This book was written in 2010 and is a sequel to Turow’s legal thriller, “Presumed Innocent,” written in the ’80s. “Presumed Innocent” resurfaced and gained large audiences when it recently became a weekly series on Apple TV. It certainly captured my attention, and when I found there was a sequel, I was eager to read it.
20 years have gone by since attorney Rusty Sabich went on trial for the murder of his coworker and mistress, which ended with his acquittal. Now he is 60 years old and a chief judge of the state appellate court while also campaigning for a position on the state Supreme Court. He remains unhappily married to his wife, Barbara, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is subject to angry outbursts. Their son, Nat, is a law student and lives on his own. Once again, he creates trouble for himself by having an affair with Anna, a young clerk who works in his office. You would think he learned his lesson 20 years ago when he was accused of murder. Guess not!
Eighteen months later, after he ended his affair with Anna, his wife dies in her sleep. Rusty is behaving strangely. He didn’t notify anyone of her death for 24 hours. Why? The familiar prosecuting attorney is trying to figure out if he should charge Rusty with murder. Still feeling bitter with his loss 20 years ago, he works to collect enough evidence against Rusty to charge him with murder once again.
It is a fascinating back-and-forth courtroom drama that I really enjoyed. It is clear that Rusty has made mistakes, but is he a murderer?
Even Nat, who has been trying to get to know his dad all his life, just wants to establish an honest relationship with him.
All the characters are well-developed, and readers learn as much about their personal lives as their roles in the legal world. The author explores the idea of innocence and guilt not only in the courtroom but guilt beyond the courtroom. Rusty is not always a likable guy, and right up until the end, you will wonder whether he is telling the truth. If you are into legal dramas like I am, you will definitely like this book. It would be helpful if you are familiar with the first book “Presumed Innocent” to gain insight into the minds of the characters.
I am excited that a third book is coming out next week in this series titled “Presumed Guilty.” I find these legal thrillers fascinating.