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Write to Die
Hollywood’s latest blockbuster is all set to premiere―until a faded superstar claims the script was stolen from her. To defend the studio, in steps the Harold Firm, one of Los Angeles’s top entertainment litigation firms and as much a part of the glamorous scene as the studios themselves. As a newly minted partner, it’s Rory Calburton’s case, and his career, to win or lose. But the seemingly tame civil trial turns lethal when Rory stumbles upon the strangled body of his client’s general counsel. And the ties that bind in Hollywood constrict even tighter when the founder of the Harold Firm is implicated in the murder. Rory is certain the plagiarism and murder cases are somehow connected, and with the help of new associate Sarah Gold―who’s just finished clerking for the chief justice―he’s determined to get answers. Will finding out who really wrote the script lead them to the mastermind of the real-life murder?
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 26, 2016
85 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Charles Rosenberg
6 books49 followersCharles (“Chuck”) Rosenberg’s latest novel (his fifth) is the alternate history thriller The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington. It imagines what might have happened if the British, in the midst of the Revolution, had kidnapped George Washington and taken him back to England to be tried for high treason.
Chuck’s interest in the American Revolution was first piqued when his 5th grade teacher made him memorize Longfellow’s The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. To this day, he can still recite it if you ask him to (his wife, however, requests that you not ask). His interest continued in college, where he majored in history, with a particular penchant for studying the Revolution.
Now that his American Revolution novel is done and soon to be released, Chuck is at work on a new alternative history, set six months before the start of the Civil War, a period of extreme political stress, but one that has not figured as much in fiction as the Civil War itself.
The first novel Rosenberg ever wrote (we will skip talking about the one he never finished because that was truly a long time ago) was the legal thriller Death on a High Floor, which became an Amazon best-seller in 2014. It’s about the murder of the managing partner of a large international law firm. Rosenberg is quick to point out that the large firms in which he was a partner were really quite nice places; unlike the firm in the novel. That novel was followed by two sequels and the start of a new series in Write to Die, which is set in a glitzy entertainment law firm in Hollywood.
Prior to turning to writing fiction (and in addition to practicing law), Chuck was the credited legal script consultant to three prime time television shows: L.A. Law, The Practice and Boston Legal, as well as the TV show The Paper Chase (Showtime). During the O .J. Simpson criminal trial, he was one of two on-air legal analysts for E! Entertainment Television's live coverage of the trial. He also provided commentary for E!'s coverage of the Simpson civil trial.
Rosenberg has also taught extensively as an adjunct law professor, including at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles (where he currently teaches the course "Law and Popular Culture"), the Loyola Law School International LLM Program in Bologna, Italy, the UCLA School of Law, the Pepperdine School of Law, and the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
A graduate of Antioch College and the Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, Chuck currently practices in the Los Angeles area where he lives with his wife, who is the very effective “in-house” initial editor of everything he writes.
Chuck’s interest in the American Revolution was first piqued when his 5th grade teacher made him memorize Longfellow’s The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. To this day, he can still recite it if you ask him to (his wife, however, requests that you not ask). His interest continued in college, where he majored in history, with a particular penchant for studying the Revolution.
Now that his American Revolution novel is done and soon to be released, Chuck is at work on a new alternative history, set six months before the start of the Civil War, a period of extreme political stress, but one that has not figured as much in fiction as the Civil War itself.
The first novel Rosenberg ever wrote (we will skip talking about the one he never finished because that was truly a long time ago) was the legal thriller Death on a High Floor, which became an Amazon best-seller in 2014. It’s about the murder of the managing partner of a large international law firm. Rosenberg is quick to point out that the large firms in which he was a partner were really quite nice places; unlike the firm in the novel. That novel was followed by two sequels and the start of a new series in Write to Die, which is set in a glitzy entertainment law firm in Hollywood.
Prior to turning to writing fiction (and in addition to practicing law), Chuck was the credited legal script consultant to three prime time television shows: L.A. Law, The Practice and Boston Legal, as well as the TV show The Paper Chase (Showtime). During the O .J. Simpson criminal trial, he was one of two on-air legal analysts for E! Entertainment Television's live coverage of the trial. He also provided commentary for E!'s coverage of the Simpson civil trial.
Rosenberg has also taught extensively as an adjunct law professor, including at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles (where he currently teaches the course "Law and Popular Culture"), the Loyola Law School International LLM Program in Bologna, Italy, the UCLA School of Law, the Pepperdine School of Law, and the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
A graduate of Antioch College and the Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, Chuck currently practices in the Los Angeles area where he lives with his wife, who is the very effective “in-house” initial editor of everything he writes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 24, 2022
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Sarah and Rory, a pair of overprivileged and overeducated entertainment lawyers, deny their hawt, sweet luuuv until they can't anymore. And then they solve a crime committed against people I could not work up enough spit to lob into their faces, still less piss on if they were on fire.
It makes it really hard to review a book when that's one's response.
The prose is prosaic, the story's not relatable because one doesn't relate to such dislikable souls. And there I was, flipping the Kindlepages...I needed to know why, not who, in this story. It was a satisfying why, so I felt my time was well-enough spent that I'm not after getting up a pitchfork parade to get Author Rosenberg. I was a lot less forgiving about The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington, as you'll recall; but that was mostly pique at raised expectations being dashed. The fact is that Author Rosenberg's prose doesn't scintillate but it also doesn't obfuscate.
Easily the most effective use of his prose was the ruminations that Rory entertains as he's going through his legal maneuverings in the various trials he's involved in. Time in Rory's head is among my best memories of the read because he really thinks there in front of us. I am not a lawyer and am fascinated by the way that legal argument affects one's thought processes. It's a shoo-in, therefore, that the story will succeed for me on that level.
Sarah's "Impulse-control disorder" is where the wheels really come off for me. This person has a disorder that, in someone who was a Supreme Court Justice's clerk, would be *disastrous* and a disqualification from ever being considered for such a position. And how many Supreme Court Justices would hire such a person knowingly, as we're told Sarah was? Also, a private-investigator's license might also be unobtainable in California due to this diagnosis. If it isn't, I'm very worried.
So the read's not a hit, not a whiff, just a pleasant-enough way to spend a few wastable hours.
My Review: Sarah and Rory, a pair of overprivileged and overeducated entertainment lawyers, deny their hawt, sweet luuuv until they can't anymore. And then they solve a crime committed against people I could not work up enough spit to lob into their faces, still less piss on if they were on fire.
It makes it really hard to review a book when that's one's response.
The prose is prosaic, the story's not relatable because one doesn't relate to such dislikable souls. And there I was, flipping the Kindlepages...I needed to know why, not who, in this story. It was a satisfying why, so I felt my time was well-enough spent that I'm not after getting up a pitchfork parade to get Author Rosenberg. I was a lot less forgiving about The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington, as you'll recall; but that was mostly pique at raised expectations being dashed. The fact is that Author Rosenberg's prose doesn't scintillate but it also doesn't obfuscate.
Easily the most effective use of his prose was the ruminations that Rory entertains as he's going through his legal maneuverings in the various trials he's involved in. Time in Rory's head is among my best memories of the read because he really thinks there in front of us. I am not a lawyer and am fascinated by the way that legal argument affects one's thought processes. It's a shoo-in, therefore, that the story will succeed for me on that level.
Sarah's "Impulse-control disorder" is where the wheels really come off for me. This person has a disorder that, in someone who was a Supreme Court Justice's clerk, would be *disastrous* and a disqualification from ever being considered for such a position. And how many Supreme Court Justices would hire such a person knowingly, as we're told Sarah was? Also, a private-investigator's license might also be unobtainable in California due to this diagnosis. If it isn't, I'm very worried.
So the read's not a hit, not a whiff, just a pleasant-enough way to spend a few wastable hours.
July 9, 2016
Rory Calburton is an entertainment lawyer in a successful L.A. firm. Called to a meeting with Joe Stanton, the in-house counsel at their biggest client studio, he finds him dead. He is a good lawyer, so does everything right, not going in the room, not touching a thing, and calling the cops immediately. In a standard mystery, he would be the prime suspect, but this is not standard and he is never considered a suspect at all.
Which is a good thing, Rory has his hands full with a copyright case that is falling apart (in no small part thanks to Stanton’s death) and with his new associate Sarah Gold whose Impulse Control Disorder is plucking his last nerve. To add to his difficulties, his boss Hal, the founding partner of his law firm, is arrested for the murder.
And so we have by-the-book Rory and impulsive Sarah working the copyright case which Sarah keeps trying to link to the murder because she would much rather investigate the exciting case. The key elements of the mystery are in place and it’s just up to our heroes to save the day and their boss.
I have said before that the advice to “write what you know” is taken too literally. It is beyond apparent that Charles Rosenberg is a punctilious lawyer with deep and abiding understanding of the law and legal ethics. If he knew it less well, he would write a better mystery. He is fascinated by the process and writes about it with too much detail. He is fascinated by the ethics and ends up making Rory sound like a bit of a legalistic prig. Rory is constantly on Sarah’s case for her impulsive actions, but in many cases he is just wrong. She didn’t break the law, she just took initiative without his permission and thought of things he didn’t.
When people advise others to write what they know, they mean write about the emotions they know. If they know love or hatred, they can write about it, if they know fear, they can write about it. No one has met an alien, yet there are many great books about it. We don’t have to know the facts. We have to know the feelings.
I think we are supposed to get the idea that there is some mutual attraction between Rory and Sarah, but if there is, I can’t see why. In fact, if his hostility is based on his physical attraction, then it’s as unethical as if he were harassing her. Something he never considers despite his constant objurgations on ethics.
As far as the mystery. Well, what can I say? There’s a dearth of suspects and our principals do not interview them as suspects except at the end. Rory is actively not trying to solve the mystery, because that’s not his job, in his opinion. Even when he is tasked to represent Hal, he does not see it as his job to figure out who did it. He’s a bit single-minded, to the point that he seems unrealistic. Sarah on the other hand is too beautiful, too smart, too skilled, too perfect to be real. This is a big failing.
The plot is interesting enough to keep my attention and reel me in to the conclusion, but there were moments when I considered the opportunity cost of finishing the book – the time I could spend reading something more complex and interesting. I think the author was so absorbed in getting the law right, in showing it the proper respect, that he forgot to respect his characters. I also think that if the characters get their act together and Rory gets the stick out of his butt, there could be very enjoyable sequels.
Write to Die will be published on July 26th. I was given an advance e-galley to review by the publisher through NetGalley.
Author Web Site: http://www.charlesrosenbergauthor.com
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Which is a good thing, Rory has his hands full with a copyright case that is falling apart (in no small part thanks to Stanton’s death) and with his new associate Sarah Gold whose Impulse Control Disorder is plucking his last nerve. To add to his difficulties, his boss Hal, the founding partner of his law firm, is arrested for the murder.
And so we have by-the-book Rory and impulsive Sarah working the copyright case which Sarah keeps trying to link to the murder because she would much rather investigate the exciting case. The key elements of the mystery are in place and it’s just up to our heroes to save the day and their boss.
I have said before that the advice to “write what you know” is taken too literally. It is beyond apparent that Charles Rosenberg is a punctilious lawyer with deep and abiding understanding of the law and legal ethics. If he knew it less well, he would write a better mystery. He is fascinated by the process and writes about it with too much detail. He is fascinated by the ethics and ends up making Rory sound like a bit of a legalistic prig. Rory is constantly on Sarah’s case for her impulsive actions, but in many cases he is just wrong. She didn’t break the law, she just took initiative without his permission and thought of things he didn’t.
When people advise others to write what they know, they mean write about the emotions they know. If they know love or hatred, they can write about it, if they know fear, they can write about it. No one has met an alien, yet there are many great books about it. We don’t have to know the facts. We have to know the feelings.
I think we are supposed to get the idea that there is some mutual attraction between Rory and Sarah, but if there is, I can’t see why. In fact, if his hostility is based on his physical attraction, then it’s as unethical as if he were harassing her. Something he never considers despite his constant objurgations on ethics.
As far as the mystery. Well, what can I say? There’s a dearth of suspects and our principals do not interview them as suspects except at the end. Rory is actively not trying to solve the mystery, because that’s not his job, in his opinion. Even when he is tasked to represent Hal, he does not see it as his job to figure out who did it. He’s a bit single-minded, to the point that he seems unrealistic. Sarah on the other hand is too beautiful, too smart, too skilled, too perfect to be real. This is a big failing.
The plot is interesting enough to keep my attention and reel me in to the conclusion, but there were moments when I considered the opportunity cost of finishing the book – the time I could spend reading something more complex and interesting. I think the author was so absorbed in getting the law right, in showing it the proper respect, that he forgot to respect his characters. I also think that if the characters get their act together and Rory gets the stick out of his butt, there could be very enjoyable sequels.
Write to Die will be published on July 26th. I was given an advance e-galley to review by the publisher through NetGalley.
Author Web Site: http://www.charlesrosenbergauthor.com
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
February 19, 2017
The murder victim is a lawyer, so that's an immediate plus, right?
Rory Calburton, who has just been made partner in a prestigious LA law firm, is the kind of guy who finds lawyer jokes unhumorous. In fact, he really doesn't have much of a sense of humor. He's about as buttoned-down as a lawyer can be, but as this surprisingly interesting little legal thriller progresses, his character does begin to unfold. He's got some insecurities, for example, over the fact that he got his law degree from an unaccredited school and he had to work his way up the hard way. He's also not averse to shagging an investigative reporter who happens to be reporting on his firm - something that causes him a few problems in the board room.
The really interesting character, however, is Sarah Gold, who comes to the Harold Firm as a fresh young associate with a brilliant pedigree as a former clerk to a Supreme Justice. It turns out that Sarah has something called "Impulse Control Disorder" (which I had to Google to determine that it's a real thing). It's not that she acts without thinking - she thinks about what she's going to do, knows it's a bad idea, and then does it anyway.
This rubs Rory the wrong way, and for half the book he's threatening to fire her. They are also both denying their mutual attraction to one another. And when he investigates a mysterious two-year gap in her resume, she claims that she spent it as a cocktail waitress, but another source tells him he thinks she's a CIA operative.
That last bit was a real "Huh?" in the middle of the book, and since it doesn't go anywhere, I have to think the author plans a sequel.
The two legal cases are a faded Hollywood star claiming that an impending big movie's script was actually written by her, and Rory's own senior partner/boss being accused of murdering another lawyer who was the in-house counsel to the studio their firm is representing. Rory, rather improbably, winds up defending his boss in the murder trial despite not being a criminal defense lawyer, and the two cases intersect in a not-totally-unpredictable ending.
Charles Rosenberg is - surprise! - a big-name entertainment lawyer himself. This author thing may be just a side gig he's doing for fun, but I liked Write to Die enough to look up more of his books. The writing itself is not spectacular - it's plain, almost workmanlike, with characters described, and their dialog written, in a manner that sounds very much like something written by a lawyer. There is a lot of exposition devoted to explaining fine legal details - if you find that sort of technical detail tedious (much like SF fans who don't care to hear about engineering details or weapon calibers) then this book will probably bore you, as the legal details drive much of the drama. But if you like legal thrillers that don't spare you the blood and guts of jurisprudence and courtroom procedures, then this is a book with a pretty good plot that will hold your interest.
Rory Calburton, who has just been made partner in a prestigious LA law firm, is the kind of guy who finds lawyer jokes unhumorous. In fact, he really doesn't have much of a sense of humor. He's about as buttoned-down as a lawyer can be, but as this surprisingly interesting little legal thriller progresses, his character does begin to unfold. He's got some insecurities, for example, over the fact that he got his law degree from an unaccredited school and he had to work his way up the hard way. He's also not averse to shagging an investigative reporter who happens to be reporting on his firm - something that causes him a few problems in the board room.
The really interesting character, however, is Sarah Gold, who comes to the Harold Firm as a fresh young associate with a brilliant pedigree as a former clerk to a Supreme Justice. It turns out that Sarah has something called "Impulse Control Disorder" (which I had to Google to determine that it's a real thing). It's not that she acts without thinking - she thinks about what she's going to do, knows it's a bad idea, and then does it anyway.
This rubs Rory the wrong way, and for half the book he's threatening to fire her. They are also both denying their mutual attraction to one another. And when he investigates a mysterious two-year gap in her resume, she claims that she spent it as a cocktail waitress, but another source tells him he thinks she's a CIA operative.
That last bit was a real "Huh?" in the middle of the book, and since it doesn't go anywhere, I have to think the author plans a sequel.
The two legal cases are a faded Hollywood star claiming that an impending big movie's script was actually written by her, and Rory's own senior partner/boss being accused of murdering another lawyer who was the in-house counsel to the studio their firm is representing. Rory, rather improbably, winds up defending his boss in the murder trial despite not being a criminal defense lawyer, and the two cases intersect in a not-totally-unpredictable ending.
Charles Rosenberg is - surprise! - a big-name entertainment lawyer himself. This author thing may be just a side gig he's doing for fun, but I liked Write to Die enough to look up more of his books. The writing itself is not spectacular - it's plain, almost workmanlike, with characters described, and their dialog written, in a manner that sounds very much like something written by a lawyer. There is a lot of exposition devoted to explaining fine legal details - if you find that sort of technical detail tedious (much like SF fans who don't care to hear about engineering details or weapon calibers) then this book will probably bore you, as the legal details drive much of the drama. But if you like legal thrillers that don't spare you the blood and guts of jurisprudence and courtroom procedures, then this is a book with a pretty good plot that will hold your interest.
December 20, 2017
Ridiculous is the first word that comes to mind after finishing this book. First, most of the exposition of this book is dialog -- and most of it is forced and odd. There is some dialog that is meant to be joking as the characters are laughing... I was left thinking, "what's so funny?" Second, one of the characters is a former Supreme Court clerk -- and, wait for it, a private investigator. Come on -- seriously -- nobody who has been clerking for the Supreme Court of the United States is looking for a job at a local entertainment law firm and still maintaining a private investigator license. Then, she is a new hire at this law firm where she has no experience but acts as if she is on par with an associate, who is very experienced and has seniority in the firm, and thinks nothing of breaking into a private home and engaging numerous other questionable ethical behavior. And to top it off, her behavior is written off as possibly questionable but in the end achieved its goal. Remember this individual is a former Supreme Court clerk who in the course of this job reviewed the behavior of lawyers on a regular basis on the highest level but she acts like she's just showed up for the job after watching a TV show on being a lawyer. Third, some of the exposition is odd and unnecessary. For example, a character shows up to interview a witness and is told that the witness is unavailable as she has to make a phone call appointment with her accountant. So the exposition explains what the character does while waiting for the 45 minutes for the witness to return -- drinking her diet coke, reading a book and dozing off. And this was not just a sentence... Really?? How does this move the story along?? Fourth, the characters themselves have no soul or interest. Fifth, the legal procedural - coming from someone who has worked in the legal field for 20+ years -- had holes and did not ring true to my experiences. I was in the courtroom daily and some of the legal information was, in my opinion, unrealistic and incorrect. Finally, the mystery itself was poor was it evolved. I had no interest as to "who did it" or how the mystery moved forward. By the end, who cares.
September 21, 2016
I thought this was going to be a comedic look at screenwriting in Hollywood, but pleasantly surprised that it is a well-crafted suspenseful legal thriller. Rory Calburton is an entertainment attorney working on a copyright infringement case when he is giving a new assistant, an associate named Sarah Gold who is more of a problem to him then his case. When his boss is indicted for murder, Sarah is convinced that both cases are related and off she goes. Clever dialogue, interesting plot and exciting characters make this a must read. Hopefully, Rory and Sarah show up in future stories.
July 6, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this book. There are 2 courtroom dramas happening simultaneously, involving one entertainment law firm, one of the cases involves a murder but the other case has nothing to do with that or does it? Lots of drama and suspects in this story, I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a lot of courtoom drama!
July 10, 2017
Write to Die' is a thriller with a heavy focus on lawyers, trials and investigation. When a reclusive movie star returns to the spotlight claiming her script was stolen by a high profile director, Rory is called in by the studio to win the case and ensure the movie gets to premier. However, when Rory finds the director murdered in his office and his partner facing the murder charge, he works with his newly hired associate Sarah, to fit the pieces together and uncover the truth behind the script and the murderer on the loose.
I really liked the story-especially as I am a huge fan of crime books and books that delve into criminal trials and the nitty gritty of the law. I felt that the plot was really well paced as we worked through the two different trials Rory is tasked with trying to navigate, with exciting interludes featuring Sarah's off the record investigations. I particularly enjoyed all of the courtroom scenes, and the authors law background really shone as the back and forward between the two lawyers in both the civil and criminal trials go head to head. The ending gave enough closure for me to be satisfied with how everything played out, but also did not eliminate all of the loose ends, which would have made everything seem a little too perfect and explained for a crime/thriller book. I actually did not see the revelation of who the murderer was coming, which does not happen often as I read a lot of crime books.
Now to get into the things I did not like about the book. While the characters were interesting, I felt that the writing let them down. The dialogue was so forced and many times the characters said something that no one would ever say in real life. Their interactions with each other were also so forced, with Rory being so blunt to Sarah to the point where he was outright rude and unprofessional. Character development wise, I wanted to get to know more about Sarah. She has such an interesting backstory and so many aspects of her character are left unexplained-her previous jobs, the mysterious two year gap in her resume, and her stint as a private investigator. At times we was forced into being so one-dimensional- an attractive young lawyer with impulse control issues who does reckless and questionable things that work out in the end. That being said, even one-dimensional as she was, she was much more likeable and more realistic then Rory. Like I mentioned previously, his dialogue was soo scripted and his overall behaviour towards his coworkers, his partner, his boss and his clients was just strange.
The plot in 'Write to Die' was well executed, and combined with the well written courtroom scenes, led to a gripping thriller and I continued reading as I wanted to find out who the murderer was. The writing and overall character development let this book down, and if they characters were a little more realistic and believable, this book would have been elevated to the next level.
I really liked the story-especially as I am a huge fan of crime books and books that delve into criminal trials and the nitty gritty of the law. I felt that the plot was really well paced as we worked through the two different trials Rory is tasked with trying to navigate, with exciting interludes featuring Sarah's off the record investigations. I particularly enjoyed all of the courtroom scenes, and the authors law background really shone as the back and forward between the two lawyers in both the civil and criminal trials go head to head. The ending gave enough closure for me to be satisfied with how everything played out, but also did not eliminate all of the loose ends, which would have made everything seem a little too perfect and explained for a crime/thriller book. I actually did not see the revelation of who the murderer was coming, which does not happen often as I read a lot of crime books.
Now to get into the things I did not like about the book. While the characters were interesting, I felt that the writing let them down. The dialogue was so forced and many times the characters said something that no one would ever say in real life. Their interactions with each other were also so forced, with Rory being so blunt to Sarah to the point where he was outright rude and unprofessional. Character development wise, I wanted to get to know more about Sarah. She has such an interesting backstory and so many aspects of her character are left unexplained-her previous jobs, the mysterious two year gap in her resume, and her stint as a private investigator. At times we was forced into being so one-dimensional- an attractive young lawyer with impulse control issues who does reckless and questionable things that work out in the end. That being said, even one-dimensional as she was, she was much more likeable and more realistic then Rory. Like I mentioned previously, his dialogue was soo scripted and his overall behaviour towards his coworkers, his partner, his boss and his clients was just strange.
The plot in 'Write to Die' was well executed, and combined with the well written courtroom scenes, led to a gripping thriller and I continued reading as I wanted to find out who the murderer was. The writing and overall character development let this book down, and if they characters were a little more realistic and believable, this book would have been elevated to the next level.
February 19, 2018
You could probably fill a library or two with legal thrillers in which an attorney tries to get his client off the hook in a seemingly airtight murder case. On the other hand, you would probably be hard pressed to name any legal thrillers in which an attorney tries to defend his client on copyright infringement charges in a civil case. Somehow, author Charles Rosenberg’s hero, Rory Calburton, finds himself defending two different clients in related cases in the novel Write to Die, and the Rosenberg manages to make both trials quite interesting and the book very entertaining.
Calburton is a partner at a swanky Los Angeles civil firm whose major client is a big motion picture studio just about to release a big budget spectacular, when a well-known actress who has been in seclusion for years claims that she actually wrote the script a decade earlier. While that is going on, the studio’s house counsel turns up strangled to death and Calburton’s senior partner is arrested for the murder. Now, Calburton has to defend his own partner in a murder case and the studio in a civil case that could cost it millions.
Write to Die is a fairly long novel, but Rosenberg keeps the material interesting, especially the trial scenes. Actually, the legal proceedings in both cases are preliminary hearings, but they have everything that readers have come to expect and love in these types of thrillers: surprise witnesses, hostile cross-examination, and, above all, Rosenberg the author giving an ongoing critique of the attorneys’ strategies and tactics by means of revealing Calburton’s thoughts as he watches or participates in both hearings. As an attorney myself, the material was sometimes a bit familiar, but non-lawyers will probably get an education on trial strategy and will undoubtedly learn more about the intricacies of copyright law and why it’s actually rather important for motion picture studios.
As far as the characterizations in the book are concerned, Write to Die is somewhat more of a mixed bag. The book focuses on Calburton, who went to a night school law school but managed to become a pretty sharp attorney nonetheless, and his new associate, Sarah Gold, an incredibly beautiful but savvy lawyer who also happens to be a licensed private investigator with a bit of a shady past and some major problems with following orders and abiding by the rules of ethics. While Gold is by far the most interesting character in Write to Die, the author never fully convinced me to buy into her character, and her relationship with Calburton (in what is clearly intended to be the first book in a series featuring the pair) never quite rang true.
While Gold’s character wasn’t always credible, neither was the plot. Simply put, too many people did too many things that I had a hard time accepting, even giving the author the benefit of the doubt that’s always required in a fictional thriller. The most unbelievable character of all is Calburton’s criminal client, an attorney with decades of experience who nonetheless acts like someone pretty much unfamiliar with the law. It’s not so much that this attorney, or, for that matter, some of the other characters in the book who behave strangely at times, couldn’t act as they did, but the author never quite made them convincing or realistic.
For the most part though, I enjoyed Write to Die a great deal, and I heartily recommend the book, especially for trial junkies. But gradually, as the book went on, I began thinking more about the implausible characters and what they did simply to advance the plot and less about the legal strategies and course of the cases. As a result, the end of the book was a bit of a disappointment. I realize, however, that other readers will be more able or willing than me to suspend disbelief, and even I went along with the characters for most of the book. As a result, Write to Die earns a solid verdict from me in its favor.
Calburton is a partner at a swanky Los Angeles civil firm whose major client is a big motion picture studio just about to release a big budget spectacular, when a well-known actress who has been in seclusion for years claims that she actually wrote the script a decade earlier. While that is going on, the studio’s house counsel turns up strangled to death and Calburton’s senior partner is arrested for the murder. Now, Calburton has to defend his own partner in a murder case and the studio in a civil case that could cost it millions.
Write to Die is a fairly long novel, but Rosenberg keeps the material interesting, especially the trial scenes. Actually, the legal proceedings in both cases are preliminary hearings, but they have everything that readers have come to expect and love in these types of thrillers: surprise witnesses, hostile cross-examination, and, above all, Rosenberg the author giving an ongoing critique of the attorneys’ strategies and tactics by means of revealing Calburton’s thoughts as he watches or participates in both hearings. As an attorney myself, the material was sometimes a bit familiar, but non-lawyers will probably get an education on trial strategy and will undoubtedly learn more about the intricacies of copyright law and why it’s actually rather important for motion picture studios.
As far as the characterizations in the book are concerned, Write to Die is somewhat more of a mixed bag. The book focuses on Calburton, who went to a night school law school but managed to become a pretty sharp attorney nonetheless, and his new associate, Sarah Gold, an incredibly beautiful but savvy lawyer who also happens to be a licensed private investigator with a bit of a shady past and some major problems with following orders and abiding by the rules of ethics. While Gold is by far the most interesting character in Write to Die, the author never fully convinced me to buy into her character, and her relationship with Calburton (in what is clearly intended to be the first book in a series featuring the pair) never quite rang true.
While Gold’s character wasn’t always credible, neither was the plot. Simply put, too many people did too many things that I had a hard time accepting, even giving the author the benefit of the doubt that’s always required in a fictional thriller. The most unbelievable character of all is Calburton’s criminal client, an attorney with decades of experience who nonetheless acts like someone pretty much unfamiliar with the law. It’s not so much that this attorney, or, for that matter, some of the other characters in the book who behave strangely at times, couldn’t act as they did, but the author never quite made them convincing or realistic.
For the most part though, I enjoyed Write to Die a great deal, and I heartily recommend the book, especially for trial junkies. But gradually, as the book went on, I began thinking more about the implausible characters and what they did simply to advance the plot and less about the legal strategies and course of the cases. As a result, the end of the book was a bit of a disappointment. I realize, however, that other readers will be more able or willing than me to suspend disbelief, and even I went along with the characters for most of the book. As a result, Write to Die earns a solid verdict from me in its favor.
June 7, 2017
I have searched for the book with a pun in its title that doesn’t irritate the hell out of me. The search continues.
This waste of several hours of my life by Charles Rosenberg is a convoluted book about a Hollywood attorney named Rory Calburton. Calburton is called to a meeting with the general counsel of the studio his firm represents. When he arrives at the studio he finds the attorney dead. Does this have to do with the lawsuit Calburton has been defending for the studio? The suit deals with a former actress now devotee of an Indian guru who claims that the major film the studio is about to release was based on a script stolen from her.
Meanwhile, back at the firm, Calburton, who has just been made partner, is teamed up with Sarah Gold, a new associate so beautiful that Calburton has trouble maintaining eye contact with her. There is page after page of rank “banter” between the two that clogs the book until the last paragraph.
I think what surprised me most about this book is the the author is a working attorney himself. Courtroom scenes seem contrived, odd legal technical issues seem researched by a non-attorney and at one point the narrator states “They even wrote a book about it.” Characters say things that aren’t remotely amusing and then laugh “uproariously”. There’s not a person with a soul in the entire book. Strange motivations are tacked on like the work of an amateur carpenter. Some dialogue is clearly dropped in to explain something that will happen shortly in the book, usually something that a good writer might have worked in artfully. Even the final solution is probably the most contrived thing I’ve read in a mystery. I’m half tempted to do a complete spoiler just to save anyone the trouble of picking up a copy but, for as little respect as I have for this writer, I have too much respect for the experience of reading to do something like that.
I used to give up on a book like this after the first few pages but now it’s become a compulsion to work my way through the whole unholy tome just to find out how bad it can get. It gets bad here. This is the reading equivalent of trying to walk Death Valley in a speedo with nothing but a slurpee.
This waste of several hours of my life by Charles Rosenberg is a convoluted book about a Hollywood attorney named Rory Calburton. Calburton is called to a meeting with the general counsel of the studio his firm represents. When he arrives at the studio he finds the attorney dead. Does this have to do with the lawsuit Calburton has been defending for the studio? The suit deals with a former actress now devotee of an Indian guru who claims that the major film the studio is about to release was based on a script stolen from her.
Meanwhile, back at the firm, Calburton, who has just been made partner, is teamed up with Sarah Gold, a new associate so beautiful that Calburton has trouble maintaining eye contact with her. There is page after page of rank “banter” between the two that clogs the book until the last paragraph.
I think what surprised me most about this book is the the author is a working attorney himself. Courtroom scenes seem contrived, odd legal technical issues seem researched by a non-attorney and at one point the narrator states “They even wrote a book about it.” Characters say things that aren’t remotely amusing and then laugh “uproariously”. There’s not a person with a soul in the entire book. Strange motivations are tacked on like the work of an amateur carpenter. Some dialogue is clearly dropped in to explain something that will happen shortly in the book, usually something that a good writer might have worked in artfully. Even the final solution is probably the most contrived thing I’ve read in a mystery. I’m half tempted to do a complete spoiler just to save anyone the trouble of picking up a copy but, for as little respect as I have for this writer, I have too much respect for the experience of reading to do something like that.
I used to give up on a book like this after the first few pages but now it’s become a compulsion to work my way through the whole unholy tome just to find out how bad it can get. It gets bad here. This is the reading equivalent of trying to walk Death Valley in a speedo with nothing but a slurpee.
May 13, 2018
A newly made partner with a lot to prove and a new associate who doesn't know the meaning of the word no have to defend the boss from a murder charge.
Rory works for a law firm representing a studio accused of stealing the script of their latest movie. Sarah has been recently hired as an associate despite her problems with impulse control. Their case shouldn't be too difficult. Prove Mary Broom never wrote a script or if she did convince the judge there was no way anyone from the studio could have read it. At the very least, settle quickly for as little possible so the film can be released. If only Joe Stanton, studio exec., hadn't been murdered and founding partner Hal Harold's blood found at the scene.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. It was a fun read at a good pace--no lulls to get bored. It's also funny without being overly comedic or dark. The characters are likeable. There is all the scandal one would expect from Hollywood.
I didn't like the way the two cases did/didn't meld together. There were also some coincidences (not blind leads) that seemed unnecessary if they were part of the mystery. There were also a few minor characters I felt should have been more developed or axed, like an extra lawyer who comes in to save the day but is absent from the ending. (Possibly a reoccurring character in the series?)
Rory works for a law firm representing a studio accused of stealing the script of their latest movie. Sarah has been recently hired as an associate despite her problems with impulse control. Their case shouldn't be too difficult. Prove Mary Broom never wrote a script or if she did convince the judge there was no way anyone from the studio could have read it. At the very least, settle quickly for as little possible so the film can be released. If only Joe Stanton, studio exec., hadn't been murdered and founding partner Hal Harold's blood found at the scene.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. It was a fun read at a good pace--no lulls to get bored. It's also funny without being overly comedic or dark. The characters are likeable. There is all the scandal one would expect from Hollywood.
I didn't like the way the two cases did/didn't meld together. There were also some coincidences (not blind leads) that seemed unnecessary if they were part of the mystery. There were also a few minor characters I felt should have been more developed or axed, like an extra lawyer who comes in to save the day but is absent from the ending. (Possibly a reoccurring character in the series?)
February 27, 2018
Thank-you to NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer and the author for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm giving this book 2.5 stars. It was billed as a mystery, but there wasn't much mystery. It was heavy on legal drama -- which if that is your thing you might like this book more than I did.
Rory Calburton is a new partner at the Harold Firm in Los Angeles. It is a law firm that specializes in entertainment litigation. Sarah Gold is Rory's associate whom Rory finds beautiful and distracting. In my opinion there was too many pages devoted to Rory and Sarah, and not enough meat of a mystery. This wasn't billed as a romance, or a legal drama, it was advertised to be a mystery. I would have preferred that it was more mysterious.
The writing is good, and the courtroom scenes and legal maneuvering seem true (based on the little I know about courtroom scenes and legal maneuvering). I just wish that the pace was a bit faster and some unnecessary banter was edited out to make the storyline move faster.
I'm giving this book 2.5 stars. It was billed as a mystery, but there wasn't much mystery. It was heavy on legal drama -- which if that is your thing you might like this book more than I did.
Rory Calburton is a new partner at the Harold Firm in Los Angeles. It is a law firm that specializes in entertainment litigation. Sarah Gold is Rory's associate whom Rory finds beautiful and distracting. In my opinion there was too many pages devoted to Rory and Sarah, and not enough meat of a mystery. This wasn't billed as a romance, or a legal drama, it was advertised to be a mystery. I would have preferred that it was more mysterious.
The writing is good, and the courtroom scenes and legal maneuvering seem true (based on the little I know about courtroom scenes and legal maneuvering). I just wish that the pace was a bit faster and some unnecessary banter was edited out to make the storyline move faster.
October 28, 2018
Legal procedural meets Hollywood this is like a Texas Tommy* of awesomeness. The book starts strong with out two main characters exchanging Bogie and Bacall level banter. Our main Character Rory Calburton is a LA law partner with a huge chip on his shoulder as he went to Chester A Arthur Law School. Now he is teamed with a new associate who is a Georgetown graduate who clerked for the Supremes (Court not trio). Now this associate, Sarah Gold, is a bit of a Mary Sue because she is awesome at everything.
We have a criminal case against the Law firm's owner Hal Harold and a civil case involving a stolen script that seem to be linked because the criminal case involves the murder of the general council of the Studio that produced the movie.
Unfortunately the book seemed to lose something at the half way point. The banter turned into bickering. There was a stupid thing about a roller coaster. I think this is going to be a series but there was too much left hanging.
*Texas Tommy is a hotdog wrapped in bacon and deep fried
We have a criminal case against the Law firm's owner Hal Harold and a civil case involving a stolen script that seem to be linked because the criminal case involves the murder of the general council of the Studio that produced the movie.
Unfortunately the book seemed to lose something at the half way point. The banter turned into bickering. There was a stupid thing about a roller coaster. I think this is going to be a series but there was too much left hanging.
*Texas Tommy is a hotdog wrapped in bacon and deep fried
May 12, 2022
Not sure why I haven't reviewed one of Charles Rosenberg's novels yet, they have all thrilled and entertained me immensely. Write to Die, starts quickly and doesn't let down from there, I devoured it in a day-and-a-half but it would've been a day if my wife hadn't (thankfully) suggested that I put it down just after midnight this morning. I was still useless at work today so if you do open the cover, do it on the weekend when you can be useless on your own time. The characters are well developed, likeable (except the villains) and have such witty banter. The legal premises are done quite medium-rare to this non-lawyer's taste, and the plot a roller coaster that would rival anything at Magic Mountain (read the book, you'll get it). But seriously I was exceptionally pleased to learn that this is the first in a new series, I can't wait to be in the room again with Rory and Sarah and their merry band of barristers. Good show!
May 5, 2018
"It seems pretty good to me."
"That's because you're a lawyer and not a writer, Rory."
And right there is the entire problem I have with this book. Mr. Rosenberg is a lawyer and it's evident he knows a lot about the law. It's evident because he fills the book with minutiae about legal matters which do nothing to drive the plot or characters forward, but that, as a lawyer, he knows should be there if this was a real case.
Thing is, this isn't a real case. There are many things which beg incredulity but that's fine, I'm willing to let those go - for the exact same reason I'm not willing to let this courtroom stuff go. This is a dramatic book and while courtroom dramas have long been a staple and a genre all their own, this one breaks the cardinal rule of a thriller - it's boring. The characters are repetitive and inconsistent, there's no real stakes and the solution presents itself as an accident. Add to which of the two ostensible protagonists, the solution is only deduced, even with the happy accident, by one of them, and the other is effective only out of happenstance.
Rosenberg says he was a legal consultant on a number of TV shows, which is great, but that doesn't qualify him to write the dialogue or come up with a plot for one.
"That's because you're a lawyer and not a writer, Rory."
And right there is the entire problem I have with this book. Mr. Rosenberg is a lawyer and it's evident he knows a lot about the law. It's evident because he fills the book with minutiae about legal matters which do nothing to drive the plot or characters forward, but that, as a lawyer, he knows should be there if this was a real case.
Thing is, this isn't a real case. There are many things which beg incredulity but that's fine, I'm willing to let those go - for the exact same reason I'm not willing to let this courtroom stuff go. This is a dramatic book and while courtroom dramas have long been a staple and a genre all their own, this one breaks the cardinal rule of a thriller - it's boring. The characters are repetitive and inconsistent, there's no real stakes and the solution presents itself as an accident. Add to which of the two ostensible protagonists, the solution is only deduced, even with the happy accident, by one of them, and the other is effective only out of happenstance.
Rosenberg says he was a legal consultant on a number of TV shows, which is great, but that doesn't qualify him to write the dialogue or come up with a plot for one.
Read
June 15, 2017I enjoyed this story. It is always entertaining to read a book about a world about which I know a lot. I thought this was a good representation, mostly, of law firm life. I say mostly, because Sarah, as a brand new associate, was given tasks that no new associate would ever be given in a firm the size of the Harold firm. She would not even have been out of orientation the first week, so that was unrealistic.
I also think that Rory should have explored how the firm knew so much about his personal life more, though that was probably not entirely relevant to the case.
Sarah, as a character, was a problem, I think. She was rash, conniving and went behind people's backs to get what she wanted or to do what she thought was best. I am not sure that is always best.
I was pleased to see that Charles Rosenberg has other books, but sad that none of them include Rory.
I also think that Rory should have explored how the firm knew so much about his personal life more, though that was probably not entirely relevant to the case.
Sarah, as a character, was a problem, I think. She was rash, conniving and went behind people's backs to get what she wanted or to do what she thought was best. I am not sure that is always best.
I was pleased to see that Charles Rosenberg has other books, but sad that none of them include Rory.
October 3, 2018
Unfortunately, the plot is rather stupid.
The big time lawyer who owns his own big law firm is accused of murder. He's represented by this other big shot lawyer... and both of them constantly need to confer with that other small time lawyer, who went to a law school noone ever heard anything good about (and his new spy come PI come associate, who does weird things no one would actually ever do).
Sure...
And if that wasn't enough, the book got even worse after that. And worse, and worse, and worse. The only good thing about this book was, when it ended.
The big time lawyer who owns his own big law firm is accused of murder. He's represented by this other big shot lawyer... and both of them constantly need to confer with that other small time lawyer, who went to a law school noone ever heard anything good about (and his new spy come PI come associate, who does weird things no one would actually ever do).
Sure...
And if that wasn't enough, the book got even worse after that. And worse, and worse, and worse. The only good thing about this book was, when it ended.
December 13, 2017
Alright story, well written in terms of language and editing, ends rather abruptly with an ending that felt unearned in my opinion. The characters are okay, none really that intriguing and you don't get enough of their backstory to really develop a connection or desire for greater connection anyway. I guess the best thing I could say about it is that I read it all the way through and I don't feel like it was a waste of time to do so.
February 20, 2017
Great banter, and interaction with key persons in this non-gorey (thank heavens!!!) Myystery.
Kept me wondering almost till the end. Hope there are more Rory/Sarah sequel's.
Their dialogue was so believable.
Definitely want to read another Charles Rosenberg book now.
Kept me wondering almost till the end. Hope there are more Rory/Sarah sequel's.
Their dialogue was so believable.
Definitely want to read another Charles Rosenberg book now.
May 27, 2019
Fun but unbelievable
Some of the characters were unbelievable. The plot was unrealistic. The view of the movie on Hollywood celebrities was stereotypical. It was a fun and quick read?
Some of the characters were unbelievable. The plot was unrealistic. The view of the movie on Hollywood celebrities was stereotypical. It was a fun and quick read?
February 22, 2017
This was a fun legal thriller and mystery that kept me entertained.
February 22, 2017
a new series for me to follow!
March 1, 2017
I'm calling it 2-1/2. Not a great mystery, but good characters. Lots of trial argument, so steer clear if that's boring.
July 4, 2017
Received on kindle as a Giveaway. Excellent mystery with legal aspects and movie rights!
November 10, 2017
Rivetingd
A skilled and knowledgeable writer, whose history allows for a plausible and accurate story. This book holds your interest and will keep you reading into the night.
A skilled and knowledgeable writer, whose history allows for a plausible and accurate story. This book holds your interest and will keep you reading into the night.
December 27, 2017
Different
A slow start and a drag at times. Did learn several things about law and lawyers. Loved the ending and about what I expected.
A slow start and a drag at times. Did learn several things about law and lawyers. Loved the ending and about what I expected.
February 7, 2018
Suspenseful
This book had me right up until the end trying to figure out the killer. Characters were believable and intriguing. I wish there were more by this author.
This book had me right up until the end trying to figure out the killer. Characters were believable and intriguing. I wish there were more by this author.
May 6, 2018
Not believable.
December 18, 2019
This was to be the first book in a new series. It was released in 2016, sad to see there was never another. Good plot, fun characters and well written. Hopefully we'll see another soon.
December 25, 2019
I thought this would be a legal thriller, but the writing just dragged and at parts so unrealistic. I was diappointed and struggled to finsih this book.
January 7, 2020
Dissapointed
This book was a rediculous premise. The first chapter was promising but it went downhill from there. Couldn't even finish it. Not recommended.
This book was a rediculous premise. The first chapter was promising but it went downhill from there. Couldn't even finish it. Not recommended.
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