Synopses & Reviews
Leo Maxwell thinks he's found a career-making case when a mysterious woman nearly runs him down, then appears at his office to hire him to defend her brother on a murder charge. One problem: Leo hasn't actually met the client when he sets out to investigate what seems like a hot tip on a burgeoning scandal in the Oakland Police Department. When he presents evidence of deep-set corruption in the Department to the District Attorney's office, he quickly learns that all is not as it seems, beginning with Leo's client and the alluring woman who hired him. Leo's "client," as he learns to his humiliation, is actually represented by Nikki Matson, one of Oakland's most notorious gangland lawyers. What's more, the client knows nothing about Leo being hired to defend him and claims not even to have a sister.
Soon after Leo realizes that he's been set up by unknown persons to be the number one enemy of both the police and the gangs, he also discovers he's also being framed for Matson's murder. He knows he's a marked man unless he can bring those responsible to justice. Bodies pile up as Leo closes in on his tormenters, while at the same time, they are closing in on him.
Review
“Finely paced mystery is full of intelligent plot twists.”
—Publishers Weekly AudioFile
Review
“Boasts . . . polish in its blend of ironic narration, classic noir overtones, and artfully drafted characters.”
—Booklist BookPage
Review
“When [Bray] performs, he creates a whole world for the listener to sink into. And when the bullets start flying, listeners will grip their steering wheels hard, hold their breath, and pray for the hero’s deliverance.”
—AudioFile [Earphones Award Winner] Sound Commentary
Review
“Told in staccato prose, perfectly mirrored by R. C. Bray’s noir-tinged narration, Smith’s tautly twisted plot moves at a fast, cut-to-the-chase pace.”
—BookPage
Review
“Brays punchy delivery is a good match for the story and the writing and will have wide appeal.”
—Sound Commentary
Synopsis
Leo lived in the shadow of older brother, ruthless and effective criminal defense lawyer Teddy Maxwell, until Teddy was disabled in a shooting. Now Leo has gone looking for a case to establish his own legal reputation--and found more than he bargained for.
About the Author
LACHLAN SMITH was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford, and received an MFA from Cornell. His fiction has appeared in the Best New American Voices series. In addition to writing novels, he is an attorney practicing in the area of civil rights and employment law.R. C. BRAY has performed Off-Broadway in New York City, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, and many stages in between. In addition to audiobooks, his work is heard in promos for The Biography Channel, A&E and CNBC. He lives in New England.