Presumed Innocent

This is the best courtroom murder/whodunnit ever!

It is so educative about the players in a criminal trial and what makes them tick: from the defendant to the prosecutor, to the defense lawyer, and the judge. It’s got sex, drama, and jealousy and keeps you on your toes until the completely unexpected twist at the very end.

I love this book even more, knowing that Scott Turow, a Chicago attorney like me, wrote it on his way to and from work at his law office! And he endorsed my new book!

Authors who have walked the walk always grab my attention. Turow qualifies since he’s been a lawyer for many years and knows the inner workings of the legal system. The story he weaves in his first novel shows this knowledge, but more importantly, the author lets the reader into interpersonal relationships that make the tale intriguing on multiple levels. For me, good mysteries keep me guessing to the very end, and this effort succeeds. You might not like everything about the protagonist, Rusty Sabitch, and that’s okay, too. There’s enough to like about him as he works through what really… show more.

I’ve read most of his work and as I’m a writer who tries to write complex psychological, character-driven thrillers, Turow is my touchstone. He consistently sets a very high standard. He’s not only an excellent writer, he crafts complicated storylines skillfully, without deceiving you or tricking you. You’re often fooled, but never disappointed. His characters are carefully conceived and multifaceted. Without drawing attention to it, he successfully elevated middlebrow legal mystery thrillers into high-quality literature.

The book that practically created the courtroom thriller and inspired a million lawyers (including me) to dream about writing fiction. It has everything you could want from a thriller and a legal procedural in one—a grisly murder, a narrator you root for but don’t entirely trust, a smooth defense attorney, a (maybe) corrupt legal system, and a shocking twist at the end.

If you haven’t read it—read it. If you have read it, read it again. I read it almost every year.