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The Altar Boys [Paperback]

John M. Poswall (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 28, 2008
They meet again - the altar boys - but now one is the Bishop, another is a lawyer who will do anything to defend his faith, and the third is J.J. Rai, one of the best lawyers in America, and an ex-Catholic who no longer believes.

J.J. has often dreamed of his ultimate case: suing God. When the parents of two altar boys are mysteriously directed to his office, he relishes the idea of taking on the Catholic Church. Can he sue God, too, and claim the Church is merely His agent, he wonders?

But things are not as they appear. Unbeknownst to J.J., he has been studied and perhaps manipulated by a beautiful woman sitting in the shadows of the courtroom.

With his acerbic law student daughter looking on, J.J. chafes under the watchful eye of a stern judge as his case unravels, his psychological expert is challenged, he is confronted with evidence of False Memory Syndrome, and the boys parents turn against him. Then comes the shocking death a body dangling from the tower of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin that rocks the Sacramento community and his case.

Meanwhile, when the accused priest flees to Mexico, J.J. asks his trusted friend, Andy Miller a disbarred lawyer and sometime investigator to find him. But Andy is engaged in his own quest for justice. Enraged about the prosecution of Martha Stewart over chump change, Andy spends much of his time, when sober, driving around Houston, in a rental car with a high-powered rifle, stalking Ken Lay, who later dies allegedly of a heart attack.

The Altar Boys is a powerful legal and psychological courtroom drama that raises questions of religion and faith, played out against the backdrop of the hilarious antics of an insane investigator, the role of media in big-time litigation, a developing romance, and the unfailing love of a father for his daughter.


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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Audacious, brilliant, and endlessly entertaining, John M. Poswall s The Altar Boys is a flat-out masterpiece. As suspenseful as Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent, with the veracity of Jonathan Harris's A Civil Action, sure to be as controversial as Sam Harris's The End of Faith (and for many of the same reasons) this book sets the new gold standard for courtroom drama. With one stroke, Poswall places himself squarely at home among the masters of the genre. If I were Robert M. Parker and The Altar Boys a fine wine, I'd give it a score of 100 points. Not to be missed." --John Lescroart, New York Times best selling author

"Poswall has written a poignant and timely tale about deceit and corruption in the Catholic Church. With finely-drawn characters and a well-developed ear for dialogue, Poswall takes us on a fast-paced, behind-the-scenes look at big-time, high-stakes litigation. J.J. Rai is a character worth rooting for. John Poswall is a new and compelling voice." --Sheldon Siegel, New York Times best-selling author

"The Altar Boys is a fascinating legal suspense novel by one of America s top trial lawyers, who has an authoritative grasp on his subject matter. On top of that, he can really write! This is a page-turner, a slam-dunk winner." --John Martel, New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle best-selling author

About the Author

John M. Poswall is the author of the acclaimed Amazon 5-star novel, THE LAWYERS: Class of '69. He is also a California trial attorney admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and listed in Best Lawyers in America and Superlawyers of Northern California. "When David takes on Goliath," said The Sacramento Bee newspaper, "he usually calls John M. Poswall."

Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Jullundur Press; 1st edition (February 28, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0972999256
  • ISBN-13: 978-0972999250
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,075,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Grisham, March 16, 2008
This review is from: The Altar Boys (Paperback)
I rarely read books of fiction and admittedly, have little time on my hands to sink my teeth into a good book. A few years back, I would read the occasional John Grisham book, but lost interest as they became somewhat predictable in their story lines.

I therefore began my reading of The Altar Boys thinking it could meet the same fate as other books of that genre. I was pleasantly rewarded with a book that I simply could not put down. The author did an excellent job of creating a story line that intrigues you, with just enough clues to future events to keep you wanting to read "just one more chapter". I thought I could figure out the ending, but like many readers, could not. Yet, I found myself at the end of the book saying "so that's why that happened". Truly, it is not a book that tries to confuse the reader with false clues, but one that makes perfect logical sense and effectively ties all the pieces of the puzzle together.

I give kudos to the author for explaining the different worlds of law, religion and crime in a way that was easy to understand for a reader like me who is not involved in any of those fields. I gained a true understanding of how those worlds operate. The author's ability to weave those worlds together in such an engaging way is no small feat and a bonus for the readers of his book.

I found myself wondering at the end of the book what would happen to these characters in the future. I hope the author draws on the success of this book to give his readers a chance to find out through a follow up novel. I for one, will be one of the first in line to find out.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Catholic Corruption, May 26, 2008
By 
Vinced (Roseville, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Altar Boys (Paperback)
I have never been compelled to write a book review in the past, but most definitely today. I have just read the Alter Boys in two settings and it was wonderful! Since I am a Sacramento native, the numerous (and accurate) references to the landmarks, the Delta, the heat, and people intertwined with the incredible plot twists really made for a stimulating read! I entered Borders in Roseville looking for "something different" and actually met Mr. Poswall...very glad I took a chance on a book that was "out of the box" for me. There's no reason to regurgitate the plot, but as a fallen Catholic, it was quite topical, and the writing, seamless. Great job, John...and, no, I did not see it coming....
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Deal, March 9, 2008
By 
G. ODea (Gold River, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Altar Boys (Paperback)
This novel is superb on many levels. Not only is it a captivating and fascinating page turner, but it offers a veritable window into the mind of a seasoned litigator and our system of justice as he knows it. Poswall's writing runs the gamut from the absurdly funny (Andy's quixotic crusade against Ken Lay and his ilk) to the profound, the painful and, most notably, the controversial: the basis of and underpinnings of faith. Not to be missed. This novel may well inspire you to catch a few more sunsets, and "find joy every day".
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