3.5 stars This enjoyable thriller reads a lot like a John Grisham novel with a dash of Perry Mason thrown in. Dallas lawyer A. Scott Fenney was a star football player in college. This helped propel him into his job as an attorney at the elite Ford Stevens law firm where he happily learned less-than-ethical techniques to benefit his clients and bring in fees of 3 million dollars a year. Thus Scott and his family live in a mansion in classy Highland Park, he and his wife Rebecca drive expensive cars, and Rebecca aspires to be hostess of the glamorous Cattle Barons Ball. To top it off Scott has a whip-smart daughter he adores, 9-year-old Boo. Scott feels like he's living the perfect life. Then United States District Court Judge Samuel Buford appoints Scott to be the pro-bono lawyer for black prostitute Shawanda Jones, who 's accused of killing Clark McCall. Clark is the bad-boy son of Senator Mack McCall, who's determined to become the next President of the United States. Moreover, Senator McCall is friends with Scott's boss Dan Ford, who's poised to become the attorney of the next President. Scott tries to get rid of Shawanda as a client by urging her to cop a plea. But Shawanda insists she's innocent and wants a trial. From here the book takes a predictable, but still entertaining, turn. The Senator is determined that his son's past as a druggie who hits and rapes women doesn't become public knowledge. Thus the Senator pulls a few strings and Dan Ford urges Scott to throw the case. When Scott gets a twinge of conscience and refuses his life starts to go downhill at breakneck speed. Though the story plays out much as expected I enjoyed the book, which is well-written with engaging characters. Some of the most likable characters in the story include Scott's old law school buddy Bobby - who helps with the case; Shawanda's endearing daughter Pajamae - who Scott takes into his home during the trial; and Boo - who supplies the conscience Scott sorely needs. The rascals in the tale include Dan Ford - whose sole interest in life is making money; Tom Dibrell - Scott's best client, who never met a pretty woman he couldn't harass; and Senator McCall - who would do anything to get his way. The book has the requisite courtroom scenes, which add interest to the story. I liked the book and recommend it to fans of legal mysteries.
I've just finished reading this gem of a book and thought I'd post a review. A senator's son has been murdered. Police arrest a black prostitute, and A. Scott Fenney, an attorney who specializes in corporate law, has been hired pro bono to defend her. The senator whose son has been murdered has ambitions to become President.The book reminded me of "The Firm." Although the plot lines are different, the novel shares many similarities with Grisham's bestselling work. In this book, an ambitious and bright lawyer takes on a case and later regrets his decision as his world comes falling down (In Grisham's fine novel, of course, a young attorney joins a small tax law firm and just as soon has second thoughts). Fenney, as a former college-football legend, is a tough-minded young attorney who is determined to win this case. There are a few red herrings and twists and turns along the way, with an ending I hadn't expected. The book features a host of characters, all of whom are carefully layered (including the attorney's wife and 9-year-old daughter as well as the defendant's own daughter of the same age). The writing is tight and at times even lyrical. There are sections where you can sense the energy in the writing abate somewhat, but readers are soon treated to some moments of first-rate suspense that more than make up for any (slight) ebbing of the prose. Characters are lifelike and seem to breathe through the pages--I actually found myself disappointed at book's end since the characters seem to live with you.Last, but certainly not least, I would like to address the displeasure of some readers on one aspect of the novel--the writer's portrayal of the main character as a staunch racist. In my opinion, such a character sketch works in favor of the storyline of the book: after all, readers are left wondering whether he will, despite his prejudices, be able to put together an adequate defense. I believe this only adds to the sense of impending danger--the hallmark of a good thriller--prevalent throughout the book.All in all a great book, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for a good read in the legal thriller genre. Already I look forward to reading anything by the author I can find.
What do You think about The Color Of Law (2006)?
This is a scathing indictment of layers in the United States. It is also a murder mystery. It is also a courtroom drama. It is also a polemic against racial discrimination inTexas. Too many plots clumsily stitched together with cliches.A pity because at the heart of the conflict is a good idea, but even the device that forces rich corporate layer to defend drug addict prostitute feels contrived. The layer's record in college football seems the only character motivation and it grows more tedious with each of its many repetitions.The real test of plausibility is provided by two nine-year-old girls. Boo, the layer's daughter, wants her bed-time reading to be the 6th Amendment of the US Constitution - the author's pretext for getting across some relevant facts. But Boo and the prostitute's daughter are portrayed as astonishingly naive at one moment and then shrewdly wise the next.A minor character is a golf pro who improbably wins a million dollar tournament just weeks after even more improbably joining the professional tour in mid-season.The murder mystery remains in the background for a long stretch then re-enters for the trial (presided over by a kindly old judge) - and the appearance of a deus ex machina.The invocation of Harper Lee's classic To Kill a Mocking Bird is shameful. And yet ...This reader warmly recommends the author's next book, Cool Law. It is so much better than The Colour of Law it might have been written by someone else. Forget this prentice effort but do try its successor.
—Gerald Sinstadt
"Color of Law" is a fabulous book! I couldn't put it down. I think Mark Gimenez is my new favourite "lawyer/mystery" author. He crafts a great story with characters you won't forget, and his writing, in my opinion, is superb. I get the feeling he is a good man with decent values; I suspect he's also as tough as he is kind. They say he's "the next Grisham", which seems to me to be sort of demeaning. Maybe what they mean is that his stories captivate as Grisham's do; they are both talented lawyers-turned-writers. I do love John Grisham's books, too. But when I read Mark Gimenez's books, I don't compare him with John Grisham or anyone. He's just good, that's all. His books have taught me a great deal about U.S. minorities and about Texas.My only regret about "Color of Law" is that I didn't read it FIRST before I read "The Accused". So I finished "Color of Law" (sadly: I didn't want it to end) and read "The Accused" again. Mark Gimenez is a wonderful writer, storyteller and teacher. When you read his books, you'll see what I mean. p.s. Read "The Governor's Wife" (brilliant!) after you've read "Color of Law" and "The Accused".
—Francie
I discovered a new author this month. Mark Gimenez, loads of people are calling him the new John Grisham, well I agree. (See below for a couple of reviews) And it certainly makes a change from John Grisham. He writes crime thrillers with a large emphasis on legal thrillers based in Texas, which i found awesome as I hadn´t read many other books based in Texas and I enjoyed them immensely. I started off reading The Color of Law & The Accused, a two part series with the same lawyer as the main character. As the books are based in Texas there is also a fair amount of information on Mexican illegal immigrants. These two books are a question of right and wrong and I even at times asked myself that question while reading. I read these two books back to back, they are both similar in the fact that the main characters are the same but the cases are completely different.Anyhow the lawyer in question is put in a difficult moral position and has to choose, the right or wrong thing to do. He chooses the right thing, but his boss doesn´t think so. There are some nasty characters in here, some people with loads of money and power that think they can rule other people lives, but Scott manages to put them in their place and even though is goes through a difficult patch he pulls through.This is a book about morals, one I think many people should read and it might help them get their priorities straight.
—Jo Reason
