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Critic's Corner
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"She didn't know how long she had been in the darkness when her family finally stopped screaming. She had forgotten where she was and how she had gotten there. She didn't know how long she had been trapped, chained down like an animal, dirty, helpless . . . All she knew was that she was in great pain, that her whole body ached and her kneecap felt as if it had been shattered. That she was alone. And that something horrible was happening to her family." Bernhardt begins his latest legal thriller with a scene geared to shock readers. The family of 15- year-old Erin Faulkner had been killed, mutilated, their eyes cut from their sockets, broken limbs, and blood everywhere. Only Erin survived and she didn't know why. Her mother, her father, and her six siblings all lay dead in their suburban family residence. Why had she been left alive? Bernhardt's powerful series of legal thrillers featuring crusading attorney Ben Kincaid have won him a die-hard following and widespread critical acclaim as a "master of the courtroom drama" (Library Journal). Now, on the heels of his national bestseller Criminal Intent, Bernhardt returns with an electrifying novel sure to stagger the imaginations of all readers. Ben Kincaid of Tulsa, Oklahoma once again puts his reputation on the line as he takes on the defense of Ray Goldman. Goldman, a mild-mannered industrial chemist is charged with the brutal massacre of the Faulkner family. In spite of the details of the case, Ben's deft defense against a lack of hard evidence and improper police procedure made an acquittal all but certain. Then, the prosecution brought on their star witness—the lone survivor of the slaughter, Erin Faulkner. Her words chilled the hearts of the jury as she pleaded from the witness stand, "I've lost everything I ever had. All I have left is my faith. My faith that you will do the right thing. That you will not let my family die unavenged." They didn't. Goldman was found guilty and sentenced to death. Seven years later, Goldman's date with the death chamber is at hand. Seconds before the lethal injection, an eleventh-hour reprieve halts the execution—and launches Ben on a race against time to overturn Goldman's conviction. Erin abruptly recants her testimony after years of silence. She tells Ben Kincaid that she lied at the trial because the prosecution had pressured her. She could not identify the killer by his voice as she'd said, and because he was masked all she'd seen of his face were his eyes. The day after this confession, Erin is found murdered. "Suicide," proclaimed Detective Major Mike Morelli. "Murder," said his combative partner Sergeant Kate Baxter. One thing is certain, the clock is ticking for Ray Goldman, and the game is afoot as not only Erin dies, but her best friend Sheila is murdered. What is it that these women know that caused them to be slain and their deaths set up to look like suicides? Now Detectives Morelli and Baxter are busy trying to solve Erin and Sheila's deaths as Kincaid and his staff try to uncover something that will save Goldman from execution. The plot construction of Bernhardt's novel is precise and allows just enough information to seep through the cracks to keep the suspense ratcheted up to a near heart-stopping degree. New characters enter the fray with all the fascinating eccentricities one expects in a novel of this genre. Peter Rothko, founder and CEO of the fast food chain, "Burger Bliss." He's such a nice guy and so helpful to Ben and his staff. One wonders why and wonders how Rothko fits into this puzzling case. He does bring forth information about the chemical company that both Faulkner and Goldman worked for. Prairie Dog Flavors. Interesting name. It seems that Rothko knows that most, if not all, fast food restaurants use flavor enhancements to attract young people to their restaurants. Of course, Rothko also uses a very special flavoring in his national chain of restaurants, but who, if anyone, knew this? The charming Rothko gives Ben some valuable information about Prairie Dog Flavors and in particular another chemist working there. Judge Derek, formerly Ben Kincaid's boss at Raven, Tucker and Tubb law firm. Derek hates Kincaid, and is now a judge. The judge Ben and his partner Christina must face time and time again in their frantic appeals to save Goldman. Ah, then we have one Aravena Gabriel. He's a man with a criminal past, but has almost completed his parole supervision. He's served his time, taken the medicines prescribed by his doctors, seen his Parole Officer regularly, and he has a good job. He's also still in counseling with Dr. Bennett. Aravena knows that the incident with the 11-year-old girl wasn't his most heinous crime. Certainly not the worst. Didn't even come close. But, he's free now, and he has a new life. There are other characters that enter the story as it progresses and each one is treated with clever detail as good as or better than any Dean Koontz character. Bernhardt's characters are believable, interesting, and always intriguing. His dialogue is top notch. Dialogue loaded with tension, with sharp wit, and telltale foreshadowing provides readers a thrill-a-minute. Bernhardt's balance of suspense and humor adds a delicious flavor to his story. The plot has so many possibilities that at times I felt lost in a dense jungle only to come out into an illuminating sunlight. Death Row shows us an author who has come into his own and is flying high. Even when he chooses to use literary license with certain police procedures, Bernhardt manages to make his unlikely usages work to the advantage of the story. Death Row is a home run not only for its author, but for its readers.
Jones is a published writer and literary critic, she also reviews for the Tulsa World newspaper COPYRIGHT Patricia A. Jones, July 2, 2003, All Rights Reserved To comment on this review you may email pattij777@aol.com |
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Death
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