Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Vision (2012), Edition: Reprint, 560 pages
Description
"INNOCENT continues the story of Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto who are, once again, twenty years later, pitted against each other in a riveting psychological match after the mysterious death of Rusty's wife"--Provided by publisher.
Media reviews
Turow weaves a complex web of undercover relationships. Rusty's second courtroom drama is no less thrilling than his first.
This is a lovely novel, gripping and darkly self-reflective. How can Scott Turow be doing this again? As the lawyers say, asked and answered.
If readers can accept this dubious opening premise, Mr. Turow does manage to turn the remainder of the novel into a fast and absorbing ride. There are some other implausible developments along the way. But his intimate understanding of his characters and his authoritative knowledge of the legal
Show More
world inject the narrative with emotional fuel, creating suspense that has less to do with the actual twists and turns of the plot than with our interest in what will happen to these people and how they will behave under pressure. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member LizzieD
I was thrilled to receive a copy of Innocent from ER here and immediately went on a month-long, fruitless search for Presumed Innocent so that I could be ready for this one. Can't find it. I remember enough, however, to recognize the main characters from *PI* 20-some years later: Rusty Sabich,
Rusty is running for superior court judge when he wakes up one morning to find Barbara has died in the night. Molto and his favorite assistant PA soon bring another charge of murder against Rusty. The plot twists again and again as they come to trial. There's a thin line between plots that are well-crafted and plots that are contrived, and I can't quite determine on which side this one comes down. I think that lovers of courtroom drama should be well pleased with this one.
This is also a story of family relationships - especially the relationship between fathers and sons. It is a story as well of betrayal and of what we will and will not sacrifice of ourselves.
Show More
acquitted of the murder of his lover in *PI*, now an appeals court judge; Barbara, his bipolar wife; Nat, his now-grown son, recently graduated from law school; Tommy Molto, now PA for Kindle County, who prosecuted his first murder trial; Sandy Stern, Rusty's defense attorney. With a couple of additional characters, these make up the cast.Rusty is running for superior court judge when he wakes up one morning to find Barbara has died in the night. Molto and his favorite assistant PA soon bring another charge of murder against Rusty. The plot twists again and again as they come to trial. There's a thin line between plots that are well-crafted and plots that are contrived, and I can't quite determine on which side this one comes down. I think that lovers of courtroom drama should be well pleased with this one.
This is also a story of family relationships - especially the relationship between fathers and sons. It is a story as well of betrayal and of what we will and will not sacrifice of ourselves.
Show Less
LibraryThing member karieh
This was a great book to read for this particular day and time. It was a sunny weekend and I had time to sit on my deck and read – and this story sucked me in.
I loved the book “Presumed Innocent” and enjoyed the movie as well. This sequel drew me in just as that one did – and I didn’t
As with most courtroom thrillers, I spent much of the book trying to figure out what the truth was and where the next twits might come. Some things I guessed but there were certainly a few surprises.
The main character, Rusty Sabich was fascinating to me, but I think the most interesting and well drawn of the characters was his son Nat, a young child in the first book. We learn much about how this boy was affected by the events that took place twenty years ago and through him, learn about another side of his father.
“In the meantime, every so often another police officer will arrive and ask my father about what happened. He tells the story again and again, always the same way. What was there to think about all that time? one cop will say. My dad can have a hard way with his blue eyes, something he probably learned from his own father, a man he despised.”
Nat’s mother Barbara, is at the core of the book, although we only view her through the eyes of others, given the circumstances.
“From the time I was a little kid, I sort of felt responsible for her. Maybe all children feel like that. I wouldn’t know, since I’ve only been me. But I realized that I was more than important to her. I was her lifeline. I knew that the only time my mom felt completely right was with me, tending to me, talking to me, thinking about me.”
Though I suppose this is a book that is primarily about “Who?” – who did what…I ended it feeling like the more important question was “Why?” Why do people do the things they do, make the choices they do? Especially those choices that even in the moment they know are wrong…that will come back to haunt them. And when people realize the consequences of their actions…why so rarely do they learn from them and make different choices next time?
This book is full of flawed individuals, few who are genuinely “bad”, but even fewer who are completely “Innocent”.
I loved the book “Presumed Innocent” and enjoyed the movie as well. This sequel drew me in just as that one did – and I didn’t
Show More
really want to put it down. As with most courtroom thrillers, I spent much of the book trying to figure out what the truth was and where the next twits might come. Some things I guessed but there were certainly a few surprises.
The main character, Rusty Sabich was fascinating to me, but I think the most interesting and well drawn of the characters was his son Nat, a young child in the first book. We learn much about how this boy was affected by the events that took place twenty years ago and through him, learn about another side of his father.
“In the meantime, every so often another police officer will arrive and ask my father about what happened. He tells the story again and again, always the same way. What was there to think about all that time? one cop will say. My dad can have a hard way with his blue eyes, something he probably learned from his own father, a man he despised.”
Nat’s mother Barbara, is at the core of the book, although we only view her through the eyes of others, given the circumstances.
“From the time I was a little kid, I sort of felt responsible for her. Maybe all children feel like that. I wouldn’t know, since I’ve only been me. But I realized that I was more than important to her. I was her lifeline. I knew that the only time my mom felt completely right was with me, tending to me, talking to me, thinking about me.”
Though I suppose this is a book that is primarily about “Who?” – who did what…I ended it feeling like the more important question was “Why?” Why do people do the things they do, make the choices they do? Especially those choices that even in the moment they know are wrong…that will come back to haunt them. And when people realize the consequences of their actions…why so rarely do they learn from them and make different choices next time?
This book is full of flawed individuals, few who are genuinely “bad”, but even fewer who are completely “Innocent”.
Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
Background:
Presumed Innocent, written twenty-three years ago, begins with the death of Carolyn Polhemus, a deputy Prosecuting Attorney (P.A.) who worked in the office of Raymond Horgan (Chief P.A.) and Rusty Sabich (Chief Deputy P.A.). Sabich, age 39, had been having an affair with Carolyn, but it
To everyone’s surprise, Rusty is accused of the murder. He is prosecuted by two colleagues, Nico Della Guardia and Tommy Molto. The judge, Larren Lyttle, is an old colleague of Rusty’s boss. When the jury is called, Judge Lyttle, who has always favored the defense, explains to them:
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you again what you are to presume. Mr. Sabich is innocent. I am the judge. I am tellin you that. Presume he is innocent. When you sit there, I want you to look over and say to yourself, There sits an innocent man.”
Rusty’s lawyer, Sandy Stern, conducts a brilliant defense, and the trial is dismissed. But by now you know that has nothing to do with guilt or innocence, which is yet to be determined.”
Innocent:
Innocent takes place twenty years after the events of Presumed Innocent. Rusty Sabich has just turned sixty, and now serves as Chief Judge of the State Court of Appeals. He is a candidate for the State Supreme Court. His son Nat is now 28 and in law school, and his wife of 36 years, Barbara, has just died.
Tommy Molto, now Acting P.A., is egged on to investigate by his brash, hot-headed Chief Deputy, Jim Brand. Brand has discovered that Rusty is having an affair [again!] and thinks that provides a motive for killing his wife.
The young woman Rusty is seeing is his senior law clerk. Anna Vostic, only 34, is blonde, smart, and sexy (hmmm, sound familiar?) and Rusty’s life has been in a holding pattern for twenty years now. He doesn’t feel like he has been “living.”
In spite of his professional success, he is without “the unnameable piece of happiness that has eluded me for sixty years” that I think we can understand as a fulfilling personal relationship. His wife is bipolar and on a plethora of antidepressants and sleeping pills. They have little interaction, except with respect to Nat.
In spite of the pleasure Anna provides, Rusty feels like an idiot for having an affair with her, and decides to end it:
“I know at all moments that what I am doing is in every colloquial sense insane," Rusty says. "Powerful middle-aged man, beautiful younger woman. The plot scores zero for originality and is deservedly the object of universal scorn, including my own. . . . I don't need someone else's advice to know this is simply crazy, hedonistic, nihilistic, and that most important 'istic' -- unreal. It must end.”
But Molto and Brand know only that Rusty waited 24 hours after his wife died before calling the police, and that Barbara had an overdose of antidepressants in her body. No fingerprints are on the pill bottle but Rusty’s. And so they go to trial. Once again, Rusty calls on Sandy Stern to help exonerate him. But he can’t get lucky twice, can he? Besides, isn’t “innocence” relative?
Discussion:
I loved Presumed Innocence for the superb courtroom exchanges and the onion-like unfolding of revelations with the reader never knowing where the truth lay until the end.
Innocent is still good but on the whole I think less good than its predecessor. It felt as if there were a little less testosterone running through not only the characters but the narration. These weren’t energetic velociraptors at the top of their game. The perspective of a judge is perforce calmer and more judicious, if you will, than that of hotshot prosecutors, and there was less palpable excitement in the story. Nevertheless, the books both have a very masculine feel to them. They aren’t mysteries in the sense of “thrillers” but you couldn’t call them “cozy” either. And in fact, no one has tea and biscuits, not once. This is Chicago, after all (thinly disguised as “Kindle”); meatball sandwiches are more the norm.
Ultimately, Innocent was sad for me. The characters who were in the prime of their lives in Presumed Innocent are now on the back stretches. Their stories are pretty much over. They spend their time looking back on missed chances, old hurts, former pleasures, and even new sources of happiness, but these are the comparatively less passionate joys of older age. Contentment is what they seek; not an adrenalin rush.
Yet Turow’s skills as a suspense writer have not suffered any diminution. He keeps you guessing until the end, and his smooth writing style and intelligent plot developments are more than satisfactory.
Presumed Innocent, written twenty-three years ago, begins with the death of Carolyn Polhemus, a deputy Prosecuting Attorney (P.A.) who worked in the office of Raymond Horgan (Chief P.A.) and Rusty Sabich (Chief Deputy P.A.). Sabich, age 39, had been having an affair with Carolyn, but it
Show More
had ended six months earlier. Rusty had worked on a case with Carolyn, who was blonde, built, bold, and sexy, and he fell hard for her. With her dynamism and aggressive personality, she was the opposite of Rusty’s moody, taciturn wife Barbara, his main tie to whom was their 8-year-old son Nat. To everyone’s surprise, Rusty is accused of the murder. He is prosecuted by two colleagues, Nico Della Guardia and Tommy Molto. The judge, Larren Lyttle, is an old colleague of Rusty’s boss. When the jury is called, Judge Lyttle, who has always favored the defense, explains to them:
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you again what you are to presume. Mr. Sabich is innocent. I am the judge. I am tellin you that. Presume he is innocent. When you sit there, I want you to look over and say to yourself, There sits an innocent man.”
Rusty’s lawyer, Sandy Stern, conducts a brilliant defense, and the trial is dismissed. But by now you know that has nothing to do with guilt or innocence, which is yet to be determined.”
Innocent:
Innocent takes place twenty years after the events of Presumed Innocent. Rusty Sabich has just turned sixty, and now serves as Chief Judge of the State Court of Appeals. He is a candidate for the State Supreme Court. His son Nat is now 28 and in law school, and his wife of 36 years, Barbara, has just died.
Tommy Molto, now Acting P.A., is egged on to investigate by his brash, hot-headed Chief Deputy, Jim Brand. Brand has discovered that Rusty is having an affair [again!] and thinks that provides a motive for killing his wife.
The young woman Rusty is seeing is his senior law clerk. Anna Vostic, only 34, is blonde, smart, and sexy (hmmm, sound familiar?) and Rusty’s life has been in a holding pattern for twenty years now. He doesn’t feel like he has been “living.”
In spite of his professional success, he is without “the unnameable piece of happiness that has eluded me for sixty years” that I think we can understand as a fulfilling personal relationship. His wife is bipolar and on a plethora of antidepressants and sleeping pills. They have little interaction, except with respect to Nat.
In spite of the pleasure Anna provides, Rusty feels like an idiot for having an affair with her, and decides to end it:
“I know at all moments that what I am doing is in every colloquial sense insane," Rusty says. "Powerful middle-aged man, beautiful younger woman. The plot scores zero for originality and is deservedly the object of universal scorn, including my own. . . . I don't need someone else's advice to know this is simply crazy, hedonistic, nihilistic, and that most important 'istic' -- unreal. It must end.”
But Molto and Brand know only that Rusty waited 24 hours after his wife died before calling the police, and that Barbara had an overdose of antidepressants in her body. No fingerprints are on the pill bottle but Rusty’s. And so they go to trial. Once again, Rusty calls on Sandy Stern to help exonerate him. But he can’t get lucky twice, can he? Besides, isn’t “innocence” relative?
Discussion:
I loved Presumed Innocence for the superb courtroom exchanges and the onion-like unfolding of revelations with the reader never knowing where the truth lay until the end.
Innocent is still good but on the whole I think less good than its predecessor. It felt as if there were a little less testosterone running through not only the characters but the narration. These weren’t energetic velociraptors at the top of their game. The perspective of a judge is perforce calmer and more judicious, if you will, than that of hotshot prosecutors, and there was less palpable excitement in the story. Nevertheless, the books both have a very masculine feel to them. They aren’t mysteries in the sense of “thrillers” but you couldn’t call them “cozy” either. And in fact, no one has tea and biscuits, not once. This is Chicago, after all (thinly disguised as “Kindle”); meatball sandwiches are more the norm.
Ultimately, Innocent was sad for me. The characters who were in the prime of their lives in Presumed Innocent are now on the back stretches. Their stories are pretty much over. They spend their time looking back on missed chances, old hurts, former pleasures, and even new sources of happiness, but these are the comparatively less passionate joys of older age. Contentment is what they seek; not an adrenalin rush.
Yet Turow’s skills as a suspense writer have not suffered any diminution. He keeps you guessing until the end, and his smooth writing style and intelligent plot developments are more than satisfactory.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Doondeck
A good thriller up to Scott Turow's standards. Some of the plot twists are a bit contrived and the complicated romances are a bit much. What I don't understand is why Rusty, when coming clean to Nat, did not reveal the ending of "Presumed Innocent".
LibraryThing member alanteder
Rusty Sabich vs. Tommy Molto Round 2.
I read this in about 5 sittings of 3 hours each so I think that is a good sign that this was a page-turner.
Fans of 1987's Presumed Innocent will most want to know if Innocent is a worthy successor and the short answer is that yes it is. In overall structure it
The trial scenes don't quite have the fireworks of the Raymond Horgan and Painless Kumagai crosses of the first book, but what other book will ever have those? As Rusty and Sandy themselves said in the first book, not many lawyers would ever have the opportunity to conduct as successful cross examinations as Sandy Stern was able to do in those cases. This is an older, weaker but still crafty Sandy Stern in the new book but even Sandy doesn't have all the secrets that Rusty knows this time around.
This was a compelling novel and even if it seems often to be too much of a copy of the plot from the first book it has been so many years since those days that most of us will be eager to revisit the characters who are 23 years older but often not much wiser. Turow is still masterful at describing the obsessions of forbidden lust, the longing for love and family, the search for dignity and pride by frail human beings. In short, he is masterful at describing all of us and he does it again in Innocent.
[Minor quibble: Several people are thanked in the end acknowledgements for their assistance in proofreading the book, so I can't understand how several references to lawyers approaching the prosecution side of the courtroom (i.e. when they go to talk to Molto and Brand) are referred to as approaching the "defense table".]
I read this in about 5 sittings of 3 hours each so I think that is a good sign that this was a page-turner.
Fans of 1987's Presumed Innocent will most want to know if Innocent is a worthy successor and the short answer is that yes it is. In overall structure it
Show More
is similar to the first book in that the first half of the book lays out the circumstances of the death (in this case, that of Rusty's wife Barbara) and the second half is the trial and the aftermath. The front end concentrates on the process by which Tommy Molto (now the acting PA in place of Presumed Innocent's Nico Della Guardia) becomes convinced that Rusty Sabich is again the murderer in this new case. He is egged on in this by his friend in the PA's office Jim Brand. Molto is still doubting whether justice was done in the first case from over 20 years ago and sees this new case as an opportunity to make amends. Most of the story is told from the point of view of characters other than Rusty Sabich which helps preserve the revelations from Rusty's point of view until the very end (yes, there is a twist at the end again). We hear how Molto and Brand begin to assemble their case. We hear how Rusty's son Nat (Nathaniel, now fully grown and a lawyer in training) describes the preliminaries and the trial from his point of view. We hear the point of view of Anna Vostic, the other woman in Rusty's life at this point and we hear how Rusty again turns to his old lawyer Sandy Stern who is now suffering from cancer and is supported in his legal practice by his lawyer daughter Marta.The trial scenes don't quite have the fireworks of the Raymond Horgan and Painless Kumagai crosses of the first book, but what other book will ever have those? As Rusty and Sandy themselves said in the first book, not many lawyers would ever have the opportunity to conduct as successful cross examinations as Sandy Stern was able to do in those cases. This is an older, weaker but still crafty Sandy Stern in the new book but even Sandy doesn't have all the secrets that Rusty knows this time around.
This was a compelling novel and even if it seems often to be too much of a copy of the plot from the first book it has been so many years since those days that most of us will be eager to revisit the characters who are 23 years older but often not much wiser. Turow is still masterful at describing the obsessions of forbidden lust, the longing for love and family, the search for dignity and pride by frail human beings. In short, he is masterful at describing all of us and he does it again in Innocent.
[Minor quibble: Several people are thanked in the end acknowledgements for their assistance in proofreading the book, so I can't understand how several references to lawyers approaching the prosecution side of the courtroom (i.e. when they go to talk to Molto and Brand) are referred to as approaching the "defense table".]
Show Less
LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader
I don't remember when I read "Presumed Innocent" (Kindle County Legal Thriller #1) by Scott Turow but it must have been prior to 2012 as it is not listed on my GoodReads listing but if you've read that book you will understand the comment that you'll never forget it. "Legal thriller" seems too
"Innocent" (Kindle County Legal Thriller #8) is beyond amazing. It could be a stand-alone novel but my feeling is that if you miss reading "Presumed Innocent" first, you will truly be missing an extraordinary writer's talent who excels at his craft of writing and weaving intricacies from the past (#1) and weaving intricacies anew.
Show More
trite as a descriptive tag as Scott Turow's writing is in a class by itself."Innocent" (Kindle County Legal Thriller #8) is beyond amazing. It could be a stand-alone novel but my feeling is that if you miss reading "Presumed Innocent" first, you will truly be missing an extraordinary writer's talent who excels at his craft of writing and weaving intricacies from the past (#1) and weaving intricacies anew.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bigorangemichael
While he may not have invented the legal thriller, Scott Turow certainly helped usher in the era of the legal thriller twenty years ago with his best-seller "Presumed Innocent." And while Turow has revisited some of the supporting characters of "Presumed Innocent" in his subsequent novels, he's
Until now.
I'll have to admit I was dubious about "Innocent." I've been burned too often by sequels written years later that come off as less like a natural continuation of a story and more like a money grab based on a familiar name or property.
All of those fears and doubts were dispelled within the first ten pages of "Innocent." The novel did exactly what "Presumed" did twenty years ago--pulled me and didn't let go until the last page was turned.
"Innocent" picks up 20 years after the events of "Presumed Innocent." Rusty Sabich is back, serving on the appeals court and running for state supreme court. His professional life is going well and things with his wife Barbara are back on a more solid ground, though there's an undercurrent of tension due to her on-going issues with depression. Rusty is tempted by his law clerk, Anna, who clearly flirts with him and makes it clear she'd like to see their relationship be something more. On the final day of her time as his clerk, Rusty and Anna begin a short-lived affair, with Rusty considering divorce from Barbara. However, Rusty eventually decides against it and ends the affair after a few weeks.
A few months later, Rusty's son Nat contacts Anna about leasing her old apartment while he's serving as a law clerk. Through a string of e-mails and meetings, the two have a chemistry and despite reservations from Anna, the two eventually become romantically involved. After several months, Barbara invites the couple to dinner. But are her motives as innocent as they appear? Has she discovered the link between Rusty and Anna and what will she do about it?
The next day, Barbara dies of what appears to be natural causes. Rusty waits 24 hours to notify the police and authorities, raising the suspicions of Tommy Molto. Molto is still stinging from the fact that Rusty was acquitted at the end of "Presumed" and is cautious about pursuing the case, for fear of looking like he's out for revenge. Eventually, too much evidence turns up and it appears that Rusty may be getting away with murder twice. Rusty is arrested for murder and put back on trial for the death of Barbara.
Told from varying points of view, "Innocent" is a fascinating and compelling legal thriller, not only for the mystery of how and why Barbara died but also some of the ethical implications. The specter of Anna and Rusty's short-lived affair as well as a slip by Rusty to a defendant in an appeals trial, hover over the entire book, driving the narrative forward. The question of it Nat will find out about his father and Anna's affair keeps the tension going. Turow also trades off between point-of-view in the story--we get first-person perspectives from Rusty, Anna and Nat while we get third-person from the legal team of Molto and company.
As with the first book, it's clear that Rusty has made some mistakes but whether or not he's a murderer isn't made clear until the final stages of the story. And even after that has been resolved, the implications of things and their impact on the characters is examined.
In short, it's everything that made "Presumed Innocent" a classic of the genre. Not just the legal aspect, but also the character aspect. A superb follow-up.
Show More
always avoided a direct sequel to the book that put him and the legal thriller on the map.Until now.
I'll have to admit I was dubious about "Innocent." I've been burned too often by sequels written years later that come off as less like a natural continuation of a story and more like a money grab based on a familiar name or property.
All of those fears and doubts were dispelled within the first ten pages of "Innocent." The novel did exactly what "Presumed" did twenty years ago--pulled me and didn't let go until the last page was turned.
"Innocent" picks up 20 years after the events of "Presumed Innocent." Rusty Sabich is back, serving on the appeals court and running for state supreme court. His professional life is going well and things with his wife Barbara are back on a more solid ground, though there's an undercurrent of tension due to her on-going issues with depression. Rusty is tempted by his law clerk, Anna, who clearly flirts with him and makes it clear she'd like to see their relationship be something more. On the final day of her time as his clerk, Rusty and Anna begin a short-lived affair, with Rusty considering divorce from Barbara. However, Rusty eventually decides against it and ends the affair after a few weeks.
A few months later, Rusty's son Nat contacts Anna about leasing her old apartment while he's serving as a law clerk. Through a string of e-mails and meetings, the two have a chemistry and despite reservations from Anna, the two eventually become romantically involved. After several months, Barbara invites the couple to dinner. But are her motives as innocent as they appear? Has she discovered the link between Rusty and Anna and what will she do about it?
The next day, Barbara dies of what appears to be natural causes. Rusty waits 24 hours to notify the police and authorities, raising the suspicions of Tommy Molto. Molto is still stinging from the fact that Rusty was acquitted at the end of "Presumed" and is cautious about pursuing the case, for fear of looking like he's out for revenge. Eventually, too much evidence turns up and it appears that Rusty may be getting away with murder twice. Rusty is arrested for murder and put back on trial for the death of Barbara.
Told from varying points of view, "Innocent" is a fascinating and compelling legal thriller, not only for the mystery of how and why Barbara died but also some of the ethical implications. The specter of Anna and Rusty's short-lived affair as well as a slip by Rusty to a defendant in an appeals trial, hover over the entire book, driving the narrative forward. The question of it Nat will find out about his father and Anna's affair keeps the tension going. Turow also trades off between point-of-view in the story--we get first-person perspectives from Rusty, Anna and Nat while we get third-person from the legal team of Molto and company.
As with the first book, it's clear that Rusty has made some mistakes but whether or not he's a murderer isn't made clear until the final stages of the story. And even after that has been resolved, the implications of things and their impact on the characters is examined.
In short, it's everything that made "Presumed Innocent" a classic of the genre. Not just the legal aspect, but also the character aspect. A superb follow-up.
Show Less
LibraryThing member labwriter
Not as good as Presumed Innocent, but nevertheless a pretty good book. Entertaining, certainly. Worth the wait at the library rather than buying. Sorry, Scott.
LibraryThing member phebj
I read the prequel to this book, Presumed Innocent, more than 20 years ago and still remember it as one of my favorite books so I was really excited to hear that Turow had written a sequel.
In the first book, Presumed Innocent, Rusty Sabich, a prosecuting attorney in Kindle County (a fictional
In Innocent, it is 22 years later and Rusty is now chief judge of the appellate court and in the process of running for a seat on the supreme court of Kindle County. Although his relationship with his wife was strained, to say the least, by the events in the first book, they have stayed together but, of course, he's not happy. Add to that that he's turning 60 and his 34 year old law clerk, an attractive and available women, is constantly coming on to him, and you have a recipe for disaster. When Rusty's wife, Barbara, mysteriously dies, Tommy Molto, now the Acting Prosecuting Attorney, once again tries to convict Rusty of murder all the while wondering if Rusty's smart enough to get away with it twice.
Turow tells Innocent from the point of view of four different people--Rusty, Tommy, Nat (Rusty's son) and Anna (Rusty's law clerk). This seemed clumsy at times and was distracting.
One thing I missed in this book was the sense of place Turow established in Presumed Innocent where Kindle County almost felt like a separate character.
I really liked the character of Tommy Molto this time. He was much more fully realized and seemed to have learned alot about himself in the intervening 22 years. I especially liked hearing about his struggles with his weight. At one point, he describes himself as someone "who struggled to keep himself looking merely out of shape." (p. 71) The character of Rusty was more problematic for me. I had trouble believing he would really risk ruining his life again but then three names immediately popped into my head--Bill Clinton, Elliot Spitzer and Mark Sanford.
The other thing I liked was how Turow made you feel the different ages of the characters--Rusty and Tommy sounded like they were 60 and carrying around alot more "weight of the world" than before. In comparison, Nat seemed painfully young at 28 and Anna, at 34, was just starting to come to terms with some of the disappointments of life.
While the tying up of the all the loose ends in the conclusion was just a little too neat for me, I would tend to agree with Anna's statement that "How do we ever know what's in someone else's heart or mind? If we are always a mystery to ourselves, then what is the chance of fully understanding anybody else? None, really." (p. 388)
I would definitely recommend this book but, if you have the time, I'd read Presumed Innocent first. It's the better book and makes Innocent a richer read.
In the first book, Presumed Innocent, Rusty Sabich, a prosecuting attorney in Kindle County (a fictional
Show More
place in the Midwest) is charged with murdering his ex-mistress and Tommy Molto, a fellow prosecutor and rival of Rusty's, becomes obsessed with convicting him. The ending is a shocker and, except for two people, no one knows for sure whether Rusty did it or not.In Innocent, it is 22 years later and Rusty is now chief judge of the appellate court and in the process of running for a seat on the supreme court of Kindle County. Although his relationship with his wife was strained, to say the least, by the events in the first book, they have stayed together but, of course, he's not happy. Add to that that he's turning 60 and his 34 year old law clerk, an attractive and available women, is constantly coming on to him, and you have a recipe for disaster. When Rusty's wife, Barbara, mysteriously dies, Tommy Molto, now the Acting Prosecuting Attorney, once again tries to convict Rusty of murder all the while wondering if Rusty's smart enough to get away with it twice.
Turow tells Innocent from the point of view of four different people--Rusty, Tommy, Nat (Rusty's son) and Anna (Rusty's law clerk). This seemed clumsy at times and was distracting.
One thing I missed in this book was the sense of place Turow established in Presumed Innocent where Kindle County almost felt like a separate character.
I really liked the character of Tommy Molto this time. He was much more fully realized and seemed to have learned alot about himself in the intervening 22 years. I especially liked hearing about his struggles with his weight. At one point, he describes himself as someone "who struggled to keep himself looking merely out of shape." (p. 71) The character of Rusty was more problematic for me. I had trouble believing he would really risk ruining his life again but then three names immediately popped into my head--Bill Clinton, Elliot Spitzer and Mark Sanford.
The other thing I liked was how Turow made you feel the different ages of the characters--Rusty and Tommy sounded like they were 60 and carrying around alot more "weight of the world" than before. In comparison, Nat seemed painfully young at 28 and Anna, at 34, was just starting to come to terms with some of the disappointments of life.
While the tying up of the all the loose ends in the conclusion was just a little too neat for me, I would tend to agree with Anna's statement that "How do we ever know what's in someone else's heart or mind? If we are always a mystery to ourselves, then what is the chance of fully understanding anybody else? None, really." (p. 388)
I would definitely recommend this book but, if you have the time, I'd read Presumed Innocent first. It's the better book and makes Innocent a richer read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DBower
I strongly encourage you to read/reread Presumed Innocent first - it will make this book all the better. I first read Presumed Innocent many years ago it was and is one of my favorite books of all times. In Innocent we are reunited with the primary characters 20 years later in regard to a new
Show More
"death":which once again pits Sandy/Marta/Rusty against Tommy. It is fun to see the similarities but differences in each of the characters that has happened over the 20 years. My favorite character in this book is Tommy. While I still prefer Presumed Innocent this book was well a fast paced, enjoyable read. Show Less
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Who would have thought a follow up to Presumed innocent would be so good. It may be a bit long but to develop all the loops etc it is worth the read. I like a book when I do not guess the ending. This was a surprise on many levels.
LibraryThing member jaimjane
I love anything by Scott Turow and getting to review the sequel to his masterpeice Presumed Innocent was a real treat. All the main characters from the first book were back only about twenty years older and in some cases wiser. Tommy Molto was the biggest surprise. I really liked the guy this time.
Show More
Rusty is now a Chief Judge of the State Court of Appeals and just as conflicted about his life as ever. His relationship with Barbara seems even stranger what with the fact they stayed married all those years. That was a window into that dysfuntional little world. It was a great story with plenty of twists and turns. I really enjoyed this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member LeHack
I loved Presumed Innocent and looked forward to reading this followup. Rusty Sabich is now an appellate judge, still married, but we get a close look at the marriage in the years after the trial.
One morning, Rusty wakes up to find his wife dead, but waits hours to notify the police. Why would a
Scott Turow has done a wonderful job with this book. We understand Rusty's affair before and affairs since. Why did he stay in such a marriage? Don't try to read this book without first reading Presumed Innocent or it won't make sense. I also recommend watching the movie which starred Harrison Ford, Bonnie Bedelia and Raul Julia. I could picture them as the characters while reading Innocent.
One morning, Rusty wakes up to find his wife dead, but waits hours to notify the police. Why would a
Show More
judge, and former attorney, not notify the police, or anyone of the death? Once you think about this, everything falls into place. Scott Turow has done a wonderful job with this book. We understand Rusty's affair before and affairs since. Why did he stay in such a marriage? Don't try to read this book without first reading Presumed Innocent or it won't make sense. I also recommend watching the movie which starred Harrison Ford, Bonnie Bedelia and Raul Julia. I could picture them as the characters while reading Innocent.
Show Less
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.
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.
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 More
LOLI 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.
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 Ben22
This is my first book review for LibrayThings, and I admit, I feel lucky I got the chance to review a law thriller by Scott Turow. The reason it took me a bit of time to get this review in was upon getting the book and examining the jacket, it mentioned that this was the sequel to “Presumed
After a bit of research, I figured out it was the book that inspired the 1990 film by the same name starring Harrison Ford. With the release of the Hard cover sequel, my local Chapter’s also displayed a rerelease of the original 1987 paperback book. After reading the first two pages, I was hooked.
Thought this is not the place to review the “Presumed innocent” which is the second book Scott Turrow published, I’d simply like to say it’s a great read with some really interesting characters and will keep you hooked till the end. Definitely worth the read. Enough said.
In this sequel, the ninth novel by Scott Turow, he revisits the original cast of characters in a strange case of déjà-vu. Rusty Sabich, now acting judge on the Court of Appeals, is accused of murdering his wife. Prosecuting Attorney Tommy Molto and his assistant Jim Brand lead the pack of old foes in a well orchestrated court room attack against Rusty
All in all this was a good read. Some plot twists and events where a bit forced and many characters act in some really strange or surprisingly naïve ways. The author uses multiple view points with different internal dialogue to advance the story very nicely changing character view point with each new chapter. The author clearly know how to write and use various tools to keeps his story interesting. Turow's courtroom scenes are mesmerizing, and he makes the complex proceedings accessible and fascinating, even for those who know little about criminal procedure.
This is definitely a book for the vacation pile. Fun to read and hard to put down. Having read both books one after the other, I have to say I think the first one was a bit better simply because it rang true. It was also a hard act to follow.
Show More
Innocent” which vaguely rang a bell.After a bit of research, I figured out it was the book that inspired the 1990 film by the same name starring Harrison Ford. With the release of the Hard cover sequel, my local Chapter’s also displayed a rerelease of the original 1987 paperback book. After reading the first two pages, I was hooked.
Thought this is not the place to review the “Presumed innocent” which is the second book Scott Turrow published, I’d simply like to say it’s a great read with some really interesting characters and will keep you hooked till the end. Definitely worth the read. Enough said.
In this sequel, the ninth novel by Scott Turow, he revisits the original cast of characters in a strange case of déjà-vu. Rusty Sabich, now acting judge on the Court of Appeals, is accused of murdering his wife. Prosecuting Attorney Tommy Molto and his assistant Jim Brand lead the pack of old foes in a well orchestrated court room attack against Rusty
All in all this was a good read. Some plot twists and events where a bit forced and many characters act in some really strange or surprisingly naïve ways. The author uses multiple view points with different internal dialogue to advance the story very nicely changing character view point with each new chapter. The author clearly know how to write and use various tools to keeps his story interesting. Turow's courtroom scenes are mesmerizing, and he makes the complex proceedings accessible and fascinating, even for those who know little about criminal procedure.
This is definitely a book for the vacation pile. Fun to read and hard to put down. Having read both books one after the other, I have to say I think the first one was a bit better simply because it rang true. It was also a hard act to follow.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MarkMeg
Sequel to Presumed Innocent. Took me a little bit to get into it, but enjoyed it very much. Takes twists and turns to show the development of the case. Good.
LibraryThing member Kathy89
This book was interesting but a little too long and seemed repetitious in parts because of the 4 main characters telling the story. The ending wasn't a surprise and the main character Rusty Sabich really isn't likeable and difficult to feel any sympathy for him. His son Nate is the interesting
Show More
character as he tries to understand what is going on with his father and build a relationship with Anna. Show Less
LibraryThing member marient
A thrilller-diller starring Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto twenty years after they went head-to-head in the shattering murder trial of Presumed Innocent. Sabich, now sixty, finds his wife, Barbara, dead under mysterious circumstances.
LibraryThing member etrainer
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
I reread my 1987 paperback of Presumed Innocent to refresh my memory of the prequel to Turow's Innocent. It was as I remembered—a clever plot, interesting courtroom maneuvering, and an obvious (once revealed) explanation for the damning murder evidence against the
It is twenty years later in the new novel, and Sabich is again accused of murder. This time his wife is the victim. Now Judge Sabich, he faces prosecution by one of the same prosecuting attorneys involved in the first trial.
Throughout the first half of the book we see the evidence mount against Sabich. Chapters alternate between viewpoints of various characters, and each chapter adds to the accumulating circumstantial case.
Stories based on mistaken identity and false accusations, where the main action of the plot is to uncover truth already known to the reader are not my favorite. I prefer a straight forward puzzle to be solved by the characters and the reader. In Innocent, although we are not absolutely sure that Sabich is not guilty, I think most readers would recognize that without a false accusation, there would be no point to the story. Readers of the previous novel will probably recognize this immediately.
After the accumulation of evidence in the first half of the book, the action moves to Sabich’s trial. As in the first book, the courtroom scenes show the strategy and psychological manipulations of the attorneys as they attempt to influence the jury. Expert witnesses, policemen, and regular citizens are badgered and cajoled to present the evidence in ways that satisfy the opposing sides. This is pretty standard stuff for a legal thriller. Suspense builds as the reader waits for the missing evidence or the new interpretation of known facts that will reveal the ‘real’ killer.
But this is where the story goes wrong for me. Evidence tampering again plays a major role in the outcome of the trial. Ultimately, Sabich goes free, and again, only he knows what really happened. This time, however, he shares some knowledge with his now grown son, an important character in this story. To me, it’s too similar to the resolution of the first book to be entirely satisfying.
And finally, I felt teased into believing that another book in the series will be coming as Sabich thinks in the final sentence of the novel, “I’m ready to find out what happens next.”
I reread my 1987 paperback of Presumed Innocent to refresh my memory of the prequel to Turow's Innocent. It was as I remembered—a clever plot, interesting courtroom maneuvering, and an obvious (once revealed) explanation for the damning murder evidence against the
Show More
central character, lawyer Rusty Sabich. In the end, after the case against Sabich is dismissed based on irregularities in the prosecution's handling of evidence, only Sabich understands what really happened.It is twenty years later in the new novel, and Sabich is again accused of murder. This time his wife is the victim. Now Judge Sabich, he faces prosecution by one of the same prosecuting attorneys involved in the first trial.
Throughout the first half of the book we see the evidence mount against Sabich. Chapters alternate between viewpoints of various characters, and each chapter adds to the accumulating circumstantial case.
Stories based on mistaken identity and false accusations, where the main action of the plot is to uncover truth already known to the reader are not my favorite. I prefer a straight forward puzzle to be solved by the characters and the reader. In Innocent, although we are not absolutely sure that Sabich is not guilty, I think most readers would recognize that without a false accusation, there would be no point to the story. Readers of the previous novel will probably recognize this immediately.
After the accumulation of evidence in the first half of the book, the action moves to Sabich’s trial. As in the first book, the courtroom scenes show the strategy and psychological manipulations of the attorneys as they attempt to influence the jury. Expert witnesses, policemen, and regular citizens are badgered and cajoled to present the evidence in ways that satisfy the opposing sides. This is pretty standard stuff for a legal thriller. Suspense builds as the reader waits for the missing evidence or the new interpretation of known facts that will reveal the ‘real’ killer.
But this is where the story goes wrong for me. Evidence tampering again plays a major role in the outcome of the trial. Ultimately, Sabich goes free, and again, only he knows what really happened. This time, however, he shares some knowledge with his now grown son, an important character in this story. To me, it’s too similar to the resolution of the first book to be entirely satisfying.
And finally, I felt teased into believing that another book in the series will be coming as Sabich thinks in the final sentence of the novel, “I’m ready to find out what happens next.”
Show Less
LibraryThing member bohemiangirl35
Rusty Sabich, chief appellate court judge, is going through a mid-life crisis when he is accused of murdering his wife. This is the second time he's accused of murder and Tommy Molto, the prosecutor who failed to convict him the first time, is determined to have a solid case this go round. After
Each chapter of the book is told by one of the four main characters: Rusty - the accused, Tommy - the prosecutor, Nate - Rusty's son, and Anna - Rusty's former clerk with whom he has an affair.
I liked this one because I kept waiting to see who was going to figure out the other's secrets and because I wasn't sure myself if Rusty was guilty or not.
Show More
Rusty's acquittal in the first case, Tommy Molto was accused of misconduct and investigated for a year before being reinstated in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office. The book explores the nuances and difficulties of proving a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Rusty, of course, maintains his innocence, and not even the prosecutor is 100% sure of his guilt.Each chapter of the book is told by one of the four main characters: Rusty - the accused, Tommy - the prosecutor, Nate - Rusty's son, and Anna - Rusty's former clerk with whom he has an affair.
I liked this one because I kept waiting to see who was going to figure out the other's secrets and because I wasn't sure myself if Rusty was guilty or not.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mikedraper
This story tells of a young Hollywood starlet who is constantly going into rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. The starlet's name is Cherry Pye, aka, Cheryl Bunterman.
Cherry is now age twenty-two and since she was age fourteen, she's been a popular star with a love for excitement that includes
She's currently attempting a comeback after a drug related incident in Boston where she was high and did something while on stage. She's had so many relapses that her parents and record producer have hired a double, Ann DeLusia, to fill in for her when she's "indisposed."
A member of the paparazzi, Bang Abbott, feels that Cherry is headed for the same unfortunate end as Michael Jackson and Bang follows Cherry around in attempt to take photos at the stages of her downward spiral.
Bang meets Cherry and on a flight in a private plane, he takes a number of photos that he thinks he can sell at a premium. However, after the plane lands, Cherry takes off with his camera and cell phone.
Meanwhile, Ann is driving to Florida and has an accident. She meets a bizzare environmentalist, former governer of Florida who goes by the name, Skink. They form an ueasy bond.
Later, Abbott kidnaps Ann, thinking it is Cherry. The family tries to make the most of it, with various plans. They have hired a body guard who is searching for her. This man has a weed-whacker for an arm and is an amusing character.
As the bodyguard is searching for Ann and making his own plans with Abbott, Skink is trying to find and rescue her.
Cherry is now age twenty-two and since she was age fourteen, she's been a popular star with a love for excitement that includes
Show More
alcohol and drugs.She's currently attempting a comeback after a drug related incident in Boston where she was high and did something while on stage. She's had so many relapses that her parents and record producer have hired a double, Ann DeLusia, to fill in for her when she's "indisposed."
A member of the paparazzi, Bang Abbott, feels that Cherry is headed for the same unfortunate end as Michael Jackson and Bang follows Cherry around in attempt to take photos at the stages of her downward spiral.
Bang meets Cherry and on a flight in a private plane, he takes a number of photos that he thinks he can sell at a premium. However, after the plane lands, Cherry takes off with his camera and cell phone.
Meanwhile, Ann is driving to Florida and has an accident. She meets a bizzare environmentalist, former governer of Florida who goes by the name, Skink. They form an ueasy bond.
Later, Abbott kidnaps Ann, thinking it is Cherry. The family tries to make the most of it, with various plans. They have hired a body guard who is searching for her. This man has a weed-whacker for an arm and is an amusing character.
As the bodyguard is searching for Ann and making his own plans with Abbott, Skink is trying to find and rescue her.
Show Less
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Well plotted legal thriller, with Turrow's ability to give great depth to his characters.
LibraryThing member shawnd
This is a sequel to Presumed Innocent by Turow and a worse work. Innocent is a depressing, morbid tale of pain, uncertainty, betrayal, confusion, failure and surrender. The characters are indeed well developed and the book would probably work better as a movie than it came off as a novel. The
While most thrillers benefit from crafting suspense by jolting the reader across a timeline rather than moving linearly, Turow switches both across time and across narrators, and in a story with so much complexity this makes the flow halting and hurts the book. The actual content is perhaps too realistic and includes so much pain that it's almost impossible to read the book as a thriller vs. a relationship/family/struggle/betrayal book. Skip it.
Show More
protagonist, so active in the first work, is muted, confused and Turow's insistence on maintaining a level of doubt and mystery for the reader about the past is perhaps necessary but makes the protagonist's musings and thoughts fall flat as in reality the allusions and memories of his previous legal troubles would clearly be more explicit. While most thrillers benefit from crafting suspense by jolting the reader across a timeline rather than moving linearly, Turow switches both across time and across narrators, and in a story with so much complexity this makes the flow halting and hurts the book. The actual content is perhaps too realistic and includes so much pain that it's almost impossible to read the book as a thriller vs. a relationship/family/struggle/betrayal book. Skip it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kraaivrouw
The beauty of Presumed Innocent for me wasn't so much in the unexpected denouement (although that was wonderful), but rather in Turow's ability to make me read page after page about characters I didn't really like. Rusty Sabitch and his philandering ways just doesn't rank high on my list of
In the new book everyone has aged and moved along in their careers. Rusty is turning 60, a judge, still married to Barbara. Their son, Nat, is finishing law school and Tommy Molto is Acting Prosecuting Attorney, but married now with a new baby. Time has touched everyone, the author included, except perhaps for Rusty Sabitch who still seems to stroll through his life receiving accolades as his due. The tragedy of Rusty is, of course, that his impulses have led him to a life of surface achievement and deep unhappiness in the places it matters - love and family connections. Reaching out one more time for love in all the wrong places, Rusty sets into motion a chain of events that will haunt his family forever, much as the ghost of the first book haunts every page of this one.
This is not an edge-of-your-seat page turner. It's more a measured consideration of the choices people make and make again, even when they know the results will be deadly. Turow elegantly captures the intricate melancholy of regret, of second guessing, of coming to the end of the line. He is always thoughtful, always engaging, always worth the time.
Show More
literary characters I feel sorry for - he so patently got himself into a bad situation and yet still rises above it, the ever-golden boy riding the flames to success. The best character in Presumed Innocent is Sandy Stern in all his cutthroat elegance. Still I read it and enjoyed it and have read everything Turow has written since and have enjoyed them, too, so I was excited to read the latest, Innocent, a many years later sequel to the book that made Turow's career.In the new book everyone has aged and moved along in their careers. Rusty is turning 60, a judge, still married to Barbara. Their son, Nat, is finishing law school and Tommy Molto is Acting Prosecuting Attorney, but married now with a new baby. Time has touched everyone, the author included, except perhaps for Rusty Sabitch who still seems to stroll through his life receiving accolades as his due. The tragedy of Rusty is, of course, that his impulses have led him to a life of surface achievement and deep unhappiness in the places it matters - love and family connections. Reaching out one more time for love in all the wrong places, Rusty sets into motion a chain of events that will haunt his family forever, much as the ghost of the first book haunts every page of this one.
This is not an edge-of-your-seat page turner. It's more a measured consideration of the choices people make and make again, even when they know the results will be deadly. Turow elegantly captures the intricate melancholy of regret, of second guessing, of coming to the end of the line. He is always thoughtful, always engaging, always worth the time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Tasker
I must have really liked this book because, while I was reading it, I mentioned my enjoyment of it to my wife and suggested she read it. I also started thinking about "who did it" as the story unfolded. I'm usually just "along for the ride".
I liked that the chapters were written from the view of
Finally, I was wrong about "who did it" primarily because, at least in my opinion, there wasn't really a single guilty party.
I liked that the chapters were written from the view of
Show More
four different characters and flipped back and forth in time. The courtroom scenes and background legal manuevering were absorbing.Finally, I was wrong about "who did it" primarily because, at least in my opinion, there wasn't really a single guilty party.
Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — 2011)
Crime Writers' Association Awards (Shortlist — 2010)
Exclusive Books Boeke Prize (Shortlist — 2010)
Great Lakes Great Reads Award (2010-02 — 2010)
Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year (Fiction — 2010)
This Mystery is Amazing! (#3 — 2013)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-05-04
Physical description
7.5 inches
ISBN
0446562408 / 9780446562409