Presumed Innocent
by Scott TurowSign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
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Read in January, 1990
Well, my wife, who is much better at this than I, guessed the true murder suspect long before I did, but even so, I think I would have been impressed by the richly conceived characters and complex plot. Turow is a truly gifted writer who brought his expertise of prosecution and criminal trials to bear on this breakthrough book.
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This book was really well written - the description of the emotions the main character went through added so much to what would otherwise just have been another law/murder thriller. That being said...sometimes it went on a bit too much about it! That's the reasoning behind the 4 stars instead of 5.
I like to think of myself as fairly observant and it isn't all that often that an ending to a book can throw me like this one did. I ended the book with some feelings of discomfort with the way th...more
I like to think of myself as fairly observant and it isn't all that often that an ending to a book can throw me like this one did. I ended the book with some feelings of discomfort with the way th...more
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Read in February, 2008
Voted #5 of 100 best mysteries of all time by Mystery Writers of America (www.mysterywriters.org) and see also World Magazine January 12/19, 2008, pg. 27).
WOW. WOW. WOW.
Okay, disclaimers first. This book went beyond gritty to dirty. The "F" word is a standard part of the vocab of most all characters throughout. The Lord's name is taken in vain repeatedly. Masturbation, oral sex (often coerced), and anal sex are all described at some point. Yuk. This book is not for the faint o...more
WOW. WOW. WOW.
Okay, disclaimers first. This book went beyond gritty to dirty. The "F" word is a standard part of the vocab of most all characters throughout. The Lord's name is taken in vain repeatedly. Masturbation, oral sex (often coerced), and anal sex are all described at some point. Yuk. This book is not for the faint o...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
ANYONE!
This book started out intersting, but I found myself angry at the main character who has been unfaithful to his wife. I actually admitted to Tim that I was a little annoyed and had angry feelings towards men in general just because the manner in which the main character is led to adultery is so innocent and convincing it just made the whole thing feel so real as if it had happened to a close friend! Anyway, after the first few chapters of learning about this character and his somewhat disturbi...more
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I read this book in high school and I really liked it but I somehow misread something at the end and for over a year thought the killer was someone else. My father finally set me straight but my feelings about the book didn't change.
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Read in February, 2008
Another disclaimer: This book has some horrible and unnecessary language in it. That's the only reason I gave it a 3 instead of a 4.
I read this for our book club, but I have to admit, this is the type of book I would choose to read on my own. I didn't like Turrow as much as I like Grisham, though. The first half of the book felt like homework because it was a lot of information that sets up the second half. However, about 200 pages in, I really couldn't put it down. It's not extremely ...more
I read this for our book club, but I have to admit, this is the type of book I would choose to read on my own. I didn't like Turrow as much as I like Grisham, though. The first half of the book felt like homework because it was a lot of information that sets up the second half. However, about 200 pages in, I really couldn't put it down. It's not extremely ...more
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Read in September, 2008
Not bad for a lawyer-type book, although his female characters need some work. Maybe he gets better since this was his first novel.
And a point of geology Mr. Turow (since I'm sure you're going to read this). Malachite is a mineral, not a rock. One of the largest pieces of malachite ever found sits in the Linda Hall Library and was a gift from Nicholas II. Perhaps you should take a look at it and decide if there's enough there for a 30' table in some lawyer's office. Just sayin'.
And a point of geology Mr. Turow (since I'm sure you're going to read this). Malachite is a mineral, not a rock. One of the largest pieces of malachite ever found sits in the Linda Hall Library and was a gift from Nicholas II. Perhaps you should take a look at it and decide if there's enough there for a 30' table in some lawyer's office. Just sayin'.
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Read in September, 2006
Presumed Innocent follows Rusty Sabich, the cheif deputy PA, as he investigates the murder of his colleague Carolyn Polhemus, a woman he was also having an affair with months before her murder. While investigating the murder the tables are turned as he becomes the prime suspect.
I hadn't read a good "lawyer" book in awhile and the trial portion of PI I found fascinating! Turow really explained strategies and tactics of both the defense and prosecution.
Overall a good read - not a...more
I hadn't read a good "lawyer" book in awhile and the trial portion of PI I found fascinating! Turow really explained strategies and tactics of both the defense and prosecution.
Overall a good read - not a...more
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Read in January, 1992
recommends it for:
ANYONE who loves thrillers
One of the best thrillers I've ever read...and most definitely the finest legal thriller out there. Turow has never gotten another work even as close to as taut and suspenseful and intricate as this one...and it is highly doubtful he ever will be able to again. This is the type of book an author writes once. It's too demanding. Rusty Savage is a lawyer who has become an iconic character for cheating husbands and revengeful lovers. The ending Turow weaves is like poetry...leaving the reading...more
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Okay I'm redoing this review.
I originally put it down at around page 200 screaming, "I give up. This book is DULL. YUCK YUCK YUCK"
But around that time the trial itself actually starts and it got more entertaining. It had the feel of lawyers talking shop about a trial during a trial which I found entertaining. It was also entertaining, and true to life, that with all trials, you never know the truth. Not really, you can guess but you will never know the whole story.
I originally put it down at around page 200 screaming, "I give up. This book is DULL. YUCK YUCK YUCK"
But around that time the trial itself actually starts and it got more entertaining. It had the feel of lawyers talking shop about a trial during a trial which I found entertaining. It was also entertaining, and true to life, that with all trials, you never know the truth. Not really, you can guess but you will never know the whole story.
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Read in October, 2008
Wonderful read! Kept me guessing the whole time. Very surprising ending. I loved the suspense.
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Read in October, 2008
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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