DEAD MEN DON’T PLAY FETCH

5 stars out of 5

This has been a go-to series for me for some time now – the stories are always well-written, entertaining and a bit lighthearted even though the legal situations can get pretty complex and the investigations downright dangerous. And this, the 33^rd installment, doesn’t disappoint.

Trying-to-retire defense attorney Andy Carpenter fights to say no when old friend Lou Campanelli, who runs a rehab center in Paterson, New Jersey, calls to ask a favor. That’s because Andy knows it’s likely to drag him back to a courtroom – and he’d much rather keep his eyes on the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue operation, and/or play with the three beloved pooches that share his home in addition to his wife Laurie Collins.

Alas, that’s not to be. Lou is insistent that Jason Maddox, who was at the shelter when he heard a noise outside, went out and found a man who had been murdered, didn’t do the dirty deed. Fairly strong evidence says otherwise, though, and Jason desperately needs a defense attorney. Reluctantly, Andy and his team, which includes Laurie as chief investigator, set out to at the very least convince the jury there’s reasonable doubt and get a not guilty verdict.

While his team does a whiz-bang job of investigating, Andy shines in the courtroom. This time, he’s up against old and extremely competent prosecutor Dylan Campbell, who, as usual, doesn’t make things easy for Andy. The details of both the investigation and the trial, of course, won’t be forthcoming in this review – no way I’ll take away the fun for other readers. I certainly will, however, recommend this book (and the entire series) highly and thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to once again enjoy a pre-release copy. Loved it!

Dead Men Don’t Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur Books, July 2026); 288 pp.

HER COLD JUSTICE

4 stars out of 5

This, the third book in the series featuring legacy hot-shot defense attorney Keera Duggan, hits close to home. Her firm’s investigator, JP Harrison, has learned that his nephew, Michael Westbrook, is the prime suspect in the double homicide of a Seattle drug smuggler and his girlfriend. Of course, Keera must do what she can to help, so she enrolls the help of the firm’s co-workers, her sisters Ella and Maggie, and even her semi-retired father, the legendary, even hotter-shot Patsy Duggan.

It is, as were its predecessors, an engaging story that’s easy to read. I suppose I would carp that it’s a bit too heavy on exposition than I like – what someone is wearing or the style of a house can be relevant, of course, but I really don’t care about all the accessories nor what color the shutters are. But more to the point, Michael – who does have a record of not exactly following the letter of the law – insists he’s innocent. When a couple of crucial pieces of evidence are found at his home, he claims the murdered guy – who he was helping with various chores – said they were gifts for his significant other that he didn’t want her to find before her birthday. Instead (oops), they contained illegal drugs.

Enter another hotshot attorney – Kim Tran – this time a prosecutor and likely candidate for a much higher government office and comes from a disturbing background. She’s nothing if not ruthless, as Keera’s father Patsy can attest (he’s gone head to head with her in the courtroom before). But that may be a plus, since he knows how she thinks and can give his daughter a heads-up when needed. Also enter detective Frank Rossi, with whom Keera has had a kind of arm’s length relationship that so far hasn’t gone much of anywhere. But he and his partner also get entangled with some of the questionable details of Keera’s current case – most notably the prosecution’s focus on incriminating testimony from two incarcerated “snitches.”

Early on, readers follow the progress of the trial – always a treat for me, at least, to get details of what happens in a courtroom – as well as the behind-the-scenes investigations to get to the truth. I won’t say the final revelation came as a surprise – I’d guessed it much earlier on, in fact – but from my perspective, getting it right usually trumps getting smacked in the teeth with a shocker ending. The fact that I stayed up half an hour past my bedtime to finish the book is telling as well – at my age, I need all the sleep I can get.

Bottom line? Another solid entry in the series, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to keep up with the action by way of a pre-release copy. Good job!

Her Cold Justice by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, January 2026); 369 pp.

DARK HORSE

5 stars out of 5

Honestly, I'm not sure how many books this prolific author (the son of another prolific author) has written featuring former champion steeplechase jockey Sid Halley, nor am I sure how many I've read. I do know I'd bet on any one of them to be a winner because I know that's a sure thing.

This one is no exception - and it's got two additional selling points: First, Sid - who lost a hand in a nasty fight and was fighting with a prosthetic model last time I tapped into his life - has had a hand transplant and once again has the real thing. Second, this one casts aside any notion that a female jockey can't hold her own with the big [little] guys.

In fact, the first half or so of the book focuses on the life of Irish professional jocket Imogen Duffy, who's trying to win her way up the ranks to become a top performer (meaning in demand and well paid). She's reined in, though, by an ex-boyfriend who's also a jockey - and one who took it way too personally when she dumped him. In retalliation, he's stalking her, making her life miserable and, many times, afraid for her life.

Then, just as she got her sights on the pinnacle of success, said boyfriend turns up very dead - with a knife bearing her fingerprints on it sticking out of his chest. Needless to say, the police aren't wont to disregard the evidence, and she's charged with the murder.

The setting now jumps to Sid, now a private investigator who would much rather spend his time with his wife Marina and their daughter Saskia. He's approached by an old friend who just happens to be Imogen's father - a man to whom Sid owes a favor. And it's not hard to guess what that favor might be: Investigate his daughter's case in the fervent hope of getting her off.

The rest of the book, of course, follows the investigation by Sid and his team as well as Imogen's trial. That, too, was interesting to me - I love to read about courtroom proceedings, even more so when they differ a bit from the rules and regulations of U.S. venues (here, it's in England). All told, it's another great romp - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to ride along by way of a pre-release copy.

Dark Horse by Felix Francis (Crooked Lane Books, September 2025); 336 pp.

AN INSIGNIFICANT CASE

4 stars out of 5

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed a couple of the author's books featuring former MMA fighter and current attorney Robin Lockwood, so when I got the chance to read this standalone book, I jumped at it. The lawyer here is Charlie Webb, an "average" guy who through no fault of his own got accepted into law school and passed the Bar. Living in Oregon, most of Charlie's clients are in the local Barbarian Motorcycle Club, just because he treats them right (and for the most part wins their court cases).

Charlie is also an old friend of sorts of a man who calls himself Guido Sabatini, a painter by profession. He recently sold one of his paintings to a woman named Gretchen Hall, who hung it on the wall in the office at the restaurant she owns. That, alas, really annoyed Guido, who was mightily offended that it wasn't on display where diners could see it. To rectify the situation, he broke into the office and stole the painting - along with at least one item from Gretchen's office safe.

That, of course, is a big no-no from a legal standpoint; Guido definitely will find himself in a court of law (as he's done in the past) - but not before he convinces Charlie to defend him. Unbeknownst to both of them, though, Gretchen is a suspected ringleader in a group of rather nasty folks who traffic young girls. And as luck would have it, the item Guido stole from that safe is a flash drive showing living proof that the police suspicions are right on the money.

That, needless to say, puts Guido - and everyone associated with him - in the crosshairs of those who are desperate to keep that video from ever being seen, even if murder is involved. So Charlie and his friends must be vigilant to the nines if they even hope to make it to Guido's trial, much less get him acquitted. More than that I can't reveal except to say it's quite an adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me a pre-release copy to read and review.

An Insignificant Case by Phillip Margolin (Minotaur Books, November 2024); 304 pp.

BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT

5 stars out of 5

Last year, I read the author's Her Deadly Game, which featured attorney and grown-up chess prodigy Keera Duggan. At the time, I hoped she was destined for a series but wasn't sure - and by golly, here she is again. This second installment is better than the first.

Living in the shadow of her hot-shot attorney father, Patsy, Keera has a place in his Seattle law firm along with a couple of sisters. Three year ago, her father successfully defended health-care entrepreneur Jenna Bernstein when she was charged with the murder of a potential whistle-blower. Now, Jenna's former company partner and lover has been murdered as well, and the evidence points to Jenna as the killer (if you haven't already guessed, the resemblance to a similar real-life incident that topped the national news in the United States is inescapable). Because of the earlier success, Jenna and her parents again turn to Patsy's firm to defend her.

Patsy, though, is fighting his own battles with the bottle and not actively participating in the firm's business. That leaves the defense job to Keera, but there's a hitch: Keera is well acquainted with Jenna from childhood, and let's just say Jenna is far, far from an upstanding, honest and trustworthy individual (the term sociopath is a more appropriate description). If Keera takes the case, she knows she cannot trust anything that Jenna says or does.

The story follows the investigation and trial as well as plenty of backstories about Keera, Jenna and Patsy - those who love courtroom action (like me) should be happy. It's a treat to read from start to finish, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, October 2024); 365 pp.

THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYER

5 stars out of 5

If one of the primary settings in a book is a courtroom, I'm always up for it (or "down" for it, as today's kids tend to say). Whichever direction tickles your fancy though, I guarantee you'll fancy this debut novel and its gobsmacking ending.

Rob Jacobson was a super-charged attorney for many years, but now he faces one of his toughest cases yet: defending his long-time friend John S. Cutter - better known as Jack and as the recently-exited President of the United States. The charge? Murdering Amanda Harper, his top legal aide and a woman with whom he was having an affair.

For sure, it won't be easy; the police, and prosecutors, have ample evidence to "prove" Jack strangled his lover, then dragged her body to a local park where they claim he left more damning evidence. The case is even more complicated because of Rob's former relationships with both Amanda and the President's wife and First Lady Jess, the latter of whom may or may not have known about her husband's dalliance.

From the outset, Rob was reluctant to take on the case; after all, there are at least two obvious conflicts. But since his old friend is insistent, Rob rounds up his old attorney friend Jane Cashman to ride shotgun and decides to give it a go. Much of the book centers on the actual trial, so readers who love that scenario should be delighted (for sure I was). Back home, Rob worries only about his son Josh, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and often, reminisces about his long-lost brother, Evan, and their abusive but no-longer-living parents.

The courtroom scenes are riviting - the author, I learned, has a pretty impressive record as a trial and appellate court attorney. As far as I'm concerned, he's a pretty impressive writer as well; all along the way, clues are dropped that might have softened the blow of the ending. I didn't, and I added to the whammy for at least the next couple of days as I kicked myself for not paying more attention. But hey, when you're caught up in the drama of a life-or-death trial...

For sure, this one's a winner - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for offering it to me in the form of a pre-release review copy. Wow!

The President's Lawyer by Lawrence Robbins (Atria Books, October 2024); 319 pp.

THE MORE THE TERRIER

5 stars out of 5

Granted, this is not a lengthy book. Still, the fact that I whipped through 35% of it in one before-bed sitting indicates two things: first, it's an easy read; and second, doing so was a real treat. In fact, I'll say it's one of the best so far (this is the 30th).

Long-time super-charged attorney Andy Carpenter is happy as a clam now that he's retired - enjoying the heck out of his ex-cop wife, Laurie Collilns, 15-year-old son Ricky, their three dogs and running his Tara Foundation dog rescue operation. On their way back home to Paterson, New Jersey, the family is surprised when their pet sitter tells them a stray dog has appeared at their doorstep and doesn't want to leave. Almost immediately, though, they're shocked to realize this isn't a stray; it's Murphy, a pup they once fostered that was adopted some time ago by BJ Bremer, who lives with his mother. They're even more shocked, though, when BJ's mother reveals that her son has been arrested for murdering one of his college professors at nearby Rutgers University.

Andy is, of course, reluctant to take on the case - besides loving retirement, he won't be making any money (not that he needs any). But under the circumstances, he just can't say no; so he quickly gathers his competent team, which includes Laurie, to begin an investigation that begins with a close look at the victim in hopes that will lead to a motive. On the downside, the evidence against BJ is strong, so it's clear that even coming up with enough to create reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors will be a challenge.

But try they will, of course, and it's an intriguing exploration that leads to some very dangerous characters. I'm sorry to say other readers will have to find out how it went for themselves, though - I can't say more without revealing too much. But for courtroom and pooch lovers, I highly recommend this book (and the entire series). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The More the Terrier by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur Books, October 2024); 299 pp.

HARD TO KILL

4 stars out of 5

In many respects, all the women I've known who battled the Big C have many things in common with Jane Smith, the star of this series. At the top of the list is a simple, yet complex fact: whether or not you have cancer, life goes on (until it doesn't). And Jane, like all of those other women, has chosen to play the best hand she can despite the lousy deal.

This is the second book in the series featuring Jane, a hard-driving, highly successful defense attorney on Long Island. I did not read the first - heck, given the underlying subject, I was a little reluctant to read this one - but at no time did I feel at a disadvantage. The only reason I felt sort of lost here and there is that there are so many characters that I hard a tough time keeping them straight. The story begins after Jane's client, Rob Jacobson, was acquitted of murdering a family. But the victory celebration was short-lived when another family is bites the dust - and guess who is charged with their murder?

Jane learns of his arrest via a phone call from Jimmy Cuniff, her best guy friend, former NYPD detective who serves as her private investigator on cases. In part because she never really knew whether or not Jacobson actually was guilty the first time around, she's reluctant to take the case, but then she's always up for a good courtroom tussle. She gets the okay from her current squeeze, local veterinarian Dr. Ben Kalinsky, whose "good guy" vibes zinged off my credibility scale much of the time.

Although most of the folks around Jane try to convince her she's wasting her time and exhausting her limited physical capabilities by defending someone who doesn't deserve it, she waffles between thinking Jacobson is guilty and not guilty. As her investigation progresses she realizes there are characters out there who have a vested interest in taking him down for good this time. They also make it clear that they don't want Jane and Jimmy to be sticking their noses in other people's business - and that everyone around her is fair game if she doesn't quit the case.

More than that I can't reveal, but I can say the action doesn't take much of a break from beginning to the ending, which sets up a scenario for the next installment. I'll be waiting - and meantime I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get to know this hard-driving, multi-faceted character.

Hard to Kill by James Patterson and Mike Lupica (Little, Brown and Co., July 2024); 371 pp.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

5 stars out of 5

Retired attorney Andy Carpenter insists he wants to stay that way, but somehow he keeps getting pulled back into court. This time, his trusted but somewhat reclusive investigator, Marcus Clark, asks for a favor - the only time in their long association that's happened. It seems that one of the young men Marcus has helped get on the straight and narrow - Nick Williams - has been identified as a mass murderer after six employees were brutally shot at the law firm where he's been working.

When Marcus gets a call from Nick, who's been missing, to say he was kidnapped on the day of the murders and spent several days tied up in some kind of warehouse before his kidnappers inexplicably set him free. Marcus then calls Andy, who really doesn't want any part of the case, but he can't say no to Marcus. Reluctantly, Andy gathers his super-competent team around him, including Marcus and Andy's ex-cop wife, Laurie Collins - and they begin to plot their strategy despite misgivings that include a couple of witnesses who are for the most part convinced that the man with the gun they saw was, in fact, Nick.

As usual, the story is narrated by Andy, who enjoys talking to his own dogs while taking them for walks. He's an extremely personable guy with a sense of humor and a penchant for acting up in the courtroomwith both adding a bit of fun to each adventure (and eliciting an occasional giggle from me). Since the motive attributed to Nick seems thin - and both he and Marcus are so insistent that Nick wasn't involved in any way - the team begins to look for another reason for the murders. As clues turn up, Andy shares them with readers (and I'll leave those reveals up to him, thank you very much) right up to the somewhat surprising conclusion. 

Speaking of thank you very much, all that's left for me to say is that - to the publisher, via NetGalley - for giving me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of another installment in a favorite series. Well done, as always!

Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur Books, July 2024); 298 pp.

A CALAMITY OF SOULS

5 stars out of 5

More than anything else, this story - which the author says he started to write more than a decade ago - provides an unsettling look at a part of our history that these days, IMHO, many folks seem to want to shove under the rug where, also IMHO, it doesn't belong. And yes, it tends to get a bit "preachy" in spots, but if the message brings edification to just a few readers, that's fine by me. Set in 1968 in Virginia, where some residents are trying to live with new laws that protect the rights of some others (some accepting, others not so much), it centers on Jack Lee, a white lawyer who finds himself representing a Black man charged with the gruesome murder of a wealthy, elderly husband and wife. The second the man was found near the dead bodies, he was presumed guilty by virtually all the powers-that-be; so without hard evidence to the contrary, the man is destined for a lifetime behind bars at best.

And while Jack is a talented, experienced attorney, he's never dealt with a capital case - much less the blowback from those who believe his client has no real standing as a human being and therefore doesn't deserve someone to defend him (certainly not a white man). The situation gets what could be a bit of a break with the appearance of Desiree DuBose, a seasoned Black lawyer from Chicago who's made a name for herself with exactly this type of case. She and Jack form a somewhat uneasy alliance, both knowing that without the other, the defendant cannot possibly get a fair trial.

Quickly, though, they realize that outside of a couple of personal friends, the two of them are the only ones inside the courtroom who give a rip about fairness. To everyone else, their client is Black, guilty as charged and deserves to die - the sooner the better. As do, apparently, those who dare to try to prevent that from happening.

Of course, the backstories of the client, Jerome Washington, Jack and his family and Desiree add enlightenment to this complex story - as do the efforts of the aforesaid powers-that-be to "convince" Jack and Desiree to back off and allow the natural order of things to remain the status quo (this is the deep South, after all). More than that I can't say without giving too much away except that it's an exceptionally well-written book that's worth reading. Especially now.

A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, April, 2024); 496 pp.

The #1 LAWYER

5 stars out of 5

Payback can be a you-know-what. Nobody knows that better than hotshot Mississippi defense attorney Stafford Lee Penney, when he finds himself on the receiving end after his latest courtroom win that means a suspected murderer walks out a free man. Shortly thereafter, he becomes the primary suspect in the murder of his estranged wife Carrie Ann and the man found beside her in her bed, and he has a new client to save - himself. But if he didn't do it, who did? 

Finding out is a monumental undertaking that's fraught with danger, but Stafford Lee has a great team to help him including his lawyer friend Mason Burnett and investigator Jenny Glaser. But first, he's got to get his own act together; devastated by Carrie Ann's death, his work ethic and personal life take a nosedive all the way to the beach, where he's forced to take a job as a lifeguard just to make ends meet. Along that path, he finds a law student named Rue, who's the sister of one of his former clients; she interns at his office and crashes at his place at night.

As the investigation progresses, several anomalies turn up as part of the police investigation of Carrie Ann's murder. Stafford Lee and his cohorts are threatened (and worse), and then another person related to Stafford Lee's original case turns up dead. Forget Carrie Ann, the police say, claiming they have an abundance of evidence to prove Stafford Lee is the culprit in the more recent murder. He's arrested, charged and hauled into court for what will be the trial of his life.

Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Stafford Lee, of course, doesn't buy his own guilt - nor do his office colleagues. So the race is on to at the very least find evidence that will give the jury reasonable doubt. Doing that means pretty much nonstop action, with at least one gobsmacking surprise along the way. Definitely a fun read, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The #1 Lawyer by James Patterson and Nancy Allen (Little, Brown and Co., March 2024); 432 pp.

BETRAYAL

4 stars out of 5

After reading one other in this series featuring former MMA fighter Robin Lockwood, I looked forward to another. And I'm happy to say this one (the 7th) doesn't disappoint - if anything, I enjoyed it more. This time around, Robin is a highly regarded defense attorney in Portland, Oregon. When a local family of four is murdered, the primary suspect is Mandy Kerrigan, a washed-up MMA fighter who once roundly defeated Robin, causing her to get out of the professional fight arena. Mandy, it seems, had beaten up the grown son of the murdered family and was even seen at their door not long before the bodies were discovered.

But Robin suspects the truth is more elusive, agreeing to defend her and, hopefully, identify the real killer or killers. Among the discoveries is the fact that the mother, Margaret Finch, was an attorney with a lucrative history of defending powerful mobsters, the father owed a ton of gambling debt and the aforementioned son was a drug dealer (plenty of reasons for payback, then).

The story, which employs flashbacks, follows Robin's investigation and courtroom proceedings as well as her budding romance with a colleague. There's plenty of action, all building up to a surprising end (well, sort of; fairly early on I made a deduction on my own that proved right on the money). All told, it's a very entertaining book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Betrayal by Phillip Margolin (Minotaur Books, November 2023); 303 pp.

12 MONTHS TO LIVE

5 stars out of 5

Well, it ain't the cheeriest of stories: hard-driving defense attorney and former NYPD officer Jane Smith has no shortage of enemies, any one of whom is more than capable of taking her down at any given moment. Should they miss, though, her terminal cancer will finish her off.

Jane's client, wealthy ne'er-do-well Rob Jacobson, is on trial for the murder of an entire family - dad, mom and daughter. Her investigative partner, Jimmy Cunniff, is an ex-cop as well, and the two are determined to get a favorable jury verdict for their client, no matter how unlikable he is (nor, for that matter, whether or not they believe in his innocence). In between, Jane - whose sister Brigid also is fighting terminal cancer - is training for a biathlon. At that point, I have to be honest and say that while I was impressed with both Jane and Jimmy, the thought of wading through a book that's bound to have an unhappy ending no matter which way the trial goes lost a bit of appeal. But I hung in there - if only because I'm a big fan of both the authors - and also honestly, the story itself began to draw me in. 

An old friend of Jimmy's asks Jane to investigate a similar case that happened about six months earlier - another dad, mom and daughter who were murdered in a similar fashion. Despite the (ahem) trials and tribulations in the courtroom, Jane decides to take on both cases; and that's when the action really starts to pick up. Apparently, someone out there isn't rooting for Jane and Jimmy to win; they're both threatened, and when they don't heed the warnings, the threats turn all too real. 

Scenes shift from the courtroom, where Jane mixes it up with a worthy legal adversary, to what's happening in her personal life to what turns up as Jimmy investigates the relationship, if any, between the two horrific murder cases. Of course, you won't get the details from me, but I will suggest reading it for yourself as I did - even if you're pretty sure in the end you won't like the ending - just because it's a doggone good book. And I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

12 Months to Live by James Patterson and Mike Lupika (Little, Brown and Co., September 2023); 401 pp.

FLOP DEAD GORGEOUS

4 stars out of 5

I may have come late to this series, but I've quickly become a fan; as long as uber-likable retired attorney Andy Carpenter plays a prominent role, I can't turn the pages fast enough. This one finds him back in the courtroom to defend Hollywood film star Jenny Nichols, who's been charged with murder. She's talented, beautiful and, despite Andy's love of his ex-cop wife Laurie, irresistible; after all, he dated Jenny back in high school (as he's fond of reminding anyone who's within earshot).

When Jenny returns home to Paterson, New Jersey, where Andy lives and runs the dog rescue Tara Foundation, Andy arranges a private dinner party so some of his closest friends can meet her. It's almost spoiled by the appearance of Jenny's ex-husband, a big-shot movie producer who apparently didn't get the memo that divorce means she's no longer his wife. Andy's friends save the day and Jenny, but the next day doesn't go quite as smoothly when the ex-husband turns up dead in Jenny's recently deceased mother's home, where she's staying. Jenny, of course, denies any involvement - she was the one who found his body in the kitchen, yes, but she insists she didn't do it despite a ton of evidence to the contrary.

But hey - Andy dated her in high school, remember? So he makes it his mission to polish up his lawyering skills and try his best to prove to the jury that she's innocent. Given that preponderance of evidence, it won't be easy; but Andy calls in his team of experts - including his wife - and spends the rest of the book investigating, strategizing and arguing (the latter in court, where readers get to see the "old" Andy in action). How it turns out, of course, you'll have to find out for yourself (I will say that a very early guess I made turned out to be spot on). Now I just have to wait for the next installment and thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur Books, July 2023); 272 pp.

CENTRAL PARK WEST

5 stars out of 5

Okay, I must 'fess up. When I opened this book on my Kindle, my first thought was this: Please, Lord, let this be good; I really, really don't want to be the one to tell the former director of the FBI - especially one who's at least a foot and a half taller than I am - that his first-ever fiction book stinks.

And it doesn't (whew). In fact, joking aside, I very much enjoyed it. It's a well-written, well-crafted story, but more than that, perhaps, it provides insights into the legal system, from both inside and outside the courtroom, that could come only from someone who's spent the lion's share of a professional lifetime working within it. The most important takeaway, though - at least for me - is if the FBI wants you, there aren't many places you can hide (not even a Starbucks).

The primary characters are U.S. Atty. Nora Carleton, a single mom struggling a bit to make ends meet while she takes on the world of organized crime, and her very personable (and formidable) investigator, Benny Dugan. Early on, a former state governor - one who keeps his lips zipped but articles of his clothing not so much - is found dead of a suicide that turns out to be murder. Maybe, just maybe, his permanent silence was a mob hit; but that's only conjecture, since his ex-wife Kyra has been charged with, and is on trial for, the killing.

The two trials - Nora's and the one against Kyra - play off each other as the investigations (and trial witnesses) begin to reveal in-common details. The back-and-forths also showcase the conflict among federal and state prosecutors, none of whom seem to much enjoy sharing (again, a nod, I'm sure, to reality but something I've never quite understood; if our goals are the same, why can't we all hold hands and play nice)?

Of course, I can't reveal any details without spoiling the whole thing for other readers, but I sure do recommend it to those who enjoy stories about crimes and courtrooms. If I must carp a bit, I'll say the transition could use a little improvement - in spots, it jumps around a bit. I also can't say I was thrilled with the ending, but that's not a negative - I'm pretty sure it reflects reality more often than not (sometimes bad people do good things, sometimes good people do bad things, sometimes neither gets found out). It also, it seems to me, makes great starting fodder for a next book - to which I'm definitely looking forward. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to dive into a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!

Central Park West by James Comey (Mysterious Press, May 2023); 384 pp.

LOVE, BETRAYAL, MURDER

4 stars out of 5

When I got to the end of this engrossing book, lyrics from an old country music hit sung by Patty Loveless (written by Kostas Lazarides and Harlan Howard) started rumbling through my brain: "Blame it on your lying, cheating, cold deadbeating, two-timing, double-dealing, mean mistreating loving heart."

Hmmm - I couldn't have summed up this book any better, I thought.

Sexual harassment and the MeToo movement are timely topics to be sure, and they take center stage with a court battle between attorneys Vanessa Lyons and Matthew Brooks. While working on a joint project at the law firm at which both are rising stars, they start an affair despite the fact that Vanessa is married with a young daughter. Oh, that and the fact that Matthew was named a new partner at the most recent annual partners' meeting, and now he's technically Vanessa's supervisor. She, meanwhile, will be up for a partnership at the next go-'round. Under those circumstances, such a relationship violates the firm's strict policy on hanky panky between supervisors and subordinates. Given their assumption that Vanessa's partnership will come to be - both she and Matt have been told on the QT that she's a shoe-in - they decide to hide their illicit affair until after they're on equal footing once again; at that point, the policy won't matter, and they'll both claim nothing was going on before that.

But as we all know, there's many a slip between the cup and the lip; and as it turns out, Vanessa's shoe-in suddenly gets the boot - effectively ending her ascension to the pinnacle of success she's worked so hard to achieve. Why the about-face? In Vanessa's eyes, the affair did her in. The firm, she claims, knew nothing about the affair; whether they suspected it or not isn't grounds for their denial of her partnership. Besides that, Matt, already a partner, escaped free and clear; no harm, no foul when it came to his employment. Especially amid the Harvey Weinstein brouhaha and #MeToo movement, then, what better time to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the firm?

Once that's resolved (no, I won't say how), though, that slip between cup and lip becomes more like a chasm given a  jaw-dropping roadblock that puts Matt in a hot seat of a different sort. And his situation becomes the focus for the rest of the book, which ends with another surprise (well, okay, I guessed the possibility early on, actually, but it was nonetheless satisfying to have it confirmed). All in all, it grabbed my attention from the beginning and held on to the end. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.  

Love, Betrayal, Murder by Adam Mitzner (Blackstone Publishing, May 2023); 330 pp.

HER DEADLY GAME

4 stars out of 5

When it comes to mysteries and thrillers - my favorite category of books - I gravitate first to those with a legal and/or medical theme. Such is the case with this one, which introduces lawyer and grown-up chess prodigy Keera Duggan in her first big case for the family firm. I don't know if she's destined for a series or not, but if so, count me in as one who will be reading.

Actually, Keera is a reluctant addition to the family firm, led by her well-documented alcoholic father and three sisters. But she had little choice; fresh off a soured relationship with a heavy-hitting Seattle prosecuting attorney who's out to destroy her professionally every chance he gets, the only haven for her for now is in the arms of her more-than-a-little dysfunctional family. But then, the firm lands what could be the opportunity of a lifetime: uber-rich financial guru Vince LaRussa, who is accused of murdering his disabled wife Anne. He's got a reasonable alibi, but it's far from airtight; and turns out he's got a honker of a motive. To make matters worse, who do you suppose is the prosecuting attorney?

Constantly bickering with her sisters and concerned that her former top-tier attorney father, Patrick "Patsy" Duggan, will once again fall off the wagon, Keera gets help from likable cop-turned private investigator J.P. Harrison and hones her strategizing with a challenging online game of chess with a mysterious opponent. As she navigates the trial facing a prosecutor whose ethics are suspect and a judge who, let's say, isn't a Patsy fan, Keera digs in her heels deep enough to reach what just may be a very uncomfortable truth.

In particular, I enjoyed the courtroom activity; the chess back-and-forths a little less so, but that's simply because the few games I've actually played mostly made me realize I don't really want to play any more. More often than not, the transition from setting to setting seemed a little disjointed, but overall the story was intriguing enough that it didn't matter much and I'm sure that other fans of the author will be happy as well. As I said early on, I'm hoping this is the start of a series, because I'm looking forward to another one. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get in on the action with a pre-release copy to read and review.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, March 2023); 396 pp.

THE LAW OF INNOCENCE

 5 stars out of 5

With the end of a mostly shut-in year looming, I've managed to read about 120 books - far exceeding the goal I set at the beginning of the year. All but a few earned high marks - with several coming from authors I'd not even heard of - and that's satisfying and a real treat. Still, I have to say that opening one from a long-established author - one of my favorites - brings a special level of excitement. And when it's really, really good, as this one is, I'm over the top (and, I hasten to add, more than a little sad when I've finished).

This one puts investigation and courtroom drama to the test, and both passed with flying colors. This time, though, it's Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller who's his own client; it seems he was pulled over for a license plate violation - after which the officer found a dead body in the trunk. Because of the contentious relationship Mickey had with the victim - and because evidence was found at Mickey's home suggesting the man was killed there - the hot-shot defense attorney suddenly finds himself behind bars and facing a trial that could keep him there for the rest of his life.

Needless to say, Mickey knows he didn't do it, but he's also acutely aware of the so-called law of innocence, to-wit: "For every man not guilty of a crime, there is a man out there who is." To this end, he and his team, which includes characters from previous books including his half-brother Harry Bosch, must figure out who the killer really is - and then prove it beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury.

How that plays out - and the goings-on in the trial itself - are the substance of the book. It's a great story, made even better by references to the onslaught of the Coronavirus and not-so-sneaky references to the lay of the national political land (which, depending on their perspectives, is likely to either delight readers like me or make them grind their teeth). Terrific book - highly recommended!

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., November 2020); 433 pp.

A TIME FOR MERCY

 5 stars out of 5

The law works in mysterious ways - at least in small-town Mississippi courtrooms in 1990. And they're laid out here for all to read and enjoy as local attorney Jake Brigance takes on two very different high-stakes cases. One could earn a ton of money for his struggling practice; the other could get him killed.

The golden goose case pits Jake against a giant railroad company

he alleges was negligent in keeping crossing lights in good repair. The result was a horrible accident that happened - or so Jake needs to prove - because the lights weren't working. Needless to say, the railroad attorneys insist they were working just fine. As the book begins, it looks as if the railroad may be willing to offer a substantial cash settlement with Jake's client - thus allowing Jake to pay his bills as well as those he's racking up defending the client in his other case - one he got [ahem!] railroaded into taking on by the local judge.

It is that case that gets the lion's share of attention. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the cold-blooded murder of his mother's boyfriend. The case is complicated by the fact that the dead guy was a local deputy sheriff - albeit one with a nasty temper and a penchant for getting drunk. Under state law, the boy can and will be tried as an adult; many, if not most, of the town's residents (and most certainly the victim's family and his fellow officers) are fervent in their belief that he deserves the death penalty. 

The more Jake learns, though, the more he believes the charges against his young client aren't warranted. Readers, of course, learn the details of what really happened as well as how Jake and his legal cronies are working out their courtroom strategy. Suffice it to say it's a real treat to follow along - or at least it was for me. I have to say I wasn't totally thrilled with the way things turned out even though it probably was for the best, but I'm encouraged that there is plenty of fodder for the next book in this terrific series (this is the third). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review it.

A Time for Mercy by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2020); 465 pp.

KALEIDOSCOPE

4 stars out of 5

Ask me on any given day what my favorite mystery/thriller "theme" is, and my answer will be either medical or legal. Back in a much earlier life, I was a legal secretary - and actually looked into training to be a court stenographer (this was before machine transcription took over, of course). On the medical side, authors like Patricia Cornwell and Tess Gerritsen have long been favorites; and as a journalist, I've covered health-care issues long enough to at the very least have a good handle on the terminology.

So when I got the chance to read this book - the first in a series featuring defense attorney Lucius White - despite a backlog of pre-publication review copies from NetGalley publishers languishing in my must-read stack, I simply couldn't say no. The verdict? Very good. Clearly, the author (who is a practicing attorney) has a handle on the minutiae of law as well as a clever mind capable of devising a complex, but believable, plot. It doesn't hurt that he grew up in nearby Cleveland (for an undisclosed reason, I'm totally ignoring his birth in Pittsburgh, but here's a hint: Go Browns!) 

At the start of this one, Martin Bower, CEO of Florida's Coastal Regional Hospital, is unceremoniously ejected from his position amid charges of the embezzlement of about $3 million. He turns to long-time friend Lucius for help and Lucius, not entirely convinced that Martin is innocent, agrees to take the case. For better or worse, that pits him against a federal prosecutor whose goal is getting ahead at any cost. But for her, that price may not be all that high; happily for her career, the hospital's attorneys and board members seem more than willing to provide any evidence she can use to ensure Martin's conviction.

Complicating matters is a potentially lucrative takeover of the hospital and surreptitious money transfers that may be covering up the theft of drugs. Besides that, Lucius's in-house companion Leslie, who, besides being hot to trot in the bedroom (and other parts of the house), works at an AIDS clinic that's experiencing an unexplained loss of newly developed drugs. Is it possible there's a connection to the hospital's missing medications? To help in the investigation, Lucius turns to his very competent law partner, Harry Harris, and computer wizard, "Horse" - both  very likable additions to the cast of what I assume will be ongoing characters. Everything is resolved rather neatly in the end, with all who deserve comeuppance being appropriately rewarded.

It's all done in a very intriguing but rather complex plot with a ton of characters - all of which taxed my aging brain a bit trying to keep everything and everyone straight, especially those who are sometimes referred to by their first names and other times their last. As for the legal aspect, I personally take great enjoyment in the kind of in-depth explanations that happen here with regularity; but some readers, I think, might find a few of them a bit ponderous. 

In particular, I enjoyed the back-and-forths in the courtroom scenes; it's always fun to see the trip-ups and slip-ups by opposing attorneys as they devise and revise strategies for witness interrogations that are designed to captivate - and hopefully sway - the juries while avoiding the judge's wrath. There's plenty of that here, and without giving away any details, I must say Lucius (with help from partner Harry) adds some well-earned "gotcha" notches in his belt. Put another way, if I needed defending in a court of law, I'd want him next to me at the defense table.

Hopefully, nothing I do for the rest of my life will require his services. In the meantime, I'll be content to get my legal "fix" by way of my Kindle - with the next book in this series on my want-to-read radar.

Kaleidoscope by Alan P. Woodruff (Amazon Digital Services LLC, April 2019); 415 pp.