One of the reasons I generally dislike long tomes is that I have evidence that good stories can be told well in fewer pages. This observation holds particularly in crime fiction. Scott Turow’s Limitations is exhibit number 1. At a mere 197 pages, Turow still manages to fit in three plots. The main plot is the death threats against the main character, George Mason. The sub-plots are Mason’s relationship with his cancer stricken wife and sitting as a judge on an appeals court in the case of a gang rape. There are all sorts of side lines as well. None of them distract. They all contribute to one or more of these, and not in the unlikely coincidence
way that I despise in crime fiction. Often when I read mysteries, particularly police procedurals, the characters are one dimensional, despite lots and lots of back story that the authors try to give them. J. A. Jance’s J. P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady come to mind, as does Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. Their books are both fine summer beach reading, but they never really engage me because the writing doesn’t impart depth to the characters. When one of Turow’s characters breaks down and cries, you can feel why the character does this. When another writer’s character cries, you read about it.
Also, I liked that I had the wrong character pegged as the one threatening Mason. Turow kind of gives away that the person writing the notes is not who the police are chasing (though he did make me wonder). He leaves clues throughout the tale. I have no idea if I was picking up on the wrong clues, or just reading something into it that wasn’t there. But I was so ready for someone else to get nailed for it. I had motive, means, and opportunity figured out. I totally missed the real culprit. I love when a writer gets me guessing, and I guess wrong.
Author: Scott Turow
Title: Limitations
Imprint / publisher: Picador / Holtzbrinck
Format: Paperback
Publication date: November 2006
Length: 197 p.
ISBN-10: 0-312-42645-3
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-42645-3
Subject: Kindle County (Imaginary place) — Fiction
Subject: Rape — Fiction
LC classification: PS3570.U754 L56 2006
