It’s been several months since I read the three books below, so I’m cheating a little and doing a shorter review of each one. The book title contains the Amazon link.
Book 23: Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow
Presumed Guilty is the third book in a series about lawyer Rusty Sabich, who in books one and two was tried for murder of his mistress and then his wife. Now retired and remarried, he seeks a peaceful third act to his life. This simple desire is shattered when his stepson Aaron is accused of murdering his girlfriend Mae. Rusty decides, after an insane amount of pressure, to defend him. The courtroom scenes are dramatic and engrossing. All of Turow’s books hinge on a twist, and this one did not disappoint.
I enjoyed this, but book one, Presumed Innocent, is one of my all time favorites. If you want to see it on screen, please watch the movie with Harrison Ford, not the trashy David E. Kelley miniseries.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
Book 24: Story of a Murder by Hallie Rubenhold
I was about a quarter of the way through Story of a Murder when I realized I had already learned about the case via Erik Larson’s Thunderstruck. A serial con man named Dr. Crippen murders his wife, entertainer Belle Elmore, and he and his mistress abscond from London on a ship to Nova Scotia. Despite their disguises, the fugitives are identified on board and the Canadian police are notified from the ship via the newly invented wireless telegraph. Story of a Murder focuses more on Dr. Crippen and Ms. Elmore’s backgrounds, the early stages of their relationship and the London investigation of the murder. Thunderstruck weaves the story of Guglielmo Marconi (the inventor) and Crippen together to create a much more satisfying narrative. Larson also captures the historical context better than Rubenhold.
So . . . just go read Thunderstruck instead. That isn’t entirely fair, I know.
Rating: 2 stars out of 5. I probably would have liked this more if the material was new to me.
Book 25: Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Entangled Life is about fungi and the symbiotic relationship they share with humans.
Honestly, that’s about all I remember. This book just went in one ear and out the other.
Rating: 1.5 stars out of 5. The New York Times convinced me I would swoon over Entangled Life, but I was bored.
The David e Kelly miniseries was the Jake gyllenhal one, right? It was so awful. I can’t see Crippen stuff without thinking of all the times they bring it up on Coupling. Thunderstruck was so great, I also can’t see myself reading things I’ve already seen Erik Larson excel at. The audiobook is no good though, weird nasal noise thought out.
Great reviews!