Rating: 
Summary: Too many pages devoted to characters' love lives
Review: I was drawn to this novel because it deals with the timely issue of doubt being cast on the guilt of a convict who had actually confessed. The crime/law portion of the story is excellent. But too much of the novel for my taste chronicles the romantic and sexual problems of attorneys and investigators. It's as if Turow found his crime/law plot shaping up as too slim, and had to resort to padding.
Rating: 
Summary: Doesn't Quite Meet Expectations
Review: In my estimation, Scott Turow is quite simply the best legal mystery writer out there, period. It's an event in my home when a book of his is released, so my expectations are probably a bit skewed and perhaps unrealistic. "Reversible Errors" revolves around a decade-old death penalty case. The accused, Rommy Gandolph, suddenly claims innocence after confessing to the crime shortly after it happens. Turow, as he often does, effectively uses the flashback technique to examine the investigation and subsequent conviction of Gandolph, as well as the current legal wrangling in present day. It's typical for Turow novels to reprise characters from past stories, and this one is no different. Tommy Molto and Raymond Horgan make peripheral appearances, and Gillian Sullivan, the presiding judge in 1991 and now a recovering heroin addict (which brought her legal career to ruins), plays a pivotal role in the story. But this book is ultimately as much about relationships as the dreadfully slow appeals process in death penalty cases. Sullivan and former prosecuting attorney turned defense counsel Arthur Raven become involved, and prosecutor Muriel Wynn and homicide detective Larry Starczek rekindle an on-again, off-again affair after a number of years. The fact that all of these people are working at cross purposes against each other at times--even those involved with each other on a personal level--makes for fascinating reading. Turow's sketches of the four principals are very strong and rival his past characters. Wynn and Starczek, especially, are brilliantly crafted. Wynn, at 44, has her eye set on the mantle of Prosecuting Attorney in Kindle County (essentially the equivalent of District Attorney in the city of Chicago), and she married a rich, high-profile guy named Talmadge whose reputation will no doubt enhance her career. Problem is, she still has feelings for Starczek, who helped her (apparently) crack the triple murder which led to Gandolph's conviction.
Starczek, now 54, still has feelings for Wynn, despite a long marriage to wife Nancy and two teenaged boys. The games these two play with each other as they try to sort out their feelings is pathetic, as well as very realistic. At the other end of the spectrum is Raven's involvement with Sullivan. Perhaps the most empathetic character of the book because of his effort to aid his schizophrenic sister, Raven is a 38 year old lawyer with a good career and a non-existent love life. Sullivan, who hides her past heroin problems from him, warns him that she has a troubled past, but Raven involves himself with her anyway. You find yourself rooting for this relationship to succeed, although you know the heroin addiction from the past will come back to bite Sullivan. And it does, in a big way--although she doesn't start using again, it is revealed that she was using while presiding over the original Gandolph trial. More about relationships than a scintillating legal case, "Reversible Errors" is quite strong. But perhaps the book doesn't achieve full momentum because of the death penalty case. While interesting, it moves along at a snail's pace as two other men are ultimately investigated for the crime. As such, it's a very good novel, but just doesn't quite have the fire previous Turow novels do. But again, my expectations of this man's work are probably too high. Recommended, as are all of his fine novels over the years. Start with any, including this one, and read them all.
Rating:
Summary: Could Have Been A Brilliant Court Drama
Review: Many of the reviews comment positively on the large amount of space devoted to the character's lives outside the strict confines of the plot. In my opinion, however, this was the downfall of this, otherwise superb, courtroom novel. At 350 pages this would have been a brilliant page-turner, at 550 pages it dragged a lot. The basic plot is certainly enough to maintain interest through the sidelines, though. The early part of the novel spends part of it's time in 1991 when a policeman who "had the right man" and a very ambitious junior DA (also his lover) 'assisted' a mentally subnormal man ("Squirrel") into confessing to three murders - a confession that ended up giving him the death penalty. Jump forwards 10 years and we have his appeals lawyer starting to dig into a few murky circumstances that shed serious doubt on the case. Turow does a great job of keeping our interest in the various murder suspects; the original assistant DA is now highly placed to become the next DA and doesn't want this to ruin her chances of election; the policeman anxious to put charges of coercement behind him; the appeals lawyer, finding a new love of the law in the process; the original judge, having fallen on hard times herself, second-guessing her decisions. The machinations of the prosecutors is handled masterfully and, of course, we have the twists and turns expected. Unfortunately, this is interrupted frequently by tedious chapters that add nothing to the plot and, actually, add little to the characters we see. Pages and pages of very similar dialog do nothing. Now, some will argue that I'm just being shallow and buying into the constraints of the genre. Perhaps. I'm certainly not adverse to heavyweight material (see my review of Joyce's Ulyssees) but this isn't particuarly good and it does seriously impede the flow of the book. It seems from other reviewers that this was a departure for Turow. I'll certainly give him another chance but, for me, this book will always be a little soured by all the things in it that shouldn't have been there.
Rating: 
Summary: Turow is Back!
Review: In his best work since "Presumed Innocence", Scott Turow weaves a masterpiece of interpersonal relationships and legal suspense in "Reversible Errors". At his best, Turow's legal prose is much more powerful and thoughtful than the more popular John Grisham, and this is an example of the master at the top of his game. The main story line is familiar enough: a condemned man about to be executed for a decade-old triple murder has one last shot at reprieve. But while the tale may be common, the characters are not: deeply developed, multi-faceted, and flawed, absent both super-heroes and arch-villains. The main characters include Arthur Raven, the socially dysfunctional court-appointed defense attorney, and Gillian Sullivan, the judge who presided over the original trial, now an ex-con and ex-junkie. They are joined by the upwardly mobile prosecuting attorney Muriel Wynn, and her once and future affair-mate, Larry Starczek, the detective who gathered the evidence in the murder case of death-row resident Rommy Gandolph, who awaits imminent execution. As the appeal winds through a series of triumphs and disappointments for both sides, the reader is drawn more deeply into the complex characters and the relationships between them. He adroitly interweaves story lines between 1991 and 2001; the non-linearity adding to the interest and intrigue. The author does not try overly hard to build the mystery, putting instead his efforts behind the convoluted relationships of the main characters. "Reversible Errors" is a classic case of the reward being in the journey, rather than the final destination. Always a master of legal details and courtroom drama, Turow introduces a new dimension to his talents. While not much of a "feel-good" book, "Reversible Errors" is definitely one of the more intelligent reads of 2002.
Rating:
Summary: One-Hit Wonder
Review: Turow's first novel, Presumed Innocent (1987), is absolutely fantastic. It is probably the best legal thriller ever written, bar none. But that's his Dreamweaver--his one-hit wonder. He just never seemed to pull all the right pieces together to make another book like it. What follows is my review of a rather average legal mystery:
Three people are shot and killed and put in the freezer; a man is convicted and sentenced to die. Asked by the court to defend the accused, Arthur Raven discovers a passion for defense law of which he wasn't aware in his world of civil litigation.
As usual, Turow's technical prowess shines again--there's nothing like a practicing attorney to get the details right (or at least believable) in the legal proceedings that highlight this book.
The problem with the novel is not the writing, which is certainly better than average. The problem is that I found I didn't care who did it. Is the accused really the one who killed those people? He's a schizophrenic with a criminal record whose cerebral cortex is a glob of melted crayons--but is he a killer? We are introduced to a few other losers who act as though they might be the true killers. But who cares?
We the readers can't find much sympathy for any of the suspects for the murders--they're all bums. It's hard to care whether the accused really gets freed from prison. The novel is much too long, and you find yourself flipping ahead to see how long to the end. You keep hoping the suspense will rise and peak at some point, but it never really does.
On the plus side: not only is there good writing and legal accuracy, there is real insight into the lives of those who care for loved ones with schizophrenia.
Read Presumed Innocent and pass this one by. Turow's got real talent, but we're waiting for it to shoot through the surface of his mundane subsequent efforts.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Waste Your Time
Review: Having read and enjoyed Presumed Innocent and Burden of Proof, I was looking forward to reading Reversible Errors while I was on vacation. To be succinct, and not waste your time as mine was in reading this book, it stinks. I found myself not caring one way or the other about the characters. They were not developed to the point where I gave a hoot about them. Unlike his other books, the plot was dull and even contrived. From page to page and chapter to chapter I kept waiting for something to grab my interest, but vacation hours later, nothing did. I feel I got cheated out of precious vacation reading time.
I'm left with one question, "Did I spend more time struggling to read this book than he spent writing it?"
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but Forgettable
Review: Though Scott Turrow is not one of my favorite authors, I sometimes wonder why. Perhaps it's because it takes him a while to get into his stories and maybe it's because his protagonists are not particularly lovable nor are the antagonists especially dastardly. Nevertheless, in hindsight, I have never read a Turrow novel that, ultimately I did not enjoy. Reversible Errors is such a book. The kind that at fifty or sixty pages you are wondering if it's worth finishing and at a hundred and fifty pages you are hooked.
Reversible Errors has five main characters; Arthur Raven, Rommy Gandolf, Larry Starczek, Muriel Wynn and Gillian Sullivan. The story takes place in an unnamed fictional midwest city.
Rommy "Squirrel" Gandolf has been on death row for ten years, convicted of a heinous triple homicide. His last appeal has been denied and the state Court of Appeals has enlisted corporate attorney, Arthur Raven to review the case and make sure that nothing has been missed before setting an execution date.
Arthur, described in the book as a steady plowhorse rather than a flashy racehorse, is a dull but standup guy who has a mentally disturbed older sister and is a bachelor in his late thirties or early forties.
Arthur has better things to do but he begrudgingly reviews the case along with his pretty young assistant.
There seems to be a paucity of inconsistencies to follow up on but there is one thing. Judge Sullivan who passed sentence on Rommy was subsequently sentenced to prison herself for taking bribes and was acknowledged to be an alcoholic.
Recently released from prison, at their lunch appointment, Arthur realizes Gillian Sullivan is still an attractive woman, one he still has a crush on after several years but he must ask some unpleasant questions for the sake of his client.
After getting nowhere with Gillian at lunch, she surprisingly asks to see him at his office where she gives him a letter she received from an inmate, Erno Erdai, who says he has important information regarding Rommy.
After going to the Maximum Security Prison, Arthur hears an amazing story, that if true, completely exonerates his client but can he convince the courts. Can he convince the prosecution. Can he convince the public.
Conclusion
Reversible Errors shuffles back and forth from the time of the crime in 1991 and present time. Detective Larry Starczek is the arresting detective and Muriel Wynn is the prosecuting attorney.
Reversible Errors is not a suspenseful novel. I will give nothing away by telling you that Rommy Gandolf, a mixed race, low IQ, thief is not guilty. That comes out on page ninety-six. Rather the story revolves around the battle between Starczek and Wynn to keep the defendant guilty and on track for execution and Raven's efforts with Sullivan's help to get a new trial or win Rommy's outright release.
In addition there are romantic angles, with a broken romance between Starczek and Wynn in 1991 and a awkward budding romance between Raven and Sullivan.
A couple problems I had with the story were related to the evidence, both initially and later. The convicting evidence was circumstantial and the case hinged mostly on Rommy's confession, this despite no history of violence and an IQ of 73. Later despite mounting evidence in favor of Rommy's innocence Wynn and especially Starczek refused to believe it. Also I had trouble following some of the colloquialisms used in some of the dialogue. This was not extensive and could fall on me as easily as the author.
After a slow start, a Turrow trademark, the story moves along nicely. At four hundred thirty-three pages it's medium length and easy reading style makes for fast pleasant read, worthy of four stars.
Rating:
Summary: A winner all the way
Review: One of the best legal mysteries. Add to that an attorney who is just plain average--but devoted to the law--an ex-judge who is also an ex-convict, and a prosecuting attorney carrying on an affair with the lead detective in the reopening of a triple-murder case. Sounds crass? It isn't. There are deeply moving passages in this novel written by a superb writer. Altogether a rare book that deserves to be read in one long sitting.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent story
Review: My fourth Turow book and the one I felt was his best work. Multiple story lines with engaging characters, romance, betrayal and murder, this book could almost fall into the category of "female" writer (ie Cornwell) except, Turow, in my opinion is simply a better writer than the women authors I've tried in similar categories. I bring up the point, simply because I feel this book does have appeal for both the more male oriented action thriller reader and the female oriented romance/emotional type story.
While much of the story is devoted to "non" action, and brings in characters just for favor, I didn't feel bogged down (like I did in a couple of the previous works).
While some may claim this work is a good argument against the death penalty, and I know the author works in that field in the law, I don't agree. Perhaps the one weak point in the story is the reason why I don't feel this does anything to sway my feelings, I didn't buy the reason's Turow came up with as to why an innocent man got the death penalty. In fiction, we accept the "it could never happen" or at least "it's one in a million" generally speaking, because, after all, it's fiction, that's the point. But in real life it doesn't work that way. This story, at least in today's climate, could probably never happen, so while it still makes a great story, it certainly doesn't qualify as an argument against the death penalty, any more than The Green Mile could be used as an argument, even though, in that fiction, the set up for an innocent being sentenced to death is far more believable.
At least times have changed.
Back to the story, Turow is excellent in writing dialogue and keeping the characters realistic and human like. If you've enjoyed Grisham, but would like to read a lawyer story that's not just a quick fun read, but has substantial meat to it, this is a great place to start.
If you want total action and gloss, then pass.
I give a strong recommendation, this is simply a great story, and even though Turow sets his story in the same town with characters from other books making appearances here, it doesn't matter where you start.
Rating:
Summary: A Court room mystery with two love stories.
Review: Reversible Errors is Scott Turow's seventh novel. As with Turow's other novels, this is set in the fictional Kindle County.
Arthur Raven, is the protagonist. He's plain and dull man who wishes he were good-looking and yearns for an exciting love life. He's a success as a corporate lawyer, not because he's brilliant, but because of dogged determination. He is forceably taken from his corporate world and is assigned a criminal case - the appeal of a death row prisoner, triple murderer Rommy 'Squirrel' Gandolph, against his forthcoming execution. Raven's investigation into Gandolph's claim that he didn't commit the 10-year-old murders brings him into conflict with a formidable prosecuting attorney, Muriel Wynn, and with police detective Larry Starczek. Wynn, with Starczek's help, made her name with her successful prosecution of the original case. Into Raven's life steps Gillian Sullivan, the judge who tried the case but soon after fell from grace when she was jailed for corruption.
The novel has two love stories contained within it's pages. But this does not slow the mystery narrative nor the courtroom antics. Most of the characters are believable and flawed.
Reversible Errors is a well written story. Which shows the interaction between law and life. This is an engrossing mystery.
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