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Cass Jameson #4
Mean Streak
Brooklyn attorney Cass Jameson takes on the toughest case of her career, the defense of her former lover, powerful Mafia lawyer Matt Riordan, who has been accused of bribery, but the case becomes complicated by an overly ambitious district attorney and murder
- GenresMystery
236 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
5 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Wheat
45 books17 followersCarolyn Wheat is an attorney, an editor, and an award-winning author. Her short stories won the Anthony, the Agatha, the Shamus, and the Macavity awards, and two of her six Cass Jameson legal mysteries have been nominated for Edgar awards.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 4, 2023
Lawyer Cass Jameson is trying to work past a breakup with her boyfriend, Matt Riordan, a high-flying defense attorney with a reputation for winning as well as representing a lot of organized crime types. That makes for high-intensity hatred among prosecutors who have, so far, been on the loosing end of Riordan defenses.
But soon the rumors are flying that there's soon to be a federal indictment for bribery, a charge that he paid cash under the table for secret grant jury minutes. Despite their breakup and her lack of experience in federal court, Riordan asks Jameson to defend him. The request takes her by surprise.
"I need someone local. I need someone who doesn't have a reputation as 'the lawyer of last resort' — which is another way of saying 'a lawyer who represents the guilty.' I need ..." Riordan explains. He also needs a woman because the prosecution is being led by Davia Singer.
Jameson fights the idea of defending him — they have dated, had a physical relationship and the breakup was rough, at least for her. But Riordan refuses to back down — he knows he is in a tight situation and so does Jameson, even without the increase in his drinking. The penalty is one thing but more importantly, its that a loss of the case will ruin him "even if I never see the inside of a jail cell."
Jameson takes the case but its getting ugly quickly — there's also a suspicious death, a homicide that likely could get tied to Riordan.
Jameson must think fast and on her feet: federal court is a world she only vaguely knows, and every other lawyer or cop wants her client's hide. And its not only Riordan. She will be tarred with the same brush if she is unable to see the well-hidden clues of deceit, backstabbing and other crimes.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. I had not heard of Carolyn Wheat and only picked up the book because it was a book club selection. But once I got into it, the setting, the story premise, the snappy dialogue, the well-drawn characters all created a compelling and easily readable tale. And I must admit, I found myself, not so much rooting for Jameson to solve the mystery, I wanted to come up with the solution. I rarely find myself doing that. That makes it a very good book to read.
But soon the rumors are flying that there's soon to be a federal indictment for bribery, a charge that he paid cash under the table for secret grant jury minutes. Despite their breakup and her lack of experience in federal court, Riordan asks Jameson to defend him. The request takes her by surprise.
"I need someone local. I need someone who doesn't have a reputation as 'the lawyer of last resort' — which is another way of saying 'a lawyer who represents the guilty.' I need ..." Riordan explains. He also needs a woman because the prosecution is being led by Davia Singer.
Jameson fights the idea of defending him — they have dated, had a physical relationship and the breakup was rough, at least for her. But Riordan refuses to back down — he knows he is in a tight situation and so does Jameson, even without the increase in his drinking. The penalty is one thing but more importantly, its that a loss of the case will ruin him "even if I never see the inside of a jail cell."
Jameson takes the case but its getting ugly quickly — there's also a suspicious death, a homicide that likely could get tied to Riordan.
Jameson must think fast and on her feet: federal court is a world she only vaguely knows, and every other lawyer or cop wants her client's hide. And its not only Riordan. She will be tarred with the same brush if she is unable to see the well-hidden clues of deceit, backstabbing and other crimes.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. I had not heard of Carolyn Wheat and only picked up the book because it was a book club selection. But once I got into it, the setting, the story premise, the snappy dialogue, the well-drawn characters all created a compelling and easily readable tale. And I must admit, I found myself, not so much rooting for Jameson to solve the mystery, I wanted to come up with the solution. I rarely find myself doing that. That makes it a very good book to read.
Want to read
November 21, 2019Synopsis: Riordan broke Cass's heart when he left her for a younger, and blonder, woman. Now he wants her to defend him on a bribery charge.
October 15, 2008
MEAN STREAK - Good
Wheat, Carolyn - 4th in Cass Jameson series
Brooklyn attorney Cass Jameson takes on the toughest case of her career, the defense of her former lover, powerful Mafia lawyer Matt Riordan, who has been accused of bribery, but the case becomes complicated by an overly ambitious district attorney and murder.
Good development of Cassie through the series.
Wheat, Carolyn - 4th in Cass Jameson series
Brooklyn attorney Cass Jameson takes on the toughest case of her career, the defense of her former lover, powerful Mafia lawyer Matt Riordan, who has been accused of bribery, but the case becomes complicated by an overly ambitious district attorney and murder.
Good development of Cassie through the series.
December 7, 2010
Quite surprised to find that my database says that I've read one of this series before as I didn't remember the central character at all. Pretty good legal stuff but it's taken me so long to pick this one up and read it that I think that I'd best not say I'd fancy reading more by this author.
January 9, 2015
not worth reading -- skimmed this book it was so bad.
June 24, 2015
Carolyn Wheat writes dialogue with the ear and brass of a native New Yorker. Tight mystery. Excellent read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews