Wild Justice (Mass Market Paperback)

by Phillip Margolin (Author) "A lightning flash illuminated the Learjet that waited on the runway of the private airstrip moments before a thunderchap startled Dr. Clifford Grant..." (more)
Key Phrases: wild justice, bail hearing, Milton County, Justine Castle, Vincent Cardoni (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
When a killing field is unearthed in the Oregon woods, it's linked to a Portland surgeon whose increasingly aggressive behavior and explosive temper have already drawn the attention of his colleagues. Neophyte attorney Amanda Jaffe takes second chair to her father, a successful criminal lawyer retained by Dr. Vincent Cardoni when he is charged with multiple counts of murder. The victims have one thing in common: they are missing vital organs, which were clearly harvested by an expert surgeon. In this explosive and fast-paced suspense thriller, the forensic evidence against Cardoni is so convincing that even after his acquittal on a technicality, the reader, like Amanda, is sure of his guilt. And when a similar field of mutilated bodies turns up years later, Cardoni is again the primary suspect. But Cardoni has disappeared, and this time it's his former wife, Justine Castle, who's implicated in the new crimes, and Amanda who's retained as the lead attorney in the case.

The particulars of the killings are so similar to the first set of murders that Amanda is convinced Cardoni is involved. When he is found to be working at the same hospital where he was once a promising surgeon (this time as a custodian and under an assumed name), she draws the logical conclusion. But when she finds Cardoni's severed hand at the scene of the crimes, she is forced to rethink the assumptions on which her defense of the doctor's ex-wife is based. Could Justine, in fact, be the killer? Author Phillip Margolin's newest book moves at an almost frantic pace. Bodies pile up, evidence mounts, and everything points to Cardoni's guilt until the end, a stunner that surprises Amanda as well as the reader. This chilling, deftly crafted novel will hold the reader's attention to the last page. --Jane Adams --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Devious doctors test the ethics of ambitious attorneys in Margolin's (The Undertaker's Widow) latest speed-read, and give a plot already adrenalized by drug deals, serial murders and organized crime an added jolt of grisly medical mayhem. Novice criminal lawyer Amanda Jaffe helps her legal eagle father Frank defend Portland surgeon Vincent Cardoni against charges that the doctor conspired to sell illicitly harvested organs to support his coke habit and maintained a private torture chamber for his victims in a mountain cabin outside the city limits. Cardoni is freed on a technicalityDand presumed murdered by the mob shortly afterward when his disappearance coincides with the discovery of his severed hand. Four years later, Amanda is asked to lead the defense of doctor Justine Castle, Vincent's ex-wife, when her fingerprints turn up all over another cabin slaughterhouse. Amanda worries that Justine, whose first two husbands also died suspiciously, set up Vincent, but Justine has another theory: psychopathic Vincent is still alive and doing his best to frame her. En route to a breathtaking finale in which Amanda plays bait to the true killer at yet another bloodstained hideout, Margolin buffets the reader with an endless stream of pulpy plot twists: a shamed cop's reformation, rampaging Russian hit men, creative surgery and astonishingly acrobatic feats of pursuit and escape by ordinary people. Only the hysterical pace of the adventures will prevent readers from dwelling too long on their implausibility; meanwhile, pages will turn fast enough to make the perfect breeze for chilling beachside escapists. 250,000 first printing; $250,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, Mystery Guild and BOMC selections; 12-city author tour.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: HarperTorch (July 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061030635
• ISBN-13: 978-0061030635
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (126 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,370 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this thriller by Phillip Margolin!, September 25, 2000

By	Nancy R. Katz "NancyK18" (NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Wild Justice (Hardcover)

Run as fast as you can and pick up a copy of this book. That's right. I said run, so don't be walking. Of the several other books which Phillip Margolin has written, and I have read all of them, this is his very best. The action is so fast paced that the pages turn themselves and before you want it to end, you will be closing the book.

In Wild Justice, I found the characters to be so finely drawn and described, it is as if we know them well. And be prepared for a plot which twists and turns and scenes which will send shivers up and down your body as an out of control doctor is arrested and tried for a series of gruesome murders, only to be let go due a technicality. Then years later when it appears as though Dr. Vincent Cardoni is long dead, the police find evidence of bodies murdered in the same manner but this time the doctor's ex-wife Justine Castle is found guilty.

Added to this roller coaster ride of a book, is a young laywer employed by her father's legal firm who not only represents the good doctor but also his wife. And while I won't say anything more I would love to see Mr. Margolin write another book with some of these same characters.

Wild Justice is a wonderful thriller which can easily take its place among the novels written by both James Patterson and Jonathan Kellerman among other noted writers of this genre. I only hope it doesn't take Mr. Margolin too long to write his next book because until then, I'll be waiting.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Rather Pedestrian Thriller, September 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Wild Justice (Hardcover)

Several years ago, Phillip Margolin wrote what I consider to be one of the cleverest and most exciting thriller/mysteries I have ever read. Ever since then, Mr Margolin has attempted to match that early success; in his latest, the jacket even states that Wild Justice is a "return to the haunting terrain of Gone But Not Forgotten." Unfortunately, though Wild Justice is a decent thriller, it is no Gone But Not Forgotten. It is not as well-written, the characters are shallow caricatures, and, perhaps worst of all, the killer becomes pretty obvious about half way through. Mr. Margolin is so intent on throwing red herrings at us that he makes figuring out the real villain quite easy. Having said all that, the book is a quick read and does contain some exciting moments, but simply not enough of them. I had high hopes for Wild Justice and will continue to read Mr. Margolin's future books in hopes that he can recapture what he once had. But I suggest that those in search of a good mystery put this book down and go find a copy of Gone But Not Forgotten.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, September 4, 2000

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Wild Justice (Hardcover)

Detective Bobby Vasquez receives an anonymous tip that a major cocaine deal is about to go down in a secluded mountain cabin. Without warrants or backup he breaks into the cabin and instead of discovering cocaine, discovers two severed heads in the refrigerator of a basement operating room. There is also a bloody scalpel and a half full coffee mug sitting on the counter, both with fingerprints. After calling in reinforcements, the police find a mass grave with nine corpses. All have obviously been tortured and some are missing vital organs. All evidence points to Dr Vincent Cardoni, an unsympathetic, cocaine addicted surgeon with a bad temper. He promptly hires Frank Jaffe and his daughter, Amanda to handle his defense, stating he was framed by his wife. Even though the evidence is overwhelming, the Jaffes get him off on a technicality. He promptly disappears, leaving his severed hand behind. Considered dead, the police close the case. Fast forward four years. Another killing field is found at another secluded cabin with evidence almost identical to the first, including bloody scalpel and mug of coffee. Only this time, all evidence points to Dr Cardoni's ex-wife, surgeon Justine Castle. She immediately calls the Jaffes to defend her and this time their investigation leads to a roller coaster of a ride, to the stunning conclusion of this novel. Wild Justice has it all...great, believable characters, tight plot, compelling mystery and enough twists and turns to keep you off balance and guessing to the very last page. This is a fast paced, page turner you won't be able to put down and will have to read in one sitting. And when you're through with this book, just thinking about it will keep you up all night. Phillip Margolin is back and better than ever. One of the best books I've read all year. Wild Justice is definately headed for all the best sellers lists.