Premeditated Murder (Zack and Terry) [Kindle Edition]

Ed Gaffney (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In a New England courtroom, two young defense lawyers face a trial they cannot win. For attorneys Zack Wilson and Terry Tallach, partners and best friends, it seems an open-and-shut case. Their client confessed to a horrific multiple homicide–and Zack and Terry have only one hope: to spare him from the death penalty. But even that is a long shot…until the case takes a sudden, strange turn.

The two lawyers may have stumbled on a loophole: their client had a secret motive for his indefensible act–a motive that might even free him if Zack and Terry can pull off an ingenious defense.

But as the media descend on a quiet Massachusetts town, and as Zack and Terry fight to save their client’s life, a surprise witness turns the trial into something no one could have predicted. Because only he can put all the pieces of an astounding puzzle together–and expose a conspiracy that is more shocking, far-reaching, and treacherous than anyone could guess.


From the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Ed Gaffney took ten years of work as a criminal lawyer, added an overactive imagination, and came up with a new career as a novelist. This has led to an unexpected number of requests from his softball teammates to appear with Terry and Zack in future books. Ed lives west of Boston with his wife, New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann, their two children, and their anxious, but ever-loyal dogs, Sugar and Spice. He is the author of Premeditated Murder and Suffering Fools, both featuring Zack Walker and Terry Tallach, and is currently at work on his next legal thriller.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 262 KB
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0440241944
• Publisher: Dell (May 31, 2005)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FCK4PO
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,788 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good First Effort, August 18, 2007

By 

Colleen McMahon ""Omnivorous Reader"" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Premeditated Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

I picked up Premeditated Murder, the first novel by lawyer-author Ed Gaffney, because I'd heard of him through his wife Suzanne Brockmann, one of my favorite romantic suspense authors. Overall I found the book readable and the main characters enjoyable, although the plot of the story ended up being sort of far-fetched and some of the storylines almost totally extraneous.

The main plot involves two close friends and law partners, Zack Wilson and Terry Tallach, who take on a nightmare indigent defense case. The perpetrator freely admits to a massacre in which he shot 6 people dead in cold blood, and further admits to carefully planning and preparing to carry it out. He has a reason for his behavior but it is nearly unbelievable--yet it is the only shot the lawyers have at avoiding a near certain guilty verdict and death penalty.

Intertwined with this is a tumble of other plots--one involving a likeable US President-by-accident who uncovers a frightening top level government plot, an aspiring investigative reporter in Detroit who is doing her best to figure out another branch of that plot, and a planned terrorist attack on the Fourth of July--that all somehow come together in the murder case. Certain of the storylines, such as one involving a cop and an injured teenager, ended up going nowhere, and others, like the one with the reporter, were sketchy. Their only relevance seems to be in setting up characters for later reappearances.

Nevertheless I did find myself turning pages quickly even though I was less than totally satisfied by the end. I did like the main characters well enough to try another Gaffney book, and hope that the potential I see in the pacing, dialogue and likeable characters develops as he continues to write.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!! For a First Time Author Ed Gaffney Shines!, January 21, 2006

By 

J. Miller (Hampton, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Premeditated Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

This is my first review, so I am going to ask that everyone reading this hang tight --

Terry and Zack are two criminal defense attorneys set to defend a coldblooded killing "monster" who admits to killing six college students who turn out to be terriorists. They believe everyone is entitled to a fair trial and take on the seemingly unwinable task of defending their client. Then, much to Zach's uneasy dismay, this monster turns out to be all too human, all too likeable. But is he innocent of murder?

The twists and turns throughout this book are interwoven with tales of Zach and Terry's life that allow the reader to see inside and get to know these two goofy good guys. They make the job of defending this killer suddenly take on a different meaning. And make the obvious outcome of this trial for Zach to be totally unacceptable.

I would like to see more of Matt & Sammy, the chemistry between them is wonderful.

The rest of the plot is sort of convuluted and the reader has to work to keep in mind where the story is going, but he does a great job of tying it all together. For a first time out, it was a home run. I loved it.

I can't wait on his next book -- will Zach and Terry be back?

I would like also to say thanks to Suzanne Brockmann for mentioning that her husband was writing his first book -- she plugged it in one of her acknowledgements, but Ed Gaffney is the one who hit it out of the park!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book was awesome!, June 21, 2005

By 

S. Taylor (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Premeditated Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

I love to read and I love to read books that I can't put down. This was one of those. The book started out interesting and continued on from there. The trial transcripts at the first of each chapter were a departure from the normal telling of a story, but very effective. The twist at the end -- I never saw it coming. I can't wait for this new author's next book.