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Jake Lassiter #11

by Paul Levine

„Трийсет секунди след като съдебните заседатели обявиха решението си, реших да убия клиента си.“

Джейк Ласитър

Познавате адвоката Джейк Ласитър, нали? Знаете го какъв е!

Е, сега той има най-силния противник в кариерата си – самия себе си. Всичко започва с делото на Тъндър Търстън – гадно копеле, футболист, оправдан по обвинение в убийство на жена си.

Джейк не е очаквал и не е искал да спечели, защото е сигурен, че клиентът му е виновен. Когато оправдават Търстън, Ласитър се заклева да потърси собствено правосъдие! Улично правосъдие! Самоволно правосъдие!

Юридическите партньори Стив Соломон и Виктория Лорд не могат да повярват, че приятелят им е станал толкова обсебен от желанието си да убие Търстън. Според тях поведението на Джейк се дължи на мозъчните сътресения, които е получил като професионален футболист. Умоляват го да потърси лечение. Но Ласитър е неумолим. Дали това е краят на кариерата на Джейк... а също и на живота му?

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Legal Thriller, Legal, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks

346 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2017

About the author

The Genius and the Tramp Fight Fascists in 1930's Hollywood

MIDNIGHT BURNING - September 2025
“Ingeniously pairs real-life friends Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin on a roller coaster ride to save America from a fascist threat within its borders.” – Jacqueline Winspear, author of the Maisie Dobbs series.

Award-winning author Paul Levine weaves historical figures into a gripping, true-to-life plot to overthrow the U.S. government in the sizzling thriller MIDNIGHT BURNING.

It's 1937 and clouds of war gather over Europe, and American fascists march at home. While the FBI chases suspected communists, Nazi agents plot an armed insurrection. When the world’s two most famous men–Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin–uncover the scheme, which includes the assassination of Hollywood’s biggest stars, they fight back with nothing but their ingenuity, raw courage, and the fierce resolve of Georgia Ann Robinson, LAPD’s first Black female officer.

Levine—praised by The New York Times for his “realistic, gritty, and fun” novels—delivers a breathtaking thriller laced with humor and a larger-than-life cast, including Charles Lindbergh, Douglas Fairbanks, William Randolph Hearst, and Joseph Goebbels.

"This could be Levine's masterpiece." - Lee Goldberg, New York Times #1 Bestselling Author

ORDER FROM AMAZON HERE.

ORDER FROM BARNES & NOBLE HERE.

ORDER FROM BOOKSHOP HERE.

**********************************************;
Jake Lassiter tackles high school football and becomes the most hated man in Miami in EARLY GRAVE, Paul Levine's sizzling legal thriller.

"An extraordinary hero stars in a legal tale as believable as it is riveting." - Kirkus Reviews

"Levine scores with this complex and witty legal thriller. This winner works even for those new to the series." - Publishers Weekly (★starred review★)

When his godson suffers a catastrophic injury in a high school football game, lawyer Jake Lassiter sues to abolish the sport and becomes Public Enemy Number One. The former NFL linebacker also battles CTE, the fatal brain disease caused by repetitive head injuries. His personal life, too, hits a rocky patch. He's in couple's therapy with fiancée Dr. Melissa Gold and vows to live long enough to fix his relationship and achieve justice for his godson.

"Grounded in reality, EARLY GRAVE is a novel with heartfelt emotion, flashes of humor, and high-octane excitement." - Franco Harris, NFL Hall of Fame Running Back

STILL GOING STRONG:

CHEATER’S GAME is a stand-alone entry in the Jake Lassiter series.

"Clever, funny and seriously on point when it comes to the inequities of society and the justice system, CHEATER'S GAME is top-notch stuff from Paul Levine. His Jake Lassiter is my kind of lawyer!" - Michael Connelly

You may ORDER HERE.

ALSO AVAILABLE: BUM DEAL.

“Fascinating, fully developed characters and smart, well-paced dialogue keep the pages turning. Levine manipulates the expectations of the reader as skillfully as Jake manipulates the expectations of the jury” — Publishers Weekly (★starred review★)

"Drop everything...Read it now...BUM DEAL is fantastic." - Lee Child

Reviews

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well. It's not every day you read a story about a criminal defense lawyer who wants to kill his client right after getting him off murder charges for killing said client's wife. That tiny sliver of plot is what initially made me want to pick this up, but I surprisingly enjoyed the continuous plot pieces even though I was jumping right in the middle of a series. Speaking of, there's a reason this series has been running since 1990; for those of you who care to know that's the year I was born and THIS SERIES IS AS OLD AS A CHELSEA. So that reason is, it's darn good! I was filled with all kinds of excitement as it was reminiscent of Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar books, which is one of my all time favorite series to date. The humor and banter, the little quick, witty sayings, these were all reasons why this book was memorable. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to pick up a story that can lighten the heavy, dark atmosphere set by a majority of the novels I review these days. We all need an occasional change of pace, and this was it for me.

I'll be honest, when Wiley Saichek first pitched this one to me, I was a little hesitant as I'm a Nervous Nancy when it comes to starting a series out of order; however, I was clearly not going to fit 10 books in before March 28 and therefore took a leap of faith. What a leap it was! This was such an exciting book. I really don't want to go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that the characters were full of life and well developed, the humor was more than welcome, and the questions behind whether Jake would get his justice kept me on my toes until the very end. I would highly recommend this to fans of Harlan Coben; I feel like I'm beating a dead horse but it's been awhile since I've found a writer of similar style to match his competence and quality. While I'm sure I missed some of the subtle nuances between character's backstories, I felt this was easily read like a standalone and can be picked up and enjoyed by anyone. I'll have to go back and check out the rest of the series now that I've been so thoroughly entertained!

*Many thanks to Saichek publicity for providing my copy; it was a delight to return my honest thoughts on the blog.

[Tulay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story.

This story highlights what's wrong with our court system. Life of lawyers as they defend the rights of some people they truly don't like.
Two people, one woman trying to take care of her two children. Sports she played at the school, and fights in the ring left her with brain trauma.
Second person is Miami Dolphins running back, killed his wife. He's also dealing with brain trauma, drugs and alcohol.
Lawyer Jack Lassiter, was linebacker. He has to deal with his problems after football. This story has some light, laughable parts too. Can't wait for reading about next chapter of this his life.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in the terrific Lassiter series.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. A defense lawyer wants to kill his client right after he gets he gets him off on a murder charge of killing his wife. Not only that, the lawyer has to deal with the father and two overgrown boys of the dead wife who are hell bent on revenge.

It's not all fun and games though as there are some dealings with CTE as the lawyer was a football player and may have some issues with that.

All in all, it was a very entertaining read which I wholeheartedly enjoyed. I would definitely recommend this book especially if your usual genre is more of the morbid sort. I know I like to lighten things up every once in a while.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book via my Kindle, but that option wasn't available when I began my review.

4 and 1 / 2 stars

Jake Lassiter, former pro football player turned lawyer, hears the verdict in his latest trial. Thunder Thurston is found “not guilty” in the murder of his wife. Jake is astounded and very angry. He knows Thunder did it. He begins to fantasize about killing his client. After talking to friends Victoria Lord and Steve Solomon, he decides instead to set him up for a long prison term. But how to go about it? He knows who supplies Thunder’s drugs and put the proposal to his prosecutor friend. His friend gets angry.

Jake comes up with plan after plan, none of which seem to pan out. Meanwhile, the prosecutor is trying to get a grand jury to investigate Jake on jury tampering charges.

In true Lassiter style, Jake gets himself into hot water again and again. It seems things just come out of his mouth at the darndest times. All of Paul Levine’s books have a touch of humor to them. It adds to the complete immersion in the novel. Some of the cases his secretary presents to him are a laugh a minute.

Jake takes on another case in the interim about obsessing about Thunder and getting in trouble. It is the case of a woman who commits suicide, but doesn’t die until the early morning hours after her one year waiting period is over. She has two children. Although she took the pills before midnight, the law is unclear about whether the insurance company is culpable or not. Jake is defending the insurance company, but doesn’t really want them to win the case.

The reader is left wondering if Jake is getting disillusioned with the law. Lately, he is getting cases he doesn’t want to win. This is unlike the past where he wanted to win at almost any cost.

Another subplot of this book is that Doc Riggs and Granny are getting very worried about Jake’s headaches and occasional loss of temper. Doc Riggs urges Jake to go see a neurologist. Jake, of course, puts it off.

While in Los Angeles, he meets the wonderful Dr. Gold. He finally undergoes the brain scan.

This is a very well written book and most enjoyable. It’s Jake Lassiter at his best. Paul Levine does a remarkable job writing and plotting this book. It has it all: humor, suspense, twists and turns. Can’t wait for the next in the series to come out!

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this great book to read.

[Stacy Alesi]

Levine writes two of my favorite series, the Jake Lassiter series and the Solomon & Lord books. With 2016’s Bum Rap, he put his series characters together in one book, and he’s done it again here to great success.

Bum Luck is a terrific legal thriller and humorous crime novel, but more than that Levine tackles a tough subject: CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Lassiter is an ex-Miami Dolphin whose spent his pro career, not to mention high school and college ball, suffering one concussion after another and those headbanging injuries have come home to roost.

Lassiter realizes he has a problem when he gets his client, a famous and hugely popular football star, a not guilty verdict based on Florida’s infamous “stand your ground” law. Convinced his client is really guilty, Lassiter has fantasies of killing him himself – a little vigilante justice. Meanwhile, Solomon & Lord are opposing counsel in an insurance claim case and Lassiter is helping them more than his client, the insurance company.

Lassiter is also suffering from tremendous headaches, dizziness and tinnitus, in addition to his vigilante fantasies, and meets a neurologist that he wants to date, but she’s more interested in his brain issues. Lots of twists and turns keep the pages turning and this was a one nighter for me.

I’m deeply troubled by all the news about CTE and this was the perfect vehicle for a closer look at it. Levine manages to make it all easy reading and never gets preachy, and I am most appreciative that he made that leap in this excellent read.

4/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

BUM LUCK by Paul Levine. Thomas & Mercer (March 28, 2017). ISBN 978-1477823101. 332p.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find Paul Levine' s novels featuring lawyer Jake Lassiter are always enjoyable and interesting, and "Bum Luck" , the latest in the series, fits right in.
Lassiter, a defense lawyer, is no stranger to walking near the edge of propriety, or skirting the border ethical conduct to getting the best outcome for his clients. But in the instance of defending "Thunder Thurston" NFL running back for the shooting of his wife, Lassiter feels only contempt for himself for getting his client off. Thurston was guilty.
Not for the first time, Jake questions his role as a defense attorney and about the entire justice system. He sees how Lawyers game the courts as government attorneys delay and fling charges at people's wives and associates by the basketfull to force suspects to snitch. He knows how defense lawyers pile hours to assure bigger fees. He is sick off it all. Moreover, Jake is sick. Physically sick, with recurring headaches, dizziness and occasional disorientation and blackouts.
This forms the story line of the novel; they all figure into the plot.
There is very little courtroom drama in "Bum Luck." That was a minus, but is partially made for by the how Jakes football injuries, multiple concussions, are affecting his ability to control his emotions and do his job effectively. This is especially true when he is directed by his boss in the big law firm for which he is working, to defend an insurance company ( which he despises on principle) in a case. They are being sued for non-payment of a death claim. The decedent, a MMA fighter, had also sipuffered multiple concussions, which leads to Jake's questioning if he wants justice or a victory for his client.
In sum: "Bum Luck" , I enjoyed reading the book, but was a bit disappointed that it lacks the trademark Lassiter courtroom fireworks. The inclusion of a great deal of info on the effects of concussion on athletes was no doubt necessary as a motivation for Jake's Damascus conversion to re-forming his career and his life in general, but it did slow the story a bit, also. I rather missed the hell-for - leather Jake Lassiter.
Nevertheless, the three star -rating is of a high three,almost a four. It will be interesting to. See where the next Lassiter novel goes. I will read it. In short, I recommend the novel.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#11 in the Jake Lassiter series. Excellent series of the ex-Miami Dolphin linebacker turned non-conformist defense lawyer. This novel has an underlying theme of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE); Lassiter worries about lingering concussion effects from his football days; CTE appears an a case in which he and his pals Solomon & Lord are on opposite sides; and, he feels an attraction toward a CTE researcher. Despite a slight overabundance of CTE lore, this is a very enjoyable novel that pits Lassiter against his own client.

Jake Lassiter squares off against his most unpredictable adversary yet: himself. The downward spiral begins when Jake's client, Miami Dolphins' running back Thunder Thurston, is cleared of murdering his wife. Jake didn't expect to win, didn't want to win, since he is sure his client is guilty. When Thurston walks free, Lassiter vows to seek his own kind of justice. Law partners Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord can't believe their friend has become so deeply, inexplicably obsessed with killing Thurston. Convinced Jake's unhinged behavior is due to concussive brain injuries suffered during his pro football career, they beg him to seek treatment. But Lassiter's raging fixation on vengeance grows.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
Jake Lassiter, criminal defence lawyer and ex linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, feels like killing his client after he won the case. He was not expecting to win as the evidence seemed unquestionable, but Thunder Thurston, high profile football star, has been found not guilty of murdering his wife. Jake is angry at himself, for doing his job too well, and Thunder. He’s certain Thunder is guilty and is completely disillusioned about the justice system, fantasising about taking matters into his own hands. To add to his problems Jake learns the District Attorney is attempting to charge him with jury tampering and bribing a witness.

Running alongside this story line is another case Jake is defending, about a mother of two who commits suicide. His friends, law partners Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord, are prosecuting. The insurance company claims they are not liable but certain facts come to light which cast doubt on their assertions. Those facts could also relate to Jake and the recent health issues which are a concern to his friends and family. This is another case where Jake knows his client is in the wrong but he is duty bound to represent them to the best of his ability, even if it does go against his personal code of justice.

I can believe this is basically true to life, in that it emphasises the imperfections of the justice system. Jake Lassiter has re-established his ethical code. It’s not all about winning cases anymore as it is for most lawyers, he wants just and fair treatment meted out. An entertaining, well written and thought provoking legal thriller, with distinctive characters and multiple threads woven together to create a very satisfying conclusion.

The story has a serious theme running through, regarding CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease which affects people who have suffered repeated and/or severe blows to the head.

Jake is a great character, unconventional, eminently likeable and quirky. I enjoyed the story line very much, it’s sharp, fun and witty, and enhanced by Luke Daniels’ performance, which always guarantees a great listen. Although this is part of a series there’s enough back story to make it a stand alone.

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Jake Lassiter, one concussion too many leads to our favourite defender having to reevaluate his life. For the first time ever, Jake wants to murder his own client, not too unbelievable, but he has just got the man off a "murdering his wife" charge. Nothing is at it seems though. This book does also question the justice system as a whole and Jake's jaded thoughts with regards to it.

Jake has to dig deep in this one, questioning his morals and his ethics. His health is one thing though that comes front and centre in this book with worrisome consequences.

As ever, Luke Daniels is a fantastic narrator and really brings this series to life and these characters.

I have just downloaded the last in this series and it comes with a heavy heart. I want more and even though Jake is now 50, there is a lot of life in the old dog yet.

[Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Levine’s, Bum Luck, is a rollicking ride through disillusioned and cynical Jake Lassiter’s eyes and work as a lawyer as he clears guilty clients and fights on the shifty side of the law to protect the rich and powerful. Through the unpredictable twists and turns, the witty dialogue and the exploration of meatier issues such as CTE brain injuries, the cloudy line between right and wrong and complicated relationships, Bum Luck is a fun and satisfying read.

[James Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great plot, interesting characters

Jake Lassiter is back. He’s just got his client, a big name Miami dolphins running back, a mot guilty verdict for murder. The problem is Jake thinks his client is guilty and now his conscience of getting a man off for murder has him questioning his ability as a lawyer.
What a great story.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean it was okay, I suppose. Two stars feels too low and there's no half stars. So, another 3-star rating for me. I'm kinda bummed that all my excitement about these crossovers between Lassiter/Solomon/Lord aren't a bit more eventful. This is book two of the three and I'm still not wowed. One book to go and I'm not feeling confident that the tides will shift for me here. I wasn't blown away by this entry and because I waited too long to review it, I don't even really remember it now to properly do so. That says a lot about how I felt about it. Just not as memorable as other Lassiter entries.

Some bit of memory serves to remind me, though, that the plot was interesting in its own right, and certainly help springboard Jake's overall growth as a character and a now middle-aged lawyer with a potential health crisis. He hates that won his case for his professional athlete client because he suspects he's truly guilty. And now he's got mental and ethical battles to contend with, since the guilt he feels compels him to feel overwhelming urges to kill his client in order to appease his desire for justice for the victim. Damn the consequences. He just wants his client dead. That's certainly an original enough plot device.

To further complicate matters, Jake's multiple concussive injuries sustained in from his football past are seemingly catching up with him, and he's not always in the right state of mind to deal with it. Combine that with the stress he feels about getting his client off from committing a murder he believes he truly committed and you've got one big mess. I've become so attached and protective over Lassiter that his delay in getting himself checked out started to infuriate me. Meanwhile, another case he has to contend with is one in which he has to defend an insurance company against a mother who committed suicide at a time that seems to prevent a payout to her children. Lassiter's opponents? None other than my favorite, squabbling duo: Solomon & Lord.

The overall plot and subplots are thought-provoking enough, and I did enjoy them. But it's the pacing of this story that sorta did me in this time. Very slow-moving. And it sorta stays that way for the most part. There are some tense, thrilling moments, areas where I fear for poor Lassiter's safety (as per usual in a Lassiter book), but it wasn't enough to make me eagerly flip the pages. Solomon & Lord are of course there, but definitely not as much as I'd like them to be. They feel like side-characters. Granted, they're very PRESENT side-characters, but side-characters nevertheless. But in the end, this is still a Lassiter book and of course that's who is dominant. I definitely appreciated Lassiter's maturity here, his capability of self-reflectance that makes me love him more.

It's a decent Lassiter entry, but not as fantastic as a couple of others I've read. I hope the finale of this cross-over can be a "best for last" sort of scenario, but eh...I dunno at this point. Ain't nothing will stop me from finding out though.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake Lassiter is a former pro-athlete whose career was less than stellar. He received the nickname "Wrong Way Lassiter" when, in his single scoring play in the NFL, he recovered an errant kick-off and returned it to the opposing team's goal... That pretty well sums up Lassiter's life, always in the mix but rarely on top. Now he's middle-aged ("I'm fifty so... yeah, assuming I live to be 100, I'm middle-aged"), an attorney, and surrounded by eccentric oddballs, misfits and just plain defective people. And it's starting to get to him.

After his most recent client is acquitted of murder charges Lassiter decides that the man was, in fact, guilty. Therefore, he must be killed. As he goes about deciding how best to make this happen he becomes involved in several other cases as both attorney and defendant. Meanwhile his erratic behavior begins to call into question whether he may be suffering from some sort of brain damage as a result of all the concussions he's had over the years.

I found Bum Luck to be fun, engaging, and fairly original. There are a few plot twists and surprises in the story but rather than being of the "Wow - where did that come from?!" variety they fall more into the category of "Okay, sure, that makes sense." It's a good, solid piece of humorous crime fiction.

I've seen some references to Bum Luck as being hard-boiled. In my opinion it falls more into what I call the "soft-boiled" category - harder edged than a cozy but not quite gritty, hard or tough enough to be considered hard-boiled.

A couple of things I want to make special mention of:

Bum Luck is part of an ongoing series featuring Jake Lassiter and company, I haven't read any other books in the series and wasn't even aware that this was part of a series until I had nearly finished the book. It truly is a stand alone story. I mention this because it annoys me no end when a book is presented as a stand alone then spends half the time covering things that have happened in previous books of the series.

While the whole sub-plot involving concussions and pro sports is obviously something the author wants to shine a light on, it rarely devolves into a preaching or agenda over story situation. As a reader I appreciate that.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good crime story with some humor mixed in. I think fans of Donald E. Westlake would especially like it.

There are adult situations, some violence and strong language.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this
title

[Midwest Geek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second in the series that I've listened to, the previous one being Flesh & Bones (#7). This is the first mystery I've read that also deals with the issue of long term effects (CTE) of multiple concussive injuries to athletes, especially to boxers and football players. It's quite informative in that regard, and it does feed into the plot in several ways. The story is pretty good, but I found it difficult to suspend disbelief at times. The most incredible one concerns the CET doctor and distinguished researcher from UCLA. Naturally, she's also beautiful and falls for Jake, already a big stretch, to the point where she simply drops everything and follows him to Miami, as if she had no responsibilities to her colleagues, assistants, and students at UCLA. She's even ready to take an extended leave of absence for 2 or 3 years to join a researcher at the University of Miami. Duh... This isn't great prose, but it's good enough for a beach read or a long airplane ride.

I had listened to Luke Daniels narrate #7, and I think he did an even better job with this one.

[Nancy Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For full disclosure, I must tell you that I know this author personally so this review is certainly a little prejudice. Levine's book are just plain fun to read-with a story that has enough twists and unexpected turns to keep you eager to get to the next page. His settings are always unique and his characters are truly characters!!!! I would recommend this book to all who have spent most of the winter reading dark, depressing stories about war, sadness, etc. When you finish Bum Luck you will smile and be glad you read one of Levine's many enjoyable books.

[Rob Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read and far more layered that I had anticipated. A good twist at the end and a reveal that I did not see coming. But Jake's health issues concern me and the information about CTE was frightening. Even though he is a fictional character, his condition bothers me; but I do see futhre Lassiters on the horizon!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the most recent installment of this legal thriller series, the balance between funny vs. serious leans heavily towards the somber, as Jake does just about everything he can to deny to himself some physical and moral questions. But there's plenty of humor, too, and Lassiter fans will not be disappointed.

[Gizzard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another hero in a mystery that is a semi-failed athlete. There are a couple current even themes here, but otherwise, easy entertainment. And sometimes, that is enough.

[Kent Winward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake Lassiter is my guilty pleasure and has been for years.

[Kimberly Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first time I’ve read this legal series. I’ve come to expect a certain amount of legalese within my legal reads and when I get more backstory than main storyline, it somehow places me up on that dreaded fence. So, here we are.

One thing I loved about Jake Lassiter is his funny sarcasm. He had plenty of that, much like my favorite Law & Order character, Detective Briscoe. Or former lieutenant, Joe Kenda. I could not get enough of his quick wit and passion, or lack thereof, for what he did for a living. In this eleventh installment, Jake caught a case from NFL star, Thunder Thurston. The media tried Thunder in the news of justice assuming his guilt of murdering his wife. It was up to Jake to save his NFL superstar.

While his hands were full with getting Thunder off, his colleagues were concerned for his well-being since Jake was a former NFL player. It has been all over the news of former players suffering from CTE from too many hits to the head. Jake wasn’t feeling up to par, as of late, and his friends felt he needed to get his brain check. Jake felt the same way but not for the same reasons as they would have liked. He was getting tired of the legal game and contemplating getting out.

Once he got Thunder off, Jake was not in the clear. Little did he know just around the corner was a grand jury deciding his fate. It appears as if someone has framed him for getting his current client off, and that, readers is where this story begins to take shape.

Eh, I learned a great deal about Jake, but there wasn’t much thrill in the legal sense that I would have loved. I think a lot of that had to do with the author wanting any new readers to know something about his main character. This series can be read as a standalone. Perhaps therein lies my problem. Maybe I should have read the first book? If the first ten books were this redundant like this eleventh installment, I’m not sure I would have been able to continue on with it.

This isn’t a bad book and it is well written. I just wished there was more delving into the legal aspects of the case instead of all the little backstories and side stories. When I find a book that states this is a legal thriller, that’s exactly what I expect and unfortunately, I didn’t find much thrill with this series. I may try another book some time down the line, but for now, I’m going to let this story and my feelings about it marinate a little before I make a decision to continue the series.

To read the original post, please go to: https://www.thesexynerdrevue.com/2022...

Thank you.

[Shomeret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Levine has written twelve mysteries focusing on Jake Lassiter. Bum Luck is the eleventh one. The twelfth, Bum Deal, will be released next month. Publicist Wiley Saichek asked me to review Bum Deal, but suggested that I should read Bum Luck beforehand and sent me a free copy. This was the reverse of bum luck. In fact, I consider it very good luck indeed.

Jake Lassiter is a former linebacker in professional American football who has become a lawyer. His having been a football player is very relevant to the plot of Bum Luck because this book deals with the tragic impact of repeated concussions on the lives of many former football players. Wikipedia has an article on this issue that provides a good introduction to it. Bum Luck is also centrally concerned with corruption in the justice system. I've seen the Lassiter series described as light, but this particular novel goes to some very dark places.

I considered this book both original and well-written. I very much look forward to the digital ARC of Bum Deal that I've obtained through the good graces of Wiley Saichek via Net Galley.

For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...

[Carol/Bonadie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I screwed up. I thought this was a group read, but I think I was confusing this with Shomeret’s post that she was reading it at the recommendation of Wiley in advance of the next in the series, Bum Deal. Not sure I would have read it otherwise -- I’ve read others in the Lassiter series and recall liking them well enough, but the Solomon and Lord book I read got on my last nerve. Anyhoo, I was underwhelmed by this one, probably influenced by the above. This one followed Jake as he stews over the acquittal of a client he knows murdered his wife. Too reminiscent of the OJ situation for my taste. Also I’m tiring of certain types of witty repartee, and in this book I got double the fun (Lassiter and Solomon). Didn’t hate this one, it just didn’t make me want to pick up another anytime soon. (edit: in posting this in GR I stumbled upon Shomoret’s review and was reminded that there was a strong subtheme of the disease CTE and the research on the damage it has done to athletes in contact sports, particularly football. It was indeed a powerful component of the book -- not sure why I didn’t even remember it in writing my summary!) Competently read by Luke Daniels.

[Мартин Колев · Rating 5 out of 5]

Пол Ливайн - Кофти късмет

И в анотацията можем да прочетем за адвоката и бивш защитник от НФЛ (малко странна комбинация) Джейк Ласитър,който печели дело за убийството на Ева Търстън от нейния мъж Маркъс,също футболист от Лигата. Секунди след това Джейк иска да убие Маркъс . Дали ще успее ? Почти...
Освен това дело,друг важен случай е и този между застрахователна компания и бивша ММА звезда,която се самоубива точно година след сключването на полицата,за да може нейните деца да бъдат обезпечени,а тя да спре личното си страдание. Дали тук ще има справедливост? Почти..
И на трето място,но не по важност,се засяга темата за т.нар.ХТЕ ,което е бич за играчите от НФЛ (по този повод е създаден филма "Комоцио" с Уил Смит в главната роля на Д-р Кенет Омалу открил това заболяване сред играчите ,което скандално бива потулвано от ръководството на Лигата ... Разтърсващ филм за това как интереса, властта и парите се поставят над живота ) и което излъчва и главния ни герой,но и не само него и ще се окаже ключово в книгата.
А в самия край на книгата ще се запитате същия въпрос,който си задава Джейк в съдебната зала :"Що е справедливост?"

[Julie Mink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Jake Lassiter mystery. I have not read any of this series since we moved to Hawaii from Miami. The author's descriptions of the South Florida area bring back many memories of the steamy summer weather and the beautiful flowers and sunshine. He shows the cross section of cultures that populate Miami and the surrounding area. I love the writing and the quick pace of the story.

Jake is going through a crisis of conscience and coming to grips with what is justice really means. I love the characters of Solomon and Lord and will go back and read the books featuring them.

I won this book for free in a First Read giveaway from Goodreads in exchange for and honest review.A fun mystery series and a interesting undercurrent questions does the legal system really bring justice.

[Clwseattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Levine does a masterful job in Bum Luck. Bum Luck is a different type of Jake Lassiter novel as our normally cocky and sure of himself hero wrestles with moral a crisis in his job as a defense attorney. My son had the same crisis in law school. He finished law school and chose not to practice. Jake's crisis and revelations just come a bit later. Facts about concussions and subtle jabs at the NFL (and less subtle pokes at the oh so deserving Roger Goodell) gave the story an interesting depth. I love that Levine brought Lassiter together with/against Solomon and Lord again. What a dynamic trio. I'd like to say fun but in Bum Luck things are too serious with Jake and there was little fun amongst those three.

Please write faster, Paul Levine. These three are some of my favorite characters.

4.99 Stars B+

[Denise Mullins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake Lassiter is not only a failed pro-football player but a second rate lawyer. So why is he bummed that he's just won a major capital case which exonerated his client? Although there're endless shenanigans, cheesy one liners, attempts to include a serious subplot involving CPE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) and a sappy budding romance on the way to solve this conundrum, "Bum Luck" provided adequate diversion for light evening reading when I didn't need a ponderous theme or lofty literary prose. While this is a long standing series with many repeat characters, I'd even go so far as to read another one- and that's not a bum steer.

[Pete Ffrench · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake defends Thunder Thurston in the murder of his wife and gets him off on self defence despite her being armed with a small knife and his shooting her 5 times with a 9mm. Not happy with the verdict and not realising the prosecution was throwing over he decides Thurston needs to be brought to justice and that he should be the one to dispense it. This could be attributed to his brain damage due to concussions during his football career. He is also being set up by "Strychnine" for soliciting illegal contributions to an election campaign. Anyway enough of this, the story is well written, the characters are good and the conclusion is satisfactory.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Lassiter who was a Dolphin player and now a lawyer who has just won a case that he feels is guilty. Loves the Florida lifestyle. Lives with Granny (not really sure how she is related) and his nephew, Kip. The next case is to defend the insurance company against the orphans of a cage fighter who took some pills and drank just hours before her policy would support paying her for a suicide. The thing is she actually was not dead until the next day. He has to look into concussion research and meets Dr. Gold. Lots of twists and turns in the story.

[Ashley Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I thought this was an interesting story. I had trouble connecting with the story and the characters until about 75% in. It felt like a back and forth for so many pages. Once I connected with the story, I realized the story was brilliantly crafted. The main character was a bit too flawed for me in the beginning, but I understood why he was that way at the end. The secondary characters were fleshed out like main characters and added flavor to the story. This was my first Jake Lassiter book, but thankfully there are plenty more for me to choose from to add to my TBR.