Customer Reviews

Trial By Fire (Joseph Antonelli)

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D.W. Buffa's novels are always a read to be anticipated. His latest does not disappoint. In setting up his main character, Joseph Antonelli finds himself as a guest on one of those interminable cable news channel "talk" shows about topics of the day in which the host and some of the guests have a preordained point of view and then proceed to roast and belittle anyone who opposes it. On this show Antonelli and a young law profesor, Justin Sinclair are the roastees and their protestations that you cannot prejudge guilt or innocence based upon newspaper stories and rumors are treated like a pinata at a Mexican birthday party.

Soon thereafter, Sinclair is charged with murdering one of the other guests on the show, Daphne McMillan. McMillan is a prosecutor and she is also married to a man, who as it turns out may have murdered his first wife and is more than capable of murdering Daphne. However, the circumstances of the murder, in Sinclair's home, her blood on his hands and evidence of a romantic relationship which she was ending lead the talk show types to convict Sinclair in advance and during the trial that follows, not even the great Joseph Antonelli can save him from being convicted.

The retribution which follows the conviction is interesting and at times a bit fanciful, but Buffa never lets certain things stand in his way of telling a story and while some liberties are taken, the story suffers not at all. While the novel stands as an indictment of the cable mentality that infects this nation and much of the world, it is also first rate fiction written by an author who desrves all of the awards he has been given.

Like many of the great lone-wolf characters, Joseph Antonelli has become an individual about whom we want to learn more, and hear more. Just as we struggle with the personal charms and failings of Harry Bosch or Adam Dalgliesh or Dismas Hardy or Guido Brunetti, we come to believe in them, their fallibilities and their small victories.

D.W. Buffa has created a character that endures, and draws the reader to his next book. And like the best dramas, whether profound or merely popular, the surrounding characters are also alive and thoroughly interesting in their own right. Whether it is the inventive quirks of his judges, or the contemporary take on talk show hosts and media types, Buffa creates a compelling story.

In Trial By Fire, he adds a media mogul who deserves our concern, a love for Australia and Berkelely that comes through loud and clear, and a plot twist that makes you glad you read his well-constructed story. I can't wait to see what Antonelli is doing next!

The author gets the reader hooked through his in-depth descriptions of his characters, carrying you on a roller coaster of emotions from love, to hate, to respect. Then, just as you have the players all figured out, he drops a bombshell of an ending that has you rethinking your opinions of many of the characters. I can't wait for his next release.

"Trial By Fire," by D. W. Buffa, New York, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005. ISBN 0-399-15281-4- HC, 293 pp. & 9.25" x 6.25".

The latest of 7 novels by experienced crime fiction author, DW Buffa, Esq., who writes with an assured, vigorous & winning style, expected qualities of a practicing successful courtroom defense attorney.

Buffa again makes use of San Francisco criminal defense lawyer & protagonist Joseph Antonelli, junior member of lawfirm run by Albert Craven, friend. Reluctantly steered by Craven, Antonelli joins as panel guest on the TV Bryan Allen Show along with Daphne McMillan, ADA; Julian Sinclair, Law Prof. UC; & Paula Constable, societal Trial Attorney -- for a lively discussion on hearsay evidence suggesting a husband had butchered his young wife -- a TV spectacle when even a trial date had not been set! Antonelli & Sinclair voice feverent oppostiion to the thrust of TV panel indictments & are dismayed at the jeopardizing portentous perils & media feeding-frenzy ejaculated by the Bryan Allen Show. As fate would have it, Daphne McMillan's butchered body in Julian Sinclair's home makes him a suspect & so he too is subjected to a TV Newsmedia Trial shaping public opinion on the Bryan Allen Show.

The story unfolds realistically - indeed, we are tacitly prompted to identify the machinations & frequenters with the Scott Peterson trial, Paula with Gloria Allred, Bryan with Larry King (an/or now Nancy), etc...perhaps.

The mockery of the plot, the devious stratagem of some principals & the inventive closure is affably engineered - & perhaps we are wont to a sequel...? The book is not only timely, but worse, its theme is too dreadfully true of our USA "Land of the Free". The courtroom drama is told shrewdly & the writing is succinct, no superflous words or embellishments. I was fortunate to have attended an author's book signing in Napa, CA in May '05 & Dudley Buffa discussed his Antonelli character, reading Chap. 2 so invitingly I purchased a copy of his book & look forward to reading the others.

D. W. Buffa's latest legal thriller, "Trial by Fire," features criminal defense attorney extraordinaire Joseph Antonelli. Julian Sinclair, a brilliant and distinguished law professor, is arrested for the murder of Daphne McMillan, an Assistant District Attorney in San Francisco. Sinclair asks Antonelli to defend him, and without hesitation, Joseph takes the case. He likes and admires Sinclair, and he is certain that his client is innocent. Unfortunately, the media and public opinion quickly turn against Sinclair, and Joseph soon realizes that his chances of winning an acquittal are slim.

Buffa's central theme is the destructive role that newspapers and television play in high profile cases. In order to boost circulation and inflate ratings, broadcast and print journalists often make inflammatory and prejudicial statements, caring little that their words and actions may influence potential jurors and make a fair trial all but impossible.

The courtroom scenes are excellent and I enjoyed the give and take of the cross examinations, as well as the eloquence of the attorneys' arguments. Joseph Antonelli is an engrossing narrator and an admirable protagonist. He is a man of integrity who is unpretentious, hard-working, and very creative and clever in the courtroom. To his credit, the author doesn't clutter his book with unnecessary gore, shallow romances, or silly chase scenes. He focuses on the law, on personalities, and how difficult it is to obtain justice in our society.

The novel has its weaknesses as well. Some of the characters in this book are a bit too one dimensional, and Buffa strains his plot to the breaking point in an effort to come up with a surprise ending. In addition, he writes quite a few passages and lines of dialogue that sound artificial. In spite of these flaws, the story of Julian Sinclair held my interest, and whenever Antonelli speaks about the law with intelligence, insight, and passion, he commands the reader's undivided attention.

Buffa is always good at characterization, and very good--even poetic--at description of place. He is also superb at moral ambiguity.

Here he adds swiss-watch construction.

As always, he does not just treat individual cases, but whole concepts-- global justice, retribution, the nature of relationships, media, the ability to know the truth.

I saw the ending coming long before it came, but that did not lessen my appreciation for the beautiful symmetry of this book.

Julian Sinclair expresses appreciation for "The Count of Monte Christo," and that old-fashioned sense of balance pervades the book.

Still, it is right up to date in its sharp critique of Trial by Media and rushing to judgment.

Great work.

D.W. Buffa would be a household name in a perfect world --- a world where bookstores are open at midnight on the eve of his new release, and the masses queue up to read the latest in a series of novels concerning defense attorney Joseph Antonelli in the same number and with the same fervor that they read the exploits of bespectacled wizards' apprentices. The scenario I propose is probably too far removed from reality to be in reasonable anticipation of occurrence, but I have witnessed miracles before and continue to hope.

Over the course of six previous novels, Buffa has utilized Antonelli as a vehicle to explore the culture and mores of the American landscape. While a good deal of each of Buffa's works concerns the mechanisms of judicial trial, these novels transcend the "courtroom thriller" genre to which they are often and erroneously consigned.

So it is with TRIAL BY FIRE, Buffa's newest book. There are echoes within of Dickens, Dumas and O. Henry, containing elements of the work of each of these authors. Yet TRIAL BY FIRE is not a pastiche or even a homage to these writers. The commonality that this novel has with A TALE OF TWO CITIES (which, if it was published today, might be considered a courtroom thriller) or THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO is that it subtly explores the foibles of the human condition, the ones that many contemporary authors no longer care to deal with, much less mention, either implicitly or explicitly.

And the man is an absolute joy to read. Buffa coins at least two phrases in TRIAL BY FIRE, creates an unforgettable minor character within the space of three short sentences, and gives over a brief paragraph to a physical description of another secondary character --- a description so complete in every way that it would render a photograph of the individual superfluous. All of this is interwoven into a narrative that presents such matters as a short history of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence, a visit to a restaurant you will never encounter otherwise, and an ongoing narrative discourse concerning trial by media --- all the while presupposing the intelligence of the reader.

But there is far more going on here than stylistic gymnastics. Buffa interweaves his superior literary style with elements of suspense and mystery into a combination that makes TRIAL BY FIRE impossible to relinquish until its last word is read. As with many of Buffa's other works, this one defies an easy summarization, not because of the complexity of the plot, but rather because the symmetry of the work is so important to the narrative that one fears that revealing one thing will reveal all.

TRIAL BY FIRE begins with Antonelli back in San Francisco, practicing law as an informal partner in a quietly prestigious firm. While reluctantly participating on a panel for a news television program, Antonelli makes the acquaintance of Julian Sinclair, a criminal law professor from Berkeley. Antonelli is immediately struck by the level of Sinclair's acumen and intelligence --- so much so that he is in immediate agreement when Albert Craven, the lone surviving founding partner in the firm, suggests bringing Sinclair into their fold.

The hiring never takes place, however. Antonelli is horrified when early on a Sunday morning he is summoned to Sinclair's home to find a woman --- a married woman with whom Sinclair has been involved --- brutally murdered. Sinclair protests his innocence, claiming that the victim was killed by her husband, a wealthy and powerful icon of the San Francisco business community. Antonelli believes Sinclair to the depths of his soul and vigorously defends him against the charges. The media, however, has Sinclair tried and convicted before the charges are even read in open court.

When Sinclair is indeed tried and convicted, Antonelli, obsessed with the injustice that has occurred, takes it upon himself to bring the true killer to justice --- thus placing himself squarely in the path of the murderer. But Antonelli is unstoppable. As he continues on his quest, several unexpected developments occur, occasioning a maelstrom of passion, revenge and, in the end, a rough and most appropriate justice.

TRIAL BY FIRE is a meticulously plotted work with unforgettable characters, both major and minor, and a resolution that is as equally haunting on the third reading as it is on the first. This is another major work by one of the best contemporary wordsmiths of any genre. Very highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This is the seventh addition to the Joseph Antonelli series. Antonelli is a middle-aged - actually it's difficult to pinpoint how old he is, he could be anywhere between his early 50's to mid-60's - well paid and well regarded defense attorney residing in San Francisco. Antonelli is so successful that he can pick and choose his clients - which of course means the author can pick and choose his topics.

Buffa's books are more than court-room dramas and legal thrillers - although there is plenty of that. This author's books are filled with complex characters and cases which are a springboard for philosophical - maybe esoteric, but still fascinating - portrayals and discussions of bigger social issues. This doesn't mean they are dull or boring, but they do make you think. So if you like your legal fiction with a little more meat on the bone, Buffa is your author.

Trial By Fire is no exception. Antonelli befriends and then represents a young and highly intelligent law professor who is accused of murdering a young woman in his home. The victim, an assistant DA, was a close friend of his client - maybe too close - and was married to an older and very powerful man - who may have a dark side. Although Antonelli's defense of his client is the plot, the real story here is the media's involvement with the case outside of the courtroom - i.e. the philosophical and contemplative twist that makes this book - and series - both entertaining and thought provoking.

The author's portrayal of the case both inside the courtroom and on Cable TV is handled extremely well, without becoming shrill and the cast of characters is well developed and thus very real. Although the ending does stretch credibility a bit - this is still a very satisfying and intelligent read. The author seems to have gone on a hiatus after this book - I hope he returns and writes more.

D.W. Buffa does write an entertaining novel, bringing a lot of things to light, such as the publics reliance on television journalism to help them form an opinion. Antonelli is a memorable character that's very likeable and who seems to have a lot of common sense. (I liked his views on capital punishment).

The story seemed a little rushed and could have used a little more detail in places. Once again the book flap gave away to much information telling you what was going to happen, practically to the halfway point.

this is a mess structurally and in terms of characterization, a novel which has veered so far from the moral core of classic detective fiction that the hero, based apparently on prince valiant, has no hesitation in murdering a fellow prisoner (a child-molester, of course)to provide a burned body in place of his in an unlikely escape from san quentin. no mention of any concern by the prison authorities about the disappearance of the fellow prisoner...characters are cardboard, modelled on the likes of mr cheerible at his most irritating and gloria allred at her most waspish. the plot is old, threadbare and simply unbelievable. avoid it..too many lawyers are retiring early and writing dreadful novels..they should stick to their knitting..