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on September 27, 2016
Robert Dugoni is a master storyteller who spins tales with many twists and turns from the first word until the very end that the reader will find it difficult to put the book down. In his latest masterpiece “The 7th Canon,” Peter Donley is a third-year lawyer working for his Uncle Lou when tragedy strikes and he is forced into a case that he is unprepared to take on. With the help of seasoned detective Frank Ross, Peter begins to navigate the underbelly of the Tenderloin District in San Francisco in order to defend a priest who has been charged with a heinous crime. Mr. Dugoni has created a fast-paced edge of your seat thrill ride for new readers as well as his die hard fans. I was given this book to read by the author in exchange for an honest review.
on October 4, 2016
Set in 1987 in San Francisco, The 7th Canon features lawyer Peter Donley, who undertakes his first criminal case when Father Thomas Martin is arrested for the murder of a teenager found dead at the boys' shelter Martin founded and operates. In the normal course of events, Donley's uncle Lou would be representing the Father, but he is in the hospital after suffering a severe stroke and heart attack. When Father Martin pleads not guilty to the murder, Donely finds himself believing in his client's innocence and sets out to prove someone else is guilty. He joins forces with former police detective Frank Ross, and the two of them go after the truth. Ruthless men with interests in the case intend to stop them.
Dugoni is a talented thriller writer. The novel moves quickly, with lots of physical action, suspense, and courtroom drama and legal maneuvering. The family backgrounds of both Ross and Donely contribute to the complexity of the novel and generate sympathy for the characters. It is especially interesting to read a book set in 1987 when cellphones, computers and the Internet make investigating more difficult and characters cannot call for help the moment they face danger. It's also fun when one of the minor characters predicts the importance of technology.
Dugoni is a talented thriller writer. The novel moves quickly, with lots of physical action, suspense, and courtroom drama and legal maneuvering. The family backgrounds of both Ross and Donely contribute to the complexity of the novel and generate sympathy for the characters. It is especially interesting to read a book set in 1987 when cellphones, computers and the Internet make investigating more difficult and characters cannot call for help the moment they face danger. It's also fun when one of the minor characters predicts the importance of technology.
on March 19, 2017
I'm a fan of Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series ( My Sister's Grave, Her Final Breath) so I was very happy when I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. It did not disappoint. The 7th Cannon is a meticulously crafted legal thriller with the tight, adrenalin-fueled suspense I've come to expect from this author. Add in a cast of great characters and you have a book that's hard to put down. I'd like to see this become a series.
on May 1, 2017
This is the first time I followed along on my kindle book while I listened to the audible version. It was an enjoyable and relaxing way to hear the story. This was also my first Dugoni book. It's a standalone and that worked for me. I don't venture towards series books because of the commitment to read them in order, and the need to read a book that might not be so good in order to get to a book that may be great. So, I haven't read his well-reviewed series yet. However, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy Dugoni's knowledge of procedure and I think his use of description is excellent. His metaphors are good and the description doesn't run on... just enough. The only reason I declined to give the book 5 stars was my irritation at the last quarter of the book. Not the ending... that was good. But there were certain actions that weren't credible, and from reading other dugoni book reviews, this may be a flaw of his... not enough to dissuade of from reading his good books however. When hero's go into ridiculously dangerous scenarios without backup, I begin to cringe. The author explains away this behavior, but then, seconds later, it is repeated. All in all, a good read.
on April 14, 2017
I feel really, really good when I invest 2 bucks and come away a winner as I did with The 7th Canon by Robert Dugoni. This story is about Donley a young Attorney who is the last man standing in a murder case involving a Priest, a hostel for juveniles and a cop gone off the deep end. What happens to Donley in this tale is nothing short of beaten, busted and abused while, learning as he goes, in representing his client.
The pace is hectic and the action palpable with characters who jump off the page. Although the title, The 7th Canon, is explained it is somewhat sketchy in its relation to a story that is not religious in its intent. Dugoni's book, with no religious overtones, is one heck of a good murder mystery-investigation that will enthrall any reader.
The pace is hectic and the action palpable with characters who jump off the page. Although the title, The 7th Canon, is explained it is somewhat sketchy in its relation to a story that is not religious in its intent. Dugoni's book, with no religious overtones, is one heck of a good murder mystery-investigation that will enthrall any reader.
on October 18, 2016
I was hooked from the beginning of the book. The unlikely first chapter in no way prepared me for the way the book concluded. The pace was steady, until towards the end, when it was heart-thumping fast.
Peter Donley is a character easy to like. You watch him waver, as to whether he is up for the job, and then something just snaps and he is committed to the cause. Watching Peter develop from a clumsy first attempt, when he had his initial meeting with the "star power" prosecutors, to meeting Ross and developing a sense of indignation for how his client is being persecuted keeps the story moving. Peter moves through the dark underbelly of child exploitation, runaways and blackmail, to bring to light the truth. He develops a fearlessness when he understands how his client is being manipulated for the gain of others.
This book is one of the best, written by Robert Dugoni.
Peter Donley is a character easy to like. You watch him waver, as to whether he is up for the job, and then something just snaps and he is committed to the cause. Watching Peter develop from a clumsy first attempt, when he had his initial meeting with the "star power" prosecutors, to meeting Ross and developing a sense of indignation for how his client is being persecuted keeps the story moving. Peter moves through the dark underbelly of child exploitation, runaways and blackmail, to bring to light the truth. He develops a fearlessness when he understands how his client is being manipulated for the gain of others.
This book is one of the best, written by Robert Dugoni.
on April 24, 2017
Was curious why this book written in the 1980's seeing that Dugoni usually has kind of a formula. It took some time to get intrigued but once I was I was hooked. Would love to see more about this character--maybe in current times but regardless it is well worth your time.
on February 10, 2017
I enjoy Robert Dugoni's books, and this stand alone is no exception.
Dugoni mentions in his acknowledgement that this was an older manuscript and it has had many rewrites. I think these rewrites may have caused a few minor hiccups, but nothing that really detracted from the book. Perhaps it was a mix of earlier, more inexperienced writing with Dugoni's current, more polished style.
Some characters were on a first name basis and others were last name. Throughout the book, the main character, Peter Donley, is mostly referred to as Donley. Frank Ross is an investigator for Donley's uncle, and he is usually referred to by his full name. I think I would have felt closer to these characters if first names had been used instead.
Donley works for his uncle Lou. I wish this relationship had been apparent earlier in the book and then left alone. I felt some awkwardness with later mentions of this relationship.
So, those were minor quibbles on my part. The book is good. It's set in 1987. You know, before cell phones, computers, and DNA. I liked the characters, especially Father Tom. There is an underlying theme of fatherhood here, good fathers, abusive fathers, overbearing fathers, and their sons who feel guilty, or robbed, or intimidated. That theme is overlaid with a killing, an arrest, and subsequent legal wrangling which makes for an enjoyable read.
Dugoni mentions in his acknowledgement that this was an older manuscript and it has had many rewrites. I think these rewrites may have caused a few minor hiccups, but nothing that really detracted from the book. Perhaps it was a mix of earlier, more inexperienced writing with Dugoni's current, more polished style.
Some characters were on a first name basis and others were last name. Throughout the book, the main character, Peter Donley, is mostly referred to as Donley. Frank Ross is an investigator for Donley's uncle, and he is usually referred to by his full name. I think I would have felt closer to these characters if first names had been used instead.
Donley works for his uncle Lou. I wish this relationship had been apparent earlier in the book and then left alone. I felt some awkwardness with later mentions of this relationship.
So, those were minor quibbles on my part. The book is good. It's set in 1987. You know, before cell phones, computers, and DNA. I liked the characters, especially Father Tom. There is an underlying theme of fatherhood here, good fathers, abusive fathers, overbearing fathers, and their sons who feel guilty, or robbed, or intimidated. That theme is overlaid with a killing, an arrest, and subsequent legal wrangling which makes for an enjoyable read.
on May 23, 2017
Peter Conley is a lawyer-after three years working for his uncle-he's not making a fortune but he and his family are getting by. Just as he considers taking a more lucrative position- a rush of events causes his life to take on a rollercoaster of situations and changes. With Frank Ross , a private detective struggling with his own issues, he fights to defend a client that he believes is innocent. What ensues is a real page turner.
