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Joseph Antonelli #2
The Prosecution
From the best-selling author of The Defense, a spellbinding sequel.
It was a one-way ticket out of his self-imposed isolation and into the courtroom on the right side of justice. It was a favor for his old friend Judge Horace Woolner. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to serve as special prosecutor in a case against a man sworn to uphold the law, Marshall Goodwin, the chief deputy district attorney accused of having his former wife murdered. It was an opportunity Joseph Antonelli couldn't walk away from.
But Antonelli is walking into more than he bargained for. The Goodwin case renews his appetite for the practice of law, and although Antonelli is determined to remain on the side of justice, there are many shades between right and wrong. And Antonelli may be over his head when Russell Gray, an urbane, worldly, and wealthy man from a prominent Portland family, is found murdered in his living room. Horace Woolner's wife stands accused of the crime. With justice and love on the line, the stakes couldn't be higher. In this stunning look at our legal system and our hearts, D. W. Buffa delivers on the promise of The Defense and takes us into the dark recesses of our courtrooms and our souls, where there are no easy answers.
It was a one-way ticket out of his self-imposed isolation and into the courtroom on the right side of justice. It was a favor for his old friend Judge Horace Woolner. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to serve as special prosecutor in a case against a man sworn to uphold the law, Marshall Goodwin, the chief deputy district attorney accused of having his former wife murdered. It was an opportunity Joseph Antonelli couldn't walk away from.
But Antonelli is walking into more than he bargained for. The Goodwin case renews his appetite for the practice of law, and although Antonelli is determined to remain on the side of justice, there are many shades between right and wrong. And Antonelli may be over his head when Russell Gray, an urbane, worldly, and wealthy man from a prominent Portland family, is found murdered in his living room. Horace Woolner's wife stands accused of the crime. With justice and love on the line, the stakes couldn't be higher. In this stunning look at our legal system and our hearts, D. W. Buffa delivers on the promise of The Defense and takes us into the dark recesses of our courtrooms and our souls, where there are no easy answers.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
19 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
D.W. Buffa
34 books68 followersD.W. Buffa (full name: Dudley W. Buffa) was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. After graduation from Michigan State University, he studied under Leo Strauss, Joseph Cropsey and Hans J. Morgenthau at the University of Chicago where he earned both an M.A. and a Ph. D. in political science. He received his J.D. degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Buffa was a criminal defense attorney for 10 years and his seven Joseph Antonelli novels strive to reflect, from his own experience, what a courtroom lawyer does, the way he (or she) thinks, and the way he feels about what he does.
Buffa had been writing for pleasure for many years when Henry Holt and Co. decided to publish his first novel, The Defense, in 1997. The week it was published, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, the literary critic of the New York Times, called The Defense ‘an accomplished first novel" which ‘leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning and read it over again."
The Defense was followed by The Prosecution and then The Judgment, which was one of the five books nominated in 2002 for the Edgar Award as best novel of the year. While the first three novels are set in Portland, the author's fourth novel, The Legacy, takes place in San Francisco and is as much a political thriller as it is legal thriller. Star Witness tells the story of Stanley Roth, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who is charged with murder of his famous movie star wife.
Breach of Trust, published in 2004, was considered by one critic as "one of the few books that fifty years from now will really matter." It offers readers a scintillating look at Washington politics. Buffa's seventh Joseph Antonelli novel, Trial by Fire, was released in 2005; in this latest Antonelli book, the focus is on the media and the role that television "Talking heads" increasingly play in very high profile criminal cases. Publishers Weekly says of Trial by Fire, "In this intelligent, gripping legal thriller... fast moving dialogue and fine sense of characterization keep the reader hanging on for the ride."
The author's last several novels reflect a subtle shift in storyline from D.W. Buffa's original 'judicial' arena into the the broader one of politics. Buffa has built a new series around protagonist Senator Bobby Hart, an Antonelli-type everyday hero of strong moral fiber who is willing to take on "The Establishment" for the betterment of his constituents...
D.W. Buffa lives in Northern California.
Buffa had been writing for pleasure for many years when Henry Holt and Co. decided to publish his first novel, The Defense, in 1997. The week it was published, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, the literary critic of the New York Times, called The Defense ‘an accomplished first novel" which ‘leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning and read it over again."
The Defense was followed by The Prosecution and then The Judgment, which was one of the five books nominated in 2002 for the Edgar Award as best novel of the year. While the first three novels are set in Portland, the author's fourth novel, The Legacy, takes place in San Francisco and is as much a political thriller as it is legal thriller. Star Witness tells the story of Stanley Roth, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who is charged with murder of his famous movie star wife.
Breach of Trust, published in 2004, was considered by one critic as "one of the few books that fifty years from now will really matter." It offers readers a scintillating look at Washington politics. Buffa's seventh Joseph Antonelli novel, Trial by Fire, was released in 2005; in this latest Antonelli book, the focus is on the media and the role that television "Talking heads" increasingly play in very high profile criminal cases. Publishers Weekly says of Trial by Fire, "In this intelligent, gripping legal thriller... fast moving dialogue and fine sense of characterization keep the reader hanging on for the ride."
The author's last several novels reflect a subtle shift in storyline from D.W. Buffa's original 'judicial' arena into the the broader one of politics. Buffa has built a new series around protagonist Senator Bobby Hart, an Antonelli-type everyday hero of strong moral fiber who is willing to take on "The Establishment" for the betterment of his constituents...
D.W. Buffa lives in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 1, 2019
After excitedly beginning the Joseph Antonelli series, I have come back for more D.W. Buffa and the nuanced legal thrillers he pens. After deciding to take a hiatus from the legal world and isolating himself from others, Joseph Antonelli is called to come to the courthouse for a meeting. A murder suspect has come forward to reveal that he was contracted by one of the assistant district attorneys to commit a murder for hire. While the story does not seem plausible that the ADA would have his own wife killed, the current D.A. wants everything done above board and appoints Antonelli as special prosecutor. Thinking that there is likely nothing to the case, Antonelli begins work on the other side of the legal table, where he uncovers some interesting evidence that might tell another story. Pushing ahead, Antonelli works to convince a jury of twelve that this lawyer used his power to negotiate a sentence reduction to have his wife killed, paving the way for a new and salacious love affair. However, Antonelli will need more than luck as the burden of proof rests solely with him to find justice the a victim who was but a pawn in a larger game. If that were not enough, Antonelli must keep his defence skills sharp when a friend calls on him for a serious criminal matter as well. Well-paced and compelling, Buffa pulls the reader into the middle of two intense crimes, with the courtroom as a stage on which Antonelli can present his skills effectively. Recommended to those who love legal thrillers that require some definite mental acrobatics.
While I have read a few political novels by D.W. Buffa, I am eager to have started the legal thrillers, which focus much on the courtroom and the nuances of the law. Joseph Antonelli has quite the personality, even two novels in, testing the boundaries of all aspects of his life. While the reader spent much of the first novel learning Antonelli’s backstory, this piece explores much of his legal thinking, as he sit on the opposite side of the courtroom. Antonelli spends some of his time remembering the legal hurdles that saw him put the law in his rear view mirror, as well as how his mentor died suddenly. The reader is able to see Antonelli in all his glory as he pushes the limits of the law to see a murderer put away, while defending another in a single novel. Others who have returned to the series play interesting roles, some reprising the same ones they had before, while others take more of a centre stage in this piece. There are surely some issues that are left dangling, which Buffa will have to address in forthcoming pieces, though I do like the pace things are taking. The legal writing is strong and the courtroom narrative is some of the best I have come across, pulling me into the centre of the case and making me feel as though I am in the middle of the action. Buffa works hard to paint an effective picture of the crimes at hand while also personalising all the characters who grace the pages of his novel. If I had one critique, it would be that Buffa seems keen on introducing two major cases into a single book—or three, as in the series debut—which lessens the impact of the overall reading experience. I cannot wait to get my hands on the third novel in the series, which is sure to provide much entertainment.
Kudos, Mr. Buffa, for keeping this series sharp and intriguing. I am eager where you will take Joseph Antonelli in the future.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
While I have read a few political novels by D.W. Buffa, I am eager to have started the legal thrillers, which focus much on the courtroom and the nuances of the law. Joseph Antonelli has quite the personality, even two novels in, testing the boundaries of all aspects of his life. While the reader spent much of the first novel learning Antonelli’s backstory, this piece explores much of his legal thinking, as he sit on the opposite side of the courtroom. Antonelli spends some of his time remembering the legal hurdles that saw him put the law in his rear view mirror, as well as how his mentor died suddenly. The reader is able to see Antonelli in all his glory as he pushes the limits of the law to see a murderer put away, while defending another in a single novel. Others who have returned to the series play interesting roles, some reprising the same ones they had before, while others take more of a centre stage in this piece. There are surely some issues that are left dangling, which Buffa will have to address in forthcoming pieces, though I do like the pace things are taking. The legal writing is strong and the courtroom narrative is some of the best I have come across, pulling me into the centre of the case and making me feel as though I am in the middle of the action. Buffa works hard to paint an effective picture of the crimes at hand while also personalising all the characters who grace the pages of his novel. If I had one critique, it would be that Buffa seems keen on introducing two major cases into a single book—or three, as in the series debut—which lessens the impact of the overall reading experience. I cannot wait to get my hands on the third novel in the series, which is sure to provide much entertainment.
Kudos, Mr. Buffa, for keeping this series sharp and intriguing. I am eager where you will take Joseph Antonelli in the future.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
May 7, 2010
This book still leaves me slightly uncertain about what "really" happened... and I'm not sure if that's unsettling or really cool. I like this whole Joseph Antonelli series, because Antonelli isn't a perfect protagonist; instead he has a whole slew of personal failings that at first make you dislike him, but after you get to know him you realize that he is a product of the legal system and that is really the whole point. A lawyer's job is to win cases. This lawyer is as much a shark as any of them, but he has intermittent pangs of remorse or - could it be? - regret about things he "has to do."
The Prosecution is the second book in the series, where Antonelli (a defense criminal defense lawyer) has to play a prosecutor in a case that he only takes as a favor to a friend. There are several strange plot twists that continually turn the tables and make yet another person seem the most reprehensible party, until you really are unsure who to point the finger at.
All the books I've read so far by Buffa raise serious questions about our legal system and how easily justice can be diverted or manipulated. Obviously these are works of fiction, but its not too hard to see how similar circumstances play out every day in real life. After all, the word is that Buffa became an author because he was so disgusted by being an attorney. I don't know if that is truth or lore, but if it were true it would explain why his protagonist second-guesses and challenges his own actions, both bemoaning and celebrating cases he wins - but shouldn't have.
July 27, 2009
In this follow-up to The Defense, Joseph Anttonelli returns to the courtroom, this time, as a special prosecutor. I actually read this one twice; the first time, it was the only D.W. Buffa book we had in the NLS collection, and I had no idea it was part of a series. (Sidenote for my fellow blind readers: The rest of the series is available o audio; this book is only available in braille).
After leaving the practice of law at the end of The Defense, Joseph Antonelli has retreated to the home left to him upon the death of his friend Judge Leopold Rifkin. Feeling as though he shouldn't practicce law anymorre, he has becomee isolated, living with his books and not much else. A friend finally convinces him to come out of retirement when it is learned that an assistant D.A. may have hirred a hit man tto kill his wife so he can be with the other D.A. he truly lovves; and now, that hit man, who has been busted for other crimes, is rready to talk. Now on the other side of the council table, Antonelli prosecutes the case. While this is going on, the wife of one of his best friends is accused of murder, but did she do it, or did her husband? It's also up to Antonelli to prove her innocence. Will he win? You decide.
Another page-turner by Buffa; worth reading.
After leaving the practice of law at the end of The Defense, Joseph Antonelli has retreated to the home left to him upon the death of his friend Judge Leopold Rifkin. Feeling as though he shouldn't practicce law anymorre, he has becomee isolated, living with his books and not much else. A friend finally convinces him to come out of retirement when it is learned that an assistant D.A. may have hirred a hit man tto kill his wife so he can be with the other D.A. he truly lovves; and now, that hit man, who has been busted for other crimes, is rready to talk. Now on the other side of the council table, Antonelli prosecutes the case. While this is going on, the wife of one of his best friends is accused of murder, but did she do it, or did her husband? It's also up to Antonelli to prove her innocence. Will he win? You decide.
Another page-turner by Buffa; worth reading.
August 25, 2020
Another page turner. As with "The Defense," I had my mind on the book and getting back to reading it all day. Buffa knows the truth about the workings of the system. As a former criminal defense attorney, much of what he describes as to what is going on in his head during trial and other times is a fair representation of the internal struggles and decision making one must make.
November 5, 2017
Good characters, good story telling, but why the first case? Had nothing to do with anything.
Read
March 2, 2022Todella hyvä kirja, tykkäsin!!
November 7, 2022
What is it with Joseph Antonelli and his judge friends? Didn't enjoy this one as much as the first.
June 28, 2025
very good !
Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing….no fairytale ending. Should be enjoyed by all who
read the first few pages
Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing….no fairytale ending. Should be enjoyed by all who
read the first few pages
July 11, 2025
Buffa is always good
January 1, 2013
Joseph Antonelli is coaxed out of retirement by a judge, an old friend, who has learned of a charge against the current chief deputy D.A. that he had had his wife killed. The confessed killer, offered the testimony that he had been hired to kill her in return for a reduced sentence.
We'll forget details of the plot, or should I say plots, since there are really two distinct story lines, tied together only by Antonelli's friendship with the judge. As is usual in books like this, each story has a little twist at the end that serves to expand our understanding of Antonelli's character as he plays both sides of the fence in this one.
Buffa really knows how to write courtroom dialog. Those sections are very hard to put down. Antonelli's ruminations might prove distracting for those who wish a more linear story that moves without pause, but I find it's always nice to stop a while and smell the roses.
We'll forget details of the plot, or should I say plots, since there are really two distinct story lines, tied together only by Antonelli's friendship with the judge. As is usual in books like this, each story has a little twist at the end that serves to expand our understanding of Antonelli's character as he plays both sides of the fence in this one.
Buffa really knows how to write courtroom dialog. Those sections are very hard to put down. Antonelli's ruminations might prove distracting for those who wish a more linear story that moves without pause, but I find it's always nice to stop a while and smell the roses.
July 11, 2022
Never read this author back in the 90's when the market was saturated with legal thrillers. It was entertaining but I think the author tried to cram too many plot threads into one book. The main character tries two murder cases back to back in the book. The author should have just stuck with the first case and maybe expanded on it a bit. The second murder came out of left field and really didn't seem to have to do anything with the main case. The author expresses some cynicism about the legal profession, which I can appreciate, but he goes too far in basically painting the judicial system and the district attorney's office as corrupt and criminal. I didn't realize this was the second in a series but I don't think it mattered.
September 12, 2013
This was another disappointment. I actually enjoyed the first third of the book. It is a legal thriller, and I found it quite satisfying--enough pillorying of the rich to make me happy. But Buffa wove together to separate trials, and this felt so forced and so abrupt--too little time was spent on each. He also didn't make the protagonist very likable or interesting, and none of the characters really stood out, except for one person who was brought down. Unfortunate. I won't be reading any other books by this author.
May 3, 2009
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.
Knock-out mystery with interesting emotional entanglements for the protagonist, defense Joseph Antonelli.
He learns, way after the fact, that his able representation of a past client -- who's found not guilty at trial for serious crimes he did commit -- causes consequences for others, including way down the line, for Antonelli himself.
This is the 1st in the Antonelli series. I read it second (after The Defense) but it is my Buffa favorite.
Knock-out mystery with interesting emotional entanglements for the protagonist, defense Joseph Antonelli.
He learns, way after the fact, that his able representation of a past client -- who's found not guilty at trial for serious crimes he did commit -- causes consequences for others, including way down the line, for Antonelli himself.
This is the 1st in the Antonelli series. I read it second (after The Defense) but it is my Buffa favorite.
October 28, 2012
I read the book in Dutch: De speciale aanklager.
Twee sterren. Dat heeft waarschijnlijk niet met de schrijfstijl van de auteur of het verhaal te maken maar meer met mij. Ik houd niet zo van rechtbankthrillers, maar iemand liet hem voor mij achter en dus las ik hem. Ik vond het te verwarrend, de hoofdpersoon erg onsympathiek en het bevestigde voor mij dat de wet niet het recht is en dat het recht vaak krom is.
Twee sterren. Dat heeft waarschijnlijk niet met de schrijfstijl van de auteur of het verhaal te maken maar meer met mij. Ik houd niet zo van rechtbankthrillers, maar iemand liet hem voor mij achter en dus las ik hem. Ik vond het te verwarrend, de hoofdpersoon erg onsympathiek en het bevestigde voor mij dat de wet niet het recht is en dat het recht vaak krom is.
January 18, 2018
I finali!!!
I finali di Buffa da soli valgono le 5 stelle. Come riesce a sovvertire le cose più di una volta, come ti fa vedere le sottili sfaccettature dei personaggi. E poi come ti spiega le sottigliezze anche morali di legge e giustizia:
"Ho mentito... ho mentito col mio silenzio. Ho fatto credere a tutti qualcosa che non era vero. Che importanza ha se non sono colpevole di falsa testimonianza?"
I finali di Buffa da soli valgono le 5 stelle. Come riesce a sovvertire le cose più di una volta, come ti fa vedere le sottili sfaccettature dei personaggi. E poi come ti spiega le sottigliezze anche morali di legge e giustizia:
"Ho mentito... ho mentito col mio silenzio. Ho fatto credere a tutti qualcosa che non era vero. Che importanza ha se non sono colpevole di falsa testimonianza?"
July 20, 2016
Duffa is in the same category with Grisham
This courtroom drama has so many twists and unexpected turns , just when you think you have something figured out, there is a new twist and turn in the story. This keeps happening until almost the end of the book! I loved this courtroom drama and so glad it was written without much foul foul language.
This courtroom drama has so many twists and unexpected turns , just when you think you have something figured out, there is a new twist and turn in the story. This keeps happening until almost the end of the book! I loved this courtroom drama and so glad it was written without much foul foul language.
August 28, 2009
Good; Continuing character: Joe Antonelli; former defense attorney turns special prosecutor to go after DA charged with killing his wife.
March 6, 2013
Quick, easy read. Average. Nothing out of the ordinary or special about this book.
March 7, 2015
Great book. I'm hooked on Antonelli. I'll read everything Buffa has written.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews