Mississippi, 1964. A state torn apart by bigotry, hate and distrust. In June 1964 “Freedom Summer” sent Civil Rights volunteers into the state to help African Americans register to vote. Three of those workers, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Cheney met a violent end to their lives. This is a story about that tragedy.

As the car with the three civil rights workers approached Meridian, a Ku Klux Klan meeting was being held in the woods of Neshoba County with all members present. They all had their hoods on, a sign that secret plans were on the agenda. One of the men stepped forward and removed his hood. He spoke with authority.

“His kind always come back for more, and when he does, we’ll be ready for him. We’re organized, and we’ll get him, and he’ll be sorry he ever heard of the great state of Mississippi!” A rebel cheer went up with fists in the air.

Told from the viewpoint of Ben Hawkins, a young white man who wanted to make a difference, the story vividly describes the investigation Ben was pressed into and the Mississippi Burning trial. One KKK member, believing he was upholding tradition, was unwittingly pulled deeper and deeper into the Klan’s evil plans but became a key component in bringing an end to the Klan’s dominance.

Drawn Into Hell is a compelling, gritty and intriguing true crime story told in a novel style that will captivate, move, as well as shock readers for many hours on end. Drawn Into Hell is a book I knew I had to read and review thanks to its important nature of it and now that I have finished Drawn Into Hell, I can happily write it exceeded my expectations. Readers who enjoy true crime or crime fiction will adore Drawn Into Hell thanks to its gripping, moving and captivating story, so I implore readers who love these genres to read this incredible book… you will not regret it!

Drawn Into Hell has to be one of the most unique true crime books I have ever read. In Drawn Into Hell, the reader will be thrust back in time to Mississippi in the year 1964 where shocking and heartbreaking events unfold. The reader will learn about “Freedom Summer” where three young men were murdered for helping people of color gain access to voter registration and rights. The story is told in a novel style and shines a light on the injustice of this time and one of the darkest moments in American history and what follows is a poignant and unforgettable tale that shouldn’t be missed, and this book lovers is the short premise of Drawn Into Hell!

Drawn Into Hell is a book that is flawlessly written and a book that is executed in the most stellar of ways. Don VanLandingham Sr is a talented author; the reader won’t be able to think anything but this as they begin to read his book. That is because Don VanLandingham Sr’s descriptive prose is sensational and this combined with the extensive but concise details of the crimes and events associated with this case makes Drawn Into Hell an unmissable read.

Usually, with true crime stories of novel nature, I find that the author holds back; the author typically holds back on the gore, the brutality and the more delicate details which will haunt people. However, Don VanLandingham Sr is an author who is brazen with his work, and so he holds back on nothing regarding the crimes so that an accurate picture is painted for the reader. The outcome of this is an accurate portrayal of a sinister moment in history that will evoke its readers.

Don VanLandingham Sr is an author I admire for many reasons, one of them being the fact that he does not hold back concerning the crimes explored throughout the book and the other because of his eloquent prose that captivated me from the very start. I adore the fact that Don VanLandingham Sr decided to write an honest book and share this story that many wouldn’t even know about. This is a crucial factor in a true crime book and a winning factor so this, combined with the fact that Don VanLandingham Sr is a talented author ensures that Drawn Into Hell is one of the best true crime books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Overall Drawn Into Hell is an intricately detailed, flawless and thought-provoking story that shares rare insight into an event many have forgotten and a troubling time in American social history. That is why I have no choice but to award this stellar book five stars so please if you are a reader who loves true crime then you should not miss out on this brilliant book!

Thank you so much for reading book lovers! I appreciate it so much. Here is a preview of the book for all of you lovely readers to enjoy! Please have a read of the preview and if you find that you have loved what you have read then all you need to do is follow the links below!

Goodbye for now book lovers,

P.S. Below I have attached some links about the author and this wonderful book so if you would like to learn more about the author and the book then please have a browse. Thank you so much again for reading book lovers!

Amazon US – Amazon UK – Goodreads

Author: Website