Sad, but true
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How could anyone so obviously innocent be found guilty and sentenced to death? If this had happened a century ago I could believe it, but we're talking the 80's here! The state of Oklahoma and the town and prosectutors of Ada should be ashamed. This book will bring you to tears, and is one of the best I have ever read. Buy it, read it, you wont be able to put it down.
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Justice is worth fighting for.
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Anybody who has any interest in justice and fairness ought to read this book. It is a shocking revelation of a miscarriage of justice in Western civilisation. If this true story were just a one off it would be appalling, but it leaves one with the feeling that this may just be the tip of the iceberg. In certain parts of the world justice is not something that is held in high esteem, but here in the West we expect our justice system to be a foundation for our civilisation.
John Grisham has done an excellent job, both in his careful investigation and in the presentation of the facts in this book. For me it made both compelling and challenging reading. Challenging because as individuals our moral stance contributes to the fabric of society and we need to guard against a careless attitude towards matters of right and wrong.
As others have pointed out, the photographs give a précis of the story and should be looked at only after reading the book otherwise it is like taking a peek at the last chapter.
All in all a very worthwhile read.
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Don't look at the pictures till you've read the book!
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This is a heart-wrenching and gut-turning kind of book. It evokes so many different emotions and left me feeling like I just wanted to 'do something' to make things OK for the victims of injustice. I'd suggest you don't look at the photos until you've read the book, unless you want to know how it all turns out. John Grisham doesn't pull any punches in this book, and if you have a heart this book will change you.
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Justice U.S.A. Style.
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Good story. Liked it. Kept me hooked.
Could hardly believe this could happen but it did.
Grisham's first non fiction crime novel but reads like a pacy thriller.
Prejudice, corruption and injustice on a grand scale.
I've read loads of crime novels. Read all of Grisham's. This isn't his best but its close to it.
I'm hard to please but am giving this 4 stars because Grisham's style and eye for detail make it compelling reading.
I repeat what another reviewer said. Warning ! Don't check out the fotos in the middle of the book until you're finished the whole thing - you'll find out why afterwards.
Hope this was helpful.
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Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...
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... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.
I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.
As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.
Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.
A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.
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