Status
Available
Series
Genres
Description
Fiction. Literature. Mystery. Thriller. HTML: Scott Turow's #1 runaway bestseller comes to theaters everywhere as a major motion picture from Warner Bros., starring Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia, and Bonnie Bedelia, directed by Alan Pakula, best known for his award-winning work in "Klute"..
User reviews
LibraryThing member mramos
Rusty Sabich is chief deputy prosecutor for Kindle County, his boss Raymond Horgan is up for re-election, and his associate Carolyn Polhemus has been brutally raped and murdered in her apartment. The upcoming election will determine if Rusty will have a job. And we learn that Rusty had an affair
Rusty is handling the investigation of the murder despite the conflict of interest that only he is aware of. His friend, Dan Lipramzer is investigating the crime. They first focus on convicted sex offenders that Carolyn helped to prosecute. Then Rusty learns that his boss Horgan had a brief relationship with Carolyn. Meanwhile Rusty's marriage is in a shambles as his wife Barbara knows about his affair. As evidence surfaces that implicates Rusty he is arrested for the killing.
The prosecution is led by Nico Della "Delay" Guardia, who has now defeated Horgan for the position of Prosecuting Attorney, and Tommy Molto. The evidence against Rusty is serious; calls made from his home to hers on the night of the murder, a bar glass with his fingerprints on it, carpet fibers matching those at his house are found at her home, etc. The courtroom drama that ensues takes many turns for and against him. By the end of the book we do discover who the killer. This is a good read.
Show More
with Carolyn which she ended several months earlier. Rusty is handling the investigation of the murder despite the conflict of interest that only he is aware of. His friend, Dan Lipramzer is investigating the crime. They first focus on convicted sex offenders that Carolyn helped to prosecute. Then Rusty learns that his boss Horgan had a brief relationship with Carolyn. Meanwhile Rusty's marriage is in a shambles as his wife Barbara knows about his affair. As evidence surfaces that implicates Rusty he is arrested for the killing.
The prosecution is led by Nico Della "Delay" Guardia, who has now defeated Horgan for the position of Prosecuting Attorney, and Tommy Molto. The evidence against Rusty is serious; calls made from his home to hers on the night of the murder, a bar glass with his fingerprints on it, carpet fibers matching those at his house are found at her home, etc. The courtroom drama that ensues takes many turns for and against him. By the end of the book we do discover who the killer. This is a good read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member neurodrew
This was really a very good novel, once I started into it. It has a narrative structure that I am often impatient with, since the narrator is the person who is the one suffering outrageous fortune, but the descriptions of the trial and the denoument were very gripping, enough to keep me up until
Show More
1130 PM on a work night to finish it. The protagonist, Rusty Sabich, is a deputy prosecuting attorney during a reelection campaign of the prosecuting attorney. He has had an affair with another prosecutor, and she ends up dead. He is eventually accused and brought to trial for her murder, and is acquitted because his lawyer manages to convince the judge that he was set up by the newly elected prosecuting attorney. Excellent characters, very vivid and believable details of the trials and Chicagostyle politics. Show Less
LibraryThing member delphimo
This is the first time that I have read Scott Turow, and I thoroughly enjoyed the immersion into the police investigation, preparation for the trial, and the actual trial. I do not plan to present a detailed summary of the story, because the reader needs to discover what happens. The story begins
Show More
with the murder of a female lawyer who works in the prosecuting attorney's office. This is a campaign year and the prosecuting attorney struggles to remain in office and hopes to locate and arrest the murderer. The opposing candidate for the PA position makes an arrest, and the preparation for the trial begins. Turow skillfully presents the case. The outcome is unexpected. Show Less
LibraryThing member mphchicago
It has been a while since I read this book. But the lasting impression it left me with was that the author had a problem with women. It seemed that every woman in the story was deeply flawed if not crazy/evil. Even the one disabled prosecutor who seemed to be overly venerated was in a wheel chair
Show More
due to her driving drunk and killing her husband in a car accident. As I said it has been a long time and I may not be remembering fairly, but did anyone else come away with this feeling? Show Less
LibraryThing member GRgenius
At times I was drowning in detail, but the overall story line was good...plus the surprise ending? WOW! Definitely recommend for older teens and adult readers due to language and content.
LibraryThing member labwriter
Probably like a lot of people, I reread this book in anticipation of the new book coming out in May with a reprise of these characters, 20-some years later. Wow, the reviews for this thing are all over the place here at LT. I'm sort of surprised. I loved this book when I first read it in 1987, and
I will say that I'm struck by how slow the beginning seems. I think the past 20-odd years have seen a speeding up of all sorts of entertainment--shorter TV segments with rapid scene shifts, video and computer games, etc. Books are no different, and I would be willing to bet that in his new book, Turow will "get to it" with a much faster-paced beginning.
I really enjoyed Turow's use of first-person narrator in this book which gives the reader access to the protagonist's mental agonizing about all sorts of things, including his nightmarish vision of going to prison--those 3:00 a.m. hours when he can't sleep, thinking about how his life has become impossibly screwed up. Turow adds poignancy and ups the ante by creating an eight-year-old son, cute and goofy as only an eight-year-old boy can be. We can feel Sabitch's agony when he's thinking how a guilty verdict will affect him and his son: "If I am convicted they will take me away from him. . . . the thought of missing the remainder of his young life shatters me, breaks me into pieces." I think Turow's portrait of Barbara, Rusty Sabitch's much put-upon wife, is brilliant.
PI is a dark book. If you're looking for a sunny, happy read, then this isn't your book. He explores adult themes like the "How did my life get here?" musings of the main character. People make mistakes in their lives that they don't expect to make--and mistakes have consequences. And yes, on consideration, what these people did, both of them, was far more than a "mistake"--maybe a terrible, terrible misreckoning. Arrogant youth never believe that they can profoundly mess up their lives; Turow knows differently, and he gets it that life has a way of sometimes making people eat a load of humble pie.
Additionally, Turow's courtroom scenes are quite simply some of the best I've read.
I gave the book 4.5 stars. I thought it was an excellent, smart read. It kept me up two nights running, into the wee hours. And yes, I knew "who did it," but knowing so didn't spoil the book for me.
I'm looking forward to reading the new one, Innocent, and hoping it's up to the standard Turow set for the first one.
Show More
I'm pretty sure I like it even better this time. It's really hard to believe that this is Turow's first work of fiction--it's that good.I will say that I'm struck by how slow the beginning seems. I think the past 20-odd years have seen a speeding up of all sorts of entertainment--shorter TV segments with rapid scene shifts, video and computer games, etc. Books are no different, and I would be willing to bet that in his new book, Turow will "get to it" with a much faster-paced beginning.
I really enjoyed Turow's use of first-person narrator in this book which gives the reader access to the protagonist's mental agonizing about all sorts of things, including his nightmarish vision of going to prison--those 3:00 a.m. hours when he can't sleep, thinking about how his life has become impossibly screwed up. Turow adds poignancy and ups the ante by creating an eight-year-old son, cute and goofy as only an eight-year-old boy can be. We can feel Sabitch's agony when he's thinking how a guilty verdict will affect him and his son: "If I am convicted they will take me away from him. . . . the thought of missing the remainder of his young life shatters me, breaks me into pieces." I think Turow's portrait of Barbara, Rusty Sabitch's much put-upon wife, is brilliant.
PI is a dark book. If you're looking for a sunny, happy read, then this isn't your book. He explores adult themes like the "How did my life get here?" musings of the main character. People make mistakes in their lives that they don't expect to make--and mistakes have consequences. And yes, on consideration, what these people did, both of them, was far more than a "mistake"--maybe a terrible, terrible misreckoning. Arrogant youth never believe that they can profoundly mess up their lives; Turow knows differently, and he gets it that life has a way of sometimes making people eat a load of humble pie.
Additionally, Turow's courtroom scenes are quite simply some of the best I've read.
I gave the book 4.5 stars. I thought it was an excellent, smart read. It kept me up two nights running, into the wee hours. And yes, I knew "who did it," but knowing so didn't spoil the book for me.
I'm looking forward to reading the new one, Innocent, and hoping it's up to the standard Turow set for the first one.
Show Less
LibraryThing member she_climber
I couldn't remember if I'd read this book way back when it originally came out or if I'd simply seen the movie. But with the release of the sequel, Innocent, I wanted to go back and read/re-read this one before delving back into the world of Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto. I had an inkling throughout
Show More
the story that I remembered who killed Carolyn Polhemus and I was correct in that recollection. (Why I almost never read books more than once or read a book after seeing the movie.) I love the genre of legal thrillers but the way that Turow spins a tale makes it an epic masterpiece. Sometimes the details and the conversations get a little too in depth, but the whole time you have the feeling that you are the witness to something out of the ordinary. I'm truly looking forward to Innocent now, and going back and watching a young Harrison Ford back in action in the original movie. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
Chicago defense attorney Rusty Sabich is accused of murdering a colleague with whom he had an affair. As Rusty navigates the treacherous political landscape (his boss is up for re-election), he also helps prepare his own defense. I read this book because Turow just published another book with the
Show More
same character. The courtroom drama was probably more engaging when it was published, before the explosion of legal thrillers. Through Rusty's experienced perspective, the reader gets a gritty and realistic view of the legal system. I didn't particularly like Rusty - he recounts his extramarital affair in graphic detail and clearly isn't over his fascination with the murder victim. I skimmed the last half of the book and the resolution of the plot didn't improve the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Anagarika-Sean
What a great read! Mr. Turow really knows how to keep one on the edge of their seat. Probably the best legal thriller writer there is.
LibraryThing member mikedraper
Raymond Hogan is running for reelection to the Kindle County Prosecutor's office. He is challanged by Nico Della Guarida, who is winning the race.
Rusty Sabich is Hogan's deputy and the narrator of the story.
Carolyn Polhemus, a prosecutor in Hogan's office is found murdered and possibly raped. With
Rusty continues his narration and tells us how cold and uncaring his wife, Barbara, has become. When she finds that Rusty is in charge of the investigation, she admits that she knew Rusty had been seeing Carolyn and asks Rusty to move out of the house.
Through flashbacks, we learn of Rusty's involvement with Carolyn. She became the dominant person in their affair and abruptly ended it. She wouldn't return his calls and then he sees her with Hogan.
In a contemporary manner, Rusty seems like a battlefield general who has been let down by his commander.
This section of the novel ends with a dramatic and cinimatic scene in Hogan's office. Hogan has lost the election and tells Rusty that he, Hogan, is vacating his office immediately. Then Nico's man, Tommy Moto, arragantly tells Rusty that he has evidence that Rusty was in Carolyn's room the night she was murdered and the Moto would be charging Rusty with the crime.
The second half of the novel revolves around the trial. Rusty's defense is handled by Sandy Stern and Stern and an investigator, Dan Lipranzer become Rusty's only friends, the other's are avoiding him.
After the court case comes to a conclusion, there is an additional segment of the book that details what happens to the characters after the trial. This portion of the book is overly long and deminishes the drama of the earlier segments.
This was a most enjoyable novel with court scenes that will linger in the reader's memory.
Rusty Sabich is Hogan's deputy and the narrator of the story.
Carolyn Polhemus, a prosecutor in Hogan's office is found murdered and possibly raped. With
Show More
Hogan busy in his campaign, he asks Rusty to handle the investigation.Rusty continues his narration and tells us how cold and uncaring his wife, Barbara, has become. When she finds that Rusty is in charge of the investigation, she admits that she knew Rusty had been seeing Carolyn and asks Rusty to move out of the house.
Through flashbacks, we learn of Rusty's involvement with Carolyn. She became the dominant person in their affair and abruptly ended it. She wouldn't return his calls and then he sees her with Hogan.
In a contemporary manner, Rusty seems like a battlefield general who has been let down by his commander.
This section of the novel ends with a dramatic and cinimatic scene in Hogan's office. Hogan has lost the election and tells Rusty that he, Hogan, is vacating his office immediately. Then Nico's man, Tommy Moto, arragantly tells Rusty that he has evidence that Rusty was in Carolyn's room the night she was murdered and the Moto would be charging Rusty with the crime.
The second half of the novel revolves around the trial. Rusty's defense is handled by Sandy Stern and Stern and an investigator, Dan Lipranzer become Rusty's only friends, the other's are avoiding him.
After the court case comes to a conclusion, there is an additional segment of the book that details what happens to the characters after the trial. This portion of the book is overly long and deminishes the drama of the earlier segments.
This was a most enjoyable novel with court scenes that will linger in the reader's memory.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Lisianthus
A true classic in its genre! The forerunner of the deluge that has come since then. It has everything, courtroom drama, suspense, thrills...
LibraryThing member moonshineandrosefire
Kindle County's chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich, has recently been asked to investigate the murder of one of his colleagues, Carolyn Polhemus. The only thing that his boss, the chief prosecuting attorney, Raymond Horgan, doesn't know is that Carolyn and Rusty were having an affair at the time
As he nears forty, both Rusty's marriage and his career seem stalled; almost stagnant. His wife Barbara seems so uncaring and cold - actively avoiding Rusty as much as she can. Subsequently, he focuses all his attention and energies on his son Nathaniel, and his desperate, unhappy love for Carolyn. Rusty's investigation fuels his fantasies of what might have been between Carolyn and himself, although he makes very little progress in finding the killer.
Citing the slowness of the murder investigation, and using the fact that the Prosecutor apparently can't find the murderer of someone who worked in his office, Nico gains more popularity in the polls. Claiming that Kindle County deserves a change in its office, he handily wins the election. He then sets his sights on prosecuting Carolyn Polhemus' murderer - in the case of the People versus Rozat K. Sabich - who is known as the chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich.
Now, Rusty is put on trial, facing possible conviction for the most terrible of all crimes. This is a 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 ultimately endangers everything he loves and values - eventually putting everything on trial - including his own life.
Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow reveals a shocking world of betrayal and murder, as well as the hidden depths of the human heart. It's a story that will alternately hold you spellbound and will haunt you...long after you have turned the final page and reached its shattering conclusion.
I must say that this is actually the first book by Scott Turow that I've ever read, although I do have several more on my bookshelf. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I was absolutely dying to know how the story turned out. Although this was somewhat heavy reading for me in parts - with such a strong focus on politics and a very detailed look at the intricacies of the prosecutor's office - I still enjoyed the story immensely and give the book a definite A+!
I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. Mareena reminded me that I had actually received the book fairly recently, after we noticed that the 1990 movie adaptation starring Harrison Ford and Brian Dennehy was on television several days ago.
Show More
of her death. Since Prosecutor Horgan is in the midst of a vicious re-election campaign, his opponent - Nico Della Guardia would like nothing more than to find proof that Raymond Horgan is somehow unfit to be Kindle County's chief prosecutor.As he nears forty, both Rusty's marriage and his career seem stalled; almost stagnant. His wife Barbara seems so uncaring and cold - actively avoiding Rusty as much as she can. Subsequently, he focuses all his attention and energies on his son Nathaniel, and his desperate, unhappy love for Carolyn. Rusty's investigation fuels his fantasies of what might have been between Carolyn and himself, although he makes very little progress in finding the killer.
Citing the slowness of the murder investigation, and using the fact that the Prosecutor apparently can't find the murderer of someone who worked in his office, Nico gains more popularity in the polls. Claiming that Kindle County deserves a change in its office, he handily wins the election. He then sets his sights on prosecuting Carolyn Polhemus' murderer - in the case of the People versus Rozat K. Sabich - who is known as the chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich.
Now, Rusty is put on trial, facing possible conviction for the most terrible of all crimes. This is a 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 ultimately endangers everything he loves and values - eventually putting everything on trial - including his own life.
Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow reveals a shocking world of betrayal and murder, as well as the hidden depths of the human heart. It's a story that will alternately hold you spellbound and will haunt you...long after you have turned the final page and reached its shattering conclusion.
I must say that this is actually the first book by Scott Turow that I've ever read, although I do have several more on my bookshelf. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I was absolutely dying to know how the story turned out. Although this was somewhat heavy reading for me in parts - with such a strong focus on politics and a very detailed look at the intricacies of the prosecutor's office - I still enjoyed the story immensely and give the book a definite A+!
I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. Mareena reminded me that I had actually received the book fairly recently, after we noticed that the 1990 movie adaptation starring Harrison Ford and Brian Dennehy was on television several days ago.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I ultimately found this book disappointing given the high expectations I started with. Blurbs trumpeted this book as a "literary" novel of the kind "that transcend their genre" and claimed Turow was comparable to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. Certainly the prose was stronger than what I
Besides the strong writing, I was struck by how credibly Turow wrote of what it's like to work at a district attorney's office in a big American City. It's set in the fictional "Kindle County" but seems modeled on Chicago. Turow isn't just a law school graduate or former trial attorney but a former prosecutor. I recently tried a legal thriller by Lescroart where the legal aspects had so little credibility I stopped reading by page 100. Richard North Patterson, a former trial attorney, did much better, but I still found a point or two dubious. Not so Turow, who was completely convincing in this depiction of the workings of a criminal case and the office and citywide politics involved.
Given all that, I thought about half way in that unless I found the ending disappointing, this might be a five star book. Not that I'd say this ever compared with To Kill a Mocking Bird--or even The Maltese Falcon--but compared to Grisham or Patterson I was thinking this top-notch for a legal thriller. And, if anything, the pacing picked up after the middle. The trial scenes are so well done.
But with this one it's points off for the dismount. I did find the ending disappointing and dissatisfying. Both too contrived and too cynical for my tastes. I also in the end felt a bit of distaste for how the female characters were handled. I wouldn't call it misogynistic exactly--any more than I'd call the book racist as some have. Just because there are negative characters that happen to be minority doesn't make a book racist. Neither does a book with less than admirable female characters mean that it's sexist. To be honest, I'm not sure there are any characters in the book of any ethnicity or gender I'd call all that likable or admirable. Yet something especially in the depiction of Carolyn Polhemus, femme fatale, did leave me with a bad taste in my mouth and disinclined to read more of Turow.
Show More
expect from a popular thriller. It's told first person present tense and it often reads lyrically, with touches of an elegiacal tone. Our narrator is Chief Deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich. As the novel begins he's in the midst of a homicide investigation into the murder of Carolyn Polhemus that happened just three days ago while his boss the District Attorney is eighteen days away from a contentious primary. Sabich is a married man and Carolyn was both a fellow prosecutor and an ex-lover he was still obsessed with at the time of her murder. Besides the strong writing, I was struck by how credibly Turow wrote of what it's like to work at a district attorney's office in a big American City. It's set in the fictional "Kindle County" but seems modeled on Chicago. Turow isn't just a law school graduate or former trial attorney but a former prosecutor. I recently tried a legal thriller by Lescroart where the legal aspects had so little credibility I stopped reading by page 100. Richard North Patterson, a former trial attorney, did much better, but I still found a point or two dubious. Not so Turow, who was completely convincing in this depiction of the workings of a criminal case and the office and citywide politics involved.
Given all that, I thought about half way in that unless I found the ending disappointing, this might be a five star book. Not that I'd say this ever compared with To Kill a Mocking Bird--or even The Maltese Falcon--but compared to Grisham or Patterson I was thinking this top-notch for a legal thriller. And, if anything, the pacing picked up after the middle. The trial scenes are so well done.
But with this one it's points off for the dismount. I did find the ending disappointing and dissatisfying. Both too contrived and too cynical for my tastes. I also in the end felt a bit of distaste for how the female characters were handled. I wouldn't call it misogynistic exactly--any more than I'd call the book racist as some have. Just because there are negative characters that happen to be minority doesn't make a book racist. Neither does a book with less than admirable female characters mean that it's sexist. To be honest, I'm not sure there are any characters in the book of any ethnicity or gender I'd call all that likable or admirable. Yet something especially in the depiction of Carolyn Polhemus, femme fatale, did leave me with a bad taste in my mouth and disinclined to read more of Turow.
Show Less
LibraryThing member dpappas
Many people had recommended me to read Scott Turow's books because I love legal thrillers. I was able to finally read this book and now I just wish I had read it earlier than I did. I wish I had read this years ago because after reading recent legal thrillers I feel like this book for me didn't
Show More
live up to all the hype and praise that surrounded it. Don't get me wrong it was written very well and it had some great twists and turns but I felt like it wasn't the best legal thriller I had read. I feel like my opinions on the book would have been different if it was the first legal thriller I had read. I really am looking forward to reading more of Scott Turow's books, and I would definitely recommend this book to fans of legal thrillers. It is a strong book, and a great legal thriller, but just not my favorite legal thriller. Show Less
LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
Presumed Innocent was recommended to me primarily for its clever twist ending. So throughout the reading I knew to expect one and yet it still caught me completely by surprise. This novel succeeds on many fronts and should be a timeless classic in the mystery genre for decades to come.
LibraryThing member booksgaloreca
I was very excited to receive this book as part of the Early Reviewers program. I enjoy all of Scott Turow's work. When I received the book I went to find the first book in the series (Presumed Innocent) in my collection so I could reread it first, but it must be one that is still packed in boxes.
Show More
LOL[return]I went ahead and started on the new one in the hopes I would remember details from the first. I didn't remember too many of the details of the first book, but this one was great on it's own as well.[return]This book has great characters and a great plot with a lot of twists and turns and a surprising ending. Well worth the read! Show Less
LibraryThing member kcheel67
Put simply, every time you think you know something, you quickly discern that you know absolutely nothing. Masterful.
LibraryThing member nyiper
Every now and then I re-read something, having been sure I have NOT read it before. Although there was the movie--- movie and the book are so different---and now, there is the sequel, Innocent, which I am in the middle of! I've also listened to the audio because of the excellent reader and that
Show More
makes it all different from the book---listening and reading are amazingly different experiences. Show Less
LibraryThing member AuntieClio
Scott Turow is the writer John Grisham wishes to be. While I was a little disappointed in the solution to the murder mystery at the center of Presumed Innocent, I was more engaged with the story telling.
Rusty Sabich, a prosecuting attorney for Kindle County, finds himself at the head of the
Hiring a savvy lawyer and facing off against political enemies in the courtroom, Sabich faces the emotional turmoil of being prosecuted for something he knows he did not do, while watching dirty laundry and sordid secrets get their time in the spotlight. As with all legal thrillers, everything turns on evidence and lawyerly machinations both in front of the judge and behind the scenes.
What made Presumed Innocent work as a good story for me was the care with which Turow drew his characters, Especially the protagonist, Rusty Sabich, who narrates this tale. There is true depth, poignant search and revelations, told in a way that made me understand, and forgive, some of the trespasses flawed human beings commit.
Grisham can't hold a candle to Turow.
Rusty Sabich, a prosecuting attorney for Kindle County, finds himself at the head of the
Show More
investigation of the murder of his former co-worker and lover. Shortly after, Sabich finds himself off the case and at the center of the investigation.Hiring a savvy lawyer and facing off against political enemies in the courtroom, Sabich faces the emotional turmoil of being prosecuted for something he knows he did not do, while watching dirty laundry and sordid secrets get their time in the spotlight. As with all legal thrillers, everything turns on evidence and lawyerly machinations both in front of the judge and behind the scenes.
What made Presumed Innocent work as a good story for me was the care with which Turow drew his characters, Especially the protagonist, Rusty Sabich, who narrates this tale. There is true depth, poignant search and revelations, told in a way that made me understand, and forgive, some of the trespasses flawed human beings commit.
Grisham can't hold a candle to Turow.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MsNikki
I saw the book and watched the movie. I didn't see the ending coming. It starts slowly, but mades up for it in the end. Keep with it and you'll be rewarded for your patience
LibraryThing member librarianbryan
Horrid. The worst book I have ever had to read for work. Apparently it is really hard for white males to learn to share power with others. Someone should tell Turow that perhaps he didn't make it as a novelist before he became a lawyer because he is a bad novelist.
LibraryThing member crazy4reading
I picked this book up at Goodwill because it looked interesting. I wasn't disappointed. I found myself through out the whole book trying to figure out who would frame the Deputy PA Rusty Sabich. That is one thing I love about reading mysteries, trying to figure out who did it before I reach the
I loved all the characters in the book and yet I hated them at times. You have lawyers; both defense and prosecuting attorneys, cops, and judges. The personalities were interesting and fun to read. You have Carolyn Polhemus who has been murdered and worked in the PA's office. You have Rusty Sabich that has been charged with her murder. Just reading the beginning and all the evidence that keeps piling up makes you think did he do it, is he ever going to figure out that everything points to him. I sometimes felt that Rusty was surprised by all the evidence and just thinking it was coincidence for his prints to be in her apartment and other things.
I will definitely remember this book for awhile.
Show More
end. I will say I kept speculating and that the final answer wasn't a total surprise. I was surprised but not like I would never have guessed. I thought it but just didn't want to believe it.I loved all the characters in the book and yet I hated them at times. You have lawyers; both defense and prosecuting attorneys, cops, and judges. The personalities were interesting and fun to read. You have Carolyn Polhemus who has been murdered and worked in the PA's office. You have Rusty Sabich that has been charged with her murder. Just reading the beginning and all the evidence that keeps piling up makes you think did he do it, is he ever going to figure out that everything points to him. I sometimes felt that Rusty was surprised by all the evidence and just thinking it was coincidence for his prints to be in her apartment and other things.
I will definitely remember this book for awhile.
Show Less
LibraryThing member darkeyes3302
Disgusting ending - murderer went free
LibraryThing member zhoud2005
Starts slow and it develops. The ending is great.
#5 of the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time by Mystery Writers of America
#5 of the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time by Mystery Writers of America
LibraryThing member joeydag
I read it so long ago I can't remember what decade it was.
Awards
Crime Writers' Association Awards (Winner — 1987)
Martin Beck Award (Winner — 1988)
This Mystery is Amazing! (#2 — 1988)