I’ve been a big fan of Scott Turow since I read Presumed Innocent back in in the 1980s when I was working in a public library. His stories are generally set in “Kindle County,” and familiar characters recur throughout the books. This time, the PI is Picky, granddaughter of renowned attorney Sandy Stern.

Pinky spent many years floundering professionally (including flunking out of the police academy) and personally, devouring various drugs before finally settling into a fairly respectable job working for Rik,  dealing mostly with cases like workman’s comp, DUIs and bar fights. Rik’s shabby office and even shabbier cases are a big downfall from the kind of high-profile criminal matters Pinky became familiar with in Sandy Stern’s  law office. Lucia Gomez, the female chief of police in the town of Highland Isle, has been accused of trading sex for promotions by three male officers under her supervision. Lucia is an old friend of Rik’s, so she comes to him for help. 

Between the feisty young PI and the successful female police chief, the book is both fun reading and thought-provoking as it looks at issues around gender, policing, and journalism (as the case attracts national attention). 

I still love Scott Turow. Five stars.