4 stars out of 5
Happily, I breezed through this one with enthusiasm that lasted from the first page to the last. While I the trial parts seemed a little heavy-handed at times and the main character, former prosecuting attorney Jack Marino, was a little too pitiful, I cheered him on. And yes, I look forward to reading about him in action again soon.
As a hot-shot prosecutor, Jack has a stellar track record against some pretty nasty defendants - until one fights back, literally. The perpetrators make such a mess of Jack that he refuses to take on any more gangbangers and druggies, which doesn't sit well with his District Attorney bosses who think putting bad guys in jail is a sure-fire path to greener pastures. Since he won't play ball, Jack is fired, but he lands on his feet at his wealthy wife's father's hoity toity firm representing hoity toity clients. He hates it, of course; so when he gets a chance to defend an accused murderer - a man who comes from the streets where Jack himself grew up - he jumps in with both feet. And once again, he angers his bosses (including the aforementioned wealthy wife).
He's also going up against his former employer, a DA who's intent on getting a win he thinks will play well politically and doesn't care what corners he cuts as long as the verdict is in his favor. Throw in a judge who isn't exactly Jack's fan, a reluctant defendant and corruption that comes from unexpected places, and Jack clearly is at a disadvantage. He turns to his on-parole, ex-military brother, Matt, for help, but that may be too little, too late.
Is Jack's client really innocent, and if he is, will justice prevail? Of course, I'll never tell, except to say that the whole thing ended pretty much as I figured it would. All in all, it sets the series off on a solid start. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a prerelease copy.
Mystic Wind by James Baretto (Oceanview Publishing, September 2022); 402 pp.
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