Second Chair

Stan Turner #3

by William Manchee

Drop into the home of Dallas attorney, Stan Turner, and his wife Rebekah for a Christmas Party. The house is packed with clients and friends eating, drinking and having a great time. But then the lights go out and Stan's CPA, Bobby Wiggins, is found dead. To make matters worse Bobby's wife blames her hubby's demise on Stan and Rebekah and files suit to collect two million dollars.

Then Stan takes on the defense of a young college student, Sarah Winters, accused of murdering her own baby. Stan knows this is way out of his league so he convinces his old criminal law professor, Harry Hertel, to be second chair. Much to his dismay, however, midway into the trial Harry disappears.

Bad goes to worse as Stan is stalked by a religious fanatic named Doomsayer. Then he narrowly escapes an attempt on his life and suddenly is the main attraction in a media frenzy. Despite all these distractions, Stan never loses sight of his goal to find out the truth about Sarah's baby. And when the truth is finally revealed it's not at all what anyone expects.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

316 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2000

About the author

William Manchee is an attorney by trade and practices consumer law in Texas with his son Jim. Originally from southern California, he now lives in Plano, Texas. He is the author of 25 novels including the Stan Turner Mysteries, Rich Coleman Novels, and the Tarizon Saga.

Reviews

[Sheryll · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't dislike this book, but liking is about as far as I will go. I found the dialogue awkward and at times unrealistic. He did okay with character development, but I found some of them acted so unexpected that I felt more work was needed. There were times that he'd establish a sub plot and then just leave it hanging. The big reveals near the end were lame in places. I couldn't buy the brother thing without more reason and why didn't she react? There was a lot about the stepmother for awhile/father, etc. and then it was dropped and not returned to when I expected some input. Sometimes I felt like he lost track of the story or something was edited out accidentally. I would read another, but would not purchase.

[Dwayne Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story with two mysteries for an attorney to solve; one about a girl whose baby is killed, and was a man who fell on ice really killed, or die from the accident. This story was enjoyable.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

1981, Dallas, TX. Stan Turner (husband/father, attorney) is having a Marketing Christmas party at his home.
Rebekah Turner (wife/mother, nurse) greeted Tex Weller (Cosmopolitan Life agent), Toni Weller (wife), Jodie Marshall secretary), Bobby Wiggins (CPA), Marleen Wiggins (wife), Joanna Winburn (client, exotic dancer), & the many other guests who arrived.
Later Rebekah came running screaming, Bobby is lying on a string of broken Christmas lights in a puddle of water.
His burnt flesh odor was in the air.
Detective Paul Delacroix arrived at the house.
The ME said he died of a heart attack.
911 was called.
Tom Winters (husband/father, Christian Scientist) called Stan.
His daughter Sarah Winters (ASU; journalism student) had a baby & it was found in a dumpster.
Beverly Blake (Channel 12 reporter) was airing about the baby killer.
Methodist Hospital (Sherman). Stan accompanied by Tom went to speak with Sarah.

Stan had to tell Joyce (wife/stepmother) & Nathan (stepson/brother, Arizona U FB jock) he took the case.
Lieutenant Bernie Meadows (Sherman PD Homicide) is handling the investigation, & DA Howard “Howie” Hudson (Texas A&M FB jock, JD) is assigned to/for the Winter case.
Carelli's restaurant. Dr./Professor Harry “Snake” Hertel (SMU PhD; criminal law, attorney) & Stan began to plot their defense.
Please stand for the Honorable Judge Albert B. Brooks (Stanford; JD).

The 877th District Court of Grayson County, TX is now in session.
Defense table; Stan, Dr./Professor Hertel & Sarah: Prosecution table; DA Howard Hudson, Asst. DA Margie Westcott (St. Mary's Law School; JD, NYU) & Lieutenant Meadows.
The bail is set at $50,000. The defendant is remanded into the custody of the county Sheriff until the bond has been posted.
Bart Colby (bondsman) had arrived.

The Doomsayer has been leaving Stan threatening notes.
Sergeant Harvey Robards (Dallas PD) & others have been assigned to keep an eye on the Turner family.
The hearing continued. More witnesses were called/cross-examined.

Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written legal thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great legal thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Top Publications; ReadingDeals; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Chair by William Manchee
Have read a series, Death Pact by this author and loved it so much I bought the others in the series.
Liked this book as it starts out with Stan Turner being shown to a jail cell where there's a lazy boy recliner, fridge with cold beer and a TV in the cell.
Story starts and I found there are two stories in this book. One is he's being charged with an incident at his house when having a Christmas party for his clients. He's a laywer and appreciates them all.
He takes on a client who's been charged with murdering her own baby. Lots of twists and turns and very investigative details. Love hearing about them all although I didn't like the subject-I am a romance reader and reviewer.
Like to go outside my genre from time to time and glad I was able to read this book.
Really enjoyed this one and look forward to more from this series.
Received this book years ago from the author and this is my honest opinon.

[Kay Hagan-Haller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could have been a really good lawyer book but the plot was so convoluted with three separate cases. The major case was a girl charged with murdering her newborn but she has no memory of that night. A second murdered baby was found that night and the main character is being sued by his good friend’s wife after he dies on the sidewalk in front of his home at a party. It can get rather confusing. There were also some obvious mistakes that an editor should have caught where one person is speaking but it says a different name. There are pages that end in mid sentence but a new sentence starts on the next page.

If you enjoy reading about lawyers solving cases, you will most likely enjoy this book.

[Laura Lipton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book from VRO. The story is complicated and was interesting enough to hold attention. The characters were well drawn and the court room scenes were realistic. Stan Turner is a great mystery writer.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read with many twists.

[Kennedy Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure about this book because it’s not something I am used to reading but it was such a good read and there was no confusion at the end.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was rather excited when I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program. But that excitement didn't last long.

I'm pretty sure no one even resembling an editor ever took a look at this book. There were just so many errors, like characters we just mentioned were not present speaking, and weird shifts from 1st to 3rd person and back again. I also had no idea when anything was happening as the book doesn't even try to keep track of its own date and time. It took me over 100 pages to figure out that this book took place in the 1980s, and then the trial date is set before the crime even occurred. The dialogue was awkward and full of talking heads, and I honestly didn't like any of the characters.

The writing in the book was not very engaging. I didn't get the feeling that the author knew anything about law or hypnosis, two major elements of the book. And I now see the author is lawyer, so I know he must know about these things, it just doesn't come across at all. The lawyers do most of the testifying and even the courtroom scenes, which should have been engaging, fall flat.

At the very least, I feel that the main character is a pretty terrible lawyer. He spends a good chunk of time explaining that guilty or not, the girl needs a good lawyer, only to freak out a bit later that he may go to hell for defending her if she is really guilty. Major sign that you probably can't handle being a defense attorney.

This book had two mysteries, but the first is quickly forgotten about and only mentioned as something we still need to figure out, and then tied up really quickly and unsatisfying at the end. The main mystery isn't much better, with a sudden revelation at the end that wasn't really clever but more of just...huh?

I honestly can't recommend this book, I have no desire to check out any other books in this series, and, unfortunately, its books like this that make me incredibly wary of self publishing.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary
Second Chair by William Manchee revolves around protagonist Stan Turner, a Dallas civil attorney who has been forced to represent young college student Sarah Winters, accused of murdering her newborn child. Lacking experiences with criminal cases, Stan seeks help from his previous law professor Harry Hertel as the second chair. While struggling with this high-profile case, Stan also faces his own financial problems and an accidental death on his property.

My Thoughts
The author has a great writing style, and he is very skilled at scripting a natural yet convincing plot that makes the story believable. He didn't incorporate fancy techniques or pretentious words but wrote detailed and persuasive recollection of events surrounding Stan's life and the trial. The dialogue is sophisticated and authentic, providing a more realistic depth to these characters and the storyline. The author also did a great job at character development, creating dynamic, interesting, and likable characters.

This is an enthralling story with multiple tightly-woven subplots and a huge revelation at the end. They add complexity and tension to the overall story and are just what this book needs to become a page-turner. I appreciated that there are humor in the dialogue, which did made me laugh.

This is no doubt a wonderful book. However, I did find a few minor things that bothered me. The editing is definitely not perfect as there are several typographical errors throughout the book. A few times in the story, the narrative point of view switches around, but the changes are very abrupt, which kind of confused me for a while.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and I will definitely check out other works in this series.


* This book was provided by the author and/or its publisher in exchange for a honest review.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stan Turner is a civil attorney who keeps falling into criminal law. He does not plan to take on a murder trial, it just seems to happen.

This time he is defending a young woman who is charged with killing her newborn infant. In small town Texas, that means she might as well admit her guilt so she can be killed in the town square.

Stan asks a former law teacher to help him with the trial. And this defense has drawn a series of threats to Stan and his family. Someone considers him as guilty as his client.

The case he is trying to defend is complicated. And nearly every day brings a new twist. Yet Stan feels certain that the defendant did not kill her baby, even though she cannot remember anything about the night of the delivery.

Oh yes, did I mention that at a Christmas party at his home, one of his best friends died by slipping on the sidewalk and now the widow is suing for $2,000,000?

Stan is an interesting hero. He is ethical and honest. He believes in his client, and being true to his family and friends. He is the kind of attorney everyone would like to have if they needed a defense for murder.

This is a well plotted book. There are a lot of things going on at the same time and as the reader progresses through the story each thread seems to untangle a little bit. It keeps your interest. Characterizations are well developed. The secondary characters add to the story and bring texture to the book.

If you like mystery and legal thrillers, this is a book for you.

I won this book from the publisher and the only request was that I provide a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average Mystery/Thriller. It wasn't bad, just nothing really special.

The book is written in the first person but the author occasionally slips up and switches momentarily to third person - I noticed it about a half dozen times - it wasn't for more than a sentence or two but in a couple of cases it caused momentary confusion and took me out of the story.

Written in a basic "just the facts" kind of way; There isn't a lot in the way of detailed descriptive passages (which is fine) but when there is (particularly in the sections where Sarah Winters takes over the narrative) it seems to get a little bogged down by too much information of little consequence - to be fair, this could very well be a case of the reader (me) being thrown off by the change in style to the point that it seemed a larger issue than it was in reality.

I also found the dialogue to be unrealistic, it seemed a bit simplistic in some sections and stilted and overly formal at other times. The latter style actually worked very well in the courtroom sections but was hit-and-miss elsewhere throughout the book.

The book is a little over 300-pages (325-pages, I think) and I had a pretty good idea who was responsible for the baby's death around page 100. It wasn't an "Ah-ha, mystery solved!" situation, just an inkling that it was more likely than not.

If you're just looking for something to occupy your time then you might like this book, if you want something thrilling or an edge of your seat type mystery then you'll probably be a little disappointed.

Contains a few instances of strong language and some adult situations.

***I won this book in a GoodReads First Read contest.

[Dave Bell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to find that the first book I won on First Reads was a legal thriller, one of my go-to genres. I really, really wanted to like this book. Alas, it was not to be.

The basic plot was okay, I guess. But the execution was very disappointing. The legalese was paper thin. Characters, likewise, were one-dimensional. Dialogue was awkward or unrealistic. The pacing was all over the map. At times, things developed slowly. Other times, an entire scene would unfold in the course of a paragraph; literally, the scene would start to unfold, someone would die or end up in a ditch in the middle of the paragraph, and then the pivotal scene would be over a couple sentences later.

And, jeez (or "geez," but please not "geese," as the author actually spelled it at one point), hire an editor! In addition to helping with the spelling and punctuation, a good one could point out where it doesn't make sense to have a character speak moments after pointing out his absence, or to refer to something as having happened "the other day" almost immediately after saying several weeks' worth of investigation, followed by a vacation cruise, had transpired since the event being referred to.

Having read the author's bio, I think it's cool that he has discovered a hobby that gives him pleasure, and I hope he has that outlet for as long as he wants it. I'll keep sampling the occasional unfamiliar author; the anticipation, if nothing else, is kind of fun. But "Second Chair" makes me want to first spend a little quality time with old friends like Turow, Lescroart, Margolin, et al. I do believe I've earned it.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in quite awhile. I'd have to say it was excellent from the first page to the last. Author William Manchee's "Second Chair" is a legal thriller that is also a great "Who Done It" ! Our protagonist is lawyer Stan Turner who does not practice criminal but civil law. At a pre-Chrsitmas party at Turner's house a guest gets hurt and dies after falling outside on the icy sidewalk. Of course the widow is out for blood suing Turner for an outrageous sum. But, Stan is drawn into a murder case. It seems a young college girl gave birth in her dorm room, and is accused of killing the infant. Turner knows he's in way over his head and brings in a "Second Chair" who is Harry Hertel, better known as "Snake". This page turner is gripping and very intense. the characters come alive out of the pages. I found myself rooting very hard for Stan's team to dig out from under the mess he was buried in. Mr. Manchee has written a fantastic book here, which is the third book in his Stan Turner series. I've not read the first two, and it took me some time to find out this was taking place in 1981. But no matter. I loved reading this book 100 % and without a doubt 5 stars out of 5. Too bad I cannot give it 6 stars. Will be after more of Mr. Manchee's Stan Turner series in the very near future. Do not miss this book !! It grabs onto you and holds right through the very last page. ! Highly recommend !

[T.R. Horne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review. I really enjoyed the storyline but there were some things that took me out of the story a bit. The story covers the trial of an alleged baby killer who is represented by the main character, Stan Turner. The book travels through the threats, publicity and interweaving of a secondary civil suit put on Mr. Turner. There's a lit happening in this novel which is one of the things I really liked. I didn't mind continuing to read it because there was a hefty dose of mystery and the desire to see how it unfolds. Now, the parts that were a barrier to me as I read...dialogue. The dialogue suffers tremendously throughout the book. Teenagers sound like seasoned adults, wives sound like foul-mouthed sailors and that's not all. The writing style is very "basic" with no real in depth writing or interesting word play. Many parts in the novel seemed to state things that didn't need to be stated and slowed the story down (things like: got out the car, locked the door and walked to the building). Not to mention, the author over killed the whole abortion compared to death of a child angle with every cast member in the book. Overall, the case itself was good enough to keep me flipping pages. I enjoyed it even with all the small nuances.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should start this review by saying that I was lucky to receive this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program.

Attorney Stan Turner gets in over his head when he agrees to defend a young college student accused of murdering her newborn child. Wisely Stan asks his former college professor and fellow lawyer, Harry "Snake" Hertel to be his second chair. Things become more complicated when Stan starts receiving death threats and a former friend sues him for 2 million dollars.

The story had an interesting premise. There were lots of unexpected plot twists. I did not realize until I was on page 18 that this story doesn't take place in present day, and until page 87 that it takes place in 1981-82.

Unfortunately I found the dialog to be stiff and awkward, the characters to be very one dimensional, the pacing to be odd (sometimes too fast and other times way too slow), and some of the plot developments to be completely unrealisltic. I wanted to like his book a lot more than I did, but overall it was a decent thriller with some surprising twists and turns. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick easy read.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am an avid mystery reader and was excited when the book arrived; but I found this story wanting. I was able to follow the story, but re-listening to chapters thinking I had missed something. I had some trouble understanding the motivation of the characters. There were many unanswered questions that tended to make the events unbelievable. I especially had difficulty with the character Snake; he was very unprofessional, and his actions in real life would have gotten him disbarred and probably arrested. The trial was contrived, I thought I was watching a Perry Mason show. The unnecessary filler was confusing, and another reason I re-listened thinking I had missed something. The dialogue was simplistic, so when advanced vocabulary was used it was glaringly out of place. After completing the "book" I had the feeling Mr Manchee had written 2 short stories and tried weave them into one book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by William Manchee. Stan Turner is sued for the death of a friend. He also is handling a murder case of a young woman who was accused of murdering her own baby, even though she doesn't remember anything. Stan and his family is also being harassed by a religious fanatic named Doomsayer. Can he handle all of this at once?

I found myself completely absorbed in this book. I enjoyed this book just as much as I had the previous book in this series. I loved the action in the courtroom and how evidence just pops out. I also enjoyed the unexpected ending. I love how Stan is always willing to do more than is expected of him. He goes out of his way to make sure his clients are taken care of. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading another book in this series!

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read the first three books of the Stan Turner series and so far this is my favorite. Manchee didn't have so many seperate things going on in this book as in Brash Endeavor. Stan was dealing with just two things: being sued after a client died after slipping on the ice at his home and defending a lady who was accused of killing her newborn baby. Stan doesn't do much criminal work so he got his former law school professor, the Snake, to second chair him at the trial.

The ending was also a good one...if Manchee had ended the book with 50 pages left. Instead he goes one step too far. The first twist would have been plenty, the second was just too much.

There was also less editorial errors in this book then in earlier books. Still not perfect but better.

Manchee tells a good story. Enjoyable read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding story in the Stan Turner mystery series. The author is able to bring together two diverse great problems to challenge Stan Turner once again. This story will force you to not put this book down until you finished it. It is incredible how the author blends such seemingly different components together to lure you into Stan Turner's world. In one sense things seem totally preposterous but as the story develops they actually make sense. And once again the ending will blow you away. One of the best things I like about Mr. Manchee's writing is that his style is so different from other authors I read. These books take me to a totally enjoyable place I love. Will Stan Turner actually catch more than just an occasional lucky break? Who knows. I highly recommend this book - very entertaining. This is a book I will reread many times.

[Karyn Niedert]

January 06, 2015 updated note: I never received this book, but am marking it as "read" so it won't appear as an un-reviewed "won" book.



As of April 26, I have not received my copy of "Second Chair". I did receive Book 3 of Mr. Manchee's "Tarizon" series this afternoon. I'm sure it was a simple mix up.

I was very excited about winning "Second Chair" during Mr. Manchee's February Goodreads giveaway. This looks like a very intriguing series, and I'll be certain to look for the Stand Turner books at my local library. I will be happy to provide an unbiased and honest assessment of the books here on Goodreads once I have read them.

I do appreciate Mr. Manchee, as well as all the other wonderful authors and publishers that contribute to allow Goodreads to match up interested readers with wonderful books. Thank you to all!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both my husband and I really enjoyed this novel. No spoilers from us, but suffice to say that there is every aspect of a page turner in this book. You have great characters, lots of intrigue and mystery, and even though you assume you have the answers, you will be wrong. It is a book that held our interest throughout and we would recommend this book to anyone who likes a driven main character with a lot of substance. Waiting for a plot twist is my favorite part of a mystery and this book has all that and much more. We are both looking forward to the next set of adventures of Stan Turner for darned sure.

We received this book complimentary with no compensation other than a fair review.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through the goodreads firstreads program . The book is about a lawyer who takes the case of a college student, accused of killing her baby after giving birth. Along the way, he's faced with a lawsuit from the wife of a colleague who dies at a party at his house. Someone is sending him anonymous, threatening letters for defending the mother. And he's never taken a criminal case, his specialty is bankruptcy law.
The book was interesting, and I liked the story. It was told in 95% dialogue though, making it a bit of an awkward read. It was very simple and clipped. The writing brought to mind an old black and white B movie. I was surprised this book was part of a series, so it wasn't a first attempt at writing.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the GoodReads giveaways this is the fourth book I've received by William Manchee.
One of the many benefits of this wonderful site is the exposure to books and authors I may have never come across otherwise.
Manchee delivers another mystery/thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and the pages turning in this third installment in the Stan Turner series.
With likeable characters and enough mystery and intrigue to keep you guessing, this is one enjoyable series.

**(On the off chance that it wasn't clear, I received a free copy of this book through a GoodReads First Reads giveaway)

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Manchee kept me in suspense wondering what really happened in Second Chair. There was more than one murder, lies, and many suspects. It bothers me when a baby dies whether its murdered after it's born or an abortion. So just reading about what happened to Sarah Winters, who was accused of murdering her own baby upset me as I read. The truth was even more upsetting for me.
Stan's wife is so loyal, and the money he earns for the family is so tight, that attorney Stan Turner is very likable, trustworthy, and interesting person to know. I totally enjoy Stan Turner and the multiple problems and court scenes going on at the same time.

[Gentle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read a Stan Turner book or anything by author William Manchee. Other than a few typos and a letter dropped every now and then from one of the character's names, the book was well written in my opinion. The story drew me in to the drama and mystery of it all. It was a nice challenge trying to figure out who did what without falling for the obvious suspects. Not to spoil it for anyone, the book ended with a nice twist. Part of it was a little too over the top for me, but it was a good read as a whole.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first reads book that I won. Thank you.

Stan is a nice guy maybe more than he should be. He is defending Sarah who supposedly killed her baby but she cannot remember the night at all. Also Stan has a Christmas party where one of his friends dies and then his widow sues Stan. Stan doesn't have a lot of good luck. He has threats being sent, no good witnesses and everything crashing in on him as he struggles to keep his business going and he doesn't usually do criminal cases but Sarah's Dad wants him. What a ride and good ending.

[Ishanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this one on goodreads First Reads giveaway. I love mysteries! Can't wait to get started on this!

**Update**
I'm sorry, but I was disappointed. I figured that this would surely be better than Undaunted due to it being a second book in a series. There should have been room for improvement. But once again, Stan is accused of yet another crime he didn't commit. I found it repetitive and I'm hoping the next in the series takes a new path.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this novel for free from Goodreads' First Reads program.

I have to say, although I really enjoyed this book, it seemed a little rehearsed. I figured out way before the end and the big reveal, who did the crime. The main character still needs some work, however his other characters seemed to jump off the page.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. If legal thrillers are your genre, then you will not be disappointed.

[John Mckeel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads and I am glad I did. I wasn't familiar with the author (William Manchee)or his continuing character, Stan Turner. I am now and I will be reading his other books with this character. If you want a book to entertain you and keep you wondering how he is going to solve all his ongoing problem, this is the book for you, It will keep you on the edge of your seat. Has a good mystery to be solved and several interesting characters.