"The Jailhouse Lawyer" and "Power of Attorney" by James Patterson and Nancy Allen are Both Very Good!

Wow, what a great read The Jailhouse Lawyer by James Patterson and Nancy Allen is!  This is about Martha Foster, single mom of 5-yr.-old who needs medicine for a heart condition.  She is an attorney who left her firm in search of a job with better benefits for her son which led her to the public defender position in Douglas County, Alabama.  This is where her nightmare begins!  She is welcomed with open arms and has a furnished rental home.  She soon hears that the former public defender committed suicide and soon can see why!  The judge is evil and corruption flourishes in his court.  Martha fights for her life and decides to try to get the judge removed from office.  I enjoyed this book very much and was pulling for Martha all the way!  I had a hard time putting this one down, but it is a good one for reading small bits at a time since the chapters are very short so go quickly.  If you enjoy lawyer thrillers, I highly recommend this one.  It reminded me of The Intern.  (Karen's review, 5 stars)

The second story in this book is Power of Attorney which was also good.  A Chicago attorney goes back to her home in Arkansas to help her mom care for her dad, also an attorney who has Dementia, and tie up his cases.  What she thought would be a simple probate case turned into a murder trial with her client being the defendant!  This kept my attention and didn't guess who the murderer was until the end.  This not only about murder, but also arson, abuse and human trafficking.  I enjoyed the trial very much.  (Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"The Intern" by Michelle Campbell is a Fantastic Legal Thriller

The Intern by Michele Campbell is one of the best legal thrillers I ever read!  This is about a Harvard intern, Madison, to a crooked Judge, Kathryn Conroy.  Both women find themselves in compromising positions through no fault of their own.  I got into this book right from the start and kept turning pages very quickly!  The plot was well developed, the characters interesting and believable, suspense galore and a great ending!  The judge even had a cat that actually had a role in the book that I enjoyed very much. I loved this one and highly recommend it!  (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 10/26/23:
In The Intern by Michele Campbell, Madison gets a dream job--an intern for a well-respected lady judge.  The judge likes her, and Madison feels she is on a fast track to where she wants to go.  However, soon her dream job turns into a nightmare!  This is a good read with good characters and an easy-to-follow storyline.  It has good action too in the second half of the book.  (5+ stars) 

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"The Cage" by Bonnie Kistler is a Page Turner!

In The Cage by Bonnie Kistler, two women enter an elevator lost in their own thoughts.  When it reaches the ground floor, one woman is dead from a gun shot!  Was it murder or suicide?  I thought this novel was really good.  Just the Prologue will get you hooked and the writing will keep you engaged right to the great ending!  The main character, Shay Lambert, was very enjoyable.  I highly recommend this one!  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)  

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"A Nearly Normal Family" by M. T. Edvardsson

A Nearly Normal Family by M. T. Edvardsson is set in Sweden. It tests a father’s faith, a mother’s ethics when Stella, their 18-yr.-old daughter is charged with the murder of a 32-yr.-old man on a playground. Stella and Amina are unlikely best friends since Kindergarten (or preschool). Stella is impulsive, seeks adventure, and is a skilled liar who feels her parents are too controlling. Her father, Adam, is a pastor and her mother, Ulrika, is a criminal defense attorney. Amina is a good student, plans for her future, and likes and understands Stella. They were both on the same handball team and were good players, but Stella quit because she got bored having to follow all the planned plays! This book asks the questions, “How well do you know your own children?” and “How far would you go to protect them?”

This book was pretty interesting although it moved along a bit slowly and doesn’t have much action. It touches on issues of ethics, rape, and family. The is presented in three parts: part 1 is from the father’s perspective, part 2 is from the daughter’s perspective (the most interesting), and part 3 is from the mother’s perspective.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 13: With an eighteen-year-old daughter you have two options: either you drown under the constant worry or your refuse to think about all the risks she seems to love taking. It’s simply a question of self-preservation.


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"The Family Lawyer" by James Patterson

This book has contains three stories. The first is The Family Lawyer by James Patterson with Robert Rotstein. Defense lawyer, Matt Hovanes, finds himself and his partner defending Haley, his own high school daughter for bullying another student who committed suicide. This is really good about cyberbullying and parents going to great lengths to protect their child! (5 stars)

Teaser from page 17: The lawyer in me suspects she’s hiding something. The father in me wants nothing more than to believe in her innocence.

The second story is Night Sniper by James Patterson with Christopher Charles. Practically right off the bat the reader finds out who the night sniper is and the story is all about the cops trying to catch him. He kills from a distance, shoots at the heart and kills in the early morning hours. I thought this one was okay, but liked the first story much more. (4 stars)

Teaser from page 184: He spends the ride out to Queens studying the photo behind tonight’s mission. He holds the image frozen in his mind like a slide on a stalled viewfinder.

The third story is The Good Sister by James Patterson with Rachel Howzell Hall. This one is a murder mystery about two sisters. Melissa’s alcoholic, druggie, cheating husband is shot dead in her living room and the cops naturally suspect her. When she can’t revive him, she calls her sister, Dani, to come over to help her clean up some before calling the police. I did not care much for this one because I did not like any of the characters except for the little boy. (3 stars)

Teaser from page 333: Melissa shoved her hand into Kirk’s right pocket. This time, she pulled out his cell phone. “He was texting her,” she said, “even while he was fighting with me, he was texting her.”


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"Reckless Disregard" by Robert Rotstein

Reckless Disregard by Robert Rotstein is a complex Hollywood mystery with lots of crazy characters. Basically, William Bishop, a pillar of the community sues Poniard, a video game designer, for defamation of character because in his video game, Abduction, Poniard implies that Bishop is responsible for the kidnapping and disappearance of Paul Felicity McGrath. The purpose of the game is to find out what actually happened. Poniard is a mystery too because no one actually knows who he is and he is intent on keeping his identity a secret, even to the point of refusing to appear for a deposition or make a court appearance! Parker Stern is a mediator who is drawn into this case as Poniard’s attorney and who has secrets of his own. This book has secret identities, betrayal and death.

This book is written in a very unique way, using the “game” to reflect what Poniard thinks really happened. There are a lot of surprises and twists and turns in the book which kept making it more puzzling. I felt that it was beyond believable though and was glad when I finished it. I did like the lawyer and the trial part. (Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 35: I’ve spent the last twenty-five years trying to keep this secret. My celebrity almost ruined me, and I don’t want it back, not even a vestige of it. I’m a lawyer, not an actor.

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"We, the Jury" by Robert Rotstein

We the Jury by Robert Rotstein is about a trial where a husband killed his wife. The question is, was it premeditated or was he a battered spouse who killed in self-defense? We hear from everyone involved in the trial, especially the jury! I enjoyed this book very much! The characters were really good and I liked the judge and the fore person the most. If you can figure out how this one ends, you are smarter than me. This is my book of the month so far!
Gerard’s review, 5++ stars)

Karen’s review:
We the Jury by Robert Rotstein reminded me of the play, 12 Angry Men because instead of taking us through the trial, the entire book centers upon the 8-member jury and its deliberations. I think anyone who has been called for jury duty would find this book interesting. We find out about the trial through transcripts that the jury requests read back to them. My favorite characters were the messenger/”actor”, the student, the grandma and the jury consultant who was part of this jury! I felt sorry for the judge and was surprised by the ending. I really liked the unique way this book was written. Each new chapter was really commentary by one of the many different characters. I loved it! (5 stars)

Teaser from page 22: The jurors look at each other and shake their heads. The Clergyman doesn’t look at anyone. He just keeps his head bowed, as if in prayer.


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"Motion to Kill--a Lou Mason Thriller by Joel Goldman

Motion to Kill—a Lou Mason Thriller by Joel Goldman is a legal thriller with lots of murder, several cases, and lots of characters. Lou Mason discovers the dead body of his partner in a lake at the firm’s partner retreat. When he learns it was murder, Lou tries to investigate to figure out who the killer is and why. Is it client-related? Is it someone in the firm? Is the death of another partner related? Is there more than one killer? There are lots of things going on in this book!

Teaser from page 1: A dead partner is bad for business, even if he dies in his sleep. But when he washes ashore on one side of a lake and his boat is found abandoned on the other side, it’s worse.

This book is pretty complex and I found it a bit hard to follow at the beginning but as the investigation moved along, I got more drawn into it. Some parts were very good with lots of suspense, while others were mostly conversations. I felt sorry for Lou that he didn’t get out of the firm sooner and felt bad for the sheriff too. I liked the ending.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)


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"Exposed" by Lisa Scottoline, A Good Legal Thriller (Updated)

Exposed by Lisa Scottoline is a legal thriller that kept my interest all the way through. Lawyers Bennie Rosato and Mary DiNunzio found themselves working together on a murder case after Mary almost left the firm to work on a case that had a conflict of interest for the firm. Mary chose to help her friend, Simon, try to get his job back that he was fired from unjustly. He has a little girl that is in need of a bone marrow transplant and has high medical bills. This is about a conspiracy resulting in a murder. Bennie and Mary wind up putting their lives on the line when they are attacked and abducted just as they discover what really happened.

I liked this book very much and was surprised by the ending! Poor Simon’s problems just keep getting worse and worse while his lawyer and friend, Mary, tries to help him. This has action, family issues and suspense!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review 8/20/17:
In Exposed by Lisa Scottoline, Mary and Bernie are partners in their law firm, but a case comes up that Mary feels she must take even if that means leaving Bernie due to a conflict of interest.  Somebody does not want this case to go to court and will do anything to stop it, putting Mary and Bernie both in danger.

This book is pretty good.  The main characters are well developed.  The pacing is okay--it kept my interest.  There is good action at the end but would have loved more throughout the book.  That being said, I still give it four stars--well worth reading!
  
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"Gray Mountain" by John Grisham

Gray Mountain by John Grisham is about a lawyer, Samantha, who loses her cushy job in New York City at a big firm and goes to Brady, Virginia to work as an intern at a legal aid clinic with no pay for a year.  Her job in New York mainly involved proofreading documents for business transactions but when she joins the Legal Aid Clinic, she feels like a real lawyer, actually making a difference in people’s lives.  When she meets the Gray brothers, nephews of Mattie, the owner of the legal aid clinic, she finds herself unknowing pulled into a dangerous situation as Donovan Gray, an attorney who likes big cases against coal mining companies, takes a personal interest in her.  Samantha eventually must choose what world she wants to work in.  Will she remain to follow-up on her meaningful cases and continue to become a litigator fighting for the poor people who really need her help or go back to the corporate scene where she is paid the big bucks and given a cushy office? 

I liked this book and learned a lot about strip mining and the plight of coal miners who contract black lung disease.  It paints a pretty dark picture of how hard it is for the miners to get the benefits they deserve.  I found the cases Samantha was involved in during her time at the legal aid clinic interesting because they made her feel more like a social worker than a lawyer.  This novel has very little court scenes because it focuses more on the leg work involved in preparing for trial.  

(Karen's review, 3 stars)

 

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"Jury of One" by David Ellis is one we both Liked!

Jury of One by David Ellis is about a young boy named Alex who is accused of killing a cop, and Shelly is his attorney.  As she learns more about the shooting, secrets Alex and her have get revealed.  This book is good from beginning to end and the last part of the book with the trial is nearly impossible to put down.  LOVED IT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars) 


Jury of One by David Ellis is an intricate plot with several surprises along the way.  Shelly, an attorney who defends youth in civil suits because she believes in second chances, leaves her comfort zone and takes a criminal case, defending a 16-yr-old accused of drug dealing and killing a cop.  The kid is not straight with her and she pretty much has to guess what actually happened along with the reader when Alex and Ronnie, his best friend who is like a brother to him, look out for each other.  As Shelly defends Alex, her past comes back to haunt her and more and more secrets are revealed as the trial goes forward, leading to a big surprise ending. 

This is a good book filled with mystery, loyalty, legal procedures, dirty cops and family secrets.  I liked the main characters and the story line kept my interest.  

(Karen's review 12/18/14, 4 stars)  

 

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"Afterwards" by Rosamund Lupton

In Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton, Jenny covey is in the school when a huge fire takes place. Her mother, Grace, rushes into the school to try to rescue her. Both of them are pulled out in very critical condition. Adam, Jenny's brother and Grace's son is being accused of starting the fire. Do I have your interest yet? This book is a page turner for sure. It is told by Jenny and Grace as they watch what all unfolds after the fire. This book is just as good as Rosamond's first one, Sister. I think you should read this, I'm glad I did!
(Gerard's review)

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton is narrated by the spirit of a mother and daughter who were both seriously injured in a school fire.  While their bodies are in the hospital in comas, their spirits are following around their loved ones and the investigators of the case to piece together all the pieces to figure out who the arsonist was and also who Jenny's stalker was.  It is a complicated story line to follow and at times I had difficulty determining who was talking.  Afterwards, I was glad to finally be done with it!  I really didn't care much for this one, but was surprised at the ending.  I admit I was fooled and did not pick the right person as the stalker or the arsonist.
(Karen's review)

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"The 500" by Matthew Quirk

I give The 500 by Matthew Quirk 5 stars!

Mike Ford lands a dream job at a high ranking D.C. law firm. He befriends a pretty girl there and they hook up. Things are going good and Mike's stock rises in the firm to the point where he is being with the big boys of the firm. Life is good, but may be too good to be true. The 500 by Matthew Quirk is a good book, but the last 100 pages lifts it into the REAL GOOD box! I was glad to hear it is going to be a movie. There was some hype around this book which I bought into and am glad I did! Wait for the movie to come out or read the book. You owe it to yourself to do one or the other!
(Gerard's review)

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"A Time to Kill" by John Grisham

A Time To Kill by John Grisham tells the story of two men who brutalize a ten-year-old black girl in the deep south in the USA.  When the father learns of this, he decides to deal out his own brand of justice and shoots the two men in cold blood before they go to trial.  When his trial takes place, he and his white lawyer are in a battle for both of their lives.

I know this book has been out for years but somehow I missed it.  I'm glad I read it now though--it's very good!  The trial and all that surrounded it was outstanding.  As usual for John Grisham, the writing is top-notch.  If you haven't read this one yet, you should because it is well worth it.
(Gerard's Review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

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