After three years in Europe, former journalist Carla Conti* wanted to settle her family in the suburbs of Philadelphia. But her high school friend Scott Powell, a lawyer handling a brutal prison stabbing case, needed a favor. Before she knew it, Carla became part of the defense team and was mired in the terrifying world of federal prison gangs, penal abuse, and corruption.
Then, when she agreed to write a tell-all book on the violent machinations behind the court case — with Scott’s client as an inside source — the stakes turned deadly. Two different prison gangs issued “hit orders” against the prisoner she and Scott consider a friend, and the former journalist and defense attorney were imperiled by association.
CHAINED BIRDS is a true crime memoir of Carla’s 10-year journey to advocate for federal inmate Kevin Sanders and help him re-enter society after prison. But the mission came at a cost as Carla struggled to balance her safety, along with Scott’s and Kevin’s, while writing the exposé on the horrific conditions that led to the shutdown of an experimental prison program in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
This thrilling, frightening book depicts a journey filled with unlikely friendships, invisible victims of prison abuse, failings in our criminal justice system, and redemption through storytelling.
*Carla Conti is a pen name used by the author to protect her real identity for fear of retribution.
RAVE REVIEWS for CHAINED BIRDS
"CHAINED BIRDS is a book that will generate emotions from frustration to sadness and even awe at the events that transpired. Carla Conti has penned a book destined to be a future true crime classic." —Manhattan Book Review (5-Star)
"The narrative is gripping, often reading like a thriller, but the fact that it's rooted in real events makes it all the more chilling. ... I highly recommend CHAINED BIRDS."—Readers' Favorite (5-Star)
"CHAINED BIRDS is an emotional, eye-popping and personal expose of the American prison system that begins with an orchestrated stabbing and ends with a realistic exploration of second chances. ... Highly recommended."—BestThrillers
"Abuse, cover-ups, revenge, paranoia ... CHAINED BIRDS presents ... a riveting series of events that reads with the drama of fiction, delivered with the one-two punch of reality." —Midwest Book Review
"CHAINED BIRDS ... reminds you that the truth really can be stranger (and darker) than fiction. It reads more like a fast-paced thriller than your run-of-the-mill true crime ... Above all, this story lingers with you after the last page."—Thriller 101 Podcast Host David Gwyn
"CHAINED BIRDS is like two great books in one: a captivating true crime story that exposes a deplorable prison program and an engrossing memoir of a journalist making a difference."—Independent Book Review
"CHAINED BIRDS ... stands apart from the typical true crime genre. ... If you're fascinated by courtroom dramas and the inner workings of the legal system, this memoir will provide a deep and unsettling dive into both."—Literary Titan
"Conti adeptly exposes how gangs operate in prison and the relentless "survival of the fittest" mindset, where individuals may resort to anything, including taking a life, to survive." RECOMMENDED—US Review of Books
Carla Conti is a former journalist who covered police beats and criminal courts, sparking her fascination with true crime. Her exclusive access to federal inmate Kevin Sanders and his harrowing prison experiences inspired her memoir Chained Birds. She now advocates for criminal justice reform and shares related stories on her blog.
