What do you think?
Rate this book
Marc Kadella Legal Mystery #4
Certain Justice
A PSYCHOPATH'S BACK ON THE STREETS—AND HE'S OUT FOR REVENGE…Dennis Carstens serves up a graphic throwback legal thriller in his fourth Marc Kadella installment, and this one’s dripping with suspense, one part captivating courtroom drama—one part grisly serial killer murder mystery. Marc is confronted with his sordid professional past when a series of violent criminal cases are overturned—and some of the Twin Cities’ nastiest chickens come home to roost.
We you’ll need to read this one to the end.
Thirteen years ago, Jimmy “Little” Oliver was an accomplished (although diminutive) career burglar. He was no character out of Ocean’s Eleven, but he was reliable. And he knew how to case a joint. His partner was Howie “Big” Traynor, a bit younger than his cohort, and far more ruthless. Truth be told, Howie was a sociopath—and he scared the hell out of everyone, Jimmy included.
So when a home robbery-gone-wrong ended up in murder, Jimmy didn’t think twice before turning his partner in. And rising-star criminal lawyer Marc Kadella was saddled with Howie’s defense.
Marc was torn about his work for Howie—his first homicide case—but even he was relieved when Howie was put away for forty years… Until, a decade later, his case is re-opened. Seems the former tech in the BCA lab was falsifying DNA evidence to collude with cops in putting away suspected violent criminals. And now not only Howie, but a handful of wrongfully-accused felons, are back out on the streets.
Marc and his longtime buddy PI Tony Caravelli don’t buy Howie’s come-to-Jesus act. And when an appeals judge with ties to the overturned cases winds up crucified in his own front yard, they’re convinced a dangerous killer has been wrongfully exonerated.
Carsten’s wry dialogue and gritty realism shine here as Marc and his old friends in the police force band together to solve a series of brutal murders at the hands of a psychotic vigilante who isn’t slowing down. This is a unique kind of one who knows the police force and takes a terrifying amount of pleasure in keeping them on their toes. One by one, lawyers and judges connected to the exonerated criminals turn up dead. And Marc’s pretty sure he’s next.
A heart-racing legal thriller reminiscent of iconic hard-boiled puzzlers by John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, and Erle Stanley Gardner. This one will keep you guessing all the way to its gripping conclusion…and shaking in your shoes.
We you’ll need to read this one to the end.
Thirteen years ago, Jimmy “Little” Oliver was an accomplished (although diminutive) career burglar. He was no character out of Ocean’s Eleven, but he was reliable. And he knew how to case a joint. His partner was Howie “Big” Traynor, a bit younger than his cohort, and far more ruthless. Truth be told, Howie was a sociopath—and he scared the hell out of everyone, Jimmy included.
So when a home robbery-gone-wrong ended up in murder, Jimmy didn’t think twice before turning his partner in. And rising-star criminal lawyer Marc Kadella was saddled with Howie’s defense.
Marc was torn about his work for Howie—his first homicide case—but even he was relieved when Howie was put away for forty years… Until, a decade later, his case is re-opened. Seems the former tech in the BCA lab was falsifying DNA evidence to collude with cops in putting away suspected violent criminals. And now not only Howie, but a handful of wrongfully-accused felons, are back out on the streets.
Marc and his longtime buddy PI Tony Caravelli don’t buy Howie’s come-to-Jesus act. And when an appeals judge with ties to the overturned cases winds up crucified in his own front yard, they’re convinced a dangerous killer has been wrongfully exonerated.
Carsten’s wry dialogue and gritty realism shine here as Marc and his old friends in the police force band together to solve a series of brutal murders at the hands of a psychotic vigilante who isn’t slowing down. This is a unique kind of one who knows the police force and takes a terrifying amount of pleasure in keeping them on their toes. One by one, lawyers and judges connected to the exonerated criminals turn up dead. And Marc’s pretty sure he’s next.
A heart-racing legal thriller reminiscent of iconic hard-boiled puzzlers by John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, and Erle Stanley Gardner. This one will keep you guessing all the way to its gripping conclusion…and shaking in your shoes.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2015
1299 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Carstens
32 books114 followersDennis 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
August 17, 2018
This book was way too long. In the first 25 pp I was certain I'd read it before. I realized the style is so rigid that two of his books were identical in plot. It was disappointing, not realistic and the main character was more annoying than I remember.
June 2, 2019
3 Stars
Certain Justice is the fourth book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. It is a legal mystery, with murder, psychopath, court procedure, drama, intrigue, interesting characters, and some suspense.
A convicted psychopath who had been sentenced to 40 years in jail has his case reopened and is later released when the DNA evidence is overturned. Four other prisoners are also released due to the DNA slip-up. But things get intense when judges, jury members and law enforcement officers are being targeted by a serial killer. Has Marc got a target on his back? Read the story to find out.
Certain Justice is the fourth book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. It is a legal mystery, with murder, psychopath, court procedure, drama, intrigue, interesting characters, and some suspense.
A convicted psychopath who had been sentenced to 40 years in jail has his case reopened and is later released when the DNA evidence is overturned. Four other prisoners are also released due to the DNA slip-up. But things get intense when judges, jury members and law enforcement officers are being targeted by a serial killer. Has Marc got a target on his back? Read the story to find out.
November 26, 2015
Another excellent mystery.
Make sure you won't be distributed all day, before start reading this book. You won't be able to put it down. Many grizzly murders of innocent people doing their jobs, but one mistake gets the guilty out of the jail. Get ready for the shocking truth comes out during the trial. Their is one mistake at the end, won't write about it here, will be asking author about this.
Make sure you won't be distributed all day, before start reading this book. You won't be able to put it down. Many grizzly murders of innocent people doing their jobs, but one mistake gets the guilty out of the jail. Get ready for the shocking truth comes out during the trial. Their is one mistake at the end, won't write about it here, will be asking author about this.
August 29, 2016
Slipped in quality of content
I know authors must explain certain things in each and every book, but certain passages in this book seemed to be cut and pasted from the last book, annoying to say the least and it distracted from the storyline. Still like the characters and the courtroom scenes are engrossing.
I know authors must explain certain things in each and every book, but certain passages in this book seemed to be cut and pasted from the last book, annoying to say the least and it distracted from the storyline. Still like the characters and the courtroom scenes are engrossing.
October 11, 2016
Gripping, sensational thriller!
Marc Kadella is an exceptional defense attorney, and his major cases are never easy, but he knows his way around a courtroom. I love reading his actions in the courtroom, and I love how no matter what happens, he makes sure justice is served. He holds prosecutors accountable. Love these books!
Marc Kadella is an exceptional defense attorney, and his major cases are never easy, but he knows his way around a courtroom. I love reading his actions in the courtroom, and I love how no matter what happens, he makes sure justice is served. He holds prosecutors accountable. Love these books!
December 18, 2016
Engaging story
I really like this series and get caught up in the story telling. Unfortunately, in this book the proofreading was not on the same level as the first two. For example the lawyers left the "judges changers." There were several other examples but I can't quote them as easily. Plus the storyline was a bit less believable in this book.
I really like this series and get caught up in the story telling. Unfortunately, in this book the proofreading was not on the same level as the first two. For example the lawyers left the "judges changers." There were several other examples but I can't quote them as easily. Plus the storyline was a bit less believable in this book.
May 17, 2017
Good, light, bedtime reading. I would give more stars but I am truly fed up with authors who do not proof read, or who do not have a publisher who corrects mistakes. I long for correct English: correct grammar, correct use of adjectives, and punctuation. How will children learn the language if they read incorrect material?
May 16, 2019
What a GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!!
Had me glued to the pages from the very first one!! What a roller coaster ride this one was! Multiple murders are creeping up in Minneapolis. The victim’s hands were nailed to some type of wood, their fingers were completed crushed, as well as their toes, and then once the torture was completed, the sadists sliced their throats, placed a crown of barbed wire on their heads, and left them for someone to find. Det Owen Jefferson wants to stop this murderer and fast. Who could be doing this? What is the motive? Why are all the individuals who are being murdered judges, attorneys, or anyone else that might have to do with carrying out justice? Will Det Jefferson find out who is doing this and apprehend this monster? The plot was definitely a very well constructed storyline, which kept the reader completed engrossed and looking for more. The character development was superb! The reader could really relate to what the characters were feeling. I also liked the way the author had such knowledge of how the courtroom actually works, as well as the police forensics, and procedures. I am definitely looking forward to reading much more from this author!!
Had me glued to the pages from the very first one!! What a roller coaster ride this one was! Multiple murders are creeping up in Minneapolis. The victim’s hands were nailed to some type of wood, their fingers were completed crushed, as well as their toes, and then once the torture was completed, the sadists sliced their throats, placed a crown of barbed wire on their heads, and left them for someone to find. Det Owen Jefferson wants to stop this murderer and fast. Who could be doing this? What is the motive? Why are all the individuals who are being murdered judges, attorneys, or anyone else that might have to do with carrying out justice? Will Det Jefferson find out who is doing this and apprehend this monster? The plot was definitely a very well constructed storyline, which kept the reader completed engrossed and looking for more. The character development was superb! The reader could really relate to what the characters were feeling. I also liked the way the author had such knowledge of how the courtroom actually works, as well as the police forensics, and procedures. I am definitely looking forward to reading much more from this author!!
June 16, 2020
I found this a difficult book to critique. We find out about Marc's very first case, which he loses, and his client is sent to prison. Twelve years later, we find out that this scary person has been released because the DNA evidence had been falsified and the sample was destroyed. Then a new serial killer shows up and starts operating. All of the characters we have grown to expect show up in this book. The author uses the crime spree to deepen their character development and does a nice job of it. The changes of point of view are managed very well with none of the confusion that can sometime bedevil readers trying to keep track of where they are in the story. The word portrait of the serial killer is chilling and the grand finale of the book, in the killer's point of view, is especially chilled. I can't say this was an enjoyable book, but I am certainly glad I read it.
July 18, 2018
Wow!
This is an excellent book and the story is very well written! Marc Kadella is an attorney who represents the same client for two separate murder trials. And even after the client gets freed from prison on a technicality, he realizes that the client is a sociopath who threatens his life if he gets out. While that is not the only unusual fact in the story, what is unusual is that Marc has to honestly try to get a not guilty verdict for a very bad man that he knows will not stop killing. And stay alive. Kept me going right up to the end of the book! Didn't see that coming and I love being surprised when I think I have figured out! I will be reading another by this author for sure!! Thanks for a great book!
This is an excellent book and the story is very well written! Marc Kadella is an attorney who represents the same client for two separate murder trials. And even after the client gets freed from prison on a technicality, he realizes that the client is a sociopath who threatens his life if he gets out. While that is not the only unusual fact in the story, what is unusual is that Marc has to honestly try to get a not guilty verdict for a very bad man that he knows will not stop killing. And stay alive. Kept me going right up to the end of the book! Didn't see that coming and I love being surprised when I think I have figured out! I will be reading another by this author for sure!! Thanks for a great book!
June 23, 2019
Carstens has added yet another top notch legal thriller to the Marc Kadella series. I enjoy the author's writing style and story development. This particular edition has a considerable amount of legal courtroom drama which I find interesting and engaging. A warning may be in order for some readers: there is a plethora of gruesome killings and, not only are they described in detail when they happen, the gore is subsequently covered again and again during trial testimony. Unlike the jury in the story, the shock value of each cruel and brutal murder never waned in my case. As others have reported, and worthy of a one star deduction, the editing could have been much tighter failing to catch a number of punctuation errors, misspellings, and other distracting mistakes.
November 20, 2019
Terrific cat & mouse plot
This was a well written wild ride. Attorney Marc Kadella represents Howie Traynor, a very scary sociopath, whose conviction for murder is overturned (along with several others) because of mishandled DNA. Traynor has converted to Catholicism while in prison & comes out a changed man. He ends up being suspected of several new murders & Kadella ends up representing him again. But how can he be guilty if he has really good alibis? The twists and turns keep the reader wondering-is it him or is it one of the others who were also released for bungled DNA testing? Great suspense throughout.
This was a well written wild ride. Attorney Marc Kadella represents Howie Traynor, a very scary sociopath, whose conviction for murder is overturned (along with several others) because of mishandled DNA. Traynor has converted to Catholicism while in prison & comes out a changed man. He ends up being suspected of several new murders & Kadella ends up representing him again. But how can he be guilty if he has really good alibis? The twists and turns keep the reader wondering-is it him or is it one of the others who were also released for bungled DNA testing? Great suspense throughout.
September 4, 2021
I love court drama and Carstens does this as good as or better than most. I prefer the majority of the action to be in the court room. A truly despicable villain, however, I must say I kept going back and forth between, he's totally guilty to maybe not. I've read books 1-4 and I agree with others that introductions to the various regular cast of characters is repetitive. In my opinion, reference to prior plots only make me want to go back and get all of the books that I've missed rather than having them totally explained each time. I've read some of the other reviews and I also found misspellings, but this didn't take away from the thrill of the plot, the twists and turns.
February 8, 2023
Very Short review: Bad Guy gets what he deserves.
This Author takes Mystery to a whole new level. Always a surprise ending, always the story is not over when you think it is over and then another surprise! !!! So very well written, and always interesting to the extreme.
This story is about a Mad dog killer, a psychopath, who enjoys killing. Who finds Jesus in jail, and becomes rehabilitated, gets out of jail and ... did he really change ? Is he the killer this time? is it a friend of his? Is it someone else entirely ? His Lawyer, our Hero, Marc Kendale gets him cleared in court, but does that mean that he really is not guilty? Read the book to find out this and so much more.
This Author takes Mystery to a whole new level. Always a surprise ending, always the story is not over when you think it is over and then another surprise! !!! So very well written, and always interesting to the extreme.
This story is about a Mad dog killer, a psychopath, who enjoys killing. Who finds Jesus in jail, and becomes rehabilitated, gets out of jail and ... did he really change ? Is he the killer this time? is it a friend of his? Is it someone else entirely ? His Lawyer, our Hero, Marc Kendale gets him cleared in court, but does that mean that he really is not guilty? Read the book to find out this and so much more.
June 16, 2024
I've just finished the sixth book out of the 16 published so far, and once again, I thoroughly enjoyed it (all 6 got a 5 star rating from me). While the courtroom proceedings might seem slow for those craving for more action, the author skillfully injects tension and unexpected twists into the trial itself. It's a fantastic read for fans of legal thrillers.
Here a tip for readers who enjoy a book series: try not to read the books back-to-back. Instead, take a good few months between each book.
With 10 books still ahead of me, that means I'll be immersed in this series for another 4-5 years, possibly finishing alongside the author's latest release
Here a tip for readers who enjoy a book series: try not to read the books back-to-back. Instead, take a good few months between each book.
With 10 books still ahead of me, that means I'll be immersed in this series for another 4-5 years, possibly finishing alongside the author's latest release
June 13, 2018
This was a good book, once you got into it. 4 men are let out of prison due to a bad DNA test. Once they are out, Judges and Lawyers that were involved in their cases start to be tortured and murdered. A retired cop and his friends are PI's and help the police keep an eye on these ex-cons. One of them is arrested and Marc, who represented him in his previous trial, is hired again to represent him. Once the trial starts, the book is hard to put down. Good ending and different.
June 25, 2018
Just when I believed... I was proven so very wrong. I quite enjoyed the style & minute true to life's details that Dennis Carstens included in the story making it extremely readable & credible. This is the first book I have read by Mr. Carstens & I thoroughly enjoyed every page turning sequence of events that kept me wanting to turn the pages for longer periods of time thereby depriving me of sleep at times. I would recommend the book if ever I was asked.
Captain Dady J. Mody
Captain Dady J. Mody
June 27, 2018
Lawyer, Marc Kadella defends a man accused of murder and loses . His client is sent to jail, but is released four years later because of false DNA tests. Four other prisoners also released for the same bad DNA results and suddenly a serial killer is after judges, jury and law enforcement people that handled these cases. Marc wonders if he is on the list. This book gave very detailed court preparations and court explanations.
September 17, 2024
Provoking, engaging and suspenseful
This is a very well constructed story dealing with the psychology of a sociopathic killer who commits multiple murde. rs in Minneapolis. The complexity of both the rapidly developing plot line and the complex most characters will keep you turning the pages well into the night. Be prepared to have your sense of right and wrong seriously challenged. If this your first book by Carstens, it is highly unlikely to be your last.
This is a very well constructed story dealing with the psychology of a sociopathic killer who commits multiple murde. rs in Minneapolis. The complexity of both the rapidly developing plot line and the complex most characters will keep you turning the pages well into the night. Be prepared to have your sense of right and wrong seriously challenged. If this your first book by Carstens, it is highly unlikely to be your last.
April 27, 2018
Awesome book, and very funny in parts. These books just keep getting better and better. Marc isn't the main focus till the last part of the book. I enjoyed reading about the cops and the criminals and the background of some of the main characters. Very interesting. I hope this series keeps going for a very long time, as I can't get enough!
May 28, 2018
Well written, dngaging
First time reader of this author. As I write this, I have stayed up.last midnight just to see how it would end. After al! The challenges with trying to see if there were any ethical police or lawyers, they all came together at the end. And really fast had a large part in it
First time reader of this author. As I write this, I have stayed up.last midnight just to see how it would end. After al! The challenges with trying to see if there were any ethical police or lawyers, they all came together at the end. And really fast had a large part in it
May 31, 2018
What goes round comes round
A highly intriguing book. A convicted murderer and 3 other criminals are released from jail on a technicality. Suddenly people associated with tgeir cases start toturn up mutilated and murdered. Coincidence or not? You will be totally surprised. A must read for all suspense lovers.
A highly intriguing book. A convicted murderer and 3 other criminals are released from jail on a technicality. Suddenly people associated with tgeir cases start toturn up mutilated and murdered. Coincidence or not? You will be totally surprised. A must read for all suspense lovers.
June 29, 2022
Podem sociopatas se regenerar, e se arrependerem de seus crimes? Neste livro, esta parece ser a pergunta central, com muita morte violenta e uma conversão duvidosa. Não gostei da visão negativa sobre professores, a frase ‘Those that can, do; those that can’t, teach” é desrespeitosa para com minha profissão, em meu ponto de vista. Mas é uma boa leitura.
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!
November 28, 2023
As usual with the Marc Kadella books I have read it always starts as a great well thought out story. Once it gets down to the courtroom scenes it gets bogged down in minutiae going into more detail with witnesses and testimony than is needed. As an attorney I think it would be a good primer for trial advocacy and evidence law students but as an entertaining book for the layman not so much.
June 8, 2017
This was a horrible book. The authors writing style is boggling. Way too much flowery, unnecessary dialogue between the main character and almost every person he encounters. I doubt I'll read any more works by this author.
January 29, 2018
Fantastic Twist
This I think is the best one of the series so far. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time of reading it, it was hard to out down. The twists and turns had me biting my nails wondering what was going to happen next. Fantastic!!
This I think is the best one of the series so far. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time of reading it, it was hard to out down. The twists and turns had me biting my nails wondering what was going to happen next. Fantastic!!
May 30, 2018
5 stars since 10 isnot available
Excellent read,language is tough, ?ots of action...sex kis referred but not told! Good story line ,good CAST, and full of suspence! Ending is unexpected, but quite possible
Excellent read,language is tough, ?ots of action...sex kis referred but not told! Good story line ,good CAST, and full of suspence! Ending is unexpected, but quite possible
June 19, 2018
Won't be reading anything else by this author. The writing was clumsy and repetitive. Took a long time for the story to get moving with lots of deaths that had v little impact because of the way they were written.
July 3, 2018
Great mystery !
I loved how the author told you up front who did it and yet began to lead you to believe the killer was possibly someone else. Then shocked you in the end.
If you enjoy a good mystery you’ll enjoy,this book.
I loved how the author told you up front who did it and yet began to lead you to believe the killer was possibly someone else. Then shocked you in the end.
If you enjoy a good mystery you’ll enjoy,this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews