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HOW DOES A TELEVISION PRODUCER DESCRIBE THE KIDNAP AND MURDER OF A 2-YEAR-OLD CHILD?“I THINK WE HAVE A HIT ON OUR HANDS!”In the third Marc Kadella legal mystery, an adorable—and photogenic—two-year-old girl is kidnapped, and, when her remains are found, her twenty-two-year-old widowed mother Brittany is charged with her murder. But before she can even be charged she’s been tried and convicted by the media, at the center of which is Melinda Pace, a cynical, mostly-functioning alcoholic Minneapolis television personality with a “legal news” show called The Court Reporter. Not even in the alternative universe of television news could she be described as a reporter, since she makes no attempt at or pretense of presenting the truth, or even the facts. She does do a great job of producing through-the-roof ratings and whipping the public into a frenzy—with tragic consequences.

Marc is brought into the case early on, before it’s clear it will erupt into a media circus that brings out every goofball, crackpot, and member of the aluminum foil helmet club, along with a publicity-hungry state attorney general.

The prosecution feeds the media monster by painting Brittany as a neglectful mother who got rid of her child because motherhood interfered with her partying.

Marc throws himself heart and soul into saving Brittany from the maw of media justice, and all his associates rally to support him in any way they can. Gorgeous P.I. Maddy Rivers, who is on the case 24/7, reveals a different side as she becomes a sort of big sister to Brittany, providing the TLC that might have kept Brittany out of this mess if she’d gotten it from her controlling mother. Marc’s lady love Judge Margaret Tennant is, as always, sensitive to the needs of an attorney in the throes of a huge case and, as always, eager to meet those needs.

This one’s sure to please fans of the most beloved lawyer sleuth of all time, Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason, who brought the television camera into the courtroom in the first place, and the nitty-gritty, nuts-and-bolts expertise of legal eagles John Grisham and Richard North Patterson.

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 2014

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561 people want to read

About the author

Dennis Carstens

32 books114 followers
Dennis Carstens was born in Worthington, MN, and has lived most of his life in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. He received a BA from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. from a highly respected private law school, William Mitchell, in St. Paul. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a retired trial lawyer, Carstens brings these life experiences to his fiction for a dose of realism and accuracy missing from much of the legal thriller genre today.

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5 stars
916 (55%)
4 stars
520 (31%)
3 stars
166 (9%)
2 stars
41 (2%)
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19 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
Profile Image for Tulay.
1,202 reviews2 followers
October 10, 2017
Good story.

Sad story of twenty one years old widow, with beautiful two years old daughter. How media even long before the trial vindicated her. Brittany's relationship with her dysfunctional family, what news media does for ratings.
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,801 reviews18 followers
September 8, 2019
Great Legal Procedural

Brittany was a promiscuous teenager who got pregnant and then married the baby’s father. Shortly after the little girl was born, the father was killed in an accident and she was left widowed and a single mother. When she was 22 she met Bob Olsen while at work and they began dating. She was convinced they had a future and brought him into her small daughter’s life. One morning, after Bob stayed over, she woke up to find both Bob and her daughter gone. She didn’t know what to do and was leery of bringing the matter before the authorities for fear that she would prove a mess up once again. She spent time searching for Becky and Bob but was unsuccessful and after ten days her mother learned what happened and contacted the authorities. Shortly thereafter she was arrested very publicly (the media had been notified of the forthcoming midnight arrest) and taken into custody. Marc Kadella was hired to defend her. I won’t go any further into the plot because of spoilers, but must give kudos to the author for writing once of the most authentic legal procedurals I’ve ever come across. Additionally his use of the media and misreporting and misrepresenting as part of the villains is all too feasible in today’s world. Thanks to the author and publisher for an ebook for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jim.
11 reviews3 followers
March 23, 2015
An in-depth inspection of the effects of the Nancy Grace style of "journalism" on the criminal justice system.

This is an excellent courtroom drama told from the perspective of a veteran criminal defense attorney. It provides insight into the interaction and motivations of the media and police, prosecutors, and defense counsel in high profile criminal cases. Both entertaining and illuminating, this is an action packed novel that I highly recommend.
681 reviews4 followers
October 4, 2017
Totally unexpected story

Reminds me of this Casey Anthony case. The media does exploit court cases and the public is morbid enough to demand it. Ending was a big surprise
Profile Image for Candy Mayer.
192 reviews
October 22, 2018
This series is great! The courtroom scenes are the best and the mystery part is good. The author gets into the mind of the lawyer, which is very interesting. The beginning of the books repeats a lot to introduce the characters to someone who hasn't read the previous books...actually almost the exact words! (please, Dennis, you can do better than that!)...but once you get past that, the cases are page turners!
Profile Image for Kevin.
Author 22 books242 followers
December 14, 2018
Media Justice is the third installment of Dennis Carstens’ Marc Kadella “Justice” series. In this chapter, criminal defense lawyer Kadella is engaged to defend Brittany, a 21-year-old accused of murdering her adorable 2-year-old daughter. Carstens sets up the circumstances of the case, while telling the reader up front that Brittany is innocent (not a spoiler), but the circumstances surrounding the little girl’s death certainly make her look bad. The real killer set things up well, although he could not have known in advance that Brittany would fail to report the abduction of her daughter to the police until ten days afterwards and would be caught on Facebook partying with her girlfriends, making it look like she was happy after her daughter was gone. The real point of the story, however, is not the investigation and ultimately the trial of Brittany, but rather the role of the sensationalistic tabloid media in fanning the flames of the public and convicting Brittany on television long before any evidence was presented in court, and then misrepresenting the events of the trial so that the public believed Brittany to be guilty no matter what.

Carstens brings back the familiar cast of characters from the prior books in this series, including his investigator, Maddy, in whose presence all males become slack-jawed teenagers; Tony, his PI friend and former cop, whose love interest is a wealthy socialite; Margaret, Marc’s love interest and a judge; and even a few minor characters from earlier books who provide some color. The story is interesting, although knowing that Brittany is innocent takes away much of the suspense (other than whether Marc will be able to induce a not guilty verdict or whether Brittany will be unfairly and unjustly convicted based on the bias of the media). The attack-job on the media sometimes goes a little too far and becomes a bit repetitive, but the point is made – don’t ever believe what you read or see on TV about legal cases.

Carstens’ stories are intricate and he sets up the situation here very well. The execution of the trial, which takes up the final third of the book, includes many elements that are a bit too convenient, including Marc’s ability to find the key evidence and key witnesses that the prosecution missed, even though it was fairly obvious. The incompetent police and prosecutors sometimes come off as buffoonish and make it easy for Kadella to be the hero. Then, the “surprise” ending sequence, like one of the earlier books, feels gratuitous and unnecessary as well as less believable than the rest of the story.

But, despite these flaws, the story is compelling and interesting to read, making the book worth the read. I will go on reading this series because of the characters and the stories, despite the problems.
Profile Image for Anthony Yvonnica.
247 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2018
Again an excellent legal thriller.

This story paralleled the Casey Anthony story. It was an entertaining read and clearly showed the way the press and media work.

There were two weaknesses to this particular story.

The first is that we know Marc, Vivian, etc. like and believe Brittany. But we never learn why. Guilty or innocent, she is not a nice person. If the State's case is weak, then yes you can defend her, but a weak case doesn't make a defendant innocent or likable. The reader needs a plausible explanation.

The second is that it isn't clear who killed Becky. We have an account of Brittany when she realizes Becky is missing but there is never a statement telling us what happened. We are left to conjecture just as the investigators and the jury. We are given a scenario and expected to accept it, but we should be told.

I rarely consecutively read two consecutive books of a series - and this was a consecutive reading of three books in this series. The first book, The Key to Justice, was one of the best legal thrillers I have ever read. I could not put it down. It has a moral, much to think about, it was very deep and I loved it. I was hooked into the series Book two, Desperate Justice, was also very good, but it wasn't a great book as was the first.

I'm going to take a break from this series and put off reading Certain Justice until some time in the future. It will remain on my To-Read list and I will read it, but four in a row would be asking too much.
233 reviews
June 12, 2020
This is a wonderful book to read during the first half of 2020. The character of Marc Kadella is deepened during this book. I wondered all through it if law colleges have ever listed patience as a qualification for being a lawyer, and if they don't, they should. The story portrays the pervasive, pernicious influence the media has on us. A young woman awakes one morning to find her lover and her two-year-old daughter missing. She frantically drives to his apartment complex, but cannot find a listing for him, or her daughter. In fear of her mother's reaction, she delays notifying the police, hoping against hope that she can find the two of them herself. She cannot, and the disappearance comes to light. This is a story of what happens when the media tries and convicts on the air and how the public reacts. It's a horrifying indictment of our gullible society, how we depend on the media for facts, and how we need to find all the facts before making a decision. The twist at the end was masterful.
49 reviews3 followers
October 2, 2017
A good story but...

I really enjoyed this story but it was just that. A story. A story told by the author. There is very little dialogue, a lot of "telling" what happened and it got confusing at times. Part of the time the author told the story in present tense then in the same paragraph would change to past tense interspersing the dialogue with definitions or explanations regarding what the author was talking about.
Don't get me wrong. The story was fascinating; the characters well enough developed to be interesting and engaging. I had a hard time putting the book down! I just wish it had been done with little less "telling." All in all I would recommend this book!
Profile Image for Brett.
256 reviews7 followers
March 4, 2019
when reading fictional books -> I try to select books to read which are: 1] well written 2] well edited 3] well researched and 4] believable. Dennis Carstens’ novels meet all these criteria. He is articulate, he uses prose that is easy to read and is highly descriptive, and the legal situations he creates for his protagonist, attorney Marc Kadella are grounded in Carstens first hand experience with the legal system. The plotline(s) are interesting and suspenseful. Although the author is knowledgeable about his subject -> his literature doesn't come across as condescending. Dennis Carstens has become one of my favorite authors.
117 reviews2 followers
February 1, 2020
Serial killer

A legal thriller that will captivate you from start to finish. Brittany has a young daughter and meets a new boyfriend. He seems to be everything the young widow needed in a relationship. She got up one morning and the boyfriend and her baby were gone. 10 days later her controlling mother found out the baby was missing and called the police. The police did not believe the boyfriend existed and Brittany was charge with child neglect which changed to murder once the body was found. The trial is intriguing and the media crucify Brittany. A must read. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
270 reviews
January 29, 2023
a Gripping story that will not allow you to put the book down ! A young, not perfect Mother, who loves her baby makes a few very bad choices. Her Baby is dead and now she stands accused. Innocent of it all, she still has to pay too high a price. The injustice of it all is when a Video Journalist decides to hate on this Mom, for no other reason than ratings...fame, and Money ! Can Our Hero, Lawyer Marc Kadella get her off and or find the Justice she so deserves ? Will he be able to make a difference ? Read this book and find out for your self :-) OK, Im mean, i know it ... but honest, this page turner is a Must read !
Profile Image for Jacob Peled.
521 reviews11 followers
April 17, 2023
There are very few authors whose every book gets 5 stars from me. Dennis Carstens is one of them. Although it is currently about 5 out of 14 books he wrote. But each of them is more successful than the other.
This book is purely legal. Most of it revolves around a trial. But written in a fascinating way, which does not allow you to put the book aside.
The way in which the ugly media is described is so similar to reality. Although here we are talking about איק law, but it is the same as what we know from politics.
I am eagerly waiting to read his next book (we will take a break to read Lee Child or John Sandford)
Profile Image for David Brown.
239 reviews4 followers
June 19, 2018
I was very disappointed with this book. After a promising start; kidnapping of a two year old, it bogged down and never really recovered. The first two thirds of the book dealt with the search for the child and the boy friend and the family dynamics. When we final go to court it was seriously boring and repetitive. The result was created by the discovery at the last minute of a missing witness. We then learnt that we knew the murderer all along. The end was disappointing but it seems to me that is way this author likes to deal with his badies.
Profile Image for Angela.
8,256 reviews121 followers
June 2, 2019
3 Stars
Media Justice is the third book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens.
Marc Kadella defends a young single mother is charged with the murder of her adorable 2 year-old daughter. There is a public outcry, and the young mother is tried in the media, before she even gets the chance to do so in the courtroom. What happens, you ask? Well, you really should read all the details for yourself to avoid me giving away any spoilers.
The story felt quite realistic and believable.
Profile Image for Carôle Ceres.
891 reviews9 followers
August 16, 2022
FASCINATING & DREADFUL!

This is almost a psychological story (not thriller). Brittany (the lead character) was accused (charged - police ) & ‘crucified’ (media), because of her dysfunctional relationship with her mother!

This is a very engrossing tale and a very sad one. It’s also extremely eye opening when we see the power of the media. Unfortunately as human beings, we no longer have independent thought - if we are social media addicts, we are brainwashed into how the media want us to think - never more evident than around election time! Too many talking heads with an agenda!
Profile Image for A.J..
618 reviews8 followers
Read
October 26, 2022
Best legal thriller series I have read in years - I plan to read them all. The courtroom scenes are much more realistic than those found in many popular legal thrillers (based on my experience as a prosecutor for 7 years) & the main character seems to be "a real human person" who reminds me of the better defense attorneys I have known. Contains humor as well as drama. Enjoy the whole series!
NOTE: This particular novel is very sad, because it involves a young mother accused of murdering her children. If that would be too disturbing for you, maybe you should skip this one.
Profile Image for Tammy.
2,237 reviews81 followers
December 29, 2023
4.4 stars
We all know how the medias love rating. They play an important role in our life and that’s why they need moral and code of conduct as much as every authority…especially news people. I saw and heard many real life cases just like in Media Justice and I think the book is very spot on. Yes, there are some dramatization and fictional plot but it is well written; the case, the trial, the media’s role and its effect on our social. The only thing I did not like is the wrap up, not far fetch but a little too convenient. Anyway, this is a real good read one, though.
Profile Image for Captain Dady Mody.
95 reviews2 followers
September 10, 2018
I enjoyed the book immensely, the rendition of the court room drama was superb & (in my mind very real, believable & well written.) The ending however was, I felt, cobbled together.
Despite that it was a very gripping story for 97% of its pages. It certainly held my attention from the start to close to its end.
A truly recommended read which thoroughly kept the pages turning on my Kindle late into the night.
Profile Image for Jeanette Hurrelbrink.
415 reviews7 followers
March 2, 2019
Media Justice

WOW! is all I can say about this story. Carstens is a fantastic writer. This story kept me in suspense literally until the last two pages! I like the way Carstens keeps you thinking not guessing. I usually figure out the villain fairly soon when reading mysteries, but Of the three novels I have read in this series, I have been kept in suspense until the end. Can't wait to read number four!
Profile Image for Ken Bour.
378 reviews
June 17, 2019
Another excellent legal drama from Dennis Carstens featuring defense attorney Marc Kadella. I thoroughly enjoyed the development of this story and only learned, after finishing it, that it was based upon a true case. I particularly appreciated the way that Dennis portrayed the media, which considers itself "news;" however, in reality, honest and accurate reporting is frequently sacrificed to enhance and protect viewership regardless what means it has to employ to foster that end.
151 reviews
December 22, 2023
This was the last of a three-novel "boxed set." It wasn't a bad novel but, I'm sorry to say Mr. Carstens' style is not one I enjoy.

The story itself wasn't bad, despite several holes in the plot. Kadella is still a bit of a jerk.

There was too much written about each day's weather.

And, I do NOT like political biases in my novels. I enjoy politics in many forms and from several sides, but not in my novels (which are a chance to get away from reality).
35 reviews
October 10, 2017
What a terrific book!

I could barely put this stosy down. The basic concept of the media shaping and sensationalizing the news is so very relevant at this time.
The story is fast paced and brilliantly done. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a legal thriller that will keep your attention all the way to the very last page.
343 reviews1 follower
November 13, 2017
Gripping and Informative

If only all e-learning were presented like this! I read the book to learn about how much the media and faulty justice system can badly influence outcomes. Mission accomplished as the author grabbed me by the throat and dragged me into his superb narrative. Edutained, without doubt. Will look for more by D.C. Thanks for the experience.
Profile Image for Robert.
12 reviews
December 18, 2017
Excellent story. Very timely with all the "Fake News" going on today. News organizations want sensational. They aren't particularly interested in fact or the truth.
Anything sells, the more false or misconstrued to look exhilarating the better.
It is a great read and hard to put down. Strange ending. The culprit didn't have a strong motive for his deeds.
678 reviews28 followers
April 26, 2018
Wow. This has been the best one so far. I could not read it fast enough. I was shocked to find out who the killer was. That is the cool thing about this author, he makes the killers someone you wouldn't imagine. I have three more in this series to read and I can't wait. I don't think I will be disappointed.
Profile Image for Mervin O'Sullivan.
29 reviews3 followers
June 24, 2018
I have now read several books ow written by Dennis Carstens and I have enjoyed all of them. They tell several stories about Marc Kadella as a Defence Criminal Lawyer. All well written and show how the Criminal Justice system works in the US. Dennis Carstens uses his experience when he practised as a lawyer and makes it a facinating read.
I look forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Melissa Ammons.
460 reviews28 followers
March 7, 2019
Mr. Carstens has done it again! While Media Justice does not really take off until Chapter 13, when Marc Kadella shows up, give it a chance. Chapters 1 through 12 give you the backstory. A classic example of the media convicting someone before she's even been to trial. What really happened to Becky and who is to blame? There is a twist in this tale that you won't expect.
667 reviews26 followers
June 4, 2019
Another great book by this author. I love the main character and his determination to win the case and do what is right. I love the character's that surround him also. I believe this book is one of the best in the series yet. I am going to move on the the next one I haven't read yet. This set is worth buying for sure!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews

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