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Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Professor (McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Professor</i>, a legal thriller by American author Robert Bailey, is a well-written novel about an investigation into a fatal car crash. A collision between a speeding truck and a family car resulted in the death of all four people in the vehicles. The mother of one of the deceased is determined to find out the truth about what happened and so enlists the help of an old friend, Thomas McMurtrie, the Professor.
Although everything revolves around the upcoming trial, the story is really focused on two people in particular. One is the aforementioned Professor and the other is an ex-student of his, Rick Drake. Tom used to be a lawyer but after persuasion from Coach Paul Bryant he took up a position at the University of Alabama teaching law. Now at 68 years old he is forced into retirement. Rick Drake, on the other hand, is a young and struggling lawyer, who after punching Tom due to his hot headedness is finding it difficult to pick up work. Putting aside their differences, the two of the come together to try and win this court case. The opposition, however, seem determined to make that impossible by using any means possible.
The prologue initially misled me. It explains how Tom became a professor in 1969 by detailing his meeting with Coach Paul Bryant who is more often referred to as the Man. This title, as well as the capitalization, led me to believe that he would be a sinister, untrustworthy character in this story. That turned out not to be the case – nor was he even in it, having long passed away. He was known as the Man in the same way that Tom is known as the Professor, due to respect and admiration.
There were times when I did not like what was happening in the novel, particularly the murders of Rick’s key witnesses, but once the trial actually began it got really exciting with the pace picking up as I hoped that everything would resolve itself.
For those who love crime novels this is a definite read. I cannot be entirely sure but the caption on the back cover “The First McMurtrie & Drake Investigation” implies that this could become a series rather than a standalone story; in which case it would be interesting to discover what the pair do next.
<i>The Professor</i>, a legal thriller by American author Robert Bailey, is a well-written novel about an investigation into a fatal car crash. A collision between a speeding truck and a family car resulted in the death of all four people in the vehicles. The mother of one of the deceased is determined to find out the truth about what happened and so enlists the help of an old friend, Thomas McMurtrie, the Professor.
Although everything revolves around the upcoming trial, the story is really focused on two people in particular. One is the aforementioned Professor and the other is an ex-student of his, Rick Drake. Tom used to be a lawyer but after persuasion from Coach Paul Bryant he took up a position at the University of Alabama teaching law. Now at 68 years old he is forced into retirement. Rick Drake, on the other hand, is a young and struggling lawyer, who after punching Tom due to his hot headedness is finding it difficult to pick up work. Putting aside their differences, the two of the come together to try and win this court case. The opposition, however, seem determined to make that impossible by using any means possible.
The prologue initially misled me. It explains how Tom became a professor in 1969 by detailing his meeting with Coach Paul Bryant who is more often referred to as the Man. This title, as well as the capitalization, led me to believe that he would be a sinister, untrustworthy character in this story. That turned out not to be the case – nor was he even in it, having long passed away. He was known as the Man in the same way that Tom is known as the Professor, due to respect and admiration.
There were times when I did not like what was happening in the novel, particularly the murders of Rick’s key witnesses, but once the trial actually began it got really exciting with the pace picking up as I hoped that everything would resolve itself.
For those who love crime novels this is a definite read. I cannot be entirely sure but the caption on the back cover “The First McMurtrie & Drake Investigation” implies that this could become a series rather than a standalone story; in which case it would be interesting to discover what the pair do next.
David McK (3180 KP) rated Batman: Knightfall, Part Two: Who Rules the Night in Books
Jan 30, 2019
So, when you hear the name 'Batman' I'm sure most of you, like me, immediately associate that character with his alter-ego of Bruce Wayne.
Not of Jean-Paul Valley.
But that is precisely who Batman's alter-ego is in thus, with Bruce Wayne (the original Batman!) still in convalesence following his brutal battle - and defeat! - by Bane, and with Bruce then temporarily passing the mantle of the bat onto the former Azrael (another lesser-known comic book character to the general masses, of which I was one prior to TVs Gotham and Rocksteady's Arkham series of games) , and former foe rather than - for some inexplicable reason - passing it on to Nightwing, or even to his own sidekick Robin (or Tim Drake in this).
But this Batman proves to be rougher and more violent than his predecessor - harking back to the original anti-hero Batman? - dispensing extremely rough justice to the crooks of Gotham city and side-lining Robin (who seems to do nothing but wring his hands throughout). It's really only at the very end - when Jean-Paul crosses a line - that Bruce Wayne re-appears (somehow, and mysteriously, having recovered from his severr injury), leading to the set-up for the final part of the trilogy: a final part that I will read in due course, but that I currently feel I need a break from!
Not of Jean-Paul Valley.
But that is precisely who Batman's alter-ego is in thus, with Bruce Wayne (the original Batman!) still in convalesence following his brutal battle - and defeat! - by Bane, and with Bruce then temporarily passing the mantle of the bat onto the former Azrael (another lesser-known comic book character to the general masses, of which I was one prior to TVs Gotham and Rocksteady's Arkham series of games) , and former foe rather than - for some inexplicable reason - passing it on to Nightwing, or even to his own sidekick Robin (or Tim Drake in this).
But this Batman proves to be rougher and more violent than his predecessor - harking back to the original anti-hero Batman? - dispensing extremely rough justice to the crooks of Gotham city and side-lining Robin (who seems to do nothing but wring his hands throughout). It's really only at the very end - when Jean-Paul crosses a line - that Bruce Wayne re-appears (somehow, and mysteriously, having recovered from his severr injury), leading to the set-up for the final part of the trilogy: a final part that I will read in due course, but that I currently feel I need a break from!