Title: Presumed Guilty
Author: Scott Turow
Narrated By: Grover Gardner

I received an ARC of this audiobook through Netgalley.

Trigger Warnings: car accident, drug use, jail, suicide, murder

This was an incredible book from start to finish.

First, I need to praise Grover Gardner - Bravo! Grover’s reading of this book brought the character, emotions, drama, everything to life for me.

If you like John Grisham books and movies - you will absolutely like this book.

I felt like I was listening to a book on par with the movie A Time to Kill, the book The Client, and other Grisham bestsellers.

This audiobook was so good that I don’t think even a movie version could be as good. It was just so well written.

I highly recommend this book. Please read trigger warnings before listening & enjoy!

Rusty, the lawyer from Presumed Innocent, is now in his 70s, officially retired, and enjoying life with his two decades younger fiancé, Bea. But Bea has an ex-husband (Lloyd) and a troubled son (Aaron) with a past. When Aaron is arrested for the murder of his on-again, off-again girlfriend Mae, Lloyd and Bea can’t afford to hire an experienced attorney and ask Rusty to take the case. Things look bad for Aaron, and for the future of Rusty’s relationship with Bea.
It’s a legal whodunnit where most of the reveals are done during the course of the trial and often by Susan, Rusty’s 2nd chair. I don’t recall how Presumed Innocent played out, but likely in a similar fashion where it looks bad from the beginning. Lots of red herrings. 4.5 rounded up. Well narrated by Grover Gardner who also voices the highly entertaining Andy Carpenter legal series by David Rosenfelt.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HachetteAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #PresumedGuilty for review purposes. Publication date: Jan 14, 2025

I time traveled this weekend.

Approximately one billion years ago when I was just out of college, not married, no kids, I read voraciously. Always with a book in my hand, or in my ears, and, shockingly, a young brain that worked. Fast forward to my nearly 60th birthday. Married, two grown sons, a grandchild - always with a book in my hand, or in my ears, and, sadly, few books that "stick" after the pages have ended.

I used to devour any legal thriller available and, of course, Scott Turow was among them. I saw Presumed Guilty on Netgalley as an audio arc and those long ago years came tumbling back. I threw in a request, then went to find book 1 to re-read in case I was selected for book 3. I kid you not - I began listening to the audio and EVERYTHING came back. I knew the characters, remembered the plot, recalled my love of Raul Julia who portrayed one of the main characters in the 1990 Harrison Ford movie. I just couldn't believe how the brain could access all those memories while still not able to remember this week's doctor's appointments.

Almost immediately, Netgalley sent me book 3 and I just jumped right in.

I was in love once again with an author who can bring drama, and nuances, and the details of jury trials to life. That stuff should be boring. It is boring. But in the hands of a skilled writer who also is a lawyer, the reader can be convinced details are interesting. I listened to that book over the course of a day and a morning. I felt Rusty Sabich in my bones. He was a young man in the first book and he, and me, are now in the last years of our life. The publisher uses the phrase "third act" and Turow honors the character by honestly discussing age, physical attractions, fatigue......with grace.

I loved this one. Should you start with book 1? YES, of course, I would always encourage starting at the beginning, and because this one is so nostalgic of a bygone era that has somehow passed Sabich and me by, do immerse yourself in the whole experience.

Final thoughts - I am old school. I grew up in the era where a very few publishers printed very few books a year. Those books tended to be good because of the investment of a corporate conglomerate who needed readers to spend their dollars. This book reminds me of the perks of those olden times. Turow is a good writer and has only penned about 13 books since this first one back in 1986. His books stand the test of time and stick with you. Fast forward to our digital age where everyone has a book in them and they're not afraid to self publish and social media their way onto bookshelves. I can name at least 3 current writers off the top of my head who have published his same 13 books in the last 18 months. And, although I know their names, and have read their works......they are not memorable writers.

Scott Turow is a memorable writer.