Customer Reviews

Mahogany Row

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Only Wayne Keeley and Chuck Palahniuk have made me read books this quickly! Mahogany Row opens strongly and gets even stronger as more and more details are revealed in this neo-noir crime thriller. From the first chapter, it is clear that you are not just reading a novel, but rather are experiencing one. Even the most unempathic of readers will sympathize with the protagonist in what turns out to be an empire-shattering plot.

Filled with vivid characters that materialize themselves for you as you read, you can't help but feel as though you are the one being probed and pushed beyond your limits; having been made the fall-guy for an organization that you gave your life to. This story is one you would only expect from an organized crime mastermind, or an articulate, creative, and multi-talented author named Wayne Keeley... remember that name as we'll be seeing more of it. Kudos to FictionWorks for publishing this author.

A lawyer thriller written by a lawyer - brief, brutal & engaging! About loyalty, invested interest, corruption of power & the mess made by covering up lies.

Good commuter fodder - nothing earthshaking, tidbits of insider information with a riddle you want to unravel.

I look forward to more from this writer!

If a furiously paced thriller is for you, give Mahogany Row a try. Author/Attorney Wayne J. Keeley creates an environment of peril in New York City for his lawyer protagonist Mark McCoy. In some ways, this book is more related to The Fugitive than a legal drama, you'll want to keep the pages turning. Throw in a dash of kinky sex, a curious romance and an omnipresent cop and you have the ingredients for a good, seasonal read.

I had fun with this book and I think most mystery lovers will, too. For a first novel, not too bad. The plot leaves little time for character development. The characters would be interesting to get to know.

Attorney Mark McCoy reinvents himself to gain entrance into the world of high-powered attorneys and billable hours. Now his boss has been found, naked with his throat slashed, in his office, leaving Mark the prime suspect with murder.

The detective on the case gleefully informs him -- he's the last person to find out -- that his boss recommended against giving him a partnership, meaning he was about to be without a job. Unemployment after eight years of twelve billable hours a day seems an adequate motive for murder. And with no alibi, Mark is quickly running out of options.

Fleeing town and remaining a fugitive seems the only option for Mark, until he can prove his innocence. But with a tenacious detective and a powerful law firm on his trail, as well as killer, Mark best work fast or he may add to the growing body count.

Gritty, faced-paced, this first-person narrative keeps the reader on edge till the last surprising page. The dirty back streets of New York and a cast of seedy characters present motive and background guaranteed to hold the reader's interest. The author's first novel, MAHOGANY ROW's surprising twist at the end will leave reader's desiring more from this outstanding author. Highly recommended.

First the cover sucked me in then the the blurb. The opening scene of the protagonist finding his naked boss dead at HIS desk hooked me. The story events were as well-paced with mounting tension as any of the long-established writers of legal thrillers. I've never been to New York, but believed the place and people Keeley introduced to me. I can't wait for his next novel, which I know will be even better!

I look out for every new legal thriller...it is my favorite genre. I read "Mahogany Row" & I will tell you this....John Grisham can rest easy. This is one book that you may judge by it's poorly designed cover. The story is like something you'd see as a movie of the week on some obscure television station...but bad. What the book lacks in content it makes up for in...pages....with words. What troubles me is that despite the quality of this book, somehow I felt that the author is actually a very intelligent person. Keeley shouldn't give up writing....he should just learn more about it. I think I will give him another chance on his 3rd or 4th book.

Here's a pretty satisfying tough, pulpy hard boiled mystery novel for anyone who needs a Mickey Spillane style fix. Instead of an alcoholic private eye, our protaganist is a lawyer. Now this isn't just any smarmy yuppie scum lawyer. . . no siree. . . ., this is Mark McCoy a street-smart, raised in Alphabet City, New York City lawyer who's being set up to take the fall for the murder of his boss. It's time to stop playing the game and start playing hard-ball. After he narrowly escapes arrest, McCoy busily tracks down leads as he avoids hired assasins, stays barely one step ahead of persistant cops and keeps getting himself in so many jams he ought to go by the name of Smuckers. There's a few sprinkles of authentic sounding inside information to be found (about how law firms work)--which is probably because author Wayne Keeley actually is a lawyer (entertainment lawyer) in real life. It's a short book that began life as an e-book, is being considered for a film, and will be pushed with a sizeable marketing budget in the very near future. If you're looking for a fun, quick, pulpy read, this will not disappoint you. Christopher J. Jarmick is the co-author of the Glass Cocoon an exciting suspense thriller.

Wayne J. Keeley's debut novel, "Mahogany Row" is high-octaine fun from start to finish. If you're looking for a quick and highly entertaining suspense novel, you can't go wrong with this lean and gritty read. While the characters seem to lack depth overall, and many of the relationships are sketchy at best, the novel moves at such break-neck speed, you barely have time to notice. If you're looking for deep character studies and thought-provoking prose--you'll be disappointed. But if you're in the mood for some escapist thrills and chills, "Mahogany Row" is just the ticket.

When Mark McCoy enters his office Monday morning he finds his boss, Johnathon Simpson, murdered in his chair. A note, barring McCoy from Partnership at the Ashley, Stepford and Simpson law firm rests on his desk. Immediately, Mark is the number one suspect.

With his office shut off as a crime scene, Mark has no choice but to head home. From this point a series of dangerous coincidences alert Mark that somebody wants him dead.

How could this be? Why is Mark being framed for Simpson's death? More importantly, what does Mark know that could have him killed? Follow this young attorney as he seeks the answers to his questions.

Wayne Keeley's first novel starts fast and doesn't stop until the stunning conclusion.

However, this rapid pace has its drawbacks. There is minimal time for character development. Furthermore, the players are forced to keep up with the plot. There is no time to reflect because the characters must hurry across town for the next scene.

Several typographical errors are present in the non-draft copy I possess, but they provide minimal distraction.

Nevertheless, Keeley's first venture into the world of legal thrillers is a valiant effort. The story lines are there. With better pacing, Keeley may become an author worth considering.

Definitely a fun read! This book is fast-moving and highly entertaining as it takes you into the dark, jaded, sleazy underbelly of the practice of law in New York City, especially after hours. It's a mystery that keeps you guessing. Legal thrillers may be a dime a dozen, but this one distinguishes itself with its surprising twists and turns and coiled eroticism. Surprisingly funny too! But it's not for the kids.