Customer Reviews

Neon Dragon (Hardscrabble Books-Fiction of New England)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Though I normally don't read many detective mysteries, I read this one by my friend, law professor Jack Dobbyn. The action moves, the humor is wry, and the book is well plotted and well written. Set in Boston, it offers fascinating information on the tongs that terrorize chinatowns in many American cities. A great read.

In Boston Michael Knight works as a third year associate attorney at Bilson, Dawes, Leftbridge & Sykes law firm. Thus he is shocked when African-American judge Amos Bradley, expected to be named to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court soon, asks him to represent his son Anthony, who is accused of killing sexagenarian Mr. Chen An-Young during a New Year's parade. The shooting has angered the Chinese-American community as Mr. Chen was a well respected grandfather.

Knight visits the incarcerated Anthony at the Suffolk County prison where he finds his client articulate and grateful. Anthony insists he is guilty of only agreeing to go with his friend Terry Blocher to attend the Chinese New Year gala. At the office, attorney Alexis "Lex" Devlin offers to help Michael with the case; Alexis was the top gun until a decade ago when a jury-tampering charge forced Lex into "hiding". The case looks hopeless on the surface, but with Knight following clues that take him into nasty neighborhoods, he believes he can prove his client's innocence that is if he stays alive long enough.

The protagonist knew nothing about government corruption or Chinese organized gangs in spite of being in the prosecutor's office for four years before he joined his current firm and grew up in the city. Knight is a terrific protagonist who, with his mentor, makes for a delightful Bostonian joy ride. The story line is fast-paced and includes some fun references to Beantown literary sleuths. However, it is the courtroom that makes this a fine legal thriller as fans of the sub-genre will enjoy the teaming of Michael and Lex.

Harriet Klausner

First Sentence: Suppose you were to wake up one Monday morning to a promising, amber sun rising out of Boston Harbor.

Michael Knight is a young attorney in a very prestigious Boston law firm. Lex Devlin is a legendary attorney whose career was nearly ruined by rumor that he bought a juror. Now the two are working together to defend, and prove innocent, the son of an important Judge. The young man is accused of shooting a revered elderly man in Chinatown. In the investigation, Michael, with his college friend Harry, sees sides of Chinatown he didn't know existed and he may not survive the experience.

Gripping, exciting, suspenseful--over the top at times but boy, did it keep me turning the pages. There was good development of the main characters, wonderful wry humor and a chance to visit my favorite city of Boston and the drive to Canada. I can't ensure the accuracy of the legal scenes, but considering Dobbyn was a practicing lawyer and now a professor of law, I have to assume they are correct. They certainly aren't dull, as is nothing in this book. If you are looking for an exciting weekend read, this is it. I'll also admit I also loved that his inside cover picture is him, his wife and their dog.

As a long time fan of Dobbyn's short stories in Ellery Queen, Hitchcock, et al,I read his first full length novel with eager anticipation.Neon Dragon did not disapppoint & in fact was a great read!
Fast paced with well placed sarcasm & wry humor, the story & characters pull one in & make it difficult to put down ala Patterson & Grisham.However, Dobbyn has a style uniquely his own. His scenes in & about Boston bring back images that I as a former Bostonian can really appreciate.
I look forward to his next novel.

C.F.DiSilva

A decent plot, excellent background into the Chinese drug culture and gangs, plus an outstanding court case in the last 30 pages of the book brings this book to a very satisfying conclusion that had me turning pages to see how it ends.

Neon Dragon features Michael Knight, a lawyer working for a Boston law firm, who finds himself responsible for representing a young Harvard student who is accused of murdering a respected older Chinese man in the Boston Chinatown district. The defendant also happens to be the son of a judge who is in line to become the next chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court.

I would rate Neon Dragon 4.3 stars - if I could. It is not a 5 star book, but better than 4 stars and is a fast read for those who like a Grisham style legal thriller (moderate character development, a good story, fast paced, less than 350 pages, and a better ending than most Grisham books).

If this is the style of book you love to read, than Neon Dragon by John F. Dobbyn should be on your reading list.

Anthony Wessel (The Kindle Book Review)

It's been a while since I read a novel that I just had to force myself to put down...I would have read it all in one night if I wasn't careful :-) All I can say is this is the best (free) legal mystery I've read in ages. It has everything-suspense, humor, romance, etc and not one expletive! Believe me, I have never heard of this author before but I'll certainly be searching for more of his work. Well done!

In Neon Dragon, John Dobbyn has written a thrilling novel starring two of his short story characters, Michael Knight and Lex Devlin. In this first novel, the two attorneys in the Boston law offices of Bilson, Dawes, Lefbridge & Sykes join together to defend an unusual client.

On his way out of court one morning, Michael is pulled aside and asked by Judge Amos Bradley to defend his son, Anthony. The younger Bradley has been accused of killing a revered elderly man in Chinatown during a Chinese New Year's celebration the night before.

As Michael begins his investigation into the case, he finds himself involved in the dangerous world of corruption, human trafficking, prostitution, and drugs that is the underbelly of Chinatown. With Harry, his Harvard Law school buddy, Michael heads straight into the tail of the dragon.

While seeking to prove Anthony's innocence, Michael also works to find out the truth about his mentor and friend Lex Devlin, and why Devlin turned away from a stellar career as a defense attorney ten years before.

This taut, fast-paced story delivers. The well-developed characters are easy to love or hate, depending on their role. This story can be harsh at times, but also a story of love and a caring for others that shows the tender side of people who respect their friends and co-workers. There are funny moments along the way. One of my favorite characters is Julie, the secretary in Michael's office.

Here's hoping for many more Lex and Michael novels.

Neon Dragon

I won't repeat what has already been written about this book except to say that I fully agree with the comments. People who read ebooks are taking part in a new experiment in the relationship between authors and their readers. Since they frequently do not have publishers to sell the book with their PR departments, the responsibility falls to the public to call attention to books that deserve credit and will not waste the reader's time. This book meets that test and much more.

Actually, my wife read it, but it took her a whole two days. Pulled strongly and told me to rate it at most as possible. The only thing it did not fit, is that too fast to read this book.

This was a great read. On the move all the time, easy to read following in the tradition of Harry Bosch and/or Mickey Haller. Michael Connelly has competition here. Interesting info regarding the Chinese community in USA (is it different anywhere else?)and an unusual sub-plot as Michael Knight (perhaps the author could have come up with a more unusual name?) strives to free his senior partner/mentor/first chair from demons of the past. Even my wife enjoyed this one despite not 'doing' detective/legal stories.