Book Review - Innocent by Scott Turow

Title: Innocent
Author: Innocent by Scott Turow
Year: 2010
Page: 448
Genre: Fiction - Legal Thriller

New to me author? No
Read this author again? Yes
Tearjerker? No
Where did it take place? US
FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
In 2008, 22 years after the events of the earlier book, former lawyer Rusty Sabich, now a Kindle County, Ill., chief appellate judge, is again suspected of murdering a woman close to him. His wife, Barbara, has died in her bed of what appear to be natural causes, yet Rusty comes under scrutiny from his old nemesis, acting prosecuting attorney Tommy Molto, who unsuccessfully prosecuted him for killing his mistress decades earlier. Tommy's chief deputy, Jim Brand, is suspicious because Rusty chose to keep Barbara's death a secret, even from their son, Nat, for almost an entire day, which could have allowed traces of poison to disappear. Rusty's candidacy for a higher court in an imminent election; his recent clandestine affair with his attractive law clerk, Anna Vostic; and a breach of judicial ethics complicate matters further.

First Sentence:
A man is sitting on a bed.

  
Why did I pick this book?
I read the first book or prequel, Presumed Innocent, back in 1999 - I picked it off the book shelf at a book store randomly. Read it, and LOVED it because it was clever. That was my first legal thriller and I got hooked since. Now, I seriously don't remember much from that book (characters or plots) other than Scott Turow's name really left a mark. So when I heard this 2nd book coming out this year (Turow has written other books in between and I'd read a few), I have to read it!


My thoughts:

• I admitted that I had to google spoilers from the first book to remind myself who the characters were, and what happened, before I read this book. Overall, I think this new book is not bad, but didn't have the same impact as I did with the first book. 

• The book was written from several narrative, and some were written in first person and some in third person, which made it rather confusing at times

• Nat, the main protagonist's son, was 28 years old and supposedly very smart. He didn't come across so in the book. He appeared whiny and weak (has nothing to do with him crying - I don't mind men crying!). All I knew was his IQ was high (but no actions to support that) and that he was gorgeous (and yet no description on how he really looked)

• Anna, the main protagonist's law clerk, seemed too stereotypical and not realistic. 

• The ending was disappointing. I thought the killer was someone else, and the author certainly set up the story like so, but of course that'd be too easy so he had to give it a twist that isn't very satisfying - motive wasn't strong, and just seemed convenient

• But, the part I liked best was the legal strategies used. Strategies, logic, etc just fascinated me. Don't think I'd make a very good lawyer though!

• I do also like the cover - the gold fingerprints are metallic and embossed, and relevant to the story.

• If you want a great legal thriller, I'd recommend you read the first book, Presumed Innocent. This one is just okay and a little long.

 
Rating: 3.5 Stars

 

Have you read this book? 
If you have, I would love to hear what you think! I'll link your review here if you wish!

Challenges:
100+ Reading