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Kindle County Legal Thriller #1
Presumed Innocent
Hailed as the most suspenseful and compelling novel in decades. Presumed Innocent brings to life our worst nightmare: that of an ordinary citizen facing conviction for the most terrible of all crimes. It's the stunning portrayal of one man's all-too-human, all-consuming fatal attraction for a passionate woman who is not his wife, and the story of how his obsession puts everything he loves and values on trial—including his own life. It's a book that lays bare a shocking world of betrayal and murder, as well as the hidden depths of the human heart. And it will hold you and haunt you ... long after you have reached its shattering conclusion.
421 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1987
About the author
Scott Turow
128 books1,978 followersScott Turow is the author of ten bestselling works of fiction, including IDENTICAL, INNOCENT, PRESUMED INNOCENT, and THE BURDEN OF PROOF, and two nonfiction books, including ONE L, about his experience as a law student. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, and have been adapted into movies and television projects. He has frequently contributed essays and op-ed pieces to publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,016 reviews
August 27, 2017
This is one of the best books that I have read recently. It is a great legal thriller cum murder mystery. No wonder the book finds mention in both the top 100 mystery/crime novel lists published by the Britain-based Crime Writers' Association and by the Mystery Writers of America. Both the lists were published in the nineties and feature some of the finest specimens of crime writing. The lists can be found here - Link
The story is narrated by Rozat K. Sabich aka Rusty, chief deputy prosecutor of Kindle county who is also the protagonist. The story begins with the murder of Carolyn, another prosecuting attorney, with whom Rusty had an affair and never got over his obsession of her. Rusty gets the responsibility of investigating the crime but himself ends up getting accused of the murder and faces trial.
The book features some really great court room scenes, complex characters and portrays so many human emotions and frailties. Illicit passion, betrayal, corruption, dirty politics, jealousy, friendship, paternal feelings, family bonds - everything finds a place in the story. The author has also explained quite a few legal technicalities which makes it easier for the reader to understand some of the complexities of the trial. The mystery is excellent and the very few would be able to guess the identity of the culprit.
Rusty, accustomed to putting criminals behind bars, is now the accused and feels how is it to be on the other side. He talks about his obsession with Carolyn, his childhood, his strained relationship with his wife, his fear of missing out his son's childhood if he is sent to prison. Some of his ramblings is actually a bit boring and do not fit in the story.The author's use of the English language is impressive but somehow I felt at times it was not compatible with the character or the story. e.g. a person, who is a prosecutor not a poet, facing a murder charge is unlikely to use phrases like "doors and windows of my soul are thrown open to a fundamental gratitude". It is my only criticism of the novel.
The book is not just a thriller but Scott Turow's attempt to explore the intricacies of the human mind and he has done a commendable job. I would recommend the book to lovers of legal thrillers, murder mysteries, psychological thrillers if he/she does not mind the ramblings of the protagonist.
The story is narrated by Rozat K. Sabich aka Rusty, chief deputy prosecutor of Kindle county who is also the protagonist. The story begins with the murder of Carolyn, another prosecuting attorney, with whom Rusty had an affair and never got over his obsession of her. Rusty gets the responsibility of investigating the crime but himself ends up getting accused of the murder and faces trial.
The book features some really great court room scenes, complex characters and portrays so many human emotions and frailties. Illicit passion, betrayal, corruption, dirty politics, jealousy, friendship, paternal feelings, family bonds - everything finds a place in the story. The author has also explained quite a few legal technicalities which makes it easier for the reader to understand some of the complexities of the trial. The mystery is excellent and the very few would be able to guess the identity of the culprit.
Rusty, accustomed to putting criminals behind bars, is now the accused and feels how is it to be on the other side. He talks about his obsession with Carolyn, his childhood, his strained relationship with his wife, his fear of missing out his son's childhood if he is sent to prison. Some of his ramblings is actually a bit boring and do not fit in the story.The author's use of the English language is impressive but somehow I felt at times it was not compatible with the character or the story. e.g. a person, who is a prosecutor not a poet, facing a murder charge is unlikely to use phrases like "doors and windows of my soul are thrown open to a fundamental gratitude". It is my only criticism of the novel.
The book is not just a thriller but Scott Turow's attempt to explore the intricacies of the human mind and he has done a commendable job. I would recommend the book to lovers of legal thrillers, murder mysteries, psychological thrillers if he/she does not mind the ramblings of the protagonist.
May 9, 2023
ما الأكثر صعوبة؟ معرفة الحقيقة أو العثور عليها. أو البَوح بها أو تصديقها؟إذا ظننت أنك تعرف الإجابة فأبشرك بأن اجابتك خاطئة.
كانت وحيدة والدَيها. على غراري و��لى غرار نات. وشعرتْ بالظلم في أثناء نشأتها. كان اهتمام والديها بها خانقاً. واعتبرتْ أنه مزيَّف بطريقة ما. لقد ادّعت أنها كانت موجَّهة ومستغلَّة في كل الأوقات كأداة لتنفيذ رغباتهما وليس رغباتها. وكانت تقول لي في غالب الأحيان إنني الشخص الوحيد المماثل لها الذي قابلتْه. فأنا لا أشعر بالوحدة فحسب. بل أنا وحيد على الدوام. هل التبادل الحزين للحب يعني أنك تريد الحصول من الآخر على الدوام على ما تظن أنك تعطيه إياه؟ لقد أملت باربارا في أن أكون كأمير ما في قصص الخيال. عُلجوماً حوّلتْه بقبلاتها. يمكنه دخول الغابات المُظلمة حيث تُحتجز. ويقودها بعيداً. وعلى مَرّ السنوات. غالباً ما فشلتُ في هذه المهمة.تخيل نفسك نجما لامعا في مقاطعتك يشار لك بالبنان كنائب المدعي العام و المرشح الأكثر جدارة لهذا اللقب بعد فوز المدعي العام بحكم المقاطعة. متزوج و لديك طفل صغير و بيت جميل و راتب محترم. تحقق في جريمة قتل حدثت لزميلة لك في المهنة و تجد الكثير من التشويش على الأدلة و لا توشك أبدا على معرفة القاتل أو تلمس الطريق إليه ثم تجد نفسك فجأة في قفص الاتهام لأنك أنت القاتل و تتحول من ممثل الادعاء للمتهم بالجريمة بين طرفة عين و انتباهتها! هل تخيلت ذلك؟ نعم؟ إذا فلنقرأ الرواية.
ومن الثابت في نظام القضاء الجنائي أن المتهَمين نادراً ما يقولون الحقيقة. وهو أمر مسلَّم به كقوانين الجاذبية. فرجال الشرطة والمدعون العامون. ومحامو الدفاع والقضاة. يعرفون أنهم يكذبون. هم يكذبون بوقار براحات أيدٍ متعرّقة ونظرات مرتبكة. أو بنظرة تلميذ بريء في غالب الأحيان. وبعدم تصديق ساخط عندما تهاجَم سذاجتهم. هم يكذبون لحماية أنفسهم. ويكذبون لحماية أصدقائهم. هم يكذبون لمجرد التسلية ليس إلا. أو لأن ذلك سلوكهم المعتاد. هم يكذبون في شأن تفاصيل كبيرة وصغيرة. وفي شأن من استهل العمل المخالف للقانون. ومن فكر به. ومن قام به. ومن شعر بالأسف. ولكنهم يكذبون. فالكذب على رجال الشرطة. والكذب على هيئة المحلفين التي تنظر في قضيّتكم. عقيدة المتهَم. وهم يكذبون على ضابط المراقَبة إذا اقتنعوا بذلك. ويسخرون من سلامة نيّتكم. فهناك أمر ما يتبدّل على الدوام.في وسط هذه الأحداث الملتبسة يبدأ البطل عملية البحث عن القاتل مرة أخرى و لكن من مقاعد المتهمين لا مقاعد النيابة و ما أصعب الفرق. يشك في كل من حوله بداية من الضباط للقاضي لممثل الادعاء الجديد و يتصور أنها مؤامرة حيكت له في الظلام لأغراض ربما تكون سياسية.
«أنت تشك بأخلاق لارين. يجب أن تسامحني يا راستي. لحظات من الفلسفة فقط. ولكن ليس كل سوء تصرف بشري نتيجة عيوب فادحة في الأخلاق. فالظروف تلعب دورها أيضاً. التجربة. إذا سمحتَ بكلمة قديمة الطراز. عرفتُ لارين طوال مهنتي. وأقول لك إنه عانى الكثير. لقد تركه طلاقه في حالة من الفوضى. كان يتناول الشراب كثيراً. ويقامر. ودخل هذه العلاقة مع امرأة جميلة ووصولية. وحُطمت حياته المهنية. تخلى عن عادته عندما أصبح في أوج شهرته وحصل على مكافآت مالية. أنا على ثقة تامة بأنه أراد بهذا التغيير. والتعويض عن الانقلابات التي شهدتها حياته الشخصية. وبدلاً من ذلك. وجد نفسه مقيَّداً بعمل ثأري وسياسي في نطاق قضائي مُغرِق. وفاصلاً في مسائل غير ذات أهمية كبيرة. ولا علاقة لها بما اجتذبه إلى كرسي القضاء منذ البداية. لارين شخص ذو مقدرة عقلية كبيرة. ولكنه لم يسمع طوال سنوات سوى عن محاضر التجارة غير القانونية. وشغَب المشارب. والأمور التي تحصل في الغابة؛ وهي مسائل محيطة بالقضاء العام. وكل تلك القضايا تنتهي بالطريقة نفسها؛ بإخلاء سبيل المتّهَم. لا شيء سوى: أُقلفت القضية. مراقَبة قبل المحاكمة. مراقَبة بعد المحاكمة. ويعود المتّهَم على كل حال إلى منزله. وكان لارين في محيطٍ يعاني فساداً تاماً هو من أسرار المدينة الأكثر خطورة. رجال الكفالات. رجال الشرطة. ضباط المراقَبة. المحامون. كان الفرع الشمالي خليّة نحل من الصفقات المحظورة. هل تعتقد. يا راستي. أن لارين ليتل أول قاضٍ في دار قضاء الفرع الشمالي يقع على قارعة الطريق؟».في النهاية لا يوجد عاقل يتوقع من منظومة العدالة أن تكشف الحقيقة سيما و ان اختلفنا على معنى الحقيقة ذاته. فالعدالة عمياء ليس فقط عن التحيزات و لكنها عمياء أيضا عن الحقيقة و يسهل التلاعب بها من كل الأطراف.
كدتُ أبلغ الأربعين من عمري. ولم يعد باستطاعتي الادعاء بأنني أجهل العالم. أو أن معظم ما رأيته يُعجبني. أنا ابن والدي. هذا هو إرثي؛ تلطُّخ النظرة المستقبلية حول وجود قسوة في الحياة أكثر مما يستوعبه العقلاء. لا أدّعي أنني تعرضتُ لمقدار كبير من المعاناة. ولكن مرّ عليّ الكثير. لقد رأيت روح والدي العرجاء التي أعطبتها إحدى أكبر الجرائم في التاريخ؛ رأيت العذاب والحاجة. والغضب العشوائي والانفعالي الذي يؤدي إلى سوء تصرف متنوّع ورهيب في شوارعنا. وكمدّع عام. عزمتُ على مكافحة هذه الأمور وإعلان نفسي عدوًّا لدوداً لأولئك الذين يرتكبون كل إساءة بالقوة والسلاح. ولكنني عجزتُ عن ذلك. بالطبع. فمن الذي يستطيع رؤية المقدرة السلبية تلك والاحتفاظ بأي شعور بالتفاؤل؟ لكان ذلك أسهل لو لم يكن العالم مليئاً بسوء الطالع العرَضي. غولان شارف. وهو أحد جيراني. لديه ابن وُلد ضريراً. وماك وزوجها غاصا في النهر في لحظة مرح بعد أن استدارا عند إحدى الزوايا. وحتى إن كان الحظ - والحظ فقط - يجنّبنا الأسوأ. فإن الحياة تُنهك العديدين منا. فالعديد من الرجال الصغار في السنّ من ذوي الكفاءات تفتر هممهم ويتقبّلون الواقع المرير. والنساء الصغيرات في السنّ النشيطات يحمِلنَ أطفالاً. ويصبحن أكثر سمنة عند الوركين. ويتقلّصنَ آملاتٍ في أثناء دنوّهنّ من منتصف العمر. لقد بدت لي كل حياة آنذاك. وعلى غرار كل نُدفة ثلج. فريدة بأشكال بؤسها وبندرة واعتدال مُتَعها. وتنطفئ الأضواء. وتسود العتمة. ولا يمكن للروح أن تتحمل هذا القدْر من الظلام. لقد مددتُ يدي إلى كارولين بتأنٍّ وعن قصد. لا يمكنني الادعاء بأن الأمر كان مجرد حادثة أو اكتشاف أشياء جميلة مصادَفةً. لقد حدث ما أردتُ أن يحدث. لقد حدث ما أردت القيام به. لقد مددتُ يدي إلى كارولين.
June 23, 2021
“ما الأكثر صعوبة؟ معرفة الحقيقة أو العثور عليها، أو البوح بها أو تصديقها؟”.
سكوت تورو.
سكوت تورو.
July 20, 2020
Now i get what all the praise is about! If anything i enjoyed it more than i had hoped, even after reading its accolades. I mean what else can i say?! It deserves all it got! & imo it's still in a league of its own, so many years (& great legal thrillers) later. But i do really want to recommend the audiobook. The narrator was exceptional!! You could feel the tension. It's a long 1 (about 16 hours) but i genuinely wasn't bored for a second. I felt like i could close my eyes & be IN that courtroom! So good. So smart. If anything, I'm actually in mourning now that its over. I know i can't possibly expect the entire series to be this extraordinary but I'm still super excited that there's more.
July 22, 2016
I had this weird dream last night. I was at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and... here, let me give you my reconstruction...
HILLARY CLINTON: [on podium, in front of huge crowd] And now, our prosecutor is going to read out a list of indictments against my opponent, Donald Trump. I want you all to say whether you think he's innocent or... GUILTY!
PROSECUTOR: Thank you Hillary. Let's get started. Indictment one: sexual assault. Jill Harth recently accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in 1997. Do you think he's innocent or guilty?
MAN IN CROWD: Some parts of her story ring true, but she's changed it a lot of times.
WOMAN IN CROWD: Yeah, it's hard to know what's going on.
SECOND MAN IN CROWD: And it's all hearsay.
PROSECUTOR: So, what do we think?
CROWD: Presumed innocent!
PROSECUTOR: I can't hear you.
CROWD: PRESUMED INNOCENT!!
PROSECUTOR: Thank you, that's a great answer! And now, indictment two: rape. Katie Johnson, in another recent deposition, claimed that "she was subject to extreme sexual and physical abuse by Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein, including forcible rape during a four month time span, when she was still only a minor of age 13." What do we think? Innocent or guilty?
MAN IN CROWD: This is hearsay too!
WOMAN IN CROWD: But she does have a witness, "Tiffany Doe".
SECOND MAN IN CROWD: It could be politically motivated though. Hard to tell. All the same, she should have her day in court.
PROSECUTOR: So, what do we think?
CROWD: Presumed innocent!
PROSECUTOR: I can't hear you.
CROWD: PRESUMED INNOCENT!!
PROSECUTOR: You're all such terrific guys! So, indictment three: fraud and racketeering. Donald Trump's "Trump University" is the subject of several lawsuits, including two class action suits filed in California and one filed in New York by then-attorney general Eric Schneiderman. The many petitioners claim that they were swindled out of sums of up to $60,000 dollars in exchange for courses that were essentially worthless. What do we think? Innocent or guilty?
MAN IN CROWD: You gotta admit there's a lot of evidence.
WOMAN IN CROWD: I read the playbook when the judge ruled that it could be released. Disgusting.
SECOND MAN IN CROWD: But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I need to hear the other side before I make up my mind. And hey, caveat emptor.
PROSECUTOR: So, what do we want?
CROWD: Due process!
PROSECUTOR: I can't hear you.
CROWD: DUE PROCESS!
PROSECUTOR: I still can't hear you.
CROWD: DUE PROCESS!!!
[A chant starts up]
One, two, three, four
We must all respect the law!
Six, seven, eight, nine
Stay the right side of the line!
HILLARY CLINTON: Thank you, thank you, thank you! See, that's the America I'm fighting for. A country where the rule of law is paramount, where due process is respected, and where everyone is presumed innocent until they're proven guilty. Even Donald Trump.
HILLARY CLINTON: [on podium, in front of huge crowd] And now, our prosecutor is going to read out a list of indictments against my opponent, Donald Trump. I want you all to say whether you think he's innocent or... GUILTY!
PROSECUTOR: Thank you Hillary. Let's get started. Indictment one: sexual assault. Jill Harth recently accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in 1997. Do you think he's innocent or guilty?
MAN IN CROWD: Some parts of her story ring true, but she's changed it a lot of times.
WOMAN IN CROWD: Yeah, it's hard to know what's going on.
SECOND MAN IN CROWD: And it's all hearsay.
PROSECUTOR: So, what do we think?
CROWD: Presumed innocent!
PROSECUTOR: I can't hear you.
CROWD: PRESUMED INNOCENT!!
PROSECUTOR: Thank you, that's a great answer! And now, indictment two: rape. Katie Johnson, in another recent deposition, claimed that "she was subject to extreme sexual and physical abuse by Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein, including forcible rape during a four month time span, when she was still only a minor of age 13." What do we think? Innocent or guilty?
MAN IN CROWD: This is hearsay too!
WOMAN IN CROWD: But she does have a witness, "Tiffany Doe".
SECOND MAN IN CROWD: It could be politically motivated though. Hard to tell. All the same, she should have her day in court.
PROSECUTOR: So, what do we think?
CROWD: Presumed innocent!
PROSECUTOR: I can't hear you.
CROWD: PRESUMED INNOCENT!!
PROSECUTOR: You're all such terrific guys! So, indictment three: fraud and racketeering. Donald Trump's "Trump University" is the subject of several lawsuits, including two class action suits filed in California and one filed in New York by then-attorney general Eric Schneiderman. The many petitioners claim that they were swindled out of sums of up to $60,000 dollars in exchange for courses that were essentially worthless. What do we think? Innocent or guilty?
MAN IN CROWD: You gotta admit there's a lot of evidence.
WOMAN IN CROWD: I read the playbook when the judge ruled that it could be released. Disgusting.
SECOND MAN IN CROWD: But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I need to hear the other side before I make up my mind. And hey, caveat emptor.
PROSECUTOR: So, what do we want?
CROWD: Due process!
PROSECUTOR: I can't hear you.
CROWD: DUE PROCESS!
PROSECUTOR: I still can't hear you.
CROWD: DUE PROCESS!!!
[A chant starts up]
One, two, three, four
We must all respect the law!
Six, seven, eight, nine
Stay the right side of the line!
HILLARY CLINTON: Thank you, thank you, thank you! See, that's the America I'm fighting for. A country where the rule of law is paramount, where due process is respected, and where everyone is presumed innocent until they're proven guilty. Even Donald Trump.
September 5, 2023
This is a story about Rusty Sabicch, a chief deputy prosecutor who is arrested and tried for the rape and murder of a co-worker for whom he was having an affair.
The case against Rusty is based on very circumstantial evidence. Still, the action in the courtroom is riveting. Sandy Stern is the defense attorney. He is a well-thought out character who is quite likable.
The battle in the courtroom provides many satisfying twists and turns.
Rusty is an unreliable narrator, but…
Turow, made it work, because it added to the suspense. As readers, we can’t help but ask…what isn’t he telling us? Did he do it? What about the fingerprints?
In due time, all the questions will be answered, just when we need to know.
The case against Rusty is based on very circumstantial evidence. Still, the action in the courtroom is riveting. Sandy Stern is the defense attorney. He is a well-thought out character who is quite likable.
The battle in the courtroom provides many satisfying twists and turns.
Rusty is an unreliable narrator, but…
Turow, made it work, because it added to the suspense. As readers, we can’t help but ask…what isn’t he telling us? Did he do it? What about the fingerprints?
In due time, all the questions will be answered, just when we need to know.
March 11, 2019
First of all, I was more than surprised to find out that Turow came before Grisham. This book was published in 1987 while Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill came out a year later, and actually encouraged Grisham to embark on a writing career.
Presumed Innocent is a well crafted blend of mystery and legal thriller. The plot has many twists and turns and the reader is empathizing with Rusty Sabich all the way. It has great court room scenes, sharp dialogue, and good character development, filled with all the saucy human emotions and foibles that fiction readers savor - forbidden passion, betrayal, corruption, nasty local politics, and bitter jealousy.
Despite continuing on in his writing, this debut novel probably remains as Turow's best.
Presumed Innocent is a well crafted blend of mystery and legal thriller. The plot has many twists and turns and the reader is empathizing with Rusty Sabich all the way. It has great court room scenes, sharp dialogue, and good character development, filled with all the saucy human emotions and foibles that fiction readers savor - forbidden passion, betrayal, corruption, nasty local politics, and bitter jealousy.
Despite continuing on in his writing, this debut novel probably remains as Turow's best.
January 3, 2021
It has been years since I read a Scott Turow book. Now, I remember why he was one of my favorite authors.
The book is well written. The characters are interesting and the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. The ending would be a surprise to many. The courtroom action kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fifteen hours and thirty-four minutes. Edward Herrmann does an excellent job narrating the book. Herrmann (1943-2014) was a well-known narrator of the history channel and audiobooks. He was an actor and famous for his portrayal of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The book is well written. The characters are interesting and the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. The ending would be a surprise to many. The courtroom action kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fifteen hours and thirty-four minutes. Edward Herrmann does an excellent job narrating the book. Herrmann (1943-2014) was a well-known narrator of the history channel and audiobooks. He was an actor and famous for his portrayal of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
September 11, 2013
7/10
An enjoyable legal thriller that really hits it stride in the courtroom and less so in the bits outside of the courtroom. I thought it was an interesting, and quite novel, idea to set the first pages after the murder has occurred and then fill in the blanks as you go along. A lot of back story was needed to get the reader up to speed and this is when things were a little slow and sometimes less interesting with the political campaign less absorbing but we know what is just around the corner.
When the story gets into the courtroom the book was hard to put down. The dialogue flowed with ease and there were many times when you were keen to just read that next chapter to find out what was going to happen instead of going to sleep.
Whilst the solution to the murder and side plots weren't all that great in the end it had some of the best courtroom interrogations I've read in a long time.
If only the whole story was as tight as those scenes this would have been much higher rated overall. Worth a read if this is a genre you're interested in.
If you enjoy this try: "The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly
An enjoyable legal thriller that really hits it stride in the courtroom and less so in the bits outside of the courtroom. I thought it was an interesting, and quite novel, idea to set the first pages after the murder has occurred and then fill in the blanks as you go along. A lot of back story was needed to get the reader up to speed and this is when things were a little slow and sometimes less interesting with the political campaign less absorbing but we know what is just around the corner.
When the story gets into the courtroom the book was hard to put down. The dialogue flowed with ease and there were many times when you were keen to just read that next chapter to find out what was going to happen instead of going to sleep.
Whilst the solution to the murder and side plots weren't all that great in the end it had some of the best courtroom interrogations I've read in a long time.
If only the whole story was as tight as those scenes this would have been much higher rated overall. Worth a read if this is a genre you're interested in.
If you enjoy this try: "The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly
August 23, 2020
Presumed Innocent is the quintessential bestseller, the prose is polished without having any personality or punch. The mystery is interesting without outright flaws but it falls apart the more you think about it. The less you have read of the genre, the more you will enjoy it. Rusty Sabich, deputy DA is investigating the death of a female colleague while a heated DA election rages on. Politics and forensics doom him as the major suspect and he had an affair with the deceased so he is soon on trial for murder.
The pivotal trial scenes are the best part of the book. Turow draws from his experience as a lawyer and makes them appear authentic without sacrificing any thrills. Subtleties and undercurrents are as important as direct testimony. The anecdotes about the criminal justice system are juicy and entertaining. But the prose is dull explaining why Turow's first hit and biggest hit remains the same at the end of his career. It reminded me of Michael Connelly, characters and prose are dour but both of them have an encyclopedic knowledge about the procedural aspects of their works making them stand out among other authors with mediocre prose.
I recently read another famous 80s crime book - The Black Dahlia, it also had an extended prologue but it was devoid of pacing issues. This however drags a lot till Rusty is accused. A lot should have been edited out chief among them Rusty's conversation with his psychiatrist. The shrink does not really talk, the chapters are stream of consciousness style ramblings. The smoking gun in the case is a clerical error, that is slightly iffy plotting. The ending still lands a few well concealed twists.
Characterization is inconsistent. Turow tries very hard to not call the victim an outright slut but merely insinuates it throughout the book. I found this forced political correctness pretty funny, it was basically a form of you know I am not a racist but if my wallet is stolen I invariably blame the non-white guy in the crowd. The kicker being the black guy stole it or in this case she slept around for career advancement. I admit my sense of humor is of the gallows variety. Rusty also gets inexplicably sanctimonious at the end, brought about by the belief most readers hate moral complexity in their protagonists. It makes little sense within the narrative but no one went broke underestimating audience's intelligence.
Structural problems are also present. It is later revealed Rusty knew from the start who killed who. We are in his head for 450 pages, he describes furniture in excruciating detail but never lets it on who was the killer till the very end. Again Rusty's lawyer- Sandy Stern, one of the better characters in the book, keeps Rusty vague about the defense strategy. I could not stomach the fact that a lawyer on trial for murder would not be more hands on with his own legal team. Both these issues exist because Turow wants to spring the surprises when he is good and ready. The twists are good so the story works, the storytelling however is contrived.
Presumed Innocent is a book of two halves, the halves are not exactly equal. The last one third is inspired combining different threads for a wonderful resolution. The first two-thirds are derivative and desultory and has its fair share of pacing problems. A good ending means my overall impression of the book is better than the review suggests but I can't exactly excuse its pacing issues, so 3.5 gets reduced for GR. Rating - 3/5.
The pivotal trial scenes are the best part of the book. Turow draws from his experience as a lawyer and makes them appear authentic without sacrificing any thrills. Subtleties and undercurrents are as important as direct testimony. The anecdotes about the criminal justice system are juicy and entertaining. But the prose is dull explaining why Turow's first hit and biggest hit remains the same at the end of his career. It reminded me of Michael Connelly, characters and prose are dour but both of them have an encyclopedic knowledge about the procedural aspects of their works making them stand out among other authors with mediocre prose.
I recently read another famous 80s crime book - The Black Dahlia, it also had an extended prologue but it was devoid of pacing issues. This however drags a lot till Rusty is accused. A lot should have been edited out chief among them Rusty's conversation with his psychiatrist. The shrink does not really talk, the chapters are stream of consciousness style ramblings. The smoking gun in the case is a clerical error, that is slightly iffy plotting. The ending still lands a few well concealed twists.
Characterization is inconsistent. Turow tries very hard to not call the victim an outright slut but merely insinuates it throughout the book. I found this forced political correctness pretty funny, it was basically a form of you know I am not a racist but if my wallet is stolen I invariably blame the non-white guy in the crowd. The kicker being the black guy stole it or in this case she slept around for career advancement. I admit my sense of humor is of the gallows variety. Rusty also gets inexplicably sanctimonious at the end, brought about by the belief most readers hate moral complexity in their protagonists. It makes little sense within the narrative but no one went broke underestimating audience's intelligence.
Structural problems are also present. It is later revealed Rusty knew from the start who killed who. We are in his head for 450 pages, he describes furniture in excruciating detail but never lets it on who was the killer till the very end. Again Rusty's lawyer- Sandy Stern, one of the better characters in the book, keeps Rusty vague about the defense strategy. I could not stomach the fact that a lawyer on trial for murder would not be more hands on with his own legal team. Both these issues exist because Turow wants to spring the surprises when he is good and ready. The twists are good so the story works, the storytelling however is contrived.
Presumed Innocent is a book of two halves, the halves are not exactly equal. The last one third is inspired combining different threads for a wonderful resolution. The first two-thirds are derivative and desultory and has its fair share of pacing problems. A good ending means my overall impression of the book is better than the review suggests but I can't exactly excuse its pacing issues, so 3.5 gets reduced for GR. Rating - 3/5.
May 17, 2019
I met Scott Turow when he came to visit my college to promote "Presumed Innocent", which I thought was a great book at the time. I haven't read it in almost 20 years (Christ, has it been that long since I was in college?), but I remember some of the details in his writing that made him stand out from all the other best-selling thriller writers out there, most notably John Grisham. Both of them were inevitably compared to each other because of their courtroom settings and knowledge of the legal profession, but Turow was generally trying to do something different than Grisham. It's Turow's details (his naturalistic dialogue, his attempts to flesh out minor characters, his reflections into the darkness of the human condition) that I appreciated more from a writer's perspective and that I probably recall better than the actual plot, which was, if I recall correctly, a seemingly run-of-the-mill whodunnit.
May 5, 2018
E libro es fantástico, con un final maravillosamente hilado y para mi totalmente inesperado. ¿Y qué decir de la película con Harrison Ford?
February 24, 2024
Psychological thriller or legal thriller? You be the judge
While PRESUMED INNOCENT might be most commonly categorized as a legal thriller, one could definitely make a case for calling it a psychological thriller. In much the same fashion as the appeal of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch canon starts with the noir angst-ridden psychological under-pinnings of his main characters, Scott Turow narrates much of his story via the thoughts of Rusty Sabich, the former deputy prosecutor of the Kindle County DA's office.
The basic plot premise is exciting! Raymond Horgan, Sabich's boss and incumbent in the Kindle County prosecutor's position is squared off against Nico Della Guardia in the upcoming election. When Carolyn Polhemus, one of Sabich's colleagues in the office is found murdered, Horgan assigns the job to Sabich. But when Horgan loses the election, Della Guardia discovers that Sabich and Polhemus once had an affair. The magnifying glass of the investigation is focused onto Sabich and he is horrified to discover that he is now the sole suspect for the murder.
We feel like Sabich isn't the murder. Indeed, we very much want to belive that Sabich isn't the murder. But the beauty of the suspense in this novel is that we are never sure about the culprit and the true motives for the murder until the final few pages.
Lots of superb legal drama with lots of colour and detail presented from both sides of a number of different fences - prosecution vs defense; police and investigation vs judiciary; victim vs villain; and husband vs wife, to name only a few.
If you're looking for action in this one, you're bound to be disappointed. This is a thinking man's thriller, a cerebral novel that is plot and character driven. As another reviewer once noted, it's a shame that very little that Scott Turow has written since has measured up to the very high bar that he set for himself with this debut novel.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
While PRESUMED INNOCENT might be most commonly categorized as a legal thriller, one could definitely make a case for calling it a psychological thriller. In much the same fashion as the appeal of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch canon starts with the noir angst-ridden psychological under-pinnings of his main characters, Scott Turow narrates much of his story via the thoughts of Rusty Sabich, the former deputy prosecutor of the Kindle County DA's office.
The basic plot premise is exciting! Raymond Horgan, Sabich's boss and incumbent in the Kindle County prosecutor's position is squared off against Nico Della Guardia in the upcoming election. When Carolyn Polhemus, one of Sabich's colleagues in the office is found murdered, Horgan assigns the job to Sabich. But when Horgan loses the election, Della Guardia discovers that Sabich and Polhemus once had an affair. The magnifying glass of the investigation is focused onto Sabich and he is horrified to discover that he is now the sole suspect for the murder.
We feel like Sabich isn't the murder. Indeed, we very much want to belive that Sabich isn't the murder. But the beauty of the suspense in this novel is that we are never sure about the culprit and the true motives for the murder until the final few pages.
Lots of superb legal drama with lots of colour and detail presented from both sides of a number of different fences - prosecution vs defense; police and investigation vs judiciary; victim vs villain; and husband vs wife, to name only a few.
If you're looking for action in this one, you're bound to be disappointed. This is a thinking man's thriller, a cerebral novel that is plot and character driven. As another reviewer once noted, it's a shame that very little that Scott Turow has written since has measured up to the very high bar that he set for himself with this debut novel.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
March 14, 2017
What a mess. It was unnecessarily racist, and unjustifiably long.
I opened this book expecting to be gripped, suprised, and excited. Instead, I was disppointed.
It was a far too long blow-by-blow account of unimportant details. I guess who the killer was halfway through the book, and it somehow managed to further disappoint me, in the process of revealing the killer to me at the end.
I'm not even sure whether or not I should go into the mess of a sub-plot. Becuase the killer is, suprise surpise, his wife, and because he wanted to avoid having to end with her confessing her crime to the courtroom, Turow decided to end the trial abruplty, through the use of that infamous 'B-file'. Judge Larren was once involved in bribery, and through fear of all of his dirt being brought to light in the courtroom, he dismisses the trial, and sets dusty free. No one cared in the slighest. Practically every one knew, but not one single character cared. Why, then should I have cared? I didn't. It was sloppy tactic. It's as if Scott Turow sat at his desk scratching away with his pencil in a 'got to have a twist, got to have a twist' frenzy, and was prepared to jot down ANYTHING, to deliver that god damned twist.
I can't remember being gripped by the story, once, and the highest point, was the second to last trial.
I gave it two stars instead of one, because although a drag it's written well (linguistically), and the facts pumped behind all of the law, and forensics, were interesting (if you like that sort of thing).
All in all, it was nothing out of the ordinary, and am quite miffed that the reviews on the back claimed that this book would take over my life for a while. Maybe I should be blaming them.
I opened this book expecting to be gripped, suprised, and excited. Instead, I was disppointed.
It was a far too long blow-by-blow account of unimportant details. I guess who the killer was halfway through the book, and it somehow managed to further disappoint me, in the process of revealing the killer to me at the end.
I'm not even sure whether or not I should go into the mess of a sub-plot. Becuase the killer is, suprise surpise, his wife, and because he wanted to avoid having to end with her confessing her crime to the courtroom, Turow decided to end the trial abruplty, through the use of that infamous 'B-file'. Judge Larren was once involved in bribery, and through fear of all of his dirt being brought to light in the courtroom, he dismisses the trial, and sets dusty free. No one cared in the slighest. Practically every one knew, but not one single character cared. Why, then should I have cared? I didn't. It was sloppy tactic. It's as if Scott Turow sat at his desk scratching away with his pencil in a 'got to have a twist, got to have a twist' frenzy, and was prepared to jot down ANYTHING, to deliver that god damned twist.
I can't remember being gripped by the story, once, and the highest point, was the second to last trial.
I gave it two stars instead of one, because although a drag it's written well (linguistically), and the facts pumped behind all of the law, and forensics, were interesting (if you like that sort of thing).
All in all, it was nothing out of the ordinary, and am quite miffed that the reviews on the back claimed that this book would take over my life for a while. Maybe I should be blaming them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2019
Book 1 of the Kindle County series.
For the most part this was a well constructed courtroom thriller. I say “for the most part” for there were aspects of the book that I had some problems with. Much of the dialogue was written in the local vernacular, which is all well and fine if the reader is conversant with the local vernacular but if not it was a bit like reading a foreign language at times.
But apart from that, as I said earlier, it’s a clever, well constructed courtroom thriller.
The premise of the story is based on that old truism, from a male point of view, that is “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. You better believe it!
Rusty Sabich is Kindle County’s deputy Public Prosecutor and he has been having a torrid affair with one of his female colleagues. When the colleague turns up murdered and some circumstantial evidence seems to point at Rusty the new Chief Prosecutor has Rusty charge with the murder.
The ensuing trial I found riveting. Watching the defence team at work was quite something. The use of verbal language, body language and the addition of some theatrics all this put together makes for a highly entertaining read.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
For the most part this was a well constructed courtroom thriller. I say “for the most part” for there were aspects of the book that I had some problems with. Much of the dialogue was written in the local vernacular, which is all well and fine if the reader is conversant with the local vernacular but if not it was a bit like reading a foreign language at times.
But apart from that, as I said earlier, it’s a clever, well constructed courtroom thriller.
The premise of the story is based on that old truism, from a male point of view, that is “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. You better believe it!
Rusty Sabich is Kindle County’s deputy Public Prosecutor and he has been having a torrid affair with one of his female colleagues. When the colleague turns up murdered and some circumstantial evidence seems to point at Rusty the new Chief Prosecutor has Rusty charge with the murder.
The ensuing trial I found riveting. Watching the defence team at work was quite something. The use of verbal language, body language and the addition of some theatrics all this put together makes for a highly entertaining read.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
April 5, 2018
البريء المفترض
رواية إثارة قانونية ممتازة، حصلت على الجزء الثاني منها والذي صدر بعد سنوات طويلة بعنوان (البريء) من معرض الرياض الفائت، جريمة قتل بشعة تذهب ضحيتها محامية جميلة ويتهم بالجريمة زميلها وحبيبها السابق، يضعنا سكوت تورو على حافة الترقب، ما الذي حدث؟ هل ارتكب رستي سابيتش الجريمة فعلاً؟ أم هو بريء وهناك مؤامرة ضده، استطاع تورو إبقائي في الظلام حتى الصفحة الأخيرة.
رواية إثارة قانونية ممتازة، حصلت على الجزء الثاني منها والذي صدر بعد سنوات طويلة بعنوان (البريء) من معرض الرياض الفائت، جريمة قتل بشعة تذهب ضحيتها محامية جميلة ويتهم بالجريمة زميلها وحبيبها السابق، يضعنا سكوت تورو على حافة الترقب، ما الذي حدث؟ هل ارتكب رستي سابيتش الجريمة فعلاً؟ أم هو بريء وهناك مؤامرة ضده، استطاع تورو إبقائي في الظلام حتى الصفحة الأخيرة.
April 28, 2017
I recently re-read this, and it's still wonderful. The writing is sharp and brooding, and the plotting is superb.
March 12, 2018
This is a terrific murder mystery, as well as being a fun legal thriller. Having spent decades as a lawyer, I often find that books featuring lawyers, the law, and courtroom scenes often contain errors – and this one doesn’t! (It completely messes with my suspension of disbelief if in legal fiction, I end up thinking, “That wouldn’t have been allowed.”)
I picked this book up because I recently re-watched the movie (which I love)… and there was one area in the movie that – while not wrong or impossible – made me cock my head to one side and raise an eyebrow. Hmm, I thought. I wonder if that’s Hollywood or the way it was written?
Happily, I enjoyed the book very much (in addition to getting the answer to my question – Hollywood cut one very small scene, which, if included, would have kept my eyebrow firmly in place, but which, honestly, to anyone but a lawyer is really not needed). The mystery (even though I knew the answer) was well played out, the characters were fully fleshed out and the writing was smooth. The author does a great job of keeping the legal aspects clear and understandable to the layman.
In this story, Rusty Sabich, is a prosecuting attorney. When one of his colleagues, Carolyn Polhemus is murdered, he is put in charge of the investigation. Rusty is torn, professionally and personally, by Carolyn’s death – because not too long before the murder, they had had an affair. Even worse, every bit of evidence they have about the murderer is pointing to Rusty being the culprit… Fantastic stuff.
I must say, the Rusty character in the book is not quite the tower of strength Harrison Ford portrays in the movie, but naturally, the book is much richer in details of the different characters’ motivations and the legal process. The movie does an excellent job of rendering the story, but if you want to delve a little deeper, this book will deliver.
Highly recommended to lovers of legal thrillers!
True rating: 4.5 stars.
I picked this book up because I recently re-watched the movie (which I love)… and there was one area in the movie that – while not wrong or impossible – made me cock my head to one side and raise an eyebrow. Hmm, I thought. I wonder if that’s Hollywood or the way it was written?
Happily, I enjoyed the book very much (in addition to getting the answer to my question – Hollywood cut one very small scene, which, if included, would have kept my eyebrow firmly in place, but which, honestly, to anyone but a lawyer is really not needed). The mystery (even though I knew the answer) was well played out, the characters were fully fleshed out and the writing was smooth. The author does a great job of keeping the legal aspects clear and understandable to the layman.
In this story, Rusty Sabich, is a prosecuting attorney. When one of his colleagues, Carolyn Polhemus is murdered, he is put in charge of the investigation. Rusty is torn, professionally and personally, by Carolyn’s death – because not too long before the murder, they had had an affair. Even worse, every bit of evidence they have about the murderer is pointing to Rusty being the culprit… Fantastic stuff.
I must say, the Rusty character in the book is not quite the tower of strength Harrison Ford portrays in the movie, but naturally, the book is much richer in details of the different characters’ motivations and the legal process. The movie does an excellent job of rendering the story, but if you want to delve a little deeper, this book will deliver.
Highly recommended to lovers of legal thrillers!
True rating: 4.5 stars.
July 6, 2016
I'm surprised I didn't like this. The reader was pretty good, but I just didn't like the way the author wrote. There was too much back story dumping irrelevant data that detracted from the main story. I might have stuck with it longer, except I didn't like the main character enough.
June 15, 2017
4.5 stars ... It was just a little too long. Otherwise, this was a stellar reading experience.
I'm doing a bunch of challenges this year. And a couple led me to reading this book, & to reading Turow for the first time. And I'm
so grateful for that. I might not have gotten around to this otherwise, & that would be a shame.
This book has been out for over 30 years, & made into a movie. So there isn't much I can add to the conversation around it. I'll just say it's as much a character study as it is a procedural crime story, as much the story of a messy relationship as that of a trial, as introspective as it is cinematic.
Also, somehow I guessed the culprit early on - just a hunch. But the book was so well-written that I gave up my guess early on & went along for the ride. You should, too.
I'm doing a bunch of challenges this year. And a couple led me to reading this book, & to reading Turow for the first time. And I'm
so grateful for that. I might not have gotten around to this otherwise, & that would be a shame.
This book has been out for over 30 years, & made into a movie. So there isn't much I can add to the conversation around it. I'll just say it's as much a character study as it is a procedural crime story, as much the story of a messy relationship as that of a trial, as introspective as it is cinematic.
Also, somehow I guessed the culprit early on - just a hunch. But the book was so well-written that I gave up my guess early on & went along for the ride. You should, too.
October 17, 2023
This is legit just Twilight for old white guys.
It wastes no time spouting off casual racism, sexism, and homophobia as it plods through its slipshod plot, both through its main character and the side pieces that surround him. Whatever, I thought as I read, I guess the main character is supposed to be an asshole? Surely it's gotta serve the story somehow... Nah. Rusty is simply a racist, sexist homophobe, both in his speech and in his mental machinations, and you're gonna love him just the way he is. When it becomes clear that the author actually expects you to sympathize with this motherfucker, you roll your eyes hard enough to propel you down a journey through history as you ruminate on all the poor souls a system stuffed with these crap biscuits has let down. I was half expecting Rusty to sheepishly protest he can't be racist at some point because he has black friends, but no one ever takes him or anyone else to the burner for their comfortably held biases, and he would've been capping anyhow because he doesn't even have any black friends.
And look, I understand this may have been the way people in law enforcement and other governmental positions actually spoke back then. But Scott Turow works it in so nonchalantly only to do nothing but reinforce it through the story he tells; I have to raise up my leg and mark him as being a part of the reason why elderly, conservative white folks consider this way of thinking to be okay. The plot centers itself upon the murder of a woman that Turow uses a very creative vocabulary to politely call a slut, and how a black man he uses a cascade of coded language to call the n-word took part in a scheme that our oh so sanctimonious hero finds himself apparently victimized by. Never mind that this woman navigated her way through a boy's club to her position as a prosecuting attorney. So what if the black man overcame a deck stacked against him to become a judge? No, these two are bad to the bone due to reasons owed to what they are rather than who they are: a slut and a n*****.
The fact that all of this turns out to be a subplot that distracts from the truth of the book's mystery without ever confronting the bias that makes the distraction possible stinks of a writer who holds those biases himself. I could talk about the confoundingly uneven characterizations, the weakness of all the parts that take place outside the trial, and the toked up drama of a pretty unrealistic case, but I just can't get past the fact that Scott Turow writes like a trash human-being. If you're interested in the legal thriller genre, I strongly recommend Defending Jacob by William Landay instead. Landay perfected the formula and did it without discriminating against anyone.
It wastes no time spouting off casual racism, sexism, and homophobia as it plods through its slipshod plot, both through its main character and the side pieces that surround him. Whatever, I thought as I read, I guess the main character is supposed to be an asshole? Surely it's gotta serve the story somehow... Nah. Rusty is simply a racist, sexist homophobe, both in his speech and in his mental machinations, and you're gonna love him just the way he is. When it becomes clear that the author actually expects you to sympathize with this motherfucker, you roll your eyes hard enough to propel you down a journey through history as you ruminate on all the poor souls a system stuffed with these crap biscuits has let down. I was half expecting Rusty to sheepishly protest he can't be racist at some point because he has black friends, but no one ever takes him or anyone else to the burner for their comfortably held biases, and he would've been capping anyhow because he doesn't even have any black friends.
And look, I understand this may have been the way people in law enforcement and other governmental positions actually spoke back then. But Scott Turow works it in so nonchalantly only to do nothing but reinforce it through the story he tells; I have to raise up my leg and mark him as being a part of the reason why elderly, conservative white folks consider this way of thinking to be okay. The plot centers itself upon the murder of a woman that Turow uses a very creative vocabulary to politely call a slut, and how a black man he uses a cascade of coded language to call the n-word took part in a scheme that our oh so sanctimonious hero finds himself apparently victimized by. Never mind that this woman navigated her way through a boy's club to her position as a prosecuting attorney. So what if the black man overcame a deck stacked against him to become a judge? No, these two are bad to the bone due to reasons owed to what they are rather than who they are: a slut and a n*****.
The fact that all of this turns out to be a subplot that distracts from the truth of the book's mystery without ever confronting the bias that makes the distraction possible stinks of a writer who holds those biases himself. I could talk about the confoundingly uneven characterizations, the weakness of all the parts that take place outside the trial, and the toked up drama of a pretty unrealistic case, but I just can't get past the fact that Scott Turow writes like a trash human-being. If you're interested in the legal thriller genre, I strongly recommend Defending Jacob by William Landay instead. Landay perfected the formula and did it without discriminating against anyone.
August 1, 2019
This book made me fall in love with Scott Turow's writing. I have set myself a goal to read and own all of his books. I had already seen the movie for this book before I read any of it. As often the case, the book was so much better than the movie. Scott Turow is a wonderful writer who draws you into the world he is creating. It is a great book with strong characters, sharp dialogue, memorable court scenes, passion, lust, betrayal, corruption, politics, jealousy, and a great story with many twists and turns. A true classic.
June 14, 2022
A re-read for me.
March 13, 2012
3 ½ stars. Some parts very good, I was eager to know what would happen. Other parts average.
STORY BRIEF:
Married prosecutor Rusty is accused of murdering his former lover. The first third of the book is what happens prior to the indictment. The last two-thirds is primarily the trial. It’s told in first person by Rusty.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This did not have the typical bad guy killer. I liked the unusual plot and motivations. I saw the movie several years ago and I remembered who did it, which was the same as in the book. But other things were very different between the movie and the book. During the first third, I was impatient for things to happen. It seemed too drawn out, getting to know various characters: lawyers, cops, wife, lover. Then when Rusty was indicted for the murder of Carolyn I was frustrated. I was anxious about the ending. Would it be happy or not? I didn’t want to invest another ten hours, just to be let down and depressed at the end. So I read the last chapter which summarized many of the details, and I was relieved. I liked the ending for Rusty. Then I went back to where I left off at his indictment and listened to the rest of the book. My enjoyment from that point on was much better than when I was worrying about the ending. The last two-thirds is mostly about evidence and watching the judge and the lawyers on each side. At times it was exciting. Sometimes it was slow. For someone like me, I’d recommend reading the last chapter (40) first, then go to the beginning and read the whole book. As a result I paid more attention to key characters. Since I knew certain things would happen, I was eagerly anticipating those events thinking “when’s this going to happen?”
There were two scenes describing torture and brutality which bothered me. I wish the author had NOT included them. They were about other cases the prosecutor worked on. One a small boy tortured by his mother. Another a man put in prison, raped, and suffered permanent damage to his body.
NARRATOR:
The narrator Edward Herrmann was fine.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 15 hrs and 33 mins. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: moderate. Sexual content: About 7 sex scenes, mostly referred to, not a lot of detail shown. Setting: current day mid-sized city and suburbs in the U.S. Book Copyright: 1987. Genre: legal mystery. Ending: Good enough for those who want happy endings.
STORY BRIEF:
Married prosecutor Rusty is accused of murdering his former lover. The first third of the book is what happens prior to the indictment. The last two-thirds is primarily the trial. It’s told in first person by Rusty.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This did not have the typical bad guy killer. I liked the unusual plot and motivations. I saw the movie several years ago and I remembered who did it, which was the same as in the book. But other things were very different between the movie and the book. During the first third, I was impatient for things to happen. It seemed too drawn out, getting to know various characters: lawyers, cops, wife, lover. Then when Rusty was indicted for the murder of Carolyn I was frustrated. I was anxious about the ending. Would it be happy or not? I didn’t want to invest another ten hours, just to be let down and depressed at the end. So I read the last chapter which summarized many of the details, and I was relieved. I liked the ending for Rusty. Then I went back to where I left off at his indictment and listened to the rest of the book. My enjoyment from that point on was much better than when I was worrying about the ending. The last two-thirds is mostly about evidence and watching the judge and the lawyers on each side. At times it was exciting. Sometimes it was slow. For someone like me, I’d recommend reading the last chapter (40) first, then go to the beginning and read the whole book. As a result I paid more attention to key characters. Since I knew certain things would happen, I was eagerly anticipating those events thinking “when’s this going to happen?”
There were two scenes describing torture and brutality which bothered me. I wish the author had NOT included them. They were about other cases the prosecutor worked on. One a small boy tortured by his mother. Another a man put in prison, raped, and suffered permanent damage to his body.
NARRATOR:
The narrator Edward Herrmann was fine.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 15 hrs and 33 mins. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: moderate. Sexual content: About 7 sex scenes, mostly referred to, not a lot of detail shown. Setting: current day mid-sized city and suburbs in the U.S. Book Copyright: 1987. Genre: legal mystery. Ending: Good enough for those who want happy endings.
July 31, 2011
A renowned attorney in the DA's office is having an affair with a sex crimes attorney. When she turns up dead and it looks like rape, he is pinned as the murderer. The majority of the book takes place in the courtroom but it is by no means dull. You'll never guess who was the real killer!
At first, the book starts out as brash, crude and offensive at times because of the 'cop talk' banter. It was too explicit for my tastes and I nearly put the book down for good. I am glad I hung in there because this book ended up being one I could not put it down if I tried - it was a real page turner!
In addition to all of the four-letter-words, the author actually has quite an exquisite vocabulary! I often felt little inner celebrations over his perfect selection of a particular descriptive word - words not commonly heard in modern literature. The author writes in the manner that cops & criminals speak, in all truthfulness, yet has a remarkable ability to dive into the deepest of emotions, intentions and observations - so much so, that I actually double checked to be sure it really was a man doing the writing!
The balance between cold hard facts and relationships is phenomenal and the story has a real climax ending that stays in your mind long after you're done reading.
At first, the book starts out as brash, crude and offensive at times because of the 'cop talk' banter. It was too explicit for my tastes and I nearly put the book down for good. I am glad I hung in there because this book ended up being one I could not put it down if I tried - it was a real page turner!
In addition to all of the four-letter-words, the author actually has quite an exquisite vocabulary! I often felt little inner celebrations over his perfect selection of a particular descriptive word - words not commonly heard in modern literature. The author writes in the manner that cops & criminals speak, in all truthfulness, yet has a remarkable ability to dive into the deepest of emotions, intentions and observations - so much so, that I actually double checked to be sure it really was a man doing the writing!
The balance between cold hard facts and relationships is phenomenal and the story has a real climax ending that stays in your mind long after you're done reading.
September 11, 2020
‘Presumed Innocent’ by Scott Turow is very literary in tone because of the main character’s internal monologues and his mournful story narration. Chief Prosecutor Rusty Sabich tells of being accused and put on trial for the murder of his ex-lover Carolyn Polhemus. Rusty is married and has a seven-year-old son Nat. His guilt at betraying his wife Barbara and worrying about his son fuels his introspection. Why did he become so enamored with Carolyn Polhemus? The terror of what the future might be like even if he is not convicted does not prevent Rusty from emotionally whipping himself continuously with a very sad self-examination.
Raymond Horgan is losing the Kindle County voters in his election bid to keep his prosecuting attorney job which he has held for twelve years. Horgan’s opponent, Nico Della Guardia, wants Horgan’s job especially after being fired nine months ago by Rusty acting under orders from Horgan. Nico was a deputy prosecuting attorney working for Horgan and Rusty. Both Horgan and Nico are hoping for the mayor’s endorsement to boost their image with the voters.
Caught between the two campaigners, all Rusty wants is to keep his own chief prosecutor job without antagonizing either one of the competing lawyers. But when Carolyn’s body is discovered in her apartment, hogtied, possibly murdered by a blow to her head, Rusty is suddenly the number one suspect. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing to Rusty. The truth is Rusty had been having a secret affair with Carolyn, but she had ghosted him four months ago. They both worked as deputy prosecutors in Horgan’s office, so it became obvious to Rusty she was definitely avoiding him by her evading him in meetings and being suddenly too busy for after-hour drinks. Rusty couldn’t stand it! He kept calling her, even breaking down in front of Barbara, his wife, which is how she finds out about Rusty’s obsession and affair with Carolyn.
Rusty is not going to get any husband-of-the-year recommendations from Barbara after that. The only bright spot in his life is Nathaniel. In public, Barbara plays the dutiful wife. In private - oh my. She always has been the emotionally colder one in their marriage, but now there is definitely a very icy rage boiling off from her. She is a mathematician going to university for her Ph.D., hoping to be a teacher.
The pressure to find out who really killed Carolyn is enormous. Rusty knows he has to keep his grief in check and figure it out. He thinks his marriage and job are toast, but it is important that Barbara stay on his side for Nat’s sake as well as for the reporters. Afterwards, he doesn’t know where to go or what he will do. But going to prison is definitely NOT the plan!
I was pleasantly surprised by Turow’s writing style! This book is not written in the typical bleak brusqueness or black comedy of most murder mysteries. Instead it felt like I was reading a literary memoir. I liked it.
Raymond Horgan is losing the Kindle County voters in his election bid to keep his prosecuting attorney job which he has held for twelve years. Horgan’s opponent, Nico Della Guardia, wants Horgan’s job especially after being fired nine months ago by Rusty acting under orders from Horgan. Nico was a deputy prosecuting attorney working for Horgan and Rusty. Both Horgan and Nico are hoping for the mayor’s endorsement to boost their image with the voters.
Caught between the two campaigners, all Rusty wants is to keep his own chief prosecutor job without antagonizing either one of the competing lawyers. But when Carolyn’s body is discovered in her apartment, hogtied, possibly murdered by a blow to her head, Rusty is suddenly the number one suspect. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing to Rusty. The truth is Rusty had been having a secret affair with Carolyn, but she had ghosted him four months ago. They both worked as deputy prosecutors in Horgan’s office, so it became obvious to Rusty she was definitely avoiding him by her evading him in meetings and being suddenly too busy for after-hour drinks. Rusty couldn’t stand it! He kept calling her, even breaking down in front of Barbara, his wife, which is how she finds out about Rusty’s obsession and affair with Carolyn.
Rusty is not going to get any husband-of-the-year recommendations from Barbara after that. The only bright spot in his life is Nathaniel. In public, Barbara plays the dutiful wife. In private - oh my. She always has been the emotionally colder one in their marriage, but now there is definitely a very icy rage boiling off from her. She is a mathematician going to university for her Ph.D., hoping to be a teacher.
The pressure to find out who really killed Carolyn is enormous. Rusty knows he has to keep his grief in check and figure it out. He thinks his marriage and job are toast, but it is important that Barbara stay on his side for Nat’s sake as well as for the reporters. Afterwards, he doesn’t know where to go or what he will do. But going to prison is definitely NOT the plan!
I was pleasantly surprised by Turow’s writing style! This book is not written in the typical bleak brusqueness or black comedy of most murder mysteries. Instead it felt like I was reading a literary memoir. I liked it.
February 18, 2019
Couldn't finish this book. I don't know if it was the story, the author or both, but the profanity, the racism, the sexism and the explicit sex scenes were enough to turn me off. I just don't think a book needs to go that way to make it a good book. Bums me out I always try to finish my books. This is probably the 2nd one in as many years.
September 15, 2013
I must admit that I saw the movie first, then read the book. But the book is so much better. I love the fact that Turow is a lawyer writing about the law; he knows his stuff. Even taking that into account, Turow does not weigh the reader down with too much legalese, something that adds to the book's success. This novel was the first that I read of this author: but definitely not my last. 4★
December 16, 2012
An excellent murder mystery novel that keeps you guessing to the very end. Well written with strong characters and lots of twists and turns.
Kept me interested throughout.
Kept me interested throughout.
March 28, 2020
5 Stars. One of the best of all time. One of the best I have ever read. From the ambiguous meaning of the title to the extraordinary twists in the plot as it nears its denouement, "Presumed Innocent" takes the reader into superlative country. Kindle County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rusty Sabich was leading a frenetic but stable life as Raymond Horgan's number one, when ADA Carolyn Polhemus entered it. For whatever reason, he reached for her and she soon became his mistress. And shortly, a murder victim. The timing is not right; Horgan is up for re-election and Rusty with his friend Detective Dan Lipranzer are asked to get to the bottom of the situation as fast as possible. Sabich is already conflicted, given his personal relationship, and it develops greater intensity as he is charged with the murder. Ultimately the story is Rusty's trial, with the inimitable Sandy Stern for the defence, and Rusty's wife Barbara as supporting pillar. There's an excellent 1990 Harrison Ford movie version but read the book first! One wonders how Scott Turow's second legal thriller, now a must read, could top his first. (August 2019)
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