Dark Lady: A Novel

by Richard North Patterson

Once the prosecutor was a young law student. Once the dead man was an honest lawyer. Now Stella Marz stares at the body of her former lover, hanging from a doorway in a gruesome tableau.

For Stella Marz, the search for Jack Novak's killer leads into another bizarre homicide case, back through her own past and through the city where she was born and where now--a good Catholic girl turned career woman--she is in crisis. Somewhere in this city a hidden alliance of big money, big plans, and dark secrets is fueling a great American revival. And somehow Stella Marz will bring the darkness into the light--no matter what it reveals, no matter who it destroys. . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Legal Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 31, 1999

About the author

Richard North Patterson is the author of fourteen previous bestselling and critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, Patterson served as the SEC’s liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups dealing with gun violence, political reform, and women’s rights. He lives in San Francisco and on Martha’s Vineyard.
Macmillan.com Author Profile

Awards
Edgar Award, 1980, Best First Novel for The Lasko Tangent

Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, International Award, 1995 for Degree of Guilt

http://us.macmillan.com/author/richar...

Reviews

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid research add details to the plot of 'Dark Lady' which equal a good story and strong characters, who are very believable. Intricate as filigree, it is impossible to know the next twist, the next turn. The main character Stella Marz is a tarnished gem, but I admire her guts. A Catholic third generation Polish American who had to break with her family to go to college and live the life of an ambitious prosecutor, she has slowly learned how to maneuver in the murky world of politics, where every decision, and every good cause, must by necessity be linked to dirty money and even dirtier personal secrets.

Steelton is an economically sick place with major industries having either left town or died. The politicians from the mayor to the police are looking for ways to make money, and they think a baseball stadium will have the power to turn things around. However, as much as they all want to help Steelton survive, downtown is a snake pit of ambition, power bases, corruption and racial divisions that endure from decades of connected history. No one grows up clean, yet politics demands public purity. Everyone knows the local mafia boss Moro must have people inside the Mayor's and the Prosecutor's office - a number of vice cases are lost under suspicious circumstances which whisper a greater criminal conspiracy. But when Public Defender Jack Novak turns up dead in a bizarre sexual S&M scene, Marz can't let it go. Thirteen years ago he had helped Stella realize her ambitions through their relationship, but he had also introduced her to sexual practices that made her wonder about her personal ethics and her own moral fault lines. Now, once again Novak is shocking her to reality, and she realizes she has been closing her eyes and doing nothing in the face of distinct clues that corruption may have crept into every political office in Steelton.

When she meets a little girl who is grieving for her runaway mother, her faith in people shaken, Marz can no longer tolerate letting it go.

I liked this book very much.

[Jerry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only our second RN Patterson novel, we agree with the many readers who found aptly titled “Dark Lady” really dark, detailed, and often boring. While it is basically a crime thriller, it is overloaded with politics and political corruption, as the building of a new baseball stadium and the ambitions of everyone associated with that tend to overwhelm the plot to solve two bizarre murders. Moreover, leading lady Stella Marz, a prosecutor in the DA’s office, spends virtually every waking moment investigating the crimes – we thought that was the job of the police, who are apparently content to write off the murders as suicides, when such a determination is totally implausible.

We found little in this novel to engage us or entertain; and frankly had a tough time getting through it. As the solutions finally unfurled, we were more relieved to be done than thrilled or chilled. Three stars might just be on the generous side.

[Patsygermany]

I did not finish this book. Could not get into it.

[Michael P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book begins so well because Patterson does nearly everything right: the protagonist has a personal stake is the outcome of a murder investigation and the book in about more than the mystery, at least at first. Those familiar with the TV series The Wire will remember that each season was about a civic issue that effected the lives of the characters and everyone in town, such as the drug trade, education, and similar issues. That is what made the series so far above any crime series produced before or since. They skipped a big civic project, in this book a new baseball stadium, and what that does to civic pride, employment, and opportunity, plus the opportunities for graft. Really going into this is what is so brilliant about the first half of this book, marred only by Patterson’s utterly conventional writing style.

Unfortunately, Patterson needs to solve the crime and in the cliché of our times, with a big old conspiracy of apparently good people and bad doing the worst possible things. It isn’t that the civic project stops mattering, it is that it was a plot contrivance all along to motivate everyone. There is nothing special about the second half of this book except how horrible many of these people are.

The book probably deserves something better than two stars, but it certainly does not deserve three. Patterson probably can’t do anything about his pedestrian writing style, but this book had the potential to be really special in spite of this. It is a shame he put the city on the back burner as he solved his crime.

[Rupesh Goenka · Rating 2 out of 5]

This murder mystery starts on a good note & then deviates into mafia politics, racial discrimination, sex & corruption. The author loses the grip on the story completely & stutters towards a crippled finale. SLOW & BADLY WRITTEN.

[William Bentrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Lady by Richard North Patterson

Legal thriller does not really describe this book. There is anguished soul searching, perverse sex and brutal murders set in an economically challenged city.

Stella Marz is an assistant prosecutor in the city of Steelton which was loosely based on Cleveland. Stella spends a great deal of time concerned about her past and what it has taken to get to her current position. Her boss is running for mayor and if successful she may have the opportunity to be the chief prosecutor. How much of her integrity and morality will have to be sacrificed for her to reach her goals? That is the question that provides her searing soul searching throughout the book.

Gritty inter-city crime and big city graft are the setting of the book. The author seems to see that reaching any type of success in this type of environment necessitates an extremely flexible moral fiber.


Soul searching trumps action but there is action and some very touching emotional scenes.

I highly recommend the book.

Web Site: http://www.richardnorthpattersonbooks...

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Politics, drugs, murder, sex, prostitution, money and morals are deeply imbedded in this book. Three deaths that turn into five is a little unsettling for Stella, assistant prosecutor for the city of Steelton. As you read further into the book, the intricate web of how Tommy Fielding, Jack Novak and three prostitutes were murdered is unsettling and demonic. I was more afraid for Stella and her bulldog ways of fighting for justice because the author wrote the book that pulls the reader into the story and makes them feel as if they're there. As the case becomes heavily related to a certain mega drug dealer, Stella realizes she has no one she can trust, she's in danger of becoming the sixth victim and her thoughts are jumbled and confusing. Starts slow but builds momentum.

[David]

So much and so many are hard to like. This one forces us up against the extent to which the underworld exists because the overworld wills it.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read in several places that Richard North Patterson is a well-respected mystery writer, so I picked this book up at a yard sale with anticipation. Didn’t really knock my socks off, but it was a fairly intriguing tale of politics (and therefore corruption), race relations (and racial politics), organized crime, love affairs and a complex double murder.

“Dark Lady” is the sobriquet of Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Stella Marz, because of her fierce, ruthless, unemotional dedication to her job. She is in line to perhaps be the next Prosecuting Attorney if the current one, African-American Arthur Bright, wins the upcoming mayoral race. Of course, Bright’s associate, Charles Sloan, also African-American, could be Stella’s opponent. The story takes place in Steelville, which could be any big Midwestern city. The central event of the book is the building of a new stadium, with all the labor, financial, political and sports-minded aspects attendant to it. The chief financial officer of the project, Tommy Fielding, is found dead of a heroin overdose, in the company of a prostitute. And Jack Novak, Stella’s former law school mentor and lover, is found hung, wearing lingerie. Jack has essentially been a contract attorney for a mob boss, Vincent Moro. Add to this Stella’s own family conflict with her parents and her sister, from a multi-generational, established Catholic family, and a potential romance with a colleague, Michael Del Corso, and we have a multi-layered story that delves into some pretty nasty levels of hardball big-city politics and uncertain loyalties.

OK, seems like a fun ride, right? Well, my impression was that I’ve seen a lot of this before, in both print and media, so it didn’t seem fresh or innovative to me. Indeed, as I said above, it’s an intriguing read, but not one I can definitely recommend. I do have Mr. Patterson’s “Eyes of a Child,” which I will read sometime, so will letcha know if it’s any better.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crime thriller that often edges into legal and political territory, Dark Lady is a dark themed and slow-burn leaning story, but it is also compelling. The characters are well constructed. The plot is intricate, with twists and turns designed not only to surprise but introduce more evidence and clues that strengthen the mystery. You can tell the author completed research before writing this book.

The backdrop of this story is an area that is in economic turmoil. Industry is leaving, the people are struggling, and there is a void that organised crime is filling. We also have local politicians and elected law enforcement officers who have to balance personal needs and egos with community needs. Our protagonist, Stella, is somebody who truly believes in justice and approaches her work with vigour. This style, and the way Stella is characterised, completely engaged me with her character. I was, at times, worried for her, that she would be injured or worse. In a book like this that is a sign a character works. It's a sign of great writing.

If you enjoy an intricate an well written thriller, give this a go. It's more than a standard murder mystery.

[Warren Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought l had picked a murder mystery by reading the rear cover. I soon discovered the story was overwhelmed by political intrigue and only saved itself in the last 25% of the book. Reading this book was a struggle, although the author redeemed himself at the end by drawing all the threads together nicely.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Political agendas.

I do not like politics, fictional or real life I find them dirty and this book held too much realism for my taste.

[Tab · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books. Yes its dark but its also hopeful. Stella is a frustrating character. She projects an image of being successful and together but inside she is racked with guilt over her family and the bad choices she made when she was younger. She's also openly ambitious to the point where it seems she has given up any type of a social life. I was really hoping this would be one of those books that had a sequel but I guess it was not to be. I thought with this interesting a mix of characters it would practically write itself.

[Deanna McWilliams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow moving.

The story moved slowly, with perhaps too much minutia. It seemed to get bogged down in too much financial corruption.

[Anne Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I honestly gave this book a chance, reading up to the second section titled Jack Novak, a drug lawyer who was murdered. I found myself trying to get all the characters straight, the politics involved, race was mentioned probably in every chapter, and being of Polish background, I didn’t appreciate the past of the main character, Stella Marz. She was living at home at 23, sleeping with a much older lawyer, Jack Novak, that she worked for, so I’m not surprised that her father was so upset at her. So she moved out.
Stella wants to be elected Prosecutor of Erie County. But in order for that to happen, Arthur Bright, who is the current prosecutor, has to be elected mayor. He’s African American, and his opponent, the current mayor, Krajek, has the backing of the Eastern European population and those that want a new stadium to be built.
Two murders are being investigated. Tommy Fielding, who was a project supervisor for the stadium. Then Jack Novak.
So I left this book with Stella roaming around trying to find out more of Jack’s background and his involvement in drugs. Sorry but just couldn’t go on. Politics, drugs, and boring detective work just aren’t my thing.

[Andrew Langert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just read The Race, a great book by this author, I looked forward to giving Dark Lady, published in 1999, a similar rating. Sadly, Dark Lady did not seem that it was written by the same author. The pace was much slower and it was pretty depressing throughout.
This is about a corrupt town called Steelton. The Dark Lady is prosecuting attorney Stella Marz. She is investigating the apparent murders of two of the town’s big shooters. One was an attorney who defended drug dealers. The other was in charge of administering the building of a big new baseball park.
Aside from the slow pace, the book is tough to follow. There are many characters and it’s a challenge to figure out who the good guys are versus the bad guys. As it turns out, this town is so corrupt that virtually everyone is a bad guy.
The three-star rating is a generous one.

[Philip Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written thriller by Patterson and kept me in suspense until the end. Good interaction between the characters, especially Stella w/ Bright, Dance and Michael. Very real villain in Curran, and also compassionate takes on most characters and good interracial working in a racially-divided city.

If any minuses, would be excessive description of the the hard sex acts and maybe too much emotion for a tough prosecutor famed for putting all the criminals away, and personal ethic shortcomings. Enjoyed the interaction w/ Michael and his daughter and a good ending except for the suicide result.

Hope for a sequel with further material on how the relationships turned out, and how the stadium/team deal worked as a sports fan. Had to go back a few times to remember the increasing suspects but never lost the plot and possibly the take on the developer could have been harsher.

[Bookish Bluestocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reading that needed concentration to decipher all the tangled relationships, hidden motives, layer-upon-layer, shameful secrets, the widespread corruption and the human errors and metal the heroes had in them. I liked the fact that the protagonist was a woman, with her flaws but with the strength to outgrow them and to fight them, a decent human being who could look at herself in the mirror, after lots of mistakes but also after giving away the means that would give her an unfair edge. The book was like one of these games that are divided in squares and are illuminated one by one as the hero progresses. Not one word out of place, the book is a tight thriller that also talks about the modern corrupted state. Once again, the writer gave us a great read.

[Richard Gullickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A city, modeled on Cleveland, is building a new baseball stadium. The local drug king-pin is the hidden figure behind the stadium and its shady contracting, and ultimately by two violent deaths of key participants in the development. Assistant County Prosecutor Stella Marz discovers that her current and former bosses both had something to hide and all is political as current boss, County Prosector Bright, is determined to run for mayor with Stella to replace him. She solves both murders with the help of a police detective but fails to save her boss from ruin. A good yarn with far-fetched and sordid characters aided by the Cleveland atmospherics and the background on the perils of development baseball stadiums are interesting.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always thought of Richard North Patterson as John Grisham's twin brother. All of his books I just adore. "Dark Lady" is another good one of his. There are several different stories that all seem to combine, in one way or the other, together. This is not one of his best works......but it is still good!! Again, my biggest dislike is when there are too many characters. This one has alot. At first I found myself writing them down as they were introduced into the story - but after awhile I found that that was not necessary any longer.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had me guessing throughout the entire book. Story was a little complicated going back 13-14 years. Personal issues plaguing the Ass't. Prosecuter involving corruption/mafia type problems interfering with the police dept and court system. A little weird stuff going on, too. I did like it. Kept me up at night wanting to find out where things were going. Main character (female Ass't. Prosecuter) seemed strong yet confused and weak at times. Her character wasn't as strong as she could have been.

[Cazandra Ardila · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book, the story and writing was very well done. I bought this from a mystery box and was pleasantly surprised, the story is well developed but the ending felt kinda forced, it was still good but I feel as though it was unnecessary. Regardless, the shocking moments definitely surprised me and kept me interested. Overall, 4.5 stars, the story was very layered and in depth and the first book of this genres that I’ve read; I definitely enjoyed reading this and would recommend it if you like a well paced story filled with actual vine boom moments.

[Dokusha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eine ziemlich komplexe Geschichte, doe neben der Aufklärung zweier Morde auch die Seelenwelt der untersuchenden Polizistin zum Thema hat, aus deren Perspektive das Ganze auch weitgehend erzählt wird.
Am Ende sorgt die Aufklärung der Morde dafür, dass alle Beteiligten Federn lassen müssen. Das macht das Buch in gewisser Hinsicht besonders.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good read that shows (rather than tells) how people become corrupted by their environments even with the best of intentions. I found the characters believable and enjoyed trying to sort through their motives and circumstances (along with the protagonist) to get at the truth. Satisfying ending too!!

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the faint of heart

Quite a change from other books by this author. Two murders, corruption and personal demons confront the head of homicide in the midst of an election cycle. Coupled with attempts to revitalize an old dying steel mill town, the past impinges on the present.

[JoyReaderGirl1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intricate Puzzler Until The End

Two sets of seemingly un-related macabre murders point to so many potential suspects that you’ll start wondering if any character can be trusted in this twisting thriller about corruption in a small city. Great read by Richard North Patterson.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a dark and twisted book! Hats off to Patterson for creating a great story rich in characters. Watching the main character go from being sure of herself to doubting everything she believed in was WELL done!

[Ashley Ferrante · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was really hard to finish this book. It starts off good and ends ok. The whole middle of the book is politics and no suspense or romance or gore. I had a hard time attaching to any of the characters probably because of all of the politics. This isn’t the first book I would read of this author.

[Joan Clemente · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too jumpy. Or maybe I just wasn't able to concentrate on it. It was good, but it was middle good. It took me awhile to get through it as it did not have that "what's going to happen next" pull for me.

[Margaret Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This legal thriller takes a deep dive into a wide range of racial, political, gender and institutional evils plausibly ravaging American society today. The protagonist, a female prosecutor responsible for investigating homicides, is formidable.