TRIAL & ERROR: A Solomon vs. Lord Mystery
Paul Levine
Bantam
Mystery
ISBN-10: 0440242762
ISBN-13: 9780440242765

• Read an Excerpt

Paul Levine --- a masterful writer no matter what the topic --- infuses his Solomon vs. Lord mysteries with a laugh a minute, without sacrificing characters or plot. These novels feature dueling lawyers Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord, who, in spite of their opposing styles, ethics and general worldviews, are in love with each other. Supported by a fine secondary cast, of whom Solomon's nephew Bobby and father Herbert (an ex-judge who left the practice of law one step ahead of the Disciplinary Committee) are but two among equals, the series has been a joy from the beginning. TRIAL & ERROR is no exception.

This latest installment begins with Solomon being awakened in the middle of the night to retrieve Bobby, who has been visiting a pair of dolphins in a local nature preserve. By the time the dust settles and the smoke clears, Solomon is running down and capturing an ecoterrorist even as another is shot dead. By morning, the caught ecoterrorist (who happens to be related to the local DA) is now Solomon's client, and Lord is in charge of prosecuting him.

Unlikely? Sure, but this scenario is a lot of fun and actually gives Levine a chance to set up what we have seen only briefly up until now --- Solomon and Lord as legal adversaries, in which brains, talent, legal acumen and fashion sense square off against…Solomon.

Meanwhile, Bobby is experiencing a significant moment of adolescent angst, piled atop an already groaning board of emotional problems. And there's a very subtle race that takes place in TRIAL & ERROR to see what happens first: Will Bobby surrender to his inner bad, or will Steve, only half aware of what is going on, lead him down the correct path? As often happens, Solomon and Lord are at their best when working together, even when they are on different sides. They slowly solve a seemingly impenetrable mystery in an effort to save Solomon's misguided but kinda-sorta innocent client.

TRIAL & ERROR keeps Levine's string of hits intact. It would be a just and wonderful thing if this fine series could continue for a long time to come.

   --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

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