Call number
MYST TUR
Collection
Genres
Series
Publication
Grand Central Publishing (2017), Edition: 1st Edition, 496 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Mystery. Thriller. HTML:Scott Turow, #1 New York Times bestselling author and "one of the major writers in America" (NPR), returns with a page-turning legal thriller about an American prosecutor's investigation of a refugee camp's mystifying disappearance. At the age of fifty, former prosecutor Bill ten Boom has walked out on everything he thought was important to him: his law career, his wife, Kindle County, even his country. Still, when he is tapped by the International Criminal Court�??an organization charged with prosecuting crimes against humanity�??he feels drawn to what will become the most elusive case of his career. Over ten years ago, in the apocalyptic chaos following the Bosnian war, an entire Roma refugee camp vanished. Now for the first time, a witness has stepped forward: Ferko Rincic claims that armed men marched the camp's Gypsy residents to a cave in the middle of the night�??and then with a hand grenade set off an avalanche, burying 400 people alive. Only Ferko survived. Boom's task is to examine Ferko's claims and determinine who might have massacred the Roma. His investigation takes him from the International Criminal Court's base in Holland to the cities and villages of Bosnia and secret meetings in Washington, DC, as Boom sorts through a host of suspects, ranging from Serb paramilitaries, to organized crime gangs, to the US government itself, while also maneuvering among the alliances and treacheries of those connected to the case: Layton Merriwell, a disgraced US major general desperate to salvage his reputation; Sergeant Major Atilla Doby,a vital cog in American military operations near the camp at the time of the Roma's disappearance; Laza Kajevic, the brutal former leader of the Bosnian Serbs; Esma Czarni, Ferko's alluring barrister; and of course, Ferko himself, on whose testimony the entire case rests-and who may know more than he's telling. A master of the legal thriller, Scott Turow has returned with his most irresistibly confounding and satisfying n… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member librarian1204
In this latest book by an accomplished author, Scott Turow, takes us to The Hague and from there to Bosnia. Bill Ten Boom, at age 55, has accepted a position as Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He leaves, Kindle County, well known to readers of Turow's previous books, to
His first case involves an accusation of a mass killing of Romas, Gypsies, in Bosnia. Boom becomes deeply involved in this case and the people he encounters while trying to determine what really happened.
The story is a complex and complicated one, augmented by some unique (self serving) characters and fascinating descriptions of the history and geography of Bosnia and the Roma people.
Boom quickly discovers that everyone has a story and an agenda. Great book!
Read as an ARC from NetGalley.
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kick start the second half of his life.His first case involves an accusation of a mass killing of Romas, Gypsies, in Bosnia. Boom becomes deeply involved in this case and the people he encounters while trying to determine what really happened.
The story is a complex and complicated one, augmented by some unique (self serving) characters and fascinating descriptions of the history and geography of Bosnia and the Roma people.
Boom quickly discovers that everyone has a story and an agenda. Great book!
Read as an ARC from NetGalley.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SigmundFraud
I had never read a Scott Turow novel until I picked up TESTIMONY which started with a bang and then faltered. I finished the book but was disappointed but I will try another Turow nonetheless.
LibraryThing member nbmars
Scott Turow writes intelligently, but I found myself a little bored with this one. The complexity of the number of parties to the legal action - a farrago of actors involved in the Bosnian War, was confusing, and sorting it out wasn’t all that exciting. The ongoing lapse into the protagonist’s
Most of the action takes place in The Hague, where 54-year-old Bill Ten Boom (his family was Dutch, hence the unusual name) has gone to take a position as prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (the ICC). This is the venue where mass atrocities are examined. In Bill’s first case, he is investigating the (fictional) alleged 2004 massacre of 400 Roma in Bosnia. Possible perpetrators in the area at the time included Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, organized criminals, jihadis, NATO troops, and U.S. contractors brought over by the military.
Complicating Bill’s job is the fact that the U.S., alone among NATO countries, did not sign the treaty establishing the ICC; they did not want to submit to criminal penalties controlled by foreigners for possible war crimes. Moreover, the American Service-Members' Protection Act (ASPA, Title 2 of Pub.L. 107–206, H.R. 4775, 116 Stat. 820, enacted August 2, 2002) actually prohibits American assistance in ICC investigations. (These are non-fictional aspects of the story.)
Other impediments to prosecuting the case include that the alleged event took place eleven years before, “when memories are stale and records are gone,” and pretty much everyone involved had a reason to lie about what may or may not have happened.
Discussion: I thought that the author’s insistence on using his old writing conceit of fictional Kindle County and the fictional Trappers baseball team served no purpose whatsoever except to allow the main character to name-drop a few of the characters from Turow’s previous legal procedurals, which also seemed totally gratuitous.
Also, I felt Turow could have expanded a bit more on the role of contractors in recent military engagements by the U.S. instead of wasting so much narrative space with sex and scenery. The conclusion left me feeling like not all that much had happened.
Evaluation: I give this one a "meh."
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sexual exploits was a little overdone, in my opinion, and didn’t seem to me to be all that essential to the plot. Most of the action takes place in The Hague, where 54-year-old Bill Ten Boom (his family was Dutch, hence the unusual name) has gone to take a position as prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (the ICC). This is the venue where mass atrocities are examined. In Bill’s first case, he is investigating the (fictional) alleged 2004 massacre of 400 Roma in Bosnia. Possible perpetrators in the area at the time included Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, organized criminals, jihadis, NATO troops, and U.S. contractors brought over by the military.
Complicating Bill’s job is the fact that the U.S., alone among NATO countries, did not sign the treaty establishing the ICC; they did not want to submit to criminal penalties controlled by foreigners for possible war crimes. Moreover, the American Service-Members' Protection Act (ASPA, Title 2 of Pub.L. 107–206, H.R. 4775, 116 Stat. 820, enacted August 2, 2002) actually prohibits American assistance in ICC investigations. (These are non-fictional aspects of the story.)
Other impediments to prosecuting the case include that the alleged event took place eleven years before, “when memories are stale and records are gone,” and pretty much everyone involved had a reason to lie about what may or may not have happened.
Discussion: I thought that the author’s insistence on using his old writing conceit of fictional Kindle County and the fictional Trappers baseball team served no purpose whatsoever except to allow the main character to name-drop a few of the characters from Turow’s previous legal procedurals, which also seemed totally gratuitous.
Also, I felt Turow could have expanded a bit more on the role of contractors in recent military engagements by the U.S. instead of wasting so much narrative space with sex and scenery. The conclusion left me feeling like not all that much had happened.
Evaluation: I give this one a "meh."
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LibraryThing member jfe16
Bill ten Boom, at loose ends after leaving his law practice behind, finds himself at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. The case before the court involves the disappearance, some ten years earlier, of four hundred Roma; according to the sole survivor, armed men herded them into a cave
As he investigates the massacre, Bill finds no shortage of suspects connected to the case and a plethora of secrets, some of which may throw doubt on the testimony of the survivor. Can Bill sort out the stories and find the truth behind the disappearance of the missing refugees?
This complex legal thriller keeps the suspense building as the plot twists and turns. Intriguing characters caught in the vicissitudes of war, keep the reader involved as unexpected reveals keep the pages turning.
Highly recommended.
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and sealed them in by triggering an avalanche that buried the cave.As he investigates the massacre, Bill finds no shortage of suspects connected to the case and a plethora of secrets, some of which may throw doubt on the testimony of the survivor. Can Bill sort out the stories and find the truth behind the disappearance of the missing refugees?
This complex legal thriller keeps the suspense building as the plot twists and turns. Intriguing characters caught in the vicissitudes of war, keep the reader involved as unexpected reveals keep the pages turning.
Highly recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member diana.hauser
I was very pleased to read Scott Turow’s latest book, TESTIMONY.
TESTIMONY consists of a Table of Contents; a Prologue and an Author’s Note. There are 8 Parts with 36 Chapters.
The Prologue is very compelling and our journey to the ICC (International Criminal Court) in The Hague, Netherlands,
At 50 years old, with an enviable legal reputation, Bill ten Boom (of Dutch origin) is contacted by an old friend, Roger Clewey, and persuaded to accept a job as a prosecutor at the ICC in The Hague. (The ICC is an organization charged with prosecuting crimes against humanity.)
‘Boom’ is at a bit of a crossroads in his life with a recent divorce, two somewhat bitter sons, a recent resignation from his very lucrative law firm and a lingering curiosity about his parents’ departure from the Netherlands in their youth. He is ready for a change and new challenges.
A book of Scott Turow’s feels like an old friend even before I read the first page. I have read his book PRESUMED INNOCENT many times and THE BURDEN OF TRUTH remains one of my all-time favorite reads.
Turow’s books are quiet, reflective and are dominated by character-driven plots. Our characters wrestle with morals, ethics and their changing places in the world. They are masterpieces of character studies.
TESTIMONY does not disappoint. The plot is somewhat complicated and its subject matter is very new to me - the ICC and the Bosnian War. There is a very gripping sense of place and sense of history and a thoughtful social and cultural commentary.
There is international intrigue; scenes of depravity; info on the Dayton Accord in 1995 which ended (mostly) the Bosnian War; puzzling and complicated characters; an insider’s look at the international legal system; the wonderful court investigator, Goos; very thoughtful reflections on life, character and ethics. I liked the line “Evil of that magnitude was like a dead star, sucking all the light out of life.” I liked the inclusion of a quote from W Churchill about democracy, “It’s a terrible idea, except for the alternatives.”
All in all, a very interesting and informative book. I would heartily recommend it.
TESTIMONY consists of a Table of Contents; a Prologue and an Author’s Note. There are 8 Parts with 36 Chapters.
The Prologue is very compelling and our journey to the ICC (International Criminal Court) in The Hague, Netherlands,
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begins with the testimony of one Ferko Rinic, a Roma from the poor village/refugee camp of Barupra in Bosnia. Ferko tells the story of a massacre of the village when villagers are rounded up and placed in a cave and then the cave is blasted killing all 400 Roma inside.At 50 years old, with an enviable legal reputation, Bill ten Boom (of Dutch origin) is contacted by an old friend, Roger Clewey, and persuaded to accept a job as a prosecutor at the ICC in The Hague. (The ICC is an organization charged with prosecuting crimes against humanity.)
‘Boom’ is at a bit of a crossroads in his life with a recent divorce, two somewhat bitter sons, a recent resignation from his very lucrative law firm and a lingering curiosity about his parents’ departure from the Netherlands in their youth. He is ready for a change and new challenges.
A book of Scott Turow’s feels like an old friend even before I read the first page. I have read his book PRESUMED INNOCENT many times and THE BURDEN OF TRUTH remains one of my all-time favorite reads.
Turow’s books are quiet, reflective and are dominated by character-driven plots. Our characters wrestle with morals, ethics and their changing places in the world. They are masterpieces of character studies.
TESTIMONY does not disappoint. The plot is somewhat complicated and its subject matter is very new to me - the ICC and the Bosnian War. There is a very gripping sense of place and sense of history and a thoughtful social and cultural commentary.
There is international intrigue; scenes of depravity; info on the Dayton Accord in 1995 which ended (mostly) the Bosnian War; puzzling and complicated characters; an insider’s look at the international legal system; the wonderful court investigator, Goos; very thoughtful reflections on life, character and ethics. I liked the line “Evil of that magnitude was like a dead star, sucking all the light out of life.” I liked the inclusion of a quote from W Churchill about democracy, “It’s a terrible idea, except for the alternatives.”
All in all, a very interesting and informative book. I would heartily recommend it.
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LibraryThing member terran
I enjoyed this book a great deal. Instead of staying within Kindle County, Turow has Bill Ten Boom moving out of his comfort zone and investigating war crimes in Bosnia. The historical details and social commentary interested me a great deal, and Bill is a "good guy" hero trying to balance justice
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and humanity. He's experiencing mid-life changes and learning more about himself every day, like most of us. Show Less
LibraryThing member satxreader
According to the Author Notes, he apparently spent years researching and writing this story, so it seems mean to criticize it. But seriously -- not every detail of that research needed to be included in the book. It could have been half as long and moved along at a much more exciting pace. Overall,
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I wasn't impressed, maybe due to my complete lack of basic knowledge of pretty much anything the novel covered. (International Criminal Court, NATO / US peacekeeping policies, Bosnia, contractor roles, etc) 90% of the gratuitous sex could have been left on the cutting room floor as well, since it only served to make him look like a drooling 14-year-old. I give it a solid "Meh". Show Less
LibraryThing member Doondeck
Not Turow's best. Very confusing at times. The hero had a lot of fun in bed.
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Excellent book about something I did not know. Not sure of one person's motivation. It did not fit and the question of why was not answered.
LibraryThing member JosephKing6602
Quite a divergence from his usual legal story line. Clever mix of aperiod of history i know very little about with a mystery plot line. Not his best; but i did enjoy reading this book.
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Testimony, Scott Turow, author; Wayne Pyle, narrator
I usually enjoy Turow’s books, but this one went off on too many tangents, and contained too much foolish dialogue between characters that did nothing to enhance the novel. It had far too many romantic, sexual interludes which were distracting
In brief, the book is about attorney, Bill ten Boom. He is going through a mid-life crisis in his mid fifties. His marriage is over, his children are pretty well grown, and he needs a change. When the opportunity comes to pick up stakes and begin anew, he takes it and heads to The Hague to investigate a possible war crime. It is a crime of great magnitude, concerning the massacre of an entire Roma village. The genocide seems to have been covered up, and is only now being investigated.
The characters are colorful, straying from the mainstream. Some are deceitful and manipulative, some innocent, some savvy and sexy. Some are even sincere. However, all appear to be flawed in some way. Even America does not come away pure as the driven snow in this novel. Some characters are intended by name or action to remind the reader of the real Bosnian conflict and to make some characters resemble real life villains and war criminals like a supposed Serb leader named Laza Kajevic who is easily substituted for the real life Radovan Karadzic. In one of the flights of fancy that the author takes the reader, Boom, whose heritage is Dutch, discovers surprising secrets about his parents’ past during World War II, as he investigates the case. Well researched, the book can be entertaining, and all in all, if the reader sticks to the book, it will be a fairly interesting read.
Testimony, Scott Turow, author; Wayne Pyle, narrator
I usually enjoy Turow’s books, but this one went off on too many tangents, and contained too much foolish dialogue between characters that did nothing to enhance the novel. It had far too many romantic, sexual interludes which were distracting and caused the plot to have a lack of continuity. It was often confusing, requiring rereading. It took almost ¾ of the book before it actually held my interest, and were it not for the fact that I have liked the author’s writing style in the past, I would not have finished it. Because it was based on incidents that did not, but might have taken place during the very real Serbian/Croatian war, if the author had stayed on message, the book would have been far more interesting and way shorter. In the end, the novel left me with the feeling that nothing would be resolved, although the true facts would be revealed. It was as if the author prepared me for the coming of Book Two!
In brief, the book is about attorney, Bill ten Boom. He is going through a mid-life crisis in his mid fifties. His marriage is over, his children are pretty well grown, and he needs a change. When the opportunity comes to pick up stakes and begin anew, he takes it and heads to The Hague to investigate a possible war crime. It is a crime of great magnitude, concerning the massacre of an entire Roma village. The genocide seems to have been covered up, and is only now being investigated.
The characters are colorful, straying from the mainstream. Some are deceitful and manipulative, some innocent, some savvy and sexy. Some are even sincere. However, all appear to be flawed in some way. Even America does not come away pure as the driven snow in this novel. Some characters are intended by name or action to remind the reader of the real Bosnian conflict and to make some characters resemble real life villains and war criminals like a supposed Serb leader named Laza Kajevic who is easily substituted for the real life Radovan Karadzic. In one of the flights of fancy that the author takes the reader, Boom, whose heritage is Dutch, discovers surprising secrets about his parents’ past during World War II, as he investigates the case. Well researched, the book can be entertaining, and all in all, if the reader sticks to the book, it will be a fairly interesting read.
I usually enjoy Turow’s books, but this one went off on too many tangents, and contained too much foolish dialogue between characters that did nothing to enhance the novel. It had far too many romantic, sexual interludes which were distracting
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and caused the plot to have a lack of continuity. It was often confusing, requiring rereading. It took almost ¾ of the book before it actually held my interest, and were it not for the fact that I have liked the author’s writing style in the past, I would not have finished it. Because it was based on incidents that did not, but might have taken place during the very real Serbian/Croatian war, if the author had stayed on message, the book would have been far more interesting and way shorter. In the end, the novel left me with the feeling that nothing would be resolved, although the true facts would be revealed. It was as if the author prepared me for the coming of Book Two! In brief, the book is about attorney, Bill ten Boom. He is going through a mid-life crisis in his mid fifties. His marriage is over, his children are pretty well grown, and he needs a change. When the opportunity comes to pick up stakes and begin anew, he takes it and heads to The Hague to investigate a possible war crime. It is a crime of great magnitude, concerning the massacre of an entire Roma village. The genocide seems to have been covered up, and is only now being investigated.
The characters are colorful, straying from the mainstream. Some are deceitful and manipulative, some innocent, some savvy and sexy. Some are even sincere. However, all appear to be flawed in some way. Even America does not come away pure as the driven snow in this novel. Some characters are intended by name or action to remind the reader of the real Bosnian conflict and to make some characters resemble real life villains and war criminals like a supposed Serb leader named Laza Kajevic who is easily substituted for the real life Radovan Karadzic. In one of the flights of fancy that the author takes the reader, Boom, whose heritage is Dutch, discovers surprising secrets about his parents’ past during World War II, as he investigates the case. Well researched, the book can be entertaining, and all in all, if the reader sticks to the book, it will be a fairly interesting read.
Testimony, Scott Turow, author; Wayne Pyle, narrator
I usually enjoy Turow’s books, but this one went off on too many tangents, and contained too much foolish dialogue between characters that did nothing to enhance the novel. It had far too many romantic, sexual interludes which were distracting and caused the plot to have a lack of continuity. It was often confusing, requiring rereading. It took almost ¾ of the book before it actually held my interest, and were it not for the fact that I have liked the author’s writing style in the past, I would not have finished it. Because it was based on incidents that did not, but might have taken place during the very real Serbian/Croatian war, if the author had stayed on message, the book would have been far more interesting and way shorter. In the end, the novel left me with the feeling that nothing would be resolved, although the true facts would be revealed. It was as if the author prepared me for the coming of Book Two!
In brief, the book is about attorney, Bill ten Boom. He is going through a mid-life crisis in his mid fifties. His marriage is over, his children are pretty well grown, and he needs a change. When the opportunity comes to pick up stakes and begin anew, he takes it and heads to The Hague to investigate a possible war crime. It is a crime of great magnitude, concerning the massacre of an entire Roma village. The genocide seems to have been covered up, and is only now being investigated.
The characters are colorful, straying from the mainstream. Some are deceitful and manipulative, some innocent, some savvy and sexy. Some are even sincere. However, all appear to be flawed in some way. Even America does not come away pure as the driven snow in this novel. Some characters are intended by name or action to remind the reader of the real Bosnian conflict and to make some characters resemble real life villains and war criminals like a supposed Serb leader named Laza Kajevic who is easily substituted for the real life Radovan Karadzic. In one of the flights of fancy that the author takes the reader, Boom, whose heritage is Dutch, discovers surprising secrets about his parents’ past during World War II, as he investigates the case. Well researched, the book can be entertaining, and all in all, if the reader sticks to the book, it will be a fairly interesting read.
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LibraryThing member flourgirl49
I found many parts of this book to be very confusing what with all of the factions involved from various countries, and it could have benefited by the cutting of perhaps 150 pages. It might also be nice to read a story once in a while where the hero could keep it in his pants for more than a month
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or two. Still, I've enjoyed Scott Turow's books in the past, and this one was OK, but certainly not one of his best. Show Less
LibraryThing member cfk
Multi-layered, well written story of war crimes, gypsies and the aftermath of civil war in the Balkans.
LibraryThing member rglossne
Were 400 Roma massacred in the last days of the Bosnian war and buried by an explosion that collapsed a coal mine? Attorney Bill ten Boom leaves his life in Kindle County behind to work for the International Criminal Court in The Hague and to investigate that question. The testimony in the title
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belongs to one Ferko Rincic, who claims to be the only survivor of the massacre. Twists and turns abound in this well-crafted legal thriller. Ten Boom finds love, danger, friendship, and explores his own family’s history. I hope that we hear more from ten Boom and his work in The Hague in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member txmysterylover
Turow provides a fascinating look into an investigation by the International Tribune in Hague on a 2004 incident in Bosnia in which 400 Romany people are obliterated according to one witness. Lots of interesting characters and leads for attorney Bill Ten Boom to follow up with and assess. Ten Boom
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as narrator ruminates on his failed marriage, his romantic (somewhat implausible) involvement with another lawyer and his landlady, and the costs of war among other things. The pace did not push me on, as much as I would have liked, toward the end of the novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member LynnB
I like Scott Turow's writing very much and this book didn't disappoint me -- despite being not my favourite work of his. This is the story of a Kindle County lawyer who moved to The Hague to work for the international court that prosecutes war crimes. His assigned case involves the alleged massacre
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of 400 Roma people. The plot is complex and layered like all of Mr. Turow's work and he tells a good story. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I've read other books by this author an enjoyed them. I just had a hard time getting in to this one which focuses on finding out who is behind the alleged killing of a village of Roma.
Awards
Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction (Nominee — 2018)
Pages
496
ISBN
1455553549 / 9781455553549