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Title: Reversible Errors by Scott Turow, David Birney ISBN: 0-7393-0113-6 Publisher: Random House Audio Publishing Group Pub. Date: 01 November, 2002 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 4 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.86 (98 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Doesn't Quite Meet Expectations
Comment: In my estimation, Scott Turow is quite simply the best legal mystery writer out there, period. It's an event in my home when a book of his is released, so my expectations are probably a bit skewed and perhaps unrealistic.
"Reversible Errors" revolves around a decade-old death penalty case. The accused, Rommy Gandolph, suddenly claims innocence after confessing to the crime shortly after it happens. Turow, as he often does, effectively uses the flashback technique to examine the investigation and subsequent conviction of Gandolph, as well as the current legal wrangling in present day.
It's typical for Turow novels to reprise characters from past stories, and this one is no different. Tommy Molto and Raymond Horgan make peripheral appearances, and Gillian Sullivan, the presiding judge in 1991 and now a recovering heroin addict (which brought her legal career to ruins), plays a pivotal role in the story. But this book is ultimately as much about relationships as the dreadfully slow appeals process in death penalty cases. Sullivan and former prosecuting attorney turned defense counsel Arthur Raven become involved, and prosecutor Muriel Wynn and homicide detective Larry Starczek rekindle an on-again, off-again affair after a number of years. The fact that all of these people are working at cross purposes against each other at times--even those involved with each other on a personal level--makes for fascinating reading.
Turow's sketches of the four principals are very strong and rival his past characters. Wynn and Starczek, especially, are brilliantly crafted. Wynn, at 44, has her eye set on the mantle of Prosecuting Attorney in Kindle County (essentially the equivalent of District Attorney in the city of Chicago), and she married a rich, high-profile guy named Talmadge whose reputation will no doubt enhance her career. Problem is, she still has feelings for Starczek, who helped her (apparently) crack the triple murder which led to Gandolph's conviction.
Starczek, now 54, still has feelings for Wynn, despite a long marriage to wife Nancy and two teenaged boys. The games these two play with each other as they try to sort out their feelings is pathetic, as well as very realistic.
At the other end of the spectrum is Raven's involvement with Sullivan. Perhaps the most empathetic character of the book because of his effort to aid his schizophrenic sister, Raven is a 38 year old lawyer with a good career and a non-existent love life. Sullivan, who hides her past heroin problems from him, warns him that she has a troubled past, but Raven involves himself with her anyway. You find yourself rooting for this relationship to succeed, although you know the heroin addiction from the past will come back to bite Sullivan. And it does, in a big way--although she doesn't start using again, it is revealed that she was using while presiding over the original Gandolph trial.
More about relationships than a scintillating legal case, "Reversible Errors" is quite strong. But perhaps the book doesn't achieve full momentum because of the death penalty case. While interesting, it moves along at a snail's pace as two other men are ultimately investigated for the crime. As such, it's a very good novel, but just doesn't quite have the fire previous Turow novels do. But again, my expectations of this man's work are probably too high. Recommended, as are all of his fine novels over the years. Start with any, including this one, and read them all.
Rating: 5
Summary: A man on death row may be innocent.
Comment: Scott Turow has hit one out of the park. His latest novel, "Reversible Errors," has all the elements of a Greek tragedy. Turow shows us a criminal justice system in which the legal and political stakes are high, but the moral ramifications are even higher. Not only is this book significant for its handling of important and timely themes, but it is also beautifully written and enormously entertaining.
"Reversible Errors" is the story of Rommy "Squirrel" Gandolph, a small time thief with a low IQ, who has been sentenced to death for the murder of three people in 1991. The federal appellate court appoints a corporate lawyer and former prosecutor named Arthur Raven to "ensure that after ten years of litigation, no sound arguments remained to save Rommy Gandolph's life." It seems unlikely that "reversible errors" were made in this case, since Rommy confessed on videotape, and none of his lawyers has ever offered a credible alternative to Gandolph being the murderer. What is originally a perfunctory duty for Arthur turns into a crusade when he becomes convinced that his client is indeed innocent. Arthur is a compassionate and sensitive person who decides that he must save Rommy if he is to live with himself.
Turow brilliantly sets up the case for the reader by going back and forth between 1991 and 2001. We meet the ambitious prosecutor, Muriel Wynn and her lover, Larry Starczek, who is also the dogged detective on Rommy's case. One of the most fascinating and unforgettable characters in the book is the beautiful and brilliant judge, Gillian Sullivan. Gillian sentenced Rommy to death, and she was subsequently imprisoned for misdeeds of her own. All of these people have a stake in what happens to Rommy, since they all contributed to putting him on death row.
"Reversible Errors" works on many levels. The legal maneuverings are fascinating and instructive. The relationships between the characters are dramatic and often poignant. The dialogue is witty and intelligent. Turow demonstrates once again that justice is an elusive commodity in a world where some lawyers, judges and police officers are not only fallible, but also power-hungry, greedy and amoral. The title, "Reversible Errors," is not only a legal term. It also refers to the mistakes that we all make in our personal and professional lives. Is it ever possible to undo the past? A thoughtful plot, a superb writing style, and excellent character development make "Reversible Errors" a top-notch legal thriller.
Rating: 5
Summary: As much psychological study as legal thriller
Comment: "Reversible Errors," by Scott Turow is a legal thriller concerning a case that begins as a half-hearted pro bono appeal on behalf of a death row innmate. However, the case picks up steam as inconsistencies in the facts emerge. The protagonists include the semi-retarded inmate, his middle-aged sad sack of a defense lawyer, an ex-con judge trying to rebuild her life, the original detective on the case, the Assistant DA who was once the detective's lover, and a dying convict who confesses to the crime to clear his conscience. Turow throws in plot twists aplenty, and what looks at first like a straightforward legal whodunit becomes a convoluted tale of family loyalty, love, and regret. Yes, the legal workings are there, but the interest is as much in the characters as in the justice system in which they're entangled.
Turow's strength as a writer lies in the complexity of his characters. They're not just cardboard figures to be manipulated at the author's whim. Turow gives them a psychological reality that extends beyond the roles they play in the story. The main thrust of the plot is on the legal efforts to save an unjustly convicted man from the death penalty, but, by the end, the fate of the individual characters is almost as important. We care about what happens to them and why they do what they do. In this way, Turow--himself a lawyer involved in death penalty cases--makes it clear that our legal system is made up with individuals, each of whom bring their personal baggage to their cases. Justice may be blind, but as Turow demonstrates in this novel, it's carried out through the efforts of highly flawed individuals.
Legal thrillers are popular these days. Turow's books stand head and shoulders above the rest. "Reversible Errors" is a complex, satisfying, and ultimately thoughtful read. Its characters and their fates will linger in your mind long after the book is finished.
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Title: The King of Torts by John Grisham ISBN: 0385508042 Publisher: Doubleday Books Pub. Date: 04 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Four Blind Mice by James Patterson ISBN: 0446613266 Publisher: Warner Vision Pub. Date: 29 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Prey by Michael Crichton ISBN: 0061015725 Publisher: Avon Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Personal Injuries by Scott Turow ISBN: 0446608602 Publisher: Warner Vision Pub. Date: 01 December, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Pleading Guilty by Scott Turow ISBN: 0446365505 Publisher: Warner Vision Pub. Date: 01 June, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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