The Abduction (51 page)
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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."
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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.' "
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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CrimeSquad.com
"Gimenez maintains a rhythm that keeps pages turning long past bedtime."
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Austin American-Statesman
"The book starts fast and never slows down."
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Houston Chronicle
"Gimenez's debut has plenty of twists and flashes of humor. A promising, distinctive new voice."
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Kirkus Reviews
"Gimenez does a fine job with the plot; lots of twists and the courtroom scenes are great."
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Globe and Mail
Best-seller lists
No. 6, Ireland
No. 11, Australia
No. 17, UK hardback
"Remember when John Grisham exploded on to the courtroom drama market with novels of breathtaking brilliance? Lightning just struck twice."
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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."
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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."
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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.”
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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."
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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."
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CrimeSquad.com
(UK)
Best-seller lists
No. 8, South Africa
No. 10, Ireland
No. 11, Australia
No. 13, UK paperback
"
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."
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Times Literary Supplement
(UK)
"Mark Gimenez writes colloquially smart dialogue but plots like an old master."
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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."
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Civilian-Reader
(UK)
Best-seller lists
No. 7, South Africa
No. 8, London
Sunday Times
hardback
No. 11, Ireland
No. 14, UK paperback
"Some critics are calling the Texas-based lawyer Mark Gimenez 'the next Grisham'—but I think that's far less than fair. This, his fifth novel and the second featuring attorney A. Scott Fenney, shows he's now better than the one-time master of the American courtroom drama. For my money, Grisham has grown stale over the past five years while Gimenez has gone from strength to strength. If you doubt me, sample this cracking thriller which sees Fenney defend his former wife against the allegation that she killed the man she left him for, millionaire golf professional Trey Rawlins… . This is one of the best legal thrillers since Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent in 1987 … Superb."
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Daily Mail
(UK)
"Brilliant writing, masterful plot and all the thrill of the courtroom in one. Grisham, step aside."
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City AM
(UK)
"Gimenez has set his bloody murder trial
Accused
against the background of a failed marriage, single-parenting issues and male infidelity… . This mix of family values, sex, sleaze and intrigue holds together in a gripping read with unexpected twists that ranks with anything Grisham has done in years."
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The Times
(UK)
"Gimenez writes smart vernacular dialogue, hip and street-wise, with a nice line in social commentary, and his plotting leaves the over-rated John Grisham in his rear-vision mirror."
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The Australian
"Courtroom drama at its finest… . Great ending, too."
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Perth
Now
(Australia)
"Gimenez's latest novel
Accused
is classic Grisham at his best."
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Gisborne Herald
(New Zealand)
"A great read… . Gimenez is a thriller writer of quality."
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Oamuru Mail
(New Zealand)
"You’ll be handcuffed and imprisoned from the first page."
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Joburg.co.za
(South Africa)
"If you enjoy suspense and a fast-paced courtroom drama, this one's for you."
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Foschini Club Magazine
(South Africa)
"
Accused
is an engaging and character-led legal thriller. Gimenez's dialogue and prose are as fluid and natural as we've come to expect, and the pacing of the plot will keep pulling you along. When we're finally brought into the court-room, the author actually makes it gripping and tense, even though we've been following Scott and his team's investigation every step of the way.
Accused
, therefore, offers the reader everything they could want from a thriller, and is a very satisfying read."
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Civilian–Reader
(UK)
Gimenez's plots are driven by surprises and twists, while the stakes are much higher than what one can possibly imagine at the beginning of the book. What's more, the Texan lawyer, A Scott Fenney, grips our interest with his mind games, and we are compelled to turn one page after another to discover where the story is headed. Gimenez is in good form in Accused. He is equally good in the companion book, The Color of Law. Unputdownable for those who love the genre."
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The Times of India
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