2009 Book 3: Last Witness

Book #:	115
Book Title:	Last Witness
Author:	Jilliane Hoffman
Publisher:	Penguin
Pub. Date:	2005
Pages:	322
Started:	January 11, 2009
Finished:	January 15, 2009
Time to Read:	5 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"Cops are dying. Hunted down while on patrol, they are being murdered, the brutal crime scenes deliberately staged, the possible signature of a serial killer. Dominick Falconetti, a Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is charged with heading a task force to investigate. Details at the crime scenes point to a possible drug connection, and when a highly placed gang member disappears, it reinforces Dominick's suspicions that the victims were all involved in something unsavory. C.J. Townsend, the state prosecutor he has loved for the past three years - ever since they met on the infamous Cupid investigation - is getting the calls in the middle of the night as well. As the Assistant State Attorney who put Florida's last serial killer behind bars, she's the logical choice to help stop this one. But before long, C.J. begins to suspect that there may be another reason why cops are being viciously murdered. Only she can't tell. Because the explosive secret she possesses can never be revealed, lest a madman go free..."
Stars:	*****
Review:	This is a FABULOUS book. The author's work in the law enforcement arena clearly shows in her exquisitely built characters, expertly crafted scenes, and flawless legal explanations. As a police wife, I immediately identified with the story line, and as someone who enjoys the heck out of legal thrillers, I was captivated from the first page through the last. I especially love the character of C.J. - a thoroughly human protagonist, who you can't help but love and who drags you through ups and downs as she (the character, that is - I have to remind myself that she's not real) goes through them herself. Kudos, kudos, kudos, and run out to grab this book TODAY!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2009 Book 2: Running with the Dead

Book #:	114
Book Title:	Running with the Dead
Author:	Jay Brandon
Publisher:	Tomo Doherty Associates
Pub. Date:	2005
Pages:	365
Started:	January 7, 2009
Finished:	January 10, 2009
Time to Read:	4 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"Chris Sinclair is haunted by ghosts: the ghost of Malachi Reese, a murderer whom Chris put on death row, and the ghost of Henry Claremont, a dedicated high-school teacher whom Chris defended when Henry was accused of sexually abusing a student. Reese is still alive and in prison, but he's petitioned for a new trial, claiming that someone else who looks uncannily like him actually committed the crimes for which he was convicted. Henry is dead, brutally killed less than a week after Chris won his acquittal. Four years later, H. R. "Hike" Grimason, then the school's varsity basketball coach and now deputy superintendent of the school district, is on trial for his murder. Grimason and Henry become adversaries when Henry accused Grimason of taking bribes from parents in return for giving their sons more playing time. Recently, evidence has come to light linking Hike to Henry's murder. Chris has vowed to secure justice for his departed friend, but it won't be easy. A key witness at Henry's original trial, a woman who revealed her affair with the teacher to save him, lost both her job and her family as a result of her testimony. Now she is unwilling to relive the pain of the first trial, and Grimason has intimidated other witnesses who might testify against him. Chris won't back down in the face of Grimason's tactics - or those of his defense attorney, a former judge with whom Sinclair has a history. Worse yet, the specter of Malachi Reese won't leave him to prosecute one trial at a time. Because Reese - or his doppelganger - has targeted Chris and his daughter, Clarissa, with murderous attacks."
Stars:	**
Review:	I understand why authors use a variety of layers in novels - tying story lines together sometimes makes for an interesting read, and the intertwined tales can help advance an outcome that might otherwise be considered reaching. In this case, the multiple layers just don't work. It's like Brandon has five different novels he's dying to write, but they all ended up mashed together in this one story. Despite fairly distinctive names, I still had a hard time remember which characters were in which part of the story. And while I do at times like paranormal aspects in stories, I decidedly did not in this case. If I could have read each of the story lines in this novel separately, I would have enjoyed it far more. It's not a total loss - Brandon has a flair with words - but I'm probably not going to run out to buy more of his work quite yet.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2009 Book 1: The Appeal

Book #:	113
Book Title:	The Appeal
Author:	John Grisham
Publisher:	Doubleday
Pub. Date:	2008
Pages:	322
Started:	January 1, 2009
Finished:	January 6, 2009
Time to Read:	6 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town's water supply, causing the worst "cancer cluster" in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it. Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided? The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mold him into a potential Supreme Court justice. Their Supreme Court justice."
Stars:	***
Review:	Let's be honest. If John Grisham ever publishes his store list, I'm going to read it. Clearly, I'm a fan of his work, and clearly, I'm not alone in holding this sentiment. But I need to extend my honesty, here, and tell you that this isn't my favorite Grisham work ever. It's got all the common elements of Grisham - an insiders look at the legal system (not always flattering), a mix of good and bad guys that leaves you wavering over who to root for and who to hate, and some delicious twists and turns. But I'm almost afraid that this book was put out too hastily; something about the overall writing seems rushed. Compared to your average novelist, Grisham still kicks butt with this work. Compared to the much high standard set by Grisham himself...it just isn't quite up to par. Still an enjoyable work and a ripped-from-the-headlines kind of story.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 99: In the Presence of Enemies

Book #:	99
Book Title:	In the Presence of Enemies
Author:	William J. Coughlin
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date:	1993
Pages:	309
Started:	November 11, 2008
Finished:	November 14, 2008
Time to Read:	4 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"'Seldom does mystery/thriller fiction ring as true as this lucid, emotionally demanding book,'" said Publishers Weekly of the best-selling Shadow of a Doubt (SMP, 1991). Now, in his final work, former federal judge and veteran author William J. Coughlin combines an insightful look into our legal system with this beautifully crafted thriller. When billionaire banker Augustus Daren dies, a history of front-page scandal lives on with his controversial will. At the center of the conflict is his beautiful widow, Elizabeth, left with control of the bank and now accused by her rich and embittered stepchildren of holding Daren in her thrall after his severe stroke. Not only are billions at stake, but also the power to lead Daren's bank to dominate the international banking scene. Living in her remote northern Michigan estate, Elizabeth is as threatened by the ambition and greed of those who work for her as by her known enemies. To Jake Martin, a partner at a prestigious Detroit law firm, the case appears watertight, and he has a videotape of the signing of the will as proof. But when the tape disappears and key witnesses begin changing their stories, Jake finds that his own future is on the line. Unrealized resources of strength and determination force him to continue - to fight not simply the opposition, but the growing attraction he senses between himself and Elizabeth. As the court date approaches, Jake's position becomes increasingly isolated as Elizabeth's enemies become his own. In the Presence of Enemies is an authentic and powerful legal drama written by a courtroom expert, with twists and surprises right up to its stunning conclusion."
Stars:	****
Review:	Reading this book, I found myself becoming emotionally involved. In a very deep way, I loved the characters of Elizabeth and Jake, I wanted to get to know them better, and beyond all else, I wanted them to win. It was all too easy to take their enemies as my own. At times, during the book, I felt deja vu - had this author foreseen the Anna Nicole Smith story with this plotline? At other times, I felt a bit comical, with some of the dated descriptions and technologies - ah, the early 1990s. But at all times, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am sorry that I started my literary journey with Coughlin with his last work - 15 years ago - instead of his first. Get a copy today!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 69: The Last Juror

Book #:	69
Book Title:	The Last Juror
Author:	John Grisham
Publisher:	Dell
Pub. Date:	2004
Pages:	486
Started:	August 2, 2008
Finished:	August 5, 2008
Time to Read:	3 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"In 1970, Willie Traynor came to Clanton, Mississippi, in a Triumph Spitfire and a fog of vague ambitions. Within a year, the twenty-three-year-old found himself the owner of Ford County's only newspaper, famous for its well-crafted obituaries. While the rest of American was in the grips of turmoil, Clanton lived on the edge of another age - until the brutal murder of a young mother rocked the town and thrust Willie into the center of a storm. Daring to report the true horrors of the crime, Willie made as many friends as enemies in Clanton, and over the next decade he would sometimes wonder how he had gotten there in the first place. But he could never escape the crime that had shattered his innocence or the criminal whose evil had left an indelible stain. Because as the ghosts of the South's past gather around Willie, as tension swirfls around Clanton, men and women who served on a jury nine years ago are starting to die one by one - as a killer exacts the ultimate revenge..."
Stars:	****
Review:	With more time spent in the land of journalism than in a courtroom, this is a bit of a departure from the typical Grisham novel...but it lacks none of the qualities that make Grisham a great read time and time again. You can just picture Willie Traynor as a hippie kid in the 70s who a small town transforms into an eccentric but lovable town figure. The under story, which is Traynor's decade long coverage of a crime and its aftermath, is what reminds us that no one can cover a crime and courtroom scenario better than Grisham. All the way until the end...the reader wonders what in the world could happen next. Highly recommend!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 64: The Judge

Book #:	64
Book Title:	The Judge
Author:	Steve Martini
Publisher:	Jove
Pub. Date:	1996
Pages:	501
Started:	July 13, 2008
Finished:	July 16, 2008
Time to Read:	4 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"When Judge Armando Acosta is charged with soliciting a prostitute, attorney Paul Madriani is less than sympathetic. Nevertheless, Madriani is forced to defend his old nemesis. And when the policewoman who snared Acosta is brutally murdered, he wonders if the judge is also the executioner..."
Stars:	*
Review:	I really need to establish a 50-page rule for books that stink. This has to be about the slowest starting book in history. Once it gets going, the storyline is actually somewhat intriguing...but the book as a whole just doesn't do the trick for me. I'd advise passing.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 58: Final Witness

Book #:	58
Book Title:	Final Witness
Author:	Simon Tolkien
Publisher:	Random House
Pub. Date:	2002
Pages:	283
Started:	June 20, 2008
Finished:	June 22, 2008
Time to Read:	3 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"One summer night, two men break into an isolated manor house and kill Lady Anne Robinson. Her son, Thomas, convinces police that his father's beautiful personal assistant sent the killers, but Thomas is known for his overactive imagination, and he has reasons to lie. Thomas's father, Sir Peter Robinson, the British minister of defense, refuses to believe his son. Instead, he marries his assistant, Greta Grahame, and will be giving evidence for the defense at her trial. He will be the final witness. Author Simon Tolkien successfully combines legal suspense and psychological tension in this sharply etched portrait of four people whose lives are changed by a murder. Alternating between the trial in London's Central Criminal Court and private moments among characters, Tolkien expertly describes the art of the trial, the class between Britain's social classes, and, most notably, the complexity of family relations. Who is telling the truth - the new wife or the bereaved son? What will Sir Peter tell the court? With tantalizing ambiguity, Tolkien keeps readers guessing about the true motivations of these characters until the final witness."
Stars:	*
Review:	I enjoy the writing of Simon Tolkien about as much as I enjoy the writing of his grandfather, J.R.R. Tolkien. Young Tolkien is very proud of his heritage and wants you to know about it right on the flap of the book, but doesn't want to be judged by his name, only his work. Admirable. Unfortunately, the judgment, from me, will be harsh. I suppose my harsh judgment even starts with the flap writing. Isn't that some of the worst you've seen? Seriously. Just so you know, I got this book as a present (dear, Christopher...he saw the genre and figured I'd like it) and so I read the flap only just before starting the tale. The story is choppy. The characters are ill-portrayed. Despite the fact that Tolkien is both British and a barrister, there are inaccuracies both in how British culture is depicted and the British legal system. By the end of the novel, I was hoping the murderers would come back for a few more shots. All around, just did not enjoy. It's a shame...written differently, the basis of the story could have been compelling. As it stands...go ahead and take a pass on this one.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 54: The Brethren

Book #:	54
Book Title:	The Brethren
Author:	John Grisham
Publisher:	Dell Publishing
Pub. Date:	2000
Pages:	440
Started:	June 6, 2008
Finished:	June 8, 2008
Time to Read:	3 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"They call themselves the Brethren: three disgraced former judges doing time in a Florida federal prison. One was sent up for tax evasion. Another, for skimming bingo profits. And the third, for a career-ending drunken joyride. Meeting daily in the prison law library, taking exercise walks in their boxer shorts, these judges-turned-felons can reminisce about old court cases, dispense a little jailhouse justice, and contemplate where their lives went wrong. Or they can use their time in prison to get very rich - very fast. And so they sit, sprawled in the prison library, furiously writing letters, fine-tuning a wickedly brilliant extortion scam...while events outside their prison walls begin to erupt. A bizarre presidential election is holding the nation in its grips - and a powerful government figure is pulling some very hidden strings. For the Brethren, the timing couldn't be better. Because they've just found the perfect victim..."
Stars:	***
Review:	This is another Grisham novel that asks the reader to try to sympathize with the bad guys...but it's a lot harder to do in this novel than in "The Partner." In this novel, the crimes committed are a lot less innocuous that the theft of money...and the techniques used are just simply telling of the black hearts some people have. But yet... I find myself drawn into the story. Rooting, alternately, for the felons versus the victims. But when a victim emerges that is so much stronger, and yet so much weaker, than any other...the story goes into frantic mode and the reader suddenly can't wait to see how it all will end. Or perhaps, what will end. Good read!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 53: The Partner

Book #:	53
Book Title:	The Partner
Author:	John Grisham
Publisher:	Island Books
Pub. Date:	1997
Pages:	468
Started:	June 3, 2008
Finished:	June 5, 2008
Time to Read:	3 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"Once he was a well-liked, well-paid young partner in a thriving Mississippi law firm. Then Patrick Lanigan stole ninety million dollars from his own firm - and ran for his life. For four years, he evaded men who were rich, powerful, and would stop at nothing to find him. Then, inevitably, on the edge of the Brazilian jungle, they finally tracked him down. Now Patrick is coming home. And in the Mississippi city where it all began, an extraordinary trial is about to begin. As prosecutors circle like sharks, as Patrick's lawyer prepares his defense, as Patrick's lover prays for his deliverance and his former partners wait for their revenge, another story is about to emerge. Because Patrick Lanigan, the most reviled white-collar criminal of his time, knows something that no one else in the world knows... He knows the truth..."
Stars:	****
Review:	It's hard to love the bad guy in any story. You are primed in life to root for good over evil and believe that the law will prevail against those who make a mockery of it. Only John Grisham can build a tail where the reader spends the entire time on the edge of their seat, hoping against hope that this time, the bad guy will prevail. From the moment a mysterious stranger is revealed in a remote South American town, he is a mystery wrapped in an enigma and dusted on top with an odd kind of charm. This question poses a few morally interesting questions, where Grisham challenges the reader to think beyond what they normally would embrace. The book is fast moving and has such a carefully crafted plot that the ends comes far too quickly. Highly recommend - one of the best Grisham has to offer!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 23: The Rainmaker

Book #:	23
Book Title:	The Rainmaker
Author:	John Grisham
Publisher:	Island Books
Pub. Date:	1995
Pages:	598
Started:	March 21, 2008
Finished:	March 23, 2008
Time to Read:	3 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"It's summer in Memphis. The sweat is sticking to Rudy Baylor's shirt and creditors are nipping at his heels. Once he had aspirations of breezing through law school and punching his ticket to the good life. Now he doesn't have a job or a prayer...except for one: an insurance dispute that leaves a family devastated and opens the door for a lawsuit, if Rudy can find a way to file it. By the time Rudy gets to court, a heavyweight corporate defense team is there to meet him. And suddenly, he's over his head, plunged into a nightmare of lies and legal maneuverings. A case that started small is exploding into a thunderous million-dollar war of nerves, skill, and outright violence - a fight that could cost one young lawyer his life, or turn him into the biggest rainmaker in the land...."
Stars:	****
Review:	It's taken me 22 prior books in 2008 to get to Grisham. Mea Culpa! The Rainmaker is definitely a classic David versus Goliath story and Grisham pulls it off masterfully. With fabulous character portraits, a moving and motivating plot, and the anticipation of giving an evil company its due, this book has it all. I love Grisham - and hope you do too!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany