Devil in the Grove

This biography of Thurgood Marshall uses as its centerpiece a tragic case in central Florida that put the civil rights lawyer at great personal risk. Peter Francis James offers a solid and, at times, compelling narration. His even tone heightens the almost unfathomable racism that drove whites to preserve their primacy. James also is effective when he uses a more colloquial style of speech for direct quotations although, because his range of voices is limited, some of the white speakers end up sounding a bit like black speakers. But this is only a minor issue and certainly doesn't detract from the overall performance. In all, this is an informative, even insightful, look at one of our nation's most influential figures in the Civil Rights Movement. James's reading makes the work even more visceral in its impact. R.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

January 9, 2012
In July 1949, four black men in Florida (the “Groveland Four”) were accused of raping a white woman. By the time Marshall joined the case in August, one of the defendants—who had fled into the swamps—had been “lawfully killed.” After a trial of the remaining three, two were sentenced to death, and one to life imprisonment. On Marshall’s appeal, the Supreme Court ordered a new trial for the two on death row, though both men were shot while being transported between prisons before the second trial began, and only one survived. Using unredacted Groveland FBI case files and the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund files, journalist King (The Execution of Willie Francis: Race, Murder, and the Search for Justice in the American South) revisits an oft-overlooked case, with its accuser, whose testimony was patently false; defendants, who suffered terribly as a consequence; local police officials and lawyers who persecuted and prosecuted them; and their lawyers, who showed remarkable courage and perseverance in seeking justice. The story’s drama and pathos make it a page-turner, but King’s attention to detail, fresh material, and evenhanded treatment of the villains make it a worthy contribution to the history of the period, while offering valuable insight into Marshall’s work and life. Agent: Farley Chase, the Waxman Literary Agency.