The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy

Patterson and Ward bring markedly different but complementary backgrounds to this book, shaping both the book’s scope and its style. Patterson is a commercially successful author, best known for his prolific output of thrillers, mysteries, and crime novels, many of which have been adapted into movies and television series. Patterson’s is known for accessible, fast-paced storytelling. His emphasis on suspense and narrative inform his approach to recounting this real-life tragedy. The overlap between Patterson’s fiction and non-fiction writing creates a text that aims to be both propulsive and informative.

Ward, in contrast, is an investigative journalist and author known for in-depth profiles of powerful figures and institutions; she has written for Vanity Fair and is a New York Times bestselling author. She is known for her meticulous research and probing examinations of wealth, power, politics, and influence. Her book Kushner, Inc: Greed. Ambition. Corruption. The Extraordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump (2019) is one example of her detailed, in-depth reporting on controversial public figures. Her reporting background lends the book journalistic rigor, ensuring that interviews, timelines, and facts anchor the narrative.

Patterson contributes narrative propulsion and broad appeal to the project, while Ward supplies investigative depth and contextual grounding.