Book Review: Furious Hours

Furious Hours
By Casey Cep
Review copy from Random House


First, let me explain the controversy about Harper Lee, and To Kill a Mockingbird. The book was a heartwarming novel about a little girl named, Scout. Her father was a lawyer in a small town. He was trying a case against a black man. The book was adapted into a movie as the same name. As far as anyone knew To Kill a Mockingbird was her first, and only novel.

There were many stories out there about Harper Lee. But, no one knew for sure. In 2015 the speculation was over. She published her novel. It is said this was actually her prequel to Kill a Mockingbird.

I had wanted to read Furious Hours for months when I first heard about it. I didn't know what to expect. All I knew it was in connection with Harper Lee and a crime, Wow! That intrigued me

 I thought to myself why would she go from writing literary fiction to crime non-fiction. I totally forgot that her father worked for a newspaper in Alabama. Also, she helped her friend the famous writer, Truman Capote write in Cold Blood. I realized she does have the expertise. There has been so much speculation for years why she never wrote another book.


Here is the murder article from the NYT.


The book, Furious Hours does open the door to some unanswered questions. But, still, at the end, you realize nobody really knows why she never published" The Reverend". She had done her research and gathered so much information. There was no reason she didn't publish it.

The book opens up to three parts, the actual crime. The second part was the lawyer who tried the case. And the third was Harper Lee herself. The first part felt like I was reading a John Grisham novel.


SPOILER **************SPOILER*************************SPOILER***************

 In the 1970s a serial killer was on the loose. A suspected Afro-American Preacher named, Reverend Willey Maxwell. He was accused of murdering his family, but why??

After killing many different people in town who actually felt that he put a hex on people because of voodoo. He Apparently had killed several people for insurance money. He collected several thousands of dollars. And he's lawyer helped him get away with the murders. He also tried the man who killed Rev. Maxwell.  Apparently back then you could insure anyone. It didn't have to be a relative. He got away with it for years. No one was interested in a black man committing several crimes. At least that is the way Casey Cep portrays the town and the criminal system in Alabama.

Several times the preacher, Reverend Maxwell was tried. Several times he was acquitted. When the trial opened up for Mr. Burns trial. Who was sitting in the audience at the courthouse of the trial of Mr. Burns? None other than Harper Lee. She thought she could write a book about the crime. Not the way Truman Capote wrote In Cold Blood. Apparently, the book was full of holes. She wanted to write a book full of truths, not made up facts. She accused Truman of not being truthful. She had left NYC to her native Alabama.  She stayed in Alabama digging up and gathering research for her book.

Casey Cep was writing a story for the Atlantic. It was here, she went to Alabama to write a piece about Harper Lee's last novel, Go Set The Watchman. It is also here where she got the idea for a book. Where she learned about the murder case Harper Lee was working on for years and never published.

I enjoyed reading the book. The way it is written. It is like three stories in one. The author you can tell was obsessed with Harper Lee's work. She did a lot of research. At first, I didn't understand why the author was talking about insurance. As you get further in the book it does make it interesting. Especially when she talks about the area where the crime happened. Background info.  about the Reverend, and the history of the industry of insurance. The author writes so much background info. concerning the case( why, where, when, and how). I don't think I ever read a book like this one before. With such detail. You can tell she put her whole heart into the book because of her love of Harper Lee. You can also say the book is a biography of Harper Lee. Some details are answered. But, some are still unanswered questions about the author will never be known.

I recommend Furious Hours to anyone that is a Harper Lee fan. Also, anyone that loves true crime, and loves research. You will enjoy reading, I guarantee you.