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Paul Madriani #9
Shadow Of Power
New York Times bestselling master of suspense Steve Martini returns, ensnaring defense attorney Paul Madriani in a web of terror and death being spun in the shadows of America's most sacred and secretive institution—the Supreme Court.
A writer is savagely slain while on a publicity tour—a literary provocateur who craved headlines, but whose last book may have gone too far. His revelations about secret language buried in the U.S. Constitution—and hints about an explosive missing letter of Thomas Jefferson's—may be enough to cause an irreparable tear in the fabric of the nation . . . and perhaps drove a volatile youth to homicide. But Paul Madriani thinks a troubled young man with dark connections has been chosen as a scapegoat to cover up something far deadlier that festers in America's political heart. And in the wake of the strange disappearance of a Supreme Court judge, Madriani must survive long enough to find the devastating answers hidden in the shadow of power.
A writer is savagely slain while on a publicity tour—a literary provocateur who craved headlines, but whose last book may have gone too far. His revelations about secret language buried in the U.S. Constitution—and hints about an explosive missing letter of Thomas Jefferson's—may be enough to cause an irreparable tear in the fabric of the nation . . . and perhaps drove a volatile youth to homicide. But Paul Madriani thinks a troubled young man with dark connections has been chosen as a scapegoat to cover up something far deadlier that festers in America's political heart. And in the wake of the strange disappearance of a Supreme Court judge, Madriani must survive long enough to find the devastating answers hidden in the shadow of power.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 27, 2008
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About the author
Steve Martini
96 books695 followersSteven Paul "Steve" Martini is an American writer of legal novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 339 reviews
September 4, 2020
I found the first half better than the second. Overall a decent story that is fully appropriate in today's times. Amazing how little can change over 12 years. 6 of 10 stars
March 25, 2023
A legal procedural ... defnitely NOT a thriller!
Terry Scarborough is a very unpleasant and self-serving author who's quite willing to cause race riots in the furtherance of his climb up the best-seller list. Having written a book about the offensive language of slavery that is contained in the US constitution, he's giving public hints about a sequel that will reveal the existence of a divisive document - a document whose contents are so controversial, he boasts, as to make the LA Rodney King riots look like a Sunday afternoon walk in the park. But, at the eleventh hour, just as this book is due to hit the shelves, Scarborough is brutally bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Carl Ansberg, a white supremacist who contends he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, is charged with the murder and is facing execution.
The dust jacket and any marketing information would have us believe that SHADOW OF POWER is Steve Martini's ninth thriller in the extensive Paul Madriani series. But, in my opinion, "thriller" rather overstates the nature of a novel that is interesting but never really reaches the level of a compelling, page turner. In fact, it would much more correctly be categorized as a legal procedural that focuses almost exclusively on the courtroom drama of Ansberg's trial and Madriani's tactics for a defense that is clearly a difficult uphill battle with little prospect of success. The minutiae of the admissibility of evidence, endless side bars on legal haranguing, and the tactics of courtroom examination and cross examination are certainly interesting but definitely do not give me goose bumps of anticipation.
A readable novel to be sure but I confess to feeling somewhat deflated by its low level thriller power and the lack of credibility of the basic premise of the novel. Recommended reading as part of the continuation of a generally strong, enjoyable series but a weak sister as a stand-alone novel.
Paul Weiss
Terry Scarborough is a very unpleasant and self-serving author who's quite willing to cause race riots in the furtherance of his climb up the best-seller list. Having written a book about the offensive language of slavery that is contained in the US constitution, he's giving public hints about a sequel that will reveal the existence of a divisive document - a document whose contents are so controversial, he boasts, as to make the LA Rodney King riots look like a Sunday afternoon walk in the park. But, at the eleventh hour, just as this book is due to hit the shelves, Scarborough is brutally bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Carl Ansberg, a white supremacist who contends he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, is charged with the murder and is facing execution.
The dust jacket and any marketing information would have us believe that SHADOW OF POWER is Steve Martini's ninth thriller in the extensive Paul Madriani series. But, in my opinion, "thriller" rather overstates the nature of a novel that is interesting but never really reaches the level of a compelling, page turner. In fact, it would much more correctly be categorized as a legal procedural that focuses almost exclusively on the courtroom drama of Ansberg's trial and Madriani's tactics for a defense that is clearly a difficult uphill battle with little prospect of success. The minutiae of the admissibility of evidence, endless side bars on legal haranguing, and the tactics of courtroom examination and cross examination are certainly interesting but definitely do not give me goose bumps of anticipation.
A readable novel to be sure but I confess to feeling somewhat deflated by its low level thriller power and the lack of credibility of the basic premise of the novel. Recommended reading as part of the continuation of a generally strong, enjoyable series but a weak sister as a stand-alone novel.
Paul Weiss
July 22, 2010
See this review (and others) at The DomestiChick.
I enjoy a good legal thriller or suspense novel, and I am always looking for a new one to read. I had never, surprisingly enough, read any Steve Martini novels. The novel was okay but it did not make an overwhelming impression. If I had not read other reviews, I am not sure I would jump up to buy another novel by Mr. Martini.
The book started with some interesting scenes, just vague enough to leave you wondering what would happen. At the introduction of the “Jefferson Letter”, I still held some hope this could be crafted in a credible way while also gaining momentum with the suspense. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I was disappointed in the premise that the language already existing in the Constitution would incite so many riots and public unrest. I just don’t find this very plausible. I would have agreed that it might create much discussion as well as some interesting debates – just not to the level that the author created in the novel. As the book progressed, I realized that the “Jefferson Letter” bit would also stretch the limits of credibility. The book made a good point on this, since the characters spoke of it not being necessary for the letter to be authentic to be able to create the furor it seemed capable of generating. In this way, the letter (whether found to be fraud or not) would at least have to fit within my limits of credibility as a reader – and it failed.
I did like many of the characters in the book – even if I didn’t like what they represented, I thought the author did a good job of fleshing them out and making them interesting. This is with one exception: Trisha Scott. I found her flat and uninteresting. Her character, along with the unreal plot twists at the end, made me sigh and want to throw up my hands in frustration a couple of times in the last chapter. Her character just was not believable to me. On the other hand, I loved Herman. I laughed out loud several times at his courtroom scenes, and I found myself mentally casting him with some Hollywood favorites. If a character “works” for me, that’s something I end up doing.
I also liked the courtroom scenes in general. The descriptions were complete without being boring. The inner complexities of criminal litigation were explored without unduly boring the reader as well. The entire courtroom section of the book was extremely well crafted. Since that took up a large part of the book, it made the difference for me in a rating of “okay” versus “I didn’t like it.”
All in all, I enjoyed the book. For a reader wanting a light read, this could be an enjoyable diversion. For someone looking for an intense legal thriller, your better bet would be a different novel. For me – I am going to at least try another novel by Steve Martini and give the writer a second chance to impress.
My conclusion: A solid “okay” in my book; grab it at the used bookstore or borrow a copy (library or a friend).
I enjoy a good legal thriller or suspense novel, and I am always looking for a new one to read. I had never, surprisingly enough, read any Steve Martini novels. The novel was okay but it did not make an overwhelming impression. If I had not read other reviews, I am not sure I would jump up to buy another novel by Mr. Martini.
The book started with some interesting scenes, just vague enough to leave you wondering what would happen. At the introduction of the “Jefferson Letter”, I still held some hope this could be crafted in a credible way while also gaining momentum with the suspense. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I was disappointed in the premise that the language already existing in the Constitution would incite so many riots and public unrest. I just don’t find this very plausible. I would have agreed that it might create much discussion as well as some interesting debates – just not to the level that the author created in the novel. As the book progressed, I realized that the “Jefferson Letter” bit would also stretch the limits of credibility. The book made a good point on this, since the characters spoke of it not being necessary for the letter to be authentic to be able to create the furor it seemed capable of generating. In this way, the letter (whether found to be fraud or not) would at least have to fit within my limits of credibility as a reader – and it failed.
I did like many of the characters in the book – even if I didn’t like what they represented, I thought the author did a good job of fleshing them out and making them interesting. This is with one exception: Trisha Scott. I found her flat and uninteresting. Her character, along with the unreal plot twists at the end, made me sigh and want to throw up my hands in frustration a couple of times in the last chapter. Her character just was not believable to me. On the other hand, I loved Herman. I laughed out loud several times at his courtroom scenes, and I found myself mentally casting him with some Hollywood favorites. If a character “works” for me, that’s something I end up doing.
I also liked the courtroom scenes in general. The descriptions were complete without being boring. The inner complexities of criminal litigation were explored without unduly boring the reader as well. The entire courtroom section of the book was extremely well crafted. Since that took up a large part of the book, it made the difference for me in a rating of “okay” versus “I didn’t like it.”
All in all, I enjoyed the book. For a reader wanting a light read, this could be an enjoyable diversion. For someone looking for an intense legal thriller, your better bet would be a different novel. For me – I am going to at least try another novel by Steve Martini and give the writer a second chance to impress.
My conclusion: A solid “okay” in my book; grab it at the used bookstore or borrow a copy (library or a friend).
October 7, 2012
I listened to this book as an audio book. I picked Shadow of Power because it looked like a good courtroom thriller - accused murderer, mysterious historical letter that would rock the Constitution to its roots, government cover-ups - yeah, it sounds like a good book to listen to on a long drive.
Unlike most thrillers, this book had no action at all. It was entirely based on court proceedings. While this, in itself, isn't enough to kill the book for me, it does take some of the "thrill" out of the book. To balance the lack of action, I was hoping for deep characters, twisted plots, and a huge reveal about the mysterious J-Letter.
While the book was well written, the characters were pretty slim - mostly boiler plates doing exactly what you think they would. The plot was very linear - in fact, it sounded like a lawyer recounting a case with all the mystery extracted. The fact that the book was based on the "language" of the Constitution seemed strained - certainly not something that would cause riots in the streets.
However, all of this could have been forgiven with a great reveal. And, in the end, the book failed to deliver. The J-Letter turned out to be one of those "mysteries revealed" on a cheap cable television show - of unknown authenticity with little real fireworks. Sigh.
Overall, not a terrible book. Just not my cup of tea.
Unlike most thrillers, this book had no action at all. It was entirely based on court proceedings. While this, in itself, isn't enough to kill the book for me, it does take some of the "thrill" out of the book. To balance the lack of action, I was hoping for deep characters, twisted plots, and a huge reveal about the mysterious J-Letter.
While the book was well written, the characters were pretty slim - mostly boiler plates doing exactly what you think they would. The plot was very linear - in fact, it sounded like a lawyer recounting a case with all the mystery extracted. The fact that the book was based on the "language" of the Constitution seemed strained - certainly not something that would cause riots in the streets.
However, all of this could have been forgiven with a great reveal. And, in the end, the book failed to deliver. The J-Letter turned out to be one of those "mysteries revealed" on a cheap cable television show - of unknown authenticity with little real fireworks. Sigh.
Overall, not a terrible book. Just not my cup of tea.
March 31, 2019
4 Stars. Author Steve Martini at his best. We have tantalizing snippets of the case at the start but what it all means, the reader is at a loss. A US Supreme Court Justice gets in trouble swimming in the Caribbean and a waiter with issues which come back to haunt him, slips on blood in the suite where a controversial author is staying. Is there an 18th century "J" letter secretly supporting the continuation of slavery and written by one of the authors of the US Constitution? Was there back-room collusion to preserve its continuation? Great courtroom action revealingly described by the waiter's lawyer Paul Madriani with a bang-up finale. (August 2017)
July 6, 2025
This book was the first I've read by Steve Martini. Am not sure if jumping in midway into a series was in anyway a barrier to knowing more about the Defense Attorney Paul Mariani 's previous cases.
Nonetheless I found the details held my interest. However the ever so frequent mention of the missing letter dragged on, right to the last 50 pages. I was only then that the background of various characters made sense.
The book had been sitting on the shelf for eons, but am glad it finally made it into my hands. Am looking forward to reading. more books by Martini.
Nonetheless I found the details held my interest. However the ever so frequent mention of the missing letter dragged on, right to the last 50 pages. I was only then that the background of various characters made sense.
The book had been sitting on the shelf for eons, but am glad it finally made it into my hands. Am looking forward to reading. more books by Martini.
July 20, 2017
Shadow of Power is part mystery & part legal drama. A controversial author is brutally murdered & it is believed to be racially motivated. But is it? Naturally, the police seize the suspect of convenience. I have read two other Paul Madriani thrillers & this one lacked the excitement & seemed to be much less of a thriller. It is a courtroom battle between the defense & the politically ambitious DA. Court room rules & logic games.
September 29, 2020
The premise of this book is a secret letter that was supposedly written by one of the founding fathers. The letter was extremely controversial. A legal scholar, Terry Scarborough, uses this letter as the subject of a book which flies off the shelves and creates riots.
Scarborough is murdered and the suspect happens to be a son of a friend of Madriani’s. Harry and Paul agree to take the case.
This book has the same type of legal plot that is prominent throughout the series. This is a strong point of this author’s writing. He does a really good job walking a layman through intricate legal terms and process.
The problem I had with this book was it did not grab my attention. At any point in the story. And the ending didn’t thrill me either.
Just a mediocre read for me. I’m disappointed because I really like the characters and the legal aspect of the series.
I’m not going to give up on the series. Just maybe take a break.....
Scarborough is murdered and the suspect happens to be a son of a friend of Madriani’s. Harry and Paul agree to take the case.
This book has the same type of legal plot that is prominent throughout the series. This is a strong point of this author’s writing. He does a really good job walking a layman through intricate legal terms and process.
The problem I had with this book was it did not grab my attention. At any point in the story. And the ending didn’t thrill me either.
Just a mediocre read for me. I’m disappointed because I really like the characters and the legal aspect of the series.
I’m not going to give up on the series. Just maybe take a break.....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2018
Six-word Review: Author killed, obvious suspect, Madriani wins.
A total jerk of a best selling author, Terry Scarborough, is bludgeoned to death with a claw hammer in a San Diego Hotel Room. Defense Attorney, Paul Madriani, and his partner, Harry Hinds, agree to represent racist Carl Arnsberg who is facing the death penalty for the murder. Scarborough intended to follow his current book with a sequel that would implicate Thomas Jefferson in a scheme to avoid the Revolutionary war by allying himself and others with British slave owners and would theoretically tear the country apart.
The rest of the book follows Madriani and Hinds as they try to find the so-called Jefferson letter which is missing from the victim's hotel room while defending their client in court. There are some plot twists that stretch credibility as they try to track down a Supreme Court Justice who is reputed to own the letter. Eventually, the truth comes out and justice is done.
It is obvious the Martini knows his way around a courtroom but too much of the story is devoted to the in-court machinations of both the prosecution and the defense. The conclusion makes sense but depends on a scenario that is somewhat unbelievable. That and the interminable courtroom scenes were why I couldn't rate the book higher.
If you like courtroom drama, you will like this book. On that basis, I can recommend it.
A total jerk of a best selling author, Terry Scarborough, is bludgeoned to death with a claw hammer in a San Diego Hotel Room. Defense Attorney, Paul Madriani, and his partner, Harry Hinds, agree to represent racist Carl Arnsberg who is facing the death penalty for the murder. Scarborough intended to follow his current book with a sequel that would implicate Thomas Jefferson in a scheme to avoid the Revolutionary war by allying himself and others with British slave owners and would theoretically tear the country apart.
The rest of the book follows Madriani and Hinds as they try to find the so-called Jefferson letter which is missing from the victim's hotel room while defending their client in court. There are some plot twists that stretch credibility as they try to track down a Supreme Court Justice who is reputed to own the letter. Eventually, the truth comes out and justice is done.
It is obvious the Martini knows his way around a courtroom but too much of the story is devoted to the in-court machinations of both the prosecution and the defense. The conclusion makes sense but depends on a scenario that is somewhat unbelievable. That and the interminable courtroom scenes were why I couldn't rate the book higher.
If you like courtroom drama, you will like this book. On that basis, I can recommend it.
August 23, 2017
3 1/2 stars. A good story with lots of courtroom action, both in front of the jury and in the judge's chambers. Paul and Harry have taken the case of the son of an old friend of Paul's, and have been named as his court-appointed public defenders because the P.D.'S office won't be able to work on the case for two years. The young man, Carl, is accused of killing a best-selling author whose controversial book has been number one on the bestseller list for nearly a year. Carl works as a waiter at the hotel where the author was staying, and entered his room shortly after he was killed. When he saw the body, he panicked, slipped in the blood pooled on the floor, and ran, leaving shoe impressions and fingerprints in the drying blood. The police are convinced that they have the killer, and they don't pursue other suspects. Will Paul and Harry be able to save the life of their innocent client?
February 8, 2023
An author, former attorney, seeing $$$, writes a book based on slavery, the constitution, and a mysterious letter by a founding father provided by a vengeful "associate" in the law. The author is murdered. Social unrest ensues through out the country resonating from the book and the trial of his alleged killer that Paul and Harry are defending. The defendant is innocent, and the real killer comes out in the end. Between the lines commentary on the state of politics and media in our society.
September 6, 2019
3 1/2 stars - a bit too wordy and complicated for me but this mystery had a murder, a Supreme Court justice out for revenge against a lawyer/author.
I enjoyed the courtroom scenes but the background of slavery and the US Constitution was a bit too much.
I enjoyed the courtroom scenes but the background of slavery and the US Constitution was a bit too much.
April 24, 2017
I enjoyed this book. The twists and turns are great. I listened to it while knitting and it was a perfect companion.
March 18, 2017
I had just had a conversation with someone during which I realized how little I remember about the US Constitution so this was a timely and interesting read for me. Timely also in its commentary on The Supreme Court, and how important it is for it to be as non-partisan as possible.
August 26, 2009
I knew it was a bad sign when about 50 pages into the book I described it to a friend as "trying to see if the story outweighed the stupid." Answer: not really.
The premise is that an author writes a controversial book about race and is then found murdered. The rest of the book told from the point of view of one of his two lawyers who is trying to build a defense for his client.
The problem with Shadow of Power is that the controversial book written by the murdered author is a book about the fact that the US Constitution still contains language having to do with slavery. The language has long since been stricken, of course, and is no longer valid law but apparently 21 million people rioted because the language is there at all. In order to believe the whole core of the book I have to believe that apparently a large number of Americans find this to be news as opposed to something that was covered in multiple social studies classes if they attended school in the U.S. and I just don't buy it. I know we discussed the 3/5 language in multiple social studies classes when I was in (public) school.
I do think it would come as a surprise to many Americans that the language is still there, but surprised is a long way from rioting.
When the author goes on tour there are chants of "take it out" with no explanation of what that means. Do they expect someone to take a sharpie to the US Constitution on display? Do they want someone to literally cut into a hundreds year old document? What?
The premise is so absurd that I had to expend a tremendous amount of energy to get past it. And there's virtually no discussion of whether taking the language out would even be a good idea. I, for one, think it should be left in. We have to know where we came from as a country, and it would do us all good to remember that while the founders were certainly visionaries in some ways, in others they were just as human and fallible as the rest of us. They certainly weren't perfect. Removing the language to me would be more of a reason for unrest and upset because it would seem like we were trying to hide what the founders believed and that, I think, would be a terrible mistake.
The book was written in present tense, which I found distracting.
I was also annoyed by random asides that I can only assume are the political views of the author. They were views I happened not to share. He doesn't like income tax, thinks the 9th Circuit is a circus, arbitration/mediation are great things, defendants always pay something just to avoid trial, and government healthcare in the form of Medicare and Medicaid are way too expensive (I'm guessing he's a man who either has his insurance paid for him or doesn't have trouble paying for his own insurance).
I did, however, find the lawyer's snarky comments during the prosecutor's opening remarks to be amusing.
As for the big reveal, I guessed half of it pretty early on in the book.
The premise is that an author writes a controversial book about race and is then found murdered. The rest of the book told from the point of view of one of his two lawyers who is trying to build a defense for his client.
The problem with Shadow of Power is that the controversial book written by the murdered author is a book about the fact that the US Constitution still contains language having to do with slavery. The language has long since been stricken, of course, and is no longer valid law but apparently 21 million people rioted because the language is there at all. In order to believe the whole core of the book I have to believe that apparently a large number of Americans find this to be news as opposed to something that was covered in multiple social studies classes if they attended school in the U.S. and I just don't buy it. I know we discussed the 3/5 language in multiple social studies classes when I was in (public) school.
I do think it would come as a surprise to many Americans that the language is still there, but surprised is a long way from rioting.
When the author goes on tour there are chants of "take it out" with no explanation of what that means. Do they expect someone to take a sharpie to the US Constitution on display? Do they want someone to literally cut into a hundreds year old document? What?
The premise is so absurd that I had to expend a tremendous amount of energy to get past it. And there's virtually no discussion of whether taking the language out would even be a good idea. I, for one, think it should be left in. We have to know where we came from as a country, and it would do us all good to remember that while the founders were certainly visionaries in some ways, in others they were just as human and fallible as the rest of us. They certainly weren't perfect. Removing the language to me would be more of a reason for unrest and upset because it would seem like we were trying to hide what the founders believed and that, I think, would be a terrible mistake.
The book was written in present tense, which I found distracting.
I was also annoyed by random asides that I can only assume are the political views of the author. They were views I happened not to share. He doesn't like income tax, thinks the 9th Circuit is a circus, arbitration/mediation are great things, defendants always pay something just to avoid trial, and government healthcare in the form of Medicare and Medicaid are way too expensive (I'm guessing he's a man who either has his insurance paid for him or doesn't have trouble paying for his own insurance).
I did, however, find the lawyer's snarky comments during the prosecutor's opening remarks to be amusing.
As for the big reveal, I guessed half of it pretty early on in the book.
May 26, 2015
Steve Martini, the poor man's Scott Turow, comes out with another Pual Madriani book. Madriani and his partner Harry Hinds are representing a man accused of killing an author who has incited riots all over the US based on his book that talks about how the US Constitution contained language in it still which is insulting to African-Americans. He also hints at a letter written by Thomas Jefferson that will cause an even bigger uproar.
I have a hard time seeing how the country would riot based on language that remained in the Constitution. Big stretch.
Book starts kind of slow but accelerates once the trial begins. I am always amazed at how many suprises Madriani faces in a trial. I am also an attorney who does litigation and don't approach a case with anywhere near the uncertainty that faces Madriani in his cases. This is either for reader interest or it might be a difference in criminal work and civil work.
Martini ends with a rush of suprises that tie up all the loose ends. I prefer Turow, and even Grisham but still it is an entertaining read.
I have a hard time seeing how the country would riot based on language that remained in the Constitution. Big stretch.
Book starts kind of slow but accelerates once the trial begins. I am always amazed at how many suprises Madriani faces in a trial. I am also an attorney who does litigation and don't approach a case with anywhere near the uncertainty that faces Madriani in his cases. This is either for reader interest or it might be a difference in criminal work and civil work.
Martini ends with a rush of suprises that tie up all the loose ends. I prefer Turow, and even Grisham but still it is an entertaining read.
September 10, 2008
Terence Scarborough is an author whose recent bestseller reveals that there is still language in the U.S. Constitution supporting the practice of slavery. This revelation creates an uproar in the country and riots ensue in many large cities. While on a promotional book tour, Scarborough hints that in the sequel to this book, he will reveal a document which will cause even more outrage. Soon after, Scarborough is brutally murdered in his hotel room. A room service waiter whose bloody boot and finger prints are found in the room is charged with the crime. Now Paul Madriani and his staff of defense attorneys must find a way to defend against what looks like a slam-dunk conviction.
There is no question that former lawyer ,Martini, knows the ins and out of capital crime trials. Much of the book is spent in the courtroom with lawyers on both sides examining witnesses. But there is plenty of action outside of the court as well leaving the reader breathless and more than a little surprised at the ending!
There is no question that former lawyer ,Martini, knows the ins and out of capital crime trials. Much of the book is spent in the courtroom with lawyers on both sides examining witnesses. But there is plenty of action outside of the court as well leaving the reader breathless and more than a little surprised at the ending!
June 10, 2009
To be honest I did not finish this book. I didn't bother finishing this, because of a scene in the book with Jay Leno where he says to the a murdered guy's agent, on the Tonight Show, "Looks like we got ourselves a bonafide murder mystery on our hands."
Furthermore, the premise is not believable. The premise is that people are going crazy, because they realize that the US Constitution still has all the old language about slavery in it. Though this is true, I think most people who went to school remember that our Constitution was formed to be Amended and not changed. Our Constitution is not a Wikipedia article. Something about a murder mystery, because of all this and some lost letter from a founding father.
Furthermore, the premise is not believable. The premise is that people are going crazy, because they realize that the US Constitution still has all the old language about slavery in it. Though this is true, I think most people who went to school remember that our Constitution was formed to be Amended and not changed. Our Constitution is not a Wikipedia article. Something about a murder mystery, because of all this and some lost letter from a founding father.
August 21, 2013
I love a good legal thriller, but this one just didn't do it for me. Perhaps it's because it's part of a series and I hadn't read the earlier ones, but I found myself really not caring about any of the characters.
The basic premise of the problematic book written by the victim is preposterous. Anyone who has had middle school history knows how the constitution works, and what early American history entailed. Oooh, scratch that. In this world of Faux News and lack of education, I guess it's plausible.
But for anyone with a brain? Not so much. It was slow and uninteresting. If you haven't read the others, you'll probably want to skip this one.
I'm giving it three stars just for good spelling and punctuation. Seriously. I don't take that for granted any more.
The basic premise of the problematic book written by the victim is preposterous. Anyone who has had middle school history knows how the constitution works, and what early American history entailed. Oooh, scratch that. In this world of Faux News and lack of education, I guess it's plausible.
But for anyone with a brain? Not so much. It was slow and uninteresting. If you haven't read the others, you'll probably want to skip this one.
I'm giving it three stars just for good spelling and punctuation. Seriously. I don't take that for granted any more.
February 8, 2017
I have read a few of the Paul Madriani series book but this one started good for me and dragged in the middle - I just couldn't finish it.
My new rule is to stop and start another book. I did enjoy steve Martini books in the past.
My new rule is to stop and start another book. I did enjoy steve Martini books in the past.
October 6, 2008
I love law books, but just couldn't get into this one. Didn't even try after the first 30 pages...I know, I should give it at least 100 before deciding to keep reading or quit, I couldn't even give it 50. I'll have to try it later or just give another one of his books a try. I hear he's an amazing author. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood?
May 19, 2009
I like books that have a mystery where I don't know how it will end. That is what keeps me reading. I have not read any books my this author, and I don't think I will again. I knew a little over halfway through what had happened, and there was just tons of details that I just skimmed over. I didn't feel they were relevant.
June 29, 2009
I adore legal thrillers... I really do. I love them so much that it's damned difficult for me to find one that makes me feel like I've been taken advantage of.
This one manages.
I suppose my biggest issue is that the premise - the earth-shattering secret that is causing so much fuss - is something I doubt would last more than two minutes as a CNN headline.
This one manages.
I suppose my biggest issue is that the premise - the earth-shattering secret that is causing so much fuss - is something I doubt would last more than two minutes as a CNN headline.
May 2, 2014
Although, towards the end it picks up speed, it seems like the author suddenly woke up realised that the book is going nowhere or is not interesting enough and so he added a twist and ended it abruptly, using a sort of a confession to fill in the blanks.. It could have been better than this if it were his first book.
June 9, 2016
I read this book to the end and didn't give up on it... But I just didn't like it that much. I got it off of a list of supposed page-turners and I thought it was pretty boring. Not many twists or turns until the end, and at that point it was sort of womp womp. Through the whole novel I kept wondering if there were going to be any subplots, but there weren't. Meh.
June 1, 2009
Hadn't read a good courtroom drama in awhile, & while Martini usually delivers, this one was pretty good until the pretty unbelievable ending, which unfortunately spoiled the whole thing for me.
Bummer.
Bummer.
October 27, 2009
Though Steve Martini is one of the authors I like to read, this book was a disappointment. This reminds me of when, during the early TV days, they took a half-hour show based on a very thin premise and tried to expand it into a mini-series. It was NOT fun.
November 25, 2012
This is probably the worse Steve Martini book I've ever read. I skimmed most of it as it was full of senseless info. I skipped most of the trial scenes also. Sorry, I usually love Steve Martini books but this one was a waste of time.
September 11, 2014
I've really enjoyed most of the books in this series, but this was a limp noodle: unconvincing legal issue, truly limpwad client you care nothing about, clunky writing, endlessly repetitive on certain aspects of evidence. I sentence this to solitary confinement for life.
February 5, 2015
Martini has created a very interesting character in Paul Madriani. I have enjoyed getting to know him and look forward to more of his complicated exploits.
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