I really struggled to connect to this one. I didn’t understand why the MC was following her neighbor or what drew him to her. I get she was an investigator but i couldn’t understand her drive and also felt a disconnect to the main piece she was investigating.
I just wasn’t into the story.

I struggled to stay engaged and connect with the characters. I chose to dnf this book by chapter seven unfortunately. I usually love legal thrillers but this just didn’t hit the mark for me personally.

Suspect AUDIO by Scott Turow was kind of a different book. The protagonist was a VERY quirky woman named Pinkie who worked as an investigator for a small-time lawyer. Right now they were defending the female police chief from charges of sexual harassment: forcing men to have sex with her in order to advance. It was a very small department so often that last promotion had huge implications for an officer’s retirement income. One of the many problems with defending her was that she had had sexual relations with two of the three accusers, in the past, not recently and not coerced. The whole thing got very complicated and led back to a man she had forced to leave the department back when she had originally joined the force. He was beyond corrupt and she had used pretty underhanded means to force him to resign, fifteen months before he could claim retirement. He was now a huge “property developer” in the area, worth many times more than his retirement would have been. He also employed ex-cops, including two of the three named in this case.

Pinkie was interesting: she was a clever and creative woman, bi-sexual, who traded mainly on her gut feelings. For instance, she took an interest in another resident of her building and started following him. She had nothing to go on but eventually he became a major part of the investigation which erupted from nowhere in connection with this case. Pinkie knew everyone in town and they knew her, so she had to be very careful. She did keep things legal and turned what she knew over to the police so they could follow up and send people to jail. It was an interesting story, part of a long-running series. Although not as compelling as many heroes of major thrillers, it was interesting in its own way. I continued on so that says something.

The narrator was Helen Laser and she was part of the reason I kept going. She was an excellent narrator in this situation and she made Pinkie seem like a reasonable person. Even when things got dicey she kept an even keel and proceeded forth. I enjoyed listening to her.

I was invited to listen to an e-ARC of the audio of Suspect by Hachette Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HachetteAudio #ScottTurow #HelenLaser #Suspect

Thank you to Netgalley, Scott Turow, and Hatchette Audio for an advance listening copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review! I really liked this book and to me it was a different take on a police procedural due to our main character who is a PI. I found myself confused in the beginning trying to follow and get to know all the characters but this was short lived. I really loved our main character and the way she developed throughout the story. The narrator did a good job of keeping me engaged throughout the story as well. This one is available to add to your shelf next Tuesday (9.27.22)!

Great audio book! Action both in and behind the courtroom. It’s no secret who the bad guy is but figuring out the game and finding the evidence is a whole other story (the story of this book in fact!). I was also very impressed with the fully integrated roles for women, different ethnic groups, and those with varied sexual preferences without making that the point of the book (I’m getting very tired of the heavy handed agendas of current literature!). Each character is a character with his/her own personality, flaws, interests, etc. in addition to his/her various hashtag-identifiers.

Lucia Gomez is the police chief of Highland Isle and has managed a good balancing act between authority and camaraderie until she is accused of exchanging promotions for sexual favors. Talk about a gender bender! The accusations are false, of course, but there is enough “activity” to make the accusations at least plausible. It’s fun to imagine the story where the genders were switched. Hired by her lawyer to uncover the truth is PI Pinky Granum — she of the misspent youth. As an aside, Pinky is somewhat obsessed with her new and mysterious neighbor whom she suspects of being up to something. Or is it an aside? Maybe there is more to the situation than meets the eye.

Excellent reader, twisted plot, and really interesting characters. Turow writes really good female characters. He writes good male characters, too (obviously) but it’s honestly rare for me to like female characters written by most men. So Bravo! At any rate, this book kept me entertained and thinking for a good 12 hours of driving. Much obliged!

Pinky is a refreshing character, set apart from your typical legal thriller characters - an anti hero granddaughter of a memorable character. Along with another anti hero Rik, dropping the "c" to be cool, shows his prowess as a competent defense attorney. Intriguing, engrossing thriller (with a few inaccuracies related to the former Marine fitness bootcamp instructor, but I can let that slide) read by an excellent narrator makes this a legal thriller enthusiast's must read.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"Suspect. Verb. 1. To believe something is probably without certain proof...I suspect she is telling the truth. 2. To doubt or distrust...I suspect his motives. Suspect. Noun. A person thought to be possibly guilty of wrong doing...She is a suspect in the investigation. Suspect. Adjective. Doubtful or questionable...His explanation is suspect."


All these definitions of the word suspect are used to the fullest in the extremely smart, suspenseful and entertaining Suspect by best selling legal thriller author Scott Turow.

With accurate finesse the writer has crafted a plot that reads like a block buster movie. It begins with the trial of Police Chief Lucia Gomez who has been accused by three of her police officers of trading sex for promotions. Luckily her best friend Rik is a bulldog attorney who quickly finds the holes in the officers' stories. Of course, it can't be that simple. There are exciting "gotcha" court drama moments and slowly a whole different agenda for this case being brought to trial is revealed thanks to Rik's quirky P.I. Celeste "Pinky" Granum.

Narrator Helen Laser is just a wonder as she brings Pinky to life and we see the twists, the violence, the craftiness and even the romance through Pinky's eyes. She tells the story with humor, self deprecation and bravery in herself and her found family.

Suspect is book 12 in the Kindle County series but each one is a stand alone and can be read in any order. There are recurring characters that are fun to catch up with at any time. I hope the author gives us more Pinky because I suspect her sex, drugs and rock and roll past is still a part of her and I love it.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest legal thriller by Scott Turow - a long time favorite - and wonderfully narrated by Helen Laser. 5 stars!

Lucia Gomez has always had a spotless reputation as police chief of Highland Isle near Kindle County. But now 3 patrol officers have accused her of extorting them for sex in exchange for promotions. Chief Gomez hires local attorney Rik Dudek to help fight the charges. Rik is a small town guy, with the shabby office and clients to prove it. His PI is Pinky Granum, Sandy Stern's granddaughter. Pinky flunked out of the police academy and relishes her new role in helping to prove the Chief's innocence. She's also intrigued with her mysterious next-door neighbor and his nighttime activities, which leads her to investigate a former police officer turned real estate magnate.

I loved the latest edition to the Kindle County legal series, although if you haven't read any of them, they are all stand alones as well. Pinky is a great character and I hope we get more of her in the future. Turow is the master at the legal thriller genre and this one is no exception. There's a lot going on in this book but everything comes to a great conclusion. I switched between the audio and digital versions and the narration was wonderful as well. Highly recommended!

Decent story, with one of the best protagonists ever. Recommended.


Review copy provided by publisher.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a fast paced twisty turny legal thriller with a quirky ADHD private investigator. Pinky wanted to be a cop but despite her quick mind, her crack shot she got booted from the academy when she failed a drug test. Now she works as a private eye.

She also has a new neighbor who she has latched onto as someone to keep an eye on. She follows him, and listens to her connecting wall hoping to figure out what bugs her about this guy.

Lucia Gomez is the Chief of Police and is being investigated for sexual harassment. She claims her encounters were consensual and happened long before the witnesses say they did. She claims that an ex cop turned real estate tycoon is the real person behind wanting her gone from the force. Then a damning photo comes up showing Lucia in a compromising position. Its up to Pinky to figure out who is telling the truth, the Chief or the other cops.

I have alway been a fan of Turow's writing and this was no exception. I loved the characters, the shady cops, and the manipulative twists and turns. I wasn't really sure how this would all end and I was happily surprised. I am a huge fan of Pinky and really hope that Turow decides to do more with this character. She is too good for one book.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CiDSL-rPY3I/ <-- Video review

Nothing worse than a thriller that’s…boring! Unlikeable characters, manufactured drama, and a lack of red herrings or plot twists makes this book from bestselling author Scott Turow a swing and a miss for me.

And please, for the love of all that’s holy, can we move on from the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trope of the goth misfit sexually ambiguous but brilliant investigator? It’s been played out. Try harder.

Lucia Gomez is the chief of police in Highland Isle, and she knows better than anyone that being a female in law enforcement is one of the most difficult jobs there is. She has to remain professional, do her job twice as well as any man and be above reproach. Until now, she had succeeded, but now three male cops have accused her of getting her rank by sleeping her way to the top. Enter he old friend Rik Dudek to defend her against corruption charges. Rik, in turn, hires PI Pink Granum, a highly unusual PI to help him ferret out the truth about the campaign to smear Lucia. Turow is the master of the literary courtroom drama and he doesn’t disappoint in this fast paced, timely story