell and Radney in order to write a book about the crimes, something along the lines of “In Cold Blood” by her longtime friend Truman Capote. Unfortunately, the only sight of this book is the first 4 pages that she gave to Radney. Like Capote’s “Answered Prayers”, this book was much talked about, but may never have existed.
The crime story was interesting, but I was less interested in the story of Radney, the lawyer and politician. The Lee portion of the book is a mini biography. Only a small portion of it is devoted to her research on Maxwell, about which I knew nothing. However, I was already pretty familiar with the story of Lee’s life, so there wasn’t much here that was new to me. The book held my interest, but there was a lot of padding with things like the histories of the building of a dam and the insurance industry.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The book is divided into 3 parts: Maxwell, Radney and Harper Lee. I expect that it is the name of Harper Lee on the cover that will sell this book. I don’t usually read true crime stories, so I was lured in by the Lee connection. She devoted a lot of time researching Maxwell and Radney in order to write a book about the crimes, something along the lines of “In Cold Blood” by her longtime friend Truman Capote. Unfortunately, the only sight of this book is the first 4 pages that she gave to Radney. Like Capote’s “Answered Prayers”, this book was much talked about, but may never have existed.
The crime story was interesting, but I was less interested in the story of Radney, the lawyer and politician. The Lee portion of the book is a mini biography. Only a small portion of it is devoted to her research on Maxwell, about which I knew nothing. However, I was already pretty familiar with the story of Lee’s life, so there wasn’t much here that was new to me. The book held my interest, but there was a lot of padding with things like the histories of the building of a dam and the insurance industry.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
May 2, 2019
The story of an Alabama serial killer and the true - crime book that Harper Lee worked on obsessively in the rears after To Kill A Mocking Bird.
The Reverend Willie Maxwell is a preacher who's been accused of killing five of his family members for the insurance money. But Willie always got off scott-free. He was shot in front of three hundred people. The man who shot him was defended by the lawyer that Willie used. He also managed to get the shooter off despite there being several witnesses. This is an addictive read. The book is written in three acts. It's both fascinating and entertaining. I do recommend this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Casey Cep for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Reverend Willie Maxwell is a preacher who's been accused of killing five of his family members for the insurance money. But Willie always got off scott-free. He was shot in front of three hundred people. The man who shot him was defended by the lawyer that Willie used. He also managed to get the shooter off despite there being several witnesses. This is an addictive read. The book is written in three acts. It's both fascinating and entertaining. I do recommend this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Casey Cep for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2020
For anyone who loved To Kill a Mockingbird (full disclosure: I've read it at least ten times and probably more), this book is an exploration of how Harper Lee was defeated in her attempt to follow in Truman Capote's footsteps and chronicle a true crime as he did with In Cold Blood. The author follows three separate threads in the book. The first is the murder of Reverend Willie Maxwell who was shot and killed in front of 300 witnesses at a funeral; the second is an exploration of the life of the attorney who had defended Reverend Maxwell in one insurance fraud after another and then went on to defend the man who shot and killed him; the third is a fascinating dive into the life of Harper Lee and what happened to her once she became a national and then international literary celebrity. It answers the question: "Why did Harper Lee never write another novel" (Go Set a Watchman being an earlier book that she never wanted published). I've always thought that, having written To Kill a Mockingbird, what was there left to say? As it turns out, there was plenty left. But, for all her charm, she was her own worst enemy. Terrific book.
June 16, 2019
I chose to read this book even though I normally wouldn't be drawn to a story about a serial killer. I was drawn to it because it was Harper Lee's (AKA Nelle Lee) story - a mystery in itself.
Furious Hours is a description of Andrew Jackson's final engagement with the Creek Indians, but it also describes the lifetime of tormented hours Lee spent battling her writing demons, those demons that prevented her from completing her nonfiction account of the Maxwell murders. Perhaps it also describes the anger that drove Robert Burns to kill Maxwell.
Divided into three sections - The Reverand, The Lawyer, and The Writer, Casey Cep meticulously researched each part adding background information that was enthralling and supported the sections beautifully. I enjoyed the history of life insurance, insurance fraud, and racial bias in granting policies. The history of voodoo, its practices, and the fear of it by those near and not so near the murders made the acts all the more chilling. In Part 2 the personality of the powerful Alabama lawyer, Tom Radney, known as the man who tried to turn Alabama Blue, is discussed very honestly. Cep reveals his brilliance, his dedication to his liberal causes, and the ethically questionable financial benefits gained in more than one court case. Part Three delved into the life of Lee. Her childhood friendship with Truman Capote. her assistance in researching In Cold Blood, and the weakening of that friendship due to their different interpretation of truth. Is it fiction or is it nonfiction?
Lee's life and struggles have been written about before, but Cep, like Lee, is meticulous about separating facts from hearsay and rumor. Cep quotes Lee, "My agent wants pure gore, and autopsies, my publisher wants another best-seller, and I want a clear conscience, in that I haven't defrauded the reader." Unlike Lee, Cep was not paralyzed by the task and produced what Lee couldn't.
If you think nonfiction is not your genre, this book will change your mind. Casey Cep's first book is masterfully researched and organized. Her subject matter and her writing style are superb. I strongly recommend it. Let's hope Cep is not a one book wonder!
Furious Hours is a description of Andrew Jackson's final engagement with the Creek Indians, but it also describes the lifetime of tormented hours Lee spent battling her writing demons, those demons that prevented her from completing her nonfiction account of the Maxwell murders. Perhaps it also describes the anger that drove Robert Burns to kill Maxwell.
Divided into three sections - The Reverand, The Lawyer, and The Writer, Casey Cep meticulously researched each part adding background information that was enthralling and supported the sections beautifully. I enjoyed the history of life insurance, insurance fraud, and racial bias in granting policies. The history of voodoo, its practices, and the fear of it by those near and not so near the murders made the acts all the more chilling. In Part 2 the personality of the powerful Alabama lawyer, Tom Radney, known as the man who tried to turn Alabama Blue, is discussed very honestly. Cep reveals his brilliance, his dedication to his liberal causes, and the ethically questionable financial benefits gained in more than one court case. Part Three delved into the life of Lee. Her childhood friendship with Truman Capote. her assistance in researching In Cold Blood, and the weakening of that friendship due to their different interpretation of truth. Is it fiction or is it nonfiction?
Lee's life and struggles have been written about before, but Cep, like Lee, is meticulous about separating facts from hearsay and rumor. Cep quotes Lee, "My agent wants pure gore, and autopsies, my publisher wants another best-seller, and I want a clear conscience, in that I haven't defrauded the reader." Unlike Lee, Cep was not paralyzed by the task and produced what Lee couldn't.
If you think nonfiction is not your genre, this book will change your mind. Casey Cep's first book is masterfully researched and organized. Her subject matter and her writing style are superb. I strongly recommend it. Let's hope Cep is not a one book wonder!
May 7, 2019
"Nothing writes itself. Left to its own devices, the world will never transform into words."
Furious hours is an account of a sensational murder trial that captivated a small town in Alabama and one of its home grown heroes, the reclusive novelist Harper Lee. Known best for the Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee struggled over her lifetime to produce another book. There has been much speculation over the reason(s) behind this. It’s highly unlikely that it was a mere case of writer’s block for Lee was always writing. Perhaps her battle with alcoholism played a part. Nonetheless the world would always crave for another Great American classic from the famous author.
Lee’s Inspiration: The State of Alabama v Robert Burns
In a case of vigilante justice Robert Lewis Burns kills his 16 year old niece’s alleged murderer in front of hundreds of mourners at her funeral.
The “Victim”: Willie Maxwell
Charismatic and handsome the Reverend Willie Maxwell was used to getting things his way. Brought to trial for murdering his first wife, accused of insurance fraud and rumored to be practicing voodoo, the good reverend remained free and virtually unscathed. Over time four other family members would die under suspicious circumstances. In every case Maxwell was the prime beneficiary. He continued to get rich of their insurance monies with nary a guilty judgement. His teflon existence is in part a testament to the exceptional litigation skills of his attorney Tom Radney who would go on to successfully defend his murderer.
Casey Cep examines this case that so intrigued Harper Lee and delves into her history with Truman Capote and her life after writing To Kill a Mockingbird. The common misperception with Furious Hours is that it is the true crime novel that Harper Lee started but never finished writing. The book is divided into three sections with the first part dedicated to the case and Maxwell’s backstory, the second focused on Tom Radney and his motivation for defending both Maxwell and Burns and the last on Harper Lee. It is this last part that I was most excited for. I felt as if Cep had finally arrived at my impetus for reading the book. Although the trial material was fascinating I really was driven to learn more about Lee and her life. It seemed as if there were two books here that could have been fleshed out. Overall though Furious Hours was an enjoyable read and a promising debut for Casey Cep.
NY Times coverage of the Burns case 1977
Furious hours is an account of a sensational murder trial that captivated a small town in Alabama and one of its home grown heroes, the reclusive novelist Harper Lee. Known best for the Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee struggled over her lifetime to produce another book. There has been much speculation over the reason(s) behind this. It’s highly unlikely that it was a mere case of writer’s block for Lee was always writing. Perhaps her battle with alcoholism played a part. Nonetheless the world would always crave for another Great American classic from the famous author.
Lee’s Inspiration: The State of Alabama v Robert Burns
In a case of vigilante justice Robert Lewis Burns kills his 16 year old niece’s alleged murderer in front of hundreds of mourners at her funeral.
The “Victim”: Willie Maxwell
Charismatic and handsome the Reverend Willie Maxwell was used to getting things his way. Brought to trial for murdering his first wife, accused of insurance fraud and rumored to be practicing voodoo, the good reverend remained free and virtually unscathed. Over time four other family members would die under suspicious circumstances. In every case Maxwell was the prime beneficiary. He continued to get rich of their insurance monies with nary a guilty judgement. His teflon existence is in part a testament to the exceptional litigation skills of his attorney Tom Radney who would go on to successfully defend his murderer.
Casey Cep examines this case that so intrigued Harper Lee and delves into her history with Truman Capote and her life after writing To Kill a Mockingbird. The common misperception with Furious Hours is that it is the true crime novel that Harper Lee started but never finished writing. The book is divided into three sections with the first part dedicated to the case and Maxwell’s backstory, the second focused on Tom Radney and his motivation for defending both Maxwell and Burns and the last on Harper Lee. It is this last part that I was most excited for. I felt as if Cep had finally arrived at my impetus for reading the book. Although the trial material was fascinating I really was driven to learn more about Lee and her life. It seemed as if there were two books here that could have been fleshed out. Overall though Furious Hours was an enjoyable read and a promising debut for Casey Cep.
NY Times coverage of the Burns case 1977
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