Arthur Raven, more versed in corporate law than criminal defense, is noteager to accept the court-appointed task of handling death-row inmate "Squirrel"Gandolph's last-minute appeal of his murder conviction. Fast approaching middleage, Arthur has come to terms with the burdens and disappointments of his life,among which are a schizophrenic sister for whom he is responsible and therealization that he will probably never make an enduring connection with awoman. But when evidence surfaces that might exonerate his client, he rises tothe occasion with a quiet determination to see justice done. Facing a formidableprosecuting attorney and her former lover, the policeman whose testimonyconvinced Judge Gillian Sullivan to find Squirrel guilty, Arthur's persistencenot only wins his client a temporary reprieve from execution but also endearshim to Sullivan, who has fallen on hard times since Squirrel's trial--fresh outof prison herself for taking bribes, she is a most unlikely candidate forArthur's affections. Scott Turow's masterful characterization of complex andmultidimensional people catalyzed by events into searching reexamination oftheir own motives and ambitions is matched by the intricacies of his plot, whichitself is well served by his insider's knowledge of the criminal justice systemand his extraordinary understanding of the vagaries of the human heart. Theprose is luminescent, the narrative compelling, and the moral implications ofArthur's personal and professional choices beautifully articulated. This is atour de force for a novelist writing at the top of his game. --Jane Adams
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