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LAST LAWYER STANDING
by Douglas Corleone
Minotaur Books, August 2012
352 pages
$24.99
ISBN: 0312552289


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

In this third Kevin Corvelli novel, the Honolulu lawyer has a lot on his plate: defending his friend Turi Ahini, arrested in the death of a police officer, serving as counsel to the governor, whose mistress has been found dead, and last (but certainly not least) bringing down a corrupt segment of the Honolulu police force.

Corvelli, a transplanted New York lawyer (much like the author himself), initially is defending friend Turi from drug charges; while Turi is a small-time criminal, he did once save Corvelli's life. The prosecutors and DEA agents make a deal: they'll release Turi if he serves as a confidential informant. But once out, Turi kills a narcotics police officer. It's up to Corvelli to prove that most of the narcotics unit is crooked, and that Turi shot the cop in self-defense.

In the meantime, Gov. Wade Omphrey's latest mistress is found dead of strychnine poisoning, and Corvelli must untangle who is behind her death—and why. The governor is fast-approaching an election, adding pressure to the investigation.

Stabbed months ago (in the second book), Corvelli has become addicted to the Percocet he was prescribed for the pain, popping them four at a time or crushing them and snorting them like cocaine. Can he pull it all off—while high most of the time?

Author's Corleone's books are fast-paced, a mixture of detective work and courtroom thriller (think Robert Parker's wise-cracking Spenser meets conscientious Perry Mason). The courtroom scenes are especially riveting, but it's also nice to stroll through Corleone's Oahu—from the dangers of Chinatown to the glittering downtown high-rises. Corleone's books may not always show the sunny side of paradise, but they certainly offer an enjoyable escape for the crime fiction fan.

§ Lourdes Venard is a newspaper editor in Long Island, N.Y.

Reviewed by Lourdes Venard, May 2012

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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