The Halls of Justice [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Lee Gruenfeld (Author), Barrett Whitener (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1996

A legal thriller about identical twin sisters who are raped by a man who escapes conviction on a technicality. But one of the sisters kills the rapist, though no one can tell which one, and the state prosecutor has the added burden of knowing that the killing was justified.

Santa Monica Deputy District Attorney Sal Milano is prosecuting the most explosive and high-profile case of his career. A small-time thug with ties to the mob has been charged with raping twin sisters, one of them the stunning Diane Pierman, a celebrated attorney and Sal's longtime court rival. The case is thrown out on a technicality, but a few days after the trial, one of the sisters hunts down and kills their assailant. Neither one will talk and both are charged with murder one. Now Sal is working the case of a lifetime, with the headlines and attention enough to satisfy even his ambitions. But everything depends on prosecuting and convicting two beautiful women who, in the eyes of the public, have righted a grievous wrong.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Which of two twin sisters killed the man who raped them both? That's the question that drives Gruenfeld's latest thriller, which demonstrates that this up-and-coming author is as adept at legal twists and turns as he is at police drama (Irreparable Harm) and psycho-thriller chills (All Fall Down). Narrator Sal Milano, the top ADA in Santa Monica, Calif., is considering running for his boss's job and starting a relationship with brainy and beautiful defense lawyer Diane Pierman. He puts aside both ideas when Diane and her twin, Lisa, are raped by small-time drug dealer Vinny Rosamund and he signs on to prosecute the case. But despite Sal's best efforts, Rosamund walks?though not for long. Days later, the hoodlum is shot to death in a glitzy L.A. eatery. Eyewitnesses say the killer looked like Diane Pierman?or Lisa Pierman. As the twins are both charged with murder, the plot swivels on the delicious maneuvering of prosecution and defense: how do they tell which twin pulled the trigger if neither twin is talking? Gruenfeld handles the legal elements, including the trial, with aplomb, tossing in catchy legal tales and bon mots along the way ("there's right, there's wrong, and then there's the law"). The conclusion feels forced, though, and the revelation of some information that Sal has kept to himself will have some readers feeling cheated. But, then, arrogant Sal isn't the most likable hero around?which is one reason why he and his adventure are so refreshing. 75,000 first printing.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

After dealing with the extortion of an airline in his successful All Fall Down (LJ 7/94), Gruenfeld turns to courtroom intrigue and big-city politics. His narrator is Sal Milano, an assistant district attorney with political aspirations whose thoughts and conversations offer an engrossing inside look at judicial strategizing. Most of the book involves his prosecution of two cases, both concerning the same identical twin sisters (one of whom is an attorney and courtroom rival of Milano). When a small-time hood charged with raping the sisters is let off on a technicality, he is murdered by one of them?and they won't say which one. The situation is a clever contrivance, but Gruenfeld handles it well and keeps readers hooked by advancing the plot briskly, with several astounding plot twists and a genuinely surprising ending. A well-crafted legal thriller that will further Gruenfeld's reputation as a top-notch suspense writer; highly recommended for public libraries.?Will Hepfer, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.; Unabridged edition (August 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786109971
• ISBN-13: 978-0786109975
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,459,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best work of fiction, in any genre, I've read all year., May 1, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Halls of Justice: A Novel (Paperback)

Gruenfeld is one of those rare writers who achieves a major triumph on his first outing (IRREPARABLE HARM) and then just keeps getting better. THE HALLS OF JUSTICE is a beautifully written, relentlessly compelling and suspenseful tale of the law spinning out of control, peopled with fascinating characters, profound insights and delicious twists and turns. The last chapter is a knockout, and seems to come out of left field, but a quick review reveals that Gruenfeld practically shouted the ending out to us dozens of times throughout the book. To have pulled off this feat is a tribute to the kind stunning skill and craft that comes along all too rarely. Along those lines, I must say that, as a female, I found the description of a rape in the very first chapter difficult to read. But what amazed me was that there is virtually no graphic depiction at all: what is happening is almost completely inside the reader's head, and nothing scares us more than our own imaginations. This brilliant feat of evocative writing is truly remarkable, as is the extraordinary outrage Gruenfeld manages to stir up in us as the rest of the story proceeds. He is probably better at writing about women than any other male writer (and most females, as well), and that ability reaches a major peak in this book. Why Gruenfeld isn't better known is a complete mystery to me; I feel like I found a genuine diamond of a novelist among much of the roughage that passes for literature these days. I can hardly wait until his next book.

2.0 out of 5 stars Great idea but not a very strong ending., February 23, 2004

By 

"cjvinal" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Halls of Justice: A Novel (Paperback)

This book starts out with a really great idea. A sleasy character involved with the drug community rapes two women, twins, and gets away with it on a technicality. Then, a woman fitting the twins' description shoots him in a restaurant in front of numerous witnesses. Can the prosecution prove beyond a reasonable doubt which ONE of the twins did it?

The problem I had with this is the supposed shocker evidence that pops up (I won't ruin the ending for anyone who has not read this). It was such a shock to the defense and if this high priced lawyer is supposed to be so smart, then why is it that I knew where the prosecution was going with it long before he did? That and the big revelation at the end tying up the loose end as to why the rapist got off in the first place was not really that surprising to me either.

Finally, I really wish that someone (his editor maybe??) had told Mr. Gruenfeld that if someone doesn't care, they COULDN'T care less. His main character must have said five times that he "could care less" and each time I had to cringe. Sorry... real pet peeve of mine.

This book is okay if you're between books or are going to the beach where you can read and not worry about missing any details that will render you unable to solve the big mystery on your own.

5.0 out of 5 stars The best work of fiction, in any genre, I've read all year., May 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Halls of Justice: 8 (Hardcover)

Gruenfeld is one of those rare writers who achieves a major triumph on his first outing (IRREPARABLE HARM) and then just keeps getting better. THE HALLS OF JUSTICE is a beautifully written, relentlessly compelling and suspenseful tale of the law spinning out of control, peopled with fascinating characters, profound insights and delicious twists and turns. The last chapter is a knockout, and seems to come out of left field, but a quick review reveals that Gruenfeld practically shouted the ending out to us dozens of times throughout the book. To have pulled off this feat is a tribute to the kind stunning skill and craft that comes along all too rarely. Along those lines, I must say that, as a female, I found the description of a rape in the very first chapter difficult to read. But what amazed me was that there is virtually no graphic depiction at all: what is happening is almost completely inside the reader's head, and nothing scares us more than our own imaginations. This brilliant feat of evocative writing is truly remarkable, as is the extraordinary outrage Gruenfeld manages to stir up in us as the rest of the story proceeds. He is probably better at writing about women than any other male writer (and most females, as well), and that ability reaches a major peak in this book. Why Gruenfeld isn't better known is a complete mystery to me; I feel like I found a genuine diamond of a novelist among much of the roughage that passes for literature these days. I can hardly wait until his next book