Shadow of Power
A Paul Madriani Novel
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3.9 • 128 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Murder reaches deep into the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court in this latest thriller featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani, now published by William Morrow
Controversial law professor Terry Scarborough rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. With the publication of his new book—which claimed that the U.S. Constitution and some lost writings of Thomas Jefferson supported racial discrimination—he only added fuel to the fire. When he’s found beaten to death in a San Diego hotel room and a young man with connections to neo-Nazis is charged with first-degree murder, defense attorney Paul Madriani eagerly signs on to the case.
The passionate and wily litigator believes it isn’t just about power and race. He’s betting there’s a deeper mystery to this defendant—and that he may be just as much a victim as the deceased. Amid the glare of cameras and the jeers of protesters, Madriani buckles down, digging deep to find the evidence he needs to unlock the truth. And no one will stand in his way—not an officer of the U.S. government or a sitting Supreme Court justice.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestseller Martini's entertaining ninth Paul Madriani legal thriller (after 2005's Double Tap) offers an improbable if intriguing premise. San Diego, Calif., attorney Madriani and Harry Hinds, his longtime partner, agree to represent Carl Arnsberg, a racist facing execution for the bludgeoning-by-hammer murder of author Terry Scarborough, whose nonfiction bestseller, Perpetual Slaves, has actually led to riots in the streets. Scarborough focused the U.S. public on the retention in the Constitution of offensive language defining African-Americans as three-fifths human, despite subsequent amendments overriding those statements. He intended to follow Perpetual Slaves with a sequel that would reveal the existence of a secret letter written by Thomas Jefferson whose contents Scarborough believed would prove even more incendiary. Madriani and his team race frantically to trace a copy of that letter, which disappeared from the victim's briefcase at about the time of his murder. Compelling courtroom scenes, which display a sophisticated knowledge of legal trench warfare, compensate for some less-than-credible plot twists.
Customer Reviews
By the end I wanted more
In the beginning it took me awhile to familiarize myself with the plot but I stuck with it and shortly was rewarded with a really good story. I actually paid for the paperback version and got my moneys worth. Aside from my initial confusion I really enjoyed it and page after page couldn't wait to get to the next one. One reason I liked it was because it was a mystery not a "romance mystery" like so many mass produced stories these days. The confusion works itself out as the story unfolds and easily took me into a subject I was not too familiar with and educated me along the way. Nice pace. I would have given it 5 stars except for my initial confusion.