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The Jury
Steve Martini Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Jury
"

Putnam, Jul 2001, 25.95, 448 pp.
ISBN: 0399146725

    While floating in the water near San Diego, research scientist Kalista Jordan contemplates what she can do next to get ahead in her profession. The intelligent African-American physicist knows all the angles and is setting in motion her plan to replace her boss Dr. David Crone. However, she runs into her apartment when she hears a frightening noise only to have someone choke her to death.

    Attorney Paul Madriani feels frustrated as his stubborn client David, on trial for Kalista's murder, refuses to cooperate in his own defense. Wondering if he represents a guilty person, Paul concludes that he will do his job in spite of his brilliant clients' efforts to stubbornly block him and try to win an acquittal from the jury.

    THE JURY reads like a modernized and updated Stanley Erle Gardner Perry Mason legal thriller. The novel treats the readers to a daily account of the trial and when court is not in session readers get an insiders' look into hard to enter legal circles. The story line is very vivid, especially when Steve Martini describes the courtroom scenes. They feel so authentic the audience will feel they sit in the docket. Clearly, this novel is in the running for best legal procedural of the year, sending readers seeking running for more Martinis.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Jury
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of story - very upbeat
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - 1980's-1999
Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets: - power struggle within govt between two factions
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 50%
Misc. Murder Plotlets - Big focus on forensic evidence - Big focus on autopsies
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Legal Thriller Yes
Legal Plotlets - finding out whether someone is really guilty
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
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? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - small businessman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - California

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 2
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to The Jury
Special Circumstances by Sheldon Siegel
A King's Ransom by James Grippando
Natural Suspect by William Bernhardt
The Hearing by John Lescroart
Enemy Within by Robert K. Tanenbaum


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