Identical by Scott Turow

I always try books by Scott Turow, since I tend to enjoy legal mysteries.  I liked Presumed Innocent, both the novel and the film (I think I saw the film first, though I can't recall for certain) and so pick up his books when I see them. 


I didn't think I would enjoy Identical.  Based on the back of the book, it looked like one of those highly improbable identical twin mysteries that would have me rolling my eyes.  Ultimately, that's not fair to the book.  The resolution doesn't depend on identical DNA, and (it appears to me) explains and explores that issue in some detail, as well as discussing the reason for identical twins having different fingerprints.


I kept thinking I had solved the mystery (and tended to be correct), but to my surprise, the various mysteries kept being resolved by the protagonists, and leading to more to discover (though the ultimate conceit is fairly well telegraphed).


A couple of legal issues to be addressed had me thinking I would be upset with an unrealistic and improbable outcome, but (as is consistent in Mr. Turow's novels) the legal arguments seem valid and the legal conclusions seem consistent with the law.


Like most of Mr. Turow's novels, the pacing of Identical can seem slow, based in large part on his use of language to slow things down, and explore diversions.  Often there are little pieces of sentences or commentary here or there that are worth pausing to think about. 


I can recall being somewhat fascinated when Mr. Turow dealt with Sandy Stern's relationship with his wife, and how he adjusted to her death in Burden of Proof.  Identical doesn't place the same degree of focus on that, but one of the characters is still dealing with the death of a spouse, and the other is dealing with the end of a relationship.  Both aspects are dealt with in a way that seems important to the characters, and they work at solving the mystery to escape from their personal lives, but also as a way for them to learn more about themselves.  I really like the way Scott Turow is able to bring that element into his novels, and it's what keeps me reading him.


The mystery in Identical is okay, though not difficult to solve, and the ending is a bit pat.  But the examination of relationships and how to re-evaluate a relationship after a death or break-up is the aspect that will stick with me and will be the reason I remember the novel.