Courtroom drama with a recurring character (Paul Mordirani). I generally like these but this just had too much dialog and no interesting characters. Will not continue series.

I did enjoy this book, at first I did not know but as it went on I was in to it. Had me going, new for sure they could not convict her in if they did then I would have thrown the book away. At the end love, sex, money and power. Ruins a lot of people. Did like the characters and looking forward to continuing this series. The one part where he almost did not go home to have dinner with his wife and daughter during the trial, so lucky picked up the phone and called right back. No matter what job, two weeks without seeing your little girl. Again would’ve thrown the book away.

Mystery series - I really should not start a new series with all the ones I have on the go. However, I am glad I did. Lots of courtroom drama, legal maneuvers and interesting characters are found throughout the book. Madriani is a lawyer who is manipulated into taking on a murder case of his former lover and wife of a friend. It does get messy.
No Canadian or pharmacy references.

This was a hard book to get into, but once it got to the trial phase, is was a good read. A lawyer friend of Paul's is found dead. The Police decided it is murder and go after the wife, whom Paul knows. They go through the prelims and she is handed over for trial. Paul, takes the cased. It is interesting in how the defense can twist what the prosecution presents and make them look like fools. The ending, I did not see coming.

Almost gave up

I will admit that I came close to giving up on this book. The first quarter of the book is a slow moving plod in which little of interest occurs. The book eventual gathers steam, the plot deepens, and mystery, chaos, and tension ensue. The ending caught me completely by surprise and the court room drama was impressive.

69 pages in and I don't really care about the main character or how the murder investigation turns out. No reason to continue.

Excellent story featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani. Paul is roped into being ‘Keenan Council’ (cursory position) as part of the team defending Talia Potter, widow to Paul’s ex partner, Ben Potter. Talia is being tried for the murder of her husband, Ben, after Ben was found dead in his office, an apparent suicide. After having reluctantly accepted the Keenan Council position, Paul finds himself taking on a more substantial part of the defense, becoming tied to the case and to the firm he once represented, Potter & Skarpellos.

Steve Martini’s character, Paul Madriani, is the harbor in the storm of this murder case, putting a spotlight of objectivity on human nature, while a media storm rages and spins yarns of motive. Sussing out evidence vs motive where multiple characters stand to gain a fortune, Madriani wades through the murky waters of a case which fate seemed to bring him. He continually displays his adeptness at sorting through the nuances of evidence as the prosecution attempts to stick the case, while trying to keep his own life from being ground to a halt in the process.

As a bonus, the case is set in Sacramento, Ca, (State Capitol), with downtown landmarks giving a familiar backdrop to the story. I found this book riveting and a thoroughly enjoyable read, making me want another Martini!

"This is the first of punishments, that no guilty man is acquitted, if judged by himself" - Juvenal, Roman Poet and Satirist
(opening quote of book)

From Follett: 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 enjoyed this book and would probably give it 3.5 stars, if that was allowed. I understand this is the first book in the series and that it was written about 25 years ago. I enjoyed the courtroom scenes and found the characters interesting enough to want to read more in the series. I had a little bit of a problem with the sudden reveal of the guilty party close to the end of the book, since I felt that the author worked very hard to obscure that from the reader. I should have been able to admit that the clues were all presented to me but I missed them; instead i feel the clues were not revealed. In spite of this, I will be looking to read more in this series.

It may just be snobbiness, but I strongly preferred unedited books; I feel that, usually, the author includes what might otherwise be seen as extraneous information as part of the story, and as part of the overall creation… Nevermind.
This was a fairly standard legal mystery about which my only remaining question is, "what was left out in the abridgment?" Okay, maybe not "never mind"…

Steve Martini is a good writer I enjoy reading series of Paul Madriani.

The courthouse scenes are exceptional, very entertaining and dramatic. The rest of the novel is so-so. I didn't particularly liked Paul Madriani as a character, I thought he is a scoundrel, but he is a nicely written character.
The tension during the trial is breathtaking, and you really don't know how the jury is going to rule. Although I wasn't a fan of the ending and its final revelation, I don't think it made a disservice to the book.