In a sequel to Presumed Innocent, the book that redefined the legal thriller, judge and lawyer Rusty Sabich returns to the courtroom to defend his step-son against a racially-charged murder indictment as the boy’s life – and perhaps Rusty’s last chance at happiness – hang in the balance.
Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that’s taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea’s young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn’t return soon, he will be sent back to jail.
Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn’t returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first degree murder.
Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is in fact innocent – it’s whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty.
What did I think?
I read Presumed Innocent many years ago so I was very excited to read Scott Turow's sequel, Presumed Guilty and I was not disappointed. It's a real page-turner that transports the reader to an American courtroom as the life of a young man is held in the balance.
Rusty Sabich is now in his seventies and living in Skageon County with his fiancée Bea and her son Aaron. Aaron has been in trouble with the law before but he appeared to be doing well until he was accused of murdering his girlfriend Mae Potter. The Potter family have influence in Skageon so Aaron is presumed guilty from the start.
Rusty was a prosecutor before he became a judge so the last thing he expected was for his fiancée to ask him to defend her son in court. Defense is a whole different ball game and it's one that Rusty needs to learn how to play very quickly if he is to prove Aaron's innocence.
The book is set out in four parts which follows the course of the trial. Part one, Gone, has quite a gentle pacing as it introduces the characters and sets the scene of the crime. The pacing picks up massively once you get to court in parts two to four: Prosecution, The Defense and Judgement. It is just like being in court as Scott Turow paints such a vivid picture with his wonderfully descriptive writing.
The US justice system is complex but, as with any legal system, the defendent's guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution. Rusty knows how the prosecution works so it was brilliant to see him pick holes in their case. Rusty is as sharp as ever and he puts on a very entertaining show that kept me so riveted that I couldn't put the book down.
Gripping, suspenseful and incredibly clever, Presumed Guilty is an absolute masterpiece. It's a page-turning legal thriller that gets a firm hold on you and refuses to let go. This is a sequel that was well worth waiting for. Bravo, Mr Turow!
I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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