A corporate attorney gives up his prestigious position for the life of a public defender and tackles a case he cannot possibly win: the defense of a young black man with a criminal record who has been accused of seven rape-murders. The defender's only chance is to discredit the testimony of the prosecution's key witness, but as the city seethes with racial tension, he realizes that the verdict is far more important than just one man's guilt or innocence. Is he willing to risk his hard-earned reputation and take the chance of losing the wife he loves for true justice to prevail.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Wyatt Matthews, a wealthy corporate lawyer, quits his job and signs on as a public defender in this latest from Freedman, whose House of Smoke (LJ 12/95) was a best seller.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Lawyer Wyatt Matthews has a thriving practice, a glitzy house, a sleek car, and a beautiful wife. So why does he feel unfulfilled? Not enough "real life." So he takes a leave from his lucrative law firm, signs on with the public defender, and takes on the seemingly unwinnable case of teenage drug dealer Marvin White. In jail for robbery, White tries to impress a fellow prisoner by claiming to be the serial killer responsible for the deaths of half a dozen prostitutes. But the prisoner who hears White's confession is a snitch who uses his scoop to his own advantage. Only Wyatt, with a skeleton staff and none of the resources his old firm offered, can help prove White's innocence and convict the real killer. The author of Against the Wind (1991), Freedman, a Grisham wanna-be with some talent, has concocted a tale filled with unusual twists and a megadose of suspense. But a complacent, self-satisfied hero, who has an unfortunate need to make Important Statements about Life, weakens this potentially powerful thriller considerably, as does a plethora of distracting sidebar plots. Still, it makes diverting reading and may draw enough Grisham and Turow fans to generate demand. Emily Melton
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A terrific read!,
By
This review is from: Key Witness (Paperback)
I just "discovered" J.F. Freedman, and I consider it a red-letter day. His "Key Witness" was so riveting that I spent most of a cold, snowy Saturday engrossed in its pages. The man is a terrific stylist and plotter, and his characters seem to live and breathe on the page. I heartily recommend this novel to any reader in search of quality reading.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good book by a great writer,
This review is from: Key Witness (Paperback)
This is my first Freedman book, and it was very good. The man knows how to write and sustain a compelling plot. Yes, courtroom trials depicting lawyers trying to save innocent men has been done over and over, but Freedman manages to keep things fresh and interesting for over six hundred pages. I'll definitely read more of his work. Highly recommended over Grisham!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
KEY WITNESS is Freedman at his best!,
By
This review is from: Key Witness (Paperback)
Having been a fan of Mr. Freedman's since AGAINST THE WIND, KEY WITNESS is one of his best yet.Wyatt Matthews has just finished winning his firm's most lucrative case. Everyone is ecstatic...except Wyatt. Seems he wants to try some public defending pro bono work for 6 months. The first case he gets is a simple attempted murder/burglary...or so it appears. Some jail informant has alleged that Wyatt's client confessed to being the ALLEY SLASHER, a serial killer that has the whole town scared. Freedman mixes in some incredible police work, plot twists you will not believe and characters that are shady yet compelling. Freedman shows he is one of the best at suspense courtroom dramas. A great book. I've read all of his and this one is the best!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
EARLY dark, time suspended between sunset and true night, the barest sliver of dying sunlight fading on the western horizon, flickering dull yellow-vermilion patches visible through the thick clusters of trees that bracket the narrow two-lane road. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
jail infirmary, fourth murder, prosecution table Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Marvin White, Dwayne Thompson, Judge Grant, Jonnie Rae, Doris Blake, Alley Slasher, Alex Pagano, Agnes Carpenter, Wyatt Matthews, Sullivan Houses, Helena Abramowitz, Lieutenant Blake, Paula Briggs, New York, Detective Marlow, Elvis Burnside, Leticia Pope, Violet Waleska, Charles Murray, Durban State Penitentiary, Ted Sprague, Sheriff Lowenthal, Walter Malone, African American, Four Seasons New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
EARLY dark, time suspended between sunset and true night, the barest sliver of dying sunlight fading on the western horizon, flickering dull yellow-vermilion patches visible through the thick clusters of trees that bracket the narrow two-lane road. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
jail infirmary, fourth murder, prosecution table Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Marvin White, Dwayne Thompson, Judge Grant, Jonnie Rae, Doris Blake, Alley Slasher, Alex Pagano, Agnes Carpenter, Wyatt Matthews, Sullivan Houses, Helena Abramowitz, Lieutenant Blake, Paula Briggs, New York, Detective Marlow, Elvis Burnside, Leticia Pope, Violet Waleska, Charles Murray, Durban State Penitentiary, Ted Sprague, Sheriff Lowenthal, Walter Malone, African American, Four Seasons New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 13
books:
See all 13 books this book cites
8
books
cite this book:
See all 8 books citing this book
- House of Smoke by J. F. F. Freedman in Back Matter
- George Washington: The Making of an American Symbol (Cornell paperbacks) by Barry Schwartz on page 608
- The Obstacle Course by J. F. F. Freedman in Back Matter
- The African Americans (The Peoples of Pennsylvania Pamphlets) by Leroy Hopkins on page 544
- Grand Jury by Philip Friedman in Front Matter
See all 13 books this book cites
- Above the Law by J. F. Freedman on 4 pages
- House of Smoke by J. F. F. Freedman in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Disappearance by J. F. Freedman in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Bird's-Eye View by J. F. Freedman in Front Matter, and Back Matter
- Against the Wind (Signet) by J. F. Freedman in Back Matter
See all 8 books citing this book
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
