Shadow of Power: A Paul Madriani Novel (Paul Madriani Novels, 9)

I love all of his books! He makes you feel like you are a part of the story!

Martini really builds the suspense and provides plenty of twists, and a great ending. Along the way, Martini teaches the reader about how courts and the law works. For those who compain that this book is built on an implausible premise: this is FICTION! I personally did not think it was implausible at all.

This was my first Steve Martini novel and I enjoyed it a lot. The plot moves fast, and the characters and language feel authentic. Most uniquely, the courtroom scenes are gripping and feel procedurally real. Martini writes with the color and creativity of John Grisham, but this novel has much more interior courtroom drama that the typical Grisham, which I found refreshing and enjoyable. I will seek out more Steve Martini works. I listened to Shadow of Power unabridged on audio CD, narrated by George Guidall. As always, Guidall is masterful, reason enough to select the book as your next listen.

I have been a fan of the Paul Madriani series for a long time and this one kept me enthralled. This book would be a good read even for people who have not read all the previous books in the series (though you definitely should read them all!) because it is more about the case than about Madriani. I do have to agree with another reviewer that it is (I sincerely hope) unlikely that the dead language of amended clauses in the Constitution could get people angry enough to riot in the streets, much less be a motive for murder, but given the right social/political atmosphere it is plausible. And I've read books that require a greater suspension of belief so this one didn't bother me too much. The suspense in this book comes from the investigation, trial preparation, and courtroom action, not from dodging bullets or being chased by the real killer. Madriani and Hinds have an unsympathetic client with strong circumstantial evidence and overwhelming public opinion pointing to his guilt. And their opponent is as good at playing the courtroom game as they are. They have an alternate theory of why the victim was killed but difficulty finding admissible evidence to prove it. I found this process captivating but readers who want a stronger adrenaline fix might not enjoy it as much. The writing is excellent and Martini throws in little tidbits about even the minor characters that make them stand out -- his description of "The Tush" in action made me chuckle. The ending was a big surprise: not only who the killer was but the reason.

Shadow of Power would be thought of by Hollywood as National Treasure meets Perry Mason. A murder is committed and, lurking in the background, is the possibility that a hitherto-unknown document, written by one of the founding fathers, is the cause of that murder. Paul Madriani defends the accused killer and needs to find the document in order to clear him. The real national treasure is Steve Martini. This is, by far, his best book, and I have been with him since The Simeon Chamber. His sentence-by-sentence writing is now smooth and effective and he is the absolute master of courtroom drama, courtroom technique, courtroom chess matches and courtroom procedure. Shadow of Power has a jackhammer plot, interesting characters, and a fascinating set of related mysteries, all of which are nicely resolved. I disagree with those who find the novel implausible. The novel's subtext is the hyper-partisan nature of contemporary politics and the manner in which it is fed by demagogues and opportunistic media. The world of the novel is immediately recognizable. Despite its length this is a very fast read. In fact, it's exhibit A for unputdownableness. It is the perfect model of a bestseller--a fabulous summer read that is filled with legal facts, tantalizing mysteries, and a touch of the old ultra-violence. Highly recommended.