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A review by ericwelch
Presumption of Innocence by Stephen Penner
3.0
The elements I look for in a legal thriller/novel are competent descriptions of courtroom scenes, an unusual legal tactic/strategy/issue, a moral conundrum, and believable, if not likeable, characters. This book has several of the aforementioned and kept the pages turning as ADA David Brunelle tries to salvage a difficult case.
A young girl is found hanging upside-down from the banister in her home. She has been bled-out, her blood collected for, well you'll find out. The culprits are quickly identified and the novel then focuses on the legal shenanigans needed to try to convict the killer. I liked the legal wrangling. The romance between Brunelle and the ME was forced and one of his actions was legally and ethically reprehensible.
The book could have been stronger on the moral issues. The death penalty was used on a couple of occasions as an element of humor rather than as a quandary for the characters.
Nevertheless, I like the book, a good quick read, perfect for a distraction.
3.3534128 stars rounded to 3
A young girl is found hanging upside-down from the banister in her home. She has been bled-out, her blood collected for, well you'll find out. The culprits are quickly identified and the novel then focuses on the legal shenanigans needed to try to convict the killer. I liked the legal wrangling. The romance between Brunelle and the ME was forced and one of his actions was legally and ethically reprehensible.
The book could have been stronger on the moral issues. The death penalty was used on a couple of occasions as an element of humor rather than as a quandary for the characters.
Nevertheless, I like the book, a good quick read, perfect for a distraction.
3.3534128 stars rounded to 3