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Steven B. Epstein

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Murder on Birchleaf Drive: The True Story of the Michelle Young Murder Case Kindle Edition

by Steven B. Epstein (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 4,260 ratings

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Was Jason the monster who bludgeoned his beautiful wife to death, leaving his toddler alone for hours to walk through her blood? If so—would he get away with it?

To the outside world, Jason and Michelle Young lived a storybook life—an attractive couple with great jobs, a beautiful home, a precocious two-year-old daughter, and a baby boy on the way.

Soon after the 29-year-old pregnant mother’s brutally beaten body was discovered on their bedroom floor, a very different
picture emerged. Of a marriage crumbling at its foundation. Of a meddlesome New York mother-in-law whose running
critique left Jason frustrated and angry. Of a 32-year-old man who behaved like a frat boy rebelling against adult responsibilities.

MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE documents the gripping tale of a family’s marathon quest for justice, confounding crime scene evidence, persistence of law enforcement officers, and riveting courtroom combat.

“A compelling and accurate description of a fascinating murder case, from the initial investigation through the twists and turns of two trials, and all the strategic decisions in between. One of the best true crime books I have read. Very entertaining.”
—David S. Rudolf, defense attorney for Michael Peterson, featured in the Netflix series The Staircase

“Psychological thriller meets true crime story at its best! MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE is a riveting account of what, at first blush, appears to be a boy-meets-girl romance but ends in bloody horror. Epstein brilliantly details the unraveling of the couple’s relationship and eloquently captures the legal details, making the most complicated aspects of the murder case completely understandable. Prepare yourself for an intense, heart-pounding read!”
—Dr. Jean G. Spaulding, Forensic Psychiatrist and Associate Consulting Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
Duke University

“An amazing first book, by a talented new author, MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE drops the reader into the complex web and dark beauty of the criminal justice system. Epstein skillfully recounts a chilling tale of human emotion, betrayal, and calculated murder.”
— Joseph B. Cheshire, V, criminal defense attorney whose successful representation of Duke University lacrosse players falsely accused of sexual assault received national acclaim

“Steve Epstein’s debut effort is an outstanding achievement in true crime writing ... This is a must-read for anyone interested in seeing our criminal justice system at work.”
— Hon. Barbara Jackson, Associate Justice, North Carolina Supreme Court, 2011-2019; Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 2005-2011

“This fascinating and well-told story of a North Carolina murder and the trials that followed has more twists and turns than the road to Murphy ... I enjoyed the daylights out of it.”
— Hon. Robert H. Edmunds, Jr., Associate Justice, North Carolina Supreme Court, 2001-2017; Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 1999-2001; U.S. Attorney, Middle District of North Carolina, 1986-1993

"A great read, and a must- read, for those who are fascinated with the drama of real life—it’s even better than fiction.”
—Colon Willoughby, District Attorney of Wake County, North Carolina, 1987-2014

"An excellent book, and I recommend it highly.”
—Jerry Boyd, Coronado, California Police Chief (ret.); author of multiple books including FIRESTONE PARK: POLICING SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES and MY YEARS AS A CHIEF

“Reading MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE is like being at the scene of the crime and inside the well of the courtroom during every moment of one of North Carolina’s most notorious murder trials.”
—Ripley Rand, U.S. Attorney, Middle District of North Carolina, 2011-2017; Superior Court Judge, 2002-2010

“There is no way to put down this book! Once you begin, it draws you in right from the start."
—Stacie Overman, co-star of SyFy’s “Ghost Mine,” author of ANGEL KISSES: NO MORE CANCER

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A compelling and accurate description of a fascinating murder case, from the initial investigation through the twists and turns of two trials, and all the strategic decisions in between. One of the best true crime books I have read. Very entertaining." --David S. Rudolf, defense attorney for Michael Peterson, featured in the Netflix series "The Staircase"

"Psychological thriller meets true crime story at its best! ... A riveting account of what, at first blush, appears to be a boy-meets-girl romance but ends in bloody horror. Epstein brilliantly details the unraveling of the couple's relationship and eloquently captures the legal details... Prepare yourself for an intense, heart-pounding read!" --Dr. Jean G. Spaulding, Forensic Psychiatrist and Associate Consulting Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University

"An amazing first book, by a talented new author, MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE drops the reader into the complex web and dark beauty of the criminal justice system. Epstein skillfully recounts a chilling tale of human emotion, betrayal, and calculated murder. This story cannot be matched by the best of crime fiction--its power unleashed by the haunting reality of truth." -- Joseph B. Cheshire, V, criminal defense attorney whose successful representation of Duke University lacrosse players falsely accused of sexual assault received national acclaim

"Steve Epstein's debut effort is an outstanding achievement in true crime writing ... This is a must-read for anyone interested in seeing our criminal justice system at work." -- Hon. Barbara Jackson, Associate Justice, North Carolina Supreme Court, 2011-2019; Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 2005-2011

"This fascinating and well-told story of a North Carolina murder and the trials that followed has more twists and turns than the road to Murphy. Clear your schedule and settle down for a long evening with some of the state's best trial attorneys." -- Hon. Robert H. Edmunds, Jr., Associate Justice, North Carolina Supreme Court, 2001-2017; Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 1999-2001; U.S. Attorney, Middle District of North Carolina, 1986-1993

"... a gripping story that captures the true essence of a bizarre 'who done it' murder investigation and prosecution, with remarkable insights and thoughtful analysis ... A great read, and a must- read, for those who are fascinated with the drama of real life--it's even better than fiction." --Colon Willoughby, District Attorney of Wake County, North Carolina, 1987-2014

"Reading MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE is like being at the scene of the crime and inside the well of the
courtroom during every moment of one of North Carolina's most notorious murder trials. Epstein does an exceptional job with the challenging task of describing how it feels to be there as law enforcement cracks a case and when great lawyers go to battle." --Ripley Rand, U.S. Attorney, Middle District of North Carolina, 2011-2017;
Superior Court Judge, 2002-2010

"There is no way to put this book down!" --Stacie Overman, co-star of SyFy's "Ghost Mine," author of ANGEL KISSES: NO MORE CANCER

"...[This book] should make the reader appreciate the tenacity those involved in criminal prosecution must display if justice is to truly be done on behalf of victims. An excellent book, and I recommend it highly." --Jerry Boyd, Coronado, CA Police Chief (ret.); author of FIRESTONE PARK: POLICING SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES and MY YEARS AS A CHIEF

About the Author

Steven B. Epstein, a litigation partner at Poyner Spruill LLP, has been practicing law for nearly 30 years. He has tried many jury and non-jury trials in courtrooms throughout North Carolina and has argued numerous appeals. Since 2015, Epstein's legal practice has focused primarily on divorce and family law. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and children who, one by one, are leaving the nest.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07RSMG31Q
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Lyon Publishing, LLC (June 1, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2516 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 392 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #38,180 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #58 in Biographies of Murder & Mayhem
- #138 in Murder & Mayhem True Accounts
- #375 in Biographies & Memoirs (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.2 4,260 ratings

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Steven B. Epstein

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Steven B. Epstein is a native of Long Island who graduated twice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—first with a bachelor’s degree in political science (1987) and then with a law degree (1990). His career began as a law clerk to a federal judge and included a stint as a law professor at the University of Illinois. He’s been a practicing lawyer for nearly 35 years and has tried dozens of cases to judges and juries across North Carolina and has handled numerous appeals in state and federal courts. Since 2010, Steve’s been a partner at Poyner Spruill LLP, where his practice concentrates on family law.

Steve’s writing career began more as an accident than an ambition—a mid-life crisis of sorts—and has morphed into quite the side hustle. His first book, MURDER ON BIRCHLEAF DRIVE (2019), reached #1 on Amazon's best-seller list in the true crime genre and cracked the Top 100 List of all non-fiction books sold on Amazon. His third book, EXTREME PUNISHMENT: The Chilling True Story of Acclaimed Law Professor Dan Markel's Murder, was released in October 2022. He and his books have been featured on TV documentaries including NBC's Dateline, TV news broadcasts, talk radio, YouTube livestreams, podcasts, and in newspaper and magazine articles. Steve lives, practices law, and burns the midnight oil writing, in Raleigh, North Carolina. He and his amazing wife Aletia Ferreira have five children in their blended family, all of whom have now flown from the nest.

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4.2 out of 5

4,260 global ratings

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Donna J. Runnels

Amazing First Book

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024

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I love true crime. I rarely give a book 5 stars, but I might give this book 10 stars if I were able. This book was amazing, especially since it is author Epstein's debut book. I always want pictures in a true crime book, and this one had plenty.

I was familiar with this story from TV. That is probably what prompted me to read the book. There was no direct evidence tying Jason Young to his wife's and unborn son's murder, just much circumstantial evidence which the police had painstakingly uncovered. There were several trials in the book and then continuing court hearings afterwards. This adds to the suspense. I heartily recommend this book, and I happy to see Mr. Epstein has written more true crime books.

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2021

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I wavered between a 3 star and 4 star rating, finally settling on the 4, because this is a first work and because I discovered in the acknowledgement section that the author did attempt to interview the subjects, they simply refused to talk. I am from the area, and remember the case well (even some of the involved people) but wanted to know what I didn’t know. The book is well written for that purpose. Very factually laid out, accurate, not overly slanted to any one side, and interesting.

As a true crime book, it misses the human element that the best of this genre tends to offer. Perhaps the author would have better served the story if he had spent time trying to get to know the “players” emotionally...maybe they would have shared their thoughts. How do other authors manage to get them to share?

At any rate, I would recommend the book with the understanding that it reads very much like a well written, book-length news report.

2 people found this helpful

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Genie Forkner

A home run

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024

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It is so well written that I thought it was written by a veteran author. To discover that it's his first was a delight. The murder was very thoroughly covered. I couldn't put it down.

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Amazon Customer

A Pedestrian Recounting of the Facts

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019

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I came into this book blind, having known nothing about the case beforehand. The book was enjoyable, but I came away with two issues.
(1) Granted, this case had one suspect and so the book could not be written like a classic whodunit. Still, the author could have left the final verdict in doubt by making the narrative a little more neutral. The defendant while testifying at the first criminal trial is described by the author as a "former salesman". When the defendant is declared slayer in a civil suit early in book the author declares that justice has been done. It would have been better to allow the reader a little room to wonder about the outcome, to keep some mystery in the story.
(2) I found the audiobook narration to be slow, almost to the point of being pedantic. The voice characterizations were very good.
The case itself was troubling. As much as I agree with the verdict, I am troubled that the prosecution at the end of the appeals process finally won the case on a technicality. The judge in the two criminal trials also presided over the previous civil trial. (In a perfect world that judge would have recused himself.) Anyway, the judge allowed, contrary to state law, his verdict in the civil trial to be entered into evidence during the second criminal trial. The NC Supreme Court allowed the verdict to stand saying that defense attorneys (public defenders) should have cited the specific law when objecting to the admission of that verdict. The case highlights the massive advantage the state has over defendants with modest means. Between the two criminal trials the prosecution was able to use the police to re-investigate to bolster its case and conduct interviews with the first (hung) jury to determine how best to handle the second jury. What did the defense team do between trials? The book doesn't tell.
Ann Rule, this ain't. But it is an able effort.

4 people found this helpful

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Susan M. Baumann

A Marriage Ends in Murder

Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019

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Epstein has penned an interesting true crime story that kept me turning pages. Jason and Michelle Young had a tumultuous marriage that began because of an unexpected pregnancy. It seemed doomed from the start, fraught with incompatibility and immaturity. The book details the couple’s deteriorating relationship and then Michelle’s gruesome murder. Investigators focus on Jason as the primary suspect. At this point, I had hoped that the book would delve into the psychological backstories of the troubled pair. Though there is information provided, it isn’t mined in-depth. The story focuses on the case and all of the people involved, but as a reader, I wanted to know more about Jason and Michelle. The two subsequent trials were thoroughly researched and did provide an illuminating window into the interior mechanisms of the criminal justice system, but that material was somewhat dry. Meticulous, but more instructive than riveting. Ultimately, this was a sad case that Epstein compellingly described. A worthwhile read.

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Beth-A-Rooni

Very interesting and concise!

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019

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Excellent read! This book is clearly well-researched and written in an objective point of view. Although the author will sometimes insert his own commentary, it does not feel intrusive. I agreed with his opinions and often found myself asking the same questions he was asking. His writing style and structure made you feel like you were in the courtroom. He did take a few liberties regarding the mindset of some of the main characters, but he did explain his rationale and thinking process of why and how he was able to surmise what they must have been thinking at the time.

One warning for Kindle edition readers: the book is divided into two parts and in between them, the author provides photographs of all the key characters. Along with the pictures, there are captions. Do not read the caption! They contain spoilers and outcomes that are detailed in part two!! This was disappointing for me as I did not previously know about this case or the outcome.

The last few chapters of the book felt a bit rushed and contained a lot of legal jargon and technicalities. To me, that was not as enjoyable as the rest of the book. I found myself skimming through those parts.

29 people found this helpful

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Greg

Very compelling story!

Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024

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This was Epstein's first book but I read it after reading another of his books. I am really drawn to his straight forward style and the types of stories

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diane d

Love it

Reviewed in Canada on October 12, 2019

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Oooh i did like it. You read till the end not knowing who and how it's going to finish.

C. Coote

Fascinating account of a terrible event.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2019

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At the start it read almost like a novel. The savage murder of a young pregnant mother with her young child in the house was quite heartbreaking. Her husband had a pattern of behaving like a jerk, but the dynamics within the family, particularly the personality and involvement of his mother in law, inspired some sympathy. He was an immature, narcissistic person but despite feeling he was probably guilty but from the outset of the first criminal trial I was left incredulous that in the light of the back story, his could be considered a fair trial.

2 people found this helpful

Georgette.H.Denholm

Interesting

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2021

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I really did think that this was a thought provoking read.
I don't know that I needed every single detail and it did get repetitive ,which I found frustrating.But that was just me. I can't even begin to imagine how you would extract all the information in the case in order,with so many people adding,changing their story.So hats off to Mr Epstein for presenting a really complex case which went on for a ludicrous amount of time and doing so in a readable way.If you love detail and true crime this is the story for you.

none

Enjoyable read

Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2019

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For the most part I enjoyed reading this book. It gets a bit bogged down with legal details especially towards the end, however the story is interesting and it’s good to know that justice was served.

Earl

A fair read

Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2023

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A bit boring with trial repetition (2 trials). Surprised that he was found guilty considering some of the evidence introduced. e.g. rock in the door and small branch holding door open at Hampton Inn. If camera tilted up was repositioned by staff at 5:30 am, how could he gain access through that door without being recorded? Any person could have propped the door open as he is alledged to have done. Defence appears lacking on this one.

Mr. Epstein's book "Extreme Punishment" is excellent.

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