THE BOOK OF MATT Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard

Narrator Paul Fleschner deftly tackles the voluminous text and myriad characters in this controversial look at the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, in Wyoming. Stephen Jimenez, who is also gay, intended to write a screenplay; however, his research led him to question the official charge that Shepard was killed because he was gay. Instead, Jimenez believes that Shepard threatened the lucrative drug trade in Laramie. Fleschner's dynamic presentation of interviews with Matthew's friends and family, as well as the police and lawyers involved, sounds true to life. He captures the pain and raw emotion of the events, and even the personalities of the convicted. Whether the listener agrees with Jimenez's conclusions or not, the story is heartbreaking--and fascinating--with audio capturing the feeling of an in-depth news report. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2014]