Proof Positive

May 1, 2006
In bestseller Margolin's third legal thriller featuring feisty defense lawyer Amanda Jaffe (after 2003's Wild Justice
), respected forensic expert Bernard Cashman, who works for the Oregon State Crime Laboratory, has developed a personal philosophy that allows him to manufacture evidence to ensure the successful prosecution of those he feels are guilty, especially if crucial evidence is missing. He's not a madman, just absolutely sure that he knows more than judge, jury and the legal system when it comes to administering justice. After a fellow crime lab employee approaches him about discrepancies in his work, he adds murder to his list of methods that ensure his continuing crusade. Amanda is still working in her father's law firm and still having trouble with her love life, though Margolin wisely steers clear of wasting much time on her personal problems. The author deftly manages a large cast of characters and ties the many plot lines together with enough clever twists to satisfy faithful fans and newcomers. 6-city author tour.

Margolin's third legal thriller featuring lawyer Amanda Jaffee is proof positive that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts--especially when boosted by a competent reader like this one. Nanette Savard saves the day by propelling listeners through some implausible legal shenanigans and equally trite dialogue. Jaffee defends a troubled man accused of murder while her father, also a lawyer, is hired to defend a gangster, similarly accused. Both are unaware that the cases are linked and evidence has been tampered with. Savard's crisp reading makes the listening experience pleasurable. She is also better than most female readers at portraying male characters. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

July 15, 2006
Criminal defense attorney Amanda Jaffe, heroine of Margolin's Wild Justice and Ties That Bind, has her work cut out for her in this outing. Lawyer Doug Weaver is suffering from nightmares after witnessing the execution of a client whom he had advised to plead guilty to matricide in the erroneous hope of avoiding the death penalty. A mobster is accused of murdering a drug addict after his fingerprints are found at the scene of the crime. A deranged homeless man is charged with committing a ghastly murder when the victim's blood is found on his clothes. The forensic evidence against all three men is overwhelmingunless it is being manufactured. Enter Jaffe, who gets some help from her father, Weaver, and a private forensic scientist. Forensic science is hot, and Margolin brings it to the forefront in this gruesome and frightening legal thriller Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/06.]Stacy Alesi, Southwest Cty. Regional Lib., Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2006
Amanda Jaffe, the Oregon defense attorney, is defending a homeless man accused of murder, while her father, Frank, is representing a mobster on a similar charge. Although both men profess their innocence, the forensic evidence says otherwise. But when Amanda starts examining the evidence in these two unconnected cases, she finds a frightening common denominator. The third Jaffe novel--after " Wild Justice "(2000) and " Ties That Bind" (2003)--is an examination of the role of forensic evidence in bringing criminals to justice. In addition to a fast-moving plot and characters who at least hold up their end of the bargain, Margolin shows readers how a crime-scene investigator can easily--and often without detection--not only influence the outcome of a trial but also effectively ensure a certain verdict. It's typical of Margolin to use the legal-thriller subgenre to explore some socially significant aspect of the jury system. The increasing popularity of forensic fiction and of " CSI,"" "the television series that has become a cottage industry, virtually guarantees this novel a wide and appreciative audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)