The Case Against William (41 page)

"
The Color of Law
is
an unbeatable legal thriller with a lot of heart." -
Texas Monthly

"Gimenez makes his
debut with a legal thriller based in Big D that will keep you on the edge of
your seat.… 'The Color of Law' is full of twists and turns into the dark
side of human nature with a final courtroom scene straight from 'To Kill a
Mockingbird.' " -
San Antonio Express-News

"American lawyers, more
accustomed to speaking the language of their people, are much better at
[writing legal thrillers]. Scott Turow and John Grisham are the best known,
but there are many others. I recommend The Colour of Law by Mark Gimenez,
one of the most promising American lawyer-writers I’ve read recently. It's a
Grisham-like novel about a slick, successful, ambitious Dallas corporate lawyer
whose life changes when he has to defend a black prostitute accused of
murder." –
The Guardian
(UK)

" 'The Colour of Law'
by Mark Gimenez is a compulsive read that owes its heart, soul and
passion to Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. In this fast-paced debut,
Gimenez sinks his teeth into the manicured and corrupt world of lawyered,
high-society Dallas in all its ostentatious glory: golf club memberships,
fancy houses, fast cars, sleek wives and the all-encompassing reach of cold,
hard power. In A. Scott Fenney—a young, rich and ruthless corporate lawyer at
one of Dallas's most prestigious firms who glibly practises 'aggressive and
creative' law for his high-paying clients—will the world find a hero or a
patsy? Only a case involving a poor, black, drug-addicted prostitute and a
dead white senator's son will tell. Warning: you can lose an entire lazy
Sunday to this one. –
Time Out London

"New author and former
lawyer Mark Gimenez, a Texan, has written a riveting story about the
corruption of the law.… Gimenez matches up to biggies like John Grisham
and Scott Turow, with a thrilling tale of how the law actually works." –
Calgary
Sun

"This is a powerful
courtroom thriller set in Dallas and featuring an engaging hero in the form of
hotshot corporate lawyer turned defence attorney, Scott Fenney. Gimenez is a
gifted plotter and the story winds its way through some good twists before
arriving at a startling conclusion. Along the way, Gimenez also makes some
points about wealth, social responsibility and race relations in America."
–
Canberra Times

"A little
To Kill a
Mockingbird
with some
Law & Order
thrown in,
Color
is a
page-turner, and Gimenez—a real-life attorney-turned-author—seems to warrant
his billing as 'the next John Grisham.' " -
Houston Press

"At least once a year a
new legal thriller hits the shelves, hyped to the stars, with promises that the
author will be 'the next John Grisham.' Usually, the fanfare is wasted, the
hype is a lie and the promises fall flat because the book isn't very good. Not
so with Mark Gimenez' compelling debut, The Color of Law." -
Chicago
Sun-Times

"The plot setup is as
convoluted and intricate as anything in recent memory, an inverted morality
tale that equals some of the best work of legal thriller writers Scott Turow,
Lisa Scottoline or John Grisham." -
BookPage

"Gimenez's stunning
debut is easily one of the most provocative legal thrillers to come along in
awhile.… This is a must read, inspiring and delicious." -
New
Mystery Reader Magazine

" 'The Color of Law' is
more than just a highly readable legal thriller. It's also a blistering attack
on both the legal profession and super-rich Texans in Dallas … It's a tasty
plot—big money, political intrigue, sexy wives, precocious little girls—but the
novel would be a lot less fun without Gimenez's scathing portrait of the city
and its most powerful citizens." -
Washington Post

"This debut novel takes
the best from Grisham, Meltzer, et al – and adds yet more to make this one of
the best legal thrillers I have read for some time." –
CrimeSquad.com

"Gimenez maintains a
rhythm that keeps pages turning long past bedtime." -
Austin
American-Statesman

"The book starts fast
and never slows down." -
Houston Chronicle

"Gimenez's debut has
plenty of twists and flashes of humor. A promising, distinctive new
voice." -
Kirkus Reviews

"Gimenez does a fine
job with the plot; lots of twists and the courtroom scenes are great." -
Globe
and Mail

THE ABDUCTION

"A cracking read."
-
The Times
(UK)

"Pulse-pounding
narrative." –
Booklist

"Gimenez
has written a startling, multilayered thriller in which complex characters and
a fast-moving plot grab the reader immediately. Smart dialog and a spunky
Gracie, who never loses her cool, make for a memorable read that twists and
turns until the final, cinematic conclusion." –
Library Journal
(starred review)

"
The Abduction
was
the best suspense/thriller book that I read in 2007. I repeatedly recommended
it to friends. Each person who I shared it with wrote or called after reading
it to tell me how they too were talking it up to others as their favorite book
of the year. It has a great plot, strong characters, and a story that never
lacks for action." – Carol Fitzgerald,
Bookreporter.com

"After the stunning
success of a first novel, there's always the question if the author can do it
again with the second and, fortunately, in this case, Gimenez not only
surpasses his own preliminary standards of excellence, but those of the entire
genre. Not only does he offer up an adventurous plot that races forward at a
breakneck speed filled with a cast of multi-faceted and poignantly drawn
characters, but he also puts forth some concepts and questions that provoke and
compel the reader's consideration long after the last page is turned.… But
perhaps most notable of all might just be this book's ability to elicit just
about every emotional response possible from the reader. Whether it's laughter
or tears, dread or anticipation, be prepared to feel
something
while
reading this glorious adventure that only seems to gain momentum with every
page.… Ultimately, a forceful, exhilarating, and effervescent read of
faith and redemption, loyalty and love, truth and purpose, and one that
unreservedly qualifies as one of the best to come along this year." -
New
Mystery Reader Magazine

"Caution: don't start this book unless you have time
to finish it—I could not put it down.  After his excellent debut,
The
Color of Law
, Gimenez just knocks it out of the park with his sophomore
effort.… These characters are so well drawn that it becomes incredibly
easy to suspend your disbelief and get completely caught up in the story. 
I loved the tough-as-a-tiger mom, and the special bond between Gracie and her
retired Green Beret grandfather was especially touching, all of which helped
ratchet up the suspense even more. 
The Abduction
is one of the
best thrillers of the year." -
The BookBitch

"THE ABDUCTION is much
more than a scaled-down version of
Commando,
however. While stuffed to
its considerable brim in action, it is as much about relationships as
strategy. Gimenez skillfully weaves the narrative while creating a tantalizing
mystery—the 'why' of Gracie's abduction—that will keep you guessing until
almost the very end. There are secrets and excitement and just about
everything you would ever want from a reading experience." -
Bookreporter.com

"There are times when
life gets so overwhelming that even a good book can't keep your mind from
wandering. That's when you need a super-riveting read like this to take you
away. It's a tale with a normally hard-to-take premise—child abduction. But
in the hands of bestselling author Mark
Gimenez, it becomes a tale of humanity,
heroism, and hope, with complex characters who jump off the page. Boy can this
guy tell a story!" -
Book-of-the-Month club

"Gimenez not only gives
readers crackerjack plotting, captivating style and adrenalin-laced pacing, he
injects deep insight into all his characters, from shattered father John, to
his tightly controlled wife Elizabeth—and how Gracie's kidnapping forever
changes their lives. The story, however, really belongs to Ben Brice, whose
search for redemption propels this gripping and emotionally complex thriller to
a surprising and thoroughly satisfying conclusion. If there's one thriller you
read this fall, make it
The Abduction
—it's impossible to put down."
-
BookLoons

"A top-of-the-line
thriller … Impossible to put down, the book is a nail-biter from beginning
to end, as a family's dark secrets emerge during the worst event of their
lives." -
Romantic Times

"
The Abduction
is
fast-paced and truly impossible to put down. It is also by far one of the best
thrillers I have read in a long time." –
Wichita Falls Times

"Gimenez's writing is
explosive, fast-paced, and filled with unexpected plot twists that keep readers
guessing right up to the last page." -
Houston Press

"Another explosive
thriller that is impossible to put down.… Plenty of twists and turns, and
a plot that keeps you guessing right until the end.  Definitely not one to
miss." –
CrimeSquad.com

"You'd better start
this one early in the evening, because you'll be reading it into the wee small
hours of the morning—it's riveting." -
Durbs.co.za

THE PERK

"Remember when John Grisham exploded on to the
courtroom drama market with novels of breathtaking brilliance? Lightning just
struck twice." -
The Daily Record
(Scotland)

"Gimenez returns to the
complex legal thrillers where he seems to be at his best. The Perk has
mystery, humour and history along with well-drawn characters that the reader
will actually care about. As is often the case in legal thrillers, there is a
mix of those characters that take the moral high ground and those who seem just
out for their own good. Unusually, there are also a few comic and slightly
caricatured figures here as well—but they all fit well together in the plot.
Together with great characters and a strong plot there is also lots of
interesting historical information. The ending may not be what is expected but
it is all the better for it and proves to be a good finish to an excellent
book. As ever, Gimenez is highly recommended, impossible to put down and
definitely not to be missed." -
CrimeSquad.com
(UK)

"Just as well I started
The Perk on the weekend, as I couldn't put down this book.… This one's a
cracker—neatly woven subplots, a taut thriller and a wonderfully current
statement on American popular culture. And yes, Gimenez may possibly be the
next Grisham." -
Kerre's Book Reviews
(UK)

"Gimenez fills the John
Grisham hole in the legal-thriller genre so well there may be no room left for
Grisham." –
The Sunday Times
(Perth)

"Gimenez's
novels are gripping, intense thrillers. Guaranteed to keep you up well into the
night, 
The Perk
 is an exceptionally well crafted novel,
populated by a cast of characters that are realistically-drawn and appealing.
As always, thought-provoking, intelligent, and addictive. Highly
recommended." - 
Civilian-Reader
(UK)

Top
Ten of 2008—"We read lots of thrillers and they can tend to merge into one
another.  The Perk stood out by a mile as an excellent example of the
genre and a stunning, well told tale in its own right.  Gimenez' stature
continues to grow." - 
CrimeSquad.com
(UK)

THE COMMON LAWYER

"
The
Common Lawyer
 is about
an overpowering need to right a shocking wrong, and it contains violence,
romance and some heart-warmingly managed ethical dilemmas … The pace is
perfect; the style clean and transparent; the emotional manipulation,
effective; and you can see the film from here.  It will entertain many
people." - 
Times Literary Supplement
(UK)

"Mark Gimenez writes colloquially smart dialogue but
plots like an old master." - 
The Australian

"
The
Common Lawyer
 is an
addictive, compulsive read. With an interesting, flawed protagonist who matures
as the novel progresses, a cast of well-drawn and diverse characters, and a
great plot (not to mention the unexpected twist at the end), this is a
must-read novel.  Highly recommended, 
The Common Lawyer
 will
keep you reading into the night." - 
Civilian-Reader
(UK)

LEARN MORE ABOUT MARK'S BOOKS AT

www.markgimenez.com