Conduct in Question: The First In A Trilogy [Paperback]

Mary Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2005

“A fast paced legal thriller written by an insider.”—Rosemary Aubert, author of the Ellis Portal mystery series

Lawyer Harry Jenkins longs for freedom and love. Trapped under his senior partner’s thumb for years and in a dead marriage, he has nearly reached his breaking point. The city is haunted by the spectre of the Florist, a sadistic murderer with an artistic flair, who believes he is called to judge the worthiness of his victims. When his partner drops dead in the office, Harry is free to make his own mistakes. Almost immediately, he is swept into a massive money-laundering scheme by the enigmatic Mr. Chin and into a conflict with his wealthy client Marjorie Deighton. When he finds Marjorie dead, he senses foul play. Are the Florist’s murders and Mr. Chin’s shady dealings connected? Can Harry find the answers before the Florist strikes again? Fortunately, the beautiful Natasha is there to guide him to the answers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mary E. Martin grew up in Toronto where she began practicing law in a small estates firm. In 1999, she became a full-time writer and photographer. Married in 1973, she and her husband live in Toronto and have three adult children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (September 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595358209
• ISBN-13: 978-0595358205
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,958,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After thirty years of law practice, I was delighted to become a full time novelist. The Osgoode Trilogy (Conduct in Question, Final Paradox and A Trial of One), three novels of legal suspense were inspired by my law practice. A Trial of One won the Readers View Literary Fiction Award [2008] and was a finalist in the ForeWord literary contest that year.

After completing the Osgoode Trilogy I left the world of law and dove into the art world in The Trilogy of Remembrance. The Drawing Lesson is the first novel in that trilogy and The Fate of Pryde is the most recent.

I'm a born and bred Torontonian, married with three adult children.

I also love to photograph, particularly when traveling. It's fascinating to explore the relationship of the visual image to the word and the possible combinations.

In The Osgoode Trilogy, the protagonist, Harry Jenkins is a Toronto lawyer. Fortunately, my practice was not nearly as exciting as his. But he will take you through suspenseful stories of murder, fraud.

The Trilogy of Remembrance features an entirely different sort of character, Alexander Wainwright, Britain's finest landscape painter who faces much different challenges. The first trilogy I call legal suspense and the second, literary suspense for any good story must be suspenseful.

To tell the truth, some of my characters have taken over my blog. If you believe in freedom of speech and assembly for fictional characters. you'll enjoy their blog at http://remembrancetrilogy.com/blog/

You can find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for the next installment..., November 23, 2005

By 

R. Sailors "Editor - Simple Things" (Ocean Shores WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conduct in Question: The First In A Trilogy (Paperback)

CONDUCT IN QUESTION is an intricately woven web of greed, power and insanity. I was caught up from page one.
Harry's character develops through the novel, and you can't help but cheer him on. The other characters are finely detailed, as is the plot.
Harry's life has always been on the conservative side, he has a routine job in a small firm, and he wonders if things will ever change. Then his partner drops dead, his wife seems to be gone more and more, and the death of a long-time client leads to secrets that shatter Harry's once calm existence. Harry is caught up in corporate greed, money laundering, fraud, murder, and some newly awakened feelings of desire for the beautiful Natasha.
Can he ever again find the calm existence that he once despised?
This is the first in a trilogy by author Mary E Martin, and I can't wait for the second installment!

Roxanne Sailors Taplett
Editor, Simple Things

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great book..., November 1, 2005

By 

Richard "novelaholic" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conduct in Question: The First In A Trilogy (Hardcover)

This is really a fabulous book, I have never read anything like it. It is suspenseful and thrilling, but not in that cheesy classic thriller way so many books are. There are lots of twists and turns, and it is fast-paced. The best part about this book is that it deals with deeper and more intellectual themes that most suspense novels never cover. What a great read, I HIGHLY recommend it!

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating legal thriller..., December 5, 2008

By 

GinRobi (Timmins, ON, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conduct in Question: The First In A Trilogy (Paperback)

Harry Jenkins is an estate lawyer and partner of Crane, Crawford and Jenkins law firm. First, his partner, Crawford, dies on the floor in his office while remember the love he once had with one of their clients, Marjorie Deighton. For Harry, things go from bad to worse and rather quickly.

Harry is asked to meet at Marjorie's home; her intent is to review her will and consult with him about a meeting she is supposed to have earlier in the day. Along with his secretary, Harry visits the home of Ms. Deighton in late afternoon, only to find Ms. Deighton dead, lying on her bed. Harry believes that she must have died peacefully, but he is suspicious; there are just too many things going on that could make her passing a coincidence.

A mysterious man, Albert Chin, is referred to Harry for property acquisitions. Only, the properties are those surrounding the Marjorie's estate. Plus, the names of the parties acquiring the properties seems fishy to him, as they are all numbered accounts. Money laundering? Harry allows himself to be blinded by the money, believing he may just live up to his wife's expectations. But he knows the marriage is dead. Both have changed during their 20-year marriage; they no longer talk, nor are they in love. He also believes that his wife, Laura, is having an affair, mostly likely with her boss. Meanwhile, he fantasizes about the beautiful Natasha. And when he tries to deposit the checks from Chin into the trust, Mr. Mudhali, the manager of the bank, brings him to the office. It seems that Crawford had taken out a loan against the firm's account. However, Harry believes that this is just as fishy as Mr. Chin's acquisitions; it takes all the partners signatures for that loan, and Harry knows he's never signed it.

And all the while, the serial killer, The Florist, is going around Toronto, judging and murdering women, using a knife to cut floral designs in their skin.

Harry believes that, somehow, they are all connected, even when he hopes they are not. But are they?

An incredible first novel by Canadian author, Mary E. Martin. Using her knowledge of the field, she writes an incredible novel filled with twists and coincidences. While the main character, Harry, goes through the motions of day-to-day life, he wishes his life were more exciting, more freedom, more love. And while I'm used to reading murder mysteries through the eyes of the detective, a criminal lawyer, this time, it's through the eyes of an estate lawyer, one who usually deals with the passing of his clients, the grieving family and friends, wills, and estates. Not criminal. I liked the difference, and can't wait to see what else Harry gets into. Also, I like how the author touched base on more than murder, money laundering, estates and wills. She adds abusive bullies, abused women, and very manipulative people. A fascinating combination. On to Book #2, Final Paradox.