The Defense [Mass Market Paperback]

D.W. Buffa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 1998

Dynamite defense attorney Joseph Antonelli has never lost a case--or felt the sting of conscience for letting the guilty go free. "I can deceive anyone," he says, "and no one more quickly or more completely than myself." Now the man he most admires, the honorable Judge Rifkin, has asked him a favor: Defend a drug dealer accused of raping his twelve-year-old stepdaughter. Yet Antonelli's acceptance of the case sets in motion an explosive chain of corruption, betrayal, and murder that will leave no one unscathed. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There are occasional echoes of Scott Turow and John Grisham in this debut thriller by Oregon lawyer D. W. Buffa, but for the most part his voice is as refreshingly original as the sinuous plot line. "I never lost a case I should have won, and I won nearly all the cases I should have lost," says the arrogant but undoubtedly gifted criminal defense lawyer Joseph Antonelli. When his friend and mentor, Judge Leopold Rifkin, asks him to defend Johnny Morel, a man accused of raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Antonelli agrees. Morel is obviously guilty, but aided by the girl's lying, amoral mother, Antonelli plants enough seeds of doubt to get the sleazeball off. Years later, after the girl has disappeared, the mother is shot to death--in Judge Rifkin's living room. Under Buffa's sly direction, these twists and turns add up to a wonderfully rich story. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Wonderfully performed by Buck Schirner, this brilliant mystery perfectly suits the insatiable appetite for legal thrillers. Defense attorney Joseph Antonelli appears to be invincible. Then one day Judge Rifkin asks Antonelli to defend Johnny Morel, con man and drug dealer, against charges of raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Michelle. Antonelli, who never confused the legal system with justice, makes quick work of the prosecutor's case and gets the guilty Morel off. But the problem is not over, and years later there's a murder. Suspense builds as the same principals reappear. The work is a gut-wrenching tour de force about justice, truth, the legal system, and life's basic values. It's tailor-made for lovers of the mystery thriller.?James Dudley, Copiague, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (August 29, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044900399X
• ISBN-13: 978-0449003992
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars HIDDEN IN THE LIBRARY, December 20, 2002

By 

Goodbye "Mr P" (Rural England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Defense (Mass Market Paperback)

I found it by chance at the back of a dusty shelf in my village library. Hadnt been read for a long time.

It was surprisingly well written: a clear, uncomplicated and crisp style. It told the story in an economical way which but a little wooden. One reviewer compared it unfavourably to a John Grisham, but it was BETTER than that! This had a lot of interesting twists and turns which were too far fetched, but hey...it's only a story.

I did enjoy the cod philosophy and it set me thinking about the issues.

The characters were well rounded and beleivable.

The ending came too suddenly and because of this it lost its effect.

Overall...I would recomend the book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A NEW STAR IN THE SKY OF THRILLERS, January 30, 2000

By 

Editorial Libra,S.A. de C.V. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Defense (Mass Market Paperback)

It was about time! Writer Habemus...It has ALL: Professionalism as a writer;a great but humble exhibition of culture mixed well into the story;strong characters; the exact speed; Originality and a talentous, unexpected but logical end; not one single flaw in development, Good timing...NOt heavy or dull in the Court of Justice scenes; sensitive characters...Beautifully done. You can read it as you wish:As a thriller, a Legal, a suspense...You decide: But be careful with your timing, because you will not be able to put this book down until you read the last page. Send your wife and kids on a weekend trip. Unhook your phones Have something to eat You will not leave your place until the end of THE DEFENSE... I should know. I am a choosy Book Publisher Georgina Greco

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FOR THE DEFENSE -- JOE ANTONELLI, October 25, 2000

By 

Nancy Martin (Pennsylvania (orig. NY)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Defense (Hardcover)

This is the first book by D. W. Buffa, an Oregon defense attorney turned author. It reads so well for a first novel, that you just know that Buffa is going to be around for quite a while.

The best part of this book is the main character Joe Antonelli. Like Buffa, he's a defense attorney. One thing that separates him from most other defense attorneys, however, is the fact that he's never lost a case and he's proud of passing this information on to anyone interested. I usually find this lack of humility in characters to be less than endearing but, for some reason, I think it adds to Antonelli's overall makeup. As is usual with most legal thrillers, there are enough twists and turns to give you a stiff neck. Somehow though, Buffa keep you guessing.

This case involves a less than desirable subject matter as Joe defends Johnny Morel, who is accused of raping his 12 year old stepdaughter. He has agreed to represent Morel at the request of his mentor, Judge Leopold Rifkin. The events surrounding this case will cause disastrous ramifications years down the road for all involved. The saying "what goes around, comes around" is definitely evidenced in the end of the book. Unfortunately, some innocent people will be hurt, an attorney will be left disenchanted and the reader will anxiously await the return of Joe Antonelli in Buffa's sequel, The Prosecution.

I do recommend reading these books in order just to get a better idea of what really makes Antonelli tick -- a character greatly admired by this reader.