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Daytona Beach #2
The Lawyer Who Leapt
It's Wednesday morning, September 24th to be precise, and Tom Jarrell is in love.
He's walking through the tree-covered streets of Daytona Beach, on his way to work, and thinking about the wonderful night he just spent.
But, when he gets to the office, he realizes he has a few things that need to be done.
For one, he needs to file an affidavit in a murder trial, but he's never done any such thing, so he heads off to his old law school to meet with his favorite professor from before the war to get some much-needed advice. And, while there, he gets much more than he was expecting.
Meanwhile, Ronnie Grisham is in trouble with his landlady. He hasn't slept in his boarding house bed for two nights and she just read her cards last night. Change is coming. Could the cards be pointing to Ronnie?
As for Marveen Dodge, her suspicions about what is really going on at the law office of Tom Jarrell, Esquire, is like a simmering pot that could boil over at any moment.
And, Alice Watson is doing just fine, thank you very much, and looking forward to a nice Saturday at the beach with her girl.
But, none of them expects what happens next as two mysterious girls arrive in town, suitcases in hand... And an unexpected trial gets underway...
Read about all of this, and more, in the case of THE LAWYER WHO LEAPT.
He's walking through the tree-covered streets of Daytona Beach, on his way to work, and thinking about the wonderful night he just spent.
But, when he gets to the office, he realizes he has a few things that need to be done.
For one, he needs to file an affidavit in a murder trial, but he's never done any such thing, so he heads off to his old law school to meet with his favorite professor from before the war to get some much-needed advice. And, while there, he gets much more than he was expecting.
Meanwhile, Ronnie Grisham is in trouble with his landlady. He hasn't slept in his boarding house bed for two nights and she just read her cards last night. Change is coming. Could the cards be pointing to Ronnie?
As for Marveen Dodge, her suspicions about what is really going on at the law office of Tom Jarrell, Esquire, is like a simmering pot that could boil over at any moment.
And, Alice Watson is doing just fine, thank you very much, and looking forward to a nice Saturday at the beach with her girl.
But, none of them expects what happens next as two mysterious girls arrive in town, suitcases in hand... And an unexpected trial gets underway...
Read about all of this, and more, in the case of THE LAWYER WHO LEAPT.
- GenresMystery
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2018
12 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Frank W. Butterfield
123 books106 followersFrank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 24, 2020
Warning: These books are like candy. I can't seem to get enough of them. Jumped from book 1 right to this one, and am no reading book three.
Tom Jarrell and Ronnie Grisham have been in love since they met in high school, and after some intermittent sexual encounters in the past, Tom's military service, and Tom's marriage, they're finally together, and it's quite sweet to see the way they interact in the face of social pressure in Daytona Beach in 1947.
These are mysteries, because there are investigations and cases, but it's more like a romance and time in a bottle than Perry Mason, which these are obviously based on.
Tom Jarrell and Ronnie Grisham have been in love since they met in high school, and after some intermittent sexual encounters in the past, Tom's military service, and Tom's marriage, they're finally together, and it's quite sweet to see the way they interact in the face of social pressure in Daytona Beach in 1947.
These are mysteries, because there are investigations and cases, but it's more like a romance and time in a bottle than Perry Mason, which these are obviously based on.
May 22, 2023
The Lawyer Who Leapt (Daytona Beach 2)
By Frank W. Butterfield
Published by the author, 2018
Five stars
The timing of this series of novels seems to cover a fairly short historical space, in the immediate aftermath of Tom Jarrell’s successful defense of his first independent client—Howie Kirkpatrick. Now Tom faces an even more difficult—not to say awkward—challenge: defending the man who killed Howie’s boyfriend.
At the same time, Tom continues to process his own new reality, openly in love with Ronnie Grisham, and pondering his marriage to Sarah, who was also a close friend of Ronnie’s. Tom reflects on his own experience, the social pressures to conform, and Ronnie’s unwavering loyalty to him since they met in high school. The plot arc of their developing understanding with each other is as important as the mess of murder that purports to be actual plot. Not that the murders aren’t shocking or mysterious, but they are never the raison d’etre for the books.
Tom and Ronnie are so very different from Frank Butterfield’s other central couples—the epic Nick and Carter, and the contemporary Eddie and Whit. The tone of this series is slightly different, too—intimate, and yet a bit detached. The purposeful setting of Daytona Beach in 1947 is both dreamlike and nostalgic—a Florida that doesn’t exist any more, replete with shadings of the Old South. These are local boys who have a long history with each other. Their characters wouldn’t make sense in any other context.
It’s a very addictive series of books, that’s for sure.
By Frank W. Butterfield
Published by the author, 2018
Five stars
The timing of this series of novels seems to cover a fairly short historical space, in the immediate aftermath of Tom Jarrell’s successful defense of his first independent client—Howie Kirkpatrick. Now Tom faces an even more difficult—not to say awkward—challenge: defending the man who killed Howie’s boyfriend.
At the same time, Tom continues to process his own new reality, openly in love with Ronnie Grisham, and pondering his marriage to Sarah, who was also a close friend of Ronnie’s. Tom reflects on his own experience, the social pressures to conform, and Ronnie’s unwavering loyalty to him since they met in high school. The plot arc of their developing understanding with each other is as important as the mess of murder that purports to be actual plot. Not that the murders aren’t shocking or mysterious, but they are never the raison d’etre for the books.
Tom and Ronnie are so very different from Frank Butterfield’s other central couples—the epic Nick and Carter, and the contemporary Eddie and Whit. The tone of this series is slightly different, too—intimate, and yet a bit detached. The purposeful setting of Daytona Beach in 1947 is both dreamlike and nostalgic—a Florida that doesn’t exist any more, replete with shadings of the Old South. These are local boys who have a long history with each other. Their characters wouldn’t make sense in any other context.
It’s a very addictive series of books, that’s for sure.
December 13, 2018
Hhmmpphh ... while I like seeing the day-to-day romance between Ronnie and Tom Jarrell develop, darned if I know what the heck the legal aspect of the case was about. There was a lot of weird scenes (one lawyer carries on in court with a long folksy opening statement ... while suffering a stroke), there are several legal manuevers that are unexplained, and the case abruptly ends. Liked the personal side of the book, but the legal stuff was a hot mess. 3 stars.
November 20, 2018
This picks up immediately after the first book and deals with some of the fallout from the trial that forms the climax - and furthers Tom and Ronnie's relationship. Not, I must confess, too clear who the 'lawyer' in the title is - two others feature as well as Tom... but that's not entirely relevant.
This series is starting to look as comfortable a read as the 'parent' books. Good stuff.
This series is starting to look as comfortable a read as the 'parent' books. Good stuff.
February 6, 2019
Interesting
The story history and character development work to keep the reader firmly in the late 1940’s. The story is a continuation of the first book so these should be read in sequence. The story denouement felt a bit rushed and the end left me wishing for a bit more detail.
The story history and character development work to keep the reader firmly in the late 1940’s. The story is a continuation of the first book so these should be read in sequence. The story denouement felt a bit rushed and the end left me wishing for a bit more detail.
May 29, 2019
Fast-paced but
When I finished the book I felt like the husband who had been left alone at the altar . It's not a nice thing to do to me . Am I going to buy the next book? Damn right I am
When I finished the book I felt like the husband who had been left alone at the altar . It's not a nice thing to do to me . Am I going to buy the next book? Damn right I am
December 17, 2018
Butterfield's second in this series compared to a gay Perry Mason is more humorous. However, it ends in a weak fashion, problems ironed out by others.
January 1, 2019
I'm enjoying this series. I wasn't keen on the first of the Nick Williams' mysteries by this author, but will give it another go now, seeing as I enjoyed these books so much.
July 1, 2019
I think this second series - I'll have to do some catching up. What's not to love about Florida in the laste 1940's?
August 4, 2024
Enjoy 1940's Daytona
Thank you Frank W. Butterfield for this 2nd book in the Dayton Beach series! You've made it enjoyable and fun figuring out where the story was heading.
Thank you Frank W. Butterfield for this 2nd book in the Dayton Beach series! You've made it enjoyable and fun figuring out where the story was heading.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews