In Scott Turow’s last novel, PRESUMED INNOCENT, defense lawyer Alejandro Stern successfully defended prosecuting attorney Rusty Sabich (who has since become a judge) on a murder charge. Now, it is Stern’s world that is turned upside down, when his wife, Clara, commits suicide. Stern must face some of the same censure that Sabich did as he imagines people pointing at him and whispering about what he must have done to make Clara kill herself.

Soon, however, the gossip fades and Stern becomes just another eligible bachelor. He has problems adjusting to his new life, however, especially the sexual aspects of it. Work on an important case also demands his attention, as his brother-in-law, Dixon Hartnell, is in danger of being indicted before a grand jury on racketeering charges. As devoted to his sister, Sylvia, as he is, Stern is obsessed with not allowing any harm to come to Hartnell, even though Dixon is a brutal businessman.

THE BURDEN OF PROOF is not a sequel to PRESUMED INNOCENT, though Stern did appear in the latter. Rather, Turow has decided to concentrate on the development of Stern’s character to the exclusion of other PRESUMED INNOCENT characters (intriguingly, however, they do occasionally pop up in conversation). Turow gives most of the novel to Stern’s introspective musings rather than to the actual riddle of why Clara killed herself--though he does ultimately provide a satisfying solution both to that mystery and to the grand jury problems of Stern’s brother-in-law.

Bibliography

America. CLXIII, October 13, 1990, p.250.

Chicago Tribune. June 3, 1990, XIV, p.1.

Dalton, Katherine. “Power of Attorney.” Harper’s Bazaar 123 (June, 1990): 38-39. Briefly reviews the novel, comparing it with Presumed Innocent. Chiefly rehearses Turow’s biography, emphasizing the phenomenal success of Turow’s first novel.

Diggs, Terry K. “Through a Glass Darkly: John Grisham and Scott Turow Lay Down the Law for Millions of Americans. Just What Is It They’re Trying to Tell Us?” ABA Journal 82 (October, 1996): 72-75. Diggs argues that Grisham and Turow’s distinctive portrayals of versions of the law stem from different historical perspectives. He compares Grisham’s novels, which harken back to the Great Depression, and Turow’s works, which recall the film noir that emerged at the end of World War II. An interesting analysis of the works of two contemporary authors.

Feeney, Joseph J. “Recent Fiction: The Burden of Proof.” America 163 (October 13, 1990): 250. A highly respectful review, finding in Turow’s novel an exploration of the conventions of Greek tragedy. Feeney does a good job of analyzing Turow’s style.

Gray, Paul. “Burden of Success.” Time 135 (June 11, 1990): 68-72. Cover story on Turow, including excerpts from interviews with the author, emphasizing his biography. Reviews both The Burden of Proof and the film version of Presumed Innocent. Turow’s second novel is praised for its substantial themes as well as its entertainment value.

Grisham, John. “The Rise of the Legal Thriller: Why Lawyers Are Throwing the Book at Us.” The New York Times Book Review, October 18, 1992, 33. Locates the revival of the genre in Presumed Innocent, the success of which has prompted other lawyers to write about their exploits. Evaluates other contributions to the genre.

Library Journal. CXV, June 1, 1990, p.186.

Los Angeles Times Book Review. June 3, 1990, p.1.

Maas, Peter. “And Scott Turow’s New Mystery.” The New York Times Book Review, June 3, 1990, 1. Compares Turow’s second novel unfavorably with his first. Maas finds the pace slow, Stern poorly developed, and the book’s themes overblown.

Maclean’s. CIII, July 9, 1990, p.43.

The New York Review of Books. XXXVII, August 16, 1990, p.45.

The New York Times Book Review. XCV, June 3, 1990, p.1.

Newsweek. CXV, June 4, 1990, p.78.

Publishers Weekly. CCXXXVII, April 20, 1990, p.57.

Time. CXXXV, June 11, 1990, p.71.

The Washington Post Book World. XX, June 3, 1990, p.3.