Fatal February
A Mary
Magruder Katz Mystery
Barbara
Levenson
Oceanview Publishing (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-933515-52-X (193351552X)
ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-52-6 (9781933515526)
Publication Date: February 2009
List Price: $22.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): For half Jewish, half Southern Baptist Miami criminal
defense attorney Mary Magruder Katz, life starts to spin completely out
of control when a minor fender bender turns out to be an unlikely shot
from Cupid’s bow.
Carlos Martin, the other car’s driver, isn’t just a
distracted driver; he’s distracting. Carlos is charming,
handsome, and mysterious. Hardly before she knows what hit her, Mary
breaks off her engagement, jumps into a sizzling romance with Carlos,
gets fired from her former fiancé’s highbrow law firm,
starts her own practice, and lands her first client, Lillian Yarmouth.
But Lillian isn’t just any client; she’s the prime suspect
in what’s become the Miami society murder of the year.
While investigating Lillian’s alleged crime of passion, Mary
finds that this case, like all matters of the heart, is anything but
black and white. And Mary has clearly stumbled onto something that has
someone seeing red.
February may be the shortest month of the year, but Mary’s got
some long days (and nights) ahead. This month could be a real killer.
Review: Senior
judge for the circuit court in Miami-Dade County Barbara Levenson pens
her first mystery, Fatal February,
featuring criminal defense attorney Mary Magruder Katz who not only has
a new high-profile case, but a new man in her life.
First the case: Socialite Lillian Yarmouth has been arrested for the
stabbing murder of her husband. The press have already convicted her,
but Mary isn't convinced. From all outward appearances, they were a
happy, loving couple who adored their two college-age children. Most of
the couple's assets were in her name, so money couldn't have been an
issue. But there are other secrets in this family that may well provide
a motive the prosecution can use. And it's up to Mary to discover what
they are before her trial begins.
Then there's Carlos. Their first meeting is an inauspicious one: he
rear-ends her car. But soon he's a client then a lover and then her
fiercest protector. He's fallen for Mary, and she for him, but can
their relationship stand the strain of everything going on around them?
It's hard not to like a mystery that opens with this paragraph:
Lillian Yarmouth murdered her
husband. She stabbed him with her grandmother's antique silver letter
opener. Right in the heart. At least, that's what everyone in Miami
believed, including the Miami Herald, although they used the term
"allegedly" several times.
Not surprisingly given the author's background, the strongest elements
of Fatal February are the
courtroom scenes and when Mary is being lawyerly. Mary is the kind of
lawyer a defendant wants, whether they're guilty or not. She's tough,
sympathetic, knowledgeable, and capable. She also knows how to balance
work with pleasure. The other characters in the book are also
well-developed. Carlos in particular provides a nice counterpoint to
Mary and their scenes together are entertaining.
The plot, however, is somewhat thin and weakly developed. Only one
credible suspect (other than Lillian) is introduced resulting in an
either/or scenario, not much depth for a mystery. From a legal
perspective, however, this probably makes sense. After all, the defense
attorney simply has to provide a case for reasonable doubt to win a
verdict of not guilty, not prove her client's innocence. Still, a red
herring here and there would have helped generate some uncertainty in
the reader's mind.
On balance, though, Fatal February,
with its engaging characters and colorful setting, is an enjoyable way
to while away that wintry afternoon.
Special thanks to Maryglenn McCombs Book Publicity for providing an ARC of Fatal February for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Fatal February? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
Fatal February
Oceanview Publishing (Hardcover), February 2009
ISBN-10: 1-933515-52-X (193351552X)
ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-52-6 (9781933515526)
Omnimystery keywords for Fatal February ...
Location(s) referenced: Miami, Florida.
