Trial by Ambush - by Marcia Clark

Book Synopsis

In this dramatic true account about the power of sensationalized crime, one woman's case is exposed for its sexism, flagrant disregard for the truth, and, ultimately, the dangers posed by an unbridled prosecution.

Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse--offering her too many options of all the wrong kind. Her innate sensitivity left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the street, where she was left to fend for herself before she reached double digits. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster.

But in 1953, a catastrophic twist of fate would catapult her out of obscurity and into the headlines.

When a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary--a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted.

The frenzy of public interest and willful distortion paved a treacherous path for Barbara Graham. In Trial by Ambush, author and criminal lawyer Marcia Clark investigates the case exposing the fallacies in the demonizing picture they painted and the critical evidence that was never revealed.

Review Quotes

A People magazine Book of the Week

Featured in Parade, the Today Show, Good Day New York, Extra, Southern California Public Radio, NBC's California Live, Fox News, the Kim Gravel Show and many other media outlets

"Clark (the Samantha Brinkman series), the former lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson case, brings new insights to a sensational killing from the 1950s in this standout true crime narrative...Impressive research, combined with breakneck pacing and a trenchant critique of the media circus surrounding Graham's arrest, bring the verdict down decisively in Clark's favor. This is masterful." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Clark uses her expertise to bring fans into a world that wasn't revealed in the original case. True crime fans, and suspense fans in general, will love her approach. She brings the reader into a world that uncovers how power and biases can ruin lives. Clark was born to write and Trial by Ambush could be her best book yet." --John Raab, Suspense Magazine

"A must read for those who love courtroom drama." --Charlene Giannetti, Woman Around Town

"This welcome surprise of a narrative focuses chiefly on what Clark feels got short shrift in past coverage: the trial itself, and the many errors that compounded it, leading to a verdict that failed to meet modern standards and probably failed the ones of its time, too...Clark may not have needed to write this book, but I'm awfully glad she did." --Sarah Weinman, Air Mail

"This is not a traditional true crime book, and it is exceptional because it isn't. The vast majority of the narrative is not the crime and the investigation, but Clark excoriating the prosecution's case which is held together by hidden evidence, shoddy ethical questioning, and the over-reliance on an accomplice who shouldn't be trusted at all...The book is great, and you should read it." --Brendon Dowd, History Nerds United

"In this fast-moving and highly engaging book, Marcia Clark takes the reader on the rerun of the trial, critiquing the actions of the characters in the way only a retrospective, analytical view allows...Trial by Ambush is a historic case study of prosecutorial behavior at one of its ugliest moments--a moment that served no one, not the innocent, the guilty, or society in general." --Beverly Armento, New York Journal of Books