Customer Reviews

The Mammoth Book of Legal Thrillers

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

 

 

This collection is a disappointment. The overall quality is poor; the come on of the "big names" is a farce. Two pages taken almost at random and out of context from John Grisham's "The Partner" do not constitute a "legal thriller." An incident (not even a courtroom incident) from Scott Turow's "Pleading Guilty" is almost meaningless without background on the characters.

Irwin Shaw and Louis Auchincloss had good selections, probably because both have excellent reputations as short story writers. "Speedball" by Brian Hedge was excellent, but it had everything to do with the death of John Belushi and nothing to do with lawyers, court, and legal matters.

I am a fan of courtroom drama, and "Legal Thrillers" did not provide me with even one clever lawyer. This book seems hastily put together and lacked focus.
-sweetmolly-Amazon.com Reviewer

Michael Hemmingson has collected in this volume 39 courtroom/legal stories not only by the accomplished masters but also from up-&-coming writers. Featured are writings of Gardner, Turow, Grisham, Andrew Vachss, Francis M. Nevins. Jr., the accomplished masters of the genre & also exciting legal stories from non-legal authors like Jeremy Russell & John Lutz.

The Mammoth Book, true to its name is mammoth in content, but a trifle disappointing as acknowledged superstars of the genre like Steve Martini, Richard North Patterson & Lisa Scottoline, have been left out.

I must say that the stories show a remarkable variety; from the interesting Perry Mason The Case of the Crying Swallow to the amusing Mike Wiecek's The New Lawyer, & from the intriguing Francis M. Nevins's Loren Mensing mystery Night of the Silken Snow to the satirical My Bonnie Lies by Ted Hertel Jr.

Though not a great collection, it is a good anthology worth its name - a potpourri.

This is a great book. There are some stinkers, but that's to be expected. But I stayed up all night reading it. I highly recommend it.

Any book titled "Mammoth Book of..." is a terrific value of legal tales, highlighted by a Perry Mason tale that is solved before it hits the courtroom. Ted Hertel's electrifying short story "My Bonnie Lies" very memorable. The editor misstepped by including a few pages from some famous authors however there is enough "meat" here to give you many, many hours of really good legal reading.
Anyone enjoying legal compilations like this should go to sell dot com and get the complete set of all years of the TV series, The Practice (make sure it includes the the series' last year with James Spader).

A good assortment of stories. Was very interested in seeing a story by Joe Lansdale and Andrew Vachss, "Veil's Visit." I don't know why Lansdale needed help from an overrated, ego-inflated bad writer like Vachss, seeing how Lansdlae is such a great writer. Oh well. There's plenty of fine stories in this.

OUTSTANDING! One of the greatest reading experiences of my life! The Incredible psychological understanding -- page after page of gorgeous prose -- a profound grasp of the mystery of time and human existence -- the smells of the courtroom . . .

Well . . . I have to admit, I’m biased. I’m [name] the author of “DELISA: DErivative LIfe SApien” one of the writers featured in the anthology.

“DELISA” opens on the eve of the announcement of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on whether the Delisa are human.

The delisa are a genetically engineered species, derived primarily from human DNA that's been mixed with that of various plants and animals. They are considered animals and sold as slaves, though the only physical difference between humans and delisa are their eyes -- they literally sparkle with a thousand lights.

"Delisa" deals with the double-edged nature of Justice's sword and provides a first glimpse of a problem that does not yet exist, but one day will. We infuse plants with animal DNA, animals with plant DNA. When we start doing it to humans, what are they? Do they remain humans? Do they become something less? More? Equal? What is humanity? How is it defined?

I hope you find “Delisa” and the other works in “The Mammoth Book of Legal Thrillers” enjoyable!