Fatal February by Barbara Levenson, a Mysterious Review.

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.

Acknowledgment: Maryglenn McCombs Book Publicity provided an ARC of Fatal February for this review.

Justice in June
Oceanview Publishing (Hardcover), June 2010
ISBN-13: 9781933515717; ISBN-10: 1933515716

Fatal February

A Mary Magruder Katz Mystery by Barbara Levenson