First of all, I was more than surprised to find out that Turow came before Grisham. This book was published in 1987 while Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill came out a year later, and actually encouraged Grisham to embark on a writing career.

Presumed Innocent is a well crafted blend of mystery and legal thriller. The plot has many twists and turns and the reader is empathizing with Rusty Sabich all the way. It has great court room scenes, sharp dialogue, and good character development, filled with all the saucy human emotions and foibles that fiction readers savor - forbidden passion, betrayal, corruption, nasty local politics, and bitter jealousy.

Despite continuing on in his writing, this debut novel probably remains as Turow's best.

This is a story about Rusty Sabicch, a chief deputy prosecutor who is arrested and tried for the rape and murder of a co-worker for whom he was having an affair.

The case against Rusty is based on very circumstantial evidence. Still, the action in the courtroom is riveting. Sandy Stern is the defense attorney. He is a well-thought out character who is quite likable.

The battle in the courtroom provides many satisfying twists and turns.

Rusty is an unreliable narrator, but… Turow, made it work, because it added to the suspense. As readers, we can’t help but ask…what isn’t he telling us? Did he do it? What about the fingerprints?

In due time, all the questions will be answered, just when we need to know.

Presumed Innocent is one of those landmark books that really demonstrated to readers what a legal story, a "law novel" was actually capable of doing. Turow's work in this debut novel is so far above John Grisham's or Steve Martini's popular entertainments of legal "thrillers."

In this first novel, Turow really demonstrates the full reach and complexity of the human soul under duress. I admire the hell out of Turow for creating this complex story as his first breakthrough novel, and I so wish that his other novels had been just as profound and startling revelations in their revelations.

Instead his other books -- although very, very good -- seem to dwell too much on the surface fabric of the legal world without getting into the warp and weave of what makes human beings love and learn, hate, and long for each other.

I love Presumed Innocent not only because of its language but because of the brilliant storytelling. Turow withholds just the right amount, and tells the story in a bold breathtaking first person flashback (a therapist is only a slight frame on this device).

My first novel Coeur d'Alene Waters owes quite a bit to Turow's deft moves in Presumed Innocent.

With its first person POV narrative, absence of DNA evidence analysis, reliance on psychoanalyst therapy, the lack of mobile phones, etc. this novel may appear a bit dated to today readers (it was published in 1986). I did work out the twist at the end, however I enjoyed it very much. As they say it’s an oldie but a goodie. 3.5 stars rounded up.

It was a bit slow-paced, but the ending was worth the wait.

It has been years since I read a Scott Turow book. Now, I remember why he was one of my favorite authors.

The book is well written. The characters are interesting and the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. The ending would be a surprise to many. The courtroom action kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fifteen hours and thirty-four minutes. Edward Herrmann does an excellent job narrating the book. Herrmann (1943-2014) was a well-known narrator of the history channel and audiobooks. He was an actor and famous for his portrayal of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Sometimes I find the Goodreads descriptions so infuriating. I know it isn't their fault. The descriptions, for the most part, come from the publishers. I'm too lazy to go figure out how to not tell readers what happens about 1/3 in and not just 'sort of' spoilerish. In any case, knowing who would end up accused did have me paying a mite closer attention, so I guess knowing that wasn't all bad.

I admit that I have aged enough that I could have done with fewer explicit sex scenes which I'd put in the category of gratuitous. There aren't enough of them, however, to have cut this from 430 pages to even 375. Yeah, I've aged that much.

It has been years since I read Scott Turow and I wondered if this was going to be a reread. I decided not because absolutely nothing, not one word, seemed famliar. And I was very happy being in front of this legal thriller. The courtroom scenes and the pre- and post-trial lawyer/client discussions had my undivided attention. (Except once, when the word venire caught my eye and I knew it would play immediately in an online word game.)

There were clues that had me pretty sure I knew who the perpetrator was, but because I am so often wrong about such things, I would not have placed any bets on my being right. I was right after all, and that was satisfying, but it didn't spoil the novel for me. This is a very good 4-stars and that, for me, is high praise in the genre.

GUILTY, GRAB BEFORE IT IS GONE, ONLY $1.99!!!
Before my obsession with Goodreads, I read this book. More like devoured it! As someone who loved thrillers, and courtroom dramas, and read constantly all the library books I could, this was something that captured me and wouldn't let me go until it was over. This was before the movie and Kindle.
Yup, I'm dating myself.

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DNF @ 14% - 2/15/25

I recently reread this classic and again it did not dissapoint. What most amazed me was the quality of the writing, the precise use of words and description. No wonder Turow is doing a sequel.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. I honestly did, especially after reading some of the positive reviews. But the tense of the narrative just really threw off the whole story, and gave it a certain rhythm/voice that I did not feel suited the story at all. I actually found it rather annoying at times, and somewhat unrealistic at times for the pace.

Story 4.25 stars**
Audio 3.75 stars**
Narrator n   Edward Herrmannn