The Mayor of Lexington Avenue

Jack Tobin #1

by James Sheehan

Jack Tobin is a trial lawyer with a searing-hot reputation in Miami, far removed from his scrappy youth on the streets of New York.

But when a young man, Rudy, is railroaded into a murder conviction in the tiny Florida backwater of Bass Creek, Tobin resolves to pay back a debt to his best friend, the boy who once dubbed him 'the Mayor of Lexington Avenue'.

Heartbreak, tragedy, courtroom drama and the hope of redemption play out in this utterly page-turning, thought-provoking legal thriller.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Legal Thriller, Crime, Legal

420 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2005

About the author

James Sheehan was born in New York City and grew up there in a four-room railroad apartment with his five brothers and sisters.

He started working at the age of twelve, shining shoes at a local shoe-repair shop. At fourteen, he had a newspaper round. He worked at a local delicatessen, an antique store where he stripped and delivered furniture, as a construction worker during the summers, a short-order cook throughout his college years, and as a roofer's assistant while he attended graduate school in Florida.

He is currently a trial attorney in St. Petersburg, Florida where he has practiced law for over 30 years. His experience of growing up in New York has shaped his life.

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The courtroom drama was excellent. The book was well written. The characters were interesting and believable. Sheehan had me convinced that Rudy would be released from death row. Therefore, I was surprised when he was executed. That twist added a whole new dimension to the story. Sheehan did an excellent job pacing the suspense. I was surprised to learn that this is the author’s first book. I sure hope there are more books to come. Looking for an exciting legal drama, try this book.

I read this as a paperback. It is 404 pages. Published in 2005 by St. Martin Press.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got about a quarter of the way through this & just gave up. It was too predictable & the reader wasn't doing that much for me. I doubt I'd like it as a regular book, either. I couldn't care less about anyone involved.

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

- freelance coverage book assignment

[Justin Matott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review I did for the Rocky Mtn News

• Plot in a nutshell: In balmy Bass Creek, Fla., a young convenience store clerk named Rudy, with an IQ of 75, bumbles into the life of loose and seductive Lucy Ochoa, hoping to get a little action. She invites him to her house - only to suffer fatal consequences when her jealous lover sees Rudy leaving, slits her throat and skips town.

Police Detective Sergeant Wesley Brume arrives on the scene and, in his haste to make a name for himself, frames Rudy, who eventually ends up on death row. During Rudy's 10-year stretch on death row, those who try to work on the case turn up dead.

Enter Jack Tobin, a wealthy Miami lawyer, who is coincidentally moving to Bass Creek. Tobin gets involved in Rudy's case after realizing that his best friend in New York, Mikey, was Rudy's estranged biological father. Jack owes Rudy's father a great debt because of indiscretions from childhood days. Thus, he's compelled to wade in to save Rudy. Soon Jack is fighting a criminal lawyer who is Mafia-connected and will do anything to get his clients off, including murder.

Let the fireworks begin.

• Sample of prose: "Cobb County was located at the northwest corner of Lake Okeechobee in the south central part of the state, where the word 'cracker' didn't refer to something you ate."

• Author reminds me of: Early John Grisham mixed with a dash of David Baldacci's legal and character development and Patricia Cornwell's ability to move a story along at a brisk pace.

• Best reason to read: Mayor tackles the controversial issue of capital punishment in a flawed legal system by putting a human face on it. Sheehan could have resorted to a didactic position, but instead has drawn a thoughtful narrative with engaging characters and an engrossing plot line. This is the kind of novel you want to curl up with and read straight through - a fast-paced, dandy debut.

Justin Matott

[Shanon · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning I had a hard time following the interwoven stories but once I had my head around the characters I was impressed and enthralled by the story.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is told in several parts with character development stories from the past as the beginning followed by the middle and then the end.

Jack Tobin is a lawyer who has made a lot of money mostly by defending insurance companies. He is also an asshole. He has been considering retiring to small town in Florida and is making that move. Before he has though his best friend dies (a friend to whom he owes a substantial debt) setting off a change in Jack. He realizes he has been an asshole most of his life and when it turns out his friend has a son who is mentally challenged on death row he knows he has to try and help boy even though he is not a criminal lawyer.

I really enjoyed the book and the way it tells virtually separate stories, weaving them together as the book progresses. The legal portions seem realistic and it is good to get an appreciation of how courts and criminal cases work and how the system is often unfair to poor or mentally challenged. There are a few points which are a bit contrived and somewhat unbelievable (like Jack's small town just happens to be the one where the crime took place) but in general they do not detract from the story.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a prime example of why I don't read dust jackets.

My favorite aspect of The Mayor of Lexington Avenue was trying to decipher how the two divergent story lines in the first part of the book would come together, and then enjoying how well the back-story given by those first two seemingly disassociated plots gives context to the rest of the book.

Had I read the dust jacket first, I would've already known how they come together and that truly would've lessened the impact of this book for me.

So: pick it up, skip the synopsis, and just start with page one: Lucy liked to fish in the daylight..

Oh, and don't let chapter one throw you...it's not all like that. Keep reading.

Four stars. (UCBC rating 3.75)

[juice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is rubbish. Anyone who likes it has clearly got no critical faculties whatsoever.

There are so many errors and so much sloppy writing in this book it's quite clear the editor simply gave up on it. (Most of the rubbish is in the second half, after the hands had been thrown in the air.)


If you can think critically and logically, follow a plot line and know ANYTHING about the law, you will hate this book.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good storyline for the author's first book. Takes place in florida, so includes descriptions of the country streams, lakes, etc. that make Florida so tropical!

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story, great courtroom thriller. Thouroughly enjoyed this book, really fine debut novel. I will certainly buy future novels from this author.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read recently. Sheehan's follow-up to this book is "The Law of Second Chances" which is also a must-read.

[Henri Moreaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoy a good legal thriller and was a little put off by the seemingly odd title to this novel, however after sitting on my shelf for awhile I got past the odd title and stepped into a rather good story line. The initial lead in of the story makes use of flashbacks to the past in order to background one of the main characters and his friend which I wasn't too big a fan of, I much would have preferred some sort of prologue or narration to cover the past aspect, but that's just me.

Once the lead in was done however the story really takes off with the murder of a local woman in a Florida backwater town called Bass Creek. A slow, almost retarded man is set up for the crime by a corrupt and lazy police officer and as the story unfolds we see a struggling mother try to raise the funds to provide for a defense lawyer, a lazy district attorney wanting to leverage the case for his career path and the failure of the justice system.

The story is quite moving at times and gets more gripping as it unfolds, if like me the flashbacks turn you off, you will be rewarded with an excellent legal thriller and court room drama if you persevere. Really enjoyed the way the story unfolded and the narrative expanded past the initial murder case into something more (I would say more but I don't wish to spoil it!).

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books where I was sad for it to end. I loved every page. For the initial part, I was wondering who was the 'Mayor of Lexington Avenue'. After that was revealed, I then wondered where he fit into the story. It all unfolded in good time, and was revealed in clever and intelligent plot building. Looking back on it, I wouldn't have changed a thing, with the protagonist's intertwining maze of historical and present day happenings.

I struggled through the pages when Rudy was put to death (surely this can't be happening?). I cried like the girl I am when Jack read Rudy's letter weeks later. The unanswered question of how Rudy knew that Nancy had died? Most of all, Rudy's comment of knowing how Jesus felt - being okay with death, and being with loved ones on the 'other side', but not the trauma of death to get there. I'm more spiritual, and less religious, and that in itself packed a huge punch for me.

The remaining half was some of the best courtroom drama in print. Right up there alongside John Grisham and Michael Connelly. I'm blown away that this is James Sheehan's debut novel, and can't wait to read his other books. I sincerely hope he has many more to write of equal caliber.

[Barbara Langlois · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyed approximately the first half of the novel. After that, fought with myself to keep reading rather than skipping to the end, reading the last 20 pages and calling it a day. The longer the story went, the sloppier and more juvenile the writing became. Surprised: by all the three and four star ratings. Not surprised: this was a debut novel. Surprised: editor didn’t have author tighten both the story and the writing. The quality of writing was too simple as was the storyline. Would have been a much better story if it had been Cut in length and tightened. Courtroom drama? No. Much better storyline would’ve been to expose Brume and Evans while “saving” Rudy at the original trial.

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone who'd had "The Mayor of Lexington Avenue", James Sheehan's first in a series, noted they thought it a great read. Lots of Florida and New York neighborhood mixed in, along with its running legal and crime themes. Some romance and spiritual connectivity as well. Wonder if John Grisham's read this book -- sadly, the tedious and incredibly corrupt measures Sheehan relates in this story of the law enforcement, political, and legal maneuvering that he observes is too prevalent. Also, gladly, the elements of sweet humanity and quest for justice, are alive in today's society as well.

[Helen O'Toole · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a first book, this was really very good indeed especially as a legal courtroom novel. Sure, there was a particularly sad & unexpected twist so that Part 3 takes on a different legal hunt for justice. I took awhile to work out why the New York 1957 characters related to the accused young man, Rudy. Once I worked that out, I was very carefully following lawyer, Jack Tobin’s desperate attempts to save the life of his best friend’s son. Some genuinely beautiful prose in this novel too especially his descriptions of how Rudy deals with the possible death sentence.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A winner from start to finish. It's not often I come across such a novel, one that's got elements of 'Bleak House', 'Huckleberry Finn', 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Al Capone, and even, believe it or not a little of Mills & Boon, but this one does. A very well-written and well-paced courtroom drama. One to treasure. Well done, James, an excellent effort for your first novel.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

I’m not sure how I ended up with this book, but am very glad that I did. It’s a very good story, one that’s hard to put down. You really get to know the characters and to emphasize with them. Every bit as good as the Lincoln Lawyer series with a few interesting twists.

[Dirk Lapere · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read, but certainly not "the courtroom thriller of the year" as touted on the cover.

The book is built on cliches: The innocent victim, the villain prosecutor, the corrupt policeman, the gangster defense lawyer, the out-for-redemption hero. All well strung together but without any sense of suspense or trickery.

Overall, I enjoyed it - but not enough to go for the next one.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took a very long time for me to get into, but once I did I couldn’t put it down. The writing was a bit cheesy but by the time I got attached to the story it became part of the charm. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre, but if you don’t, it may not be the best book to start with.

[Rebecca B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murders, a wrongly convicted person, the death penalty, crooked law Enforcement people, new love and a hero lawyer. It has it all. Well written and the story line moves along quickly. End justice -- questionable.

[Jack Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. Punchy, easy to follow, but also allows for you to grow attached to the characters. I generally try to avoid easy reads such as this but I'm glad I gave this a day or two of my reading time.

[John Machata · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. I really liked this book, but must admit that it appealed my pulse racing love of well written mysteries. Characters were well developed although emotional aspects were often superficial. Twists and turns proved a delightful roller coaster.

[Patchouli Pauli · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting twisty crime/legal drama. These types of stories can become predictably redundant, but this book kept a quick pace, and enough surprise details to have my full attention. It was not easy to put this one down to attend to mundane daily tasks.

[Melinda Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought I could predict the book. Almost gave up until my whole theory went to pot and had to change directions several times because of all the twist and turns. Very good writing and non stop reading.

[Jeff Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, plot-driven, quick read. Grishamesque legal thriller with courtroom drama and lots of police and attorney shenanigans. Sheehan does a good job of merging character history with contemporary events.

[Donald Peschken · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book is what made me read this. Never read a Sheehan book and I was pleasantly surprised as I rushed through it. Very suspenseful with great characters and loads of courtroom drama. Looking forward to reading more of James Sheehan.

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given it four stars except that the murder was described in a little too much graphic detail for my liking. Once you got past that part, the rest of the story was quite enjoyable.

[Lewis Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by this author! James Sheehan may be as good a legal thriller writer as John Grisham is!

[Leigh Cashman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. I've read it twice now and got just as much enjoyment as when I first read it. Would very highly recommend.