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It must be at least twenty or thirty years since I first read Anatomy of a Murder. I remember enjoying it the first time I read it; I certainly enjoyed rereading it. Paul (Polly) Biegler has recently been voted out of office as the local DA. He is now in private practice, looking for the excitement that comes with criminal trials. Most of those cases go to a local institution, Amos "Willie the Weeper" Crocker, who gets his clients off on sentiment and theatrics. Into Polly's lap lands a great case: the murder trial of Lieutenant Frederic Manion. Lt. Manion shot and killed Barney Quill, after Barney Quill had (allegedly) raped and beaten Mrs. Manion. Polly is second choice, Crocker having broken a leg. This is written in first person, which some people find off-putting. I think, for this book, it works very well. We know what Polly knows, as Polly knows it. We follow his thought processes, his actions, his ponderings. For those of us who watch Law and Order, the format of the book will be very familiar, including the surprises at the last minute and the set-backs. The first part of the book has to do with pre-trial investigations, finding out what happened, tracking down witnesses, etc. The majority of the book is devoted to the trial itself. I found myself really enjoying the way Mr. Traver writes. There are some very lyrical passages in this book, some lovely turns of phrase. I think there is something to admire on just about every page of this book. I can't even begin to quote, because this review would go on for far too long. I would recommend this highly, both to those who have never had the pleasure of reading Anatomy of a Murder and those of us who read it years ago. It stands the test of time; it truly is a classic.
Reviewed by P.J. Coldren, July 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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