…engaging…Sheehan brings the three-way jousting of a criminal trial—defense attorney vs. district attorney vs. judge—to blazing life. The Lawyer's Lawyer is a sobering reminder that, more than we might realize, every trial is not only a showcase of the lawyers' skills, but also a chance for them to work out personal motives.

In the opening of Sheehan’s exciting if clunky third legal thriller (after 2008’s The Law of Second Chances), a series of killings in the city of Oakville, Fla., in 1993 leads to the conviction of Thomas Felton for murder. Eight years later, famed Miami lawyer Jack Tobin, now living in the backwater town of Bass Creek, succeeds in getting Felton’s conviction overturned on a technicality. When Jack winds up on trial on trumped-up murder charges after the killer strikes again (a relative of a victim frames him), Jack turns to respected “lawyer’s lawyer” Tom Wylie to represent him. To complicate matters, Jack rejects Tom’s advice when it comes to his defense, because the evidence Tom wants to use will jeopardize the reputation of policewoman Danni Jansen, Jack’s former lover. Sheehan can write a mean closing statement when the courtroom showdown finally takes place, and the conflicting loyalties of Jack and Danni keep the tension high, but readers should be prepared for some wooden dialogue. (Jan.)

"Sheehan has written another thriller with some great courtroom scenes."-The Oklahoman, on The Lawyer's Lawyer

"[Sheehan] is especially good whenever he takes us into a courtroom.... Sheehan brings the three-way jousting of a criminal trial...to blazing life."-The Washington Post, on The Lawyer's Lawyer

Sheehan's latest novel reads like a hearty, delicious stew. As you dig into each bit of this legal mystery, you come away savoring each part. The plot is well crafted, the characters are authentic, gritty and sympathetic and the story's theme is crystal clear. Combined with Sheehan's efficient storytelling, this story moves the heart.-RT Book Reviews, on The Lawyer's Lawyer

"Sheehan...writes with bleak clarity...but there's a touch of the poet in his voice."-The New York Times, on The Mayor of Lexington Avenue

"This is a debut novel but it reads like it was written by a master of the genre."-Nelson DeMiller, on The Mayor of Lexington Avenue

"Here's a legal thriller that's so good it instantly leaves Grisham and the gang choking on its dust..."-Booklist, on The Mayor of Lexington Avenue

"To Kill A Mockingbird on steroids..."-Chicago Tribune, on The Mayor of Lexington Avenue

"An assured, elegant, suspenseful courtroom thriller."
Kirkus Reviews, on The Law of Second Chances

"Fast moving and tightly written...boasts a gripping story and characters who will make the reader care. Al in all, a stylish and engaging novel."
Richard North Patterson, on The Law of Second Chances

"Compelling."
New York Law Journal, on The Law of Second Chances

"As a writer, Sheehan, a former trial lawyer, bears comparison to Scott Turow: his books are noteworthy not just for their intricate plotting but also for their literary finesse."-Booklist, on The Lawyer's Lawyer

"THE LAWYER'S LAWYER grabbed me from the beginning, and kept me ensnared the entire time. Full of engrossing characters, touching friendships, heart shaking twists and high stakes courtroom action, THE LAWYER'S LAWYER sets the bar quite high for this year's batch of Legal Thrillers."-The Guilded Earlobe, on The Lawyer's Lawyer (audiobook)

As a writer, Sheehan, a former trial lawyer, bears comparison to Scott Turow: his books are noteworthy not just for their intricate plotting but also for their literary finesse.

THE LAWYER'S LAWYER keeps the tension high as it delivers a thoughtful look at the law and how an attorney has a duty to his client, no matter the cost.... [Sheehan] shows his his affinity for making the intricacies of a police investigation and the resulting trial exciting.

Sheehan's latest novel reads like a hearty, delicious stew. As you dig into each bit of this legal mystery, you come away savoring each part. The plot is well crafted, the characters are authentic, gritty and sympathetic and the story's theme is crystal clear. Combined with Sheehan's efficient storytelling, this story moves the heart.

"Sheehan has written another thriller with some great courtroom scenes."

"This is a debut novel but it reads like it was written by a master of the genre."

"[Sheehan] is especially good whenever he takes us into a courtroom.... Sheehan brings the three-way jousting of a criminal trial...to blazing life."

"Sheehan...writes with bleak clarity...but there's a touch of the poet in his voice."

"Fast moving and tightly written...boasts a gripping story and characters who will make the reader care. Al in all, a stylish and engaging novel."

"THE LAWYER'S LAWYER grabbed me from the beginning, and kept me ensnared the entire time. Full of engrossing characters, touching friendships, heart shaking twists and high stakes courtroom action, THE LAWYER'S LAWYER sets the bar quite high for this year's batch of Legal Thrillers."

"Compelling."

"To Kill A Mockingbird on steroids..."

"Here's a legal thriller that's so good it instantly leaves Grisham and the gang choking on its dust..."

"This is a debut novel but it reads like it was written by a master of the genre."

[Sheehan] does a fine job of depicting both the surreal nightmare of such an event and the inexorable pressure on law enforcement to arrest those responsible at any and all costs.

[L]eaves the reader wanting more.... a remarkable and ingenious plot.... Sheehan's writing is part John Grisham, part Erle Stanley Gardner.

"Compelling."

As a writer, Sheehan, a former trial lawyer, bears comparison to Scott Turow: his books are noteworthy not just for their intricate plotting but also for their literary finesse.

As a writer, Sheehan, a former trial lawyer, bears comparison to Scott Turow: his books are noteworthy not just for their intricate plotting but also for their literary finesse.

Title character Jack Tobin, the protagonist in Sheehan’s two previous novels (The Law of Attractions; The Mayor of Lexington Avenue), is a hotshot corporate lawyer who has retired to a small Florida panhandle fishing village and does pro bono work for an organization working to eliminate the death penalty. However, the case of Thomas Felton, who’s scheduled to be executed in two months, presents Tobin with complicated issues. Felton is widely believed to have been the serial killer who terrorized a nearby college town eight years earlier, murdering seven coeds and the wife of Police Chief Sam Jeffries and threatening the daughter of Det. Danni Jansen. Still, Tobin finds a gaping prosecution error in Felton’s trial for two other murders of which he was convicted. Pursuing justice for Felton presents a moral dilemma for Tobin with drastic and unforeseen consequences.

Verdict Sheehan’s trademark themes of friendship, love, guilt, and—particularly—redemption are here, but what is lacking is the skilled storytelling displayed especially in his debut, The Mayor of Lexington Avenue. The courtroom drama is still a strong suit, but other plotlines falter, making this more of a marginal purchase.—Michele Leber, Arlington, VA(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.