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A review by art_books_chemistry
The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
For my first ARC read this was incredible to start with. I guessed bits and pieces of the ending along the way, some things earlier than others, but some of it I didn't guess for the correct reasons, so did I really guess correctly? McTiernan turned this into a wild ride that I think can be enjoyed by those uninitiated in the justice system as well as those within it. That being said, the latter is the reason I'm not giving this 5 stars.
I don't consider this a spoiler since it's the central plot from the beginning and seen in the synopsis. The prisoner involved in the trial is being retried after Project Innocence successfully argued for his sentence to be vacated. Considering the facts revealed about the case, I find this huge point to be unrealistic. Part of the reason, from my non-fiction study on IP, that they are able to get people out of prison is because our justice system in the US does not allow for 'double jeopardy'; you cannot be tried twice for the same crime. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions, judges do have discretion allowing them to make exceptions. I just don't believe this would have been one of those times that a federal circuit court would have made such a decision because of the nature of the evidence that caused the sentence to be vacated.
I loved that McTiernan referenced real case law and facts about the Innocence Project. There was also good social commentary on why different types of people are lawyers. Plus, whether purposeful or not, I loved the nod to Legally Blonde towards the end.
I definitely recommend reading this!
I don't consider this a spoiler since it's the central plot from the beginning and seen in the synopsis. The prisoner involved in the trial is being retried after Project Innocence successfully argued for his sentence to be vacated. Considering the facts revealed about the case, I find this huge point to be unrealistic. Part of the reason, from my non-fiction study on IP, that they are able to get people out of prison is because our justice system in the US does not allow for 'double jeopardy'; you cannot be tried twice for the same crime. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions, judges do have discretion allowing them to make exceptions. I just don't believe this would have been one of those times that a federal circuit court would have made such a decision because of the nature of the evidence that caused the sentence to be vacated.
I loved that McTiernan referenced real case law and facts about the Innocence Project. There was also good social commentary on why different types of people are lawyers. Plus, whether purposeful or not, I loved the nod to Legally Blonde towards the end.
I definitely recommend reading this!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Rape