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Marc Kadella Legal Mystery #1
The Key to Justice
A serial killer is on the loose in Minneapolis and the head of the investigation, Minneapolis police Lt. Jake Waschke, is feeling the pressure to find him. To make matters worse, the killer strikes again, this time across the river in St. Paul, and his victim is the daughter of a prominent politician.
Just when the investigation seems to be going nowhere, the police catch a break when the killer strikes yet again, except this time there is a witness who gets the police, including Jake Waschke chasing the killer through the streets of Minneapolis. During the chase Jake gets a good look at him and realizes his problems are only beginning when he recognizes the man and realizes he must do whatever is necessary to protect him.
A patsy is found and an arrest is made. The patsy’s fate is placed in the hands of criminal defense lawyer, Marc Kadella, when the brother of the accused turns out to be a former client of Marc’s. The case has heat and publicity far beyond anything Marc has ever dealt with and he tries to beg off. He knows he is over his head with a case of this magnitude and also realizes it could destroy his practice and drive him into bankruptcy. The brother convinces Marc to take the case playing on their past relationship, guaranteeing payment of his fees and Marc’s own belief that the man is innocent.
As the case progresses, Marc, aided in the investigation by a stunningly beautiful private investigator, becomes more and more convinced his client is being framed. But, unless he can uncover who is framing him and, more importantly, why, an innocent man is going to take a very serious fall, Marc will be helpless to prevent it.
The Key to Justice is a work of fiction that the author undertook to give a more realistic view of the practice of law and what a lawyer goes through than is usually found in most legal thrillers. It is not an easy way to make a living but it can be very rewarding though not always easy on the soul and the lawyer’s private life. Whether the lawyer practices on his or her own, in a small firm or, maybe especially, a large firm to which you almost become enslaved, though well compensated, it can be a demanding, all-consuming, pressure-filled way to make a living.
Just when the investigation seems to be going nowhere, the police catch a break when the killer strikes yet again, except this time there is a witness who gets the police, including Jake Waschke chasing the killer through the streets of Minneapolis. During the chase Jake gets a good look at him and realizes his problems are only beginning when he recognizes the man and realizes he must do whatever is necessary to protect him.
A patsy is found and an arrest is made. The patsy’s fate is placed in the hands of criminal defense lawyer, Marc Kadella, when the brother of the accused turns out to be a former client of Marc’s. The case has heat and publicity far beyond anything Marc has ever dealt with and he tries to beg off. He knows he is over his head with a case of this magnitude and also realizes it could destroy his practice and drive him into bankruptcy. The brother convinces Marc to take the case playing on their past relationship, guaranteeing payment of his fees and Marc’s own belief that the man is innocent.
As the case progresses, Marc, aided in the investigation by a stunningly beautiful private investigator, becomes more and more convinced his client is being framed. But, unless he can uncover who is framing him and, more importantly, why, an innocent man is going to take a very serious fall, Marc will be helpless to prevent it.
The Key to Justice is a work of fiction that the author undertook to give a more realistic view of the practice of law and what a lawyer goes through than is usually found in most legal thrillers. It is not an easy way to make a living but it can be very rewarding though not always easy on the soul and the lawyer’s private life. Whether the lawyer practices on his or her own, in a small firm or, maybe especially, a large firm to which you almost become enslaved, though well compensated, it can be a demanding, all-consuming, pressure-filled way to make a living.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2013
2457 people are currently reading
1141 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Carstens
32 books114 followersDennis Carstens was born in Worthington, MN, and has lived most of his life in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. He received a BA from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. from a highly respected private law school, William Mitchell, in St. Paul. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a retired trial lawyer, Carstens brings these life experiences to his fiction for a dose of realism and accuracy missing from much of the legal thriller genre today.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
January 1, 2020
A self published author who, to my amazement seems to have enjoyed a fair amount of commercial success, judging by the number of reviews his books have garnered. Ratings have a high average, which is a mystery to me.
Anyone who has given this book more than 2 stars must be really easy to please. The writing is comparable to a mediocre high school student with a grade of C. The dialogue is oftentimes stilted and even silly.
I bought the book because the author states:
As a fan of the genre of courtroom dramas and legal mysteries I have read all of the big name, very successful authors that write within it. Most, not all, have obviously never been in a courtroom, conducted a trial or represented a live human client.
The implication here is that Mr. Carstens himself does a better job than others at depicting courtroom scenes and legal technicalities. So I had to speed read/skim through all the inept attempts at written English until, lo and behold, I reached the rather mediocre courtroom drama sans drama part of the book.
I could have easily given this book only 1 star, but for the fact that it took a minimum of effort to produce 373 pages, I added a star for effort, though at times I felt it was a waste of my Kindle's battery.
Anyone who has given this book more than 2 stars must be really easy to please. The writing is comparable to a mediocre high school student with a grade of C. The dialogue is oftentimes stilted and even silly.
I bought the book because the author states:
As a fan of the genre of courtroom dramas and legal mysteries I have read all of the big name, very successful authors that write within it. Most, not all, have obviously never been in a courtroom, conducted a trial or represented a live human client.
The implication here is that Mr. Carstens himself does a better job than others at depicting courtroom scenes and legal technicalities. So I had to speed read/skim through all the inept attempts at written English until, lo and behold, I reached the rather mediocre courtroom drama sans drama part of the book.
I could have easily given this book only 1 star, but for the fact that it took a minimum of effort to produce 373 pages, I added a star for effort, though at times I felt it was a waste of my Kindle's battery.
June 8, 2017
This was another case of a novel published too soon . The author had a good plot and even a fairly interesting writing style, but he was satisfied with his work long before it was finished. The work was filled with grammatical and mechanical errors - incorrect verb tenses, apostrophes strewn in odd places, and commas often AFTER instead of BEFORE conjunctions in compound sentences. These flaws made the reading hard. In addition to poor editing, there was also incomplete revision. The author started several threads of plot and seemed to forget about them so that they dangled or were just tucked into the work here and there without pattern. What a shame! With a little more attention to detail or the hiring of a good editor, this could have been a really good novel!
January 13, 2016
Great job
Really good twist and turn story with believable characters and court room drama. I would like to think that not all things can be controlled by politicians, but I guess that they will always try. Going to read next book.
Really good twist and turn story with believable characters and court room drama. I would like to think that not all things can be controlled by politicians, but I guess that they will always try. Going to read next book.
February 24, 2016
Satisfaction Guaranteed
I am a voracious reader and can't imagine life without a good novel! The Key to Justice was a very satisfying read - great story, likeable characters and a satisfying ending. However, let me be a little picky and add one critical thought - it could have used a good editor. There were lots of sentences with missing words. While this didn't really cause a problem since it was clearly evident what the missing word should be, it's an annoying distraction.
With that said I've just purchased the second book in the Marc Kadella series and am looking forward to another great read.
I am a voracious reader and can't imagine life without a good novel! The Key to Justice was a very satisfying read - great story, likeable characters and a satisfying ending. However, let me be a little picky and add one critical thought - it could have used a good editor. There were lots of sentences with missing words. While this didn't really cause a problem since it was clearly evident what the missing word should be, it's an annoying distraction.
With that said I've just purchased the second book in the Marc Kadella series and am looking forward to another great read.
May 18, 2018
The Key to Justice, by Dennis Carstens, is the author’s first novel and spins a yarn staring defense attorney Marc Kadella, a struggling solo practitioner in Minneapolis who is worried about paying the rent on his office and making his child support payments. Marc finds himself defending a man charged with a brutal series of murders. The story is mostly centered on Marc’s preparation for the media circus trial and his efforts to prove that his client is innocent and was, in fact, framed by the police. The story is also about police detective Jake Waschke, a twenty-year veteran of the force who is the lead investigator in the case.
Before comments that may be partial spoilers, I’ll say that Mr. Carstens does a good job here developing the back stories of the characters and bringing Marc Kadella to life. The sub-plot about a tax dispute with the IRS is based on a real case, according to the author’s forward, and the color of that side case is fun to follow. The author also creates interesting supporting characters and weaves them into the narrative well. There are a handful of typos and grammar problems with the text, but in general the story is pretty well written and the narrative flows along at a good pace. There are some big problems with the plot and the details, but there was no point at which I thought about not continuing to the end of the story. This is an enjoyable read, despite the problems. I got this book as a free Kindle offer, and it was worth the time.
But there are problems. First, for readers like me who are lawyers, there are several huge errors in the description of the trial and legal process. This is unfortunate since few of them are really critical to the story. As an example, the author has a key witness on the stand half way through his testimony when the court takes a recess until the next day. During that evening, the prosecutors diligently prep the witness for the next day’s resumption of testimony to try to get him to know his lines properly for the resumption of the trial. This could not happen, and would be a significant violation of ethics and court rules. Once a witness starts his testimony, the lawyers are forbidden to speak to him about his testimony or about the case until his testimony is completed. The lawyers are not allowed to tell him that he needs to slow down and face the jury, let alone drill him on his upcoming testimony while he’s still “on the stand.” This is one example, but there are several others that detract from what is otherwise a pretty well-spun legal drama.
There is also a whole sub-current about political corruption that is both unnecessary and not believable. Sure, the Governor’s daughter is one of the victims of the serial killer, but the Governor’s intervention to ensure that a sympathetic judge gets assigned to the case is both unnecessary and unbelievable. The justice system does have safeguards to prevent this from happening – judges are not assigned to high-profile cases based on political convenience. It is also not necessary since the author could have written the same character for the trial judge without needed to make it seem that he was in cahoots with the prosecutor to “fix” the outcome of the trial. (This subplot would have made more sense if it had become an obstacle to Marc’s heroic efforts to get his client acquitted, despite unfavorable rulings from the judge, but that is not the case – as the story turns out, the outcome would not have been affected regardless of the judge, so what’s the point of this villainization of the judge?)
More significantly, there are huge holes in the preparation of the case. The key witness for the prosecution has two critical facts that are subject to scrutiny that would have been immediately investigated and found to be impossible or lacking in credibility. And, although one of the key characters in the story is an investigator, she fails to check either of them. When one of them is revealed at the very last minute through pure chance, it’s silly to think that this lawyer would not have checked it out months before. The other is never even discussed. There are also other plot inconsistencies that render things less than believable.
And the plot itself has some big problems. {semi-spoiler alert} The author reveals early on that Detective Waschke has planted evidence in order to frame Marc’s client and in order to protect someone else who is the real killer. The detective’s plan is pretty good, but he tries to go too far and manufacture more and more evidence when he doesn’t have to, and where each bit gives another chance for the chain of lies to break down. There is no reason for all the layers of evidence-planting. Then, at the very last minute, Marc discovers all of them at once. It would have been sufficient for Marc to discover that one of the key facts was false, and for him to use that to persuade the jury in his cleint’s favor, but the author gets lazy and makes all the dominoes fall very quickly and conveniently. There is even one key fact that is “revealed” at the very end even though it was never an important fact to begin with, and it’s hard to even follow what has happened.
Then, at the very end, the author tries to give us a surprise twist, but it makes no sense and it’s not believable. It makes so much else of what happened in the story dependent upon pure coincidence. More than that, it’s not necessary. It’s a gratuitous action sequence and turns things upside down without any explanation or tie-up, leaving the reader at the end with a very confused feeling rather than a buttoned-up satisfied ending. The big surprise was a dud.
So, in the end this was an enjoyable read, and perhaps Mr. Carstens will do better with his future books. I will be interested in peeking in on his next effort, and hoping for a tighter plot, with fewer early reveals, and a better ending.
Before comments that may be partial spoilers, I’ll say that Mr. Carstens does a good job here developing the back stories of the characters and bringing Marc Kadella to life. The sub-plot about a tax dispute with the IRS is based on a real case, according to the author’s forward, and the color of that side case is fun to follow. The author also creates interesting supporting characters and weaves them into the narrative well. There are a handful of typos and grammar problems with the text, but in general the story is pretty well written and the narrative flows along at a good pace. There are some big problems with the plot and the details, but there was no point at which I thought about not continuing to the end of the story. This is an enjoyable read, despite the problems. I got this book as a free Kindle offer, and it was worth the time.
But there are problems. First, for readers like me who are lawyers, there are several huge errors in the description of the trial and legal process. This is unfortunate since few of them are really critical to the story. As an example, the author has a key witness on the stand half way through his testimony when the court takes a recess until the next day. During that evening, the prosecutors diligently prep the witness for the next day’s resumption of testimony to try to get him to know his lines properly for the resumption of the trial. This could not happen, and would be a significant violation of ethics and court rules. Once a witness starts his testimony, the lawyers are forbidden to speak to him about his testimony or about the case until his testimony is completed. The lawyers are not allowed to tell him that he needs to slow down and face the jury, let alone drill him on his upcoming testimony while he’s still “on the stand.” This is one example, but there are several others that detract from what is otherwise a pretty well-spun legal drama.
There is also a whole sub-current about political corruption that is both unnecessary and not believable. Sure, the Governor’s daughter is one of the victims of the serial killer, but the Governor’s intervention to ensure that a sympathetic judge gets assigned to the case is both unnecessary and unbelievable. The justice system does have safeguards to prevent this from happening – judges are not assigned to high-profile cases based on political convenience. It is also not necessary since the author could have written the same character for the trial judge without needed to make it seem that he was in cahoots with the prosecutor to “fix” the outcome of the trial. (This subplot would have made more sense if it had become an obstacle to Marc’s heroic efforts to get his client acquitted, despite unfavorable rulings from the judge, but that is not the case – as the story turns out, the outcome would not have been affected regardless of the judge, so what’s the point of this villainization of the judge?)
More significantly, there are huge holes in the preparation of the case. The key witness for the prosecution has two critical facts that are subject to scrutiny that would have been immediately investigated and found to be impossible or lacking in credibility. And, although one of the key characters in the story is an investigator, she fails to check either of them. When one of them is revealed at the very last minute through pure chance, it’s silly to think that this lawyer would not have checked it out months before. The other is never even discussed. There are also other plot inconsistencies that render things less than believable.
And the plot itself has some big problems. {semi-spoiler alert} The author reveals early on that Detective Waschke has planted evidence in order to frame Marc’s client and in order to protect someone else who is the real killer. The detective’s plan is pretty good, but he tries to go too far and manufacture more and more evidence when he doesn’t have to, and where each bit gives another chance for the chain of lies to break down. There is no reason for all the layers of evidence-planting. Then, at the very last minute, Marc discovers all of them at once. It would have been sufficient for Marc to discover that one of the key facts was false, and for him to use that to persuade the jury in his cleint’s favor, but the author gets lazy and makes all the dominoes fall very quickly and conveniently. There is even one key fact that is “revealed” at the very end even though it was never an important fact to begin with, and it’s hard to even follow what has happened.
Then, at the very end, the author tries to give us a surprise twist, but it makes no sense and it’s not believable. It makes so much else of what happened in the story dependent upon pure coincidence. More than that, it’s not necessary. It’s a gratuitous action sequence and turns things upside down without any explanation or tie-up, leaving the reader at the end with a very confused feeling rather than a buttoned-up satisfied ending. The big surprise was a dud.
So, in the end this was an enjoyable read, and perhaps Mr. Carstens will do better with his future books. I will be interested in peeking in on his next effort, and hoping for a tighter plot, with fewer early reveals, and a better ending.
March 29, 2020
A nice entertaining read. I like the story and plot a lot.
The details of attorneys at work, their routine, and chores are interesting and educational but the narrative made it pretty boring; considering that I like a legal thriller that's a star cut down.
Overall, if you can get through the bland narrative, it's pretty worth it if you like legal investigation and courtroom ping pong game between the defense and the prosecution.
The details of attorneys at work, their routine, and chores are interesting and educational but the narrative made it pretty boring; considering that I like a legal thriller that's a star cut down.
Overall, if you can get through the bland narrative, it's pretty worth it if you like legal investigation and courtroom ping pong game between the defense and the prosecution.
September 7, 2019
This book relays so much corruption, it depressed me. The tax sub plot was pompous.
August 25, 2020
OOO Boy I so loved this book Marc is a cool Littagater.. I would recommend this book Highly. a real page turner to find out and it took a while... to see who was the killer.
May 19, 2020
excellent start to a new series!
with this new series, this author needs to be placed along side, John Grisham, Scott Pratt, Victor Mathis, and other authors in the crime procedural genre. The writing is excellent, the characters are believable, and the storyline will keep you hooked. It is filled with a lot of suspense, and thrills!
with this new series, this author needs to be placed along side, John Grisham, Scott Pratt, Victor Mathis, and other authors in the crime procedural genre. The writing is excellent, the characters are believable, and the storyline will keep you hooked. It is filled with a lot of suspense, and thrills!
October 1, 2019
Excellent first novel! All of the characters were believable. Did not get bogged down in too many details and was easy to follow. Lots of twists and turns with a jaw dropping ending!
July 6, 2019
According to the copy I read, one of the author's goals was to write true-to-life lawyer and courtroom scenes. While I agree that famous lawyers are rare and that those who can eke out a life without scrambling are probably few and far between (especially outside of big firms partners), I can't speak to the accuracy of his lawyerly and courtroom scenes.
I didn't suspect the twist at the end.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead:
****
I did enjoy the secondary plot of Marc's battle with the IRS on his (ex?)wife's behalf (I can't remember if they're already divorced or are in the process of divorcing.) which the author claims is based on a true case. I've long though many of the things government agencies do don't make sense. I did end up scratching my head a lot at the antics of the IRS and other government agencies who needed to sign off on this to get it resolved. And who doesn't dream of being able to successfully sue the IRS to recoup some of what's been paid? It's scary how easily they could claim Karen was at fault in the failure to pay taxes, and scary how those supposed to be helping her claimed things that were incorrect.
I enjoyed Marc's being a mostly honest lawyer. I appreciated the authors attempts to explain why certain parts of trials are conducted as they are.
I never figured out if Jake actually saw his brother (after the accident) or if that was a figment of his imagination or a result of the accident. That seems to be what drove him to try to frame Carl for the murders--and ironically, his attempts to frame Carl are what let Carl go free, when in fact Carl is who they were looking for. (And how silly that he could have gotten away but ended up getting caught because he came back in the same geographic location almost right away.)
I didn't suspect the twist at the end.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead:
****
I did enjoy the secondary plot of Marc's battle with the IRS on his (ex?)wife's behalf (I can't remember if they're already divorced or are in the process of divorcing.) which the author claims is based on a true case. I've long though many of the things government agencies do don't make sense. I did end up scratching my head a lot at the antics of the IRS and other government agencies who needed to sign off on this to get it resolved. And who doesn't dream of being able to successfully sue the IRS to recoup some of what's been paid? It's scary how easily they could claim Karen was at fault in the failure to pay taxes, and scary how those supposed to be helping her claimed things that were incorrect.
I enjoyed Marc's being a mostly honest lawyer. I appreciated the authors attempts to explain why certain parts of trials are conducted as they are.
I never figured out if Jake actually saw his brother (after the accident) or if that was a figment of his imagination or a result of the accident. That seems to be what drove him to try to frame Carl for the murders--and ironically, his attempts to frame Carl are what let Carl go free, when in fact Carl is who they were looking for. (And how silly that he could have gotten away but ended up getting caught because he came back in the same geographic location almost right away.)
November 3, 2017
This book was immensely entertaining. The author's writing mechanics were very good. The few errors I saw appeared to be computer generated, and I think the author should do a read through to correct those errors. I liked the storyline about a serial killer, crooked politicians, good cops and bad cops, and good lawyers and bad lawyers. I knew there would be a twist at the end, but I thought it would be the lady judge who acted peculiarly toward the main character named Marc, the smalltime lawyer who won a big time case but did not get paid enough for his work. I think the author should expose the lady judge in a sequel book.
In a small firm or a solo practice, the lawyer's job is 24-7, and there is no room for a quality family life. So my free legal advice to Marc is to restrain himself from marrying again, especially to that lady judge. I tell you there is something not quite right about her.
Thank you, Mr. Carstens, for a good read.
In a small firm or a solo practice, the lawyer's job is 24-7, and there is no room for a quality family life. So my free legal advice to Marc is to restrain himself from marrying again, especially to that lady judge. I tell you there is something not quite right about her.
Thank you, Mr. Carstens, for a good read.
March 5, 2021
Well I finished this book even though I kept telling myself to put it down and let it go. I wanted to see if the antagonist was in fact the one character. I read the forward so I knew that the author was trying to portray the life of a real, everyday lawyer but feel that he could have fictionalized the story a little more, considering it is in fact a work of fiction. Many sections were dry and slow to read. I don’t think that he wrapped it up as smoothly as he could have in the end. He left open questions of one of the murders which is why I don’t think he closed it out as well as he could have. And he wrote in characters who you never heard from again that left the reader wondering why he brought them into the story in the first place. Overall his real life depiction was created well and gave an accurate portrayal of the life of a lawyer. In the end he set out to do that and succeeded.
June 2, 2019
3 Stars
The Key to Justice is the first book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries series by Dennis Carstens. Here we are introduced to Attorney Marc Kadella, who has had a tough time of late. His practice is struggling and his personal life is a mess. So, when he is handed a high-profile case to defend an accused serial killer, Marc’s life is about to get a whole lot more interesting. And so the story begins.
The plot was quite clever and well thought out- but the delivery was a little lacking. Editing issues really detracted from my reading experience, which is a real pity- because this book/series really does have the potential to be brilliant. But, the story did keep me intrigued enough to want to know what happens. I will read the next book in the hope that the editing issues will be resolved in future instalments.
The Key to Justice is the first book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries series by Dennis Carstens. Here we are introduced to Attorney Marc Kadella, who has had a tough time of late. His practice is struggling and his personal life is a mess. So, when he is handed a high-profile case to defend an accused serial killer, Marc’s life is about to get a whole lot more interesting. And so the story begins.
The plot was quite clever and well thought out- but the delivery was a little lacking. Editing issues really detracted from my reading experience, which is a real pity- because this book/series really does have the potential to be brilliant. But, the story did keep me intrigued enough to want to know what happens. I will read the next book in the hope that the editing issues will be resolved in future instalments.
November 17, 2018
I abandoned this book about a quarter of the way through as I found it kept drifting into areas that had nothing to do with the main plot. I started skimming ahead to try to pick up the main story again but in the end, I decided to just abandon the book and move on. There were parts of the book that I thought were good but then the story seemed to lose focus and direction.
January 30, 2020
The author has a compelling idea for a legal thriller and good character in Marc Kadella but it ends there. Far too long, weighed down with too much extraneous detail that did nothing to advance the plot, it was a slog start to finish. I skipped past fifty pages near the end just to get to the climax and missed nothing important.
September 20, 2017
New what was coming
I knew what was coming all the way though this book it made me feel as though I could just skip the middle part and go straight to the end. The ocd in me didn't allow me to do so I read it all!
I knew what was coming all the way though this book it made me feel as though I could just skip the middle part and go straight to the end. The ocd in me didn't allow me to do so I read it all!
April 6, 2020
The writing was weak, the characters not developed. The plot held my interest and there was almost a full jury trial. But there was a crucial plot twist which was so preposterous it ruined the novel for me. I won't spoil it just in case, but I certainly recommend that you not read this.
February 25, 2020
Very slow going, slow to develop. Couldn't buy into the story line. Got bored. Decided not worth more investment of my time at the 29% mark.
December 31, 2018
Twin Cities. Her classmates offered to walk Michelle Marie Dahlstrom (24, Ted’s daughter) home
Charlie (most wanted killer) had been scoping her out for a while.
She wouldn’t be going back to school.
Detective Gary Linaman (St. Paul PD Homicide) called Lieutenant Jacob “Jake” Waschke to the crime scene.
Lakewood Cemetery. The funeral/burial were held.
Dr. Helen Paltrow (Professor, PhD, UCLA forensic psychiatrist) & an expert on serial killers was brought in.
Marvin Henderson (72, Honeywell, retired) was out walking Keesha (dog) & came across a body.
Sergeant Doug Foley driving by called it in.
Dr. Canby was looking over Lieutenant Waschke. In a high-speed chase he had wrecked a patrol car.
Will the crime thriller be solved?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Charlie (most wanted killer) had been scoping her out for a while.
She wouldn’t be going back to school.
Detective Gary Linaman (St. Paul PD Homicide) called Lieutenant Jacob “Jake” Waschke to the crime scene.
Lakewood Cemetery. The funeral/burial were held.
Dr. Helen Paltrow (Professor, PhD, UCLA forensic psychiatrist) & an expert on serial killers was brought in.
Marvin Henderson (72, Honeywell, retired) was out walking Keesha (dog) & came across a body.
Sergeant Doug Foley driving by called it in.
Dr. Canby was looking over Lieutenant Waschke. In a high-speed chase he had wrecked a patrol car.
Will the crime thriller be solved?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
May 26, 2019
Attorney Marc Kadella was really having difficult time in trying to make his private law practice successful. It went against his better judgment to take in Carl Fornich. Marc felt as if Carl was telling him the true that and that he was being set up. Carl was arrested for brutal rape and murder charges of the Governors daughter as well as several other women. Since he has taken on this case, clients are canceling with Marc like dominoes. Each murder had a specific calling card. A knife was shoved up through the chin and into the brain of each victim. What is the motive for this serial killer? What is triggering the person to murder these women? LT. Jake Waschke was in charge of the case. Why were certain aspects of the evidence of the case all of a sudden coming to light, as the trial was gearing up? What does LT. Waschke have to hide? Where are all of these witnesses coming from? Kadella must fight against a corrupt police force, corrupt Judge, and corrupt U.S. Attorneys office. Will he be able to protect his client? Will he find out if his client is actually being set up? Who is responsible for these murders? The plot was very well thought out. The character development was very good as well. The reader could certainly relate to each of the characters. The scenes involving the judicial procedures in the courtroom were very enlightening as well as the police procedures and forensics. I enjoyed this book very much. Looking forward to reading the next book.
February 17, 2020
Loving legal mysteries, I looked forward to reading the Marc Kadella Legal Mystery series.
This was the second book in the series that I have read. Unfortunately, although Mr. Carstens writes a good story, with all the correct legalese, it appears that Marc is fated to defend and exonerate clients that in the end turn out to be guilty, at least in these two books.
It is also quite coincidental (?) that the man Lt. Warschke randomly picks out from the Police felon book to frame for the murders and who Marc exonerates, turns out to be guilty. That is pushing coincidence too far. Additionally, why would the murderer wash, repeatedly, in very strong industrial detergent, the clothes he purportedly wore during the murders and then store them in a locker? Destroy them, yes, but store them away for posterity - why? Logic doesn't support this scenario.
I could go on, but I don't feel so inclined . All I can say is that between this book and the other book in this series that I read (Personal Justice) wherein he got his client off, when she was guilty (and when he found out, condoned her actions in his own mind), leaves me leery about the remaining books in this series..
So, I must say, with much regret, as I really like a good legal thriller, that I will have to pass on this series.
This was the second book in the series that I have read. Unfortunately, although Mr. Carstens writes a good story, with all the correct legalese, it appears that Marc is fated to defend and exonerate clients that in the end turn out to be guilty, at least in these two books.
It is also quite coincidental (?) that the man Lt. Warschke randomly picks out from the Police felon book to frame for the murders and who Marc exonerates, turns out to be guilty. That is pushing coincidence too far. Additionally, why would the murderer wash, repeatedly, in very strong industrial detergent, the clothes he purportedly wore during the murders and then store them in a locker? Destroy them, yes, but store them away for posterity - why? Logic doesn't support this scenario.
I could go on, but I don't feel so inclined . All I can say is that between this book and the other book in this series that I read (Personal Justice) wherein he got his client off, when she was guilty (and when he found out, condoned her actions in his own mind), leaves me leery about the remaining books in this series..
So, I must say, with much regret, as I really like a good legal thriller, that I will have to pass on this series.
June 23, 2022
Good But Not Great!
This is quite a lengthy story and at parts feels that it could have been condensed a little… my advice is to not read this tale on the back of reading several Cozy Mysteries because your mind is already trained for a succinct, to the point narrative.
The A story is interesting, the B story isn’t, unless you’re American and understand the agonies of dealing with the IRS.
The lead character did not fill me with joy or horror. I can’t picture him in my minds eye, he’s personable enough I guess.
The court case drags out and there are a couple of things that I’m sad about with the story, it’s the biggest drawback in life. Communication is key.
My takeaway from this is: everything is senseless and the only value comes at the end of the book and I would trade a couple of IRS scenes for a proper ending. An epilogue maybe. Otherwise it’s quite unsatisfactory.
It’s a first novel, so maybe the next one will be better. I listened to the audiobook version of this title, not badly read.
This is quite a lengthy story and at parts feels that it could have been condensed a little… my advice is to not read this tale on the back of reading several Cozy Mysteries because your mind is already trained for a succinct, to the point narrative.
The A story is interesting, the B story isn’t, unless you’re American and understand the agonies of dealing with the IRS.
The lead character did not fill me with joy or horror. I can’t picture him in my minds eye, he’s personable enough I guess.
The court case drags out and there are a couple of things that I’m sad about with the story, it’s the biggest drawback in life. Communication is key.
My takeaway from this is: everything is senseless and the only value comes at the end of the book and I would trade a couple of IRS scenes for a proper ending. An epilogue maybe. Otherwise it’s quite unsatisfactory.
It’s a first novel, so maybe the next one will be better. I listened to the audiobook version of this title, not badly read.
June 6, 2020
This book stood out to me. First, it is a long book for the first book of a series. Second, the book is extremely detailed. The author stated in his note at the beginning of the book that he was trying to portray the life of a lawyer accurately instead of how most people believe a lawyer lives. The sheer tedium comes through very well. The excitement of a job well done and successful is also obvious. The twists and turns at the end were stunning. This is a character driven book and the characters are drawn with an eye, not necessarily to appearance, but to thought processes and feelings. The reader begins to understand and sympathize with Marc, the main character. He is not really a criminal lawyer, but he manages to take on the defense in a capital criminal case. He is very appealing as written. All the other characters are just as well written, although not as extensively. I would recommend this book highly.
August 12, 2017
I was lucky to get one of those news letters that publish a daily list of free books from Amazon. Being a big fan of the legal genre I noticed that book with un-familiar author ( to me). Decided to give it a try, and what a surprise it was. It was a pure Grisham type of writing. The story is full with twists and surprises. I liked the main lawyer’s character and the others as well. The only thing that I would have done without was the last 2 chapters. I think that the extra twist at the end was superfluous.
No doubt that Dennis Carstens is now on my most favourite list with John Grisham, Brian Haig and Mark Gimenez in the legal genre.
And keep an eye on those newsletters with free books; you may stumble on some real treasures.
(Robin Reads Team, Daily Free Books, Digital Book Today, BookBub, to name a few)
No doubt that Dennis Carstens is now on my most favourite list with John Grisham, Brian Haig and Mark Gimenez in the legal genre.
And keep an eye on those newsletters with free books; you may stumble on some real treasures.
(Robin Reads Team, Daily Free Books, Digital Book Today, BookBub, to name a few)
May 28, 2018
This was an exciting and fast paced novel that gives a realistic view of the legal and government systems along with an interesting plot and characters. To be honest, I almost stopped reading after the first couple of chapters, as it wasn't clear how the characters related to each other. It all came together and I'm glad I finished it. Like some of the others reviews have mentioned, there are grammar and spelling mistakes, missing words, and misused words (my personal pet peeve) that are distracting. There are also some seemingly important details that are dropped but never picked up (did the Governor's daughter know her killer?? If so, it changes the effectiveness of the plot.) Here's hoping the author gets a good editor, because I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
August 27, 2018
This was a superb story. I loved the book.
Masquerading as a Whodunit, this book asked serious philosophical questions.
It iss the story of a man described as and with a history of being a really good, experienced, honest policeman and challenges him with a serious moral problem. Unwittingly his experience and qualifications guide him into making a decision which is both wrong and absolutely correct. Fear guided him. His moral guided him. But his expertise and intelligence clicked.
It is the story of a lawyer deciding his client is as innocent as the driven snow and provides him with excellent representation. But in the end does he pay a huge price for this?
It is the story of a man unjustly accused, wronged, railroaded but does he have a secret?
I loved this story. It was very deep.
Masquerading as a Whodunit, this book asked serious philosophical questions.
It iss the story of a man described as and with a history of being a really good, experienced, honest policeman and challenges him with a serious moral problem. Unwittingly his experience and qualifications guide him into making a decision which is both wrong and absolutely correct. Fear guided him. His moral guided him. But his expertise and intelligence clicked.
It is the story of a lawyer deciding his client is as innocent as the driven snow and provides him with excellent representation. But in the end does he pay a huge price for this?
It is the story of a man unjustly accused, wronged, railroaded but does he have a secret?
I loved this story. It was very deep.
January 6, 2023
What an amazing book! So deep and so many levels. This book has a surprise ending and will keep you guessing until the very last word on the very last page.
This book points out a glaring problem in our "Justice" system, or lack of Justice. It has bad guys that turn out to be not so very bad, and good guys that , well are less than good. The book proves that even when doing the wrong thing for all the right reasons, you can end up screwed. This book truly will make you think, on several levels all at one time. it will make your head hurt if you allow it to. the Worst part of it all is it is all so very posable!! It can happen and things like this does happen every day in our Legal system.
This was my First book of 2023 and what an amazing way for me to start off my year in books this year :-)
This book points out a glaring problem in our "Justice" system, or lack of Justice. It has bad guys that turn out to be not so very bad, and good guys that , well are less than good. The book proves that even when doing the wrong thing for all the right reasons, you can end up screwed. This book truly will make you think, on several levels all at one time. it will make your head hurt if you allow it to. the Worst part of it all is it is all so very posable!! It can happen and things like this does happen every day in our Legal system.
This was my First book of 2023 and what an amazing way for me to start off my year in books this year :-)
March 21, 2023
THE KEY TO JUSTICE
DENNIS CARSTENS
Review by Author Roy Murry
This legal thriller keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Carstens' legal knowledge enhances the core story of a man on trial for serial killings in Minnesota.
The twist and turns of who is the real murderer are affected by police involvement. Interwoven throughout the investigation of the crimes are deceiving clues that lead to a page-turning story.
This Book, 1 of Mr. Carstens' series, has all the good qualities: characters you want to follow up; and a well-defined background. In addition, his writing is crisp and fast-moving.
The main characters, Marc and Maddy, spark up the series. He is a well-versed lawyer; she is a beautiful P.I. you want to watch in action. They help to bring this action-filled novel to an uncharacteristic explosive ending for a legal drama.
I have read two of Dennis Carstens' novels; all stories stand-alone except for these main characters. Fantastic reads.
DENNIS CARSTENS
Review by Author Roy Murry
This legal thriller keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Carstens' legal knowledge enhances the core story of a man on trial for serial killings in Minnesota.
The twist and turns of who is the real murderer are affected by police involvement. Interwoven throughout the investigation of the crimes are deceiving clues that lead to a page-turning story.
This Book, 1 of Mr. Carstens' series, has all the good qualities: characters you want to follow up; and a well-defined background. In addition, his writing is crisp and fast-moving.
The main characters, Marc and Maddy, spark up the series. He is a well-versed lawyer; she is a beautiful P.I. you want to watch in action. They help to bring this action-filled novel to an uncharacteristic explosive ending for a legal drama.
I have read two of Dennis Carstens' novels; all stories stand-alone except for these main characters. Fantastic reads.
November 25, 2023
This was part of a three-book "boxed set".
What I really liked were the twists and turns. Most of the plot was quite good.
I would have rated this at least four stars (and maybe even five) except for one extremely irritating thing -- the interminable Kadella vs. IRS actions. I can understand somebody being very frustrated and angry at the alleged ill-treatment. But, to me, it's not what I want to read in a legal thriller. AND, what kind of a grown-up loves to "give it to" some government bureaucrat who had nothing to do with the previous messed up actions? A mature person wouldn't take evil delight in sticking it to someone who is merely the representative (not the actor) who caused the stress. Grow up!!
What I really liked were the twists and turns. Most of the plot was quite good.
I would have rated this at least four stars (and maybe even five) except for one extremely irritating thing -- the interminable Kadella vs. IRS actions. I can understand somebody being very frustrated and angry at the alleged ill-treatment. But, to me, it's not what I want to read in a legal thriller. AND, what kind of a grown-up loves to "give it to" some government bureaucrat who had nothing to do with the previous messed up actions? A mature person wouldn't take evil delight in sticking it to someone who is merely the representative (not the actor) who caused the stress. Grow up!!
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