Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three – Mara Leveritt

For fans of Netflix’s Making a Murderer and Amanda Knox.

Devil’s Knot follows the murder of three eight-year-old boys. Rumors of satanic cults ran wild then suddenly three teenagers were charged with the killings. Their trials had a witch-hunt atmosphere, a confession full of errors, and no physical evidence linking the teenagers to the crime. Despite all the issues throughout the investigation and trials, the teenagers were convicted.

Devil’s Knot is a complete account of what happened leading up to the children’s murder, what happened the night of the murder, the trials, and the years that followed. The novel itself informs the reader of what happened in a narrative form that is backed up by police notes, investigations, interviews, etc. Throughout the entire novel there are notes that give additional information and cite where the author got the information/quotes.

Leveritt is nonbiased in her telling of the facts and gives the reader the opportunity to come to their own conclusions. Devil’s Knot is a fascinating read that will leave you baffled, stunned, and frustrated. There were numerous times I had to put the book down because I was too frustrated and angry at the injustices that didn’t seem to end.

Devil’s Knot is so full of information that at some points I got lost in trying to piece together the people involved and the sequence of events. This novel is not a novel you read to have fun. It’s a novel you read to inform yourself of the injustices of the world and read with a critical view. If you’re not prepared for a critical reading then you will find this novel slow and boring.

Overall, Devil’s Knot is an interesting yet frustrating read. It’s a story that shouldn’t have happened but did. It shows the stunning reality of the flawed justice system and how those in positions of authority should be held accountable for their actions/decisions. If you enjoyed Netflix’s Making a Murderer and the Amanda Knox documentary then you’ll enjoy Devil’s Knot.