How do you feel about executions? You will find yourself on one side of this debate or another after reading this book. The accused is on death row for a murder he didn’t commit – but isn’t that what they all say? This is a very compelling book and I think Mr. Grisham’s views are quite obvious but what it doesn’t take into consideration is the victim’s family. They are written as overly hysterical and media craving and yet surely in the real world most of these people love and miss their family members who have been taken so abruptly from them. I understand the whole premise of this book – of course, but I would be foolish to think that the law is so foolhardy in so many cases.
How often really is the prosecuting attorney having an affair with the seated judge? How often is a signed confession received by a manner of torture or something very close to it? How often is an alleged eye witness a recently dumped boyfriend? I know this is fiction but we are drawn into the world of death row and the unfairness of this situation in this book. There are plenty of people sitting in jail cells who have committed heinous crimes and they may actually get shortened sentences for good behavior and see the light of day only to commit more crime. We would have to have the wisdom of Solomon to be able to see clearly each case and delve so deeply into each one and that is the job of the law profession but I do wonder about those in the court room who can not only change one person’s life but their family and friends too. Not for the fainthearted.
This story is another Grisham winner. He has a great story and well written naturally. Not sure I like how easily everything came together at the end but this is fiction after all.