Sandrine's Case

I had really high hopes for this book and, in some ways, I wasn't disappointed. There were some lines I ran to grab my highlighter to swipe and rabbit-ear the page to remember later they were so beautiful and profound. The ending of the novel was one I wasn't expecting (difficult to do in a murder case that seems 50/50 on the outcome) and I absolutely loved it.My problem with the novel, the reason it's about 3.5 stars instead of 5, was the slow, and I mean really slow, pace of the book. Now, don't get me wrong--I love a good book that I can savor instead of running through, but Sandrine's Case was about 40% of the flashbacks that seemed like they'd already been written about in a previous chapter. A lot of memories, which I was expecting, but also a lot of filler, it seemed. It was like the author wanted the story to be longer, so he kept going back to rehash the same memories over and over again without purpose. I got so bored with the replays I once fell asleep while reading it (never happens to me) and frequently set the book aside to either watch TV or read another book.In fact, the only reason I didn't give up on the book was because there were some great scenes of the novel that really caught my attention and made me want to find out the ending, so I kept going and yes, I was rewarded by a great ending. So, all in all, I'd say to take on this book if you don't mind the one issue I found. I wouldn't necessarily highly recommend it (it's one of those I feel like I'll forget about within a couple of months) but it's a pretty good read.

First, forget the descriptions you may have read about "falling in love all over again" (while being on trial for her murder). This isn't a starry eyed romance. It is an excellent story on two other levels - first as a courtroom drama, and second as an examination of two lives that don't work out quite as the couple had dreamed. He and she are professors at a small southern college, an institution they settled for so they could be together. Years later, the wife is dead; was it suicide or murder? The husband is on trial, and the courtroom scenes are interwoven with flashbacks of the police investigation and of the husband's reflections. Neither the attractive Sandrine nor skinny Sam are particularly likeable people - he's cold and she uttered a lot of bookish aphorisms throughout like "disillusionment is a shabby gift". But the story is intriguing and the pace is brisk with a lot of tension. The supporting cast of prosecutor, defense consel, and daughter are very strong and also well written. And there is a large cast of others, many of whom are witnesses, and they add significantly to the enjoyment of "Sandrine's Case". Then there's the last witness, and dialog between defendant and counsel, both part of an ending that just didn't feel right to me. Or more accurately it wasn't one of the half dozen conclusions I had scripted in my own head. Recommended? Yes, but it's a generous 4 stars, not 5 as I expected coming into the concluding pages. Will I read more Thomas H Cook? Perhaps.

Sandrine's case is the story of a professor whose wife either killed herself or was murdered (you're left guessing). He's accused of her murder, and the book details his trial and relies heavily on his flashbacks about how his relationship slowly unraveled.The book is ultimately one of discovery and, possibly, redemption. The narrator (the professor) slowly realizes all the ways he changed from what he wanted to be, and he reflects deeply on how those changes pushed him away from his wife. The detailing of how a relationship changes as time passes is one of the strengths of the book.The book is ultimately a mystery. You don't know if he killed his wife or if she killed herself. The narrator does a great job leaving thereader guessing, and I was super into the book and interested in figuring it out. However, the choice to use a first person narrator kind of annoyed me at point. The narrator obviously knows the answer to the mystery, but in his narration, he intentionally leaves the reader guessing in a way that can be frustrating. It's hard to both have a first person narrator and an edge of your seat mystery, and at points it did drive me a bit crazy. I also thought the ending was a little abrupt and convenient.I do recommend the book, and it kept me entertained. But I did have a couple problems with the structure.

Samuel Madison, a professor at a small college, is on trial for the murder of his wife, also a professor at the same college, even though her death appears to be suicide from a drug overdose.The novel, which was short listed for the Edgar Award, does not follow the usual courtroom drama of say a Turow, Grisham or Lescroart, where the focus is on the legal maneuverings of the lawyers.Instead, the story is told by the defendant, who narrates the events leading up to his arrest, his relationship with his daughter, and most importantly, his relationship with his wife over the years, their emotional ties, the feelings they had towards each other and the effect this has on the trial's outcome.For readers of the Mysterious Press paperback edition, pay close attention to the cover.Cook does not write a series. Each of his books is a stand alone. Pick any one, including this one, to experience the reading enjoyment of a superb writer and storyteller.

I had expected this to be a mystery thriller and on reflection it was, although different than the ones I have read over the years, e.g. Reginald Hill, P.D. James. Until the very end I was undecided whether the death of Sandrine was a suicide or murder. The story line left this undecided until the very end. The motive in this "killing" was a tribute to the higher feelings that people can have and as such the denoument was both refreshing and uplifitng.

I found this book a bit heavy going at times. The language is a bit archaic and the plot predictable.

Came highly recommended. Found it a little slow but ended well. Would recommend it to others.

This tale is the story, which many people live during their lifetime. The outcome,starting an educational instutution, shows that the main caracter was a good man.