This book was such a huge disappointment. I was hooked by it's predecessor (Presumed Innocent) but here I think Scott Turrow simply got carried away and tried to write an epic in the manner of Gone With The Wind or Buddenbrooks, nothing wrong with that, but if you're attempting to write a thriller then your book needs to thrill. Burden of Proof does not do that. The central character cogitates at every available opportunity and stultifies the story. Lots and lots of introspective passages with well-constructed sentences do not add to the book.

I think the author was trying to produce the effect of a long running Spanish telenova, replete with lots of flashbacks between the protagonist and his wife. Alejandro Stern is just too ponderous to be of much interest. His grandiloquent manner of speaking begins to grate after a while.

The scene in which he discovers his dead wife had herpes is unintentionally funny and the scene in which his son Peter inspects him for herpes would have been funny were it not so laden with formality.

This is a very self-indulgent novel. I think Scott Turrow, after the success of Presumed Innocent, decided to impress his fans with his literary prowess and ultimately failed to deliver. This book is worth reading for aspiring writers because it gives you some guideline of what not to do if you are writing thrillers.

1) Don't be politically correct with dialogue. There is a passage where the protagonist's brother-in-law remonstrates with two FBI agents because they want him to come down town whilst getting ready to go to his sister's funeral. In his exasperation he calls them: 'You crummy so and so's!"... Really

2) If your characters ruminate at every possible opportunity you ruin the story.

3) Lengthy characters with well-constructed sentences do not add to the quality of a thriller. Maybe, an epic, but not a thriller.

All in all, this is a book where the author simply let himself go. I feel he should have had more respect for the money paying reader.

what a far cry from his debut novel. I cringed at the first mention of the word "member".

I'm sure I read this before, but many years ago. I had to rate it 5 stars when compared to what I've been giving 4 stars recently.

Complex and authentic novel centering around Sandy, the Argentinian attorney in Kindle County (Chicago) whose wife takes her life (right at the start of the book. This is really not a spoiler.)

Goes on to the intricacies of cheating various commodity exchanges. His brother-in-law (whom he really doesn't like or respect) has been accused of this and Sandy is defending him while dealing with the FBI, grand juries, etc etc etc. and more and more family members become embroiled with it all.

To his surprise, he has also become sexually involved with a divorced neighbor woman and fallen in unrequited lust with a married, pregnant legal opponent which adds to his general struggle to cope with his wife's death.

A long, very well-crafted novel. I might even go back and read the first, although once you know the "trick" in that one......

Decent story line, but it was about the interwine of relations of a family with very little in the legal thriller category. In fact, there was little to the thriller side of Turow's novels in this book. Rather, it was an excellent character development project that he completed. this is his strong suit. some mild sexual involvement, but nothing like his first novel. More innuendo than the actual thing. I didn't like the ending. Turow seemed more interested in making it complex than interesting. I particular didn't feel how the main character ended up in the last chapter made much sense. this is when i rated it lower than i would have with a better ending. I want to read more of his books, but the ratings are not as high as i would like. My guess is people feel he writes to in depth on his character details and less on the legal thriller part of the story.

Wow, I really enjoyed this book. Couldn’t put it down. I heard Scott Turow speak recently (very entertaining) and that sent me to his books. Started with Presumed Innocent, which I had read when it was published. Enjoyed it again and then went on to this one. Love how the author weaves his own philosophy of life into the story. Looking forward to the next one.

This book was very long and very detailed. But instead of feeling like it was dragging and/or slow I ate up the detail and the nuance of the characters. Which is quite rare, esp for a legal thriller. This was less “thriller” and more a character study with some twists and the law thrown in. I loved most everything about it.

I only read the first 110 pages and quickly lost interest. Not enough action...too much rumination on erections.

What makes a book? The story or the characters? All I know with this one is that Sandy Stern was a disgusting man.

Honestly, I believe my expectations were way high after the first book of this series.
Therefore, I was easily let down.
I really was a little impatient with the main character and his discovery of a libido. I never criticize a narration but his Spanish accent reminded me of an imitation of Bella Lagosi.
I usually finish all of the books which I purchase, however, life is too short to not enjoy a read.
I hope I will be more impressed with Mr. Turrow's next one.

I wanted to give this novel at least 4 stars for the amazing writing of the story. It was some of the best I have ever read. The characterization of the people was great and never left you feeling that you had no idea of what they were about. Alejandro "Sandy" Stern comes home from his law office to find his wife, Clara dead. She committed suicide and left no note. The mystery of her death drives the story. It brings in her 3 children, her brother-in-law Dixon Hartnell who also is Sandy's client and a lost check of about $850,000. Sandy realizes that his devotion to his clients and time at the office had severely hurt their marriage. But when he goes off the rails as far I am concerned when it comes to his wanton love life after his wife death really spoils his character of an Argentinian gentleman. There is no way to call this book a 'thriller'. It plods along too slowly part of the time and the culprit in the story is not to hard to figure out.

This is one of the worst books ever written by a really good author. And believe it or not, this is my second reading of it. Why did I torture myself you ask? I was re-reading the series to familiarize myself as I pick up where I left the series. Presumed Innocent (the first in the series) was a pretty good legal thriller. I probably loved it the first time around and even liked it the second with a couple of irritating moments but nothing like this. I rated it one star the first time and would rate it less if I could this time. Not one of the characters was remotely like able, maybe the daughter Marta and the aunt Sylvia but that’s it. This is not the Stern that I admired so much as a great lawyer in the first book. He seems so stupid here. I’m actually scared to keep reading. I don’t remember much about book 3.

Alejando Stern, or Sandy as he is known, is at the top of his career. He is an accomplished defense lawyer, respected by those who move in legal circles. Sandy came to the United States as a boy from Argentina. He married Clara and they have three adult children. The marriage has settled into a polite one rather than a passionate one. Clara has always been reserved and fights depression.

When Sandy comes home one day from an out of town meeting, he finds Clara dead by her own hand. Stunned but not really surprised, Sandy starts to settle into his new life only to find that he never knew Clara at all. He starts to uncover her secret life and each new discovery uncovers more secrets until he wonders how he could have been so blind.

His professional life is trying also. His brother-in-law, Dixon, is a wealthy man who trades on the stock market. He is a chrematistic figure but Sandy has long suspected he sails too close to the legal edge and now the SEC and the state attorney have come to bring Dixon down. It is one of the most challenging cases of Sandy's career, not least because Dixon lies and maneuvers constantly. Sandy would leave him to it but he can't desert his sister's husband who also employs Sandy's son-in-law. But the case is thorny and complicated and he can't quite see how it will be resolved easily.

This is Turow's second novel and Sandy is the brilliant lawyer who is one of the main characters in Turow's first explosive bestseller, Presumed Innocent. Sandy is an interesting character and readers will want him to win as he negotiates both the legal world and his new world as a widower back in the dating world. Through issues with his children, his legal responsibilities and his investigation into the woman he married but who hid her life from him, Sandy walks a fine line guided by his morals and obligations to those he loves. This book is recommended for readers of legal mysteries.