Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow Summary
Overview of Presumed Innocent
When a prosecutor becomes the prime suspect in his colleague's murder, "Presumed Innocent" delivers courtroom suspense that captivated readers for 44 weeks on bestseller lists. The thriller that made Time magazine crown Turow "the bard of the litigious age" - what justice awaits?
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Key takeaways
The Perfect Crime: When Justice Fails Its Guardians
"I am the prosecutor. I represent the state." These opening words introduce us to Rusty Sabich, chief deputy prosecutor of Kindle County, whose life is about to unravel spectacularly. When fellow prosecutor Carolyn Polhemus is found murdered - bound with ropes in a sexually suggestive position - Rusty is assigned to lead the investigation. The critical detail he conceals from his boss? He and the victim had a brief but intense affair that ended with his devastating rejection. This conflict of interest sets in motion a chain of events that exposes the fragility of a justice system built on human fallibility. The investigation takes a shocking turn when Raymond Horgan loses the election and the new prosecutor, Nico Della Guardia, indicts Rusty for Carolyn's murder. The evidence seems damning: Rusty's fingerprints on a glass in her apartment, phone records showing he called her the night of her murder, and carpet fibers matching those from his home. Suddenly, the man who spent twelve years putting criminals behind bars finds himself trapped in the system he once controlled.
The Dangerous Dance of Obsession and Deception
The Trial That Exposed Everything
The Web of Corruption and Betrayal
The Shocking Truth Revealed
When Truth Becomes Elusive
The Price of Justice
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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