The Mayor of Lexington Avenue

August 1, 2005
Sheehan, a Florida trial lawyer, serves up a story of miscarried justice and loyalty in his debut novel. A corrupt small-town Florida police department arrests Rudy Kelly, a "slow" 19-year-old, for a murder he didn't commit, and, after an ineffectual public defender fumbles the case, Rudy receives a death sentence. Meanwhile, Sheehan sketches in flashback the 1960s New York childhoods of Mikey Kelly and Johnny Tobin. Ten years after Rudy's conviction, Tobin, now a hotshot Miami lawyer who goes by Jack, leaves his firm and finds a new direction after reading about Mikey's death-looking into his son Rudy's conviction. The plot may seem predictable, but surprises pop up along the way. Unfortunately, Sheehan leans on cliches, tired similes and unrealistic dialogue ("I love you so much it hurts. I've never felt this way about anyone."), and characters fall in love and make decisions for no reason other than to advance the plot. Glitches aside, the story picks up in the later parts of the book, and Sheehan's bar experience shows in his courtroom scenes and passages on legal maneuvering.

This thought-provoking legal thriller evokes high emotions and courtroom excitement--both perfect for a narrator like Dick Hill. He handles the emotional scenes and the action without missing a beat. Hill brings the listener close to tears several times as he tells the story of a mentally challenged 19-year-old framed for murder and the efforts, to no avail, to free him. You want to cheer when the real perpetrators are brought to justice. Hill performs the multiple courtroom scenes explosively, keeping the listener on the edge. This work of fiction makes a strong case against the death penalty. Kudos also to the writer--the courtroom happenings are accurate to a fault. A.L.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine