This book felt like a history lesson, and true crime rolled into one dense story. I had never heard of these events before picking it up. Stories like these, depicting corruption layered with inhuman racism, make me feel outrage and frustration. I am glad I know this story, but that doesn't mean I actually enjoyed reading about it. I mean, it was decent, and it did its job. I'm just not sure my soul was better for it. I guess it depends on what you want to get out of your reading experience. 

I liked it better than The Wager, a newer release from Grann. This surprised me because I thought I was more interested in sailing the high seas than an old murder investigation. Even though I found these events more interesting, it still had that detached storytelling I don't completely jive with. You do get a glance at the author's perspective to conclude the timeline. I just wish there had been more of that spread out through the book.