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Butch Karp #13
Enemy Within
When a black man is shot multiple times in the back on the streets of New York by an NYPD golden boy, chaos erupts through the city. And in an election yeara year of secret handshakes and politically motivated favorsno one feels the pressure more than the men and women who vow to protect and to serve. For Butch Karp, chief assistant district attorney for New York County, bullet holes aren't the only holes in this volatile case, nor in a second shocking puzzle...
A slow-witted young man faces the death penalty for murdering a Jewish diamond merchant. Karp is quickly learning that politics mean a lot more than justice when it becomes apparent that certain higher-ups would rather whitewash the truth than lose the Jewish vote. Add a serial killer who is murdering the homeless to Karp's daily grind, and it's clear he is surrounded by high-profile time bombs that are promising to blow the city to its core.
To make matters worse, Karp's wife, Marlene Ciampi, has become independently wealthy thanks to the Internet stock boom and has decided to enjoy her newly acquired fortune through manic shopping sprees and free-flowing alcohol. Plus, his daughter, Lucy, is skipping school to feed the homeless not far from where the slasher stalks his prey. Desperate to stop the violence before it touches his family, karp must wade through a system of corruption and conspiracy that threatnes to silence his pursuit of the truth...forever.
516 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
29 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Robert K. Tanenbaum
76 books280 followersRobert K. Tanenbaum is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five legal thrillers and has an accomplished legal career of his own. Before his first book was published, Tanenbaum had already been the Bureau Chief of the Criminal Courts, had run the Homicide Bureau, and had been in charge of the training program for the legal staff for the New York County District Attorney’s Office. He also served as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Congressional Committee investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. In his professional career, Tanenbaum has never lost a felony case. His courtroom experiences bring his books to life, especially in his bestselling series featuring prosecutor Roger “Butch” Karp and his wife, Marlene Ciampi.
Tanenbaum was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship, and remained at Cal, where he earned his law degree from the prestigious Boalt Hall School of Law. After graduating from Berkeley Law, Tanenbaum moved back to New York to work as an assistant district attorney under the legendary New York County DA Frank Hogan. Tanenbaum then served as Deputy Chief Counsel in charge of the Congressional investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The blockbuster novel Corruption of Blood (1994), is a fictionalized account of his experience in Washington, D.C.
Tanenbaum returned to the West Coast and began to serve in public office. He was elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 1986 and twice served as the mayor of Beverly Hills. It was during this time that Tanenbaum began his career as a novelist, drawing from the many fascinating stories of his time as a New York ADA. His successful debut novel, No Lesser Plea (1987), introduces Butch Karp, an assistant district attorney who is battling for justice, and Marlene Ciampi, his associate and love interest. Tanenbaum’s subsequent twenty-two novels portrayed Karp and his crime fighting family and eclectic colleagues facing off against drug lords, corrupt politicians, international assassins, the mafia, and hard-core violent felons.
He has had published eight recent novels as part of the series, as well as two nonfiction titles: The Piano Teacher (1987), exploring his investigation and prosecution of a recidivist psychosexual killer, and Badge of the Assassin (1979), about his prosecution of cop killers, which was made into a movie starring James Woods as Tanenbaum.
Tanenbaum and his wife of forty-three years have three children. He currently resides in California where he has taught Advanced Criminal Procedure at the Boalt Hall School of Law and maintains a private law practice.
Tanenbaum was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship, and remained at Cal, where he earned his law degree from the prestigious Boalt Hall School of Law. After graduating from Berkeley Law, Tanenbaum moved back to New York to work as an assistant district attorney under the legendary New York County DA Frank Hogan. Tanenbaum then served as Deputy Chief Counsel in charge of the Congressional investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The blockbuster novel Corruption of Blood (1994), is a fictionalized account of his experience in Washington, D.C.
Tanenbaum returned to the West Coast and began to serve in public office. He was elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 1986 and twice served as the mayor of Beverly Hills. It was during this time that Tanenbaum began his career as a novelist, drawing from the many fascinating stories of his time as a New York ADA. His successful debut novel, No Lesser Plea (1987), introduces Butch Karp, an assistant district attorney who is battling for justice, and Marlene Ciampi, his associate and love interest. Tanenbaum’s subsequent twenty-two novels portrayed Karp and his crime fighting family and eclectic colleagues facing off against drug lords, corrupt politicians, international assassins, the mafia, and hard-core violent felons.
He has had published eight recent novels as part of the series, as well as two nonfiction titles: The Piano Teacher (1987), exploring his investigation and prosecution of a recidivist psychosexual killer, and Badge of the Assassin (1979), about his prosecution of cop killers, which was made into a movie starring James Woods as Tanenbaum.
Tanenbaum and his wife of forty-three years have three children. He currently resides in California where he has taught Advanced Criminal Procedure at the Boalt Hall School of Law and maintains a private law practice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 31, 2012
Apparently I haven't read one of these in two years, and I had forgotten how good they are. This is the third from last of the Butch Karp--Marlene Ciampi series ghostwritten by Michael Gruber, one of my favorite authors. You can get a list of the whole series (15 books) on Gruber's Wikipedia page, and I would recommend starting with the second one (he hadn't really figured out the characters or the tone in the first) and reading them in order. Unlike most series, the main characters in this one age, learn, have kids, the kids get older, and relationships change. But the legal complexities, moral ambiguities, three-dimensional characters, snappy dialogue, humor, violence, and depictions of all aspects of New York City, from the richest to the most destitute, are all of the highest quality throughout. The writing is clear, clean, rapid, accurate, and even grammatically correct. I have nothing but admiration for a (now rare) writer who knows the difference between "nauseous" and "nauseated," but doesn't flaunt it.
August 14, 2023
2023--Was cleaning out the bookcases and re-read this for the 3rd time. Ugh!!! I need to donate these--all the Tanenbaum's. They have not carried well for me.
****
I'd read this years ago, in paperback probably close to 2001 when it was published. As with other readings from 2020, this was picked up as an author signed hard cover from a charity sale--probably only read once in pristine condition. The paper is nice and thick, there are several blank pages at the beginning and end of the book. The binding is very nice and the letters are embossed on the spine under a nicely done cover. I do harbor some guilt for the noticeable 1/8" smear on the bottom of a page left by me, today, from a homemade chocolate chip cookie.
I don't like Marlene Ciampi. She is purposefully not an endearing character. This was in her drunken phase and the writing style makes her unbelievable. The family itself is unbelievable. Who lives like that? Who was Tanenbaum's idealized audience? I have probably reread at least 4 Tanenbaum books this year, several other older crime novels. That style from mid 1990's on is a combination of early Law & Order TV shows... and somehow compelling.
It didn't improve the world or do anything to enhance learning or self awareness. When I finished I vacuumed and wondered have I spent as many hours lost in a mystery that is unbelievable to me as I have vacuuming? Reading has definetly won out.
And I will continue with Tanenbaum, Baldacci, Lescroart. It would be very interesting to watch a group interview with them. They are a force.
****
I'd read this years ago, in paperback probably close to 2001 when it was published. As with other readings from 2020, this was picked up as an author signed hard cover from a charity sale--probably only read once in pristine condition. The paper is nice and thick, there are several blank pages at the beginning and end of the book. The binding is very nice and the letters are embossed on the spine under a nicely done cover. I do harbor some guilt for the noticeable 1/8" smear on the bottom of a page left by me, today, from a homemade chocolate chip cookie.
I don't like Marlene Ciampi. She is purposefully not an endearing character. This was in her drunken phase and the writing style makes her unbelievable. The family itself is unbelievable. Who lives like that? Who was Tanenbaum's idealized audience? I have probably reread at least 4 Tanenbaum books this year, several other older crime novels. That style from mid 1990's on is a combination of early Law & Order TV shows... and somehow compelling.
It didn't improve the world or do anything to enhance learning or self awareness. When I finished I vacuumed and wondered have I spent as many hours lost in a mystery that is unbelievable to me as I have vacuuming? Reading has definetly won out.
And I will continue with Tanenbaum, Baldacci, Lescroart. It would be very interesting to watch a group interview with them. They are a force.
April 29, 2014
The old favorites are back for another round. Lucy questions her piety and her purpose in life as well as having a crush. Marlene gets rich, goes on a serious bender and threatens her employer. Tran has a weakness beyond caring too much for Lucy. Butch tries out life Marlene-style and finds that slippery slope isn't for him. We find out Father Dugan has an adventurous side and Sweetie proves to be more mortal than Stephanie Plum's hamster Rex. A great read but you probably need to have read some (all?) of the books in the series before this to really appreciate it.
July 13, 2022
I have not read the other Butch Karp books. I went into this really not knowing what to expect.
I was very intrigued by the intro. Typically a story about police corruption told from the inside is framed as the bad apples being rooted out, preserving the integrity of a noble institution. Very rarely is the entire system portrayed as corrupt, with good people trying to do good while compromising their integrity daily and not get crushed by the power-hungry and the politics. I was very interested, and then the book spent a LONG amount of time with Karp's wife and daughter, with no clear link to the A plot. They weren't bad characters, but they were interruptions to the story I wanted to read. It turned into a Four Lines, All Waiting situation. I'm sure it meant more to people who had read the previous books, but not to me.
And then the main plot started faltering. Karp wants to investigate a case because something doesn't feel right, and he makes his theories. Evidence is gathered and he gains context but the theories aren't supported. He sticks with it because the initial discrepancies still haven't been explained. Then evidence is uncovered that proves his theories true all along. There isn't really any discovery, just confirmation of what he suspected 200 pages ago. It's like an episode of Columbo but without the interesting POV of the bad guy.
The three plots wrap together in an organized but very convenient way. It stretches credulity a bit to suggest that these three members of the same family collectively have the resources/networks to solve three major crimes on Karp's desk. But just a bit, I'm aware I'm reading fiction, liberties must be taken.
My last gripe is more of a nitpick. The book has too many named characters, especially in the first part. We are given first and last names of characters that never show up again and it's hard to keep track of who is significant and who isn't. There's one section of the book that becomes almost unreadable since the narration refers to one character by their first name (or last) exclusively, and the dialogue refers to them by their last name (or first). Either that or a fourth character was in the room and disappeared halfway through the scene. It's very hard to tell. Again, this may be mitigated if one has read the previous books.
I was very intrigued by the intro. Typically a story about police corruption told from the inside is framed as the bad apples being rooted out, preserving the integrity of a noble institution. Very rarely is the entire system portrayed as corrupt, with good people trying to do good while compromising their integrity daily and not get crushed by the power-hungry and the politics. I was very interested, and then the book spent a LONG amount of time with Karp's wife and daughter, with no clear link to the A plot. They weren't bad characters, but they were interruptions to the story I wanted to read. It turned into a Four Lines, All Waiting situation. I'm sure it meant more to people who had read the previous books, but not to me.
And then the main plot started faltering. Karp wants to investigate a case because something doesn't feel right, and he makes his theories. Evidence is gathered and he gains context but the theories aren't supported. He sticks with it because the initial discrepancies still haven't been explained. Then evidence is uncovered that proves his theories true all along. There isn't really any discovery, just confirmation of what he suspected 200 pages ago. It's like an episode of Columbo but without the interesting POV of the bad guy.
The three plots wrap together in an organized but very convenient way. It stretches credulity a bit to suggest that these three members of the same family collectively have the resources/networks to solve three major crimes on Karp's desk. But just a bit, I'm aware I'm reading fiction, liberties must be taken.
My last gripe is more of a nitpick. The book has too many named characters, especially in the first part. We are given first and last names of characters that never show up again and it's hard to keep track of who is significant and who isn't. There's one section of the book that becomes almost unreadable since the narration refers to one character by their first name (or last) exclusively, and the dialogue refers to them by their last name (or first). Either that or a fourth character was in the room and disappeared halfway through the scene. It's very hard to tell. Again, this may be mitigated if one has read the previous books.
October 22, 2023
Aku selalu suka membaca kasus hukum yg kompleks & memiliki potensi berbahaya. Karena di dalamnya, ada berbagai macam fakta yg sulit diuraikan, isu hukum yg kontroversial yg memicu perdebatan di antara masyarakat, hingga adanya melibatkan pihak-pihak penting yg membawa kasus tersebut ke hukum yg lebih tinggi.
Novel "Enemy Within" ini membahas hal tersebut juga. Diawali dari si tokoh utama, seorang jaksa bernama Butch Karp yg berjuang menegakkan keadilan di tengah-tengah intrik politik & konspirasi. Di sepanjang cerita, Karp harus berhadapan dengan berbagai konflik seiring dengan mengungkap rahasia gelap yg tersembunyi di balik kasus yg ditanganinya.
Novel ini sangat menarik perhatianku. Karena, ceritanya sendiri menggabungkan elemen-elemen hukum, thriller, investigasi, sambil menyoroti dilema moral & pertarungan untuk memenangkan kasus tersebut ke dalam satu cerita yg kompleks dan juga mendebarkan.
Aku rasa, kekuatan utama dari novel ini adalah karakterisasi yg kuat. Karakter Butch Karp, digambarkan dengan sangat baik sebagai seorang jaksa yg berdedikasi & penuh integritas. Aku dapat merasakan keteguhan moralnya di sepanjang cerita, yg membuatnya menjadi tokoh eksentrik & memikat.
Namun, di sisi lain, beberapa karakter pendukung terasa kurang terdefinisi dengan baik. Beberapa dari mereka mungkin membutuhkan lebih banyak latar belakang / pengembangan untuk memperdalam konflik & motivasi mereka.
Plot dalam novel ini menawarkan kejutan-kejutan yg menarik & penuh aksi. Yg mana pergulatan antara keadilan dan kejahatan membentuk tulang punggung cerita & intrik politik yg terjalin dengan kasus hukum semakin kompleks pada narasinya.
Namun sayangnya, terdapat momen-momen, di mana alur ceritanya terasa agak lambat & beberapa pengembangan plot mungkin memerlukan penajaman.
Akan tetapi, gaya penulisan si penulis yg memadukan elemen hukum dengan aksi yg menegangkan ini membuatku ketagihan. Deskripsi detail pengadilan & proses hukum memberikan nuansa realistis yg kuat, memperkaya pengalaman membacaku.
Novel "Enemy Within" ini membahas hal tersebut juga. Diawali dari si tokoh utama, seorang jaksa bernama Butch Karp yg berjuang menegakkan keadilan di tengah-tengah intrik politik & konspirasi. Di sepanjang cerita, Karp harus berhadapan dengan berbagai konflik seiring dengan mengungkap rahasia gelap yg tersembunyi di balik kasus yg ditanganinya.
Novel ini sangat menarik perhatianku. Karena, ceritanya sendiri menggabungkan elemen-elemen hukum, thriller, investigasi, sambil menyoroti dilema moral & pertarungan untuk memenangkan kasus tersebut ke dalam satu cerita yg kompleks dan juga mendebarkan.
Aku rasa, kekuatan utama dari novel ini adalah karakterisasi yg kuat. Karakter Butch Karp, digambarkan dengan sangat baik sebagai seorang jaksa yg berdedikasi & penuh integritas. Aku dapat merasakan keteguhan moralnya di sepanjang cerita, yg membuatnya menjadi tokoh eksentrik & memikat.
Namun, di sisi lain, beberapa karakter pendukung terasa kurang terdefinisi dengan baik. Beberapa dari mereka mungkin membutuhkan lebih banyak latar belakang / pengembangan untuk memperdalam konflik & motivasi mereka.
Plot dalam novel ini menawarkan kejutan-kejutan yg menarik & penuh aksi. Yg mana pergulatan antara keadilan dan kejahatan membentuk tulang punggung cerita & intrik politik yg terjalin dengan kasus hukum semakin kompleks pada narasinya.
Namun sayangnya, terdapat momen-momen, di mana alur ceritanya terasa agak lambat & beberapa pengembangan plot mungkin memerlukan penajaman.
Akan tetapi, gaya penulisan si penulis yg memadukan elemen hukum dengan aksi yg menegangkan ini membuatku ketagihan. Deskripsi detail pengadilan & proses hukum memberikan nuansa realistis yg kuat, memperkaya pengalaman membacaku.
February 19, 2023
I checked out this book on a recommendation from a client at the library bookstore. Two problems here: 1) this is something like book 15 in a series, and 2) I don’t think this is the novel the client suggested! The plot he mentioned does not match what I read! I sure hope he drops by again so I can locate the novel he suggested! ( There are at least five books with this title.)
However, I did find the plot compelling. There are several interlinked plot lines here: possible police corruption; wife high up in a protection service that suddenly gets a fortune; teenage daughter that is a linguistic phenomena involved with helping the homeless; someone killing the homeless. There are numerous characters and intricate plot lines to keep track of! I have requested the first novels in the series to get background on these complex individuals.
However, I did find the plot compelling. There are several interlinked plot lines here: possible police corruption; wife high up in a protection service that suddenly gets a fortune; teenage daughter that is a linguistic phenomena involved with helping the homeless; someone killing the homeless. There are numerous characters and intricate plot lines to keep track of! I have requested the first novels in the series to get background on these complex individuals.
July 27, 2019
I've not read any previous books in this series (or by this author as far as I remember). This book was in a box I received from a friend who asked me to pass them on to good causes once I finished reading them. This book wasn't my cup of tea. I wasn't gripped by the story from the very beginning and I didn't really care about the characters--so I struggled to read it.
August 16, 2017
Always a fave!!!!!
April 3, 2018
Very confusing. Could not follow the story.
June 30, 2018
L, s, v
July 24, 2019
Marlene goes off the rails-- painful to watch. And then the whole family visits Hell. Yikes.
November 7, 2019
This series is ticking along nicely
March 1, 2020
Police corruption and exciting events transpire in this story. Occasionally lost in what was supposed to be happening. Story line is good.
August 15, 2020
Good ending.
Not the best Karp, but it finished strong.
Would like to see Lucy mature and find herself in a way she could carry on the story.
Not the best Karp, but it finished strong.
Would like to see Lucy mature and find herself in a way she could carry on the story.
October 6, 2023
Another good read in this series
January 31, 2016
#13 in the NYC ADA Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi series. 13th of 15 series entries ghostwritten by Michael Gruber before author Tanenbaum started writing his own books, 12 in the series through 2015.
NYC ADA Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi series - Opening with two shooting cases Karp suspects are being rammed through "the system" for purposes of political expediency (it being an election year for the DA), the bedraggled-but-upstanding Karp finds himself in a dire situation involving allegations of racism, police conspiracy and potentially misguided use of the newly reinstated death penalty. His spitfire Italian wife, Marlene from Queens, having hung up her guns for a quiet job with a corporate security firm, is swept away on a tide of newfound paper wealth when her company issues a sky-high IPO following a suspiciously well-timed VIP rescue in Kosovo. Meanwhile, their eldest, wayward genius Lucy has gotten herself involved in a dicey situation through her charitable work with the homeless when a serial killer begins targeting her charges. While the problems of Karp and his daughter are clearly on a collision course, Marlene provides a form of comic relief via her reckless spending and alcoholism.
NYC ADA Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi series - Opening with two shooting cases Karp suspects are being rammed through "the system" for purposes of political expediency (it being an election year for the DA), the bedraggled-but-upstanding Karp finds himself in a dire situation involving allegations of racism, police conspiracy and potentially misguided use of the newly reinstated death penalty. His spitfire Italian wife, Marlene from Queens, having hung up her guns for a quiet job with a corporate security firm, is swept away on a tide of newfound paper wealth when her company issues a sky-high IPO following a suspiciously well-timed VIP rescue in Kosovo. Meanwhile, their eldest, wayward genius Lucy has gotten herself involved in a dicey situation through her charitable work with the homeless when a serial killer begins targeting her charges. While the problems of Karp and his daughter are clearly on a collision course, Marlene provides a form of comic relief via her reckless spending and alcoholism.
November 5, 2012
Another fine story with Butch, Marlene & Co. (#13), although not quite up to the usual standard because there were a couple of things I found hard to believe: (1) Marlene falls into alcoholism, which seems to me out of character; and (2) At the beginning Lucy knows about three dozen languages, and in the process of this novel she learns German and Russian. I'm wondering what languages (other than French, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Cantonese, for situational reasons I knew about) she chose to put ahead of these two important ones.
I also learned by accident, to my sorrow, while scanning reviews of this one, that there are only two more ghosted by Michael Gruber; #16 through #24 were ghosted (or edited, or whatever you call it) by someone else. Gruber is such a master, I'd love to read many more of his books, but now I fear he has retired.
I also learned by accident, to my sorrow, while scanning reviews of this one, that there are only two more ghosted by Michael Gruber; #16 through #24 were ghosted (or edited, or whatever you call it) by someone else. Gruber is such a master, I'd love to read many more of his books, but now I fear he has retired.
February 7, 2014
Man, here's a lawyer who hates police. Makes me wonder about his real life court cases. The story was a little far fetched for me - a teenager permitted to wander New York amid the worst parts of the city; her mother who is an alcoholic and spend thrift but who can stop both by herself; the father/dad who is so tied up fighting dragons that he can ignore the chaotic family events for the good of the DA's office? Here's another case of requiring a 6th star to fit in between 'I didn't like it' and 'it's just okay'.
August 24, 2011
This began in rather a ragged way, taking its time before getting to Butch Karp or any of his family, otherwise I would have given it five stars. These characters are like old friends, and it is great to read more about them--even Marlene unable to handle sudden wealth. Butch is less than the perfect DA, showing some chinks in the armor. Lucy and Tran get together and we find out a weakness in his background as well. Great crimefighting--always a terrific story.
June 3, 2014
I think this is the 13th in the series. Story relies on information developed in prior novels. I will go back and read some of the earlier ones. This plot involved politics inside the DA's office of NYC with an election upcoming. Issues include cops and racial tensions. Subplot involving the daughter was a bit of a stretch, but it was an enjoyable story.
November 27, 2014
Chief assistant District Attorney Butch Karp has a load of problems on his plate. It is an election year and his wife becomes independently wealthy through her stock sales of an internet company. A black man is shot in the back by a poster child policeman. And a young man with limited intellectual capacity faces the death penalty.
April 29, 2016
A Butch Karp mystery, but not one of Tanenbaum’s best. This one has Butch battling political machinations in the DA’s office while Marlene sells her private security firm and launches an IPO that makes her a millionaire. Meanwhile, their daughter Lucy, now 17 years old, occupies her time “doing good works” among the slums and sewers (literally) of NYC. Beyond belief at times, but an OK read.
April 24, 2008
I've read several of the Butch Carp books,and enjoyed them all.His wife is the one who kicks ass though!If someone fucks with her family,she just has her Vietnamese mobster buddy wipe them off the face of the planet!Or she does it herself.Good reading.
July 14, 2010
This was the third book I've read from Robert Tanenbaum, all with the same characters - Butch Karp, Marlene Ciampi and the most interesting of all, daughter Lucy. I'm excited to see there are 14 more! Glad I've got a library card.
September 19, 2012
I enjoyed the story, but I had a hard time behind the circumstances of the wife becoming an alcoholic. It made for good drama, but it seemed far fetched to me. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story.
May 18, 2015
I hardly remember this book. But there are multiple mysteries that all get solved and there is one reason I think. Just another book to pass the time. Kind of makes you mad that there is graft in high places.
November 18, 2018
2016: I couldnt get into it......
2018: i didnt know i had already attempted this book before i was a few chapters in so i decided to finish it
I have been reading the Karp series for years and completely out of order but it was an okay read
2018: i didnt know i had already attempted this book before i was a few chapters in so i decided to finish it
I have been reading the Karp series for years and completely out of order but it was an okay read
February 27, 2009
A good read. Lots of twists!
February 10, 2010
Like all his books to many characters that go in and out of the story. Parts of the book were good when I wasn't trying to recall a character.
October 12, 2016
Excellent read... Read 8-1-2001 And again 3/11/2016
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews