Under Oath

Margaret McLean's UNDER OATH is an excellent first novel from a former prosecutor who knows the workings of the criminal courts inside and out. The courtroom segments of the book are by far the best, as the action takes place against the backdrop of the murder trial of two hoodlums from Charlestown, Massachusetts. The victim was from the same neighborhood as the accused Malone brothers, and the legendary "code of silence" is always in the background as the trial unfolds. Malone thugs fiendishly locate and silence government witnesses before they can testify, and the victim's sister finds herself partnered with the chief detective as they attempt to undo the damage done to the prosecution's case. McLean's legal expertise and experience are evident throughout the book, ranging from an insolent bailiff to a biased juror, and by the book's suspense-filled end the reader will agree with one character's observation that "The law is far from logical". Part ALL SOULS and part BLACK MASS, McLean has written a worthy addition to Boston literature and I hope we see more of her work.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends UNDER OATH as a legal mystery that is also a courtroom thriller of the first order. Margaret McLean, an erstwhile criminal prosecutor & Assistant District Attorney, puts to excellent use her trial experiences as background in this superb tale about a high profile murder trial. Presenting the case of two brothers accused of killing an FBI informant is a seasoned prosecutor; up against him is a flamboyant & cunning defense lawyer. What follows is fine courtroom action. UNDER OATH is a great legal read, right up there with ANATOMY OF A MURDER & TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, & we look forward to more from this lawyer-cum-author.

Written by a former Assistant District Attorney with hundreds of criminal cases to her personal experience, Under Oath is a gripping and dramatic crime novel of the struggle to see justice done. A legal thriller following a murder and conspiracy trial in which jurors are intimidated, witnesses are killed and FBI cover-ups obfuscate the truth, Under Oath is haunting in its eerie accuracy and solid grounding in real-life courtroom experience. Utterly compelling from cover to cover.

Margaret McLean grabbed my attention on the first page and never let go. Avoiding contrived and unrealistic twists in an effort at drama, McLean obviously relies on her experience as a prosecutor to craft a tightly wound and gripping novel. Characters are real people - multi-dimensional and layered. As a trial lawyer, I was impressed with how well McLean was able to weave a compelling drama around the hopelessly anacharistic legal system. Buddy, the criminal defense lawyer, is, perhaps, the most well-developed character - aggressive, charming and passionate. He never lets his feelings for his client cloud his judgment. For those Bostonians looking for a Boston based novel, you need look no further. From her descriptions of Charlestown, it is obvious that McLean is intimately familiar with the territory and lingo of Boston. McLean as a story teller is easily John Grisham's equal -- but her writing is much better.

Just finished reading it. Kept my interest up and really enjoyed it.The ending is a surprise. It is interesting to follow what must really happen in the court - written by a lawyer and assitant DA.