I was excited to read Suspect, as I’d enjoyed Presumed Innocent, Turow’s most popular bestseller, but unfortunately, the plot did not live up to the intriguing premise. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this novel for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Scott Turow seamlessly blends the mystery/thriller genre with John Grisham type legal novels for the best of both worlds, and Suspect exceeds expectations.

Scott Turow's legal thriller "Suspect" offers a gripping narrative that delves deep into the complexities of the criminal justice system. The story revolves around a public defender, who is struggling with her own demons, and her involvement in a sensational murder trial. Through Turow's masterful storytelling, readers are taken on a rollercoaster ride of intrigue, suspense, and ethical dilemmas.
Turow's meticulous attention to detail and his ability to create multi-dimensional characters make "Suspect" a compelling read. The exploration of the legal intricacies and moral ambiguities will leave readers pondering the complexities of the justice system long after they have turned the final page.

For a great legal/police procedural novel by a brilliant mind, Scott Turow never fails to exceed expectations. “Suspect,” his latest mystery weaves in splashes of laugh out loud humor and wit from provocative feminist protagonist, Pinkie, a resourceful private investigator stealthily sleuthing bad guys for her Uncle Rik’s law firm in their community that’s rife with alleged police corruption and highly addictive deadly drug manufacturing.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Scott Turow, and Publisher Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

So I didn’t realize before I started this that it’s the 12th book I’m a series....I’m not sure that it really mattered in the end, it didn’t seem like I was missing anything but I could be wrong because how would I know what I missed haha?? This is told by Pinky who is a PI working for a lawyer. I tend to enjoy a PI as a protagonist since they’re not bound by the law and can push the boundaries more than a cop and Pinky was quite the character. She’s super quirky, which I liked but at times she almost felt too much like a caricature of “quirky female character” for me. This was billed as a legal thriller and it really was more of a mystery detective type of story, which is fine but my expectations were off. In the end this was a run of the mill, typical kind of story for me and was missing something to make it fresh and exciting.

I liked how Turow "gets" the main protagonist. She's interesting and real. But the "thriller" aspect of the book isn't as nearly as good as say, anything by Robert Crais. It's too drawn-out and too deep, and gives me enough time to begin to not believe it. Thrillers (books or movies) have to move so fast that we can't stop and think too much. But Turow is a brilliant writer, nonetheless.

Pinky is a PI for a lawyer. He gets a client to the chief of police, a female. All of her male workers want to bring her down and have outrageous stories to tell. She may loose her job if she isn't found innocent.
I was a little disappointed that this book wasn't better.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Grand Central Publishing.

The author takes us back to Kindle County, but with a different cast of quirky characters. Instead of a courtroom drama, this book stars a N unusual private investigator, a possibly corrupt female police chief, a gang of lowly criminals working for the big guy and lots of people working on secret agendas. I liked some of the characters and there are some clever twists.

A new character is introduced to the reader in this book: Pinky Granum. Covered in tattoos, with colorful hair she is the grand daughter if a respected lawyer in Kindle County. Pinky works for attorney Rik Dudek who is defending Highland police chief Lucia Gomez. There is much action, police procedure and some courtroom drama. The book is slow at times and disappointing.

Published by Grand Central Publishing on September 27, 2022

Scott Turow’s latest legal thriller is set, as usual, in fictional Kindle County, Illinois. Suspect differs from many of Turow’s novels in that the narrator/protagonist is not a lawyer. Clarice Granum, known to her boss as Pinky, is a bisexual nonconformist who dropped out of the police academy and took a job as an investigator for Rik Dudek, a 52-year-old lawyer in Highland Isle.

Rik is representing Lucia Gomez-Barrera, the chief of police in Highland Isle, in a hearing before a commission that will decide whether she should keep her job. Three male police officers have accused her of demanding sexual favors in exchange for promotions. One of the officers has retired and taken a position with Moritz Vojczek, a former cop turned property developer who is known locally as the Ritz. Lucia encouraged the Ritz’s resignation from the force and he has long resented the loss of his pension, although he has achieved enormous wealth and doesn’t need it.

Lucia suspects the Ritz of orchestrating the accusations. While two of the accusers are sleazy, one is squeaky clean. Rik proves his ability as a trial lawyer when he cross-examines the accusers, assisted by evidence that Pinky has uncovered. The hearing seems to be going sideways, however, when a photo turns up that appears to show one of the cops going down on Lucia while she’s sitting in her office. Lucia’s life might go sideways when one of her accusers dies under suspicious circumstances.

In a subplot that eventually merges with the main plot, Pinky becomes curious about a guy in a neighboring apartment who is keeping odd hours. Pinky gets close to the guy because he’s intriguing — maybe he’s a spy? — creating the possibility of a dangerous liaison. Pinky also needs to work out her relationship with a cop she once dated, a woman who seems to be carrying a torch for her. Since the cop is involved in a death investigation and since Lucia is a suspect, Pinky can’t serve Lucia’s needs without addressing the cop’s feeling of abandonment or rejection.

Suspect lacks the suspense and intricate plotting of Turow’s best work, but the cross-examinations are fun. The initial focus on sexual harassment rather than criminal defense makes the story fresh. Rik doesn’t have much personality but Pinky has plenty, at least if an unwillingness to settle down and an unquenchable willingness to have sex count as a personality. The story proceeds steadily to an unsurprising conclusion, but the path is sufficiently twisty to hold a reader’s interest.

RECOMMENDED

Another quality read from Scott Turow. We’re back in Kindle County, where police chief Lucia Gomez has a spotless reputation. That is, until three male police officers accuse her of trading sex for promotions. She has her friend Rik to represent her out. He’s got an investigator named Clarice, who’s had trouble in the past, but is a great investigator. She’s the granddaughter of Sandy Stern, who you might remember from earlier books.

This is an a quart room thriller as much as it is a crime thriller. I enjoy it very much, Scott Turow has the gift of creating memorable characters.

I recommend this book, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This new Turow novel is narrated by Pinky Granum, who is a PI for lawyer Rik Dudek and the late series regular Sandy Stern's granddaughter. Dudek's latest client is Lucia Gomez,a police chief who is accused by three police officers of trading sexual acts for promotions. She denies the charges, and puts the blame on Moritz Vojczek, a dirty cop she made leave the force.

I was disappointed by this book, which had a plot I didn't care about. I usually look forward to Turow's novels, but this one was just ok for me.

In what I would classify as a 'Legal Thriller', Scott Turow has created a windy-twisty masterpiece worthy of a TV show! (In fact, if you liked that show The Killing with Mireille Enos and Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman - you'll LOVE this book! This isn't the type of thriller I normally read either? I'm much more of a 'who murdered Becky with the hydrangeas on the cul-de-sac?' kind of thriller reader, so this was a great change of pace.

Police Chief Lucia is being accused of soliciting se.xual favors in exchange for promotions, but the corruption is so much deeper than anyone realizes. Pinky, a quirky PI with sapphic leanings throughout the book, takes a deep dive into all of the strange comings and goings around the case, creating an incredibly detailed (and somewhat ridiculous) narrative.

Pinky's character is the unreliable narrator you need to keep this story interesting, and I loved how her character was the heroine in the end!

Things I Liked:
- I love stories with concurrent mysteries
- A lot of details to keep track of, and at the end of the story, you realize if you're a clever person or not for having picked up on them, lol
- Somewhat funny... one of my favorite quotes is from when one character describes another as being mentally inundated with 'PES' - Piles of Erroneous Sh.it. I about died - the book had been so serious it was a nice break!
- Explosive climactic ending (There really is nothing worse than an anti-climactic ending whilst reading a thriller!)
- I love books with morally grey characters that really make you question whether or not you like them. 'Lucy' is a character I just didn't like for various reasons, and I found myself as a whole agreeing and disagreeing with her character throughout the book!

One of my favorite quotes:
"I have noticed something throughout my years in this business....There are people who never seem to get caught. And people who always do." - Just really stuck with me because it's just the truth of the world.

Extra Notes & Tropes:
- Police intimidation & corruption/ Conspiracy Theories
- LGBTQ+ themes
**TW: Talk of Child po.rn and child se.x.ual as.sault

Thank you to net galley and grand central publishing for this arc. I have read many books by Scott Turow and was very excited to read his newest book. However, I think this book was a little long and it did not keep me as a reader engaged.

Three male police officers have accused Police Chief Lucia Gomez of soliciting sex in exchange for promotions to higher ranks. The Chief turns to an old friend, Rik Dudek, to act as her attorney in the federal grand jury investigation, insisting to Rik that the accusations against her are part of an ugly smear campaign designed to destroy her career.

Clarice “Pinky” Granum is Rik's investigator. Guided by her gut instinct, Pinky dives headfirst into finding the truth and clearing the Chief, but dark forces will do anything to keep their secrets hidden. Scott Turow is at the top of his game with this engrossing suspense novel. Readers will keep turning pages far into the night. Highly recommended. #Suspect #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

Suspect is a book with a subplot within the main plot which made reading it difficult. It wasn’t easy to stay focused. Although interesting, I was disappointed in this book.

In Suspect, bestselling author Scott Turow revisits Kindle County, the setting of eleven previous novels. The story is related in a first-person narrative from Clarice "Pinky" Granum, the granddaughter of one of Turow's most beloved characters, esteemed defense attorney Sandy Stern. Now retired and residing in an assisted living facility, Sandy gave Pinky his Cadillac CTS which Pinky describes as "not the ride I would have picked for myself." Considering she is covered in tattoos, and sports a magenta mohawk with a blue undercut on one side and a nail in her nose, she "gets some looks" when she climbs out of the vehicle. Pinky has endured failure in her life, most notably a difficult relationship with her mother, a lost shot at Olympic glory in the half-pipe event, and her dismissal from the police academy following a positive drug test. To her credit, Pinky acknowledges her mistakes, including that she "screwed over" police detective Tonya Eo twelve years ago when it became clear that Tonya, "a nice person with a heart that had been pretty much unscarred until I stomped on it," wanted more than Pinky could give. But Pinky also embraces her uniqueness, refusing to pretend to be anything other than smart, tenacious, and unwaveringly loyal, even if not yet ready to settle down. She is a tireless and dedicated private investigator, a job she loves and is extremely good at, undoubtedly because of her insatiable curiosity. Her instincts are good, but not infallible and she sometimes takes reckless chances in her pursuit of answers. Fortunately, Tonya still has feelings for Pinky and, after so many years, is willing to provide assistance to the extent that she is able without crossing ethical boundaries.

Pinky describes her father, grandfather, and Rik Dudek, the attorney for whom she works, as the three most reliable people in her life. Rik runs a rather low-budget legal practice focused on domestic cases, DUIs, and the like. Rik is a former police officer and the chief of police, Lucia Gomez, is his old friend from high school and colleague. Suddenly, she finds herself the subject in an investigation when three male officers accuse her of quid pro quo sexual harassment -- demanding sexual favors in exchange for promotion. She adamantly denies the charges and retains Rik to represent her in the high-profile case that could result in the end of her tenure. Yes, all three men got promoted, but the Chief insists that the promotions were based on legitimate considerations such as job performance and seniority. She's enjoyed a stellar career, rising in the ranks on merit in a profession that proves challenging for women. A single woman with a grown daughter, Lucia is tough, principled, and undeniably powerful. She is also a woman and a woman of color who is at ease with her sexuality. And in law enforcement, perhaps more than any other profession, those qualities make her a threat to the fragile egos of some male subordinates, especially those with a proclivity toward bending the rules for their own benefit. As Pinky explains to Rik, "Men still hate it when a female does what she wants with her body. These dudes' stories make no sense. Yeah, okay, men can get raped or assaulted, but not usually when they're carrying a .38. . . . So how'd she force them?"

Pinky is assigned to gather admissible evidence supporting Lucia's innocence and decimating the officers' claims. Simultaneously, she becomes intrigued with her new next-door neighbor, who seems to be engaged in clandestine activities. As she tells Rik, the neighbor doesn't go to work, have visitors, speak to anyone in the building, pick up his mail, or even own a car. There have been no sounds emanating from his apartment for weeks, but he leaves every day at noon carrying a gym bag and returns with takeout food for dinner. Pinky just can't imagine what he is up to and, despite Rik's warning, becomes determined to find out. So she starts following him, but when he catches her, she makes up a story on the fly about wanting to meet him. She ends up getting involved with him, although they agree not to discuss their respective careers and clients.

Pinky delves into the allegations against Chief Gomez, who emphasizes that two of her accusers -- Primo DeGrassi and Walter Cornish -- worked narcotics together until she reassigned them and both have connections to "The Ritz," Moritz Vojczek. He is a former officer who owns the largest real estate brokerage and construction company, and also manages most of the apartment buildings in the city. He is now worth 300 million dollars, but he left the police force just shy of the date on which he would have been eligible to retire -- he knew that if he did not resign, the Chief would ensure he was fired because he was a dirty cop.

Turow is a master at crafting taut thrillers replete with surprising plot revelations and twists like those included in Suspect. No detail is irrelevant, as Turow takes readers on Pinky's investigative journey to discover both whether the Chief is telling the truth and if she has, in fact, been set up by The Ritz, as well as also why three officers would facilitate the scheme by lying about their interactions with her. At the same time, she learns why her neighbor has come to town and how his business pursuits intersect with the case against the Chief. Because of Turow's own prowess as a litigator, the technical aspects of the tale are not only accurate, but also cohesively woven into a suspenseful and fast-paced mystery that keeps readers guessing right up to the dramatically nerve-wracking conclusion. In his signature style, Turow illustrates the relevant legal principles and investigative procedures through the kind of meticulously-constructed scenes set in the courtroom for which Turow is beloved by readers. He also depicts consultations between Rik, Pinky, and their client, and Pinky sometimes blunders her way into significant discoveries, all of which propel the story forward.

As always, Turow's cast of characters is intriguing and believable, and the dialogue is crisp and witty. Pinky is resourceful and clever --Turow describes her as intuitive with "lightning flashes of bold and correct intuition." She learned a great deal from her grandfather while she worked as a paralegal in his law office and still calls on him for support and advice, because he loves her unconditionally, even if her personal life exasperates him. She is relatable and empathetic -- a young woman establishing herself in a career she enjoys, who understands her own boundaries and limitations. She wants to love and be loved, but not if it requires her to compromise her identity. Pinky serves as a testament to Turow's ability to bring to life characters that are multi-faceted, flawed, and utterly endearing. The accomplishment is even more impressive, given that Turow flawlessly and convincingly voices a thirty-three-year-old bisexual woman. Turow did not initially plan to bring Pinky back, but his readers loved her and Turow found her funny because she is "brash and impolite frequently," so he came up with the idea to make her the main character. It is the first time Turow has published a book in which the protagonist is not a lawyer, which added to the challenge of writing a novel in the voice of someone forty years younger than he is. Interestingly, he did not find drafting the story from a female perspective nearly as daunting, but was surprised he found himself writing it in first person. "Sometimes there are little miracles when you are writing and the fact that Pinky came to me in the way she did goes on that list," he says.

Equally compelling, Chief Gomez is a woman who plays by the rules, requiring the same level of excellence that she brings to the job from her officers. The daughter of immigrants, she has succeeded as a result of her own work ethic and determination. After high school, she served in the military in order to fund her college education. Turow says he wants readers to be sympathetic to her plight "because she is a self-created person" and the stakes for her are so high. She faces not just the loss of her career, but the potential shame of failing spectacularly in her home town. But in law enforcement, not every expectation of employees is memorialized in a rule, regulation, or procedure. It falls to Rik, litigating the biggest case of his career, to convince a three-member police commission that the male complainants are lying, and the Chief must not only be exonerated but permitted to retain her position. Sometimes justice lies in the margins -- the gray areas not neatly outlined in legal treatises, a point Turow deftly explores. The "sextortion" storyline includes "a lot of meditation about power and sexuality," a theme Turow examines thoughtfully through his characters, successfully flipping the genders in the #MeToo plot, and presenting the evaluation of the forensic evidence supporting and contradicting the allegations in a fascinating and understandable manner.

Turow delivers a riveting mystery that is engrossing, believable, contemporary, and thought-provoking. With Suspect, he demonstrates yet again why he is the acknowledged master of the modern legal thriller.

Legal drama and high stakes investigation into a scandal involving a police chief.

Lucia Gomez has just been forced to a hearing because 3 male police officers have accused her of forcing them to have intimate relations in order to be promoted within the Highland Isle PD. Her friend, attorney Rik Dudek, is helping her navigate the federal grand jury investigation and Chief Gomez is insistent that these fake allegations are hiding part of a bigger issue within the community. Clarice "Pinky" Granum (granddaughter of Sandy Stern to those familiar with this series) is a bit of an outlier but she is working with Rik as they build a defense and response to the situation facing Chief Gomez. But, the accusations against the Chief are just the tip of an iceberg that is meant to cover up much more serious criminal activities.

I do not remember having ever read a book by this author before, and certainly none of the Kindle Country series, so I had no preconceived notions going in and it seemed to work fine as a standalone. I enjoy good legal drama and this case was complicated with lots of interesting details and side schemes that gave the whole plot a lot more substance. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters who were quite contemporary and diverse. It did seem to be a little bit too long and slow moving at different points along the way, but the narrative flowed well and came to quite an abrupt conclusion that left some questions. I may check out a follow up to this one if only to find my answers if they will be forthcoming in another novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this e-book ARC to read and review.

The newest of the Kindle County series features Sandy Stern’s granddaughter Pinky. Since her grandfather, Sandy, retired she’s now an investigator for attorney Rik (related through Sandy’s first wife). It’s an in-depth introduction to Pinky as the series takes a fresh new direction. Pinky describes herself as weird, attracted to both men and women, has tats and a nose nail and multi-colored hair.
Pinky is observant, nosy and has found her niche sussing out information. Her current target is purely personal curiosity. Her next-door neighbor’s behavior and routines have piqued her interest. She refers to him as “TWO” and has taken to following him. She’s sure he’s up to something and determined to know what. There is a large corporate plant behind their small apartment complex owned by a wealthy businessman of questionable integrity. Pinky attempts tailing the neighbor to see if that’s what he’s watching. She may stumble into more than she expected.
Rik has a new client who allegedly traded sex-for-promotions. The client is none other than the police Chief, Lucia Gomez, a woman and Latina in the male dominated cop culture. This fictional city in the tri-state area doesn’t have fraternization restrictions. The complaint was filled by three officers, DeGrassi, Cornish, and Blanco. They all wanted to take the sergeants exam so the promotion would increase their pension at retirement. The Chief was single and might have casually been with multiple different officers in the past.
The case is heard first by the City Police and Fire Commission prior to the US Atty. or a Federal grand jury investigation gets involved. The Chief insists the person behind all of it is Vojczek. He’s known as “The Ritz”, owner of a large real estate brokerage, former police commander and son of a mobster. He holds a grudge against the Chief and would love to take her down. He’s also owner of that plant Pinky and “Two” are both snooping around.
Rik struggles to build a case with the Chief’s cagey answers and evasiveness. Pinky investigates and digs for evidence the three complainants are involved in a conspiracy of lies. She even resorts to reaching out to an old girlfriend, Tonya who is now a detective. Pinky is on a slippery slope spying on “Two” and reconnecting with Tonya.
The case takes many turns and reaches some dead ends while uncovering forged evidence, perjury, corruption and dark secrets on all sides. The legal perspective was unique as it begins at the city level. The plot is filled with personnel from many different agencies, the police officers and witnesses. The characters kept me guessing and questioning who was truthful up to the conclusion. There are several mysteries to figure out all seamlessly wrapped up together.
Lookout Highland Isle – Pinky has found her stride and I can’t wait to see what she gets involved in next. Rik was secondary as a developed character, he was crucial, but I’m left wanting to know more about him. As a longtime reader I’m hoping there will be more in this series from a favorite author.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Suspect” Kindle County #12, by Scott Turow and to Grand Central Publishing. These are all my personal and honest thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

“Suspect,” by Scott Turow, Grand Central Publishing, 448 pages, Sept. 27, 2022.

Lucia Gomez is the police chief in the city of Highland Isle, Illinois. She has always known that women in law enforcement must walk a precarious line between authority and camaraderie.

Now three male police officers have accused her of soliciting sex in exchange for promotions to higher ranks. Chief Gomez turns to an old high school friend, Rik Dudek, to act as her attorney in the federal grand jury investigation.

Clarice “Pinky” Granum is a licensed private investigator for Dudek. A former drug user, Pinky failed in a number of professions. Pinky became familiar with criminal cases in the law office of her grandfather, Sandy Stern.

But Rik and Pinky feel that Gomez’s case, which has attracted national attention, is their chance to break into the legal big leagues. They believe the charges were filed to put pressure on Mayor Amity Nieves, who is up for re-election. Gomez believes Moritz Vojczek, a real estate developer, is behind it.

Meanwhile, Pinky is trying to find out what is going on with her mysterious neighbor. She calls the neighbor TWO for The Weird One. She is obsessed to the point of following him.

It’s the 12th in the series, but the others don’t have to be read in order to enjoy it. The first, “Presumed Innocent,” set the gold standard for the modern legal thriller. Scott Turow has a gift for transforming issues of the day into novels. “Suspect” isn’t as good as “Presumed Innocent,” but it would be difficult to best that one.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.