Handing my book to a professional stranger and asking for an honest read is always nerve-racking, and so I’m especially delighted to share this one by BookLife Reviews, which took such care with The Jacklighter. Their one-sentence takeaway: “Illuminating investigative account of a 1976 Pennsylvania cold case.”
BookLife is Publishers Weekly’s program for independently published books. Its review service is paid, and there’s no guarantee its anonymous reviewers will be favorable. Mine will appear in the BookLife Reviews section of the Nov. 9 issue of Publishers Weekly magazine, and of course I ordered copies 🥳
The reviewer appreciated my long history with the case, and this is the passage that meant the most to me:
“Conti brings unusual intimacy to the narrative through interviews and files she preserved from her reporting in the 1990s. She reconstructs the case from the original investigation and competing forensic evidence through two trials, Scher’s conviction, and the legal battles that followed. … Throughout, Conti emphasizes the humanity of Marty and his parents, Larry and Jo, amid the legal machinations, capturing the emotions, loyalties, and relationships that shaped the case in close-knit Montrose.”
It means a great deal that the reviewer saw Marty, Larry, and Jo as people rather than plot points. Larry and Jo Dillon trusted me with their son’s story back in 1995, and I only wish they were here to see the finished book.
Another line I’m glad to see in print:
“Conti handles the complicated chronology with a reporter’s discipline and carefully separates documented evidence from recollection and inference.”
And this final recap couldn’t land any better:
“True-crime readers drawn to well-documented, responsibly reported cold-case investigations and hard-fought justice will find Conti’s account rewarding.”
I also love that BookLife offers production-quality “grades”—something I haven’t seen with any other editorial reviewer. This is how it graded The Jacklighter:
Cover A
Design and typography A-
Illustrations A-
Editing A-
Marketing copy A
Finally, I’m honored that BookLife suggested The Jacklighter is perfect for fans of Becky Cooper’s We Keep the Dead Close and Robert Kolker’s Lost Girls—what great company to be in. ✨
Read the full review on the BookLife site.
The Jacklighter releases Oct. 27, 2026. Hardcover, paperback, and ebook preorders are live now.
