Breach Of Trust

Joseph Antonelli #6

by D.W. Buffa

Attorney Joseph Antonelli dives into a case of White House intrigue, intimacies not forgotten, and suspicions dark and deep in this legal thriller in the Edgar Award-nominated series called "adroit and often elegant" ( Los Angeles Times ).

The novels of D. W. Buffa featuring attorney Joseph Antonelli have become some of the most avidly praised of the legal thrillers being written today, called "absorbing" ( Orlando Sentinel ), "suspense-laden" ( Houston Chronicle ), and "electrically charged" ( The New York Times ). The Judgment, the third in the series, was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel of the Year.

In Breach of Trust , Antonelli is seduced into taking a case that has dangerous implications not only for the upcoming United States presidential race but also for a group of friends who thought they had put the sudden death of a young woman behind them long ago. When Antonelli attends a Harvard Law School reunion at Manhattan's Plaza Hotel, he doesn't suspect how disturbing his return will be-for it was at a party in this very hotel that a lively young woman fell from a window to her death. The event had been ruled an accident at the time, but the case is about to be reopened, and a possible witness is wary of its potential to ruin his political chances-a man with promise and ambition in equal measure, the vice president of the United States. When the trial begins, the nation's eyes turn to the accused, the downtrodden James Haviland, and to the unseen powers both within and without the White House who want to bury him. It's up to the shrewd and sharp Antonelli to uncover just where the secrets lie-and exactly who is playing whom.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Legal Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

D.W. Buffa (full name: Dudley W. Buffa) was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. After graduation from Michigan State University, he studied under Leo Strauss, Joseph Cropsey and Hans J. Morgenthau at the University of Chicago where he earned both an M.A. and a Ph. D. in political science. He received his J.D. degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Buffa was a criminal defense attorney for 10 years and his seven Joseph Antonelli novels strive to reflect, from his own experience, what a courtroom lawyer does, the way he (or she) thinks, and the way he feels about what he does.

Buffa had been writing for pleasure for many years when Henry Holt and Co. decided to publish his first novel, The Defense, in 1997. The week it was published, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, the literary critic of the New York Times, called The Defense ‘an accomplished first novel" which ‘leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning and read it over again."

The Defense was followed by The Prosecution and then The Judgment, which was one of the five books nominated in 2002 for the Edgar Award as best novel of the year. While the first three novels are set in Portland, the author's fourth novel, The Legacy, takes place in San Francisco and is as much a political thriller as it is legal thriller. Star Witness tells the story of Stanley Roth, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who is charged with murder of his famous movie star wife.

Breach of Trust, published in 2004, was considered by one critic as "one of the few books that fifty years from now will really matter." It offers readers a scintillating look at Washington politics. Buffa's seventh Joseph Antonelli novel, Trial by Fire, was released in 2005; in this latest Antonelli book, the focus is on the media and the role that television "Talking heads" increasingly play in very high profile criminal cases. Publishers Weekly says of Trial by Fire, "In this intelligent, gripping legal thriller... fast moving dialogue and fine sense of characterization keep the reader hanging on for the ride."

The author's last several novels reflect a subtle shift in storyline from D.W. Buffa's original 'judicial' arena into the the broader one of politics. Buffa has built a new series around protagonist Senator Bobby Hart, an Antonelli-type everyday hero of strong moral fiber who is willing to take on "The Establishment" for the betterment of his constituents...

D.W. Buffa lives in Northern California.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

D.W. Buffa takes this series in an interesting direction with this piece, straddling past and present as Joseph Antonelli faces events from law school and a chilling trial that has the country watching. When Joseph Antonelli is invited to attend his law school reunion, he is skeptical, but accepts nonetheless. While a Harvard grad, the reunion takes place at a posh hotel in New York City, a town that has an ominous connection to Antonelli’s law school days. Back in 1965, Anna Malreaux fell from a hotel balcony and many wonder if a friend last seen with her, Jamison ‘Jimmy’ Scott Haviland, might have been responsible. However, Haviland has always said that he is innocent, as have many others. Antonelli is approached by Thomas Browning at the reunion to say that the Malreaux case has the District Attorney and a grand jury quite intrigued, with an indictment sure to come soon. As it happens, Browning is also the one who twisted Antonelli’s arm to attend these festivities, and is the current Vice-President of the United States. Many wonder if there are those within the Administration who want to bring this ghost out of the closet and somehow tie Browning to the mess. When an indictment comes and Haviland is fingered as the one who likely pushed Malreaux, Antonelli agrees to serve as his counsel, having made a name for himself in the legal world. With Browning offering strategy and parading him around Washington before the trial, Antonelli can only wonder if there is a motive here, ahead of the next presidential election. Faced with a sarcastic prosecutor and a judge who is anything but timely, Antonelli must help this law school friend while also swimming in memories of life at Harvard and how Browning was anything but inclusive at the time. With the world watching, Antonelli will have to try this case and hope the pressure is not too much, especially as he is across the country from all his supports. Buffa knows how to impress and uses this novel to explore yet another side of Joseph Antonelli for series fans. Recommended to patient series fans who know Buffa well and the reader who enjoys a legal thriller with complex plot lines.

My affinity for novels by D.W. Buffa continues as I binge read this series. It continues to be a wonderfully complex set of novels that pit the protagonist in the middle of legal and personal struggles at a time when his career is blossoming. Delving yet again into the world of electoral politics, the reader discovers new and dastardly angles that pull Joseph Antonelli in many directions. Away from all he knows in San Francisco, he is forced to revisit his youth and some of the drama that befell him that Christmas Eve in 1965. The reader is subjected to a great deal of flashbacks as it relates to Antonelli’s law school days and those with whom he surrounded himself. The politics of the day, though, is nothing like modern times, where a presidential election hangs in the balance. With a seemingly new and vivacious woman ready to warm his bed, Antonelli is forced to divide his time, while admit to himself that he is not as young as he might once have been. Sharp-witted, Antonelli is ready for anything and pours it all out on the courtroom floor, impressing jurors and jurists alike. Others make one-off appearances, as the story shifts to NYC, leaving Antonelli to reinvent himself. The plot is excellent and propels the story forward effectively, keeping the reader enthralled throughout and does not lose any of its impact as the narrative moves forward. An effective progression in the series that takes the reader on quite the ride. Buffa knows what he is doing without compromising in the least.

Kudos, Mr. Buffa, for a fast-paced story that mixes past and present together, with an eerie political cloud looming overhead.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

ATING: 3.0
PROTAGONIST: Joseph Antonelli, defense attorney
SERIES: #6
SETTING: New York; Washington, DC

Joseph Antonelli is a defense attorney who entered into the legal field to follow his principles, not to make money. Over the course of his 30-year career, he has become very powerful and very rich. But now, in this sixth book of the series, his current case takes him back to his Harvard Law School days. One of his close friends from that time, Thomas Stern Browning, is the vice president of the United States. Another friend, James Haviland, has been on retainer to Browning for many years.

Any political figure is always a target of those who wish to challenge or maintain the status quo. Browning had aspired to the presidency and only reluctantly accepted the secondary role of VP, hoping to use that position to reach his true goal. He is in total conflict with President Walker. It appears that someone is digging in to their bag of dirty tricks to discredit Browning so that he will not be a threat to Walker being elected for a second term.

The issue that Browning is facing is an event that happened when he, Antonelli and Haviland were in law school together. There was a huge party thrown at the Plaza in New York City. Both Haviland and Browning were in love with a quixotic young woman by the name of Anna Malreaux. During the course of the party, Annie accidentally fell out of a window and died. Now the opposition has accused Haviland of murder, with Browning as an accomplice who witnessed the act but didn't tell the truth about it. The obvious person to defend Haviland is Joseph Antonelli. The stakes are high; a conviction of murder would destroy Jimmy Haviland's life and all hope that Thomas Browning has for a political future.

As always, Buffa does an excellent job of depicting the trial and the challenges that face Antonelli as he defends his client. Unfortunately, Buffa has a habit of writing in a very overblown fashion, with long digressions that slow down the narrative. This happens more in this book than others in the series because of the nature of the character of Thomas Browning. In addition to the usual legal issues, he often has Browning going on at length about his various views on politics and life. In addition, the author goes into excessive description of each character when they are on stage, in particular, their body language—what they are doing with their eyes, their hands, how they are holding their head, their general posture. A little bit of this went a long way, and it was too much to have this detailed for every character just about every time they appeared on the page.

BREACH OF TRUST is of interest to readers of this series because it goes back to the very early stages of Antonelli's professional life and provides information that reveals a lot about his current emotional life. The tradition of an unusual twist that Antonelli is unaware of which colors the events of the narrative continues in this book. That approach leads to an underlying feeling of suspense, with the reader knowing that something is not quite right but never sure of what it may be.

As always, the courtroom scenes are well done, particularly against the backdrop of the political ramifications of the outcome. The various characters are fully developed, with many nuances and great texture. If only the prose had been more economical, I would have given BREACH OF TRUST a high recommendation. As it is, it is above average but a bit difficult to remain engaged in for its full length.

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

D.W. Buffa has a curious tendency to muse about human nature while talking about law, and at the same time he unfolds a story that keeps you pretty tightly wound. There is a back and forth that brings fiction back into reality by posing little questions about what you might do in the same circumstance. Gives me shivers.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was truly awful. Some of the worst writing I have ever come across.

You know how you read some books and the storyline is a bit thin, but you keep reading because the writing is so exquisite? Well this book is the opposite of that - the storyline is terrific, but the writing was so utterly awful, it was difficult to keep reading, and I found myself skipping whole paragraphs because I couldn't stand the way it was written.

A few specific instances will illuminate.

There are pages, and I mean pages, of dialogue where one character (often the ruthlessly ambitious but interpersonally challenged Thomas Stern Browning) monologues. Just talks and talks and talks, often about random and unrelated topics along a broad theme which is tangential to the overall storyline of the book. And if this were not dreary and boring enough, in some cases, the main character, Antonelli, is REMEMBERING these conversations from thirty years ago! It's preposterous.

In one entirely regrettable series of pages, Antonelli is remembering (and sharing with us, the glazed eyed reader), word for word, a conversation he and Browning had in the college common room 30 years ago, where Browning goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on, oh it's endless, about his political views and some book he read and a general his grandfather knew and god knows what else, it was so DULL I couldn't read it all.

This happens a lot. Pages and pages of dull and irrelevant dialogue. Nothing really to do with the main storyline, not even good background for the character doing the speaking. Pages could have been edited out and the book would have been improved immensely. But, alas, in they have stayed, and bored we become.

A second issue of enormous irritation is the way in which character's body language and movements are described. They are so complexly written, it's like reading a description of an Olympic gymnastics routine... He moved his right hand to his left knee and placed his index finger at an upward angle whilst angling his head and looking scantily to his right while tapping his right foot to the beat of an unheard rhythm whilst thinking about the next lie he was going to tell. Good grief! By the time I could imagine the "Twister"-like movement the character described is making, I've lost the thread of the entire conversation. It's beyond 'painting a picture' that puts you in the scene - these body language/movement descriptions are overly complex and they take you OUT of the story, not place you more neatly within it. They're clumsy and cumbersome.

And then there's the description of the hidden psychological and emotional drivers of some characters. Who are being honest, or as honest as they know how to be. Or are being coy, but not as coy as they look like they're being. Or are annoyed but not as annoyed as they could have been. Oh my goodness me, it was absurd. This convoluted 'paradox within a riddle' way of trying to make the characters seem more intriguing and multi-dimensional, with hidden secret motivations, it just was trying WAY too hard, and feel utterly flat.

Absolutely one of the worst books I've picked up. Not even sure I want to put it in my charity store give away bag, as I don't want to inflict it upon another living soul. Avoid at all costs.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Were the editors on strike when this was published? I normally like Buffa’s writing, but it was sooooo slow at the start. There was so much background material to set things up that I was ready to DNF the book. It eventually got to the courtroom, and was decent from that point on. It was odd that there was literally nothing about pretrial preparation, though, and I seem to remember that in another of his books. It feels like something is missing when this part of the process is skipped.

[Amina Elkhoury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book surprised me. It begins like a coming of age story, but the emotional weight builds as you watch him chase success, escape old pain, and fall into the noise of a world that never gives him what he wants. The writing pulls you inside his frustration, his need to reinvent himself, his hope that acting will silence the turmoil. When he goes back to the home he left, the story takes on a deeper meaning. The dogs that once filled his nights with sound become a symbol of belonging. It is a thoughtful and grounded novel, and it leaves you thinking about the places that shape you even when you try to forget them.I am really glad claire recommended it.

[William Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

You follow this character through years of confusion, hunger for identity, and the weight of a childhood he never learned to understand. The early border town scenes feel vivid, almost haunting, then the story widens as he steps into the restless energy of the sixties. His time in New York pulls you into the grind of ambition, the kind that promises freedom but often delivers new scars. What I loved is how the book refuses to give easy answers. His peace comes from something quiet, something he once ignored. When the dogs call out again, you feel the shift in him. You feel the return to self.

[Martina Sartor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legal thriller politico, ambientato fra New York e Washington, svela i meccanismi che si nascondo dietro la vita politica americana, i complotti che possono annidarsi dietro un'elezione. Buffa approfondisce in modo magistrale la psicologia dei personaggi e, se il processo in sé e per sé rappresenta solo una minima parte del romanzo, il finale riserva comunque una sorpresa dietro l'altra.
Appassionante.

[Gregory Van Den Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book mirrors what is happening in the United States today. Unfortunately, as with most books the rising climax and climax are so much better than the falling climax. However, the book is entertaining and worth the read. Much to the author's credit he wrote what would happen in this country twenty years later.

[Mark Jovani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story pulls you in right away. When the old case resurfaces, the mix of legal tension and political pressure keeps you alert on every page. Antonelli is sharp and steady, and the courtroom scenes carry real intensity. The twists land cleanly, and the final outcome leaves you thinking about truth, power, and the cost of loyalty.

[Eliott Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tight, engaging legal thriller with a steady pulse. The reopened death case creates strong suspense, and the shadow of a presidential campaign gives every decision extra weight. Haviland is impossible to pin down, which keeps the story unpredictable. If you enjoy smart courtroom drama with political edges, this one delivers.

[Nathaniel Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breach of Trust pulls you straight into a world where truth feels slippery and power controls everything. Antonelli moves through political shadows with a sharp mind and a haunted heart. I could not pull away from the unraveling secrets.”

[Karen Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very gripping story, good dialog. A little long in descriptions sometimes but the characters were specific and interesting. The ending revelation was both realistically and emotionally sad.

[Courtney Abraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Starts off maddeningly slow lots of plot, twists, worth the read.

[Donald Ludwig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous story

The story keeps you turning to the next chapter. Many interesting unknowns to the very end. Still, a very good story.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read (listen to while driving in my case! I didn't know this was a series as a friend loaned me the audio. Joseph Antonelli, a successful defense lawyer in San Fransico, is persuaded by now Vice President Thomas Browning, Harvard Law school friend to take an old case. At a Christmas party while in school, Annie Malreaux falls through a window to her death at the Plaza hotel. It had been ruled an accident at the time. Now, as Browning is seeking the Presidency the case is reopened & James Haviland, fellow lawyer & classmate is accused of murdering Annie. There can be sections of long description that get to be a bit much, but as I was listening rather than reading, they didn't get in the way of the story.

[Bruce · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this book. The author came highly recommended (so highly that despite my disappointment I will probably give him a second chance.) It seemed very over written. I'm not one to skim books, but with this one I found my eyes flashing through whole paragraphs ...and then whole pages looking for sentences that advanced the plot or significantly advanced the characters. The plot I felt was full of holes. I would have much preferred a straight forward court room "drama". Instead I got a combination of "political" intrigue, soap opera and perhaps diarrhea of the word processor.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

Set largely in D.C. and New York, story switches betweentwo eras -- Antonelli's law school days and the present.

But somehow, the feel of the language is, to me, as if the whole story takes place in the past.

I like Antonelli in his home setting the best (NW - as in "Prosecution," and "Defense").

Thought Buffa worked in the Chicago visit, to explore the dead woman's past, somehow to bring out his own Midwest connections.

[Ret Yeager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3.5 stars. Good murder mystery eluding to things people may do to get what they want in politics. Hmmm. Fiction? I would compare Buffa's writing to that of Lee Child. Enjoyable reads but not earth shattering.

[Icicle4 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Court room drama. Very well written, but excessively detailed for my taste. Author has several books out - may try one more.

[Katherine]

I'm finding this hard to get into. I will try again later.

[nodame cantabela]

wanna learn bout attorney life ;)

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buffa likes to put WAY too much description in the story,,, stuff that adds nothing to the story. Plus, I kept feeling like I was in a court procedural class. Other than that, it was an okay story

[Elizabeth Bingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

FABULOUS!!

[Dan Gilchrist · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really couldn't get into a flow with this book, it's just seemed to be a bunch of run on sentences.

[Eric_W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed at http://rarebits.blogspot.com/2013/11/... and http://www.librarything.com/work/7491...

[Dorothy Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, but there was too much speech-making by one character. Seemed like Buffa was trying to make it book length; the real story would have been a slim volume.

[Victorvanr · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of these books that needs 200 pages to get started. However, then it is nice. Interesting characters, nice court room scenes and satisfying plot.