The Alternate [Hardcover]

John Martel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1999

Hailed by the National Law Journal as one of the top ten trial lawyers in America--and a consultant in the prosecution of O.J. Simpson and the retrial of the Menendez brothers--John Martel is a legal superstar. He has brought his expertise to bear on two top thrillers, Partners and Conflicts of Interest. The Alternate is his boldest accomplishment yet. When a philandering ex-congressman is charged with killing his wife, it seems like an open and shut case. He is abusive, elitist, and unremorseful. He is also--he swears--innocent. Forced to piece together a puzzle that includes the mob, mistresses, double jeopardy, political ambition, and a tainted jury, both Grace Harris, the prosecutor, and Barrett Dickson, the defense attorney, find themselves closer to the murder investigation, and each other, than is comfortable. Risking their lives and careers to get to the truth of this case, these lawyers must confront their deepest fears and a killer determined to influence the outcome of the trial no matter how many lives it takes. This summer, John Martel combines his two talents in one sensational novel that will solidify his reputation as one of the best legal thriller writers today.

"The Alternate starts with a bang and never lets up. The crime is startling and complex; the legal atmosphere authentic; and the courtroom scenes engrossing. John Martel has done it again." --Richard North Patterson

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Is there room in the overcrowded arena of the legal thriller for yet another major player? If that new arrival happens to be blessed with the real-life experience of San Francisco trial lawyer John Martel, the answer is a heartfelt yes. Martel advised the Los Angeles District Attorney's office on the Menendez Brothers retrial and the O.J. Simpson case (proving even a pro can't win them all). He has been called one of the top 10 trial lawyers in America by the National Law Journal. Best of all, he can write compelling scenes that take place both in and out of court, and can create characters who rise above their genre origins to become real people.

Elliot Ashford, a millionaire congressman, is forced to resign because of a sex scandal. When he's charged with the brutal murder of his wife, Lara, assistant district attorney Grace Harris seems to have everything she needs to make a strong case for the prosecution. She also has ambitions that could propel her career up several notches.

Then some key DNA evidence mysteriously disappears, and Grace's chief adversary--a former defense superstar named Barrett Dickson--appears ready for a comeback. But neither side is prepared for the barrage of political infighting, dirty tricks, and mysterious malevolence from inside the jury room. Three more murders and two trials later, you'll emerge from The Alternate with strong doubts about the legal system--but a feeling of certainty that John Martel has a future as a novelist. --Dick Adler

From Publishers Weekly

Repeated references to the O.J. Simpson trial notwithstanding, Martel's latest legal thriller (after Partners) is an old-school melodrama. When a former beauty queen is stabbed to death with a shard of her own bathroom mirror, police rush to arrest husband Elliot Ashford, a wealthy, former right-wing congressman with suspected ties to the Mafia. Everyone assumes Ashford is "dead-bang guilty"Aincluding D.A. Earl Field, a politically ambitious African-American with mob connections of his own; his beautiful assistant, Grace Harris; even Ashford's own lawyer, "Bear" Dickson, a "hard-luck, hard-drinking" corporate attorney hired by the defense mainly for his friendship with the presiding judge. Predictably, defending the despicable Ashford gets Dickson's professional juices flowing again, and he even begins to entertain unprofessional fantasies about Assistant D.A. Harris. But the courses of justice and true love hit a snag when down-and-out Amanda Keller arrives as an alternate on the Ashford jury. A former child beauty-pageant queen and now a psychologically unstable soap opera actress between jobs, Keller is determined to grab the headlines, even by the most desperate measures. The plot twists strenuously as the characters cross and double-cross each other, spitting out venomous one-liners ("Isn't it a tight squeeze getting a cloven foot into those Ferragamos, Elliot?") and self-righteous tirades about forensic and criminal ethics. Martel aims for psychological thrills and contemporary cool, mixing post-O.J. cynicism with potboiler morality. But his overlong yarn is replete with such stale characterization and predictable plot machinations that few will be surprised when the author tacks on a hackneyed deus ex machina happy ending. Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild selection.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 417 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525944877
• ISBN-13: 978-0525944874
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,186,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars One Bad Apple Destroys the Novel, May 2, 2000

By 

Jason Birkby - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Alternate (Paperback)

When John Martel started this novel, he had all the beginings of a great courtroom novel. Then he made his first mistake. He titled it, and made a title character that is so unbelievable that the novel just dissolves into a poor effort.

The story revolves around the murder trial of Elliot Ashford an ex-congressman with possible mob ties. All the lawyers in this case have hidden agendas and are well thought out. Barrett Dickson and Grace Harris are very well rounded and likeable. Then enters the alternate juror Amanda Keller. An ex-actress with delusions of grandeur. She starts by slowly breaking all the rules of being a juror and then things get messy.

The Keller character is so unrealistic in this novel. Martel portrays the lawyers to be very competent, but even they get fooled by Keller which is hard to believe. Martel gets two stars for the surrounding characters, but no more due to Keller

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Legal Thriller, July 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Alternate (Hardcover)

For anyone interested in courtroom thrillers, this is a "must read". John Martel captures the pressures and excitement of trying high visibility cases and masterfully passes it along to the reader. As a retired trial lawyer, who has tried high visibility cases, I can attest to the great job Martel does. I think it the best of his three novels to date.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read, August 29, 2002

By 

David A. Spearman (Harbor Beach, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Alternate (Hardcover)

If you enjoy a reading cocktail of one half law,one quarter mystery and 2 jiggers of intrique(Mafia style) and a splash of intensity, this is the book for you. As late as the last sixty pages I could not fathom the final outcome. This is the first book of Mr Martel's that I have enjoyed, I certainly look forward to reading more, if they are even close in interest as this one, I know it will not be a mistake.