The Book of Murder: A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death

Part taxonomy of murder, part prosecutor's handbook, and part personal memoir, The Book of Murder goes through a dozen cases and his recollections of his twenty-six years in the Orange County DA's office (seventeen in the Homicide Unit). Refreshingly honest about the toll such work takes on one's private life, Murphy weaves his personal narrative throughout his casework in a way that humanizes the people entrusted with the duty of seeking justice on behalf of the public. As he does so, he lays bare the decision-making a prosecutor goes through in building a case to ensure justice is met while telling captivating tale after captivating tale of the world's worst crime.