Defense for the Devil [Paperback]

Kate Wilhelm (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: St Martins Press (1999)
• ISBN-10: 0312194285
• ISBN-13: 978-0312194284
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,283,832 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1928, Kate Wilhelm the author of more than thirty novels including Where Late the Sweet Bird Sang and The Unbidden Truth. Her work has been adapted for TV and film and translated into twenty languages. She has been awarded the Prix Apollo, Kurd Lasswitz, Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. In 2003, she was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Her short fiction appeared in landmark anthologies such as Again Dangerous Visions, Orbit, The Penguin Book of Modern Fantasy by Women, and The Norton Book of Science Fiction. A cofounder of the Clarion Writers' Workhops, she continues to host monthly writing workshops in Eugene, Oregon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointment, February 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Defense For The Devil (Barbara Holloway Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

Wilhelm is one of those writers who gets overwhelmed by the publicity machines that promote Grisham, et. al. So she seems to have become Grishamesque in an effort to sell books. Too bad. I found this one tedious and overcomplicated with bad guys suddenly dropped in from nowhere. It also lacked the character development that has elevated her other books above run of the mill. I suspect the hand of an overeager editor and publisher because Wilhelm seems too intelligent to turn out this mish mash.

And does anyone know what's become of John?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Barbara Holloway legal thriller, February 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Defense for the Devil (Hardcover)

Seventeen years ago, the townsfolk of Folsum, Oregon ran Mitch Arno out of town. The nasty Mitch left behind an abused wife and infant. Now he is back in town, prepared to throw his weight around since he carries a suitcase filled with money and an attaché case containing valuable but stolen software. A few hours after his reappearance, someone murders Mitch.

The initial thought is that his spouse could not deal with being a punching bag. However, the police soon turn to

Mitch's brother Ray, whom they arrest. Barbara Holloway, known for wining hopeless cases, cannot defend Ray due to a conflict of interest. Still, she cannot idly stand by and watch as Ray's lawyer provides his client a defense pathetic enough tto get him hanged.Instead, she tries to prove from the sidelines that Ray is innocent.

In her fourth legal thriller, Barbara remains an entertaining, feisty character. However, the same cannot be said this time about the major support cast. For instance neither Ray nor Maggie (Mitch's spouse) generate empathy because they appear one-dimensional. On the other hand, Mitch is a complex protagonist, who will elicit strong reaction from the audience. The complex story line is vintage Kate Wilhelm as it rapidly moves forward to an exhilarating climax even with several interesting sub-plots added to provide depth. DEFENSE FOR THE DEVIL needs no reader defense as it's a believable, well-written entry to a fine series.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe all you read, December 6, 2007

By 

J. Riker "J.R. Enterprises" (Southern Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Defense For The Devil (Barbara Holloway Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

There were some negative reviews for "Defense for the Devil" but I must say those reviewers were awfully picky. As in all books there were a couple of minor "glitch points", but as a recreational read, Kate Wilhelm has produced another great "page turner" book. I hope she does an additional dozen Barbara Holloway novels; I will buy every one!!!!!