As a huge true crime fan I couldn't turn down this one. Being a similar age to Meredith at the time she was murdered, this was a crime that really resonated with me. I also think the following circus of trials and media coverage lost sight of her - this beautiful, intelligent girl who was brutally murdered. While this book focuses on Knox, Meredith is not forgotten by the author.

I have read a lot about this crime and still go backwards and forwards with what I think may have happened or who was involved. This book won't give you those answers - at this point I am not sure there ever will be any. However, it is brilliantly written with a good coverage of both sides of the argument surrounding Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito's involvement. I thought it was well researched and despite the amount I have read previously, I found some new and more interesting things to read about the case in this book.

A very well covered case by this great author and one I'd recommend to true crime fans for sure.

Well Researched..
A fascinating and well researched account of an infamous crime. A deep dive into the case as well as the countless controversies and theories and which accounts for time, place, people and timeline as well as ensuring that the victim in all of this is given due consideration. It is as balanced an account as is possible which endeavours for neutrality throughout - whilst making note of the many other accounts of this case, in whichever media format they take, which may hinge inevitably on writer/producer opinion as well as confirmation bias. Well written and well considered.

I love a good true crime book, especially one that was so well known, so I was so excited to read this one. I enjoyed the book for the facts but felt it did read more like a report for a class. I love how unbiased the book felt, so it solely focused on both sides of whether Amanda Knox was guilty or not. I feel like I learned a bit more about the case as well, definitely a great read if you know nothing about the case. The book feels well researched and well pieced together but at times it was a tough read to get through.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher, Pen & Sword, and Helen Saxton for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The murder of Meredith Kercher and subsequent investigation into her death created drama and intrigue unparalleled in modern times. I was 17 at the time and there was an incredible amount of press coverage in the UK. The main thing everyone was talking about wasn't Meredith herself. It wasn't about the crime. It was about Amanda Knox.

This book is a very well researched and written history of all the main players in this event but particularly Knox herself. I found it informative and interesting. I particularly enjoyed reading about how biases can impact on murder trials - one person sees evidence of Knox's guilt while another sees her innocence in the same information.

Saxton does not ignore or forget Meredith Kercher either. While this text is about Amanda Knox, the murder victim is discussed regularly and respectfully.

I did not really enjoy the last few chapters, which speculated what could have happened.

Amanda Knox is a fascinating subject and if you are interested in reading more about her and the death of Meredith Kercher, I'd recommend this book.

Many thanks to Helen Saxton, NetGalley, and Pen & Sword Publishers for this copy.

I was really surprised by this book. I was expecting there to be some new information. I have read pretty much everything about this case and was convinced Amanda Knox is innocent. It seems like the author does believe Knox is guilty, but I can't figure out why based on the information she cited.

4.5 stars

This book covered arguably the most controversial murder case in recent years and was a really refreshing take on the typical true crime novel. Rather than flat out accuse or acquit the suspects, the author takes a detailed look at the evidence and the conflicting conclusions that can be drawn from it.

I really appreciated the victim-focused beginning as meredith kercher is so often forgotten in the narrative of her own murder.

The latter half of the book focused on the treatment of the case (and Amanda) in the media which I found fascinating and really unique, as most true crime books end with the legal outcome.

At times, I did find the info around the evidence to be quite repetitive but that’s to be expected when the case involves a conviction, acquittal, 2nd conviction AND 2nd acquittal. The ‘storytelling’ chapter at the end was interesting, if a bit strange, and not entirely necessary in my opinion.

Amanda Knox: Crime, Trial, Release and Controversy by Helen Saxton
⭐⭐⭐

You know that I live for true crime so I was pretty excited to get this Advanced Readers Copy - thank you @penswordbooks and @netgalley !

The horrific murder of Meredith Kercher in Italy was almost 20 years ago now, but it remains in the spotlight in the true crime world. This is largely due to Amanda Knox.

This book aims, and I would say it succeeds in, providing an impartial and unbiased account of Meredith’s murder, the investigation, and the trials. Saxton also takes a hard look at the media frenzy surrounding the crime and the keyboard warriors who are deeply invested and unshakable in their beliefs.

What I loved about this:
- Meredith Kercher is not forgotten
- It provides details and discusses evidence that is often missed. In fact, some details were new to me, and I have poured over this case!
- It truly is impartial; for every argument, there is a counter argument.
What I didn’t love:
- The overview of the appeals was tedious. I understand why I couldn’t be skipped - it’s pretty instrumental, of course - however the review of DNA evidence from so many angles with all of those Italian lawyer names…my head started to spin a bit.
- There is a chapter near the end called “Storytelling” that consists of narratives outlining what MIGHT have occurred on November 1st, 2007. I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I skipped it. It reads like poor fan fiction. We know the various scenarios from evidence and testimony - this felt gratuitous and unnecessary.

This book is a worthy read for true crime buffs out there.
And, for what it’s worth, I remain certain, with my heels dug in, that Amanda Knox was involved in or at the very least present during Meredith’s murder. Best case scenario, she is a liar and a narcissist; worst case, a murderous psychopath.
(Come at me 😜)

Innocent Or Guilty

I have read several books on Amanda Knox, and I really enjoyed this book. The book looks at the evidence and gives a balanced view both for and against the three main suspects Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Guede.

The Author Helen Saxton has done an excellent job authoring this book which balances the story of a British overseas student Meradith Kercher who was found murdered in her bedroom. Saxton balances all the evidence of courtroom police transcripts, YouTube internet sleuths, the media and the true crime documentaries and books that are out there. Amanda and Raffaele were arrested went to trial and retrial and finally acquitted. Rudy served 13 years. You will have to make your own mind up innocent or guilty but a very informative book. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I believe we have all heard of Amanda Knox because for some reason the murder trial of her roommate in Italy became front page news with wild speculation and different bizarre narratives being told heavy on salacious details. This book does not render a verdict on the suspects, but interestingly, in the latter part of the book holds the mirror up to society and all of us who hungrily digest this type of thing and more directly, those who engage in posting their opinions online. It is fascinating that this story is still very much alive even though it seems the case against Amanda Knox has been resolved. The first part of the book meticulously lays out the evidence, the police investigation and the trials. From misunderstandings due to language and to sloppy police work (botched crime scenes with everyone parading in and out of the house), it is almost difficult to know what the truth lies. The author leaves it to us to form our own opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pen & Sword for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

I am not sure if the kindle version I received from NetGalley was faulty but it seemed like this was a very short book and just an overview of the case.

This book is hard to follow, it goes back and forth between facts and theories. And it doesn't really tell a story, it all "facts" in the beginning and then tries to give you a bunch of options at the end, I have read a lot of books on this event and this one was the hardest to follow.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

November 2007 saw the occurrence of one of the most talked about murders of that decade. The body of British overseas student, Meredith Kercher, was found in her bedroom in the flat she shared with three other girls in Perugia, Italy. Over the next ten years or so, there would be several court cases about those thought to be involved, (Rudy Guede, Amanda Knox, & Raffaele Sollecito.) Whilst Guede eventually served 13 years for Meredith's murder, Knox & Sollecito were convicted, acquitted, & reconvicted, before being finally acquitted a second time.

It's a case that involves not only murder but also misogyny as there is only one name that is synonymous with the case & that is unfortunately not Meredith's. Amanda Knox or Foxy Knoxy as one nickname called her, has been the face of the crime over the years with people arguing online both for her guilt & her innocence. This book looks at the evidence & what was said & gives a balanced view both for & against the main three suspects & also notes where the investigation seems to have fallen short. Towards the end, the author also looks at the way the case has been covered in the media, including true crime documentaries, films loosely based on the case, & books. If you are looking for a definite answer then this is not the book for you as no definitive conclusions are made. It's a case that I remember from the media but I never really looked into it, but after reading this, I think I may look up some more of the books on the case.

My thanks to NetGalley & publisher, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

"There is never any conclusion; as there never can be, but there exists a relentless, repetitive, circular atmosphere due to the fact that, as one member puts it, -no matter which theory you believe, some things just don’t add up-"

This is my first ever true crime book to read and it did not disappoint!

The author, following what seems like an extensive research, gives the reader an opportunity to dive, head first, into this extremely controversial case, providing different and at times contradicting sides to this tragedy; be prepared to slip down a twisted rabbit hole where nothing is as it seems.

Highly recommend!

Unfortunately I ended up bailing on this one a little more than halfway through. I am pretty familiar with this case and have read many articles and have seen TV adaptions as well. I was not in any way expecting any new information to come out of this however was just interested in reading up on it. I found there to be a lot of repetition and I felt like it was one big run on sentence. I read a lot of true crime but I just couldn’t get into it.

This is a story that seems like it will never be fully solved. Has the person/s fully gotten away with murder. This author takes us on a timeline. With several scenarios for one thing. To showing the what ifs to the who really knows.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the Arc. This is a fascinating book. Unlike most true crime, this book does not focus on the crime, but focuses on the press around the crime. I find it a little unfair to still question whether Amanda is guilty or not as she has been exonerated by an Italian appeals court. I’m not sure of this author’s credentials to be questioning the Supreme Court of Italy. That being said, I found this book very interesting.

I'd read this book after watching a Netflix series under the same title. The book didn't mention anything new - it's based on newspaper articles and movies on this topic. However, the book is well-researched and very well-written in chronological order with deep insight into controversies. Highly recommended for those who are interested in true crime literature and who don’t know yet the Amanda stories

the mission statement of this is to create a clear and balanced overview of this case and i think it achieves that whilst weaving in a lot of interesting perspective. the events of the murder alongside the resulting and ongoing public reaction are relayed with nuance and complexity. detailed and accessible.

Aside from editing errors abound (likely due to a poor translation) this was a well-researched and drawn out telling of the events leading up to, during, and after Meredith's murder. And, as is so rare in thus particular case, it was unbiased, focused on facts and piecing them together logically. I would warn, though, that this not for those who don't already know the ins and outs of this case.