Blind Man's Alley

by Justin Peacock

From the author of the Edgar Award–nominated legal thriller A Cure for Night , an ambitious and compulsively readable novel set in the cutthroat world of New York real estate.

A concrete floor three hundred feet up in the Aurora Tower condo development in SoHo has collapsed, hurling three workers to their deaths. The developer, Roth Properties (owned by the famously abrasive Simon Roth), faces a vast tangle of legal problems, including allegations of mob connections. Roth’s longtime lawyers, the elite midtown law firm of Blake and Wolcott, is assigned the task of cleaning up the mess. Much of the work lands on the plate of smart, cynical, and sea­soned associate Duncan Riley; as a result, he falls into the pow­erful orbit of Leah Roth, the beautiful daughter of Simon Roth and the designated inheritor of his real estate empire.

Meanwhile, Riley pursues a seemingly small pro bono case in which he attempts to forestall the eviction of Rafael Nazario and his grandmother from public housing in the wake of a pot bust. One night Rafael is picked up and charged with the mur­der of the private security cop who caught him, a murder that took place in another controversial “mixed income” housing development being built by . . . Roth Properties. Duncan Riley is now walking the knife edge of legal ethics and personal morality.

Blind Man’s Alley is a suspenseful and kaleidoscopic journey through a world where the only rule is self- preservation. The New York Times Book Review said of A Cure for Night that “[Peacock] heads toward Scott Turow country . . . he’s got a good chance to make partner.” This taut, topical, and socially alert thriller delivers on that promise.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Espionage, Ebooks, Legal

465 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

I am the author of the novels A Cure for Night and Blind Man's Alley. I received an MFA from Columbia and a law degree from Yale. I live in Brooklyn.

Reviews

[Kathryn]

I won this book on First Reads! I can't wait to get it and to read it!

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my attention because it was set in the world of NYC commercial real estate (CRE). Most of my career was spent in that world so I was intrigued. Wow, Justin Peacock nailed it! As the story unfolded, I was mesmerized by the taut writing. His depiction of the CRE world sounded authentic.

It is a classic thriller that begins slowly introducing the reader to characters in disparate worlds that will eventually come together. The only criticism I had was that by making the main character biracial, more should have been done to explore what that meant in his life. It was only touched upon superficially, so it became a distraction rather than an enhancement. Other than that, this was one helluva story!

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great plotting, great pacing, reads like a movie.

[Dee]

***I won this book as part of a Goodreads FirstReads giveaway. Review to follow when the book arrives***

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good quick read. I’ll pick up his first book.

[Paschalis]

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[Pamela J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book a page turner

[L.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Duncan Riley has worked his way to the top of his profession and is at that place in his career as an attorney to be accepted as a partner. He has been groomed for the part by his mentor and brought in on many of the top concerns involving the very top clients of the firm, including Roth properties. They are working on a libel suit involving a story in the newspaper and Duncan is deposing the witness's, including the journalist as well as members of Roth properties. A section of one of Roth's holdings collapsed during construction, killing three of the workers. The Article suggested possible Mob involvement and kickbacks. The Journalist Candace Snow is a fierce competitor and does not give at all under the questioning. It in fact seems to make her even more determined that some hidden agenda is happening.

At the same time, Blake and Wolcott, the firm he works for has lost some of its shine as a Top firm and has Duncan also working the pro bono case of a family being evicted from one of the tenements that is now being upgraded and owned by Roth Properties. Duncan has some concern that this could create a conflict of interest but is assured both by his mentor Steven Blake as well as Simon Roth's daughter Leah that there is no conflict. Duncan works the Roth case by rote, researching information, filing information, putting together memos, and all the staid but important work that fills the company coffers through billable hours. He finds his mind occasionally straying to his other case involving a teenage boy Rafael and his grandmother. Rafael has been accused of smoking Pot and agreed to a plea bargain that was going to keep him out of jail and with his grandma. He denied quite vehemently that he ever had anything to do with drugs, but his court appointed attorney did not really care. With accepting the plea deal however he and his grandma are being evicted. Duncan has just won a stay on the eviction when one of the security guards for the building is murdered and a witness places Rafael as the murderer. Duncan is convinced that something is wrong and is planning to fight the case for Rafael.
His firm slowly begins backing out and trying to pull the plug on the case, putting Duncan in a bad place, as he has promised to help Rafael and his Grandma. He is able to get the the testimony about gunshot residue being present on Rafael's hands thrown out of court based on expert testimony. He then is immediately encouraged to accept a plea bargain because all of a sudden Steven Blake has concerns about a conflict of interest.
More people begin ending up dead and Duncan begins to wonder if his enemies are his friends and his friends and colleagues are actually his enemies. His world suddenly turns topsy turvey as he turns to Candace Snow as an ally. His job is no longer secure and the world as he knows it is no longer as absolute as he has always believed. This work brings to light the high stakes played out in the world of money and greed. Duncan and Candace become the hunted in this cat and mouse game of truth and justice. Who will win and who will escape with their life.

I found this book very slow at the beginning. I had to wade through lots of legalese which buried the beginning of the story and kept the book slow. About midway after establishing the ground rules the book really took off and became more interesting. I had a tough time and had to force myself in the beginning to keep on reading. I am glad I did as it was a good book and a great story.

I received this book as a free copy from Goodreads First Reads. I am not receiving any compensation and all opinions are my own based off my independent reading of this material.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!! Blind Man's Alley is a book that kept me riveted to my seat and my eyes glued to the pages. Blind Man's Alley is a book with so many twists, turns, story lines, character plots and interaction to ultimately come to the final conclusion of this book.

Blind Man's Alley is a novel about corruption, murder, back stabbing and just all around total human nature. While reading this book I could see this being true and plausible. I am not current on all laws for New York or even laws in general. I have an understanding of the most basic and layman ideas of the laws.

The main character is a lawyer, Duncan of a huge corporate law firm in NY. Also there is a reporter for the Journal, Candace who plays an integral role in this plot. Duncan works for Blake and Wycott who represent Roth Properties. Blake and Wycott take on a pro bono case to help with their image. Duncan is the lawyer assigned to this case. This case is just an eviction case and is the beginning of the end for so many people.

People are being evicted from low income housing for their children supposedly possession of drugs. These are properties that the Roth family own and are changing over to better income housing. Are the kids being set up by the security guards that Roth Properties use? This is where the trouble begins for Rafael.

Then there is murder, conspiracy, racketeering and so much more that just keeps you riveted to the book. I found the ending to be more then I expected. I was pleasantly surprised as to how Justin Peacock was able to summarize the story and not make you feel like everything always works out.

[drey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Justin Peacock's Blind Man's Alley is a legal thriller that will satisfy the legal-thriller fan... If you can make it through the first 20-30 pages, that is. I liked it, but thought it took a while to get up to cruising speed. 0-to-60 did not occur in 5.1 seconds here! Then again, good things come to those who wait. *grin*

Dustin Riley is a nice guy--as nice as a successful lawyer can be, anyway. He's on the up-and-coming path at work, with partnership just around the corner. He's just got to get through this libel lawsuit for their biggest client and he's a shoo-in. And for feel-good purposes, he's doing a pro-bono case to help some folks keep their home. Life is good.

Then things slowly start getting complicated, and next thing you know his pro-bono client's on the hook for murder. And his boss is telling him to make a deal and close the case. But things aren't quite as they seem, and Dustin's curiosity gets him poking around things better left un-poked.

While Dustin's legal life is getting complicated, Candace Snow's gets downright loopy. She's the reporter being sued for libel. And she's adamant that not a single word she printed is untruth. So she sets out to prove her side of things, and she finds out that getting wrapped up with big-time property developers can have scary consequences.

The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good, and the lawyer makes his way from the fence to pick a side. When the pace picks up, you won't want to put this down. Promise.

[Darcy Odden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pro bono case turns into more trouble than lawyer Duncan Riley can imagine. Riley is an associate on the fast track to partner at the prestigious law firm of Blake and Wolcott. But his pro bono client, Rafael Nazaro, is arrested for murdering a security guard who had railroaded Rafael into pleading guilty to smoking pot when he really hadn't. Turns out the security guard, former cop Sean Fowler, had planted the pot so he could get Rafael and his grandmother evicted from their public housing apartment.

Sean was a minion of Darryl Loomis, whose security company works for Roth Properties, owned by Simon Roth and one of Blake and Wolcott's biggest clients. Jeremy Roth, Simon's son is a drunk, but his father has him oversee the construction of Aurora Tower anyway. Jeremy was supposed to be Simon's heir apparent, but is too spoiled and weak to fill those shoes. So, Simon is looking to his daughter, Leah, to take over his holdings.

Duncan works with Leah until she feels he knows too much about Fowler's death and Roth Properties' involvement. With her connections, Leah shows Duncan just how difficult she can make life for him. But she doesn't count on his allies helping Duncan to blow her out of the water.

This was an intriguing thriller that I really enjoyed. Duncan is the kind of lawyer I'd like representing me if I were ever in trouble like Rafael. I'd be in favor author Justin Peacock writing more about Duncan.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a concrete floor three hundred feet up in the Aurora Tower development in Soho collapses hurling three workers to their deaths.Roth properties the developer ( owner Simon Roth ) faces a vast tangle of legal problems including allegations of mob connections. His long time lawyers at Blake and Wolcott an elite midtown law firm are assigned the task of cleaning up the mess. Much of the work goes to Duncan Riley a smart, cynical, seasoned associate as a result he falls into the orbit of Leah Roth Simon Roths beautiful daughter and inheritor of his real estate empire.Riley is also pursuing a small pro bono case in which he is trying forestall an eviction of Rafael Nezaeio and his grandmother from public housing because of a pot bust. Rafael gets picked up one night and charged with the murder of the private security cop who caught him, that murder took place in another mixed income housing development being built by ...... Roth Properties. Blind Mans Alley is a suspenseful journey through a world where the only rule is to survive anyway you can.Look forward to reading more books by Justin Peacock

[Martin Baggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin Peacock’s second book paints a compelling picture of the corruption that is rife in the construction business in New York City. He interweaves the story of a young Puerto Rican accused of murdering a security guard with the accidental death of three construction workers when the floor of a tower collapses.

The hero, lawyer Duncan Riley, is involved in both cases. He is pro bono attorney defending the accused murderer while being on the high-power team defending Simon Roth and his family, the money behind the tower development. Although there seems to be a conflict of interest, it is not until later in the story that this conflict becomes apparent.

The story charts Riley’s course from innocent to cynical. Having never handled a murder case before, his introduction opens his eyes to the power of money in his clients’ hands.

With a diverse cast of characters, including a relentless investigative reporter, a powerful family, politicians on the graft, and a DA ready to rush to closure, and several intriguing subplots, Peacock has created a modern day epic.

Grade: A-

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on goodreads firstread giveaways. This is an enjoyable book about a young lawyer on the track to become partner at a large New York law firm, who finds himself involved in two seemingly separate cases: the defense of a family owned development company which finds itself in a bind when three men are killed in a construction accident on their project gentrifying public housing, and a young man whose family is being evicted from that housing complex. Many aspects of the story are predictable. The cases end up being connected and the young lawyer is tempted to abandon his principles by sex, power, and prestige. And why not throw in that he is biracial in a very white world. Despite some predictable elements it is an enjoyable read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three workers are killed while building a SoHo condo development and the developer is represented by the prestigious law firm of Blake and Wolcott. Duncan Reilly is a lawyer at the firm who is also working a pro bono case involving a young man and his grandmother who are facing eviction. Soon the simple eviction case turns very complicated when the man is arrested for murder. The story involves many different story lines that must connect and be resolved. This book was not very fast paced and I kept wondering about Peacock's other novel that caused me to read this one. I'm not sure I will read another novel by him.

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a construction accident in which 3 men died, Roth Properties is being sued. It's a family millionaire business with father, son, and daughter officers of the company. Duncan Riley, up and coming attorney, is a player in their defense. When the daughter, Leah, comes on to him, he is wary. Is it a ploy? Murders keep happening to witnesses. When Duncan meets a feisty reporter intent on covering the story, his world starts to crumble. And his pro bono tenant client is accused of murder. The scenario makes him examine what kind of lawyer he wants to be. Exciting.

[Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this one. It was long and not really my thing, I suppose. I found the subject matter and the legal language a bit too dense and so it was hard to get into the murder mystery part. I only read it because I got the book in first reads and so I wanted to give it a try and be able to say something about it. I think people who like murder mysteries and do not mind some heavy duty legal jargon, especially at the beginning, will enjoy this book.
Note to self: Don't enter giveaways involving real estate and legal jargon. Just not my thing.

[Sara Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a legal thriller in years and let me just say I couldn't put this one down! Peacock does a great job of grabbing the reader and never lets go as he leads you though a world of power and money most of us can't even fathom. As someone who grew up in NY, I recognized the city through his story. A lot of authors try to tell NYC stories, but a lot can't pull it off.

This is a really fun story that I highly recommend!

[Kimberly Morghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great legal thriller with a bit of detective novel thrown in. I liked the main character and how he matured and developed through the story. The character of the reporter was also good, and was a good contrast to the other main female character in the story. It was interesting seeing the cover-up unearthed, though sometimes it was a bit tricky remembering which characters already knew which facts and which characters still needed to discover them. All-in-all a solid read.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads First Reads givaway.
Mysteries and legal thrillers are one of my favorite genres and I read a lot of them. This book started out slowly and I had to make myself keep going back to it, but I'm glad I did...about half-way through the story really picks up! I'm not going to recap the plot, but as the characters and story develop and connections are made, the plot lines dovetail nicely. It's an interesting mystery and an entertaining read.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this as part of a Goodreads first reads giveaway. While not in a genre that I often read, I was glad I gave this one a look. The intertwining of legal aspects made it a bit more challenging than your average thriller, and main character, Duncan Riley, was also not your average jaded lawyer figure - both deviations from the standard were very much appreciated. Still, I felt that the plot at the end was too loosely drawn together.... lots of buildup, and not enough bang.

[Shannon Coward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through good reads giveaway. It took me a while to read it because there is so much legal jargon. I had to read it in small doses to be able to absorb all of the information. I typically love to read these types of books, especially by John Grisham. About halfway to three fourths of the way through,Peacock really started to hold my attention. I love the direction he took the main character. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just received this book on 8/5/2010. I won it in a Goodreads First Reads givaway.

It started out a little slow, with meeting the characters and the legalese, but soon picked up the pace. I enjoyed the mulitple plot threads and how everything was intertwined. By the time I got to Part 3, I found it almost impossible to put down. Definately a good book! I give it 4 of 5 stars.

[Ashley Lockhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning was a little slow, but about half way through the book, it really started to pick up. Peacock did a great job with character development and this is definitely one of the best legal thrillers I've read in a long time. Great book, but could've shortened the beginning stuff and made the book easier to get through.

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional legal thriller. The characters were real in their good-ness and evil-ness. I really liked how Justin Peacock gave such exact portrayals of New York; whether the projects, the clubs, or the extravagant high-rises. Great story. Thanks to Goodreads for sending me such an enjoyable book!

[David Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story. Had to navigate through legal jargon and acronymns. Last chapter was well said. I hope it comes true. Oh, how come both of the lead lawyers were kicked out of the firms and both had a girl at the end. Hmmm

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for the "2013 Just For Fun Challenge" which encourages reading a book a month without doing a review. Despite that I must say that I loved this book. If you love legal mysteries I know you will too.

[Krystina Robinson]

Won this book from the giveaway's section! Excited to read it. Thank you goodreads :)

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read a legal mystery, so I quite enjoyed this one. An interesting plot with a satisfying conclusion - can't ask for more than that.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Summer read!! Great story, I was captivated till the very end!! A book to put on anyone's reading list the likes Mysteries.