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Blood in the Soil

A True Tale of Racism, Sex, and Murder in the Volatile South

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Blood in the Soil

Written by: Carole Townsend
Narrated by: Allan Robertson
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About this listen

Blood in the Soil is the first book about the investigation into the shooting of Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt and his country attorney in Gwinnett County, Georgia, in 1978. But this book is not primarily about Larry Flynt, or even his shooter, the serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin, though both men are of course important characters in the story.

This true account is told alternately from the perspective of Detective J. Michael Cowart and by following Franklin's life from childhood through his execution. The monster that was Joseph Paul Franklin was the result of a perfect storm of circumstances, which included poverty, cruel abuse as a child, the detestation and mistrust between blacks and whites, integration, and the hate groups that operated and recruited openly. Detective Cowart tells the story of his first introduction to Franklin, and the cat-and-mouse game that ensued. A self-proclaimed truth-seeker, the detective had to appear to befriend Franklin to get him to provide enough information to prosecute him in the Flynt shooting. In the course of developing this rapport, Cowart gains astonishing insight into many of Franklin's other cold-blooded killings and crimes, and his twisted justification for them.

This book tells of a very real struggle between right and wrong. It details with stark honesty the terrible truths that characterized the South during the volatility of the sixties and seventies, and of the ugly reality that lies just beneath the veneer of a beautiful region known for its warm hospitality. Along the way, it examines some hard lessons about life, trust, and compromise.

©2016 Carole Townsend (P)2016 Audible, Inc. True Crime Detective
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Profile Image for Langer MD

Good. Oddly Irritating Narrative Technique.

This book is information-packed and eye-opening. Carole Townsend's chronicle of the life and crimes of Joseph Paul Franklin - an avowed white supremacist and serial murderer/synagogue bomber (revealed to be the shooter of Hustler publisher Larry Flynt & his lawyer in 1978) is captivating. The research is painstakingly accurate, the commentary is passable, and the exposition is readable.
Unfortunately, she chooses to tell the story from the First-person perspective of Detective J. Michael Cowart (a bit of a literary reach - she isn't Cowart, after all) alternating with a heavily-dramatized (Read: mostly fictional) Third-person omniscient narrative from Franklin's POV. The book consequently feels inauthentic.
That said, it's a fascinating exposé about a most-interesting criminal. It provided a couple of distracting snowy afternoons.

Fortunately, the narration from Allan Robertson is outstanding. Diction, timbre, cadence, and tone are spot-on and (unusual for a True Crime book) there is an opportunity to show off some admirable voice-acting skills. Robertson reads a little too slowly (1.15X is the optimum playback speed), but he was an excellent casting choice.
Audible Studios Inc. further provide excellent sound quality/volume modulation/editing. Additionally, the appended PDF of photographs is greatly appreciated.

This 7/10 star recording doubtless tops the paper/eBook version of 'Blood In The Soil'. Coupling a fictionalized detective dialogue with a largely fictionalized description of crimes - most unusual for a documentary chronicle - renders this book frustrating.. but exemplary production values transform it into something worth a download. Yes, I got it for free as a 'Plus' offering, but it would likely merit a Credit to a True Crime diehard.

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