In the Shadow of the Law

There are more than enough caricatures in this legal soap opera for listeners to sink their teeth into, and Craig Wasson does so with fervor. The law firm's pompous senior partner, altruistic first-year lawyer, and conniving associate are all dealing with a murder appeal and a toxic chemical lawsuit in a story reminiscent of THE FIRM and ERIN BROCKOVICH. Wasson's narration is clear and precise, though sometimes a bit over the top. Then again, when one of the characters is describing the inner workings of the U.S. Supreme Court, listeners can really experience the drama and majesty through Wasson's reading. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

Starred review from April 25, 2005
This outstanding debut goes behind the scenes at Morgan Siler, one of Washington, D.C.'s most powerful K Street law firms, as several lawyers become embroiled in two difficult cases: a pro bono death penalty case in Virginia and a class action suit brought against a Texas chemical corporation after an explosion kills dozens of workers. Assigned to the pro bono case is the earnest, rumpled first-year associate Mark Clayton, who wonders, as he struggles with sleep deprivation and trying to reach his billable-hours target, if he hasn't made a terrible career choice. Also on the case is the brilliant, cocksure young lawyer Walker Eliot. Leading the Hubble Chemical defense is the ferocious litigator Harold Fineman, and lording over them all is Peter Morgan, the supremely confident, never-satisfied managing partner of the firm. Though the novel features plenty of satisfying twists and turns, the book transcends the legal thriller genre. Roosevelt, who practiced and teaches law and who once clerked for Justice Souter, offers a fascinating insider's look into the culture of a high-stakes firm, while also presenting a considered meditation on the law itself and its potential to compromise those driven to practice it. Most of all it's the vividness and complexity of the characters—drawn with the precision and authority of a winning legal argument—that heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice. Agent, Tina Bennett.