Final Verdict (Hardcover)

by Sheldon Siegel (Author) "JUDGE ELIZABETH McDANIEL is glaring at me over the top of her reading glasses..." (more)
Key Phrases: circumspect look, adult theater, Alicia Morales, Sixth Street, Basic Needs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Siegel's fourth stand-out legal procedural features likable law partners Mike Daley and ex-wife Rosie Fernandez working together in their San Francisco firm, Fernandez, Daley and O'Malley. As with the others in the series (Special Circumstances; Incriminating Evidence; Criminal Intent), it's a low-key but pleasantly compelling read. Skid row resident Leon Walker, successfully represented by Michael and Rosie in a murder case 10 years earlier, reappears and seeks legal help once again. Leon is charged with the murder of Tower Grayson, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist found stabbed to death in a Dumpster behind a liquor store. The firm has several good reasons to turn Walker down. After Rosie's battle with breast cancer, they've sworn off exhaustive murder investigations, and the original Leon Walker case destroyed their marriage. But Michael's unbending moral code compels him to take the job, and Rosie reluctantly goes along. It's a tough case as both the cops and the prosecutors are doing everything in their power, including intimidating witnesses and threatening Michael, to take the accused man down. Leon, who lives in a flophouse and is dying of liver disease, is equally determined to go to his grave an innocent man. Although Grayson's family and business partners depict him as a pillar of the community, dogged detective work (Michael's ex-cop brother is a PI) turns up a wealth of unsavory evidence attesting to Grayson's many failings, both legal and moral. Michael's careful deliberations and ethical considerations are a refreshing contrast to the slapdash morality and breakneck speed of most legal thrillers. The lengthy, detailed courtroom scenes are instructive and authentic, the resolution fair, dramatic and satisfying. Michael, Rosie, daughter Grace and friends are characters worth rooting for. The verdict is clear; another win for Siegel.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
In this outstanding entry in an always reliable series, former husband and wife defense attorneys Michael Daley and Rosie Fernandez must confront the events that broke them apart. When Leon, a former client whose case caused the marital rift, asks the team to defend him once again as he faces murder charges, Mike and Rosie reluctantly agree, influenced by the fact Leon is now suffering from a deadly kidney disease. All the evidence, albeit circumstantial, points to Leon as the one who stabbed a wealthy venture capitalist. Enlisting the help of their cadre of colorful supporting characters, Mike and Rosie attempt to find out what really happened, employing their usual investigative and courtroom acumen in the process. As always, Siegel makes the most of Mike's cunningly cautious cross-examination technique. An ending that's full of surprises--both professional and personal--provides the perfect finale to a supremely entertaining legal thriller. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (August 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399150420
• ISBN-13: 978-0399150425
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #900,615 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They just keep getting better!, October 22, 2003

By	JJ Blue "King JJ" (California) - See all my reviews

Mike and Rosie are back in top form, defending a dying man against seemingly insurmountable odds. We get some back story on Mike and Rosie's relationship as well-this is the same man who's case, 10 years before, ruined their marriage. This case is personal as well as professional, bringing to the story a depth and introspection somewhat lacking in Siegel's previous wonderful titles

The dialogue is as good as ever, with Rosie's voice of reason and Mike's good-natured cynicism bringing everyone and everything they encounter to life. If you've read their other books, you'll recognize some names-the mediagenic DA Nicole, her grumpy sidekick McNasty, veteran investigators Roosevelt and Banks, and the inimitable Nick "The Dick" Hanson, who well deserves his time in the spotlight. Throw in dirty business dealings, an adult movie theater, power hungry financiers, and some new faces, most notably a female PI that can hold her own against anyone, and you have a can't-put-it-down story. San Francisco, particularly its seamier side, is a character in itself.

Don't pass up Siegel's latest offering....indeed, it is amazing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great legal thriller, June 12, 2007

By	L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Final Verdict (Paperback)

First Sentence: Judge Elizabeth McDaniel is glaring at me over the top of her reading glasses.

Attorneys Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez defended Leon Walker in the past. Although they won their case, it harmed their reputation and their marriage. Now Leon is accused of murdering a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. Leon wants Mike to defend him to clear his name. Leon is dying and doesn't want his daughter to life with the stigma of a murderer as a father. Reluctantly, Mike takes the case. As Mike investigates on his client's behalf, he finds there may have been others who wanted the victim silenced.

Siegel uses his experience as a private practice attorney to write a super series of legal thrillers and this is another great entry into that series. I always learn a lot about process and the legal system but without it ever being preachy or taking me out of the system. There are great, well-developed characters and excellent dialogue, both verbal and internal, and humor. Being that I live in San Francisco (okay, Oakland really), I love following him around the streets and neighborhoods. I enjoyed the way case and story evolved without letting me see where it was going. If you're looking for a fast-paced, page-turning read, I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rosie and Michael are becoming old friends., December 3, 2003

By	L. Quido "quidrock" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is the fourth book in series from author Sheldon Siegel about whimsical "couple" Rosie Fernandez and Mike Daley. The plot is tight, involves the Siegel signature homicide, and characters from Mike and Rosie's past. The courtroom scenes are well-paced and the plot ticks off like clockwork. Small surprises crop up throughout the book, and Siegel's mechanism of writing in the Mike Daley first person is, as usual, the joy of the novel.

Daley and Siegel share the same dry sense of humor and comic timing. The newspaper quote at the front of each chapter probably underline the type of humor that is evident from the first page. At the end of each chapter there's a mini "cliff-hanger" that makes the chapter transitions enjoyable, and probably is the reason why you can't put a Siegel book down.
Some of the quotes come from Siegel's larger than life characters, Nick Hanson and Kaela Joy Gullion...here's one:

"A PI must be exceedingly patient and have unlimited capacity for staying awake. It's also helpful if you learn not to use the bathroom for extended periods."...Kaela Joy Gullion, profile in the San Francisco Chronicle.

With tongue in cheek, Siegel brings another novel to a smashing conclusion, and succeeds in keeping the reader interested in one of the oddest romances (Mike & Rosie) on the page.

You'll enjoy it!