Michael Peterson gained worldwide notoriety for The Staircase, but prior to this he was an accomplished author – so which books has he written?
Anyone who has watched The Staircase drama on Sky Atlantic, or indeed the documentary upon which is based on Netflix, will know the Peterson family enjoyed affluence, living in a sprawling mansion house.
Peterson, who went on to become prime suspect for the alleged murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson, had amassed his fortune writing crime novels.
In more recent years he has written about his experience of prison and the American justice system.
And, er, Santa…
Read more: The true story behind The Staircase: Where is Michael Peterson now?
What is The Staircase?
Sky Atlantic is currently airing a true-crime drama called The Staircase, starring Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as tragic Kathleen.
The drama is based on the critically acclaimed documentary series of the same name, that followed Michael Peterson and his family after Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the back stairs of their home.
As Peterson was charged with murder, cameras followed preparations for the trial, the trial itself and the aftermath – including an appeal.
Who is Michael Peterson?
A former soldier and reasonably successful author, Peterson, now 78, also had political aspirations prior to Kathleen’s death and the subsequent furore.
His decision to have a French documentary crew tell his story while the murder investigation was ongoing proved incredibly smart.
The Staircase docu series threw doubt on elements of the investigation, including Peterson’s supposed guilt.
And no doubt played a crucial part in the deal that eventually saw Peterson serve just eight years before his conviction was overturned.
In a weird twist, though, the original guilty verdict stands, but only in the law books.
So, Peterson is a free man.
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