Conviction

A Novel

By: Richard North Patterson

Narrated by: Patricia Kalember

Fifty-nine days. That's how long Rennell Price has to live after spending 15 years on death row for the horrifying sexual assault and murder of a girl whose body was found floating in San Francisco Bay. But attorney Terri Paget has dedicated her life to fighting for people like Rennell Price. This time, Terri has a client she believes may actually be innocent, which means that an unpunished killer may still be free.

Rennell, along with his older brother, Payton, was found guilty of the heinous crime, and the conviction has been upheld through one appeal after another. But as Terri spends time with Rennell and re-creates the events that put him on death row, she starts to understand the forces that shaped Rennell and the reason he has never been able to defend himself adequately.

As Terri prepares for a last appeal, she gets a new weapon for her battle; fresh evidence suggesting that another man, not Rennell, helped Payton commit the atrocity. But the grim machinery of capital punishment is already in motion. As more people are drawn into Terri's last-ditch battle, this much is clear: The serious doubts about Rennell's guilt may not be enough to save him.

Conviction raises issues of ethics, political expediency, and personal trauma that will shake readers to their core. Patterson illuminates the mysterious precincts between justice and truth, where the fate of one man involves not only his own life and the lives he has affected but the moral life of a nation.

©2005 Richard North Patterson (P)2005 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"As with his previous novels, Patterson examines a complex issue through the lens of a compelling, gripping story. Readers familiar with his characters and those looking for a powerful courtroom drama will not be disappointed." (Booklist)

Long, Slow & Politically Liberal

A reverse tour through a 15 year old heinous murder with a laborious trip through the courts of appeal. A resound cry against he death penalty and a bashing of the American court system. Stereotypical race and gender players. Would have given it NO STAR if I could.

CONVICTION

Don't waste your time. the book goes on, and on, and on.

Why write this story?

Not only is the underlying crime revolting, one must listen to a variety of other child molestation (forced oral copulation) crimes. I practiced law and briefly wrote criminal appeals, but the main crime at the core of this story was very disturbing. And it kept on and on as we had to hear about other victims of the true culprit and about the daughter of the appellate attorney. If you need to read this for a book group discussion (as I did), I do recommend this abridged version. At least 3 of the 9 book group members aren't even going to the meeting. I can't see what there is to discuss re this book. The man who the appellate team is trying to save is mentally retarded And innocent, so there goes a potential moral dilemma. On the positive side, there is good discussion of the appellate process and the author (a lawyer himself) wrote accurately as far as I recall. The characters are either very likable or despicable. The writing is also very competent. The problem was the story itself and lack of nuance in my opinion.

Boring & Dissapointing

If you are a lawyer perhaps you would enjoy the constant droning on in legalese, for the rest of us this book is tedious. I listened in pain waiting for something interesting to happen it never did. Perhaps the writer is trying to expose how unfair & politically polluted our court system.Who knows? When I purchase a book I want to be entertained . This is not the book.