The Jury

This is a great book. Martini, writing in the first person through his attorney narrator, Paul Madriani, is engaging and colloquial. Paul is a likable person, even though he is an attorney, and so is his sidekick, Harry Hinds. In fact, there really are not any despicable people here in this novel, and that is what is so great, for a novel. Most novels have to ride on the back of some villain. Martini has not done that. There are no real villains in this story. The perpetrator is a sick man, but he is not evil. In fact, he is an artist, of a sort, a carpentry artist. That is somewhat unusual, too, because usually artists are intropunitive, like Van Gogh (cutting off his own ear, and all that), not extropunitive and murderous, blaming others for their problems. It makes you think. Anyway, Frank Boyd, the killer in question, is not evil. He is deeply troubled, by the life-threatening illness of his own daughter. Who can't relate to this paternal love? There are no villainous people here. Tannery, the prosecutor, and his boss, Tate, the head D.A., are somewhat misguided in their goals and objectives, and that's where the real conflict comes into Martini's story. Tannery is prosecuting the wrong man, and is doing so for what appear to be partially self-serving reasons, to further his own career. Martini has done a lot with a little here, and he therein shows himself to be above the rest of the crowd of novelists, but about at the same level as some of his attorney-novelist cohorts. Attorneys do seem to make good novelists, now that they have seen fit to pass through that gate, following Grisham, Turow, et al. I highly recommend this book. You'll enjoy it and learn some things at the same time (for instance, what is molecular computing?). Diximus.

Paul Madriani is back with a trial lawyer's worst nightmare: a murder defendant he believes to be innocent who refuses to cooperate in his own defense. Dr. David Crane, accused of strangling his bright, black and beautiful assistant, Dr. Kalista Jordan, hides behind his top-secret genetic research when asked to explain his well known differences with the deceased. As always, Mr. Martini does the best job in the business of showing us the legal strategy of a contentious trial without talking down and gives us examples of cross-examination that should be studied in a law schol. The dialogue is perhaps his best, the mystery is up to his usual standards - although I've come to care for his daughter Jennifer and would have liked to see more of her as she continues to grow up without a mother - there is a possibility of racism to complicate things and the surprise ending is indeed a brilliantly conceived (and fairly hinted at) surprise. Perhaps it is a bit longer than necessary despite it's twists and needed technical explanations, but it's so good I missed half a night's sleep to finish it.

If you can't solve it before the end then its good!

If there was any doubt that Steve Martini was King of the legal thrillers, 'The Jury' should make that status firm and concrete.While I still believe 'The Judge' to be Martini's best Paul Madriani novel-to-date, this story is yet another fantastic example of the legal thriller genre.As you may remember, Paul Madriani, whom we first met in Martini's fantastic 'Compelling Evidence', has moved from Capitol City to San Diego to kinda start over after the death of his wife -- not so much for him, but for their daughter, too. Of all the Madriani novels so far, I believe 'The Jury' to be the quickest starting. You begin the novel quite literally in the middle of the murder trial which is the basis for this captivating story. You can really see Martini's research in this story, maybe more so than usual. The topic is a hot button for a good part of the country, and rightfully so: Racial Profiling. But this story takes on a different angle when you add in genetics, micro-biological-robotics and more -- and no, this isn't anything science fiction. No matter how sophisticated and technical the story gets, Martini handles the explanations in such a way that helps you understand without making you feel he had to 'dumb it down'. I never really thought about this (maybe that's because I'm not a lawyer) but how would you defend your client against a charge of murder when they refuse to reveal critical information that can only serve to help their case? This is the situation that Paul and Harry (his associate) find themselves in within the pages of 'The Jury'. Dr. Crone is accused of murdering one of his employees, Kalista Jordan. Did he do it? What part does race play in this particular murder, or does it at all? Why does Crone refuse to reveal to his lawyers what exactly his laboratory is working on? Is it morally wrong? Did someone else murder Kalista? And the big question: WHY was Kalista killed? Just when you are almost as frustrated at Crone as Harry and Paul are, Martini throws you a twist that could very well provide Crone with a free get out of jail card...but trust me, when you reach this point, just remember this story is far from over. Yet another great example of why I personally believe Steve Martini to be the best legal thriller author published today. Grisham is good, but this guy is simply GREAT.I must admit, that the title, 'The Jury' IS a bit misleading... but it in no-way made the story any less entertaining... but where exactly IS this 'Jury'? Other than in a few scenes in the book, I don't really know. But I DO know that if you enjoy well-crafted murder-mysteries with sharp legal twists intricately weaved within, than you will be most pleased with this latest trip to the courtroom from Martini. Oh, and if you enjoyed this one, look up his other Paul Madriani novels, 'Compelling Evidence', 'Prime Witness', 'Undue Influence', 'The Judge' and 'The Attorney'. Not just good examples of the legal thriller genre, but some of th

As a mystery author with my debut novel in its initial release, I work hard to provide unexpected plot twists at the end of my mysteries. Steve Martini certainly provides a brilliant final twist to his plot in THE JURY. THE JURY is Mr. Martini's latest legal thriller featuring Paul Mandriani. The San Francisco attorney has relocated to the other spectacular California waterfront metropolis--San Diego (America's Finest City, by its own admission). Mandriani is tasked with defending Dr. David Crone, a medical researcher involved in cutting edge human genome mapping. Kalista Jordan, a fellow researcher, is murdered. She was a professional rival, and Crone becomes the prime suspect. A suicide and confession changes things unexpectedly, and then comes the ultimate O'Henry twist. THE JURY is a terrific book.