Bear is Broken

Leo Maxwell #1

by Lachlan Smith

Lachlan Smith bursts onto the crime fiction scene with Bear Is Broken, a phenomenal debut that combines the elements of classic PI novels with the contemporary sheen of the best legal thrillers.

Leo Maxwell grew up in the shadow of his older brother, Teddy, a successful yet reviled criminal defense attorney, who racked up enemies as fast as he racked up acquittals. Leo has always tried to emulate Teddy, even following him into the legal profession.

One day the two are at lunch when Teddy is shot in public, the gunman escaping through a crowd. As Teddy lies in a coma, Leo realizes that the search for his brother’s shooter falls upon him, as Teddy’s enemies weren’t merely the scum on the street but embedded within the police department as well. As Leo peels back the layers of Teddy’s mysterious past, he sees that the list of possible suspects is larger than he could have imagined.

Leo must navigate the seedy underbelly of San Francisco, and the deeper he digs into his brother’s life, the more questions arise: about Teddy and his estranged ex-wife, about the ethics of Teddy’s career, and about the murder that tore their family apart decades ago. And somewhere, the person who shot Leo’s brother is still on the loose, and there are many who would happily kill Leo in order to keep it that way.

Bear Is Broken is the first in a terrific new series, and establishes Lachlan Smith as a crime writer to watch and read.

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

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to like this debut novel - it's a Good Thing to root for debut authors, don't you think? But I found very little to like: the characters are not only unpleasant but stupid, the plot convoluted and nonsensical, the ending just one of many the author could have chosen. After a while I just didn't care... Why this has already been planned as a sequel is beyond me.

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I love reading new books by my favorite authors, I really enjoy finding new writers, new voices to savor. Lachlan Smith is such a find, thanks to a recommendation from Amazon. His first thriller (the start of a series), Bear is Broken, might not break any new ground, but his characters are well-drawn and compelling, and I look forward to reading his future work.

It's 1999 in San Francisco. Leo Maxwell just found out he passed his bar exam. He has always lived in the shadows of his older brother, Teddy, a defense attorney beloved by the city's criminals and reviled by the police and those in positions of authority who have crossed his path. One day while Leo, Teddy, and his entourage are at lunch, just before Teddy is supposed to deliver closing arguments in a spousal abuse trial, he is shot in the head, in the middle of a crowded restaurant. Yet the shooting is so well executed (no pun intended), the shooter gets away without anyone seeing him. And Teddy lies in a coma, with a bleak prognosis—if he even survives.

Leo realizes that because Teddy made an enemy of the police, they're not too eager to track down the shooter. Torn between wanting to become the lawyer he knows he can be—like Teddy but perhaps without the questionable ethics—and wanting to find out who tried to kill his brother, Leo starts digging into some of Teddy's cases, and finds himself coming face to face with an odd assortment of clients and others with whom Teddy had relationships. At the same time, Leo struggles with his feelings for Teddy (who took care of Leo after their father was imprisoned for their mother's murder) and unresolved feelings for Teddy's ex-wife and ex-law partner, Jeanie.

The more Leo tries to uncover the truth, the more trouble he seems to find himself in, and the more uncertainty he faces. At points in the book, he's pretty much convinced everyone in Teddy's life had something to do with his attempted murder. But the scattershot approach to investigation doesn't help him—it only threatens his potential law career, and his life.

I really enjoyed the depth Lachlan Smith gave to Leo's character, and the way he fleshed out the details of his relationship with Teddy and others. While the outcome of the book isn't necessarily surprising, there was enough uncertainty about who to trust that made the book compelling the entire way through. And while there may have been one red herring too many (I guess Smith needed to set up some threads for the next book in this series featuring Leo), it didn't detract from the book's appeal.

This isn't quite a legal thriller, and it isn't quite a mystery, but it is a well-written and fascinating book, so if you like those genres, give it a try.

[Jenny Hilborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read a pre-publication review copy, my full review will be published elsewhere. This is an excellent novel filled with suspense. Definitely recommended.

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bear is Broken starts off really well, if rather derivatively. (It reminded me very strongly of Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller novels.) It dips rather in the middle and never really recovers, with the viewpoint character trying to investigate the shooting of his brother flailing around like a loose cannon as he blunders into one accusation after another. There is little characterisation, except of the viewpoint character, and he isn't really very interesting.

[Kevintipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just passed the bar a few days earlier newly minted lawyer Leo Maxwell expected a routine lunch with his brother Teddy Maxwell. It was 1999 and Teddy was deep in trial and locked into the case. When in trial he always ate at Coruna. That habit meant the shooter knew exactly where Teddy would be when court was in recess and could easily plan the attack. The shooter walked in and briefly stood behind Leo before firing one shot over his shoulder and fired one round directly into Teddy’s head putting him on the floor in a pool of blood and damn near dead.

Miraculously, Teddy didn’t die and survives the shooting to lie in a hospital bed deep in a coma. As Leo is forced to face some very unpleasant truths about Teddy’s medical condition and his quality of life should he survive. There are more unpleasant truths in store. Teddy vigorously defended his clients against the police and courts in San Francisco and that means there are those who shed no tears over the attempted murder of Teddy Maxwell. Teddy was flamboyant and successful in his defense work and clearly he pushed things close to the edge on various matters. As far as Leo knows Teddy was not dirty, but now there are allegations of perjury, fraud, missing client money, and more.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg in this book full of twists, backstory, and complex dysfunctional relationships. While Leo works to find the shooter and can’t decide whether he should pray for his brother to survive or not, things get murkier and murkier page after page in Bear Is Broken: A Leo Maxwell Mystery.

A debut mystery for a projected new series that should be a very good one if this opening book sets the standard. Complex characters, plenty of intrigue, and many twists keeps the reader locked in throughout this compelling debut novel. Those readers who prefer simple characters they can like, simple plots, and light secondary storylines will want to look elsewhere as this often dark book is not for them.

Bear Is Broken: A Leo Maxwell Mystery
Lachlan Smith
http://www.leomaxwellmysteries.com
The Mysterious Press (Grove/Atlantic)
http://www.groveatlantic.com
2013
ISBN #978-0-8021-2079-3
Hardback (also available in audio and e-book)
260 Pages
$24.00


Material supplied by the good people of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not generally a reader of mystery novels (in fact, the only ones I'd previously read are the classics by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, and one Janet Evanovich novel which was literally handed to me on a beach). If asked to explain why I've generally eschewed this particular genre, I suppose I would say that I tend to prefer novels that are not just plot-driven; I like stories that are more character-driven, where the central conflict is rooted in complex psychological or moral concerns, which leave me with an enriched understanding of what it means to be human. Bear is Broken is a mystery novel which manages to be both plot-driven and character-driven--thereby challenging some of my prejudiced assumptions about what defines the whole genre. It isn't just about what happens next. Leo Maxwell is a credible and likeable protagonist: he's Philip-Marlowe-meets-the-boy-next-door (with a JD). I thoroughly enjoyed following his adventures. Indeed, I had trouble setting it down--keeping my husband awake two nights in a row by refusing to turn off the light until I'd finished just one more chapter. I can see myself picking up more mystery novels--by this author, anyway--again. Keep 'em comin', Smith.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably more deserving of 3 stars, which would be "it was okay" for me but I really can't say I liked this with full conviction. Perhaps I had my hopes set too high, falling for the back cover adverts, yet again. The Library Journal claimed "This engaging debut features well drawn characters and enough plot twists to please any mystery fan." Well, for me, not so much. The only character you get any depth from is Leo, the protagonist, and he just mostly seems to be flailing around, alternating between getting stoned and cooking up fantastic, based on almost nothing, possible scenarios for the shooting of his brother, the murder of his mother many years past and a case his brother was working on at the time of the shooting. Oh, and getting throttled once in awhile by various individuals as he gropes in the dark for answers. Granted, he is young and there are some serious family dynamics at play and he doesn't know who to trust but I found it very unsatisfying. I just couldn't engage with any of the characters and only finished it because I wanted to see if I accurately predicted at least who shot the brother and murdered the mother - bing, saw it coming once you discover Teddy was working his mother's homicide case. Oops, did I spoil that for ya?

[Al Stoess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much. Sorry I read it. Did not make a great deal of sense. Convoluted. Strange characters.

Skimmed again in August 2015.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Leo Maxwell, recently qualified lawyer who is with his brother Teddy when he is shot in the head. The reader follows Leo as he delves into Teddy's world to find out what he was involved in and who wanted Teddy dead.

I'm torn with the review for this. I like Leo a lot. He is very naive and doesn't have much a clue. He gets respect from absolutely no one - police or the criminals Teddy regularly defended - or even new people he meets. And yet, hes got good principles and has a good heart. Hes trying to do his best with no real help from anyone. There is a vulnerability about him which is at odds with the determination we see in him to solve the mystery of who shot his brother.

It's a relatively easy read - but its not a page turner or one of those that's really hard to put down. I found the pace was quite slow but I did enjoy it overall. I'm not sure whether I'll read the others in this series... although I'm thinking there is a lot of scope to develop Leo's character.

[Tasula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good things in this book, I liked almost everything. The "hero", a newly minted lawyer (Leo Maxwell aka Monkey Boy) is sitting with his brother, an expert criminal defense lawyer, when the brother is shot in the head. Leo, while intelligent and loyal, and determined to find out who shot his brother, was was also ruled at times by his lower member, so acted recklessly sometimes. Still, lots of good in this book.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo Maxwell has just formally become a member of California State Bar. He is a man who does not think “ethical criminal defense attorney” is an oxymoron, perhaps putting him in the minority, certainly among the San Francisco police and the District Attorney’s office. His older brother, Teddy, is a member of that fraternity, a brilliant lawyer and one of the most sought-after criminal defense attorneys in northern California. As the two men share a lunch while on a break from the trial just nearing its conclusion, with Teddy’s closing argument due that afternoon, a man enters the restaurant and shoots Teddy in the head at point-blank range, then quickly exits before anyone can make a move.

So begins this first novel from Lachlan Smith, apparently the first in a series, and an impressive debut it is. Teddy lies in the hospital in a coma, and Leo and Teddy’s ex-wife and former law partner, Jeanie, now working at the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office, are left to grapple with the prognosis and the knowledge that they may at some point in the not-too-distant future have to decide whether to remove him from life-support systems. But the most urgent task for Leo is to find the gunman. His first move is to examine all his brother’s case files, to see if a disgruntled client, or a victim or witness in one of his headline-making cases has sought revenge. There are several viable suspects as his investigation continues.

Leo has been haunted most of his life by the death of their mother 16 years before (“the abscess at the center of his life”), apparently at the hands of her husband, the boys’ father. It was Leo who at age ten had returned from school to find her badly beaten body, the weapon Leo’s baseball bat. Despite having protested his innocence, the father was convicted and is serving a life term at San Quentin.

Leo must prove himself, to others and to himself, having been raised by and stayed in the shadow of his well-known, and in many circles reviled, brother. In his insecurity, as a youngster he had a Batman symbol tattooed on his upper left arm.

I loved the author’s description of a nurse in the hospital as having “the self-sufficient look of someone who spent most of her time with people who didn’t talk back.” Deftly plotted, the only flaw this reader found was perhaps too many possible culprits, in what turns out to be three killings, by the end getting a slight case of whiplash as the novel names one, and then another and then another, and the possibility that one, or perhaps more than one, is guilty. That said, the novel is a fast and engrossing read, and is recommended.

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published February 5, 2013 by HighBridge Audio
Read by R.C. Bray
Duration: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Lachlan Smith's debut novel is set in 1999 San Francisco. Leo Maxwell is a newly minted lawyer (less than a week) who was been helping around his brother's law office for the last few months. Teddy Maxwell is one of the most controversial and most successful defense attorneys in San Francisco. His specialty is not high profile clients, but hookers, drug dealers and the like. He is thoroughly hated by the police department, the prosecutor's office and any number of people who were unhappy about cases that he won.

This matters because Teddy is shot in the head in the middle of a restaurant by an unknown assailant right over Leo's shoulder and the list of possible suspects is enormous. The police think that one of Teddy's clients did it, or maybe an unhappy victim of one of his clients. Teddy's friends and clients think that the police did it. All Leo knows is that he has to figure it out and somehow muster the courage to finish Teddy's closing argument in what may very well have been his last case.

Up to this point, Bear is Broken is an amazing first novel. It is tight, interesting, has the reader rooting for Leo to successfully finish the argument for his brother and somehow figure out who shot Teddy. The argument scene is amazing and then this tight legal thriller scatters everywhere...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...

[Linda Munro · Rating 3 out of 5]

From inside of book jacket: “Leo Maxwell grew up in the shadow of his older brother, Teddy, a successful yet reviled criminal defense attorney who racked up enemies as quickly as he racked up acquittals. As children, their father was jailed for the murder of their mother, and Teddy was left to care for Leo who tried to emulate his older brother, even following him into the legal profession.”

“The two are at lunch one day when Teddy, supposed to give the closing argument of his current trial that afternoon, is shot: in public, in cold blood, the shooter escaping without Leo being able to identify him. As Teddy lies in a coma, Leo comes to the conclusion that the search for his brother’s shooter falls upon him and him alone, as his brother’s enemies were not merely the scum on the street but embedded within the police department as well...”

This was my incentive to read this book. I was a bit disappointed in it. It seemed that Leo was quite the bumbling idiot, unliked by most. It was well written, but such a s-s-s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w-w read, that I found myself using the “you have to read one chapter of this book before you can read from another” routine to get through it.

Although Leo finds his brother’s would-be assassin, it seemed that a light bulb flipped over his head when the time came to deduce what had happened and why. I am not sure of the reason, but I felt something was off during the actual telling of the story, like I was missing something big. For that reason, I am rating this book 3 stars.

[Laronica Conway · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a lot of crime/legal thrillers out there and this one falls in the middle of the pack. A young lawyer's brother (also a lawyer) is gunned down in the middle of a crowded restaurant and that act begins a convoluted tail of who killed Teddy. This book starts out with a LOT of promise but it slowly loses its way about mid-way through. The author tried hard to provide lots of odd coincidences and random characters who all, at first, seem unconnected.

We follow Leo, the young lawyer through all of the what-ifs, while also wondering if the brother Teddy will survive. Unfortunately, the author tried to do too much and tried to weave the elaborate tale of suspense. It's a decent read, but I found myself speed-reading through it so I could find out WHO DUNNIT. The author gave us so many scenarios that after a while NONE of them seemed believable.

The end and final reveal of the killer was flat and very disappointing. It's like he rushed the last third of the book just so he could finish by the deadline. I hope the author fleshes out Leo in the subsequent books and maybe improve his story-telling.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leo Maxwell has just passed the bar exam. His older brother, Teddy, is well known in San Francisco as a successful criminal defense attorney who might cross legal lines to win a case (although Leo doesn't believe it). When Teddy is shot in the head while next to Leo at lunch one day, Leo is devastated. After their father went to prison for murdering their mother, Teddy raised Leo (with the help of a series of housekeepers). However, Teddy kept his emotional distance from Leo and never really let him inside of the cases he was working on. Leo decides that he must delve into his brother's life and the people he defended to try and find out who wanted him dead, especially since Teddy made lots of enemies in the police department. While Teddy lies in a coma, Leo finds himself, at times, in over his head, but never wavering in his quest to find justice for his brother. Bear is Broken is the first book in the Leo Maxwell series and will be published in February.

[Dolores · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Leo Maxwell's older brother, Teddy, a vilified criminal defense lawyer, is shot in the head point blank, the list of possible suspects is lengthy. Leo tries to find answers to his questions, but the shooter would rather kill him than be found out.

Since I have been enjoying quite a variety of books lately, I thought I'd try a murder mystery. Everything about this one is excellent....interesting characters, twisting plot, constant suspense, and rapid developments. But it all comes down to the fact that I still don't like mysteries. Sorry!

I recommend "Bear Is Broken" to everyone who does enjoy them and I promise to stay away from them from now on for the most part!

[Paul]

Did not finish, so to be fair, no rating.

I started thinking about reading something else a third of the way into this combo legal thriller & murder mystery, when, after a reasonably decent beginning, the author began to pad the plot with contrived complications. I plowed on out of loyalty to the friend who recommended this book to me, but with a third of the book remaining I couldn't go on; I was no longer interested in what might happen, either with the unsolved mystery or with the increasingly-annoying characters.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot more to trhis slim volume than a mystery to be solved. The main protagonist, Leo Maxwell, 10 years younger than his brother, Teddy, has recenlt passed his bar exam and is learning the legal system from him. Teddy defends some dubious characters so it really isn't totally inexplicable when he is shot in the head at a restaurant across the table from Leo. What happens nextis as much a study in human behavior as it is a crime story.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut novel. Deep plot and good character development. At times, the author has you running in circles guessing whom the killer is, and can get a bit overwhelming for no apparent reason but to keep you confused. But definitely an author to watch for in the future! Haven't read a legal thriller I thoroughly enjoyed this much in the past year. Recommended!

[Debbie Floyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this debut 3.5 stars. The story line was interesting, at times as the story progressed it was a bit disjointed. All of the events did tie together and it will be interesting to see how another book in the series picks up and how the character of Leo progresses. Overall I felt that this was a good read, sort of what you would find in crime noir movies. I won this book on goodreads.

[Alafair Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I said: ""Lachlan Smith brings the culture of the courthouse and the complicated relationship between two brothers to life in this excellent debut."

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attorney

A younger brother grows up in the wake of an attempted murder of his older brother. He is building his investigative and lawyering chops in solving the mystery.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo Maxwell has just passed the Bar Exam when his brother a notorious defense lawyer is shot in the head in front of him. He is not killed outright but is placed on life support. His chances of recovery are slim to none. As his brother is a well-known defender, that has a history of not guilty verdicts. The police are not exactly sympathetic towards his gunning down. They are more interested in getting his client list and seeking payback for those who they believe got off.

Leo is left to pick up pieces at his brother's one-man law firm and try to do right by his brother clients, whilst figuring out who pulled the trigger. The setting is gritty, it's not your multimillion-pound law office, this in an office set in a crime-ridden area, where drug deals and prostitutes hang out. It so different from the world in John Greshman, it actually got my interest. Leo works his way and is not helped by the cast of supporting characters who have their own agendas. It not a fast paces page turn, but it is stead and I enjoyed by time in Leos world and I will be seeking out the next books in the series. I am told these get better as the series goes along.

In summery, I read this quiet quickly, and it was an enjoyable ride. I would definitely recommend this.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love it but I think there's absolutely potential.

Just after being sworn in as a lawyer, Leo Maxwell is lunching with his brother Teddy when someone walks up to them and put one right into Teddy's face, and walks away. Leo is beside himself, not only is his brother grievously injured, he has a closing tomorrow. So Leo does what he needs to do, he closes for him.

As Teddy's in a coma, Leo has no real faith in the police, his father is in jail for murdering his mom and he's pretty sure he didn't do it. At least he thinks he's pretty sure, Teddy was sure. Detective Anderson swears he wants to put the man who did this away, not because he's a good cop but to prove to Teddy that the law matters, even for what he describes as a scumbag lawyer. Maybe he's right, maybe Teddy's clientele weren't as innocent as could be but everyone's entitled to a defense, aren't they? At least Leo know's that was his brother's attitude.

There are so many suspects, so many people who had motive to kill Teddy, it's hard for Leo to put his head around it but investigate he does and has a very interesting time in the pursuit.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bear Is Broken is a well written book with well developed characters. The story was a little confusing and I felt lost a couple of times but I persevered and mostly everything got explained by the end of the book. At times the main character, Leo, was a bit too enthusiastic with his explanation of "whodunit" and seemed to put the blame on a variety of characters. This made the book seem like the author was stalling and looking for ways to lengthen the book. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy crime fiction and is willing to giving a new author a chance.

[Sharon Sample · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publisher's Weekly has the most recent Lachlan Smith novel on its Best Books 2017, Thrillers list. As I've not read any of the previous Lachlan Smith novels I thought I ought to read the first novel in the series before any other.

"Bear is Broken" is an acceptable first novel as it meets my criteria for crime novels. The characters are interesting, the plot while not overly innovative, works, and the setting is vivid.

After reading two challenging, thought provoking books in 2018 I needed something easy and fun. "Bear is Broken" was such a book.

[Margaret Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This legal thriller has a very authentic feel. The writing is taut, the plot plausible, the characters quite believable--in short, a fabulous read, written by a practicing civil rights lawyer who understands the myriad of things that can occur in the gray areas of the law, and who has, via Leo Maxwell, his protagonist lawyer, honed a fine set of skills to tackle said gray areas, or, as the country and western song goes, to 'walk that lonesome valley.'

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leo Maxwell is a brand-new attorney who's working for his brother, Teddy, a top-notch defense lawyer who is hated by the police department for getting off a man who killed two cops. While lunching one day, Teddy is shot at point-blank range. Leo is left to continue working on their current case, and determines to try to find out who shot Teddy because the police don't seem terribly inclined to find the real killer. Mostly enjoyable and I'll try the next in the series.

[Gary F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can truly appreciate a book that completely is able to have a believable reluctant hero unsure of themselves. But this book really captures that with Leo. I hope in future books he doesn’t become a superhero but stays the same guy not sure what he’s doing is right or wrong.

Overall loved this book and will be reading more from this author