Customer Reviews

The Last Witness

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kansas City trial attorney Lou Mason is asked to defend an old friend, ex-cop Wilson "Blues" Bluestone who is accused of murdering a local political bigwig, Jack Cullan. The police feel they have a slam dunk case and are no longer actively investigating it. Therefore, Mason must investigate it himself to set his friend free. Pursuing the truth, however, takes him into contact with some unsavory characters and Mason soon sees his own life in danger.
One of the problems any mystery writer who is writing a story about an amateur detective must overcome is the justification for their character's investigation. What must also be addressed is why should their investigation prove any more successful than the police investigation? Joel Goldman accomplishes this in two ways. First, the police feel they have the murderer and stop the investigation. However, more importantly, he makes the politics such that corruption is the true culprit behind Blue's arrest and the corrupt officials shut the investigation down. Joel Goldman is a trial lawyer. With his main character also a trial lawyer, I was expecting a good solid legal thriller. A strong courtroom scene can add impact and another layer to the story. Instead we have a reasonably well told amateur detective story of no real significant worth. The story appears padded and the competently created characters are a bit too numerous. (A character list at the beginning might have helped.) This is a reasonably entertaining but highly forgettable mystery novel and, in actuality, a disappointing Edgar nominee.

Joel Goldman's LAST WITNESS deftly avoids the sophomore slump with this blistering, Edgar-nominated thriller featuring Kansas City attorney Lou Mason that will make you forget there was ever another literary lawyer named Mason. Like Motion To Kill, this is a knock-out, defining a new genre: the legal crime thriller. Think Grisham meets Connelly and you've got Goldman.

It is very hard for an author to duplicate the power of the first novel. Sometimes the author can, and on rare occasion, exceed the first book. Joel Goldman certainly has managed to do so in this new sequel to his very enjoyable first book, Motion To Kill. As always, I recommend that any interested readers read the first book, which is mentioned occasionally in this sequel. Kansas City trial lawyer Lou Mason as well as most of the other characters are back in this novel. This time Lou Mason has to defend his friend, mentor and landlord, Wilson "Blues" Bluestone who has been accused of murdering Jack Cullan.

Jack Cullan was the mayor's lawyer as well as the political fixer for the powers that be as well as anyone else with enough need and money in Kansas City. Rumor had it that he had files on everyone in town and could have taught J. Edgar Hoover a thing or two in that area. When Cullan is found dead after a violent conformation with Blues in the bar Blues' owns, suspicion naturally falls on Blues.

But suspicion had lots of help and Blue and Lou realize a complex frame is underway. Not only does Lou have to fight Blues' case in court, he also has to stay alive on the wintry streets of Kansas City as various forces, for their own clashing reasons, seek to stop him one way or the other.

Once again, Joel Goldman weaves an interesting complex tale of intrigue, deceit and murder with the occasional dry humorous comment about the world and the legal profession. Unlike John Grisham, Joel Goldmoon, does not ever mount the soap box to lecture the reader on the evils of the legal profession and does not allow the occasional side comment to interfere with the flow of a good story. Tight writing, plenty of action and a very good twisting mystery puzzle make this another great book of his to read. With two done and two more featuring Lou Mason on the way, he soon should supplant Grisham at his own game and does it by writing a simply better book.

I enjoyed all 3 books and this series and hope there are more Lou Mason thrillers to folllow. worth reading.

Lou Mason is out to prove his friend Blues is innocent of murder and finds complexity in the city politics, family relations, and more while he does it. A surprise ending really keeps things interesting. All in all a great legal/mystery thriller that is well worth the Kindle price.

I thought that the character development was quite good in this book, and actually plan to go back now and read the first book in the series to get more background. While there were a lot of characters involved, the author did a good job of making sure things were easy to follow. I especially enjoyed the interaction of Lou Mason and the reporter during the story and found that a nice addition to the story line.

I didn't quite give the book a full 5 stars as for me that represents a book that I just can't put down and stay up to late reading. I could put this book down, perhaps because it felt a little predictable at times (even though it turned out not to be in the end), and I just didn't feel the pace was such that I couldn't step away. However, this is still a great read and I highly encourage those who enjoy the genre to give it a try.

Note: I was given a free copy of this book for review, but am in no way associated with the author or publisher.

Wow what can I say, a good read! Likable main characters, Joel Goldman delivered! I will enjoy reading more of the Lou Mason books. The book starts out with a bang and continues thru to the end. You just never expected the ending, that is the way I enjoy a mystery book, good from beginning to end. You will enjoy this book from the beginning. I can't say I found anything that I didn't like about the story! I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

I really like this author,he is new to me as I have read only two books of his and I liked his style and characters very much.

The Last Witness is a gripping novel from start to finish. Tough guy detective story that can't be beat. Set in the Kansas City, big names, big politics. Need a score sheet to keep up with the good guys and the bad guys.

Lou Mason, trial attorney, is a fair man, a good friend, and a bulldog when he is trying to save his client who is charged with first degree murder. Because the police believe that they have the killer, they are not looking for the real killer. So Mason, must find out who did the deed. And convince the police, and try not to get killed himself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

The Last Witness is a great mix of legal thriller and noir mystery. I enjoyed the characters, both good and bad, and the dilemmas our hero faced in dealing with all of them. Lou Mason makes a believable lawyer/detective, and I plan to read more books in the series to follow his development. I also enjoyed the setting of Kansas City in the winter. The blizzard descriptions rang true to this northerner, and were an interesting contrast to the seamier side of the city. Mr. Goldman keeps the plot moving quickly and the suspense builds until the very end of the book. A very enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

If I was ever in need of a lawyer, I would want Lou Mason to represent me.

When Lou's best friend, Blue, gets arrested for murder Lou turns over every rock in his path to prove Blue's innocence. Even when it means going against the police officer, Harry, that raised him as a child when his parents died.

Lou's character is smart, tenacious, and sexy. He doesn't take no for an answer and he doesn't mind stepping on toes to get to the truth, no matter how politically connected they may be. He doesn't let anything get in his way, not even threats against his life.

Lots of meaty characters and exciting plot twists. Kept me on edge trying to figure out who the murderer could be. I can usually figure it out ahead of time but this mystery kept me wondering to the end. The story is written like one of the all-time great Perry Mason episodes.
I look forward to reading more Lou Mason stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it