The Fairbanks Four is the story of George Frese, Kevin Pease, Marvin Roberts, and Eugene Vent that were all found guilty of the murder of John Gilbert Hartman on October 11, 1997. Brian Patrick O´Donoghue is teaching a journalism class at the University of Alaska and uses this case for the basis of study for his students. The students findings were published in the local newspaper and the case began to get some new attention. It highlighted many discrepancies of the Alaskan judicial system and the incompetence of all involved to convict these innocent men. The book jumps around in the timeline that sometimes makes it confusing to follow along with keeping track of all the people involved. This is book is great for true crime fans but simply heartbreaking for all the years it took to free them. I commend the author and his students for their continued dedication to find out the truth. I enjoyed this book even though at times the story was sad and frustrating. Thank you for writing this story lets hope a lesson is learned.

The Fairbanks Four by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue, this is a true story written and researched by an Alaskan University professor and his students and although some of it can be clunky and discombobulated it tells an age old tale of racism fraudulent imprisonment and a system that really needs to be curtailed in the right direction. One of the Native American that was in prison wasn’t even in the area at the time of the crime nor did they have proof beyond belief that these four did it. Although some of the book was a little scattered this is still a story worth reading I do believe if someone would just tighten up the narrative it would make for a definite five star read and I did enjoy reading it it was just a little all over the place some of his students knew the perpetrators and over a four year process he brought this together and having said that I do recommend it but read it with the grain of salt and a good memory because more than once the author expounds on his personal interaction with the ongoing situation more than once. #Nagalli, #BlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #BrianPatrickO’Donoghue, #TheFairbanksFour,

I found it difficult to grt.into this book. It started out choppy, and I never could get past that pace.

I was interested in reading this Alaska true crime novel about four men convicted of a murder in Fairbanks. In 1997, teenager John Hartman was found, murdered on the side of the road, beat to death. He posted murderers were for native teens who were quickly convicted of the crime. When author O’Donoghue begins looking into the crime for a journalism class at UAF, it becomes apparent that these men may be innocent.

I had never heard about this case, so it was interesting to read. One thing I did not like was the author would go off topic and talk about other cases or other things he had worked on in his journalism career. I’m glad the man got justice, I wish that there was a little epilogue about follow up for the people who really did murder John Hartman.

Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley For a copy of this book.

The trial of the Fairbanks Four divided a community and a state. There was never a question that someone intentionally beat John Hartman so badly, he would die two days later without regaining consciousness. The certainities stop there. As part of a legal review by his class, Brian Patrick O'Donoghue presented the investigation, trial and aftermath. This review would lead to many questions on the professionalism of the law enforcement personnel and the prejudicial leanings of the community at the time. As a result, the convictions were vacated and the four men convicted were released. The ripples from this case are still felt and debated today. While the presentation of the material used for the trial and for the review could have been a little cleaner and clearer, the over all story does justice to the issues that would earn them the name FAIRBANKS FOUR.

I lived in the Fairbanks North Star Borough during this time and followed the news. There has never been a clear accounting for who killed John Hartman.

The Fairbanks Four by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue is the story of four boys who were wrongfully convicted of the murder of 15 year-old John Hartman. The Fairbanks four spent 20 years in prison. Their convictions were overturned in 2015. This book chronicles the work that went into finding the evidence needed to get these men released. I found the content of this story to be fascinating and that held my interest. The way that O’Donoghue presents this information is not for me. It felt muddled and disjointed. It jumps around and leaves out information that I wanted, but gave information that didn’t matter. There are little side treks that we as the reader don’t need. I appreciate the dedication to justice that was shown. There aren’t any winners in this battle. A young man was brutally murdered and four others lost twenty years of their life, effecting every aspect of their futures. A sad story that is delivered in an odd way by this author. 3/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me access to an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date April 15th, 2025. This review will be found on Instagram, StoryGraph, and Goodreads indefinitely.

The Fairbanks Four by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue offers a compelling look into a troubling miscarriage of justice, shedding light on a case that shook Alaska. While the subject matter is powerful and important, the writing occasionally feels disjointed, making it harder to stay engaged. When I read true stories, the storytelling and voice of the writer matters. Still, it’s a worthwhile read for those interested in true crime and wrongful convictions.

I had not heard of the Fairbanks Four before reading this book. While their story is heartbreaking, it is a story that needs to be told to a wider audience. In my opinion, the book could have used less of the author’s personal life and more about the four and their families. There were times it felt more like a memoir rather than a true crime or a biography.


Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

What a bummer that the organization of this book was so all over the place. I thought perhaps I was just not paying enough attention, but other reviews show that I am not alone in feeling this way. I got 33% into the book and I realized I didn't even understand the murder other than the victim was found alone in the snow. It was so all over the place and it was hard to understand what was and was not important, as well as who the main characters in the 'story' were. It appears that the author did a great thing in helping to get the four wrongly convicted boys out of prison but sadly I couldn't even have identified which of the numerous names listed were the wrongly convicted.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue offers a thorough look at the case's journey, highlighting growing awareness and support. Despite a less favorable outcome for those involved, some justice was achieved, and issues in the justice system and systemic racism were recognized.

However, parts of the book felt overly long, with unnecessary paragraphs that distracted from the main story. A more concise edit would improve the book's flow.
Overall, the story is informative but could benefit from removing extraneous sections to maintain focus on the central narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Brian Patrick O’Donoghue and the publisher, Source Books for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader's copy of this book.

This book about the Fairbanks Four made me feel a full spectrum of emotions—anger, sadness, frustration, temporary relief at their release, and ultimately, renewed outrage that this injustice happened in the first place.

There is so much detail in this book and so many characters to keep track of that at times, the side stories became confusing and distracting. Structural issues seem to be a recurring theme in both nonfiction books I’ve read this year.

The book tells the story of four young Alaska Native men unjustly convicted in 1997 for the murder of a 15-year-old White boy. The author, Brian Patrick O'Donoghue, played a pivotal role in exposing the case’s flaws—first as a local journalist, then as a journalism professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He had his students investigate the case, leading to a fascinating real-life investigative journey.

However, the book struggles with organization. The timeline jumps around, and an overwhelming number of people—students, relatives of the Fairbanks Four, and potential alternate suspects—are introduced briefly, only to fade away. At times, it felt like the main story got lost in the pages. While the depth of research is impressive, a tighter focus would have made for a more compelling read.

That said, this book was incredibly informative. I had never heard of the Fairbanks Four before, and learning about their case was both eye-opening and infuriating. The slow but powerful movement to expose the injustice—starting with just a few people and growing into a widespread effort—was inspiring. I only wish there had been a truly happy ending for these men.

A deeply important and educational read that sheds light on systemic racism and flaws in the justice system. While the book could have benefited from better editing and structure, it provides a thorough and necessary account of an enraging case. Despite its pacing issues, I’m grateful to have read it and learned about the Fairbanks Four.

Overall I found the book to be extremely interesting and loaded with information. I previously had not heard about this case, even though I consume lots of true crime both in print and in podcasts. One of the things that stands out is that it really points out how witnesses testimony/memories can be very biased and based in what they firmly believe, be it the truth or not, and in the end lead to devastating outcomes. And there are times that these outcomes must be reversed in the name of justice. The road is often very long and difficult.
There were times, however, that I felt the book was a little difficult to follow, especially because chapters were broken down even further, and I would have to go back to reread something to make sense of what I was reading, so that made it take longer to read. There were other times where the author went off on a tangent that would confuse things.
With respect to the factual aspect of the material, it was definitely very thorough from the arrest right up to the overturning of the convictions.
Overall, I thought the book was a really good read and would recommend it to any other true crime consumer.

Beginning in 2001, University of Alaska, Fairbanks journalism professor, Brian O'Donoghue enlisted the aid of his students - over several years - to investigate a 1997 murder in which 4 men were convicted - he believed wrongly.

In 2013, the Innocence Project joined in and finally, the convictions were overturned and the men were freed.

It was an interesting idea to involve journalism students - who actually did excellent work in turning up sources and evidence. What was so disheartening was the time it took to unravel what actually happened. To some extent, it shows how difficult it can be to arrive at the truth, but also how when the pressure is on to solve the crime quickly, how easy it can be to railroad someone.

In this case three of the four were Athabascan Indians and the victim was white - which many think contributed to the immediate assumption of guilt and conviction despite lack of clear evidence. What was most troubling was the refusal of the prosecutor to seriously question the methods of achieving confessions, the problem with their star witness and most importantly the insistence that the confession of the actual killer (admitted not only to his lawyer, but also to a prison guard) should not be permitted to be heard. I hadn't realized until reading this that one of the exceptions to lawyer/client confidentiality occurs when an admission reveals that an innocent party has been convicted. And, of course, the admission to the prison guard was not confidential in any case. Yet she still argued for suppression.

The only criticism I have of the book was that there was too much detail. Many of the witnesses interviewed - at length - really had little to nothing to add to finding the truth. It did illustrate how difficult investigations of this sort are, but it was a slog at times to read all of it. Also, while the author was writing about his experience, some of the details of his life - like his trip to India, didn't add much to the story either.

Overall, I would recommend the book as a treatise in how the justice system often does not work without a lot of help from committed investigators.

This true crime account of the murder of a teenage Alaskan boy is a compelling read. Telling the facts of the murder,, quick arrests of four young men, their trials and sentencing. But not everyone thinks justice was served and perhaps the wrong men are behind bars. O’Donoghue recounts the lengthy investigation he is involved in which 18 years later brings new evidence, trials and revelations about The Fairbanks Four.

I requested this book from NetGalley because I lived in Alaska previously, including a couple summers in Fairbanks. I hadn't heard about this case and was interested since it's a place I know. What I loved about this: it was a true crime novel with a story that reminded me of Netflix's "Making a Murderer". This story of the Fairbanks Four made me angry, upset, sad - temporarily relieved at their release - and ultimately upset again that it ever happened in the first place. This is a story that should be told. Parts of the novel however were confusing. There is SO MUCH DETAIL and SO MANY CHARACTERS to keep track of. I also felt like at parts there were digs made about students (being late, having senioritis, the author not sure he could trust them) and digs about the university that didn't relate to the story (like going to conferences and not being reimbursed, not getting a video when the student paper sued the university). Some of that was distracting from the true story - I found myself waiting for it loop back in and figure out why it was relevant to include, but often it wasn't. There was a lot of detail about the investigative work and how involved the students were, often with leads going nowhere and all the work resulting in nothing, but it really highlighted all the effort they were putting into the case.

The title had caught my attention because I've visited Fairbanks, Alaska back in my childhood days. I had spent two weeks with my church youth group and will never forget the experience's. This novel was very interesting and quite gripping. You learn all about the broken-up justice system, one journalist, his students, and the Fairbanks community, all while digging into the story of the Fairbanks Four. The four young Alaskan Natives and Alaskan Indian descents were suspects and received lengthy prison terms. The journalist dives into what really happened and to find out the real truth. The students and their teacher uncovered lies and deceit. Which ended up showing how the four young men were put into jail, innocently at that. Very good story line and information.

This story shows us a lot about the painstaking process of difficult cold case investigations. I love the idea of using students to assist, because talent rises to the surface. O'Donoghue shows how emotionally draining but also inspiring it can be to chase down leads, talk to coy witnesses, visit prisons, and keep their enthusiasm up when success looks unlikely, Although it lacked hooks in places where they could have been used effectively and I wished the students' personalities had been deeper, it offers a solid sense of journalistic investigation when the odds are stacked against you.

I received a free copy of, The Fairbanks Four, by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Fifteen your old John Hartman was found murdered, in late 1997. Police waste not tile in arresting four men for the vicious crime. An Innocent project to up their cause, that they were innocent. This was a heavy read.

Another very sad story for the victims family as well as the injustice of the accused. A little hard to follow for me, not due to the writing, but the complications from the investigation from the beginning of the crime.

I quit reading at 33%. This book is a hot mess. The author does not do the Fairbanks Four any justice when writing this book.
It was so disorganized, so many different viewpoints, and never really explaining to the reader what happened, how it happened, or why the reader should care.
After reading a third of the book, I still have no idea if the Fairbanks Four had a fair trial, if they were involved, or even how the young man was murdered.
This author does not do this crime justice.