Move over, Jake Brigance. No-nonsense, world-weary Minneapolis lawyer Marc Kadella shines through gritty, street-wise narrative in Dennis Carstens’ action-packed legal thriller series, sure to please fans of courtroom drama and classic noir alike.
Marc takes the proverbial road less traveled, going from life as a frustratingly floundering defense attorney to that of a celebrated criminal lawyer, while representing a handful of colorful clients running the gauntlet from vigilante to psychopath. And Marc deftly adapts to each of them. But the hero’s journey is only part of the fun. You can almost see the men sporting fedoras, and the babes would stop traffic even without the cleavage Carstens makes their standard attire. And there’s a contemporary angle sure to please fans of both sexes—the toughest guy in the series is gorgeous investigator Maddy Rivers.
BOOK ONE – THE KEY TO JUSTICE
Financially embarrassed, getting a divorce, living in a shabby apartment, and distinctly short of clients, Marc Kadella’s beginning to question why he ever went into the law when a friend brings him the case all Minneapolis is watching--defending an accused serial killer. If he wins, it could turn his life around— if he blows it, he better go into sales.
BOOK TWO – DESPERATE JUSTICE
After winning the case of a lifetime, Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer Marc Kadella welcomes the infusion of energy his career is receiving. Another lawyer asks him to represent the co-defendant in a murder trial resulting from a petty crime that spiraled out of control—the somewhat “accidental” murder of the nephew of Vivian Corwin, grande dame of the influential Corwin family.
BOOK THREE – MEDIA JUSTICE
An adorable—and photogenic—two-year-old girl is kidnapped, and, when her remains are found, her twenty-two-year-old widowed mother Brittany is charged with her murder. But before she can even be charged she’s been tried and convicted by the media—with tragic consequences.
BOOK FOUR – CERTAIN JUSTICE
Marc was torn about representing oft-assumed psychopath Howie Traynor—his first homicide case—but even he was relieved when Howie was put away for forty years… Until, a decade later, his case is re-opened. And now not only Howie, but a handful of wrongfully-accused felons are back out on the streets.
BOOK FIVE – PERSONAL JUSTICE
In Dennis Carstens’ fifth hard-boiled legal thriller, we meet the classic black widow. All of Mackenzie Sutherland’s late husbands were millionaires. Each died suddenly and quite mysteriously of massive heart attacks (in spite of no history of heart trouble). And each left their children with nothing—and their young, beautiful bride (of about a year or so) with millions.
No one can resist Mackenzie’s charm. Not her current family attorney, not even sharp, successful lawyer Marc Kadella.
BOOK SIX – DELAYED JUSTICE
Maddy’s new beau, investment analyst Rob Judd, is found brutally murdered in his home—with an unconscious Maddy at the gruesome scene of the crime, clutching the murder weapon. Convinced she was framed, Marc decides to take on the case in spite of his close connections to the client.
Dennis Carstens was born in Worthington, MN, and has lived most of his life in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. He received a BA from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. from a highly respected private law school, William Mitchell, in St. Paul. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a retired trial lawyer, Carstens brings these life experiences to his fiction for a dose of realism and accuracy missing from much of the legal thriller genre today.
The writing is stellar, the settings and dialogue make everything 3d focused and the problems are real. Justice moves slowly and being a lawyer is not glamorous like on tv. It takes hard work, quick thinking and a dash of bravado to be any good. Marc Kadella is very good. Having gotten to know him through this six volume set I definitely want to have his number in case I ever need a criminal defense attorney.
The Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Vol 1-6 (Box Set) contains the first 6 books in the legal mystery Series by Dennis Carstens. It has drama, intrigue, interesting storylines, and plenty of mystery. This is my first foray into Mr. Carstens stories, so I didn’t really know what to expect going in. I love a great mystery, and legal/courtroom based mysteries are a particular favourite of mine. I did enjoy the stories, but there were a few minor issues with the delivery, such as editing issues and a few procedural mistakes which disrupted the flow, and made the stories less convincing than they could have been with just a little bit more polishing. The box set contains:
The Key to Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Book #1)
3 Stars The Key to Justice is the first book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries series by Dennis Carstens. Here we are introduced to Attorney Marc Kadella, who has had a tough time of late. His practice is struggling, and his personal life is a mess. So, when he is handed a high-profile case to defend an accused serial killer, Marc’s life is about to get a whole lot more interesting. And so, the story begins. The plot was quite clever and well thought out- but the delivery was a little lacking. Editing issues really detracted from my reading experience, which is a real pity- because this book/series really does have the potential to be brilliant. But the story did keep me intrigued enough to want to know what happens. I will read the next book in the hope that the editing issues will be resolved in future instalments.
Desperate Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Book #2)
3 Stars Desperate Justice is the second book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. It has drama, mystery, intrigue, politics, and more. In this instalment Marc will need to defend a former Judge on murder charges. There is much to uncover, and we are taken on a bit of a rollercoaster ride as the story unfolds. An interesting addition to the series.
Media Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Book #3)
3 Stars Media Justice is the third book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. Marc Kadella defends a young single mother is charged with the murder of her adorable 2 year-old daughter. There is a public outcry, and the young mother is tried in the media, before she even gets the chance to do so in the courtroom. What happens, you ask? Well, you really should read all the details for yourself to avoid me giving away any spoilers. The story felt quite realistic and believable.
Certain Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Book #4)
3 Stars Certain Justice is the fourth book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. It is a legal mystery, with murder, psychopath, court procedure, drama, intrigue, interesting characters, and some suspense. A convicted psychopath who had been sentenced to 40 years in jail has his case reopened and is later released when the DNA evidence is overturned. Four other prisoners are also released due to the DNA slipup. But things get intense when judges, jury members and law enforcement officers are being targeted by a serial killer. Has Marc got a target on his back? Read the story to find out.
Personal Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Book #5)
3 Stars Personal Justice is the fifth book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. This story has mystery, suspense, intrigue, drama, surprising developments, and gripping details. One of the more interesting stories in the series so far- this is a “Back-Widow” mystery. Mackenzie Sutherland has had a string of very wealthy husbands who all died very unexpectedly, leaving all their wealth to their young wife. Mackenzie proves to be as charming as she is beautiful. But is she really responsible for the deaths. Or is there more to the story? A fast-paced thriller!
Delayed Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series Book #6)
3 Stars Delayed Justice is the sixth book in the Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries Series by Dennis Carstens. This instalment has mystery, intrigue, drama, murder, money laundering, a ruthless Mexican drug cartel, a dangerous hitman, a set up, hidden agendas, politics, the police, and FBI. This story hits close to home for Marc Kadella when his friend and investigator, Maddy Rivers is found unconscious at the scene of a murder, with the murder weapon in her hands. Marc will need to dig deep to prove Maddy has been framed and uncover what really happened. There is more to the story than first appears. An intriguing addition to the series.
The storyline was very good and the insight into a ‘real’ lawyer’s daily life was interesting. But the writing style ——- oh my God it was just awful!!!!
Appalling grammar, convoluted sentences that did not make any sense because they were missing a verb, sometimes even a subject. And don’t get me started on the vocabulary. Is it possible that a lawyer can make so many mistakes?!
At the very least use a professional editor so that the possessive does not get an apostrophe added to it, but a contraction does. You know, the stuff they teach in primary school.
Book 1 was so excruciating I didn’t even bother to read the other books in the set.
This writer , to me, is on the same level as any of the top " lawyer novelist. Equal to early works by Grisham. I cannot believe I was able to read all of these together. Story line was generally great, last one I did have a hard time keeping the characters names straight. I look forward to reading more Mark Kadell. I would highly recommend this author .
This is one of the best Legal Mysteries series I have read thus far. Great characters, great story lines, a real page turner that kept me up way to late into the night. A must read for all Mystery readers...Thanks
So the stories are really good and I enjoy the characters. Its really tough to follow when there are typos and charcters' names change in the same paragraph. Is it judge Riuz, Rios or Rio?? There also seems to be a number of characters that have two children that wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire. Its funny the first time you read it but unimaginative the second time. Not sure if that's a common phrase in the twin cities or if the author just likes using it. Regardless, it shouldn't be in the same book. I had to stop reading due to the annoying errors.
One of the best legal series I've read in a long time. Could not put the 6 book series down. There were unexpected twists and turns in each book. One downfall was the repetition during the trials. I see why Carstens found it necessary, because books are not always read beginning with the first book of a series. However, by the end of the series I knew what the next paragraph would be based on the trial. On a positive note, the books do not end with a trial. Carstens doesn't make the books about the trial as much as what happens to characters after the trial. Very interesting and highly recommended.
Having just finished reading the 6-volume box set of these thought-provoking early works, this review could have garnered a well-deserved 5 Star rating. Unfortunately, the lack of editing, which resulted in paragraph-long run-on sentences, missing punctuation, and a seeming aversion to commas very often left the prose disjointed, distracting, and, ocassionally confusing. Since legal thrillers are my favorite genre, I look forward to reading more of Marc Kadella's court room brilliance. I sincerely hope the editing will rise to the same level.
If you like Grisham, you're going to like Dennis Carstens. The characters and story lines are interesting and believable. Twists and turns you didn't see coming will keep you guessing.
I read book 8 before this set of books, and the one thing I found repetitive were the descriptions of the characters. Exactly the same in each book. Still looking forward to reading book 7.
I really like the cases/stories, the insider knowledge of the court system and the “real” of a small firm lawyer’s experience. Unfortunately, big stop signs smash into my enjoyment with too many run-on sentences, improper word usage (site for sight; reign for rein), subject-verb agreement, misplaced punctuation and lack of punctuation. The final straw was reading the “he” of a male restaurant server being transformed into “she”in the very next sentence.
I got this box set of Marc Kadella books and haven't been able to quit reading until I finished the last one. The characters are so well defined that a picture of each one, including personalities and quirks, is alive and in color in my mind. This one of only a few series that I hold in such high esteem. Believe me, this is a set you'll want to read if you like mystery, murder, suspense, courtroom drama, all in perfectly palatable proportions!
Good group of legal cases - none are simple of course and Perry Mason is not here although he is mentioned. Good cast of characters, several carry through all the books. The additions for each novel are interesting and each case has a twist/complexity that keeps the reader engaged.
Not sure I'll read more but might. After all, there were 6 in this set and there are tons of other books.
I thought no one could be topped with James Patterson but I was wrong! Dennis Carstens' legal mysteries series is a page Turner! It will keep you guessing and flipping the pages till the last page. It's hard to just read a few pages. I stumbled across this series and I'm so happy that I did! Yes I recommend this series to anyone who's looking for a good read.
I have never read detailed books about lawyers and their cases. These books had very interesting stories and lead you through the legal process masterfully.. In reading these books I realized there are 2 sides to a situation... I also enjoyed the characters and storyline.
Beautifully written, great characters and solid plots. This author is one of the best for making his characters come alive, I have a hard time sleeping each time I start one of his books!
Interesting stories, they were tied together well, most has surprise endings, didn’t see that coming type. The main Characters were well developed and likable.
Absolutely amazing...am totally following this author
I chose this book because I love legal and courtroom mystery and drama. Mr. carstens brings a whole new level of mystery as well as underhanded and comp!lacated Good and bad players into the mix. Love it!
I enjoyed each and everyone of these books! They are all so exciting and kept my attention throughout each book in the series. I love the characters and how they have formed a great team in solving crime and putting away the killers. I will be reading more from this author for sure!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Maddy’s problem and how Marc and Tony reacted to it. I liked that Marc and Tony were now on the “other side” of the situation and they now had to identify with the feelings of their clients.
Living in Minnesota, the location of these books made them extra interesting for me. The characters are compelling, all with complete back stories. Now that I've completed these, I'll be looking for more books by Dennis Carstens.
Really good, fascinating, can't-put-it-down stories. My primary school teachers, however, would be dismayed that a supposedly well-educated lawyer exhibits such poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
These stories are well developed with believable characters. There are legal procedures and terms used appropriately to add context to action. Enjoy this interesting series!
These books have some very gory murders in them. If you are at all squeamish, you might want to skip them. However, I did appreciate them. (I can't say I enjoyed them because of the method of several of the deaths.)
With strong character development, Dennis Carstens has created an excellent look into the ugly realities of our legal system. And it’s very gratifying, at least in these books, that the good guys do win. Highly recommend.
I found the storyline a bit confusing but once again the author pulled it altogether. somewhat convoluted and perhaps went on a bit longer than necessary. In the end everything works out well which is usually the case.
Excellent characterization and plot. However court proceedings described in too much detail and lots of irritating errors in language matters as a result of sloppy editing. Despite these, I thoroughly enjoyed all six books.
From first to last, great cast of characters. Hope to read more in this series. Love how Marc is able to rely on his friends to be there when they are called, even if they do things somewhat unconventional
Twisted end I never saw coming. Excellent look at a lawyer’s life that we all love to dispare. You can’t help but like him. A fictional story from a real lawyer. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series