"Shadow of Power" by Steve Madriani

Paul Madriani, lawyer for the defense, is a familiar character to Martini's readers. But he's just another one of the myriad of recurring characters that populate so many of today's murder "thrillers." There is nothing particularly engaging about the main characters. The brief inclusion of Madriani's daughter's visit home from college just as dad is about to start a new case appears to have been "planted" to get sympathy as a struggling dad torn between work and family. It doesn't work.

Perhaps I'm just burned out on these type of novels. Occasionally there are some very good ones, like the Jason Bourne series, but many of them seem like they are written in a hurry and full of absurd assumptions that insult the reader's intelligence. I won't bother going into detail, but the string that should tie all of the characters, scenarios and assumptions together in this novel unravels early and often.

One of the bloggers that I follow just finished "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander MCall Smith. It's one of the "No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series that he enjoys as "fun, light, and full of gentle observations about people." I think I 'll try it.