And the Framing of an Innocent Man

When Michael Bishop decides to explore Nashville history and stories, he walks into the Nashville archives building and (surprisingly) is allowed to explore the 1963 records from the office of the former chief of police. When he opens the first box he is greeted by two brown recluse spiders quietly guarding the secrets within. I am not sure if Mr. Bishop intended for these little poisonous spinners to be a metaphoric/foreshadowing literary device for what is to follow in the book. But, by the end of the book I had names for these spiders who did not wish for Bishop to explore the records and files. One file guarded by the little spiders contained the disturbing pictures and notes about the brutal murder of young Paula Herring.

The Paula Herring file starts Bishop on an extensive quest to research and solve the unanswered question about this murder. AND, there are many questions to explore, and the deeper he goes the more interesting this story becomes.

I was very young and have no recollection of these events even though I lived two blocks from the house where this murder occurred. I do, however, personally know every place mentioned in this book. Paula’s little brother and I both went to Norman Binkley Elementary School, and Paula and I graduated from John Overton High School (called “Johnny O”). This detailed story and the mystery within is a compelling and easy read, but anyone growing up in Nashville (like me) will be especially intrigued by this story. If you are not familiar with Nashville, get a map and familiarize yourself with our beautiful city and you will not be able to put this book down until you discover the secrets that have been hidden for decades.

There is a “Where are They Now” section for you to know what happened to the people interviewed and involved with this story. Very helpful!

This book shows that what amateurs lack in skill and polish is (sometimes) more than fully compensated for by enthusiasm and dogged determination. Amusingly, the weakest part of the book is the contributions from the professionals, who come off as arrogant and pretentious. True crime fans should love this book (although the first few chapters are a bit awkward). This book would make a good movie in the hands of competent moviemakers.

If you like a good mystery, I recommend this page-turner--all the more gripping because it's a true story--and because Bishop teased out that story 35 years after the fact, following the most tenuous connections with the help of witnesses in some cases right at the end of their lives. It's not a flawless book: I was 50 pages in before it riveted my attention; Bishop's prose doesn't quite sparkle; and from time to time the inclusion of irrelevant details gets tedious and distracting. But the story is well constructed, mesmerizing--and terrifying.

Brave, Michael Bishop for keeping your ear to the ground and your nose in the air. Your detective work and unstoppable spirit reveals the truth behind a horrific crime and injustice. I would give you ten stars if the reviewed allowed, not for the writing, but for diligence and determination to see the clues through to the end of the day. I weep for the beautiful young woman that had her life cut short, jerked out from under her through no fault of her own. Being born in the wrong home to the worst mother was a death sentence for Paula and I suspect that Alan's life was not a happy one. I do wish that you had shared more personal insights into your own feelings and life on the journey. Congratulations for solving the case and writing a really good book.

Excellent read and hard to put down. A true crime story from over 50 years ago. As a native Nashvillian many names and places are very well known to me. Although, i do not remember this occuring as a sophmore in high school. Well written and reads like a novel. Sad that so many are no longer alive from 1964 and never got to know the truth and the ones that did carried it to their grave. Highly recommend.

I couldnt put this book down. An exciting and easy read filled with unbelievable information regarding an actual tragic event. Corruption aside I give it to the author for writing the story. More than a few people should be ashamed by their behavior resulting in tragic aftermath’s of innocent lives.

This shocking and chilling true crime book hooked me in from the beginning. I read it in two sittings. As a Nashville native who grew up in an area very close to the crime scene it was even more intriguing. The author's writing style is excellent as he builds his case and reveals the true murderer of Paula Herring.

A very well written and researched book. I'm convinced the author has the correct perspective on this fascinating old case. You don't have to be familiar with the area to become engrossed in this sad, surprising, even shocking story. The author was respectful to all the characters and I was especially impressed with his treatment of the victim and her brother. You could recommend this book to anyone, as it's not trashy and tabloidy.

The subject matter is brilliant, but the writing is laborious. The "thriller" appeal is lost to the monotonous dialogue of characters or factoids that simply don't matter. If you highlight everything, you highlight nothing.

This is a well researched book with fascinating characters. Intertwined with the horrific murder, are historical events taking place in the 1960's. There are no "red herrings" to lead the reader astray. I would highly recommend it.

I positively loved this book. Having lived in Nashville since the mid-90’s, the places are familiar, which made reading the book fun. The length of time that the research took and the lengths that the author went to to get his answers is beyond impressive.

The Old South political machine controls all aspects of the government and illicit drugs. This story covers it all and seeks to discover just who murdered a UT student while she was home in Nashville for the weekend.

Like following in the footsteps of a seasoned detective, Michael takes you with him as he interviews, uncovers, and pieces together what really happened, and exposes those who wanted it to remain hidden.

This book is outstanding. A great read for people who like murder mysteries. I am a Nashvillian and found it extremely interesting. It is well written and the author put an tremendous amount of time and effort into the story to solve the case. Hope he will write more. I am going to recommend this book to several friends that are avid readers and members of book clubs.

The subject is true cold case crime investigation, but the engaging voice of the amateur forensic sleuth, whose intellectual enthusiasm has been captured by the possibility that the murderer of a young college student escaped justice, takes this out of the generic. I wanted the narrator to succeed as much as I wanted to know the solution to the mystery. The storytelling is straightforward - no cliff hangers or manufactured withholding of key information. The reader is riding along with the narrator in his quest to not only find out the truth, but also improve his investigative technique as he progresses from witness to witness, clue to clue. He's a great guy to hang out with, too, honest, polite, patient, even tempered, dedicated, without a single trace of self-indulgence or self-aggrandizement. not one moment of complaint from him - he's engaged in his quest, engaged in living, and makes you feel that way too. Enjoyable and compelling beginning to end. Recommended.