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Paul Madriani #3
Undue Influence
Defense attorney Paul Madriani is mired in a complex web of intrigue and murder when the sister of his late wife, embroiled in a bitter custody battle with her former husband, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her ex-husband and his new young wife.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 6, 1994
392 people are currently reading
1358 people want to read
About the author
Steve Martini
94 books694 followersSteven Paul "Steve" Martini is an American writer of legal novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
May 26, 2023
Courtroom drama at its finest!
With UNDUE INFLUENCE, Steve Martini has penned a third successful entry in the Paul Madriani franchise first introduced in COMPELLING EVIDENCE and PRIME WITNESS.
Paul's wife, Nikki, pleaded with him as she lay dying of cancer to take care of her younger sister, Laurel Vega. Laurel and her ex-husband, state legislator, Jack Vega, have been warring with one another in a no-holds-barred nasty custody battle. When Jack's new trophy wife is murdered, the motive and all of the physical evidence seems to point to Laurel as the murderer. Against his own best legal judgment, Paul Madriani remains true to the wishes of his dead wife and assumes responsibility for Laurel Vega's defense against the charge of first-degree murder.
Like every great legal thriller, Martini fills your cup to the brim and positively overflows it with the subtle nuances of courtroom warfare and drama - dialogue, tricks, legalese, motions, delays, recesses, evidence, juries, objections, sidebars and processes. Martini unfolds a great plot with a superb ending twist in the courtroom environment and proves, as his colleague John Grisham said, that he is master of the legal thriller genre.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
With UNDUE INFLUENCE, Steve Martini has penned a third successful entry in the Paul Madriani franchise first introduced in COMPELLING EVIDENCE and PRIME WITNESS.
Paul's wife, Nikki, pleaded with him as she lay dying of cancer to take care of her younger sister, Laurel Vega. Laurel and her ex-husband, state legislator, Jack Vega, have been warring with one another in a no-holds-barred nasty custody battle. When Jack's new trophy wife is murdered, the motive and all of the physical evidence seems to point to Laurel as the murderer. Against his own best legal judgment, Paul Madriani remains true to the wishes of his dead wife and assumes responsibility for Laurel Vega's defense against the charge of first-degree murder.
Like every great legal thriller, Martini fills your cup to the brim and positively overflows it with the subtle nuances of courtroom warfare and drama - dialogue, tricks, legalese, motions, delays, recesses, evidence, juries, objections, sidebars and processes. Martini unfolds a great plot with a superb ending twist in the courtroom environment and proves, as his colleague John Grisham said, that he is master of the legal thriller genre.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
May 22, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this legal drama murder mystery and I am quite smug about knowing who the killer was fairly early on despite the author changing course by sending out some new breadcrumbs to follow. I was dallying with the bait but didn't fully buy in to what became an interesting subplot & ratcheted up the tension. Although this is the 3rd in a series (& I always try to read a series in published order) one could read this without having read the previous two Paul Madriani books. The relationships among some of the players are clearly drawn. It's difficult to give a synopsis of the story arc without introducing bias or spoilers. Just say that Paul is defending his sister-in-law (Laurel)on a murder charge involving the murder of Jack's (his former brother-in-law) pregnant & younger wife in the midst of a custody battle between Laurel and Jack for their two children.
This is a much quicker read than the nearly 2 weeks it took me. Just had a lot on my plate!
This is a much quicker read than the nearly 2 weeks it took me. Just had a lot on my plate!
October 9, 2020
Although I semi-guessed the final twist, this was a fantastic read!
July 20, 2010
His very best, wonderful inventive plot with ultimate twist!
We've nearly given up on Steve Martini several times. While we enjoyed his first novel, "Simeon Chamber", most of the others of his books we have read, including a couple others from the Defense Attorney Paul Madriani series, have been so incredibly dry during sluggish middle sections that we really should have quit them right there. However, this his fourth novel, and third Madriani, gets it completely right: good writing, one of the most clever plots we've ever encountered, sustained suspense and pace, and a story so engrossing we'll admit to staying up til three in the morning to get to the end!
We don't want to reveal too much plot, but in short, Madriani is defending his sister-in-law Laurel on the charge of murdering her ex-husband's trophy wife. A custody battle for her two kids is an apparent motive, and the evidence all seems to look bad, including secrets Laurel won't even reveal to her defense team. Suspense builds as we join the courtroom audience for an entertaining fight with a female prosecutor with a chip on her shoulder, not to mention the main cop (Lama) who is a Madriani enemy. Things don't get sorted out until quite late in the book, yet we're on edge til nearly the very last page as twists and turns in the story line have us hustling through the pages at breakneck speed. A most unusual ending is our final reward!
This book is as good as Scott Turow or John Grisham at their best. While we're still not totally Madriani fan club enthusiasts, this is surely one of the best books we've read in a long time -- and thus very highly recommended!
We've nearly given up on Steve Martini several times. While we enjoyed his first novel, "Simeon Chamber", most of the others of his books we have read, including a couple others from the Defense Attorney Paul Madriani series, have been so incredibly dry during sluggish middle sections that we really should have quit them right there. However, this his fourth novel, and third Madriani, gets it completely right: good writing, one of the most clever plots we've ever encountered, sustained suspense and pace, and a story so engrossing we'll admit to staying up til three in the morning to get to the end!
We don't want to reveal too much plot, but in short, Madriani is defending his sister-in-law Laurel on the charge of murdering her ex-husband's trophy wife. A custody battle for her two kids is an apparent motive, and the evidence all seems to look bad, including secrets Laurel won't even reveal to her defense team. Suspense builds as we join the courtroom audience for an entertaining fight with a female prosecutor with a chip on her shoulder, not to mention the main cop (Lama) who is a Madriani enemy. Things don't get sorted out until quite late in the book, yet we're on edge til nearly the very last page as twists and turns in the story line have us hustling through the pages at breakneck speed. A most unusual ending is our final reward!
This book is as good as Scott Turow or John Grisham at their best. While we're still not totally Madriani fan club enthusiasts, this is surely one of the best books we've read in a long time -- and thus very highly recommended!
July 14, 2017
I enjoyed this legal suspense novel. It’s the first book I’ve read featuring Defense Attorney Paul Madriani, but I think it stood fine on its own, without having read the first two books in the series.
There were plenty of twists and turns as Madriani attempts to prove that his former sister-in-law did not murder the new wife of her ex-husband. When Madriani’s wife was dying, she made him promise that he would look out for Laurel, but Laurel’s making it difficult for him because she refuses to tell him the whole story. (A plot device for the reader’s benefit.)
As he and his partner chase down witnesses who can exonerate his client, its evident that his life may be at risk as well. A couple things I guessed and a couple things seemed a little convenient, but mostly I thought the plot twists were fun. That feeling of: Uh-oh, how’s he going to recover from that blistering attack from the prosecution?
There were some odd storytelling choices and I hate when an author switches from sometimes calling a person by his/her first name and other times refers to the person by his/her last name, but mostly, the writing was entertaining and well done.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
There were plenty of twists and turns as Madriani attempts to prove that his former sister-in-law did not murder the new wife of her ex-husband. When Madriani’s wife was dying, she made him promise that he would look out for Laurel, but Laurel’s making it difficult for him because she refuses to tell him the whole story. (A plot device for the reader’s benefit.)
As he and his partner chase down witnesses who can exonerate his client, its evident that his life may be at risk as well. A couple things I guessed and a couple things seemed a little convenient, but mostly I thought the plot twists were fun. That feeling of: Uh-oh, how’s he going to recover from that blistering attack from the prosecution?
There were some odd storytelling choices and I hate when an author switches from sometimes calling a person by his/her first name and other times refers to the person by his/her last name, but mostly, the writing was entertaining and well done.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
December 21, 2025
4 Stars
November 9, 2018
A good courtroom drama/adventure as Paul must defend his sister-in-law from a charge of murder. The decks are stacked pretty well against her, but Paul & Harry are up to the task. As usual, Martini has to have a twist ending, unfortunately I saw this coming from a mile away. Without the obvious ending I would have given the book 4.5 stars (theoretically). Still I would recommend this to anyone who likes courtroom dramas in general and for Madriani fans in particular.
February 4, 2014
These series is simply the best one I've read in a long time. And I love Paul Madriani.
If you enjoy courtroom drama, read this because it's so entertaining.
Just when I thought all the strings were tied up, they come loose. Then once again they're tied up and come loose again.
The storyline is amazing and I loved reading this book.
Can't wait to read the next in the series but need to get a Dave Robicheaux in. He's been waiting for me.
If you enjoy courtroom drama, read this because it's so entertaining.
Just when I thought all the strings were tied up, they come loose. Then once again they're tied up and come loose again.
The storyline is amazing and I loved reading this book.
Can't wait to read the next in the series but need to get a Dave Robicheaux in. He's been waiting for me.
May 23, 2017
Excellent courtroom scenes; good personalities of the people
May 4, 2025
A fun read that had one too many moments that were over the top. I loved the courtroom sections of the book, and the surprise ending was not completely unexpected but a solid twist, but the story was unrealistic in too many places for me to give in that 4th star. Will be continuing the series for sure.
June 25, 2019
I love a good courtroom drama! Mr. Madriani got it completely right: good writing, clever plot, sustained suspense and pace! My only complaint (and it can probably be considered a minor one) is that by the end of the book I wanted to scream "Enough with the 'made-a-face-like' stuff!" Surely the characters can speak more often and make faces less often.
April 11, 2009
MADRIANI FOR THE DEFENSE
It's been quite awhile since I read a really good courtroom drama and, revisiting Steve Martini's recurring character, Paul Madriani, was the perfect way to get back into the melee. Since I refer to myself as a RIO, (someone who reads series "in the order in which they were written"), this was officially the third book I've read in this series. I think I have to say that it was the best of the three thus far which is always promising. I love it when an author gets better and better. There's nothing worse than a great debut book followed by a good sophomore book and then going downhill from there. I can already see that this will not be the case with Martini. I had about 160 pages left to go in this book very late last night and refused to go to bed until I had finished it -- clearly the sign of a great book in my estimation.
Every other review has pretty much given a synopsis of the storyline but, in one sentence, Madriani is defending his sister-in-law who has been accused of murdering her ex-husband's new, much younger, very pregnant, wife. Curiously enough, on the first page of this book, attorney Paul Madriani is thinking about his recently deceased wife Nikki and the promises he made to her before her death. Right away I'm thinking....did I miss something? She wasn't even ill in Prime Witness, the second book in the series. I guess Martini didn't like the way that marriage was unfolding so he gave her cancer. Bad for Nikki but actually better for the reader as Madriani is much better as a single father trying to take care of his young daughter Sarah in the evening while saving the lives of his defendants during the day. As a widower, this opens the door to some romantic dalliances, which adds another interesting layer to the main character's life.
As in his previous books, Madriani still seeks the help of another attorney Harry Hind. These two make quite a good pair and I enjoy the way Harry handles things. If there's such a thing as a good lawyer, bad lawyer routine, Harry and Paul have this market cornered. Paul Madriani seems to be such a nice guy and is very adept at his job but there's always someone who has it in for him with some vendetta or another. In this book it's police officer Jimmy Lama, who makes it his business to throw roadblocks in the way providing some stumbling blocks for Paul as he makes his way towards unraveling this case.
This series comes highly recommended by me. My only complaint with this book, and it's a minor one, is that Martini had the ending neatly tied up with quite a twist and I was very satisfied with it. In a matter of two or three pages, he fools the reader by throwing in yet another twist, one I wasn't particularly fond of and one I found unnecessary. Just my humble opinion, but come on Steve, how do you expect us to feel about this character in future books?
It's been quite awhile since I read a really good courtroom drama and, revisiting Steve Martini's recurring character, Paul Madriani, was the perfect way to get back into the melee. Since I refer to myself as a RIO, (someone who reads series "in the order in which they were written"), this was officially the third book I've read in this series. I think I have to say that it was the best of the three thus far which is always promising. I love it when an author gets better and better. There's nothing worse than a great debut book followed by a good sophomore book and then going downhill from there. I can already see that this will not be the case with Martini. I had about 160 pages left to go in this book very late last night and refused to go to bed until I had finished it -- clearly the sign of a great book in my estimation.
Every other review has pretty much given a synopsis of the storyline but, in one sentence, Madriani is defending his sister-in-law who has been accused of murdering her ex-husband's new, much younger, very pregnant, wife. Curiously enough, on the first page of this book, attorney Paul Madriani is thinking about his recently deceased wife Nikki and the promises he made to her before her death. Right away I'm thinking....did I miss something? She wasn't even ill in Prime Witness, the second book in the series. I guess Martini didn't like the way that marriage was unfolding so he gave her cancer. Bad for Nikki but actually better for the reader as Madriani is much better as a single father trying to take care of his young daughter Sarah in the evening while saving the lives of his defendants during the day. As a widower, this opens the door to some romantic dalliances, which adds another interesting layer to the main character's life.
As in his previous books, Madriani still seeks the help of another attorney Harry Hind. These two make quite a good pair and I enjoy the way Harry handles things. If there's such a thing as a good lawyer, bad lawyer routine, Harry and Paul have this market cornered. Paul Madriani seems to be such a nice guy and is very adept at his job but there's always someone who has it in for him with some vendetta or another. In this book it's police officer Jimmy Lama, who makes it his business to throw roadblocks in the way providing some stumbling blocks for Paul as he makes his way towards unraveling this case.
This series comes highly recommended by me. My only complaint with this book, and it's a minor one, is that Martini had the ending neatly tied up with quite a twist and I was very satisfied with it. In a matter of two or three pages, he fools the reader by throwing in yet another twist, one I wasn't particularly fond of and one I found unnecessary. Just my humble opinion, but come on Steve, how do you expect us to feel about this character in future books?
December 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this book about Paul's sister-in-law Laurel. I found it to have a lot of different scenarios that could have taken place and Mr. Martini kept me turning the pages to see who really killed Melanie.
I didn't care for Melanie all that much and thought she perhaps was a gold digger. There were some comical moments when Jack Vega took the stand and Laurel made her comments. I could definitely see this happening even though your attorney has coached you to show no emotion or to have outbursts in court.
I am going to read more by this author as I really enjoy the courtroom drama that takes place. It is not so much the investigation side, but the actual scenes in the courtroom that I really enjoy.
I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read the next one.
I didn't care for Melanie all that much and thought she perhaps was a gold digger. There were some comical moments when Jack Vega took the stand and Laurel made her comments. I could definitely see this happening even though your attorney has coached you to show no emotion or to have outbursts in court.
I am going to read more by this author as I really enjoy the courtroom drama that takes place. It is not so much the investigation side, but the actual scenes in the courtroom that I really enjoy.
I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read the next one.
September 21, 2021
This is the second time I've read this book and, after reading an earlier review I wrote a few years ago here, I find the same points.
First, in my opinion, Steve Martini is the best courtroom fiction writer out there. His trial writing is excellent. He includes thoughts of Paul Madriani so the reader can get into why certain questions are asked and the psychology of it all. It's really interesting. Also, and this may be a put-off for some, he writes in first-person, present-tense, which I think is great in these novels.
He's comparable to John Lescroart, who writes the best legal stuff out there. The plot is three-dimensional, his characters are fun (Harry Hinds is great), and the story moves along well.
One weird thing I noticed is Martini's habit of writing how people "make faces" when they think or respond. At first it was okay. But then it gets overly noticeable. Everyone makes a face when questions, perplexed, thinking or reacting. There are at least 30 or so reference to faces being made. I'm not sure if he does this in the other novels in this series.
Also, the ending is out there. After reading 457 pages of a murder and subsequent trial, it's wrapped up in a stunner ending in the last 5 pages. I guess it was a way to solve the case, but .. wow. I remember reading his first book way back when in the mid 1990s and being blown away by it. This is a good series, although later, it changes from good ol' murder defense stories to conspiracies that lead Madriani to saving his town, the country and the world. I've not read the later stuff, but may do so eventually just to see. I may make a face while reading it.
October 12, 2021
Good, but complicated
This Paul Madriani book has been my favorite in terms of his personal character, but it's definitely been the most difficult to follow from a legal standpoint. At one point you have at least 5 court cases interwoven. (That you are aware of!)
Still a great book.
This Paul Madriani book has been my favorite in terms of his personal character, but it's definitely been the most difficult to follow from a legal standpoint. At one point you have at least 5 court cases interwoven. (That you are aware of!)
Still a great book.
October 26, 2014
I'd give 95% of this book 5-stars, but I can't forget that last 5%.
July 1, 2012
I knew there had to be a twist but was 3/4th finished until I began to have an idea.
Could not put it down.
Could not put it down.
June 3, 2020
Way to much filler. Was half way through the book and was wishing it was done. I did finish it, but unsure I will read another book by this author.
August 31, 2025
Defense attorney Paul Madriani is mired in a complex web of intrigue and murder when the sister of his late wife, embroiled in a bitter custody battle with her former husband, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her ex-husband and his new young wife.
Paul's wife, Nikki, pleaded with him as she lay dying of cancer to take care of her younger sister, Laurel Vega. Laurel and her ex-husband, state legislator, Jack Vega, have been warring with one another in a no-holds-barred nasty custody battle. When Jack's new trophy wife is murdered, the motive and all of the physical evidence seems to point to Laurel as the murderer. Against his own best legal judgment, Paul Madriani remains true to the wishes of his dead wife and assumes responsibility for Laurel Vega's defense against the charge of first-degree murder.
There were plenty of twists and turns as Madriani attempts to prove that his former sister-in-law did not murder the new wife of her ex-husband. When Madriani’s wife was dying, she made him promise that he would look out for Laurel, but Laurel’s making it difficult for him because she refuses to tell him the whole story. (A plot device for the reader’s benefit.)
As he and his partner chase down witnesses who can exonerate his client, its evident that his life may be at risk as well. A couple things I guessed and a couple things seemed a little convenient, but mostly I thought the plot twists were fun. That feeling of: Uh-oh, how’s he going to recover from that blistering attack from the prosecution?
There were some odd storytelling choices and I hate when an author switches from sometimes calling a person by his/her first name and other times refers to the person by his/her last name, but mostly, the writing was entertaining and well done.
Paul's wife, Nikki, pleaded with him as she lay dying of cancer to take care of her younger sister, Laurel Vega. Laurel and her ex-husband, state legislator, Jack Vega, have been warring with one another in a no-holds-barred nasty custody battle. When Jack's new trophy wife is murdered, the motive and all of the physical evidence seems to point to Laurel as the murderer. Against his own best legal judgment, Paul Madriani remains true to the wishes of his dead wife and assumes responsibility for Laurel Vega's defense against the charge of first-degree murder.
There were plenty of twists and turns as Madriani attempts to prove that his former sister-in-law did not murder the new wife of her ex-husband. When Madriani’s wife was dying, she made him promise that he would look out for Laurel, but Laurel’s making it difficult for him because she refuses to tell him the whole story. (A plot device for the reader’s benefit.)
As he and his partner chase down witnesses who can exonerate his client, its evident that his life may be at risk as well. A couple things I guessed and a couple things seemed a little convenient, but mostly I thought the plot twists were fun. That feeling of: Uh-oh, how’s he going to recover from that blistering attack from the prosecution?
There were some odd storytelling choices and I hate when an author switches from sometimes calling a person by his/her first name and other times refers to the person by his/her last name, but mostly, the writing was entertaining and well done.
December 23, 2018
UNDUE INFLUENCE By Steve Martini (Paul Madriani Novels Book 3)
MY REVIEW THREE STARS***
I just finished reading Martini's third novel featuring lawyer Paul Madriani, published in 1994. In this installment of the series a widowed Paul comes to the aid of his sister-in-law Laurel who is charged with first degree murder and faces the death penalty if convicted. He is thus again cast in the role of an honest and earnest criminal defense attorney fighting for the freedom, and in fact the very life, of an innocent woman. This was the premise of his runaway best-selling debut legal thriller COMPELLING EVIDENCE, but this is where the similarities end.
It occurred to me that the circumstances of this case, at least superficially, reminded me a lot of the Betty Broderick story. Politician Jack dumps his wife and the mother of his children for a twenty-something blond bimbo young enough to be his daughter. The pair then conspire to take custody of the children away from Laurel. It is against the backdrop of a vicious custody battle in family court that Jack comes home to find his young bride of some five months stone cold dead with a bullet in her head. Paul's new client, his deceased wife's younger sister, is unable to be located after the shooting death of her former husband's new wife. She is subsequently picked up by the authorities in Reno, Nevada. Paul, perhaps not surprisingly, is unable to arrange for bail in light of Laurel posing a potential flight risk. She is confined to a jail cell pending trial.
Paul sees a beautiful and vaguely familiar female face in the crowd mulling around the police tape on the night of the killing, Federal Prosecutor Dana Colby, a year behind him in law school in the past and a prominent figure in judicial circles in the present. Paul also bumps into Jack and murder victim Melanie's next door neighbors George and Kathy Merlow. Ostensibly much like delicious Dana the couple were just out killing time rubbernecking in the crowd gathered outside the murder house.
Paul and Harry rather quickly determine that the Merlow house next door provided a birds eye view into the Vega's home and more incredibly still, a direct and unobstructed line of sight into the cordoned-off bathroom (precise location where Melanie Vega was killed). But alas! The house is vacant and cleared out when Paul comes calling to ask questions the very next day.
The first half of the book is then consumed by Paul flexing his muscles as an investigator along a mysterious and dangerous journey searching for the "missing Merlows". This is of course amidst chasing down other somewhat more promising leads like Jack's problems with the Feds and Paul's growing suspicion that Jack orchestrated the killing. Romance is likewise in the air with the gorgeous violet-eyed, auburn-haired Federal Prosecutor named Dana.
I was growing increasingly impatient with Paul's role as a dashing PI and his romantic interludes with the movie star beautiful oh so stunning Dana, and that is especially including the melodrama and danger that Paul encounters in the first half of the novel, including a bomb explosion in the post office and almost getting assassinated by a professional hit man. There was this kind of action infused into the final pages of the second book (PRIME WITNESS) but Paul dodging bullets and defying death did not consume over half of the book like in this case.
The reader is halfway into the book before the story shifts into high gear with its gripping courtroom drama where "Nobody does it better" than Martini. The author does his usual outstanding job of fleshing out the characters that populate the legal showdown, including the judge, the prosecutor, and the witnesses that are called to testify. The legal battle is absolutely riveting and the unfolding story becomes "unputdownable". It is in this arena that Martini absolutely shines. I loved this portion of the novel from its outset to the final verdict in the case.
There is some additional action-adventure, bullets flying, and outrunning a seasoned hit man in the grand finale, in addition to a final plot twist that is designed to leave the read with his jaw open and in awe.
That said (and I tried to avoid the necessity of a "spoiler alert") I was disappointed in this book. The "mystery of the Merlows" was easy for me to figure out. The underlying reason for their abrupt departure and disappearance was suggested at the time of Paul's initial search for them, but essentially confirmed during his conversation with Marcie at the Post Office. Worse than that, I was able to figure out the essence of the ending long before "the big reveal". It may have helped in that I have a medical background but I had my suspicions well before the medical examiner's testimony during the trial. The science simply clinched it.
This is the third in this book series with Madriani and Martini's incredible ability to spin a spell-binding yarn within the confines of a courtroom is unrivalled in my opinion. He is able to keep a reader absolutely riveted and ratchet up the suspense like a master story teller. That said, I don't want to see Paul Madriani taken out of his element and gradually morph into Magnum PI or James Bond. UNDUE INFLUENCE continues the trend that Martini started in PRIME WITNESS. I am crossing my fingers that it doesn't continue, especially since I have purchased the movie adaptation of this book, and already bought THE JUDGE (plus its movie adaptation!).
MY REVIEW THREE STARS***
I just finished reading Martini's third novel featuring lawyer Paul Madriani, published in 1994. In this installment of the series a widowed Paul comes to the aid of his sister-in-law Laurel who is charged with first degree murder and faces the death penalty if convicted. He is thus again cast in the role of an honest and earnest criminal defense attorney fighting for the freedom, and in fact the very life, of an innocent woman. This was the premise of his runaway best-selling debut legal thriller COMPELLING EVIDENCE, but this is where the similarities end.
It occurred to me that the circumstances of this case, at least superficially, reminded me a lot of the Betty Broderick story. Politician Jack dumps his wife and the mother of his children for a twenty-something blond bimbo young enough to be his daughter. The pair then conspire to take custody of the children away from Laurel. It is against the backdrop of a vicious custody battle in family court that Jack comes home to find his young bride of some five months stone cold dead with a bullet in her head. Paul's new client, his deceased wife's younger sister, is unable to be located after the shooting death of her former husband's new wife. She is subsequently picked up by the authorities in Reno, Nevada. Paul, perhaps not surprisingly, is unable to arrange for bail in light of Laurel posing a potential flight risk. She is confined to a jail cell pending trial.
Paul sees a beautiful and vaguely familiar female face in the crowd mulling around the police tape on the night of the killing, Federal Prosecutor Dana Colby, a year behind him in law school in the past and a prominent figure in judicial circles in the present. Paul also bumps into Jack and murder victim Melanie's next door neighbors George and Kathy Merlow. Ostensibly much like delicious Dana the couple were just out killing time rubbernecking in the crowd gathered outside the murder house.
Paul and Harry rather quickly determine that the Merlow house next door provided a birds eye view into the Vega's home and more incredibly still, a direct and unobstructed line of sight into the cordoned-off bathroom (precise location where Melanie Vega was killed). But alas! The house is vacant and cleared out when Paul comes calling to ask questions the very next day.
The first half of the book is then consumed by Paul flexing his muscles as an investigator along a mysterious and dangerous journey searching for the "missing Merlows". This is of course amidst chasing down other somewhat more promising leads like Jack's problems with the Feds and Paul's growing suspicion that Jack orchestrated the killing. Romance is likewise in the air with the gorgeous violet-eyed, auburn-haired Federal Prosecutor named Dana.
I was growing increasingly impatient with Paul's role as a dashing PI and his romantic interludes with the movie star beautiful oh so stunning Dana, and that is especially including the melodrama and danger that Paul encounters in the first half of the novel, including a bomb explosion in the post office and almost getting assassinated by a professional hit man. There was this kind of action infused into the final pages of the second book (PRIME WITNESS) but Paul dodging bullets and defying death did not consume over half of the book like in this case.
The reader is halfway into the book before the story shifts into high gear with its gripping courtroom drama where "Nobody does it better" than Martini. The author does his usual outstanding job of fleshing out the characters that populate the legal showdown, including the judge, the prosecutor, and the witnesses that are called to testify. The legal battle is absolutely riveting and the unfolding story becomes "unputdownable". It is in this arena that Martini absolutely shines. I loved this portion of the novel from its outset to the final verdict in the case.
There is some additional action-adventure, bullets flying, and outrunning a seasoned hit man in the grand finale, in addition to a final plot twist that is designed to leave the read with his jaw open and in awe.
That said (and I tried to avoid the necessity of a "spoiler alert") I was disappointed in this book. The "mystery of the Merlows" was easy for me to figure out. The underlying reason for their abrupt departure and disappearance was suggested at the time of Paul's initial search for them, but essentially confirmed during his conversation with Marcie at the Post Office. Worse than that, I was able to figure out the essence of the ending long before "the big reveal". It may have helped in that I have a medical background but I had my suspicions well before the medical examiner's testimony during the trial. The science simply clinched it.
This is the third in this book series with Madriani and Martini's incredible ability to spin a spell-binding yarn within the confines of a courtroom is unrivalled in my opinion. He is able to keep a reader absolutely riveted and ratchet up the suspense like a master story teller. That said, I don't want to see Paul Madriani taken out of his element and gradually morph into Magnum PI or James Bond. UNDUE INFLUENCE continues the trend that Martini started in PRIME WITNESS. I am crossing my fingers that it doesn't continue, especially since I have purchased the movie adaptation of this book, and already bought THE JUDGE (plus its movie adaptation!).
October 17, 2022
Cuándo te lo empiezas a leer, piensas : Es imposible que haya sido el marido! Sería muy obvio... Pero al seguir leyéndolo, te va sorprendiendo cada vez. Hasta el final no deja de sorprender.
Se me hizo un poquito pesado pq hay mucha descripción y algunos capítulos de relleno.
Se me hizo un poquito pesado pq hay mucha descripción y algunos capítulos de relleno.
June 27, 2014
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
It's been quite awhile since I read a really good courtroom drama and, revisiting Steve Martini's recurring character, Paul Madriani, was the perfect way to get back into the melee. Since I refer to myself as a RIO, (someone who reads series "in the order in which they were written"), this was officially the third book I've read in this series. I think I have to say that it was the best of the three thus far which is always promising. I love it when an author gets better and better. There's nothing worse than a great debut book followed by a good sophomore book and then going downhill from there. I can already see that this will not be the case with Martini. I had about 160 pages left to go in this book very late last night and refused to go to bed until I had finished it -- clearly the sign of a great book in my estimation.
Every other review has pretty much given a synopsis of the storyline but, in one sentence, Madriani is defending his sister-in-law who has been accused of murdering her ex-husband's new, much younger, very pregnant, wife. Curiously enough, on the first page of this book, attorney Paul Madriani is thinking about his recently deceased wife Nikki and the promises he made to her before her death. Right away I'm thinking....did I miss something? She wasn't even ill in Prime Witness, the second book in the series. I guess Martini didn't like the way that marriage was unfolding so he gave her cancer. Bad for Nikki but actually better for the reader as Madriani is much better as a single father trying to take care of his young daughter Sarah in the evening while saving the lives of his defendants during the day. As a widower, this opens the door to some romantic dalliances, which adds another interesting layer to the main character's life.
As in his previous books, Madriani still seeks the help of another attorney Harry Hind. These two make quite a good pair and I enjoy the way Harry handles things. If there's such a thing as a good lawyer, bad lawyer routine, Harry and Paul have this market cornered. Paul Madriani seems to be such a nice guy and is very adept at his job but there's always someone who has it in for him with some vendetta or another. In this book it's police officer Jimmy Lama, who makes it his business to throw roadblocks in the way providing some stumbling blocks for Paul as he makes his way towards unraveling this case.
It's been quite awhile since I read a really good courtroom drama and, revisiting Steve Martini's recurring character, Paul Madriani, was the perfect way to get back into the melee. Since I refer to myself as a RIO, (someone who reads series "in the order in which they were written"), this was officially the third book I've read in this series. I think I have to say that it was the best of the three thus far which is always promising. I love it when an author gets better and better. There's nothing worse than a great debut book followed by a good sophomore book and then going downhill from there. I can already see that this will not be the case with Martini. I had about 160 pages left to go in this book very late last night and refused to go to bed until I had finished it -- clearly the sign of a great book in my estimation.
Every other review has pretty much given a synopsis of the storyline but, in one sentence, Madriani is defending his sister-in-law who has been accused of murdering her ex-husband's new, much younger, very pregnant, wife. Curiously enough, on the first page of this book, attorney Paul Madriani is thinking about his recently deceased wife Nikki and the promises he made to her before her death. Right away I'm thinking....did I miss something? She wasn't even ill in Prime Witness, the second book in the series. I guess Martini didn't like the way that marriage was unfolding so he gave her cancer. Bad for Nikki but actually better for the reader as Madriani is much better as a single father trying to take care of his young daughter Sarah in the evening while saving the lives of his defendants during the day. As a widower, this opens the door to some romantic dalliances, which adds another interesting layer to the main character's life.
As in his previous books, Madriani still seeks the help of another attorney Harry Hind. These two make quite a good pair and I enjoy the way Harry handles things. If there's such a thing as a good lawyer, bad lawyer routine, Harry and Paul have this market cornered. Paul Madriani seems to be such a nice guy and is very adept at his job but there's always someone who has it in for him with some vendetta or another. In this book it's police officer Jimmy Lama, who makes it his business to throw roadblocks in the way providing some stumbling blocks for Paul as he makes his way towards unraveling this case.
September 5, 2008
(#3 of the Paul Madriani Series)-This was an odd book. I liked it a lot, until the end. Steve has a great way of writing to help educate us that are less than fluent in legalese. This book is about the murder of Melanie, Jack Vega’s second wife. Jack Vega’s first wife, Laurel, is accused of the murder. Paul, at the last request of his dying wife, is watching over the family and defending Laurel.
This book definitely kept my interest however, this isn’t the first time I was disappointed in the ending of a Martini book.
This book definitely kept my interest however, this isn’t the first time I was disappointed in the ending of a Martini book.
April 20, 2019
So, I gave Steve Martini another chance. Despite disappointing me the first time with “The Jury”, this book was pretty good. It was obvious since the first few chapters who the killer was, but the plot still developed in an interesting way and there was still an unexpected surprised in the end. I still don’t understand who the man with the laser beam was and why he was doing what he was doing.
The book was a little too long. It could have shorter and more effective.
The book was a little too long. It could have shorter and more effective.
July 27, 2017
A great read
Wow. This is the best book so far in this series. The characters are well written with great interplay. It was intricate, suspenseful, and masterfully played out. Just beware you will get to a certain point of the book and will not be able to stop reading it. Can't wait to read the next one.
Wow. This is the best book so far in this series. The characters are well written with great interplay. It was intricate, suspenseful, and masterfully played out. Just beware you will get to a certain point of the book and will not be able to stop reading it. Can't wait to read the next one.
August 1, 2017
Attorney Paul Madriani's sister-in-law has been accused of murdering her ex-husband's current wife. Paul and Harry are the defense attorneys for her. There are many unanswered questions about the events of the night Melanie was killed, but the state proceeds with its case without considering other possibilities.
July 3, 2017
If you like courtroom dramas this book is for you. I had heard of Steve Martini for several years and finally got around to reading one of his when bookbub found this one for $1.99. It feels a little lengthy but it delivers - courtroom suspense with a surprise ending. Not bad.
October 26, 2007
These books all start to run together in my mind so I can't really give a good review. I will say that I liked all of them. I have read all of his books except the first one.
June 30, 2017
First Martini novel and definitely would read another. Kept me guessing until the very end and court scenes provided realistic drama. A steal for $1.99!
December 23, 2017
As usual, we are brought along the murder / courtroom adventure anticipating an unusual ending.
WOW, it was delivered.
WOW, it was delivered.
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