We The Jury

By
Robert Rotstein

We The Jury, a fascinating work of fiction with a real twist, follows the deliberations 8 members of a jury who are expected to rule on a particularly gruesome murder.  The protagonists are jury members from the community with highly varied backgrounds, which ultimately steer their decisions. We the Jury is a departure for Robert Rotstein from his immensely popular Parker Stern series of 3 books.

The fact that David Sullinger has killed his wife Amanda is undisputed.  When the police arrive Mrs. Sullinger is dead, killed by a blow to head with an axe.  Mr. Sullinger claims self-defense and indicates that his wife had been abusing him for years.  Mr. Sullinger has a high-powered lawyer who has never lost a trial.  Meanwhile the public defender Jack Cranston is considered to be a bumbling fool.  The Jury’s choice seems obvious, but is it?  This story centers on the jury and how they reach their conclusions.  All is not what it seems.

Robert Rotstein is a master at character development.  Everything we learn about the people in that room relates to the conclusions they finally reach.  I particularly liked the interactions between the jurors.  Their relationships deteriorate because they are stuck together trying to solve a difficult issue.

The messenger says it best:  “I know I have no friends in this room.  I know you think I’m just a momma’s boy, . . . We don’t have to like each other.  A jury is supposed to be a cross-section of the community and that’s what we are.  Maybe it’s better if we don’t like each other, because maybe that means we’re diverse like we’re supposed to be.  I say let’s do the best we can to cooperate, so we can reach a verdict.”

I am a bit confused by all the time spent on the judge and her health issues.  I am not sure I understand whether or not her issues contribute to the final result.  Regardless, as with the other characters, Rotstein helps us really get to know her.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in human behavior and what drives people.  I give it a 5 on 5.  I want to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.