A great in depth look at a horrible attack. The chapters are easy yet riveting, and the sheer brutality of the attack carries with every word. ( )

The April 15, 2013 attack on the Boston Marathon captivated attention of sporting enthusiasts and the general public alike. Pressure cooker bomb blasts killed three runners and injured hundreds more, including 16 who had limbs torn from their bodies. During the short time span when the perpetrators were on the lam, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology law enforcement officer was fatally shot.

Michelle R. McPhee chronicled details relevant to the horrific event in her book, Maximum Harm: The Tsarnaev Brothers, The FBI and The Road to the Marathon Bombing. This captures the story's essence much better than last year's Patriots Day film. That shouldn't surprise you as books generally are better than cinema at delving into important true events. McPhee, who admits that juggling the job of writing this while hosting her daily WMEX radio talk show was a painstaking task, did her job amazingly well.

No doubt is left in my mind that neither Tamerlan or younger brother Dzhokhar harbored any redeeming social values. To refresh your memory, Dzhokhar drove over and killed Tamerlan during the shootout that occurred after police caught up with the two.

McPhee is not even slightly sympathetic to the twisted soul who awaits death. It's puzzling that young females followed him as though he was a rock star when he appeared in court. It seems reprehensible that Rolling Stone magazine chose to splash a picture of him looking like a rock star on one of its 2013 covers.

Perhaps one of these days Dzhokhar will face his sentence in the Terre Haute, Indiana federal prison facility. There are of course those who are opposed to capitol punishment on moral or religious grounds. This book may prompt you to think about whether or not justice is served by executions of people who commit such dastardly acts as the marathon bombings. It's a worthy read. ( )

Of particular interest to Boston area residents, this book poses a large number of questions about Tamerlan Tsarnaev, his possible affiliation with the FBI, and his involvement in several murders in MA and abroad. His movements in and out of the country without a valid passport are questionable, as was his approval for citizenship. Her descriptions of this entire family that came to the US, was given a great deal of aid and support, and did very little in the way of leading productive lives, are particularly riveting.The author explores these topics, but cannot offer much in the way of documentation or answers, since most of it has been sealed by the FBI, with no reason given. So it's a frustrating read, but I commend the author for opening the door. ( )

This is an extraordinary study of the events surrounding the bombing of the Boston Marathon. The author, using her talents as an investigative reporter, introduces the reader to the protagonists of this event, The Tsarnaev brothers, through a family history reflecting their immigration to the United States, their relationship with the FBI and their ultimate disillusionment with America that led to their radicalization. We also meet many of the victims and heroes associated with this horrific event. McPhee's work is a masterpiece in the study of this tragic event and upon reflection, why it should never have occurred. ( )

The subject matter of this book was intriguing. I didn't remember all of the details of the bombing, and this was a sobering reminder. The author discusses some things that make you think there is more to the story than we will ever now. I would have given this a higher rating, but I found the way the information was presented was confusing. Pieces of the story were out of order which made it hard to follow. ( )