Casey Michael

Casey Cep is an American author and journalist, currently a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her writing has also been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times and The Paris Review. Cep's background includes graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in English and earning an M.Phil. in theology from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.

Her debut non-fiction book, "Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee," published by Knopf, delves into the story of Harper Lee's attempt to document the trials of Reverend Willie Maxwell, an Alabama preacher whose relatives died under mysterious circumstances. The book also examines the legal defense provided by Tom Radney and Lee's own unfinished work related to these events. Cep's personal reflections indicate a deep interest in religion and theology, viewing them as fundamental themes that inform her understanding of life and her writing.

Casey Cep's acclaimed book, "Furious Hours," investigates a series of suspicious deaths within the family of Reverend Willie Maxwell in Alabama during the 1970s, and the subsequent legal proceedings. The narrative intertwines the story of Maxwell's trials with Harper Lee's ambitious but ultimately uncompleted project to write about these events. Cep's meticulous research and compelling storytelling bring to light the complexities of the case, the role of lawyer Tom Radney, and the broader social context of mid-20th century Alabama. The book has been recognized for its sophisticated narrative structure and its ability to elevate true crime reporting to a level of profound literary merit.

Cep's academic background, including a degree in theology from Oxford, significantly informs her perspective as a writer. She has spoken about her upbringing in the Lutheran Church and how early exposure to scripture and theological study shaped her lifelong fascination with religion. Cep views these subjects not merely as academic pursuits but as essential frameworks for understanding human behavior, ethical considerations, and one's place in the world. This deep engagement with religious and philosophical themes often surfaces in her work, providing a contemplative layer to her explorations of human affairs and societal structures.

“I grew up in the Lutheran Church, and I often say that Sunday services were my first book club, because week after week very thoughtful, very loving people gathered around the same book and tried to figure out what it meant. I was steeped in scripture as a kid, and I’ve devoted quite a lot of my adult life to studying religion and theology, so I find it is one of the great themes that interests me — not only as a writer, but as a person in the world, trying to figure out how to be a good partner and community member and citizen of the cosmos. I end up writing about it so much because I think about it so much.”