Body of a Crime [Paperback]

Michael C. Eberhardt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1995

Sean Barrett abandons a lucrative career in corporate law to defend former pro athlete Chad Curt against the charge of killing his beautiful ex-girlfriend, whose body is nowhere to be found, and gets more than he had bargained for. Reprint. AB. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Joining the group of lawyers who have taken to fictionalizing the workings of their profession, Eberhardt debuts with an intense and attention-grabbing case: a rare, no-body murder trial. Sean Barrett abandons his lucrative job and promising career handling criminal cases at a Southern California corporate law firm to defend Chad Curtis, who has been arrested for the murder of his former girlfriend, actress Robin Penrose. Penrose, last seen getting the worse of a fight with Curtis, has vanished; soon after her disappearance, Curtis arranged to dispose of her car. The prosecution's case looks so good that slick, media-hungry D.A. Sherman Lowenstein shows up in court to handle it personally. With the help of Craig MacDuff, a skilled PI who left the police force under a cloud, Sean begins burrowing into Penrose's past and following leads supplied in a series of phone calls from a man with a Jamaican accent. Then the murder of an associate from his former law firm ups the stakes and reminds Sean that some jobs are not to be walked away from. Eberhardt's ability to track a seemingly clear case toward complexity, then backtrack to an entirely different, equally credible picture--and to deliver the result with a final twist--makes him a storyteller of great promise.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

When a murder is suspected but the body is not found, chances of a guilty verdict are slim, even with the best of circumstantial evidence. Chad Curtis, a charming young man and former professional athlete, is fortunate that attorney Sean Barrett cannot turn down the opportunity to make legal history with a rare no-corpse defense. As he builds his case, Sean soon finds himself separated from his former firm and facing sinister threats and violence. Beautiful Carrie Robinson, an attorney with skills and connections of surprising variety, may be Sean's best ally--or his worst enemy. As the violence escalates, Sean must become the chief investigator, finally discovering the bitter underlying motives of the true criminals. Eberhardt, a practicing attorney, provides a wealth of accurate and intimate legal detail in this first novel. He keeps the action moving in a cleverly designed yet tricky plot, and he develops memorable characters. Eberhardt is a talented new legal writer who can stand with Turow and Grisham.
- Elsa Pendleton, Boeing Computer Support Svcs., Ridgecrest, Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (February 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451405692
• ISBN-13: 978-0451405692
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 4.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,130,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for anyone interested in the law profession..., April 17, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Body of a Crime (Paperback)

This book intrigued me from the very beginning. There are many different ways that the attorney can go with the no body case, and the reader has no idea where he will go next. It is wonderfully written by a former attorney, and his expertise shows through every page. Fabulously written, and highly suspenseful...I recommend it to anyone, especially law students or lawyers

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was worried about the details, February 22, 2002

By 

Michelle D. Mcgriff "Author" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Body of a Crime: 2 (Hardcover)

I'm not a reader who worries about details--Not like I do when I'm working. I read for relaxation or entertainment and I found this book to be BOTH. Reading it on the train I finished it in about 4 hours and boy was it good. I kinda had it figured out by the end but it was a fun ride getting there. I enjoyed the characters and how they were developed and I really liked the familar setting of the plot. I kept wondering if I had seen the house that the main character lived in. It was a good read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars INTERESTING!!!, January 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Body of a Crime (Paperback)

This was the first time I had read an Eberhardt book and it definately won't be the last. The book kept me on the proverbial edge of my seat and was very well written with interesting and very developed characters!! The ending was a surprise!!