Presumed Innocent #3
By: Scott Turow
Narrator: Grover Gardner
ISBN: 978-1538706367
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hachette Audio
Publication Date: 01/14/2025
Format: Other (audio, ebook, hardcover)
My Rating: 5 Stars + (ARC) (ALC)
New from the author of Presumed Innocent, the #1 bestseller that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.
Read Scott Turow’s new “unputdownable” courtroom drama from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Presumed Innocent, the phenomenon that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever (Kristin Hannah, #1 NYT bestselling author).
“No one does it better.”―David Baldacci, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
“The truth is, Turow is just better at this than the rest of us.”―Greg Iles, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
“This is manna for legal-thriller fans."―Booklist, starred review
“This easily ranks among Turow’s best."―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An absorbing and entertaining read.” ―Kirkus
Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that’s taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea’s young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn’t return soon, he will be sent back to jail.
Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn’t returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first-degree murder.
Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is in fact innocent—it’s whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty.
Presumed Innocent Series
PRESUMED GUILTY #3
INNOCENT #2
PRESUMED INNOCENT #1
Praise
“No one does it better.”―David Baldacci, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
“The truth is, Turow is just better at this than the rest of us.”―Greg Iles, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
“This is manna for legal-thriller fans."―Booklist, starred review
“This easily ranks among Turow’s best."―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An absorbing and entertaining read.” ―Kirkus
“A compelling, unputdownable legal thriller that explores the dark side of justice in a small town and on a fractured family. Scott Turow is at the top of his game with this complex, emotionally charged courtroom drama that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can.”
―Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“Presumed Guilty takes you out of your comfort zone and challenges you to think long and hard about the most important issues we face as a country. Every time I pick up a new Scott Turow book, I am reminded what a national treasure he is. Few novelists are his peer when it comes to prose, plot, and character. No one does it better.”
―David Baldacci, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“Every gift that made Scott Turow a phenomenon is on display in Presumed Guilty. Deep-focus plotting, implacable pace, lapidary prose, stunning climax. But above all... insight. The truth is, Turow is just better at this than the rest of us.”―Greg Iles, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
"The trial that follows is a master class in legal suspense as Turow weaves together the devastation of Aaron and Bea’s families, simmering racial prejudice, and the impact of smalltown politics within a framework of deliciously tense courtroom dynamics. This is manna for legal-thriller fans."
―Booklist, starred review
"Turow keeps readers guessing... This easily ranks among Turow’s best."
―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“No one stages courtroom scenes better than this celebrated Chicago attorney. An absorbing and entertaining read.”
―Kirkus
My Review
Scott Turow, the mastermind behind the hit legal thriller Presumed Innocent Series (Innocent #2), Presumed Innocent #1), and the Apple TV series, is back with the highly anticipated #3, PRESUMED GUILTY. His return will thrill fans and attract new readers.
Turow's latest work is a gripping, emotionally charged legal thriller that delves into the dark side of a small town with hidden secrets and Rusty’s brilliant trial tactics. The story's intensity kept me hooked, and I found it just as compelling as the first two books in the series.
Audiobook...
The audiobook, narrated by the exceptionally talented Grover Gardner, is a true masterpiece. His stellar performance captivates you from the first page to the last, making it a must-listen for fans of the series.
About...
Jake Gyllenhaal, as Rusty Sabich on the TV series, is now older and a retired judge at age 77 in #3 PRESUMED GUILTY. He is winding down and soon to be married to Bea, and they reside on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest.
However, Rusty's laid-back, carefree retirement days will soon be front and center when he is faced with saving his newfound family.
Bea adopted her young adult son, Aaron (black, age 22), who lives under their supervision as he is on probation for drug possession. He and his girlfriend were planning a camping getaway.
However, he is missing and not answering his phone. His parole officer will check in, and Bea and Rusty are responsible for him. If he does not show up soon, he will return to prison.
He shows up but is not very forthcoming about his absence. He said he and his girlfriend, Mae, had a fight, and he hitchhiked home. While they were there, she was busy posting on social media and not knowing what Aaron had in mind for their getaway.
Mae is discovered dead, and Aaron is arrested for first-degree murder. Rusty does not want to represent him, but Bea desperately needs help. She believes her son is innocent, and the best attorney she knows is Rusty. She cannot trust his future with a pro bono attorney with no skills. The evidence is pretty stacked against him.
Rusty knows his way around a courtroom, but is he prepared to take Aaron's life and future into his own hands? What if he loses? Bea will never forgive him.
He also knows about being falsely convicted of murder himself years ago, so Rusty understands how the justice system works and feels for Aaron.
Can the system provide justice for those who are presumed guilty?
My thoughts...
PRESUMED GUILTY is another top-notch legal thriller masterpiece by the pro. Fans will love catching up with Rusty and seeing him in action in his old age, able to maneuver small-town politics, courtroom drama, and racial injustice while trying to balance his personal life.
It is intense, suspenseful, and twisty, with plenty of complex, emotionally charged courtroom drama to keep you gripped to the end. At first, you may think this may be a Gabby Petito case, but it is not, and so much more.
TV Series...
Presumed Innocent is an American legal thriller television series created by David E. Kelley, based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Scott Turow. The series is the first television adaptation of the book, following the 1990 film adaptation starring Harrison Ford and Brian Dennehy. It premiered on Apple TV+ on June 12, 2024. In July 2024, the series was renewed for a second season. On October 29, 2024, it was reported that the upcoming novel Dissection Of A Murder by Jo Murray is to be used as source material for the second season. I am hoping Presumed Guilty makes it to the screen.
PRESUMED GUILTY is an outstanding legal thriller and gripping family drama. I highly recommend reading and watching the first two in the series before reading #3 to get the characters' background, even though it can be read as a standalone.
If you have followed my Book Blog for the last eleven years, you know legal thrillers are my #1 genre, and Turow is tops! I am fully invested and a huge fan of the author & series. I binge-watched #1 and #2 and read e-book/listened to audio #3. Cannot wait to see #3 onscreen.
January is starting with a bang, and this is on my Top Books of 2025 list.
Recs...
The legal thriller is for fans of the author and those who enjoy smartly written legal thrillers, as well as works by David Baldacci, David Ellis, Greg Illes, Robert Dugoni, and John Grisham.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also ordered the hardcover copy for my home library.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Put Date: Jan 14, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Jan 2025 Must-Read Books
About the Author
Scott Turow, a writer and former practicing lawyer, is the author of thirteen bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent and most recently, Suspect. Mr. Turow has also published two nonfiction books, including One L, about his experience as a law student. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, and have been adapted into movies and television projects. He has frequently contributed essays and op-ed pieces to publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, and the Atlantic.
