DNF. Dull.

Meh - it was okay. 1st offering from this author, and many reviews mention his later work is better. I like the premise - but too much legalese for those of us who are not attorneys...

Get ready for a wild courtroom case in the legal thriller debut from Steve Martini. In Compelling Evidence, the first installment in the Paul Madriani, it was told from his point of view in this explosive story. For Paul, he had a full plate on his hands. He tried to pick up the pieces of his failing marriage for his daughter, while he handed a probate issue and then later learned about one of his bosses at the law firm was dead. Staged to look like a suicide, all eyes were turned to his widow. With a lot of compelling damning evidence against her, it was up to Paul to prove her innocence to win the case. And in the end, there was a shocking ending that would blow you away on the true culprit.

Great trial stuff. Good story

Steve Martini used to be a trial lawyer in Sacramento, California. This story takes place in California (he doesn't state that but the cities that he does state are in California). I tell you that because he will often say "in this state....." and cite the law. This is to clarify that he is writing from the perspective of California law and things could turn out differently in a different state. This story is about a murder trial and he is defending the accused. I found it very interesting to see the workings of a defense lawyer as well as a prosecution lawyer. Whereas there are novels where I skip paragraphs, I didn't skip a word of this one.

Usually If I think a book is boring I stop reading after 50 or 75 pages. I wish I had stopped reading this after 50 pages. This is a legal thriller so the crime has taken place when the book begins. I do not expect all thrillers should be as suspenseful as James Bond. This book has 458 pages (Swedish edition)
At page 260 the trial begins. I prefer american legal mysteries on television.
The end is a surprise.

Kept me guessing the whole time.

I really like this author. All of his books keep me on edge throughout. The plot and endings are not predictable as many authors are prone to write nor are they so obtuse as to be contrived. His books are believable, without being boring.

Excellent, Excellent book!!!! If I could I would give this book five stars plus!!!! Steve Martini author of this book you have a new fan!!! I will be reading more of his books!!!!

I shrug my shoulders and make a face like, "it's okay."

However, in this book Martini falls in to the mystery writer's trap of being so concerned about hiding his eventual perpetrator that he obfuscates to the point of telling a whole different story than the one intended. The best mystery has the eventual reveal always just below the surface and between the lines, so that when it is delivered at the end, the reader may be surprised but also understanding that all the facts were there for them to figure out the entire time. Compelling Evidence nosedives badly in the final pages because of this, with the author scrambling to explain all the things he should have more subtly included earlier in the story.

Friend recommended this author to me. Story was interesting, but a bit to slow for me. Slow being it has a lot of filler. The end was a surprise. I doubt I will read another book by this author unless I don't have anything else to read.

I figured the outcome during trial testimony. You might get it sooner.☺

Great story telling. Believable without a heavy hand. Characters I came to care about especially Madriani and his family. Like most of my reviews I calculate my level of satisfaction partly on how long it took me to finish the book and partly on my desire to read more by the author. I'm a slow reader but took less that the 21 day library loan time to finish. I'm headed to my computer now find Book Two in the Paul Madriani series.

Sharp defense attorney Paul Madriani was on the rise with the firm of Potter, Skarpellos -- until a short-lived affair with Potter's wife cost him his job. Now, Potter's wife is accused of his murder -- and Paul is thrust back into the big time, as he uncovers secrets that may end his career -- and his life.

The coroner did it.

Very good.