Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir
by Carla Conti
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Pub Date Nov 12 2024 | Archive Date Nov 12 2024
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Description
After three years in Europe, former journalist Carla Conti* just wanted to settle her family into the suburbs of Philadelphia. But her high school friend Scott Powell, a lawyer handling a brutal prison stabbing case, needed a favor. Before she knew it, Carla became part of the defense team and mired in the terrifying world of federal prison gangs, penal abuse, and corruption.
Then, when she agreed to write a tell-all book on the violent machinations behind the court case — with Scott’s client as an inside source — the stakes turned deadly. Two different prison gangs issued “hit orders” against the prisoner she and Scott now considered a friend, and the journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association.
CHAINED BIRDS is a true crime memoir of Carla’s 10-year journey to advocate for federal inmate Kevin Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. But the mission came at a cost as Carla struggled to balance her own, Scott’s, and Kevin’s safety while writing an exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
This thrilling, frightening book depicts a journey filled with unlikely friendships, invisible victims of prison abuse, failings in our criminal justice system, and redemption through storytelling.
*Carla Conti is a pen name used by the author to protect her real identity for fear of retribution.
A Note From the Publisher
Pre-orders are now available for CHAINED BIRDS: A True Crime Memoir, launching with WildBlue Press on Nov. 12, 2024.
Pre-orders are now available for CHAINED BIRDS: A True Crime Memoir, launching with WildBlue Press on Nov. 12, 2024.
Pre-orders are now available for CHAINED BIRDS: A True Crime Memoir, launching with WildBlue Press on Nov. 12, 2024.
Advance Praise
"Chained Birds is a book that will generate emotions from frustration to sadness and even awe at the events that transpired. Carla Conti has penned a book destined to be a future true crime classic."
—MANHATTAN BOOK REVIEW (5-STAR)
“A haunting and compelling true crime memoir that delves deep into the dark, often unseen corners of the American criminal justice system. ... The narrative is gripping, often reading like a thriller, but the fact that it's rooted in real events makes it all the more chilling. ... I highly recommend Chained Birds.”
—READERS' FAVORITE (5-STAR)
“The Bottom Line: An emotional, eye-popping and personal expose of the American prison system that begins with an orchestrated stabbing and ends with a realistic exploration of second chances. ... Written with a level of detail that would be the envy of any novelist, Chained Birds is ... an expose on the problems with the American justice system and the challenges of breaking free from a life of crime and incarceration. Highly recommended.”
—BESTTHRILLERS.COM
“Chained Birds unravels the kind of true crime memoir that reminds you that the truth really can be stranger (and darker) than fiction. ... It reads more like a fast-paced thriller than your run-of-the-mill true crime and is perfect for the true crime reader looking for something fresh that breaks the mold. ... Above all, this story lingers with you after the last page.”
—DAVID GWYN, HOST OF THE THRILLER 101 PODCAST
“Conti writes with an endearing balance of humor and passion, and she is a driven and intelligent advocate for those without a voice ... Chained Birds is like two great books in one: a captivating true crime story that exposes a deplorable prison program and an engrossing memoir of a journalist making a difference.”
—INDEPENDENT BOOK REVIEW
"Conti adeptly exposes how gangs operate in prison and the relentless "survival of the fittest" mindset, where individuals may resort to anything, including taking a life, to survive. ... The book also fearlessly addresses flaws in the judicial system, highlighting how cases can languish for years, causing profound frustration for inmates.” RECOMMENDED
—THE US REVIEW OF BOOKS
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781964730059 |
| PRICE | |
| PAGES | 435 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 12 members
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Biographies & Memoirs, Nonfiction (Adult), True Crime
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