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momentum262's review against another edition
4.0
Intriguing mystery that me constantly guessing. It's always captivating when the reader isn't sure who they can trust, or what is true. A great fast-paced mystery!
mandybeereads's review against another edition
4.0
This book was great. I picked it up bc I live in Chicago, had heard about the Innocence Project in college, and needed a new type of unpredictable mystery novel after the last 2 left me bored. I read this in 2 days and loved it. The author was spot on with his portrayal of corrupt Chicago police and kept me guessing. Recommended to all.
possumwrangler's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ninetalevixen's review against another edition
4.0
Stunning unreliable-narrator twist: not sure that's how it should be done, but it was certainly effective. Couldn't help liking and trusting Jake straight off. Didn't foresee the Z twist.
alltoosofia's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Murder
Moderate: Child death and Rape
imalwayswrite's review against another edition
5.0
Another great one from local author, Michael Harvey. At first I was a bit disappointed that it isn't a Michael Kelly story, but the surprises! Had trouble putting this one down.
alexcarbonneau's review against another edition
3.0
Actually, I got stuck at 65% and didn't find the will to finish the novel.
This is an OK novel that will read quickly and you won't feel like you've wasted a week-end, but it won't MAKE your week0-end.
Was my first Harvey novel and although I heard great things about the man, The Innocence Game did not make me want to go get a copy of Drifters.
Maybe the last 35% are pure gold, but hey! Who has time for gold anyways nowadays ?
This is an OK novel that will read quickly and you won't feel like you've wasted a week-end, but it won't MAKE your week0-end.
Was my first Harvey novel and although I heard great things about the man, The Innocence Game did not make me want to go get a copy of Drifters.
Maybe the last 35% are pure gold, but hey! Who has time for gold anyways nowadays ?
belle590's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
raven88's review against another edition
4.0
As a bookseller, I regularly recommend Michael Harvey to those needing an alternative to Michael Connelly and his ilk, as Harvey so consistently produces incredibly readable Chicago-set police procedurals. The Innocence Game is slightly different than his usual fare, straying into the legal territory of John Grisham and Mark Gimenez in this highly enjoyable stand alone.
With the interplay between the three central characters- a small group of intuitive and ambitious legal students, tasked with finding the real perpetrator of an abduction and killing of a young boy- Harvey immediately envelops the reader in their backgrounds and defining characteristics. As the book progresses, we discover their particular strengths and weaknesses, and certainly in the case of Ian, their back stories are discovered to be intrinsically bound up with their central ambitions in training to enter the legal world. As a further series of killings occur, all three protagonists are put in danger as their investigations bring them into the direct sight of a killer, and causes them to question the actions of those in whom they have a belief and trust. Harvey carefully illustrates the consequences of these actions on the psyches of Ian, Sarah and Jake, and plays with the central dynamics of the relationships between them, as they find themselves inextricably embroiled in physical danger. For my money, Sarah is perhaps the weak link in the characterisation, but only because the two male characters have a much more intriguing back story and unusual set of circumstances that have paved their way in life, but on the whole their interactions work well within the central plot. The plotting cannot be faulted as Harvey closely controls the gradual revealing of key information and there are enough twists and turns along the way to keep those pages a-turning, with one reveal in particular catching me completely offguard. An accomplished thriller from a writer who could be a great new discovery if you’ve not had the pleasure of reading him before...
With the interplay between the three central characters- a small group of intuitive and ambitious legal students, tasked with finding the real perpetrator of an abduction and killing of a young boy- Harvey immediately envelops the reader in their backgrounds and defining characteristics. As the book progresses, we discover their particular strengths and weaknesses, and certainly in the case of Ian, their back stories are discovered to be intrinsically bound up with their central ambitions in training to enter the legal world. As a further series of killings occur, all three protagonists are put in danger as their investigations bring them into the direct sight of a killer, and causes them to question the actions of those in whom they have a belief and trust. Harvey carefully illustrates the consequences of these actions on the psyches of Ian, Sarah and Jake, and plays with the central dynamics of the relationships between them, as they find themselves inextricably embroiled in physical danger. For my money, Sarah is perhaps the weak link in the characterisation, but only because the two male characters have a much more intriguing back story and unusual set of circumstances that have paved their way in life, but on the whole their interactions work well within the central plot. The plotting cannot be faulted as Harvey closely controls the gradual revealing of key information and there are enough twists and turns along the way to keep those pages a-turning, with one reveal in particular catching me completely offguard. An accomplished thriller from a writer who could be a great new discovery if you’ve not had the pleasure of reading him before...
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