Customer Reviews

Falls the Shadow

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This was my first experience with Victor Carl, an admitted benefactor of his own self-interests and ambiguous values. He also possesses an amazing wit, ever at hand with a wry remark or trenchant observation. Thanks to the good nature of his partner, Beth Dillinger, Carl takes on the appeal of Françoise Dube, a man previously found guilty of murdering his estranged wife. When the lawyers uncover grounds for an appeal and Dube is granted a new trial, Victor is less than thrilled, although the delivery of a hefty retainer does much to improve his mood.

The office is buried in case files as Victor and Beth prepare for a new trial. An assortment of bizarre characters await: the murdered woman's sister, Velma, who is bankrolling the appeal; Seamus Dent, an apparently not-so-innocent bystander who placed Françoise at the scene of the crime in the first trial; a hard-boiled but soft-hearted detective who tries to save one of the desperate souls in his path; Dube's former attorney, now so wrapped up in his own dance with death that he turns a blind eye to the truth; Horace T. Grant, a curmudgeonly old man who directs Victor on the path of righteousness; and the ubiquitous dentist, Dr. Pfeffer, whose tentacles are everywhere, a self-proposed do-gooder who has no personal constraint when manipulating the lives of others.

There are some choice moments to savor along the way, like the three crones gossiping on their apartment house steps, cackling like the three witches from Macbeth, karaoke night at the Elvis bar, King's Dominion, Carl's out-of-body experience while enjoying a romantic dalliance with a beautiful woman whose directions are more like a game of Twister than affection and the attorney's assorted torturous ordeals writhing in the avid Dr. Pfeffer's dental chair. Lasher knows how to stage a scene, eccentric characters, moody atmosphere and all.

This engrossing mystery is a microcosm of life in the real world, where money and power hold sway and the ill-prepared, under funded everyman is the lowest rung on the food chain. But this lesson is taught with great panache, subtle twists of fate that prove, again and again, how precipitous arrogance can lead to a long fall. A great sense of the humorous, edgy dialog and a dynamite plot with plenty of complications add up to a story well worth the price of admission. But if you haven't been to the dentist for a while, some of the gruesome procedures described may keep you away for a few more years.

Lashner is a master of cunning and innovative plot twists; a defense attorney, the author well knows the intricacies of circumstantial evidence and facile testimony, the easy deception inherent in human nature. In other words, he writes what he knows so well, trial law: the good, the bad and the ugly, all together in this highly imaginative novel that will set your teeth on edge. Luan Gaines/2005.

When you achieve a certain level of success in writing, you become the exemplar against whom all others are compared. In horror fiction, this would be Stephen King. In fantasy it would be Tolkien. For legal thrillers, this ideal would be John Grisham. That is not to say Grisham is good (or that he's bad), but he is the standard by which all are measured, and by this standard, William Lashner is not only better than Grisham, he is one of the best in his field.

Falls the Shadow is Lashner's fifth novel about Philadelphia lawyer Victor Carl. Carl aspires to be a completely mercenary lawyer but despite his best efforts, seems to be plagued with integrity and a conscience. In this story, he takes on the case of Francois Dube, currently in prison for the murder of his estranged wife, Leesa. Not only has he been found guilty (despite having a top-notch lawyer), he has exhausted many appeals. The evidence is so clearly against him, the reader knows he must be innocent. Carl has no such doubts, but as long as the check clears, he's willing to handle the case.

Besides looking for possible avenues to a retrial, Carl also must contend with some significant dental problems. In the course of his investigation, he is referred to Dr. Bob Pfeffer, an odd fellow who may be a good dentist but also seems somehow entangled in the Dube case. Is Pfeffer a good guy or a bad guy? Determining this will help solve the mystery as to who killed Leesa.

There is more that Carl must contend with. His partner, Beth Derringer, seems to have developed an irrational attraction to Dube, a man who - even if innocent of murder - appears to Carl to be a sick human being. In addition, he has been forced into a pro bono case (the worst sort of case for Carl because it doesn't pay); he is to represent a four-year old named Daniel who is in a bad family situation. Carl is further drawn into this case when it appears Daniel has a missing sister.

As with the other Victor Carl books, Lashner has done well with this one. It has a good plot and as always, the story succeeds because of Carl's witty narration. If you enjoy legal thrillers, this is one worth reading.

Anytime you want an exercise in reading good writing, writing that will cary you into the wee hours of the night, writing that will have you wondering how on earth it all turns out, writing that will give you fits of envy if you harbor any ideas of authorship yourself, then I recommend you slip into a William Lashner novel and his most recent is as good a place to start as any.

Victor Carl has no illusions about himself. He would like to be witty, charming, a dragon in the criminal court room, a lion in the bed room, a fashion plate, and without fear. Alas, while he is far from being the schmuck he would like you to believe he is, life is a struggle for our hero.

This episode starts with Victor and Beth Derringer, the smarter and better looking half of the team of Derringer and Carl interviewing a convicted murderer. He has paid them $500 for the opportunity to talk to them and to try and convince them to take on his quest for a new trial because, what else, he is innocent. A review of the basic facts of the case convince Carl otherwise and he has no intention of becoming involved, until he is asked "How about if I arrange for you to be paid whatever money you require?" When the sum of $10,000 is promised, Carl notes in an aside to the reader, "See, sometimes it is just that easy to fall down a hole."

And down he falls. Perhaps no one since Alice in Wonderland has had such an adventure from such a fall.

The first problem is to find grounds for a new trial. It will not spoil the read to disclose that finding the grounds is the least of Carl's problems. With the new trial secured Carl starts on an adventure that seems to be a true Don Qixote quest. As the trial suffers through various twists and turns there is a sub-story involving Carl's involuntary pro bono work in the family court. It is funny, touching, poignant and slightly interwoven with events that are transpiring in the larger issue in his life.

Some years ago there was a movie entitled, "What About Bob?" This book could have had the same title and if that sounds like a non sequitur, then you need to read the book to find out about Bob. Carl describes Bob to the reader by noting that "...every so often, I run across a force of nature that shakes my sublime self centeredness to the very roots. Soomething that tears through the landscape like a tornado, leaving nothing but ruin and reexamination in its wake. Something like Bob."

I assure you the read will be worth the time and that if you are not a Lashner fan yet, you will be.

Leesa Dube was shot in the chest in her own home, the picture of her estranged husband Francois clutched in her hand. The couple was in the middle of a bitter divorce fighting for custody of their daughter. In his home they found a bloody towel and a blood spot on his boot, a perfect match to Leesa's blood. A jury convicted him of murder and sentenced him to life in prison.

Three years after his conviction Francois hires attorney Victor Carl and his partner Beth to get his verdict overturned and to obtain a new trial. To Victor's surprise he finds suppressed evidence that earns the con a new trial. While preparing for the legal battle of his life, the courts appoint Victor to work pro bono representing four year old Daniel who is taken out of his home because of his mother's neglect. Weaving throughout Victor's life is his dentist Bob, who has a Messiah complex and works in the shadows to right the world's wrongs. Victor is not sure whether Bob is a Good Samaritan or a master manipulator with adulating followers who carry out his desires whether they are good or evil.

Anyone who has a dental phobia will never want to visit a dentist after reading about Dr. Bob and the lengths he will go to in order to make the world a better place even if the methods he uses turn out to be illegal. Victor tries hard to remain uncaring and cynical but his nurturing nature propels him to lend a helping hand when he is needed. Readers will admire him and more so William Lashner who is one of the best writers of legal thrillers on the market today.

Harriet Klausner

A extremely interesting courtroom drama that introduces one of the most different characters I have seen - Dr. Bob. The author briefly introduces Dr. Bob at the beginning of the story. Dr. Bob gives the appearance of being a nerd but he can transform in a second.

The story then follows Victor Carl, an attorney who is asked to represent a convicted murderer for his appeal. The convict offers no new information but offers to pay Victor to represent him and that is enough for Victor to do so.

Victor is able to convince a judge through a technicality to overturn the original trial for the convict (Francois) and get a retrial.

The story seems to grab you as Victor tries to clear Francois, help locate a missing girl for whom he is working pro bono, while the mysterious Dr. Bob seems to be the link to everything that happens in the story. I really enjoyed this one and will look for more books by the same author.

Setting his 5th thriller in Philadelphia (where he lives) was a good move for author Lashner as it enables him to accurately paint his setting, and give listeners much to smile about as he describes some of the nabobs in the City of Brotherly Love. Saying Lashner made a good move isn't exactly a news flash. Readers of his 2004 best seller, "Past Due, know that he seldom errs.

Another of Lashner's better choices is the creation of defense attorney Victor Carl who isn't known for his strict observance of law and morals. Carl has a mind that won't quit and an ego that matches. He's also one of the most intriguing protagonists on the printed page.

Carl has taken on the task of trying to get a new trail for convicted murderer, Francois Dube. Obviously, Dube is French; he also a chef and his supposed murder victim? His very beautiful wife.

Almost as an aside, although it turns out to be much more than that, Carl develops a painful toothache for which he seeks relief from Dr. Bob. Now, Dr. Bob isn't just your ordinary drill and pay dentist, he's someone who very much wants to help his patients in every aspect of their lives. Very much wants is putting it mildly - Dr. Bob is obsessive about meddling and making changes in others where he feels they should be made.

In true thriller fashion it soon appears that there is tie-in between the determined dentist and Dube's late wife.

What a treat to enjoy enjoy Lashner's ever present humor, intricate plotting, and charismatic characters.

- Gail Cooke

Why would a man,already once convicted and refused appeal in the brutal murder of his wife, deserve another trial?

In William Lashner's Falls the Shadow, criminal defense attorney Victor Carl is presented with the unenviable task of defending Francois Dube. It starts when Carl mysteriously receives a retainer and an invitation to meet Dube. Carl's certainty that there will not be another trial--and any appeal he may present will be denied--is confounded by his partners' own confidence that Dube is not guilty of the crime for which he has been sentenced to life in prison.

Victor Carl is a cynical, wisecracking attorney that has seen too much and been flayed so many times by clients that his outer shell it grown hard. Yet, the ethical baselines he adheres to for his clients are truth and honesty. He does not break the rules, occasionally to his chagrin, but uses every ounce of his mettle to work on his client's behalf. Francois Dube evolves into a character that proves to be as nauseating a person as one could meet, but Carl does not waver in his assertion that his client be given the best shot at proving his innocence.

This novel has some brilliant twists and turns. Just when you think Victor Carl has the solution, the plot twists takes a hard right. When it looks as though the perpetrators of the main and subplots have been discovered, Lashner throws a curveball and resets the story.

The cast of characters will rapidly draw you into this intriguing legal thriller. William Lashner introduces and develops them in such a way as to bind you into the story with your own thoughts of ethics. The main antagonist, a dentist of all things, yes I thought that brilliant, proves to be more than a match for Victor Carl as he unbinds a thoroughly unnerving tale of personal saviors working outside the law and legal systems to the benefit of those that would never have a chance for a better life.

Armchair Interviews asks: Need a book for the beach, cabin, lake, desert, mountaintop or lonely iceberg? Falls the Shadow will serve you well.

All of the Victor Karl books have been very good. But this one is a major leap forward. Lashner's writing keeps getting better and better, especially his pacing through the book. We meet a character named Bob in the opening stages, and when Lashner brings him into the book later on it is such a great setup that I laughed out loud. It is wonderful to read a book that is so well written. Even a mediocre story can be palatable if well written, but this has everything. If you have read his earlier books you will want this. If you are new to his work you might want to go back to the start and watch the progression of not only the characters but his writing. Probably one of the better books I read in the past few years.

Just for the record, I'm a big fan of William Lashner. "Past Due", "Fatal Flaw", "Hostile Witness" - gripping legal drama all, rising above the pack of this tired genre on the strength of Lashner's witty dialogue and his self depreciating lawyer-hero Victor Carl. So in view of the unblemished string of five-star reviews, cut me some slack if I tell you that "Falls the Shadow" is not up to the Lashner standards we've come to expect.

This is by no means a bad novel. Many of the strengths of earlier Lashner - the gritty Philadelphia neighborhoods, characters with more depth than the average cardboard cutout, storylines running from the unusual to the bizarre - are all here. Told in the first person, the story unfolds as easily as if Carl were telling it to the reader over a brew at a Philly watering hole. But this time around, the story feels tired, forced, lacking energy as Victor Carl grinds through familiar haunts feeling like one of "The Hollow Men" of the TS Elliot-referenced title.

We find Carl and partner Beth Derringer taking on the case of Francois Dube, already serving time for the murder of his wife. Dube, an insufferable French chef, maintains his innocence and, with financial backing from the equally obnoxious gold digger Velma Takahashi, convinces Carl, against all odds, to pursue a retrial. True to Lashner's offbeat form, a meddling dentist, "Bob", plays a key role in the mystery of the Dube murder, as well as in a side plot involving a reluctant Carl's role in a pro bono case of child neglect. Maybe it's the combination of annoying Frenchmen and of uncomfortable time in a dentist's chair. Or maybe it's the absence of the brutal color typically provided by Carl heavy Phil Skink, or the unnecessary tension between Carl and Beth. Perhaps it's the rather contrived climax, or the confluence of too many players with too many stories trying too hard to deliver too many morals. But whatever the source, when all the drama has finally played out and the enigma that is Dr. Bob is unraveled, "Falls the Shadow" simply misses the mark. A better-than-average legal thriller, for sure, but one that ultimately fails to generate passion, falling short of Lashner's uncommon talents.

How nice it is to see a William Lashner novel once again. Since FATAL FLAW, Lashner has been publishing on an annual basis, increasing quantity and quality in direct proportion. 2004's PAST DUE contained one of my favorite passages of that year, a description of a crime scene that paralleled a Nativity display. FALLS THE SHADOW, Lashner's latest effort, similarly has a memorable passage, a long, dark description of a slim, slow fall from grace for three individuals and the redemption of two of them.

As with Lashner's other novels, FALLS THE SHADOW features Victor Carl, an eternally struggling defense attorney whose considerable courtroom acumen is not matched by his office management talents, or lack thereof. There are several stories that take place here; front and center is Carl's defense of Francois Dube. Dube has been tried and convicted of murdering his estranged wife, and retains the reluctant services of Carl and his partner, the not-so-reluctant Beth Derringer, in his efforts to obtain a second --- and hopefully exculpatory --- trial. Dube looks guilty as guilty can be, given his fiery relationship with his wife and the presence of the murder weapon in his apartment. There also is the inescapable fact that Dube is...well, he probably belongs in prison even if he didn't kill his wife.

Carl, however, is compelled to joust at windmills, and when he discovers that one of the chief witnesses against Dube --- a young man now deceased --- had a history that goes to the issue of his credibility, he decides that there might be something worth pursuing in this case. But his unease is almost palpable, and the fact that Dube seems to be exerting an almost Svengali-like influence over Derringer doesn't help matters.

At the same time Carl finds himself appointed as guardian ad litem for a troubled child whose difficulties are much worse than they appear on the surface. Carl is not exactly guardian material --- and he is the first to admit it --- but, as has been so subtly demonstrated in Lashner's past novels, there is much to admire in Carl, once one gets past his wisecracking facade. Indeed, Lashner plumbs heretofore unseen depths of Carl's personality, and the result is --- dare I say it? --- ultimately heartwarming. But don't tell anybody.

One would think that the foregoing would be enough to carry two novels, but Lashner, as always, gives his readers more. FALLS THE SHADOW also introduces Dr. Robert Pfeiffer --- Bob to his patients --- a dentist who fancies himself as a fixer, and who does not limit that description to teeth. Dr. Bob is an interesting character, so interesting in fact that he threatens to hijack the entire novel away from Carl. If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, one can easily visualize Dr. Bob standing there, smiling, laying the brick and mortar and glad for the opportunity. I predict that Lashner's ever-increasing legion of readers can reasonably expect to see more of Dr. Bob at some future time, perhaps in a forthcoming Carl novel or even in a nightmare.

FALLS THE SHADOW is yet another in an unbroken string of memorable novels from Lashner, a worthy successor to last year's PAST DUE. If you have never been introduced to Lashner or to Carl, now is the time to jump on. Highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub