Just the kind of courtroom drama that I like. Paul Madriani is like my other favourite fictional lawyers - Jake Brigance (John Grisham), Mickey Haller (Michael Connelly), Eddie Flynn (Steve Cavanagh). They are witty, articulate and are able to turn around witnesses to their benefit.
The 'whodunnit' was well done, and revealed only in the end. I feel proud that I guessed the killer mid-way through the book

I couldn't get past the typos to finish this book. I don't feel it is right to sell an e-book with this many distracting typos. I'm sure you wouldn't see this in hard books sold in bookstores. I wish I could get a refund. So disappointed.

This is the first Steve Martini book for me and I am pleased to say it won't be the last. I came in late to the Paul Madriani game, so there is a whole series still to be enjoyed. Martini excels in the courtroom scenes in this first edition, but some of the other chapters feel a little thin. That is not necessarily a bad thing. This author plays to his strength and that is always a plus for the reader.

A great book to read when you want to relax and enjoy your free-time.
The author has a way to describe the insights of a trial in a very realistic manner, far from the clichés we have been watching in movies and TV series.
The plot is amazingly artfully explained, with one plot twist following the other.
One of the few books I would be happy to read again.

The book that launched the series

Almost 20 years ago, the first book in the Paul Madriani series was released. Over time (and 12 books), it has morphed into less of a legal thriller series into more of an action series with a legal thriller bent to it. But, the first one is a good old-fashioned murder mystery and courtroom drama - and a surprisingly good one for a debut effort.

In n  Compelling Evidencen we are introduced to Paul Madriani, a struggling solo practice attorney who has recently left a big league law firm...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

This is the first book I have read by this author. It won't be the last.
While the book started out slow, but once the characters were established and the scene set the story really picked up. Courtroom drama at its best with a surprise ending.
Paul Madriani, a brilliant criminal defense lawyer, had a once-promising career with a prestigious law-firm, until an ill-judged affair with the senior partner Ben Potter's wife led to his resignation. Now he scrambles for work amid the ghosts of his doomed affair and the remains of a failing marriage.

Then Potter is found dead, an apparent suicide. But as details come to light, the case turns from suicide to murder and the needle of suspicion points towards the victim's seductive wife, Talia Potter. Indicted and arrested, Talia turns to Paul, her former lover, to defend her against the mounting evidence in a case that for her could result in the gas chamber

I listened to the audiobook of this and the narration by Joe Mantegna was very good. Paul Madriani had to leave his prestigious law farm because he was sleeping with the wife of the senior partner. Their affair ended and she went on to another lover, and Paul was able to reconcile with Ben Potter his former law partner. The next day Ben is found shot and it looks like someone killed him and tried to make it looks like suicide. His widow is charged with the crime and Paul is roped into defending her. It's a straight ahead legal thriller.

The quality of writing is fine, although I winced at a couple of early passages, but once it got into the story it was better. The story is plot driven and the characters are secondary. The book is short and the story is engrossing. This is the first book featuring this protagonist.

Probably 3.5 but I errored on the side of a 4 because this was a good, classic, courtroom drama, and not hard to follow. Case of a wife accused of murdering her husband, with lots of detail. No thrills, but steady progression through the case and trial. Not the best I’ve ever read, but better than most.

I just wasn't that into this book. In fact I didn't even try reading his other books I had checked out. I will say I didn't see the ending coming. That was a surprise.

Good. Like Presumed Innocent and Murder in the First.

If there weren't so many spelling errors I may have attempted to finish this book.

re-reading some of Steve Martini's books. His stories always grab my interest.