Casey Sherman's latest true crime narrative puts readers in the jury box
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The result is '
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Unlike some of the prolific author's other books, this one presents both sides of the case against Carman without rendering a verdict.
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'I really put the reader in that jury box,' says Sherman, who notes that readers themselves seem deadlocked. 'When I read the online reviews they split — some people think Carman's a criminal mastermind, other people think that he was targeted for his disorder.' (Carman was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as a boy; Sherman points out that his characteristic monotone and flat affect caused some to view him as evasive or emotionless.)
These
It's this mystery at the heart of the story that makes it memorable, Sherman says. 'Readers have approached me and said, 'I'm still thinking about this case and this book weeks after I read it.''
Casey Sherman will read at 7 p.m. Monday, July 7, at the
in Barnstable.
And now for some recommendations ...
There's something spellbinding about a book that blends significant research with a deeply personal voice, and two brilliant examples are coming out this week. One is '
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And then there are the summer novels that entrance us and introduce us to different worlds. In Charlotte Runcie's '
Kate Tuttle edits the Globe's Books section.
Kate Tuttle, a freelance writer and critic, can be reached at
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