While it is not unfamiliar territory, the literary world and how less than glamorous it can be has proven many times to lend itself very well, and even brilliantly at best, to mystery/detective/legal drama/procedural shows. As has been said before quite a lot, 'Law and Order' does revisit themes and scenarios at least once, especially in later seasons, but when it is a story that is especially compelling and a topic that is always worth addressing it isn't an issue.
"Murder Book" may not be anything original and one half is better than the other, but it is still a very solidly executed episode with more done right than wrong. It is not one of the best episodes of a generally solid Season 17 (with "Deadlock" being particularly outstanding of the great episodes), but "Murder Book" also is not one of the worst with it being better than half of the episodes that were after it. Season 17 started off very well, despite never solving the recurring issues, but ended disappointingly.
The first quarter is nothing out of the ordinary and is somewhat formulaic and Milena Govich is anaemic.
Jesse L Martin and S Epatha Merkerson are great though, while Sam Waterston and Alana De La Garza (with Rubirosa being the general ADA assistant since Carmichael and that is saying a lot) carry the legal scenes beautifully. But the supporting cast are even better, with Mario Van Peebles enjoying himself as the very juicily written defense attorney and Bobby Cannavale unsettlingly playing a character that one roots for to be sent down.
Photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone. The episode is sympathetically yet uncompromisingly directed.
Furthermore, the script is typically tight and intelligent with an uncompromising grit. There is a lot of talk, but it doesn't feel too much. Once the story gets going, it quickly grabs the attention and the legal scenes are riveting.
Overall, very solidly executed. 8/10.