Two Truths and a Lie by Ellen McGarrahan

Check out if you’re intrigued by mystery, obsession, and an unwavering drive for the truth.

I’m back with another true crime hit, this one opening with an execution. The author witnesses convicted cop killer Jesse Tafero die by electrocution in 1990. He doesn’t go easily into that dark night, however. Due to a fault in the chair, his head bursts into flames. It takes him seven thrashing, choking, burning minutes to die. Unsurprisingly, the author is greatly affected by this experience, more so because there is a question of whether Jesse is even guilty.

Unable to let it go, Ellen (who is now a private investigator) looks deeper into the case, interviewing those involved including the man who confessed to the case, and Jesse’s girlfriend, who was exonerated after an Alfred plea.

I found myself impressed by Ellen’s tenacity, moved by her drive, and wrapped up with her in her obsession to solve this mystery. Recommended to any fans of true crime and real-life whodunits.