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Sep 15, 2011

Mo rated it:

From ReadingWithMo: http://www.readingwithmo.com/2011/07/rev...

The story picks up only a few hours after the events in the last Madriani novel, The Rule of Nine, left off. Paul is being questioned by the authorities and investigator Herman Diggs is fighting for his life. Liquida learns the location of Paul's daughter and everyone rushes to save her. But is that all that Liquida is up to?

I have read many fast action thrillers, but I have to say, this may be one of the fas More...

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Jun 13, 2011

Gaby rated it:

I hadn't read any of Steve Martini's earlier novels, but it wasn't necessary to be familiar with his lead characters or to their previous escapades to fully immerse myself in his latest work, Trader of Secrets.

Trader of Secrets opens deep into the action. Madriani's private investigator and "muscle" has been attacked and is in critical care. His daughter is in hiding on a doberman training farm and Hinds is assigned to watch over her for her protection. When Sarah is attac More...

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Feb 13, 2012

Deborah rated it:

There are already over 300 reviews of this book, so I'm not taking the time to add much to the story. It's a continuation of the story in the previous two books starring Paul Madriani and Harry Hinds the dynamic legal duo, as they alternately run from and chase down Liquida, the Mexican executioner.

This is a page-turning, engaging thriller. For that it gets 3 stars. I like this author's style, but this one did strain credibility to the boundaries and beyond. I'm sure Madriani and Hin More...

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Sep 13, 2011

David rated it:

If you were being stalked by an assassin would you go out for a run by yourself? If you were a secret agent would you bring your new girlfriend and her dog on a mission? If you were an FBI agent "going rogue" would you tell your secretary all about it? If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you will have a problem with this book.

"Trader of Secrets" is not only a bad book. It is the third book of a trilogy where Steve Martini took his Paul Madr More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 13, 2012

Deb rated it:

I learned that a TAR-21 might be the gun to have. It fires the same rounds as the M16, accurate up to 300 meters and half the length. I'm sure guys know this, especially the ones that play the video games. The author mentioned that Mexico is one of the most severe on firearm restrictions and yet they are a war zone of gun-fueled drug violence. I guess gun control doesn't help, and it's true. When we visited parents in Monterey Mexico there were pictures of dead people in the paper every day and More...

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Jan 29, 2012

Jamie rated it:

Madriani and his complaining girlfriend throw themselves into unnecessary danger in different locals across the globe. But what else can lawyers without a practice do or lawyers that can no longer practice for fear Liquida, the assassin, will come for them in the night. I think the premise of steering your favorite asteroid to use it as an incoming missile against your enemies is a bit far fetched although no doubt there would be idiots that would spend a billion or more of the tax payers mone More...

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Feb 06, 2012

Momm rated it:

The Mexican Executioner, Liquida, is after Sarah, Paul's daughter and tracks her to the farm in Ohio where her aunt and uncle are providing shelter. When he makes a move on Sarah while she is out on a morning run, Liquida's attempt to kill/knife her is thwarted by the water bottle in her fanny pack and by the dog Bugsy. She and her dad's investigator, Herman Diggs, are then moved to a condo under control and protection of the government.
Meanwhile, Madriani, his companion Joselyn Cole, and More...

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May 24, 2011

Cheryl rated it:

Really good read! Couldn't put it down. I won this copy as a First Reads giveaway, so thank you! This is my first Madrini book (and now not my last), but enough background information is given that I didn't feel like I walked into the movie halfway through. The background was woven in fairly seemlessly - enough so that its presence wouldn't annoy someone who read the others.

I like how Martini alternates point of view, so that the reader sees the various factions crossing paths unwit More...

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Sep 21, 2011

Mary rated it:

Defense attorney Paul Madriani is embroiled in a case that involves an angry Mexican killer, Liquida, who will stop at nothing short of vengeance, and two missing NASA scientists who are holding secrets that a hostile government desperately wants to purchase—in blood if they must.

Madriani's daughter, Sarah, has evaded the man known as Liquida, who has stalked her all the way across the country. For her own safety, she is being kept under armed guard on a farm in Ohio.

Mea More...

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Jun 15, 2011

Jerry rated it:

Martini’s latest is an absolute continuation of “Rule Of Nine”, itself a continuation of sorts of “Guardian Of Lies”. Despite being billed as the 12th in the Defense Attorney Paul Madriani series, probably Martini’s most popular stories, like “Rule”, “Trader” isn’t a legal thriller at all. Rather, the same characters as in “Rule” are still chasing the Mexican villain Liquida all over the world, from Thailand to Paris to Mexico, following miniscule clues, in an effort to keep daughter Sarah, co More...

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Jun 27, 2011

Richard rated it:

I liked this book pretty much because it is the kind of story I do like to read. I could not give it a higher rating because too much of it was too unbelievable. For instance, the scene of Paul driving his rent-a-wreck down the line of soldiers in Mexico, mowing them down like 9 pins.

Too much was poorly told. For instance, explaining technical stuff that would be better served with a glossary, like MATS.

If fact, the whole chase all around the world just did not track for me. More...

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May 21, 2011

RM rated it:

I won an Advance Reader Copy of this book through Goodreads' free giveaway program: thank you very much!

Steve Martini confirms himself as master storyteller in this book. Paul Madriani is one of the best characters of fiction out there. In his new adventure, readers are not going to see him in the courtroom... In fact, after his close encounter with the elusive Mexican contract-killer Liquida at the end of the last book, Madriani is now being protected by the FBI. Liquida wants to kill More...

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Feb 07, 2012

Joanne rated it:

Paul Madriani, Joselyn Cole, and Harry Hinds race travel the world to track down elusive assassin, known only as Liquida. Liquida wants Paul, daughter Sarah, Harry, and investigator Herman Diggs dead. The crafty crew thwarted Luiquida and cost him a big payday in the previous novel in this series.

Only this team can find Liquida. The FBI is clueless. The hunt ends in a blood bath in Mexico as Paul's team races to stop a traitor from directing an asteroid to collide with earth.

More...

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Jun 13, 2011

Bill rated it:

The last two books by Martini have taken Paul Madriani out of the courtroom and put him in the assassin/thriller category. While the books are okay reading they really stretch the implausible. The mantra by his colleagues Harry and Jocelyn to "Call the cops, call the FBI, let them handle it," goes unheeded so we find the trio globe hopping as they follow the trail of the assassin.

There is lots of action and political intrigue, rogue scientists, Israeli special forces, and Ma More...

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Aug 14, 2011

Jill rated it:

This is book three of a trilogy involving attorney Paul Madriani and the man who is out to kill him, a Mexican contract killer named Liquida. (I did not read the first two, which is actually pretty much a given, because I never would have followed up on the series!) Much of the plot of this suspense/thriller has Liquida chasing Paul and everyone else he can identify in Paul’s life: his law firm partner, his girlfriend, his investigator, his daughter, and his daughter's dog - while at the same More...

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Feb 21, 2012

Stacy rated it:

Incredible! Unbelievable! Trouble is, I use these words in the literal sense, meaning "not credible" and "not believable". In this book, the third in a three-book run, Martini continues to shift his focus from the courtroom to the world of international espionage. The story line is right out of a B-movie script: A pair of small-time lawyers manage to outwit a network of foreign evil-doers, while making fools out of the intelligence pros at the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc., etc. I do, More...

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Jun 30, 2011

Brent rated it:

Book three of the Liquida trilogy. Most of the book is spent with Madriani, his girlfriend and Harry chasing Liquida all over the world. They are intent to get him before he gets Paul or his daughter. They basically stumble onto Liquida attempting to obtain information from NASA scientists for terrorists who plan on using that information to attack the US. It all comes to a climactic end in Mexico with the Israeli government leading a helping hand to get the NASA secrets out of the terrorist More...

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Jun 12, 2011

Mickey Hoffman rated it:

I'm willing to accept some far-fetched elements but here Paul the attorney is
so far out of his comfort zone my brain couldn't accept the story enough to
get engaged. I'd forgotten how old his daughter is from earlier books and he
never tells you in this one which is another dysfunctional piece to the story.
And I have to say I'm kind of tired of dogs being introduced into stories where
you know with certainty later on the dog will be saving someone's life. A readable
boo More...

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May 22, 2011

Debbie rated it:

Book received thru Goodreads giveaway program. This is my first book by Steve Martini so I hadn't read any of the other books in the series. When I first started reading I was afraid I wouldn't be able to follow the story because this book picks up on events that ended in the prior book. I think reading the prior books in the series would have given me a better understanding of the characters background but that didn't keep me from enjoying the story. This book begins as a page turner and never More...

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Nov 24, 2011

Kevin rated it:

I really enjoy Steve Martini's stories. This book is terrific. Paul Madriani series never lacks for pace or excitement or twists. This one continues one of the best assassins you love to hate and hope he gets it bad. Herman Diggs the private eye who works exclusively for Paul and his partner Harry Hinds is still recovering in the hospital from his last encounter with Liquida Muerte the Mexican assassin in the last book. Pauls daughter is hiding out in Ohio, Sarah is getting antsy from hiding and More...

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Aug 23, 2011

Michael rated it:

This was a great end to a fantastic, exciting, and very suspenseful trilogy. You won’t be sorry by the time you’re finished, even if you haven’t read the other two books this great author gets you up to speed with the story quickly and completely as he does in all of his series works. You can count on Martini to not bore you with all the details and events that have lead up to the book you are reading as some do but get you up to speed and feeling like you’ve read all the books prior that is o More...

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Jul 11, 2011

Leo rated it:

Paul Madriani, his partner Harry and his daughter Sarah, are now not hiding but trying to catch up to the Mexlican assassin Liquida. Ther is not legal actions brought up at court but only running from one county trying to find LIquida. It kind of has a trait of science fiction when two NASA scientist escape with infoirmation on the Thor program which entales having a rocket move a meteor into the the earth orbit using it then as a weapon. The twist is that the USA is not who comes to the resc More...

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Jan 04, 2012

Bob rated it:

This novel begins after the bombing in Washington DC that ended in his previous book. Madriani and Joselyn Cole are still in DC being questioned by the FBI and held in protective custody. Herman Diggs Madriani’s investigator is in the hospital recovering from serious stab wounds delivered by Liquida, the Mexican assassin. Madriani’s daughter Sarah is in Ohio with his partner on her Aunt and Uncle’s farm. Liquida, though also wounded is headed there to kill Sarah and he also has Madriani in his More...

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Jul 07, 2011

Naomi rated it:

This is the sequel to 'The Rule of Nine'. I liked this story, it was fast paced and interesting having Herman Diggs, Sarah, Harry, Joselyn, & Paul Madriani all involved and it was hard to put down. Now, hopefully Madriani can get back in the court room where he belongs. Madriani is a lawyer not a spy or terrorist tracker. Steve Martini writes great court room drama and I like that better than the far out tales of improbable events.

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Oct 27, 2011

Jessica rated it:

I am not so narrow that I don't think writers can cross all sorts of genre barriers. This one didn't work for me. I sort of liked Martini's legal thrillers. And I mean sort of in the I-don't-have-anything-appealing-to-read-so-this'll-do way.

There are hundreds of reviews out there that explain just what's wrong with this story, with lawyers as spy novel protagonists, etc. I'll leave that to them.

All I have to say is that from the start I was rooting for the bad guy - a More...

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Oct 01, 2011

Laura rated it:

I like Paul Madriani (and hence Steve Martini) so much better when he functions as a lawyer. One gets the sense Martini is functioning in unfamiliar territory. The writing is frequently awkward (as when he attempts to explain the intircacies of "Project Thor") and the obligatory concluding shoot-em-up scene is ,frankly, almost incoherent. Martini needs to head back to the courtroom.

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Jul 29, 2011

Lee rated it:

Like the last two books by Martini this one does not involve Paul Madriani in the courtroom but in a global thriller. Once again the Mexican assassin Liquida is trying to murder him his friends and family. In his quest to find and stop Liquida Madriani comes into contact with a global conspiracy set in the Mexican Jungle to reign terror upon the Earth. Okay read but would much prefer that Madriani stay in the courtroom.

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Sep 11, 2011

Joyce rated it:

I am a very visual reader and Martini writes for people like me. During the entire novel I could picture the events occurring, somewhat like a really good James Bond movie. The plot takes Madriani and Company out of San Diego and into DC, Europe and Mexico. The action is pretty much non-stop and the group of protagonists is much larger than usual. Even a great villain, Liquida, is back. It climaxes brilliantly and ends most satisfactorily.

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Jun 04, 2011

Christy rated it:

If you are a fan of the Paul Madriani series, then you'll enjoy the continuation of the series with this book. The book starts off with some good news and more adventure for Paul and Harry. Trader of Secrets will keep you entertained, but it's definitely not a great read. The last chapter in particular is pretty bad. It seems like an after thought and pretty amateurish writing.

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Nov 02, 2011

Maggie rated it:

I agree with other reviews that it is time for dear Steve Martini to return to the legal thrillers he became a bestselling author with -- however, I enjoyed the triology!! Trader of Secrets was indeed filled with far-fetched antics......it's fiction!! A definite page-turner for Paul Madriani (etal) followers!!

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