First Sentence: "Murder."
Tatum Graham is a
successful, wealthy defense attorney who has never lost a case. Discovering his newly acquitted client really was
guilty of murder sends Tatum off on the road from Miami without an apparent destination
in mind. Or was there when he ends up in
the small Utah town of his birth. There
he finds a father dying of cancer, and an old girlfriend now the town's sheriff,
and himself the prosecutor in the murder trial of a young girl.
One can't always
judge a character by the opening. Just
when one thinks one has a bead on him, he surprises you. And isn't it nice when that happens?
Tatum is something
of a study in contrasts. On one hand, he
is the no-holds-barred attorney; abrasive, egotistical, even rude. Then the man within the shell shows up and
draws one in to see what a well-constructed, fully developed character he is. The excerpts from "The Art of Jury Trial
as War," a book only being written in Tatum's head so far, are interesting
and thought-provoking. The occasional
flashes of humor, and the dog, are a lovely diversion.
Methos really
knows how to twist a plot. The best part
is that the protagonist is as surprised as are we. And twists and turn there are galore. Yet there is also an excellent balance
between the legal information, which is fascinating, and the personal aspects
of the story, which is relatable and can touch one's heart.
"The Hallows" is an excellent legal mystery filled with great characters which make one almost wish this wasn't a standalone. However, it also proves Thomas Wolfe wrong. One can go home again.
THE HALLOWS (LegalMys-Tatum
Graham-Florida/Utah-Contemp) – Ex
Methos, Victor - Standalone
Thomas
& Mercer – July 2019
Posts
Sounds as much like a personal journey as a legal novel/thriller. And when it's done well, that can be really interesting. In a novel like this, the characters are especially important, so I'm glad you found them interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt was very well done. Methos is an excellent. I can't believe I discovered him only recently.
ReplyDeleteYou hooked me so I ordered it. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, good! My job is done! He really is very good. I hope you enjoy it. I couldn't believe I'd only found him with his previous book, The Shotgun Lawyer (https://booksaremagic.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-shotgun-lawyer-by-victor-methos.html).
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