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Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez Mystery #4
Final Verdict
Fate throws a curveball at the San Francisco ex-husband-and-wife legal team of Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez, when Mike picks up the phone and hears the voice of Leon Walker. This is not good news-because Walker was the one who ruined their marriage. Years ago, he and his brother participated in a stickup that left a man dead. Through a series of (some said) questionable maneuvers, Mike got the charges dropped, but he and Rosie fought about it all the time and it finally drove a wedge between them.
Now, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist has been found dead in a dumpster on San Francisco's skid row. The new murder has been pinned on Walker, but he not only tells Mike he is innocent, he says he is a dying man and doesn't want to go to his grave proclaimed a murderer. Dogged investigation, courtroom nimbleness, and a healthy dose of luck usually have helped Mike before, but it looks like it'll take more than that to prevail this time, and his time is running out-both on his client and, just maybe, on his partnership.
Now, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist has been found dead in a dumpster on San Francisco's skid row. The new murder has been pinned on Walker, but he not only tells Mike he is innocent, he says he is a dying man and doesn't want to go to his grave proclaimed a murderer. Dogged investigation, courtroom nimbleness, and a healthy dose of luck usually have helped Mike before, but it looks like it'll take more than that to prevail this time, and his time is running out-both on his client and, just maybe, on his partnership.
422 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2003
4263 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
About the author
Sheldon Siegel
65 books504 followersSheldon Siegel is a New York Times Bestselling novelist and author best known for his works of modern legal courtroom drama.
Siegel was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and later went on to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an Accounting major. He graduated with a Juris Doctor from Boalt Hall at the University of California, Berkeley in 1983. He has been in private practice in San Francisco, California for over twenty years and specializes in corporate and securities law with the law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP.
Series:
* Mike Daley Mystery
Siegel was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and later went on to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an Accounting major. He graduated with a Juris Doctor from Boalt Hall at the University of California, Berkeley in 1983. He has been in private practice in San Francisco, California for over twenty years and specializes in corporate and securities law with the law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP.
Series:
* Mike Daley Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
May 29, 2020
4 stars for an entertaining legal mystery. Mike Daley and his ex wife Rosie Fernandez are partners in a 3 person law firm. Mike is called to the scene of a murder. A previous client, Leon Walker has asked Mike to defend him on a murder charge. Mike is reluctant to take him on, as defending Leon and his brother 10 years ago when he and Rosie were public defenders caused their marriage to fall apart. Mike is also dealing with his ex wife's battle with cancer. He does take the case and they agree to do it pro bono. Leon has been found with the murder weapon on his person and he was at the scene of the crime.
Leon tells Mike that he is innocent and that he will die unless he gets a liver transplant in the next 2 weeks. He doesn't want his daughter to grow up believing that her dad was a murderer. Mike and Rosie do solve the case by finding the real murderer. They get help from Mike's brother Pete, a private investigator, and various other people.
I like this series of legal mysteries. This is book 4 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone. The author writes intricate plots, with likeable and believable characters. Mike and Rosie have a complicated relationship. My wife is reading book 1 in the series and says no wonder Mike was kicked out of his previous law firm--"He is a smart a**."
Two quotes:
Mike on Rosie: "Rosie divides the world into two broad groups. Category One consists of people who make her life easier, and Category Two includes everybody else. It's a useful, albeit imperfect, rating system. Depending on her mood, I can switch from one category to the other several times a day."
Scene of the murder: "There are few places in San Francisco where I'm afraid to walk in broad daylight, but Sixth Street is one of them. My father was a beat cop in this crime- and drug-ridden hell forty years ago. He used to say it was a mean street where old criminals with no place else to go went to die. It still is."
This was a kindle purchase.
Leon tells Mike that he is innocent and that he will die unless he gets a liver transplant in the next 2 weeks. He doesn't want his daughter to grow up believing that her dad was a murderer. Mike and Rosie do solve the case by finding the real murderer. They get help from Mike's brother Pete, a private investigator, and various other people.
I like this series of legal mysteries. This is book 4 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone. The author writes intricate plots, with likeable and believable characters. Mike and Rosie have a complicated relationship. My wife is reading book 1 in the series and says no wonder Mike was kicked out of his previous law firm--"He is a smart a**."
Two quotes:
Mike on Rosie: "Rosie divides the world into two broad groups. Category One consists of people who make her life easier, and Category Two includes everybody else. It's a useful, albeit imperfect, rating system. Depending on her mood, I can switch from one category to the other several times a day."
Scene of the murder: "There are few places in San Francisco where I'm afraid to walk in broad daylight, but Sixth Street is one of them. My father was a beat cop in this crime- and drug-ridden hell forty years ago. He used to say it was a mean street where old criminals with no place else to go went to die. It still is."
This was a kindle purchase.
May 3, 2021
I am glad that I discovered this entertaining legal thriller series featuring law partners Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez. Siegel writes his novels from the POV of Mike Daley with an inner dialogue that is irreverent and often humorous. But it is also a brilliant way for Siegel to lay out legal strategies that readers can easily follow. Daley and Fernandez have a moral code that they follow making them engaging characters.
In this offering, they are asked to defend Leon Walker, a skid row resident, whom has been accused of murdering Tower Grayson, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. The police and prosecutors are determined to try and convict Walker, despite the fact that he has liver disease so bad that it would be impossible for him to have had the strength to commit the crime. With the help of Mike’s ex-cop brother and current PI, Mike and Rosie discover that Grayson had more than one enemy that may have wanted him dead. Enjoy!
In this offering, they are asked to defend Leon Walker, a skid row resident, whom has been accused of murdering Tower Grayson, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. The police and prosecutors are determined to try and convict Walker, despite the fact that he has liver disease so bad that it would be impossible for him to have had the strength to commit the crime. With the help of Mike’s ex-cop brother and current PI, Mike and Rosie discover that Grayson had more than one enemy that may have wanted him dead. Enjoy!
October 4, 2015
I'm hooked on Mike and Rosie!! His locales are a trip down memory lane! My parents lived off Sand Hill Road and were members of Sharon Country Club!! I could visualize it even after almost 50 years!! I love the characters and am off to Book 5 - if you are into San Francisco this is a great series - from Nob Hill to skid row!!
September 25, 2021
Leon walker is close to death from a terminal illness when he is accused of murder. The authorities are determined to pursue the charges as Walker escaped charges years earlier on a technicality. Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez unwillingly take on the case but soon become convinced of his innocence. A solid legal thriller that is maybe less gripping than the first in the series but comes to life once they get in the courtroom in the last third of the book. Siegel’s courtroom action is probably the best I have come across, and the book is worth it for that alone.
May 8, 2018
This was a top notch legal thriller, one I didn't want to put down. The law partners of Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez have a new case. They're representing Leon Walker, who is accused of murdering venture capitalist Tower Grayson. Leon isn't a stranger to Mike and Rosie. They represented him once before and whi!e they got Leon off, the case destroyed their marriage. Now they are partners in a law firm and even though divorced, their relationship has taken a swing towards being better. In fact they are, more or less, together as a couple but still not ready to talk about chancing marriage or making a commitment.
They do have a problem though. Their newest client, Leon Walker, is terminally ill with only a few short weeks to live. He doesn't want to spend what remains of his time in jail, nor does he want to die labeled a murderer, which is what will happen unless Mike and Rosie can clear his name. Unfortunately, that won't be easy to do. The police found Leon unconscious in an alley, not far from the dumpster bearing the victim's body. Leon's jacket is smeared with blood and what proves to be the murder weapon, is found in Leon's pocket.
This was a fast paced story that kept me turning the pages, wanting to know what actually happened in that alley that night. Was Leon guilty? Was someone framing him? If so, who and why? Can Mike and Rosie get the answers they need in time to clear Leon before he dies?
Really enjoyed this one. The author does a wonderful job of plotting his stories, making them easy to follow. I also love the characters involved. I was invested in them from day one. The fact they are divorced but partners in a law firm while reconsidering their past history, makes for an interesting premise, one that works and has me wanting to know more in regards to their story. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
They do have a problem though. Their newest client, Leon Walker, is terminally ill with only a few short weeks to live. He doesn't want to spend what remains of his time in jail, nor does he want to die labeled a murderer, which is what will happen unless Mike and Rosie can clear his name. Unfortunately, that won't be easy to do. The police found Leon unconscious in an alley, not far from the dumpster bearing the victim's body. Leon's jacket is smeared with blood and what proves to be the murder weapon, is found in Leon's pocket.
This was a fast paced story that kept me turning the pages, wanting to know what actually happened in that alley that night. Was Leon guilty? Was someone framing him? If so, who and why? Can Mike and Rosie get the answers they need in time to clear Leon before he dies?
Really enjoyed this one. The author does a wonderful job of plotting his stories, making them easy to follow. I also love the characters involved. I was invested in them from day one. The fact they are divorced but partners in a law firm while reconsidering their past history, makes for an interesting premise, one that works and has me wanting to know more in regards to their story. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 4, 2020
good read
August 10, 2007
FINAL VERDICT (Legal Suspense-Mike Daley-San Francisco-Cont) – VG
Siegel, Sheldon – 4th in series
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2003, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0399150420
First Sentence: Judge Elizabeth McDaniel is glaring at me over the top of her reading glasses.
*** Attorneys Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez defended Leon Walker in the past. Although they won their case, it harmed their reputation and their marriage. Now Leon is accused of murdering a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. Leon wants Mike to defend him to clear his name. Leon is dying and doesn’t want his daughter to life with the stigma of a murderer as a father. Reluctantly, Mike takes the case. As Mike investigates on his client’s behalf, he finds there may have been others who wanted the victim silenced.
*** Siegel uses his experience as a private practice attorney to write a super series of legal thrillers and this is another great entry into that series. I always learn a lot about process and the legal system but without it ever being preachy or taking me out of the system. There are great, well-developed characters and excellent dialogue, both verbal and internal, and humor. Being that I live in San Francisco (okay, Oakland really), I love following him around the streets and neighborhoods. I enjoyed the way case and story evolved without letting me see where it was going. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, page-turning read, I highly recommend it.
Siegel, Sheldon – 4th in series
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2003, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0399150420
First Sentence: Judge Elizabeth McDaniel is glaring at me over the top of her reading glasses.
*** Attorneys Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez defended Leon Walker in the past. Although they won their case, it harmed their reputation and their marriage. Now Leon is accused of murdering a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. Leon wants Mike to defend him to clear his name. Leon is dying and doesn’t want his daughter to life with the stigma of a murderer as a father. Reluctantly, Mike takes the case. As Mike investigates on his client’s behalf, he finds there may have been others who wanted the victim silenced.
*** Siegel uses his experience as a private practice attorney to write a super series of legal thrillers and this is another great entry into that series. I always learn a lot about process and the legal system but without it ever being preachy or taking me out of the system. There are great, well-developed characters and excellent dialogue, both verbal and internal, and humor. Being that I live in San Francisco (okay, Oakland really), I love following him around the streets and neighborhoods. I enjoyed the way case and story evolved without letting me see where it was going. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, page-turning read, I highly recommend it.
August 11, 2014
Belonging to at least half a dozen websites that offer free/low-cost ebooks every day definitely has advantages - I've found some great books and new-to-me authors this way - but there's at least one downside as well: With so many possibilities, how do I choose what I'd like to read and be reasonably confident those I pick won't be truly awful?
So far, I've got a good track record; carefully reading reviews, especially the ones by readers who didn't much care for a particular book, helps immensely. Just one complaint about poor editing, for instance (i.e., errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation and word choice) and I run the other way as fast as I can.
This one is Book 4 in a series featuring ex-husband-and-wife lawyers Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez, and although it passed the initial sniff test with flying colors, I had reservations about starting in the middle of a series (especially since it wasn't free, although 99 cents at Amazon.com through BookBub certainly wasn't bad). As it turned out, I'd have been happier to start at the beginning - some of the background information that shows up in this book was quite interesting, including that Mike used to be a priest, and I'd love to know more about that). But to the author's credit, at no time did I feel at a disadvantage by starting where I did.
This one begins as Mike gets a phone call from an ex-con former client who basically was the reason he and Rosie divorced - they fought so much during the defense (they got the charges dropped) that they just couldn't stay together any longer. This time, a hot-shot venture capitalist has been murdered, found in a dumpster in a very seedy part of San Francisco. The former client, Leon Walker, was found passed out at the scene with incriminating evidence on his person - and the cops are insisting he's the killer. Leon insists he's not, and to complicate matters even more, he's a dying man - literally; he has only weeks, if that, to live and wants to clear his name.
Needless to say, taking on the case isn't a hit with Rosie (she and Mike have continued their professional relationship in their own law firm despite the divorce). But Mike prevails, and they take on what appears to be an impossible case. Not only is the evidence stacked against them, but the victim's family and venture capital firm partners stand united in support of his stellar reputation, both at the firm and as a husband and father.
What happens in the courtroom seems quite authentic (not too surprising since the author is an attorney), and I enjoyed the writing style of inserting what Mike was thinking before reading what he actually said. I admit I got a tiny bit weary of it by the end, though, so had there been another 100 pages it might reached my last remaining nerve. Thankfully, it didn't, and I enjoyed the story so much that I've made it my quest to finish the rest of the series (The Confession, Judgment Day and Perfect Alibi, in that order, I believe.
Good stuff - and a new favorite author!
So far, I've got a good track record; carefully reading reviews, especially the ones by readers who didn't much care for a particular book, helps immensely. Just one complaint about poor editing, for instance (i.e., errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation and word choice) and I run the other way as fast as I can.
This one is Book 4 in a series featuring ex-husband-and-wife lawyers Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez, and although it passed the initial sniff test with flying colors, I had reservations about starting in the middle of a series (especially since it wasn't free, although 99 cents at Amazon.com through BookBub certainly wasn't bad). As it turned out, I'd have been happier to start at the beginning - some of the background information that shows up in this book was quite interesting, including that Mike used to be a priest, and I'd love to know more about that). But to the author's credit, at no time did I feel at a disadvantage by starting where I did.
This one begins as Mike gets a phone call from an ex-con former client who basically was the reason he and Rosie divorced - they fought so much during the defense (they got the charges dropped) that they just couldn't stay together any longer. This time, a hot-shot venture capitalist has been murdered, found in a dumpster in a very seedy part of San Francisco. The former client, Leon Walker, was found passed out at the scene with incriminating evidence on his person - and the cops are insisting he's the killer. Leon insists he's not, and to complicate matters even more, he's a dying man - literally; he has only weeks, if that, to live and wants to clear his name.
Needless to say, taking on the case isn't a hit with Rosie (she and Mike have continued their professional relationship in their own law firm despite the divorce). But Mike prevails, and they take on what appears to be an impossible case. Not only is the evidence stacked against them, but the victim's family and venture capital firm partners stand united in support of his stellar reputation, both at the firm and as a husband and father.
What happens in the courtroom seems quite authentic (not too surprising since the author is an attorney), and I enjoyed the writing style of inserting what Mike was thinking before reading what he actually said. I admit I got a tiny bit weary of it by the end, though, so had there been another 100 pages it might reached my last remaining nerve. Thankfully, it didn't, and I enjoyed the story so much that I've made it my quest to finish the rest of the series (The Confession, Judgment Day and Perfect Alibi, in that order, I believe.
Good stuff - and a new favorite author!
September 3, 2016
Fate throws a curveball at the San Francisco ex-husband-and-wife legal team of Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez, when Mike picks up the phone and hears the voice of Leon Walker. This is not good news-because Walker was the one who ruined their marriage. Years ago, he and his brother participated in a stickup that left a man dead. Through a series of (some said) questionable maneuvers, Mike got the charges dropped, but he and Rosie fought about it all the time and it finally drove a wedge between them. Now, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist has been found dead in a dumpster on San Francisco's skid row. The new murder has been pinned on Walker, but he not only tells Mike he is innocent, he says he is a dying man and doesn't want to go to his grave proclaimed a murderer. Dogged investigation, courtroom nimbleness, and a healthy dose of luck usually have helped Mike before, but it looks like it'll take more than that to prevail this time, and his time is running out-both on his client and, just maybe, on his partnership.
September 3, 2020
Another in the series of the same formula that has been followed in the previous books in this series. They are enjoyable, but I would highly recommend that you not read them one right after another as you will get tired of the "same old story" over and over. *SPOILER ALERT* While at the end of each book the attorneys vow to take a break, change course or do something different, so far they haven't and the next book is just more of the same. Also, as a mother, I found myself getting more and more irritated with each book with how much these two attorneys ignore their daughter and seemingly stay out until all hours of the night and early morning working. I need a break and won't be reading the next book for some time.
September 30, 2011
Sheldon Siegel is back to form in this 4th offering in the Mike Daley series. Thank goodness. Do yourself a favor if you decide to read this series. Read the first, skip the next two, and pick back up on #4. You really won't miss much in the recurring characters' development. Looking forward to the next one and hoping that Siegel stays on track.
April 21, 2015
Even though this is only 99¢ on Amazon, it is an interesting legal story. It reminded me a little of Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller books. A good whodunit that keeps your attention until the end. Siegel has a knack for letting you know what the main character, Mike Daley, is thinking, which is usually the exact opposite of what he actually says (typical lawyer-speak).
February 22, 2021
4.5/5
This harkened back to Book 1 in this series. Excellent courtroom drama and all around great repartee between all the main characters.
This harkened back to Book 1 in this series. Excellent courtroom drama and all around great repartee between all the main characters.
May 21, 2017
I have to say another good novel in the series. The character continue to grow and move forward. There is not much filler in this novel. They solve so many good hard famous cases in court you would feel that they would be very famous lawyers on a national scale. I do feel that the ending was a little rushed or 100 percent resolved but it was still a good ending. I will read the next novel in the series.
February 6, 2024
Am I loving this series...Indeed I am (you have to read it to understand the tongue in cheek.) So much so that I've read the first six books without updating my Goodreads.
This is a legal series where Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez take on hopeless cases and throw their all into them. With favourite characters appearing in each book, and aiding these two as much as they can, every story I've read so far, I've thoroughly enjoyed.
On to book seven!
This is a legal series where Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez take on hopeless cases and throw their all into them. With favourite characters appearing in each book, and aiding these two as much as they can, every story I've read so far, I've thoroughly enjoyed.
On to book seven!
April 26, 2022
This is most realistic murder trial of the series so far . A man with a criminal history has been charged with what appears to have been murder in the course of a robbery. The accused man is very ill and wants to be proved innocent before he dies--a tall order for Mike and Rosie.
February 26, 2015
The fourth book in the Mike Daley/ Rosie Fernandez mystery/ thriller series from author Sheldon Siegel, "Final Verdict" is by far his best yet. I've now read the first four books in this series, and each one gets better than the last. Lawyers Daley and Fernandez, partners in law practice and formerly a married couple face their toughest case yet. Leon Walker, a nightmare from the past for Daley/ Fernandez calls looking for help. Ten years earlier Walker was one of the major reasons the partners divorced. Back then he was arrested with his brother, and charged with robbing a convenience store, and killing a clerk during the robbery. Long story short, the prosecution bungled case badly and Mike had all charges thrown out. Rosie was beyond upset thinking the pair were guilty in spite of Leon's pleas he was innocent. Flash ahead ten years and Leon is now charged with killing Tower Grayson. Grayson a very successful venture capitalist was found in an alley outside of a liquor store in one of the worst neighborhoods in San Francisco. Grayson had stopped in the liquor store in the wee hours to buy a pack of cigarettes. Grayson was stabbed and left for dead in alley. Leon, was also in alley, but out cold laying on the ground. Police discover Leon has Grayson's money clip in his pocket and murder weapon on Leon as well. Leon has no memory of events and knows he's innocent. Mike and Rosie initially want to refuse to represent Leon, until they find out he has terminal cancer and just weeks to live. The suspense packed story line uncovers a massive porn and sex traffic ring going on with Grayson and his partner Lawrence Chamberlain. Grayson's firm, "Paradigm", is in bed with a porn king who sells every possible retail SKU in porn business and sex itself for hire as well. The deeper the plot unfolds the more suspense builds with now several suspects that could have killed Grayson. But the D.A. refuses to dismiss charges on the terminal Leon in the case. With some incredible characters throughout and some pretty ribald dialog this one packs a pretty good punch.The Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez characters are likable and lively enough to keep rooting for in each book. So far I've really enjoyed all four books in series I've read. (3 to go in series). Author Sheldon Siegel has created a really good team with Daley/ Fernandez to be able to build the secondary characters off of. I have to admit I really didn't guess the killer until it was revealed. Which I thought was great ! I usually guess killer half way through most mysteries. I'd highly recommend this series by Sheldon Siegel. They are some pretty good mystery/ thrillers to get lost into. 5 stars out of a possible 5 stars for "Final Verdict" by author Sheldon Siegel. Do yourself a favor and don't miss out on this series. Enjoy some mystery and suspense along with Mike Daley, Rosie Fernandez and their daughter Grace !
November 19, 2017
This is a fantastic series which I recommend highly.
April 25, 2018
Although this is the fourth book in the series about attorneys Daley and Fernandez, it was my first.
This is an intricate, suspenseful mystery, with more or less believeable characters. One weakness-I don't think there were enough clues or sufficient character development to enable the reader to guess the villain.
The other thing I found disappointing was the "trial" that takes place in the context of the preliminary hearing. The author is an experienced attorney who, as an author is entitled to a modicum of poetic license. Nevertheless, the amount of testimony and evidence admissible into a preliminary hearing is restricted to its purpose, which, as the author explains, is to determine whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence against the defendant to move the case to trial. Then he completely ignores this as Daley pursues the issue of guilt or innocence. Secondly, there is a limit to how hostile attorneys can treat one of their own witnesses, at least, not without permission from the judge to treat the witness as "hostile." Third, admissible evidence, such as bank records, must pass legal safeguards, such as being procured via a warrant. Fourth, a witness can always "take the Fifth Amendment" if responding to a question might place him in criminal jeopardy. So, as much as the plot held promise, the telling of it lacked a degree of legal realism that I hope to find. Still, I enjoyed the first 90% of the book.
The narrator, Stephen Hoye, does an excellent job giving voices to the various characters, including the women.
This is an intricate, suspenseful mystery, with more or less believeable characters. One weakness-I don't think there were enough clues or sufficient character development to enable the reader to guess the villain.
The other thing I found disappointing was the "trial" that takes place in the context of the preliminary hearing. The author is an experienced attorney who, as an author is entitled to a modicum of poetic license. Nevertheless, the amount of testimony and evidence admissible into a preliminary hearing is restricted to its purpose, which, as the author explains, is to determine whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence against the defendant to move the case to trial. Then he completely ignores this as Daley pursues the issue of guilt or innocence. Secondly, there is a limit to how hostile attorneys can treat one of their own witnesses, at least, not without permission from the judge to treat the witness as "hostile." Third, admissible evidence, such as bank records, must pass legal safeguards, such as being procured via a warrant. Fourth, a witness can always "take the Fifth Amendment" if responding to a question might place him in criminal jeopardy. So, as much as the plot held promise, the telling of it lacked a degree of legal realism that I hope to find. Still, I enjoyed the first 90% of the book.
The narrator, Stephen Hoye, does an excellent job giving voices to the various characters, including the women.
January 22, 2022
The more I read of the series the more I enjoy it. I really felt sorry for Leon and was hoping things would go his way during all of the book no matter how grim it looked. Of course as we know things are never what they seem in this series which is part of what makes it really interesting. I can’t say a whole lot about the plot without giving it away other than that there were a lot of twist and turns and I did enjoy seeing Nick the dick again… He’s a character!
July 1, 2025
This may have been one of the easiest five-star decisions.
I'm reading Siegel's Higher Law books in sequence. So by now, with Book 4, I pretty much know the lay of the land. Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez are law partners, ex-spouses, co-parents, and loving friends who just can;t seem to occupy the same house. Cool setup.
The books all portray somebody getting into a big mess within the first few chapters... so far i'ts bee all involving criminal cases. Will it stay that way through the series. I'll see as I keep going. By the end, it shouldn't be a spoiler to anybody who has reached book 4. Somehow or other, Mike and Rosie come out OK. (I won't say abut their clients... that may spoil things.
The stories all tell how the impossible challenges facing Mike and Rosie are dealt with. And I do have to say, Siegel is a genius at setting up and resolving these puzzles. All along the way we're treated to terrific characters. Mike's inner monologue as court cases proceed are special gems.
Anyway, here's the puzzle in this book...
Leon wakes up in an alley behind a liquor store to find himself arrested and charged with murder. Seems like an easy case.
1. The victim, a hedge fund dude stops late at night at a liquor store in a really bad part of town.
2. Leon is shown on store video seeing the guy flash a big pile of bills as he makes his purchase.
3. By the time Leon wakes up, the hedge fund dude as been stabbed to death and his bdy thrown into a dumpster behind the store, near where Leopn sleeps things off.
5. Spatters of blood matching the victim are on Leon's jacket.
6. A roll of $2,000 is found in Leon's pocket
7. Also in Leon's possession is the knife used to commit the murder.. it has the victim's blood and fingerprints that match Leon.
Do you think it's an open and shut case? The SFPD and DA do.
Leon insists -- vehemently -- he didn't do it And, by the way, he's going to die very soon of terminal late-stage cancer. Nevertheless Leon doesn't want to die with his daughter thinking dad is a murderer.
No chance he'll live through trial. So Mike and Rosie try to win it all at a rushed preliminary hearing. That's really tough. The DA need not prove anything beyond reasonable doubt. All they have to do is sow a judge there's good reason to hold Leon for a regular trial, and then deal with beyond a reasonable doubt.
Would you want to deal with the burdens Mike and Rosie face? I sure as heck wouldn't.
Would you want to read about how they tackle the challenges before them? HELL YES.. and I'm glad I did.
FIVE STARS
I'm reading Siegel's Higher Law books in sequence. So by now, with Book 4, I pretty much know the lay of the land. Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez are law partners, ex-spouses, co-parents, and loving friends who just can;t seem to occupy the same house. Cool setup.
The books all portray somebody getting into a big mess within the first few chapters... so far i'ts bee all involving criminal cases. Will it stay that way through the series. I'll see as I keep going. By the end, it shouldn't be a spoiler to anybody who has reached book 4. Somehow or other, Mike and Rosie come out OK. (I won't say abut their clients... that may spoil things.
The stories all tell how the impossible challenges facing Mike and Rosie are dealt with. And I do have to say, Siegel is a genius at setting up and resolving these puzzles. All along the way we're treated to terrific characters. Mike's inner monologue as court cases proceed are special gems.
Anyway, here's the puzzle in this book...
Leon wakes up in an alley behind a liquor store to find himself arrested and charged with murder. Seems like an easy case.
1. The victim, a hedge fund dude stops late at night at a liquor store in a really bad part of town.
2. Leon is shown on store video seeing the guy flash a big pile of bills as he makes his purchase.
3. By the time Leon wakes up, the hedge fund dude as been stabbed to death and his bdy thrown into a dumpster behind the store, near where Leopn sleeps things off.
5. Spatters of blood matching the victim are on Leon's jacket.
6. A roll of $2,000 is found in Leon's pocket
7. Also in Leon's possession is the knife used to commit the murder.. it has the victim's blood and fingerprints that match Leon.
Do you think it's an open and shut case? The SFPD and DA do.
Leon insists -- vehemently -- he didn't do it And, by the way, he's going to die very soon of terminal late-stage cancer. Nevertheless Leon doesn't want to die with his daughter thinking dad is a murderer.
No chance he'll live through trial. So Mike and Rosie try to win it all at a rushed preliminary hearing. That's really tough. The DA need not prove anything beyond reasonable doubt. All they have to do is sow a judge there's good reason to hold Leon for a regular trial, and then deal with beyond a reasonable doubt.
Would you want to deal with the burdens Mike and Rosie face? I sure as heck wouldn't.
Would you want to read about how they tackle the challenges before them? HELL YES.. and I'm glad I did.
FIVE STARS
November 18, 2021
I read a lot of detective, private eye, and legal thrillers.
I have no idea how had missed everything by Sheldon Siegal.
That stops now.
The law partners and ex-husband and wife team of Mike Daley (no relation, haha!,) and Rosie Fernandez, work their way through murder cases in San Francisco while raising a daughter from separate domiciles. Rosie is also fighting cancer. They have more concern for the innocent than money. They don’t live particularly well; they live realistically.
Siegal has Daley narrate the action. There is the usual dialogue and argumentation too, of course, with Daley’s unusual inner interior (sardonic and humorous) monologue assisting.
This technique allows readers to learn more about the ways and means of criminal lawyering which we don’t get much of from many authors.
I think THEY think it would be boring for readers. It isn’t. It is clarifying and educational in an entertaining way.
Siegel is much better at this than most of his more famous practitioners.
I give it a five. It’s probably a real 4 but Siegal is so refreshing and my experience was so good that it’s a 5.
It has nothing to do with the fact that the hero is named Daley (with an e) as mine is. Nothing at all. (See my documentation above!)
Enjoyed this a lot!
November 21, 2017
Mike Daley, ex priest and now defense attorney, shares his law practice with his ex-wife, Daisy Fernandez. He receives a phone call from Leon Walker, whom they defended many years back, and was one of the causes for their marriage to fail. He is in trouble again and asks him to help him. He is accused of murdering a man considered to be "a pillar of the society". He swears he is innocent and it is very important for him to have his name cleaned for the sake of his daughter, as he is terminally ill and has very few days to live. He is tempted to represent him, but Daisy is totally adamant. He finally convinces her but they do not know where to start as there is not a single shred of evidence that indicates that he is not the murderer. Likable characters and this author always manages to maintain your interest. An entertaining novel.
January 7, 2022
This is the fourth book in Siegel’s mystery series featuring criminal defense attorneys Mike Daley and Rosie Fernadez who, in Final Verdict, have divorced but are still working together.
Both partnership and romance are threatened, however, when derelict Leon Walker asks Daley to represent him… again. It was the first Leon Walker trial ten years earlier that caused the breakup of Mike and Rosie’s marriage. This time, Leon was found passed out in an alley near the stabbed corpse of business magnate Tower Grayson. Fingerprints, blood spatters, and the knife found in Leon’s pocket all suggest an open-and-shut case.
Courtroom scenes, full of legal maneuvering, are highlights as Siegel’s sharp style turns them into mini-dramas and full of humour. One of Siegel more accomplished work so far.
4,5*
Both partnership and romance are threatened, however, when derelict Leon Walker asks Daley to represent him… again. It was the first Leon Walker trial ten years earlier that caused the breakup of Mike and Rosie’s marriage. This time, Leon was found passed out in an alley near the stabbed corpse of business magnate Tower Grayson. Fingerprints, blood spatters, and the knife found in Leon’s pocket all suggest an open-and-shut case.
Courtroom scenes, full of legal maneuvering, are highlights as Siegel’s sharp style turns them into mini-dramas and full of humour. One of Siegel more accomplished work so far.
4,5*
October 24, 2024
sad and heartfelt but a great book, recommend
I understand author says he enjoys writing about Mike and Rosie but I don’t enjoy reading about Mike and Rosie little romance relationship. It’s boring, no real chemistry. They remind me of friends with benefits. I hate author tries so hard to rekindle their relationship. Now, author threw an elephant in the room and made it complicated. So, I got to put up with this nonsense relationship because I do enjoy the storylines, plots, twists and turns. In other words, this author books are unpredictable. My heart was heavy for Leon. I’m so proud of Mike for standing on his principles to represent Leon. Mike is so compassionate and genuine. I wish there was more people and lawyers like him in reality.
I understand author says he enjoys writing about Mike and Rosie but I don’t enjoy reading about Mike and Rosie little romance relationship. It’s boring, no real chemistry. They remind me of friends with benefits. I hate author tries so hard to rekindle their relationship. Now, author threw an elephant in the room and made it complicated. So, I got to put up with this nonsense relationship because I do enjoy the storylines, plots, twists and turns. In other words, this author books are unpredictable. My heart was heavy for Leon. I’m so proud of Mike for standing on his principles to represent Leon. Mike is so compassionate and genuine. I wish there was more people and lawyers like him in reality.
May 4, 2017
Mike Daley reluctantly agrees to defend a former client on murder charges because he is dying. Rosie Fernandez, his partner and ex-wife, is unhappy about it because they successfully defended him ten years earlier on similar charges. They, and their cohorts, begin to investigate the death and learn that the victim, a Venture Capitalist, is not exactly what he has been cracked up to be. They also have a much shorter deadline as their defense is being presented at a preliminary hearing because of Leon's pending demise. The plot is excellent and gripping and will keep the reader up late. Seriously likable protagonists and believable antagonists. Really good reading.
November 29, 2019
Another solid legal thriller from Sheldon Siegel!
Leon Walker, whom Mike and Rosie defended ten years before, is accused of killing venture capitalist Tower Grayson in a back alley outside a seedy liquor store. He calls on Mike again. MIke is at first reluctant to take Leon's case, because the fallout from his previous trial ruined Mike and Rosie's marriage, and almost cost them their professional reputations.
But there's a twist this time: Leon is terminally ill and may not even live long enough for a trial. Can Mike and Rosie find enough exculpatory evidence to clear Leon's name?
Leon Walker, whom Mike and Rosie defended ten years before, is accused of killing venture capitalist Tower Grayson in a back alley outside a seedy liquor store. He calls on Mike again. MIke is at first reluctant to take Leon's case, because the fallout from his previous trial ruined Mike and Rosie's marriage, and almost cost them their professional reputations.
But there's a twist this time: Leon is terminally ill and may not even live long enough for a trial. Can Mike and Rosie find enough exculpatory evidence to clear Leon's name?
September 10, 2022
I will blindly give this 5 stars because this has everything the previous book missed and everything we expect from the author in this series. This is probably the first book from this series that I have read that has hit me right, left, central with emotions which are too over powering at times. Justice can be sweet at times and it is sweeter especially if your client has only one thing in his mind that is too clear his name even though his gate can't be changed by the outcome of this case. The ending was also memorable and emotional and I think some may even cry. Overall a complete roller coaster of a ride and a memorable one too....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2024
The Clock Is Ticking...
Mike and Rosie's latest case truly is a matter of life and death. When a former client resurfaces and is accused of murder, Mike & Rosie find themselves defending him once again, despite their misgivings. However, they don't have the luxury of time as the accused is on death's door with a fatal illness. It's a convoluted, twisty tale that brings forth real emotional baggage on many levels. A great story told in Siegel's inimitable punchy, quirky style. The reader is almost invited to break the "fourth wall" with the author, as he makes aside remarks frequently during the dialogue. Great read - best so far!
Mike and Rosie's latest case truly is a matter of life and death. When a former client resurfaces and is accused of murder, Mike & Rosie find themselves defending him once again, despite their misgivings. However, they don't have the luxury of time as the accused is on death's door with a fatal illness. It's a convoluted, twisty tale that brings forth real emotional baggage on many levels. A great story told in Siegel's inimitable punchy, quirky style. The reader is almost invited to break the "fourth wall" with the author, as he makes aside remarks frequently during the dialogue. Great read - best so far!
August 24, 2017
This is a good book. I especially like the first line of chapter 1. I actually read this, put it aside then a couple weeks later picked it up like I hadn't read it (because I hadn't been here to change the setting to read) and as soon as I hit that first line I was like "Oh yeah, loved this book" and I was tempted to read it again! If I was tempted to read it again when I have 10 books sitting on the shelf, you know it was a good book. I'll read more of these because it moved, it was entertaining and not totally predictable.
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