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Murder One
William Bernhardt Book Review

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Plot Summary of Murder One
"

Ballantine, Apr 2001, 23.95, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0345428145

    In Tulsa, Ben Kincaid defends stripper Keri Dalcarton against a charge of brutally killing police officer Joe McNaugton in a bestial manner left for public viewing. The trial goes badly as witness after witness provides testimony insures Keri's conviction. However, Ben notices that the two search warrants used to look inside Keri's car and home were illegal, forcing the judge to throw out the case on a technicality. The cops are outraged, as Keri is not only free, but also protected under the Double Jeopardy clause of the Constitution.

Officer Arlen Matthews, who looked incompetent on the stand, persuades his cohorts to pull the “blue squeeze” on Kincaid. With a legal search warrant in hand, the police rummage through Kincaid's office to find the McNaugton murder weapon. Initially Ben is accused of obstructing justice, but then the charge is changed to MURDER ONE. Ben's legal assistant now a lawyer of two days serves as his defense attorney with more trouble awaiting Kincaid.
   
The previous Kincaid legal thrillers were excellent novels, but the newest tale, MURDER ONE, is superior to even that high standard. William Bernhardt grips the audience with a thriller that never eases up until the final twist and turn. Kincaid and his crew remain fun to observe as they struggle with this too personal case and the potential second round in the Dalcarton defense in spite of the Double Jeopardy clause. Mr. Bernhardt has written a fabulous story that if justice were simple would lead to the top of the best seller lists.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Murder One
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of story - very upbeat
Time/era of story: - 1980's-1999
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Legal Thriller Yes
Legal Plotlets - finding out whether someone is really guilty

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - a lawyer creature
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
Motive of antagonist - power
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Midwest

Style
Part of a series? Yes
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to Murder One
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Diary of an Exploding Judge by M.A. Czarnecki
The Jury by Steve Martini
A King's Ransom by James Grippando
Reckless Homicide by Ira Genberg


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