I love a good courtroom drama. I am always a sucker for the subject of law. This book started off really good. The suspense built gradually, just at the right pace. The suspect you come to know just oozes sleaziness right off the pages. I really thought this had good potential for a great ending and a Hell Yeah moment. But unfortunately it did not deliver. In parts, the subject of Nash's affection was really irritating. Her parts of dialogue where she doesn't finish her damn sentences, they just trail off. It was freakin' annoying. David Nash was such a good guy, even though he was a defense attorney. He just started realizing what he was doing for a living was not rewarding and he was not satisfied with his life's work. I'm sure many lawyers go through that. But with the layout and the build-up of what transpires, it JUST starts to get good, you think something really good is going to bring you to the end, then WHAM! Done, over with. No big justice! No vengeance! NOTHING. Just nicely wrapped up at the end with a fuckin pretty pink bow. Such a bummer. I really liked the first book I read by Margolin, Sleeping Beauty. I had expected the same suspense with this one. Not.Even.Close.
This is one of Philip Margolin's early novels. It has the protagonist, David Nash, beginning to doubt the legal system, after he has won several trials where the defendants were pretty amoral.So, he is glad to get a case where he is almost certain the client is innocent--a fellow lawyer with a good reputation. Then he meets the client's wife--and finds out she is the woman he had a brief affair with. In an action which certainly would be considered questionable professional ethics, David continues to defend Larry Stafford, while sleeping with his wife on the side!David Nash is a clever lawyer, but not very admirable, and he really gets psychologically hung up on the varying degress of guilt or innocence.The ending does have a neat little twist. Originally published in 1981, this isnot as developed as Margolin's later novels. Nevertheless,Margolin is still a cut above many other writers, and this novel would please most fans of mysteries and courtroom thrillers.
What do You think about The Last Innocent Man (2005)?
Everyone accused of a crime is guaranteed a legal defense, the question here is when does attorney/client privilege cross the line of an objective legal defense! Loved the plot, some of the characters were questionable. This was a page turner for me, I could not put this book down. Liked this book better than Gone But Not Forgotten. I have four more of Phillip Margolin's books to read, hope they live up to this one. I liked the suspense and twists in the plot. Phillip Margolin moved up on my list of favorite authors. I work in an attorney's office, not criminal defense but the inner workings of the legal profession are interesting.
—Sue Lambert
David Nash, defense attorney, has had a good life. How is it then that he now is being troubled by his occupation? Most of his clients are guilty. When you're making sure justice is done, you tend to keep focused on the fair trial for everyone, rather than the crime. But, the last few trials have left him feeling a little strung out. Are his strings being pulled? Or is he just going soft? If he's not careful, his confusion could put him in a very precarious situation. Justice, truth, or breaking his oath...what shall it be?
—Marilyn
Good thriller set against a series of coincidencesMargolin comes through with The Last Innocent Man, a book that keeps the pages turning but at times I wondered about the series of incredible coincidences that linked all of the characters together (I won't go into them here, for fear of revealing too much of the plot for those who have not yet read the book).Are you looking for a book that leads the protagonist through a series of difficult choices until finally everything is forced to come to a head? Than this is your book. However, be aware that you'll be forced to suspend your sense of disbelief from time to time as well.Read all of my reviews at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/
—Dale
