The burden of proof

515 pages

English language

Published Jan. 8, 1990 by Farrar Straus Giroux.

OCLC Number:
23181846

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3 stars (5 reviews)

The sequel to "Presumed Innocent", in which the same main character appears. Alejandro "Sandy" Stern, the most celebrated defense lawyer in the Mid-western city where he lives, comes home from a business trip to find that Clara, his wife of 30 years, has committed suicide.

24 editions

Review of 'The Burden of Proof' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

2.75 maybe. It could have plea bargained up to 3 stars but took its chances with my reaction. Had I not read Turow's Personal Injuries just before it, my expectations would have been lower. I found it difficult to like anyone in this book. Sandy Stern was close to likable some of the time. Maybe Marta was likable.

There's no law requiring characters to be likable, of course, but that's just the problem. If we stick to the law it's all just about justice. And about who is good and who is less good and who gets what they deserve. I deserved better.

The sex seemed like a mechanical attempt to humanize the characters and to give them some depth. It didn't.

Killing off Dixon in the end and marrying off Sandy read as an attempt to parcel out some justice in a way that allows us to know the …

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Subjects

  • Legal stories
  • Suicide
  • Fiction