Blog Tour: Bum Rap by Paul Levine

Author: Paul Levine
Publisher:Thomas & Mercer 
Date of publication: July 2015

NFL linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter has had it with shifty clients, dirty prosecutors, and a legal system out of whack. It’s enough to make a man want to leave Miami and never look back—until he gets a call from Victoria Lord, the better half of hot local legal team Solomon & Lord. Her partner in life and law has been arrested for murder. What’s worse: the only person who can clear him has fled the city. Now it’s up to Jake and Victoria to track down the witness—a stunning “Bar girl”—before she’s roped in by the feds…or eliminated by the Russian mob.

Jake knows that if he doesn’t get to the witness first, his client’s case is lost. Luckily, he’s got some good advice from his college football coach: “Buckle your chin strap and hit somebody.” And sometimes, the only way to win a tough case is to do just that.

Bum Rap is only the second book in this series that I have read.  Even though it is the 11th book, I think it did well as a stand alone book.  The author does a good job of providing back story so you get a good feel for the characters.  At times I felt like there were too many back stories that bogged the book down.

Bum Rap is a pretty straight forward story,  I didn't really see a lot of mystery in it, so that was a little disappointing.  I remember the last book that I read being a little more exciting and I kind of felt like this one just plodded along.  I do like Lassiter's character.  he's a great lawyer with a good sense of humor.  However, I felt like the book was filled with too many one liners and to much banter between the characters that it got a little tiring.  Almost like it was trying too hard to be funny and I found myself skimming in places.The ending was a bit weird and awkward for me as well.  

I think fans of the series will like this addition.  It would make for a good relaxing book to read on the beach or on vacation this summer.

About Paul Levine

PAUL LEVINE worked as a newspaper reporter, a law professor and a trial lawyer before becoming a full-time novelist. His books have been translated into 23 languages; Levine has won the John D. MacDonald fiction award and has been nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Macavity, the International Thriller Writers Award, the Shamus Award, and the James Thurber Humor Prize.

Connect with Paul

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Paul Levine’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, June 29th: Books a la Mode

Thursday, July 2nd: Bibliotica

Friday, July 3rd: FictionZeal

Monday, July 6th: The World As I See It

Wednesday, July 8th: Griperang’s Bookmarks

Thursday, July 9th: Life is Story

Friday, July 10th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, July 13th: Book Dilettante

Monday, July 13th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Thursday, July 16th: Rhodes Review

Friday, July 17th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, July 20th: Lilac Reviews

Tuesday, July 21st: Back Porchervations

Thursday, July 23rd: Vic’s Media Room

Virtual Book Tour - Flesh and Bones

Author: Paul Levine
Publisher: Avon Books (1997)

"I was sitting at the end of the bar sipping single-malt Scotch - eighteen-year-old Glenmorangie at nine bucks a shot - when I spotted the tall blond woman with the large green eyes and the small gray gun." The next thing linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter knows, the woman pumps three bullets into the man on the next barstool, then collapses into Jake's arms. The woman is the stunning model Chrissy Bernhardt, and the dead man is her millionaire father. Lassiter agrees to defend Chrissy and is soon enmeshed in a world of lies, deceit, and psychological riddles. Under hypnosis, Chrissy claims to remember being sexually abused by her father, but Lassiter suspects that the "recovered memories" were either implanted by a shady psychiatrist or fabricated by Chrissy herself. Lassiter digs deeper and finds a troubling connection between the psychiatrist and the greedy developer Guy Bernhardt, who steals other landowners' water and stands to gain if Chrissy, his half sister, is convicted of murder.

Flesh and Bones is the seventh book in the series featuring Jake Lassiter, a former line backer turned lawyer. It was first published in 1997. Paul Levine is touring to promote this book and has announced that “Lassiter,” the first new book in the series since 1997, will be released as a Bantam hardcover on September 13, 2011.

I will admit that legal thrillers aren't usually my thing. I had a little trouble getting into this book. But, I am glad I stuck with it. The author does a good job of grabbing your attention and never lets go. I was kept guessing and never really knew who to trust. I wanted to see how Jake would get Chrissy off when everyone saw her shoot her father. I liked Lassiter's character. He was a really likable and funny guy; someone I would want to be friends with. He is not your typical lawyer. He is the type of guy that will do anything to get to the truth. As I said, this is number seven in the Lassiter series. I haven't read any of the previous books, but I never felt like I didn't know what was going on. I think anyone who likes mysteries will enjoy this book.

--Kari

*note: I read an complimentary copy of Flesh and Bones supplied courtesy of the author as part of his virtual blog tour. I was not compensated in anyway for this review. By receiving a complimentary copy, I am in no way obligated to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.