Book of the week: Perversion of Justice by Julie K. Brown
Brown’s account of Jeffrey Epstein’s undoing is a ‘searing indictment of a society in thrall to money and power’
Jeffrey Epstein’s name is “so universally reviled” now that it’s easy to forget how different things once were, said David Enrich in The New York Times. Not long before he died in jail while awaiting trial for sex-trafficking, he had many of the world’s most powerful men on speed dial; he owned a Gulfstream jet and a Caribbean island. Even journalists were bamboozled – but not Julie K. Brown.
In 2018, the Miami Herald reporter published three “explosive” articles about how, a decade earlier, the authorities had allowed Epstein to escape investigation by pleading guilty to two minor charges of soliciting prostitution. Prosecutors were galvanised and Epstein was arrested; now Brown has written a “gripping” account of how she exposed him.
At its heart is her long search for victims, who speak at length and in “searing” detail. There are some gaps in her narrative. How did Epstein get so rich? How much did his friends know? Even so, there’s no doubting the magnitude of Brown’s achievement.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“Perversion of Justice reads like a thriller,” said Christina Patterson in The Sunday Times, “but it is a searing indictment of a society in thrall to money and power”. Epstein spent millions trying to ensure that his victims’ voices would never be heard: he donated to the police, to politicians, to charities. The cushy plea bargain that long allowed him to evade justice was approved by Alex Acosta, who would become President Trump’s secretary of labour. Brown’s “blistering” account of institutional corruption shows exactly why independent journalism is so vital.
As a guide to how a man with deep pockets circumvented the criminal justice system, this is a “vomit-inducing” book, said Lloyd Green in The Guardian – but for the tenacity of Brown, who tracked down around 60 young women who alleged that he had abused them, Epstein would have got away with it.
In many ways, this is “a good ol’-fashioned newspaper yarn”, said Laura Miller on Slate, replete with stonewalling public officials, conspiratorial whisperings and threatening phone calls; Brown had to trawl through reams of court documents, and win over the only two policemen in Palm Beach who seemed willing to risk their careers for justice.
The assumption that the victims – vulnerable girls aged 17 or under – were insignificant and disposable pervaded everything Epstein did. But Brown, whose own background was not so different from theirs, never doubted that their stories were important enough to be told: “They were just waiting for the right person to tell it.”
HarperCollins 464pp £20; The Week Bookshop £15.99
The Week Bookshop
To order this title or any other book in print, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk, or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835. Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Shardlake: a 'tightly plotted, gorgeously atmospheric piece of television'
The Week Recommends Arthur Hughes captivates in this 'eminently watchable' Tudor murder mystery
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Major League Baseball is facing an epidemic of pitcher's injuries
Under the Radar Many insiders are blaming the pitch clock for the rise in injuries — but the league is not so sure
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
8 movie musicals that prove the screen can share the stage
The Week Recommends The singing and dancing, bigger than life itself
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Daniel Wallace's 5 favorite books that should not be forgotten
Feature The author recommends works by Italo Calvino, Evan S. Connell, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 picturesque homes in Arizona
Feature Featuring a glass elevator in Sedona and a grotto waterfall in Paradise Valley
By The Week Staff Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
Baffin Island: looking for narwhal in Arctic Canada
The Week Recommends An exploration of this island between mainland Canada and Greenland is ideal for the adventurous at heart
By The Week UK Published
-
Knife: Salman Rushdie's 'mesmeric memoir' of brutal attack
The Week Recommends The author's account of ordeal which cost him his eye is both 'scary and heartwarming'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published