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Kevin Corvelli #1
One Man's Paradise
2011 Shamus Award Finalist for Best First Novel
Hotshot New York criminal defense lawyer Kevin Corvelli was rolling. He had all the right connections to get way ahead. Guilty? Innocent? It didn't matter so long as he won, got in the papers, and got paid. That's until he loses---and loses big---when a client, who was convicted and then killed in jail, is later proven innocent. The media has a field day plastering Corvelli's face all over Manhattan, so Corvelli, disgraced and in a professional free fall, bolts for Hawaii.
Committed to being a lawyer if only because of the knee-buckling debts he accumulated becoming one in the first place, he sets up shop in paradise and swears to handle only misdemeanors this time around---no felonies, no murders, no media attention, no high stakes, no real responsibility. But his first case turns out to be exactly law student Joseph Gianforte, Jr., is accused of chasing his ex-girlfriend to Hawaii and killing her. He's innocent, same as Corvelli's last case, only this time Corvelli knows it, and with that knowledge comes the chilling realization that the killer is still out there with plenty of incentive to make sure that any proof of Gianforte's innocence doesn't go any further than the three of them.
Douglas Corleone's One Man's Paradise , the winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition, is a gripping story of failure and the search for redemption, and it marks the stellar debut of an exciting new crime-writing voice.
Hotshot New York criminal defense lawyer Kevin Corvelli was rolling. He had all the right connections to get way ahead. Guilty? Innocent? It didn't matter so long as he won, got in the papers, and got paid. That's until he loses---and loses big---when a client, who was convicted and then killed in jail, is later proven innocent. The media has a field day plastering Corvelli's face all over Manhattan, so Corvelli, disgraced and in a professional free fall, bolts for Hawaii.
Committed to being a lawyer if only because of the knee-buckling debts he accumulated becoming one in the first place, he sets up shop in paradise and swears to handle only misdemeanors this time around---no felonies, no murders, no media attention, no high stakes, no real responsibility. But his first case turns out to be exactly law student Joseph Gianforte, Jr., is accused of chasing his ex-girlfriend to Hawaii and killing her. He's innocent, same as Corvelli's last case, only this time Corvelli knows it, and with that knowledge comes the chilling realization that the killer is still out there with plenty of incentive to make sure that any proof of Gianforte's innocence doesn't go any further than the three of them.
Douglas Corleone's One Man's Paradise , the winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition, is a gripping story of failure and the search for redemption, and it marks the stellar debut of an exciting new crime-writing voice.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2010
9 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Corleone
31 books113 followersDouglas Corleone is the highly acclaimed and award-winning author of contemporary thrillers. His debut novel, ONE MAN'S PARADISE, introducing hotshot defense attorney Kevin Corvelli was a finalist for the 2010 Shamus Award for Best First Novel and winner of the 2009 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. Corleone's other novels in the Kevin Corvelli series include NIGHT ON FIRE and LAST LAWYER STANDING.
Douglas Corleone's highly acclaimed international thriller, GOOD AS GONE, featuring former U.S. Marshal Simon Fisk, was hailed by the Huffington Post as a "heart-wrenching, adrenaline-producing adventure that...leaves the reader gasping for breath." The second book in the series, PAYOFF is due out in August 2014.
Recently Douglas Corleone was selected by the Estate of Robert Ludlum, internationally bestselling author and creator of the Jason Bourne series, to continue Ludlum's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL and former covert government agent Paul Janson. ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE JANSON EQUATION will hit stores early in 2015.
A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Douglas Corleone now resides in the Hawaiian Islands with his family, where he is currently at work on his next novel.
Douglas Corleone's highly acclaimed international thriller, GOOD AS GONE, featuring former U.S. Marshal Simon Fisk, was hailed by the Huffington Post as a "heart-wrenching, adrenaline-producing adventure that...leaves the reader gasping for breath." The second book in the series, PAYOFF is due out in August 2014.
Recently Douglas Corleone was selected by the Estate of Robert Ludlum, internationally bestselling author and creator of the Jason Bourne series, to continue Ludlum's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL and former covert government agent Paul Janson. ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE JANSON EQUATION will hit stores early in 2015.
A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Douglas Corleone now resides in the Hawaiian Islands with his family, where he is currently at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 28, 2010
Right off the bat I want to put out there that this novel is the winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. I know, you read the jacket or the summary of the story and it is another novel about another lawyer. Ho-hum. The surprising part of the whole thing is that it lives up to its award and the central character, Kevin Corvelli esquire, is actually a very fun guy.
The story for Corvelli picks up with him in Hawaii after he lost a high profile case in NYC and it turns out his client was innocent and was killed while in jail. He leaves NYC in disgrace and goes to Hawaii to continue being a lawyer, but on a simpler scale and with no murder cases and no media attention. What he receives is something different. The storyline and the tension Douglas Corleone creates throughout the novel are excellent. If I didn’t mention that he had won the award, you would not have known this is his debut novel. He crafts a microcosm that is engaging, fun and filled with a narrative for a lawyer that is very refreshing. The redemptive aspect of the novel is very enticing as you watch a trained shark try to rehabilitate himself. It made me think of the sharks in Finding Nemo, once they smelled blood, what was he going to do? I want to share a little bit of the novel with you, so you have a small sampling of the technique and style Douglas Corleone has: “All things considered, I’ve had relatively little to smile about in my career. Financial success did not bring with it the happiness I thought it would. Outside of Milt, I did not sustain a single friendship that lasted past my move. Not a single colleague, adversary, or client has bothered to keep in touch. I stand here lonely in a courthouse corridor envying a client charged with possession and sale of ice. I have no choice but to ask, ‘Turi, why are you always smiling?’ He points toward the glass door leading outside. ‘The sunbeams are beating down, trying to break in. Brah, the sun is shining. The birds are singing. The waves are hitting the shore. The land, it’s mine. And it’s waiting for me just outside that door.’ I nod my head, looking past him to the outside world. I wish, just for a moment, I could completely comprehend.”
One Man’s Paradise held all the elements for me that a great mystery could and should. The excellent narrative by Douglas Corleone of what was going through the mind of Kevin Corvelli, made the novel much more than it could have been. He totally took it to another level with this hook. The surrounding cast he creates with Jake & Flan helps to flesh things out and gives us more reason to bond with the story and the circumstances. I totally enjoyed the novel for its quick action, excellent plot, engaging characters and the many twists and turns that are coming at you fast and hard to the very end. I don’t hesitate to say pick this novel up. I don’t know if he wrote this on the beach in Hawaii, but it certainly is an excellent read for the beach or poolside, it has a little something for everyone in it. Put it in your Goodreads –to read- list and give it go. Also please go back to our archives and check out his guest post; it is excellent. New news from the man himself, Douglas Corleone; he has a contract for two more novels in the series ( great news), and the next one titled Night Of Fire will be released Spring 2011; can’t wait.
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December 6, 2010
This is a great read start to finish. A unique and surprisingly likable protagonist, great Hawaiian flavor, and an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
September 24, 2012
Douglas Corleone's debut novel follows the misadventures of Kevin Corvelli, a hot-shot criminal defense attorney who moves from New York City to Honolulu after losing a high-profile murder case. In Hawaii, Kevin hopes to start fresh, but he can't get away from criminal defendants who need his help--including a young man charged with the murder of his ex-girlfriend.
One Man's Paradise is a stereotypical legal thriller in that it features a murder case that's more complicated than it first appears, impossibly high stakes, great risks, a lot of drinking, a young, white, and beautiful female murder victim, and a middle-class white guy venturing into a criminal underbelly populated almost entirely by people of color. Another legal thriller stereotype: every woman who is mentioned for more than a sentence just so happens to be a bombshell (with the exception of Kevin's receptionist).
Kevin's main love interest, a Hawaiian native, is racially exoticized at times, and it really, really, really bothered me when, as they're hooking up a few hours after they first meet, Kevin thinks things like how glad he is that the love interest doesn't set sexual boundaries or express any uncertainty about how far she wants to go. Here's the passage:
There is no pretense. She refrains from offering me the usual drivel. She doesn't say, “I never do this on the first date,” or push away my hands until I try a second time. She allows it all to happen without hesitancy, assuring us only pleasure with complete freedom from guilt and second-guessing.
The scene makes it clear that for a woman to do anything other than provide full and unequivocal access to her body for a stranger she's having sex with for the first time--even just to ask her partner to wait for a moment till she's ready for something during a sexual encounter--is drivel. Dude, I think the author has a daughter. Is that really the example he wants to put out there for her of what a desirable woman should be like? I know the author is a Goodreads author and he might read this and think that this critique is totally uncalled for and too personal, but I'm serious. There is something really, deeply problematic in that scene. It's a bad example for females. Hell, it's a bad example for males in terms of suggesting to them what behaviors they're supposed to find desirable.
Okay--but aside from all that, I was entertained. I was. I admit it. I was entertained, and the next day I went to the library for another Kevin Corvelli book. Beneath the machismo and the problematic stuff, there was something charming about the writing. I think it was the main character constantly reminding himself to look things up on the internet and then, in one scene, realizing that he actually knows nothing because he's become so dependent on the internet. Or maybe it was his comically self-centered preoccupation with paying off his law school loans, which made me giggle because it was a clever caricature of the widespread law school loan pandemonium. Or maybe it was that, as exoticized as the love interest was, she had some substance to her too. I don't know. There was something appealing about it.
So that was my experience of this book. Basically, a solid legal thriller if you are willing to read around the stereotypes I listed in the second paragraph.
One Man's Paradise is a stereotypical legal thriller in that it features a murder case that's more complicated than it first appears, impossibly high stakes, great risks, a lot of drinking, a young, white, and beautiful female murder victim, and a middle-class white guy venturing into a criminal underbelly populated almost entirely by people of color. Another legal thriller stereotype: every woman who is mentioned for more than a sentence just so happens to be a bombshell (with the exception of Kevin's receptionist).
Kevin's main love interest, a Hawaiian native, is racially exoticized at times, and it really, really, really bothered me when, as they're hooking up a few hours after they first meet, Kevin thinks things like how glad he is that the love interest doesn't set sexual boundaries or express any uncertainty about how far she wants to go. Here's the passage:
There is no pretense. She refrains from offering me the usual drivel. She doesn't say, “I never do this on the first date,” or push away my hands until I try a second time. She allows it all to happen without hesitancy, assuring us only pleasure with complete freedom from guilt and second-guessing.
The scene makes it clear that for a woman to do anything other than provide full and unequivocal access to her body for a stranger she's having sex with for the first time--even just to ask her partner to wait for a moment till she's ready for something during a sexual encounter--is drivel. Dude, I think the author has a daughter. Is that really the example he wants to put out there for her of what a desirable woman should be like? I know the author is a Goodreads author and he might read this and think that this critique is totally uncalled for and too personal, but I'm serious. There is something really, deeply problematic in that scene. It's a bad example for females. Hell, it's a bad example for males in terms of suggesting to them what behaviors they're supposed to find desirable.
Okay--but aside from all that, I was entertained. I was. I admit it. I was entertained, and the next day I went to the library for another Kevin Corvelli book. Beneath the machismo and the problematic stuff, there was something charming about the writing. I think it was the main character constantly reminding himself to look things up on the internet and then, in one scene, realizing that he actually knows nothing because he's become so dependent on the internet. Or maybe it was his comically self-centered preoccupation with paying off his law school loans, which made me giggle because it was a clever caricature of the widespread law school loan pandemonium. Or maybe it was that, as exoticized as the love interest was, she had some substance to her too. I don't know. There was something appealing about it.
So that was my experience of this book. Basically, a solid legal thriller if you are willing to read around the stereotypes I listed in the second paragraph.
September 1, 2010
First, let me say, that this book takes place in Hawaii and is the authors debut Novel..Since he is living in Hawaii, there is a sense of realism to the story. Words, both hawaiian and pidgin, are bantered about in a Hawaiian way. Not how we think it is, but how it truly is.... Loved it-like being home.
Characters were strong and easy to follow. Open for more Novels. The protagonist was not a perfect man, but with flaws making him believable.
I loaned the Arc to a friend who is an avid Mystery reader and picky. I know that it was good enough to pass her critique. Great read.
Characters were strong and easy to follow. Open for more Novels. The protagonist was not a perfect man, but with flaws making him believable.
I loaned the Arc to a friend who is an avid Mystery reader and picky. I know that it was good enough to pass her critique. Great read.
February 17, 2011
Great story which kept me guessing until the end. I am looking forward to attorney Kevin Corvelli's next adventure!
May 14, 2010
Excellent read, my first book from Douglas Corleone. He is now one of my favorite authors.
May 31, 2010
First Sentence: They pawed at each other against the black backdrop of night, the restless Pacific waters purring at their feet.
New York Attorney Kevin Corvelli has given up life in the Big Apple. A man he rather carelessly defended and was sentenced for murder, died in prison. He was also innocent. Corvelli has come to Hawaii thinking he’ll no longer practice criminal law, but only handle misdemeanors. His new landlord has different ideas and Corvelli finds himself defending a young New Jersey man accused of murdering his girlfriend, determined not to have another innocent man go to prison. The killer has different ideas.
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Corleone did create a lot of characters. Some were interesting and developed them well while others were not. The voice created for Kevin is one of metaphors, sarcasm and self-deprecating humor, all of which I enjoy. “I let go of the kayak’s leash and the kayak immediately starts to float back to shore. It’s no doubt as frightened of me as I am of it.”
Kevin’s excessive drinking, in spite of the “reasons” for it, and breaking of his own ethical rules made the character unappealing someone about whom I came to care less the more I read. The emphasis given drinking for both Kevin and his landlord Jake became almost annoying. For those secondary characters left undeveloped, I was occasionally confused as to who they were.
What worked very well was Corleone’s attention to detail. Corleone has an eye for detail and description presenting Hawaii from the eyes of someone newly arrived. His experience as an attorney is evident.
The information on legal process and procedure was interesting without ever seeming analytical. I do love a good courtroom scene, and these were very good. The story overall was exciting and, at times, very suspenseful with. Unfortunately, I did identify the killer early on, in spite of a couple red herrings and very good plot twists. Even so, the ending was very effective.
The book did win Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award for 2009. While credible, I always take such accolades with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, it comes down to whether I liked it and would read another book by the author.
I did think the book was good, but definitely not great, and would probably a second book by Mr. Corleone, but he’s not yet going on my “must buy” list. More law, less alcohol, please.
ONE MAN'S PARADISE (Legal Thriller-Kevin Corvelli-Hawaii-Cont) – Good
Corleone, Douglas – 1st book
Minotaur Books, ©2010, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312611583
New York Attorney Kevin Corvelli has given up life in the Big Apple. A man he rather carelessly defended and was sentenced for murder, died in prison. He was also innocent. Corvelli has come to Hawaii thinking he’ll no longer practice criminal law, but only handle misdemeanors. His new landlord has different ideas and Corvelli finds himself defending a young New Jersey man accused of murdering his girlfriend, determined not to have another innocent man go to prison. The killer has different ideas.
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Corleone did create a lot of characters. Some were interesting and developed them well while others were not. The voice created for Kevin is one of metaphors, sarcasm and self-deprecating humor, all of which I enjoy. “I let go of the kayak’s leash and the kayak immediately starts to float back to shore. It’s no doubt as frightened of me as I am of it.”
Kevin’s excessive drinking, in spite of the “reasons” for it, and breaking of his own ethical rules made the character unappealing someone about whom I came to care less the more I read. The emphasis given drinking for both Kevin and his landlord Jake became almost annoying. For those secondary characters left undeveloped, I was occasionally confused as to who they were.
What worked very well was Corleone’s attention to detail. Corleone has an eye for detail and description presenting Hawaii from the eyes of someone newly arrived. His experience as an attorney is evident.
The information on legal process and procedure was interesting without ever seeming analytical. I do love a good courtroom scene, and these were very good. The story overall was exciting and, at times, very suspenseful with. Unfortunately, I did identify the killer early on, in spite of a couple red herrings and very good plot twists. Even so, the ending was very effective.
The book did win Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award for 2009. While credible, I always take such accolades with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, it comes down to whether I liked it and would read another book by the author.
I did think the book was good, but definitely not great, and would probably a second book by Mr. Corleone, but he’s not yet going on my “must buy” list. More law, less alcohol, please.
ONE MAN'S PARADISE (Legal Thriller-Kevin Corvelli-Hawaii-Cont) – Good
Corleone, Douglas – 1st book
Minotaur Books, ©2010, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312611583
December 5, 2020
One Man’s Paradise by Douglas Corleone is the second book I received from Minotaur Books; the first was Paul Dorion’s The Poachers Son, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. They must be doing something right over there because this book was even better than Dorion’s and you know how much I loved that one. Kevin Corvelli is a disgraced New York lawyer finding refuge on the island paradise of Oahu. After blowing the last big case he had in New York Corvelli has sworn off felony cases, convincing himself that misdemeanors will give him all the work he needs. Unfortunately his landlord, Jake, has other ideas and sets Corvelli up with a murder case soon after he opens up shop.
Corleone’s writing is fast and his plot enthralling. Legal thrillers are not my usual fare, but this book reached across the aisle and pulled me in. He doesn’t bog the reader down with legal jargon or technical bull-shit, One Man’s Paradise is mostly action with a good dose of wit. Readers will love the believably flawed Kevin Corvelli who never fails with his constant cynicism. Between the New York gangsters, Hawaiian gangsters, beautiful woman, and a bumbling Texas lawyer there is never a shortage of entertaining characters.
This is a quick, fun read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you begging for more. John Grisham better watch his back because Douglas Corleone has the potential to be a great name in the legal thriller genre.
Corleone’s writing is fast and his plot enthralling. Legal thrillers are not my usual fare, but this book reached across the aisle and pulled me in. He doesn’t bog the reader down with legal jargon or technical bull-shit, One Man’s Paradise is mostly action with a good dose of wit. Readers will love the believably flawed Kevin Corvelli who never fails with his constant cynicism. Between the New York gangsters, Hawaiian gangsters, beautiful woman, and a bumbling Texas lawyer there is never a shortage of entertaining characters.
This is a quick, fun read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you begging for more. John Grisham better watch his back because Douglas Corleone has the potential to be a great name in the legal thriller genre.
June 29, 2014
Tremendous book. Loved the story, loved the setting and loved the style. I look forward to reading more Kevin Corvelli adventures.
December 1, 2019
Saw "Knives Out" at the movies the other night, and told a friend it reminded me of an Agatha Christie mystery. This novel falls in the same genre - an easy read, decent mystery, discoveries at the very end, some humor and definitely entertaining.
Nothing earth-shattering, but good entertainment.
This story is told in the first person, which I personally like because the author is relating the train of thought of his character. You never get this in a movie - unless the movie is narrated.
Thoughts of the characters are so vital to how they act, imho. The only instance I can think of where the movie mirrors the book is "Being There" starring Peter Sellers. His character had no thoughts to relate, so no narration was necessary.
Anyway, for a decent mystery that is easy to read, in an interesting setting (Hawai'i) I suggest this novel.
Nothing earth-shattering, but good entertainment.
This story is told in the first person, which I personally like because the author is relating the train of thought of his character. You never get this in a movie - unless the movie is narrated.
Thoughts of the characters are so vital to how they act, imho. The only instance I can think of where the movie mirrors the book is "Being There" starring Peter Sellers. His character had no thoughts to relate, so no narration was necessary.
Anyway, for a decent mystery that is easy to read, in an interesting setting (Hawai'i) I suggest this novel.
September 4, 2018
Good mystery, good read. Enjoy the Hawaiian setting and the sometimes anal lawyer who gets into deep trouble without really trying. There's a good set of characters in this series. Of course, I read the first one out of order, but looking forward to reading more.
October 20, 2025
I found this book at a library book sale. I am glad I bought it because it was a decent read with a nice twist at the end. my only true gripe is that the narrator is slightly annoying lol. but I did enjoy the book more than I thought I would. so, I give it a high 3, maybe even a 3.5/5.
November 1, 2024
My key takeaway here is that apparently I will read anything if the main character is sleazy enough.
One Man’s Paradise is a modern Raymond Chandler novel: grubby violence, moral dilemmas, corruption, sex, and misogyny. Also enough period-appropriate racism to make all of Old Hollywood noir flicks proud.
(The “period” being the life and times we live in, never to escape.)
Self-aggrandising hotshot lawyer Kevin Corvelli moves to Hawaii after a high-profile New York City case where he failed his client in every possible way. He wants to keep his head down and work off his personal guilt, but he gets referred to a couple whose son is in jail for allegedly murdering his girlfriend.
Kevin is determined to avoid repeating his mistakes, which isn’t all that easy because there’s a media circus around his new client, and everyone knows what he did with his last one. His new client is also protected by some very powerful people who want to dictate what alternate suspects Kevin should look at. To make matters worse, he’s falling in love with a local bartender, the beautiful and hair-trigger-temper Nikki, and she becomes collateral (despite his best efforts) in his new case.
It’s all the ingredients of both a classic legal thriller and pulp fiction.
This isn’t a whodunnit kind of thriller. Kevin and his associates gumshoe up every new clue, some of which are handed to them through surprise reveals. The plot moves by cycling past one violent altercation after another, intercut with sex scenes. I love it. This is delivers on everything you want out of a crime novel. I never wanted to put it down.
Obviously, the star is Kevin. He’s weirdly anti-Semitic, full of white guilt towards the colonisation of Hawaii, lecherous, always thinking of his paycheque, and very open about how little he paid attention in law school and how much he relies on the Internet. He’s almost a kindred spirit. He gets no redemption arc, thank god, because he is a classic movie lawyer, who is loyal to his friends and does a lot of razzle dazzle in court.
I would, I repeat, follow him to the ends of the world to see how much sleazier he can get.
He’s offset by the judge and the DA’s office, and the prosecutor he goes up against (“Dapper Don” Watanabe, my new book husband) are scrupulous and fair. It’s that kind of book. It’s that Brooklyn Nine-Nine grey area of not being actual copaganda, but having a lot of mixed messages ten years after it was written.
Because for all of the honest recriminations it has about the U.S.’s treatment of Hawaii, it has that many borderline-caricatures of Hawaiian characters, of women (including Nikki, who sits at the unfortunate intersection of both), and Kevin’s personal conviction that he was an outsider in New York’s legal circle by not being Jewish. (He straight-up thinks the judges and opposing lawyers would confab behind his back, and not invite him because he was a WASP.) Also his former mentor is a caricature of a Jewish man.
The final reveal of the murderer is through a diary entry, which felt unnecessary and a cop-out when the same information could have come out through plot events. The climax was a bit of a mess, is what I’m saying.
But goddamn the main character is so compelling (and several times, unintentionally unsympathetic) and the surrounding cast so well-matched that I am going to hunt down every sequel there is. I have stopped reading for the plot. I just need my next hit of the sleaze.
One Man’s Paradise is a modern Raymond Chandler novel: grubby violence, moral dilemmas, corruption, sex, and misogyny. Also enough period-appropriate racism to make all of Old Hollywood noir flicks proud.
(The “period” being the life and times we live in, never to escape.)
Self-aggrandising hotshot lawyer Kevin Corvelli moves to Hawaii after a high-profile New York City case where he failed his client in every possible way. He wants to keep his head down and work off his personal guilt, but he gets referred to a couple whose son is in jail for allegedly murdering his girlfriend.
Kevin is determined to avoid repeating his mistakes, which isn’t all that easy because there’s a media circus around his new client, and everyone knows what he did with his last one. His new client is also protected by some very powerful people who want to dictate what alternate suspects Kevin should look at. To make matters worse, he’s falling in love with a local bartender, the beautiful and hair-trigger-temper Nikki, and she becomes collateral (despite his best efforts) in his new case.
It’s all the ingredients of both a classic legal thriller and pulp fiction.
This isn’t a whodunnit kind of thriller. Kevin and his associates gumshoe up every new clue, some of which are handed to them through surprise reveals. The plot moves by cycling past one violent altercation after another, intercut with sex scenes. I love it. This is delivers on everything you want out of a crime novel. I never wanted to put it down.
Obviously, the star is Kevin. He’s weirdly anti-Semitic, full of white guilt towards the colonisation of Hawaii, lecherous, always thinking of his paycheque, and very open about how little he paid attention in law school and how much he relies on the Internet. He’s almost a kindred spirit. He gets no redemption arc, thank god, because he is a classic movie lawyer, who is loyal to his friends and does a lot of razzle dazzle in court.
I would, I repeat, follow him to the ends of the world to see how much sleazier he can get.
He’s offset by the judge and the DA’s office, and the prosecutor he goes up against (“Dapper Don” Watanabe, my new book husband) are scrupulous and fair. It’s that kind of book. It’s that Brooklyn Nine-Nine grey area of not being actual copaganda, but having a lot of mixed messages ten years after it was written.
Because for all of the honest recriminations it has about the U.S.’s treatment of Hawaii, it has that many borderline-caricatures of Hawaiian characters, of women (including Nikki, who sits at the unfortunate intersection of both), and Kevin’s personal conviction that he was an outsider in New York’s legal circle by not being Jewish. (He straight-up thinks the judges and opposing lawyers would confab behind his back, and not invite him because he was a WASP.) Also his former mentor is a caricature of a Jewish man.
The final reveal of the murderer is through a diary entry, which felt unnecessary and a cop-out when the same information could have come out through plot events. The climax was a bit of a mess, is what I’m saying.
But goddamn the main character is so compelling (and several times, unintentionally unsympathetic) and the surrounding cast so well-matched that I am going to hunt down every sequel there is. I have stopped reading for the plot. I just need my next hit of the sleaze.
Read
July 26, 2013This is a solid, well-written legal thriller with unquestionably funny moments and interesting ethical undercurrents. A young attorney has experienced a major setback in his otherwise successful career in New York prompting him to start over again in Hawaii, as far as he can get from his problems. Down and discouraged upon arrival, he quickly finds himself immersed in a crime and the subsequent trial while his presence in Hawaii and its laid-back lifestyle open up new ways of personal thinking. This is a winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award by a former defense attorney. -GD
Click here to place a hold on One Man's Paradise .
Another legal thriller with a strong sense of place that is also reflective and funny is Children in the Morning by Anne Emery.
Click here to place a hold on One Man's Paradise .
Another legal thriller with a strong sense of place that is also reflective and funny is Children in the Morning by Anne Emery.
November 19, 2011
After reading the Mahu series by Neil Plakcy, I thought mysteries set in Hawai'i might be a good way to familiarize myself with more of Hawai'ian literature. Based on a recommendation by the folks at Hawai'i Book Blog I picked this up.
It's pretty entertaining--I don't read much boilerplate mystery, and in general I'm less interested in the stories of haoles who come to the island and basically only hang out in Waikiki, but it was entertaining and certainly worthy of the praise it has received. It was pretty short, and I guessed the ending, but I'm going to read the second one.
It's pretty entertaining--I don't read much boilerplate mystery, and in general I'm less interested in the stories of haoles who come to the island and basically only hang out in Waikiki, but it was entertaining and certainly worthy of the praise it has received. It was pretty short, and I guessed the ending, but I'm going to read the second one.
July 30, 2013
If you like the show "Burn Notice" the tone of that show is similar to what you will find in this novel. This is a solid, well-written legal thriller with unquestionably funny moments and interesting ethical undercurrents. A young attorney has experienced a major setback in his otherwise successful career in New York prompting him to start over again in Hawaii, as far as he can get from his problems. Down and discouraged upon arrival, he quickly finds himself immersed in a crime and the subsequent trial while his presence in Hawaii and its laid-back lifestyle open up new ways of personal thinking. This is a winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award by a former defense attorney. -GD
May 28, 2010
I enjoyed this quick mystery, although it does require quite a bit of suspension of disbelief about all of the many coincidences of the same people just happening to run into each other over and over again. Many things seem to fall into place way too neatly. It was especially interesting to me because I have lived in Honolulu, where the book is set, and the author has done a nice job of capturing that atmosphere. Overall, it was well done and entertaining.
As always, I wish Goodreads had a 10-star system, because this is a solid 6 or 7 out of 10, and I feel a little stingy giving it three stars, but I'm not quite sure it rates 4.
As always, I wish Goodreads had a 10-star system, because this is a solid 6 or 7 out of 10, and I feel a little stingy giving it three stars, but I'm not quite sure it rates 4.
September 30, 2013
Criminal defence lawyer seeking a quiet life of obscurity in Hawaii. A run of the mill legal thriller/whodunnit. A little predictable. Airport reading and disappointing in terms of literature of place. Yes the setting is Oʻahu, but predictable stereotype local characters and generic descriptions of standard tourists hotspots and activities. Conventional. I will not be putting this on any Hawaiian reading lists as it just does not stand out enough in any of my criterion. Undemanding genre readers and tourists might enjoy the title though.
July 4, 2016
A so-so book with all weak characters. The main character is a slovenly lawyer who spends his life taking advantage of others and using anyone he can to promote his interests. Maybe he should have been a cop. Even his friends say he is weak and not respectable.
The story line is another lawyer whodunnit, and the author throws in a tropical venue, the mob, and a relationship to try to spice up the boring tale. Unless you are an inspiring lawyer who likes to read about trials and lawyer shenanigans, you would do better elsewhere.
The story line is another lawyer whodunnit, and the author throws in a tropical venue, the mob, and a relationship to try to spice up the boring tale. Unless you are an inspiring lawyer who likes to read about trials and lawyer shenanigans, you would do better elsewhere.
May 30, 2011
I live in Hawaii and am from New York. I am not an attorney but I enjoyed this book. I look forward to Corleone getting to know Hawaii better and becoming a better writer.
Local girls don't fall for haloes overnight. That may be this novel's biggest clue for those who live here. It's not very good.
Local girls don't fall for haloes overnight. That may be this novel's biggest clue for those who live here. It's not very good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2013
Very enjoyable read even though with only about 30 pages left in the book I was able to figure out the "who done it"! Well written with great one liners, visually descriptive scenes of Hawaii and a fun banter that exist between 2 lawyers and a wanna be private investigator. Will continue on to the next book in the series.
March 29, 2013
I am very happy to find this new author and series of mysteries that take place in my favorite place, Hawaii.
Our hero Kevin abandons a law practice in New York. Despite an early opinion that there is no good food in Oahu, he adapts, finds colleagues, to work with, and lands an intereśing case. Good twists and turns.
Our hero Kevin abandons a law practice in New York. Despite an early opinion that there is no good food in Oahu, he adapts, finds colleagues, to work with, and lands an intereśing case. Good twists and turns.
July 9, 2010
This book was a hoot. I'm not that into first person narratives, but Corleone did it well. The protagonist is a New York attorney who has just moved to Hawaii with a lot extra baggage as the cliche goes. The culture shock was well done.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
July 30, 2010
Love the character Kevin Corvelli and can't wait for more of his adventures. This suspenseful book takes you all around Oahu with all manner of suspects. For a full review and an interview with the author visit: Hawaii Book Blog
December 30, 2013
If the drinking, drugs, and sex were taken out of this book, it'd be awfully short. I almost gave up, but the book did improve as it went along and I enjoyed it. This was a debut novel by the author, and I hope the next ones are as good or better.
January 25, 2015
Awesome read! This was my first Douglas Corleone & it certainly won't be my last.
The setting was amazing, the story was awesome, the wit was enjoyable & the mystery was spot on.
*5 Stars! [I'd give 10 if I could]
The setting was amazing, the story was awesome, the wit was enjoyable & the mystery was spot on.
*5 Stars! [I'd give 10 if I could]
July 10, 2011
Good whodunit
October 14, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the endearing Kevin Corvelli.It rarely happens that I'm sorry to come to the end of a book. This was one of those.
October 27, 2011
Loved this light-hearted mystery set in Hawaii featuring a NYC attorney. Well plotted and well written with likable characters and lots of action. Well deserved award winner.
March 20, 2012
I will definiately be picking up more by this author. Love location in Hawaii and main characters
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