Customer Reviews

Death row

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Reading William Bernhardt is always a treat. Seeing the mix of characters in the office and Ben Kincaid's sometime low self-esteem make for a believable and engaging lawyer and his firm. (Didn't actually know they existed!) There is the usual tension between Ben and Christina. There is the goofiness of Loving that adds humor in just the right spots and, of course, there are the last minute heriocs that always come with a twist. This is a good book and I am already looking forward to seeing Ben in action again. Mr. Bernhardt: You don't write quickly enough!!!

As a former trial lawyer William Bernhardt bases his legal thrillers on hard earned data and experience, realities which make his tales all the more exciting. Suspense, masterful plotting, and an au courante subject are elements readers have come to expect from this popular author, and all are found in abundance in his latest novel.

Death Row, another in the Ben Kincaid series, tackles criminal appeals and the death penalty. Tulsa is shocked and saddened when a family is ruthlessly murdered in their comfortable suburban home. There is only one survivor to tell the story and identify the attacker - teen-aged Erin Faulkner.

As is his wont, attorney Kincaid champions an unpopular cause in his defense of Ray Goldman, a chemist who is accused of the heinous crime. Screaming media headlines and blood curdling details seem to seal the chemist's fate. But, the always perspicacious Kincaid mounts his defense on the dearth of damning evidence and police goof-ups during the investigation. It seems that Goldman will go free until young Erin testifies and points her finger at him.

True to his white knuckle writing reputation Bernhardt propels readers to moments before Goldman's walk to the death chamber when a sudden reprieve is announced. It seems that Erin has recanted her testimony to Kincaid, and wants desperately to save an innocent man.

Shockingly, Erin cannot even save herself as she is soon found dead; it is believed by her own hand. The cause of her death may be accepted by most, but certainly not by Kincaid. He speculates that the same merciless killer who murdered her family also took Erin's life. But, how can he prove it, how can he find the mysterious killer, and can he do it without losing his own life?

Jet propelled action and a topic from today's newspapers combine in this estimable legal pulse pounder.

- Gail Cooke

Ray Goldman, was a chemist who worked on food flavoring. One of his collegues was brutally murdered along with his family. There was one survivor. A fifteen year old daughter. Police suspected and subsequently arrested Goldman for the crime. He was convicted on testimony of the daughter who stated that though she could not visually identify Goldman she was sure that it had been his voice. Seven years later with Goldman's appeals exhausted she recanted her testimony to Goldman's attorney Ben Kincaid. The next day the real murderer killed her making it look like a suicide. Her best friend shortly thereafter met the same fate. Kincaid pulled out all stops trying to solve the case. This book had several rather odd hobbies associated with characters. A female shrink who collected butterfly specimens and a would be boyfriend of the deceased daughters friend who collected and sold spider venom. There were side romantic involvements between two police detectives as well as between Kincaid and his associate Christina McCall. Another to be redeemed character was a young sex offender who ultimately did not want to be the monster he had become. The tone of this book reminded me of James Sheehan's The Mayor Of Lexington Avenue. The author writes well and the plot moves along fairly well though to my taste it tended to start bogging down in a few places.

I am a long time fan of Bernhardt's books and was not disappointed in this one. Most of the subplots were eventually relevant, although some either needed more connective development or total elimination. The strength of the novel is in the development of the relationships and we can clearly see the complexity of each individual and their impact on the total picture. Stressing the human, softer side of the legal process, this was a very listenable book and one that translated well from reading to hearing.

Author Bernhardt usually writes an interesting story, but
this effort is among his best, and he has risen to a higher
level of suspense and drama.

The story essentially involves the hero's attempts to block
an execution he feels isn't supported by the evidence, and
his hopes soar when the main prosecution witness visits him
to recant her testimony, and he prepared the paperwork to get
the case before a federal judge.

But as quickly as his hopes soared, they are dashed as the

recanting witness turns up dead. Before she can repeat her
story to anyone else.

Ben's whole office gets involved, and his partner Christina plays a more important role than usual, and they begin delving
into the whole background of the case. The murder that is at
the base of the planned execution was especially horrible, and
everyone involved, as well as much of the public, remembers it all too well, and those memories cause Ben and his staff much
trouble as they try to save a man's life.

The defendant's job as a food chemist allows us to see a new
side to our food and restaurant industry, and Bernhardt has done
a nice job of presenting such useful information in the context
of his legal thriller.

Very, very interesting story, and this is a book any reader of
thrillers will want to grab and read.

This is without a doubt, Mr Bernhardt at his best. I just love his writing. Especially when it involves Ben, Christina, Loving, Jones and Mike. He just excels. The story was well written, compelling and intriguing. It kept me guessing with every turn of the page. Ben and Co have been long time favorites of mine and this time around is no exception. They're the best in the courtroom and the squad room. This is an engaging suspensful novel that I highly recommend. Fans of Mr Bernhardt will not be disappointed.

Seven years ago Tulsa attorney Ben Kincaid failed to obtain a not guilty verdict for his client, food chemist Ray Goldman. Now the convicted killer of multiple murders, in which he killed eight members of the Faulkner family removing their eyes, faces execution by lethal injection unless Ben can get a stay with with last appeal.

Shockingly, Erin Faulkner, the only eye witness survivor whose testimony condemned Ray, tells Ben she made an error as she had doubts, but folded under immense pressure from the ADA to attain a conviction. Before Ben can use this new information, Erin is found dead, an apparent suicide. When a second person is killed who was coming to Ben with information, the lawyer tries to get more time but fails in a system in which justice is so blind that it appears that an innocent man will die.

Though surprisingly Ben has little to do with solving the case, fans will enjoy this death row legal thriller. The angst-laden story line works at its best when the pressure on Ben becomes unbearable especially when the hero desperately pleads with the court for more time. Though the office of the DA is painted to an extreme, with its only interest in attaining convictions even in death row cases, William Bernhardt is at his marvelous best with this delightful mystery.

Ray Goldman was already strapped to the gurney, and the needle inserted into his vein when the warden received a call ordering a stay of execution. Ben has thirty days to prove Ray innocent. The state's star witness comes to Ben and recants her testimony, but before her recantation is on record she is found an apparent suicide. And Ben's cat Giselle is acting strangely.

Ben and his staff have a long and twisted path to travel to prove Ray's innocence, but travel it they ultimately do.

Professional reviewer David Pitt's review in Booklist of the immediate prequel to this novel (Criminal Intent) states: "There's nothing particularly wrong with the Kincaid mysteries, but there's nothing particularly right about them, either." I can't agree; I think I know what is particularly right about them, that makes so many of us want to read every one. We LIKE Ben Kincaid and Christina McCall! We like them a lot! Reading a new Kincaid-McCall novel is like revisiting old and beloved friends. Ok, William Bernhardt is no Arthur Conan Doyle and no Ellery Queen, but neither of them was any William Bernhardt, either. And Leo Tolstoy was no William Shakespeare, and vice versa.

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I llike to thank the seller for a wonderful job of sending the book and in a great condition. I also ordered two more books from them just recently for the execellent service they provided. I highly reccommend them.

Bernhardt is at the top of his form in Death Row, a suspenseful and, yet at the same time, delightfully entertaining read. The whole gang is back, of course, with Christina now as his partner/lawyer - a nice touch, but when will Ben and Christina ever have a date?

It's about time that Mike Morrelli, Ben's cop buddy, gets a bigger role in this book. He's a great character and should be more fully developed.

Bernhardt hit a home run with this mixture of one part serial killer, two parts condemned innocent man, and three parts fun with the characters. I immensely enjoyed this book more than any other since Steward Woods' last book.