T he Innocence Game by Michael Harvey is set in the elite Northwestern University of Chicago where the apprehensive Ian Joyce, the resolute Sarah Gold and, the enigmatic Jake Havens are top-ranking students of journalism who are shortlisted for the exclusive Innocence Seminar which investigates and exonerates wrongful convictions.
Case reopenedOn the first day of class, Jake Havens pulls out an envelope he mysteriously received by mail and reveals an anonymous note that confesses about the murder of a 10-year-old boy that happened 14-years ago along with a bloodied scrap of shirt as evidence of this crime.
The case was ironically solved back in the day but the man who was convicted of the crime, back then, died a decade ago in prison. With the two clues they now possess, the three novices begin their search for the real killer who is at large.
However, missing evidence, lost case files, deceitful encounters and unyielding stalkers are a suggestive reminder of the impending danger to their lives. Can the classmates come out of this relentless hunt unscathed?
I read The Innocence Game over a weekend and it wasn’t any different from watching a pacy cliff-hanger of a movie. Most crime thrillers delve deep into the premise, characters and descriptions prior to the story but in this book, the writer sets the story ticking right from page one.
High pointsThe book has been crafted brilliantly, in the sense, it is sufficiently detailed and not vexatiously elaborate.
The sequencing of events in accordance to the plot along with the introduction of the elements of suspense and twist at the perfect scenarios are major features of this fiction.
Besides, the gripping narration that preserves the eerie feel without a single dull moment what makes this book tick. I am unable to pick on the work in any way as it has been an extremely satisfying read.
I recommend this book to ardent readers of crime fiction and also to those mulling over whether to try this genre.
