Psychological

Very good. Kept me guessing until the final pages. It was nice to revist the characters from Presumed Innocent and try to guess about their motivations in the new novel. ( )

First edition as new

Sequel to Presumed Innocent, published twenty years later, protagonist Rusty Sabich is now chief of the appellate court. He is in the process of running for election to the state’s supreme court. His past rival, Tommy Molto, is now the prosecuting attorney. When Sabich’s wife dies, he waits a day before informing anyone. For a variety of reasons better left to the reader to find out, Rusty finds himself again at the center of a courtroom drama. He is defended by the same attorney, now aging and in ill health, Sandy Stern.

This book is told from a variety of perspectives – Rusty, his son Nat, his former clerk Anna, and prosecuting attorney Tommy. The storyline is mentally engaging. I kept trying to figure out where it was headed. Although it is plot-driven, there is plenty of character development, and we get to know these people well. It is not for anyone looking for non-stop action. It explores the idea of innocence and guilt, especially the guilt beyond a courtroom definition.

My overall reaction to this book is positive. I enjoyed turning the pages, reading about the trial processes and preparations. It is more focused than its predecessor. We do not have to endure superfluous side stories that have little to do with the trial. There are several unexpected twists. As with many of these types of books, the primary drawback is that the red herrings must eventually be explained, and some of the explanations are rather far-fetched and even bizarre. It is not essential to read Presumed Innocent first, but I think it would enhance the reading experience.
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Really enjoyed reading this book because even after so many years, Presumed Innocent and its characters were fresh in my mind. It was interesting to see where the years had taken each of them. Turow took them to very believable places in what might have been a very unbelievable turn of events. ( )