The events that happen in this book could not have been made up. True crimes are often like that, when truth is much, much stranger than fiction. As a young reporter, Ellen McGarrahan is tasked to witness a death row execution. Her briefing was straight forward. The execution was not. When Jesse Tafero's body catches flame, it's a gruesome picture no one who witnessed it can forget.
Jesse and several others were arrested, stood trial and were convicted for the murder of two policemen. Not long after Jesse's execution, his co-defendants had their convictions over turned on appeal. Now the question arises, was Jesse guilty? Should his conviction have been over turned too?
When Ellen becomes a private investigator, she decides to search for the truth. It has been 40 years since the deaths of the two police officers, but Ellen will track down witnesses and even talk to the co-defendants. The story is very detailed and her research intense. She will follow every lead and come to different conclusions after each witness until her investigation leaves her with a final verdict.........now you have to read the book!

Ellen McGarrahan has been haunted by a case since 1990. She was a young reporter and she covered the execution of Jesse Tafero. He was charged with murdering two police offers. She witnessed the execution and something went wrong and he started on fire. But shortly after his execution people are wondering if they sent the wrong man to death. This makes her life spiral and she overgoes many life and career changes until she finally decides she has to find out what truly happened.

This unfortunately was a DNF for me because I was expecting true crime and it was more of a memoir. I think if I would have gone into it more with the mindset of it being a memoir I would have been able to get more into it but this novel was more about how this crime impacted her life and her choices as opposed to the crime itself.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ellen McGarrahan, journalist-turned-private detective had to cover a death row execution for work, and she hasn’t been able to get it out of her head. Jesse Tafero was sent to death row after being convicted of murdering two police officers. When word starts spreading that Tafero may not have committed the murders, McGarrahan becomes haunted by the execution that she witnessed. She sets out on a mission to get to the bottom of it. Was Tafero wrongfully convicted and executed?

I love true crime, and reading this one felt like I was watching a docu-series. I couldn’t help but put myself in McGarrahan’s shoes and think about the effects it would have on me. In a way, I was able to understand why she couldn’t put this case to rest. She had to know if she watched the execution of an innocent man or if he was truly guilty. Ellen McGarrahan’s writing hooked me from the beginning, and I was trying to piece together the information as she shared it. I liked that I didn’t have any background knowledge on this case. Overall, I really enjoyed this one!

This book was, for lack of a better description, an absolute roller coaster of a read. I finished it faster than I finish most books, because I simply could not stop reading! I desperately wanted to know what the author wanted to know: the truth. Three, maybe even 4, people are convicted of various roles in a shooting. Two are sent to death row, one ends up facing the electric chair. Was it the right person though? The author witnessed the execution in 1990 and it never left her. She painted the most vivid picture, I felt that I was on the investigation trail with her, right in the seat beside her. I very nearly started a chart so that I could keep track of the information she was collecting! One page you think you've got it pegged, who was responsible for shooting 2 law enforcement officers early on the morning of February 20th, 1976. And then you read the next page and your idea is flipped on its head. And back and forth it goes - until you are certain that you'll never be sure. Two Truths and a Lie is the most captivating true crime story I've read in a long time, about a crime that I had no idea had ever even taken place. I was drawn in and invested in the story right from the first page though.
What I also took from this book is a lesson. Holding onto things can be damaging. Am I glad that the author held onto this, and invested all of the time and energy that she did in investigating and writing this book? Yes, because I enjoyed reading it. Do I think it was damaging to the author to have held onto something like this for over a quarter century? Yes, I do. It took pieces from her life, it consumed her thoughts, it drove her to obsession with finding the truth. In the end, what she found was not necessarily the truth, but an acceptance of what had transpired. An acceptance of what she was able to know, and what she might never know. I think that is the lesson - learning when to accept that what we know is all we may ever know, that we don't get to know everything. Leaving some things unknown is okay, and we have to find a way to be at peace with it, lest it consume our lives.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.

In May 1990, Ellen McGarrahan was a journalist for the Miami Herald, and was assigned to witness the execution of Jesse Tafero. Rumors were flying that he was innocent of his accused crime, killing two police officers. Had she witnessed an innocent man's death? That traumatic event changed the course of her life.
Switching professions, Ellen became a private investigator. Her quest was for the truth for her clients, as well as herself. She needed to hear Jesse Taferos whole story, and find out the truth. This book is an account of her journey for justice, and all of the people she met and connected along the way.

Reading Two Truths And A Lie was like watching a docuseries on Netflix. We get the play by play, small details and character connections that lead to the outcome we all heard about in the news. The difference in the book, to what you would see on TV, is getting a first hand account with an emotional retelling from someone who chose to investigate for their own need. Ellen McGarrahan was completely screwed up after watching the execution, and her need for answers became an obsession to heal her.
This is the first time I have heard of this case. Once I got a few chapters in, and found myself trying to piece things together as well, I was hooked in. Things didn't add up, too many different stories about how it all happened. I didnt expect the Mob, Drug Cartel, jewel thieves, excessive amount of guns or the Bonnie and Clyde angel. I'm still in a funk about all the information I just processed.
This was a great True Crime novel. The reader is given the facts and the outcome, but are also given the opportunity to figure things out for themselves. There is no focus on gore, and the victims are mentioned respectfully. Very informative and personal read.

Engaging memoir. Lovers of true crime will enjoy this passionate tale. The author struggles with the possibility that the convicted is innocent and she is plagued by an execution "gone wrong". Informative read and interesting take on a private investigators search for truth. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I found I had mixed feelings on this one. The story was so interesting as it follows along with former reporter turned private detective, Ellen McGarrahan. While working as a new reporter, she saw a prisoner put to death in an execution in the electric chair, and it has haunted her ever since. She always wondered if he was guilty of his crimes or not. Some years later, it appears she had opportunities to dig into the story in her new job as a PI, when it started to really bother her again. She went back and began looking into it seriously, interviewing people and looking at police files and court records. Does she find out who really killed the cops, if it was the man she saw executed, or his girlfriend or co-conspirator? All three were at the scene and had access to weapons. You will have to read this twisty book to find out. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Ellen McGarrahan, and the publisher.

Engaging narrative about the author's quest to find the truth about the murder of two police officers. The narrative flows well and tells the story of her journey in chronological order. Details are provided when appropriate and support the narrative. The author's introspection about the haunting aftermath of witnessing the execution of a death row inmate is well told and develops as her understanding of the reasons surrounding the myth are revealed.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The author, a journalist turned private eye, witnesses the electric chair execution of a man convicted of the murder of 2 police officers. The event leaves her shaken, and she embarks on a decades-long search for the “truth”, which she finds is elusive. I was a little dismayed by the author’s actions throughout the book; her crying during interviews, her repeatedly referring to the convicted man as “possibly innocent of the murders” (even though it was clear he was completely involved, if not the actual triggerman), and her failure to alert authorities to the location of a wanted fugitive (who she interviewed) who was also convicted in this case is especially galling. Her subject is an unsympathetic rapist, drug dealer, and murderer. And through all her soul-searching, the physical evidence (which is where she probably should have started) convincingly points to the executed defendant, a conclusion she eventually comes to. This book seems to be her self-therapy, and unfortunately the reader has to go along for the ride. Disappointing. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

i hadn't heard of this true crime case, I thought the author was able to keep the book interesting and informative. It was a good read and I would read more true crime books from Ms. McGarrahan.

I revived my copy of Two Truths and a Lie through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the book. Thank you to Ellen McGarrahan and Random House for the opportunity to be able to read and review this book

Ellen is everything we women need in the criminal justice field. She’s witty, tenacious, but she’s also kind of a dog with a bone. After witnessing an execution that went wrong and took about 5 minutes longer than it should have, Ellen spends years with the ghost of Jesse Tafero knocking around in her brain. After Jesse’s girlfriend was later released from death row on technically and goes on to write a best selling book and a sold out play on Broadway telling hers and Jesse’s story- Ellen has enough and goes in search of the truth of what happened that morning in 1976 that left two police officers dead and three people behind bars.

Ellen tells this story magnificently; mesmerizingly so. I couldn’t put it down! Was Jesse innocent? Had they killed the wrong man? I had to know! She kept me on the edge the whole time. Absolute fabulous book and if it doesn’t become a bestseller I’ll eat my shoe.

By the time I got to 25% of this book, I was very confused because there seemed to be MANY characters and I was having a hard time following. I felt the book did not flow smoothly and jumped around in timelines and characters without any idea how I got there. This was a DNF for me, and I would not recommend it. I received an ARC of this book from Random House Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own.

Most importantly, a big thank you to NetGalley, Ellen McGarrahan, and Randomhouse Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

"I’m a private detective. This is a mystery. I know what I have to do. But I’ve never worked inside my own life before. Never dared to face my own shadows. And I am afraid of ghosts."

The things a private detective experiences has many repercussions. There's the toll the line of work takes on you and then there's the toll it takes on your life. This is the story of how just a few minutes can upend everything you thought you knew.

Ellen McGarrahan has never witnessed an execution before. So in 1990 when she sat down in the observation booth to watch Jesse Tafero's life end in Florida's electric chair, she didn't quite know what to expect. And it was proven that nobody could have when Tafero burst into flames from a malfunction with the device itself. A sight that she thought would haunt her for life. Until the woman that was incarcerated under the same evidence for the same crime as Jesse is exonerated. Did she watch an innocent man be tortured at the hands of negligence?

Written with captivating detail, 'Two Truths and a Lie" will keep the reader engaged and hungry for more as McGarrahan recounts her journey to find the truth behind what actually led Jesse Tafero to that botched execution and how it could happen. Unlike some other true crime stories, this one hands you the iconic magnifying glass and trench coat and invites you to walk side by side with the author through extremely risky interviews and high stake situations.

5 solid stars is what this picky true crime junkie is awarding 'Two Truths'. Thank you, Ms. McGarrahan for being a badass and putting it down on paper for us to enjoy.

Unfortunately I DNF this book. The pacing was super slow and the book seemed to be more about the author than the true crime presented.

Two Truths and a Lie: A Private Investigation by Ellen McGarrahan is about a journalist turned private investigator who looks into a case about a death row inmate who may have been innocent.

I love true crime and had high hopes for this book and jumped right in when I downloaded it. However, I had such a hard time getting through the book and found myself skimming several pages just to reach the conclusion.

I know a lot of work went into researching and writing this memoir, and kudos to the author to make this her passion and look into this case. There are many twists and turns, and even when I got to the end, I was still left wondering.

Some true crime readers may enjoy this book, but it was just an okay read for me.

#TwoTruthsandaLie #NetGalley

2 stars
Not at all what I expected. This is a rambling book that really does not solve anything. I say skip it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This memoir is written by a journalist turned private investigator after she witnesses the death row execution of Jesse Tafero. After spending time solving other people's mysteries, she decides to try to solve the case that has been haunting her: was Jesse Tafero really guilty of the crime that ultimately led to his death. As someone who is really interested in prison reform and the abolishment of the death penalty in the United States, I thought I would really like this one. However, I found the writing to be very repetitive. McGarrahan talks to many people connected to the crime (Jesse's girlfriend, defense attorneys, medical examiners, witnesses, etc.) and once she writes about those interviews, she sums up what she now knows about the case. For some people, this might be helpful in order to keep track of the information she is providing, but for me it got boring and I skimmed through her recaps. Basically, if you are interested in true crime (death row cases specifically), there are better pieces of literature out there and I would advise skipping this one unless you have a specific interest in Tafero's case.

This is the story of Jesse Tafero, a man executed for the murder of two law enforcement officers in 1976. It is also the story of Ellen McGarrahran, a former journalist turned private eye who witnessed Tafero's execution, and was profoundly affected. She goes on to try to find out if Tafero was wrongly executed, and who, in fact, was guilty of the crime.

I had no idea this book was a true story until after I finished. It very much read like a good novel. The subject matter is heavy, about a search for the truth after watching a man be executed for murder. It does get repetitive at times as the same event is told by different people and the basic facts don't change. Overall it was a good book but not very exciting or intriguing.

I was REALLY looking forward to reading this book. The author does a great disservice to this case, to the victims and to the victims families by writing this book.
If you want a love story about the author and the authors process of NOT solving this case...read this book.
I finished reading this book, but grew angrier every page that the author did NOT address the full nature of the crime, the suspects, and the victim's families.
Most of the book is the author stating how she watched one of the convicted criminals being executed by the state of Florida and how that affected her. She repeated this ad nausem......WE GET IT>>>>MOVE ON!
When she goes to interview people, the author would break down crying, NOT asking pertinent questions, and generally being too trusting (spending the night at Walters)....how she made a career as a private investigator is beyond my comprehension.
I am sorely disappointed by the author and the way in which she told this true crime story.

Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me write this honest review for reading this book.