Rating: 
Summary: Attorney Stephen Horn has just written...
Review: his second novel, and I caught up with his first, "In Her Defense", recently. The book is a great read. The legal plot is complex and takes a simple case of murder and mixes it with a government plot. You're not sure who the bad guy is until the very end! One thing you do know is that Horn's hero, Frank O'Connell, is a principaled attorney who has left the comfortable life of his father-in-law's law firm in order to pursue criminal matters, his passion from his days in the NYC D.A.'s office. No one, not Frank's estranged wife Moira, his son, his beloved father-in-law, a Washington D.C. "fixer", his client, or his investigator really understands what makes Frank tick, and why he's pursuing the kind of court appointed criminal cases he's taken. Enter a society homicide, complete with ethical temptations, and O'Connell & the story are off and running. Fast paced, great characters, and the promise of more to come from Frank O'Connell make "In Her Defense" a worthy read!
Rating:
Summary: Attorney Stephen Horn has just written...
Review: his second novel, and I caught up with his first, "In Her Defense", recently. The book is a great read. The legal plot is complex and takes a simple case of murder and mixes it with a government plot. You're not sure who the bad guy is until the very end! One thing you do know is that Horn's hero, Frank O'Connell, is a principaled attorney who has left the comfortable life of his father-in-law's law firm in order to pursue criminal matters, his passion from his days in the NYC D.A.'s office. No one, not Frank's estranged wife Moira, his son, his beloved father-in-law, a Washington D.C. "fixer", his client, or his investigator really understands what makes Frank tick, and why he's pursuing the kind of court appointed criminal cases he's taken. Enter a society homicide, complete with ethical temptations, and O'Connell & the story are off and running. Fast paced, great characters, and the promise of more to come from Frank O'Connell make "In Her Defense" a worthy read!
Rating: 
Summary: A wondeful debut!
Review: How do you prepare a defense when your client openly admits that she killed someone? That's what we're about to find out. Frank O'Connell's life is in shambles. He walked away from a profitable position in his father-in-law's firm and his marriage is in the dumps. He's wondering how he's going to make ends meet and continue on when a rich socialite walks into his office and tells him she wants him to defend her against a murder charge for which she is guilty. From here, the author takes you on a roller-coaster ride of murder, deceit, and a government secret that has been kept buried for half a century. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author.
Rating:
Summary: A wondeful debut!
Review: How do you prepare a defense when your client openly admits that she killed someone? That's what we're about to find out. Frank O'Connell's life is in shambles. He walked away from a profitable position in his father-in-law's firm and his marriage is in the dumps. He's wondering how he's going to make ends meet and continue on when a rich socialite walks into his office and tells him she wants him to defend her against a murder charge for which she is guilty. From here, the author takes you on a roller-coaster ride of murder, deceit, and a government secret that has been kept buried for half a century. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Great first novel
Review: I bought this book with several others and was totally blown away. I would read and read and think I had the plot twists figured out and then, BAM, another surprise. However, I agree with an earlier review that Ashley could have been omitted, or at least had a much smaller part. She really didn't add much, except for Frank, of course. But other than that, I would highly recommend this book. I'd never heard of Stephen Horn before this, but I will certainly be on the lookout for any other books he writes in the future.
Rating:
Summary: 3. 5 stars - Mixed Feelings
Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. In parts, it really had me hooked, but in other parts, I felt the story was weak, and some plot points were slightly implausible. The plot is relatively familiar; a talented lawyer with problems of his own must "rescue" an accused damsel in distress. Of course, his defense team will consist of the all-too-familiar grizzled-but-wise ex-cop or PI, and at least one fresh-behind-the ears intern. But a few interesting angles are thrown into the mix. Ultimately, I felt that the main character's relationships with the 2 main women in the story weren't quite right. And I found the wrap-up to the main mystery in the story to be a little unsatisfying. But overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to fans of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: 3. 5 stars - Mixed Feelings
Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. In parts, it really had me hooked, but in other parts, I felt the story was weak, and some plot points were slightly implausible. The plot is relatively familiar; a talented lawyer with problems of his own must "rescue" an accused damsel in distress. Of course, his defense team will consist of the all-too-familiar grizzled-but-wise ex-cop or PI, and at least one fresh-behind-the ears intern. But a few interesting angles are thrown into the mix. Ultimately, I felt that the main character's relationships with the 2 main women in the story weren't quite right. And I found the wrap-up to the main mystery in the story to be a little unsatisfying. But overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to fans of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent legal thriller
Review: I haven't enjoyed a book like this since John Lescroart's"The 13th Juror" which was expertly plotted. In addition toa fine and complex plot, Horn's humor is the laugh-out-loud kind and his characters are real, very very real, ever so likeable and the kind of people you want to read about again soon. The lawyer, Frank O'Connell, a semi-loser with a great mind, gets a case no one can win. His redemption demands that he does. He's divorced, broke, and troubled. He needs every kind of help and this he gets from family, ex-family, friends and fellow professionals. The details aren't important here. What's critical is that if you enjoy legal thrillers, please read this book. It's wonderful and if Stephen Horn isn't busy on his next one, he should be ashamed of himself.
Rating: 
Summary: A really good read...
Review: I just finished this entertaining attorney/detective novel. Ditto the above good reviews. It reminded me of Robert Parker's books with its sarcasm and humor (I laughed out loud), but the storyline was more involved. I hope Frank O'Connell is a returning character for the author. My only criticism is that, somewhere along the line, I missed a description of the lead character and could not imagine him as I read. P.S. Tungsten is gray...
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous!
Review: I read this novel today (riding back from The University of Philidelphia, where my son was playing football, while my wife was driving), and could not put it down til the end!
It was very realistic.
I am a trial lawyer, at Buffalo NY, who has tried murder cases in NY and US Courts.
I think this book is fabulous; because it captures the "feelings" of a murder trial, which is surely the "superbowl of criminal defense lawyers."
Indeed, defense lawyers have feelings and are not just "a head of cabbage, " as Oliver Wendell Holmes noted.
I love the risk of gambling at trial, but feel tormented by cases where clients confess their guilt, but there is perjury against them.
Defense lawyers have "feelings" about clients; and yes, they fight against prosecutorial misconduct, even when their clients are wrong.
They say: "If you can railroad the guilty, it's easier to railroad the innocent."
Although the author of this book is a former prosecutor (which I tend to detest), he has a uncommon grasp of the emotions of defense counsel; yes, even when the lawyer thinks his client is guilty.
This novel is an excellent portayal of the conundum defense counsel feel when prosecution witnesses are lying; but the lawyer wonders if the client should have taken a plea bargain anyway.
I hope the author gives me another novel to scrutinize.
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