Temporary Sanity

Marty Nickerson #2

by Rose Connors

IS HOMICIDAL INSANITY EVER A LEGAL JUSTIFICATION FOR MURDER? Cape Cod attorney Marty Nickerson, formerly a prosecutor, faces hard questions as defense attorney for Buck Hammond. With TV cameras rolling, Buck took justice into his own hands. Now he is charged with murder one but he refuses the only viable insanity. Marty and her partner in love and law, Harry Madigan, are already stretched thin when, on the eve of Buck's trial, a bleeding woman staggers into their office. Her attacker has just been found -- dead -- and he's an officer of the court. Now Marty has two seemingly impossible cases. But legal motions and courtroom strategy may be the least of her worries, as shocking revelations soon bring fear to the Cape and devastating twists to Buck's trial....

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

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 17, 2003

About the author

Rose Connors is an author of mystery fiction. She has written four books about her fictional attorney Marty Nickerson, but hasn't been published in more than a decade. Connors, whose debut novel, Absolute Certainty, won the Mary Higgins Clark Award, grew up in Philadelphia and received her law degree from Duke in 1984.

Reviews

[Heidi Hilty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second mystery in the Marty Nickerson series, written by Chatham’s Rose Connors, is just as enjoyable as the first. Martha has left the prosecutors office and thrown in with Harry Madigan as a private practice defense attorney. As she prepares for one of the toughest cases she’s ever had, she finds herself involved with another murder scene - and an attempted murder situation. A captivating writer with another good story to tell.

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sitting here trying to decide whether to give this book a 4 or a 5. My heart says 4.5 but I really struggled with the ending.
The book is set in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This is more of a legal thriller than a murder mystery, however, there is a mystery to solve. And that's the problem I have. I'm still trying to figure out the motive of the killer. Maybe I need to reread it.
Marty Nickerson is a defense attorney. She works with Harry and "the kid". She has an older son in highschool and she lives with him in a cottage near the beach.
She is defending a father who shot and killed his son's murderer. They are using the defense of temporary insanity. The story is extremely conflicting morally. Everyone knows the father did it. There is video. But if you are a parent and put yourself in the shoes of this father (Buck Hammond) you might have done the same thing he did. And as a "jury of his peers" it is difficult to convict someone like this when you know in your heart the killer deserved it.
Some of the background plot and characters....A mother is accused of killing her abusive boyfriend and is sent to prison. Marty takes in her teenage daughter. And somehow this case and Buck Hammond's case are linked. That's another aspect that was confusing to me.
The judges personalities are really interesting. Judge Long almost teeters on the verge of unlawful in some cases. But he is fair and Marty and Harry are glad he is the judge in their case.
Judge Beatrice Nolan is rigid, vindictive and also teeters on the verge of unlawful. She is not fair and will abuse her power on the bench.
Geraldine, the DA, is another interesting character. I couldn't really figure out if she was a villain in this story or not. Judge Nolan and Geraldine had some similar traits.
The relationship between Marty and Harry was weird. I felt like I needed to go back and reread Absolute Certainty to figure out their history.
Overall, I thought this book was really good. I tore through about a hundred pages just to get to the ending. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get over parts of the ending. Otherwise, this would have been a 5.

[Joi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, like I enjoyed the first one. The author did a great job of bringing more than one story line together. I loved it so much and I can't wait until I read the next one.

[Kathleen Hagen]

Temporary Sanity, by rose Connors, A-minus.
Narrated by Bernadet Dunn, produced by blackstone audio, downloaded from audible.com.

I like these books about attorney Martha Nickerson. I think I must actually by accident have hit the second book in the series. In the first book, Absolute Certainty, Marty was working for the prosecutor’s office and had done so for ten years. But she had a falling-out with her boss, and resigned from the prosecutor’s office at the end of the book. In this second book, she has decided to become partners with her current love interest in a defense attorney firm. Her first two cases are going to be very demanding. There is the woman who showed up at the law office in terrible shape because her husband had abused her, and then her husband turned up dead. She is of course the main suspect. The second case involves a man who killed, in front of television video cameras, the man who had sexually molested and then murdered his seven-year-old son. The only defense that seems possible, since there’s no doubt he did it, is the defense of temporary insanity, not often a winner as any defense attorney knows. This was a very warm and exciting book with all the legal maneuvers spelled out for you as we went along. Bernadet Dunn read both of these books, and these books show her to very good advantage as a narrator. I will read more of these.

[K. East · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made very entertaining listening [via audiobook] while running errands in my car. I love mysteries that aren't psycho-thrillers but use the intellect and reasoning of a thoughtful "detective" to ferret out the criminal. I don't want to be scared to death; I want to be entertained and mentally stimulated. This book did it for me. In fact, as I got to the closing chapters, I sat and listened until the book was over rather than waiting for another trip to find out who-dunit.

This is an attorney mystery -- much like the Barbara Holloway series by Kate Wilhelm -- and while the outcome for the defendant, Buck, was pretty certain from the beginning, the revelation of who attacked the parole officer and the judge was a bit of a surprise. Just a satisfying ending. Not realistic, mind you, but this is fiction. Fortunately, there are three more in this series as audiobooks and hopefully the narrator will be the same as her voice added a lot to the story.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so thoroughly enjoyed this book! I like characters who are well done, as they are in this book. And I liked everything about it as I listened on Audio. I had no idea until close to the end who the perpetrators were, either, but neither was it so terribly gut wrenching that I felt anxious and even overwrought as I sometimes do with other mysteries. In this case, I felt quite caught up in the story, reluctant to leave my car at times to go into work or home :) I can hardly wait to get to more of the series and I encourage anyone to give this author a try! I found everything about the novel, the characters, the plot, the writing, the realism, everything to be entirely satisfactory and quite good!

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place just before Christmas on Cape Cod, in a huge snowstorm. The trial must go on, no matter how many mishaps occur.

I really like this author's writing style and I like Attorney Marty Nickerson very much. I couldn't decide whether to bump the 4.5 * rating up or down -- may change my mind and return to this review.

As a postscript, my husband and I spent most of our honeymoon in Chatham, where the main character lives. Our fiftieth wedding anniversary is this week, so even though we were there for the 4th of July fireworks, there was some nostalgia reading this story this week!

I plan to look for more books in this series.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the first one. Not as many legal explanations. The case was really sad but that’s probably what made it interesting too. Both books talk about child harm and loss, especially this one, so if that bothers you trigger warning! Also talk of domestic violence.

The last book the ending was really predictable. Sometimes that’s entertaining when you’re waiting for a character to put the pieces together but it didn’t have the wow factor for me. This book kept me on my toes a lot more though. Did not see one part of the ending at all and then the verdict I really could have seen going either way.

Curious if Marty will be a hero in the third book. Lawyer? More like detective.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good series so far, tense courtroom scenes.

I sure hope our judges are not like the ones in this book.

This focuses on two cases, seemingly unrelated. Marty is ramping up for the big, caught on tape killing, and trying to get the client off on temporary insanity. She is also tossed a late breaking domestic abuse case, which she juggles on the side.

This is a cold winter setting, so grab plenty of blankets and hot beverages in order to stay warm.

We are reading this author for my book group this month.

I borrowed a copy from the public library.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nearly didn't read this book & that would have been a big mistake....it was an absolutely cracking read! To avoid any spoilers all I will say is I found the court scenes gripping & the sarcastic banter between the characters helped make it even more entertaining...I even had a lump in my throat when the jury delivered the verdict taking the book to it's final chapter....but to find out what that was you'll have to read it for yourself -my lips are sealed!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from her... I am listening (I work in studio all day) and her stories are better than Grisham, as good as my favorite authors. I'd like to have had her flesh out her love interest and how it happened a bit more, but that is okay... not saying more as it is a spoiler.

[Bicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I strongly recommend this book. Rose Connors is a criminal defense lawyer and that is particularly evident in Temporary Sanity, which is the best novel I have read on the subject of the plea of temporary insanity.. Her book False Testimony is also worth reading.

[Kathy LeJeune · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book from the library. I would give this book 10 stars. Very entertaining and reinforces my thoughts on how screwed up our legal system and the people that run it! I certainly recommend it and will add Rose Connors to my favorite author list!

[Lawrence Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book that I have read by the local author who story takes place here on Cape Cod and so it is very interesting for me and highly entertaining and of course free from the local public library

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1st book I read during the Corona virus COVID 19 Quarantine. It was interesting that the word quarantine was in the book related to juries being quarantine. It kept my attention it was a nice quick read but it was a little bit too dry for me, too Much just in the courtroom

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

easy and fast read, interesting storyline with a predictable twist at the end.

[Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK till the end. Ugh.

[Marissa Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storytelling was pretty breezy considering all the depravity it contained. This book is a close analog to SVU, with likeable good guys, surprising bad guys and lots of courtroom antics.

[Lawanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook performed by Bernadette Dunne

[Mary Ahlgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her writing style was especially appealing

[Sandy Carmichael · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story just did not come together for me. Good ending but chopped up writing to me.

[Lucinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this book

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure how she does it but Rose Connors moved me to tears again in this second book. I love the dynamic created by this new team.

[Betsy]

Marty Nickerson Series, Book 2

[Kathy O’GORMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would read more of her stories, good read.

[Electra]

That judge should be disbarred, how has her behavior not gotten her censured good lord

[Christine Charbonneau Smyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story, not quite sure the ending makes sense.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

When devoted father Buck Hammond's seven-year-old son is abducted and murdered by convicted pedophile Hector Monteros, Buck takes justice into his own hands. Unfortunately, the television cameras were rolling as Buck aimed his hunting rifle at Hector's head and shot him dead. The only viable defense for a charge of murder one is insanity, but the grieving father refuses to say he was crazy when he pulled the trigger.

Cape Cod defense attorney Marty Nickerson - until recently a Massachusetts prosecutor - must ask herself if homicidal insanity is ever a moral or legal justification for murder - when she takes on the defense of Buck Hammond. Along with her partner in law and love, Harry Madigan, Marty has to present a tough case. How can the jury possibly acquit Buck when the shooting is there on the screen for all to see?

Marty and Harry and their young assistant, Kevin Kydd, are already stretched to their limits when, on the very eve of the trial, a battered and bleeding woman stumbles into their office. She's in deep trouble - her attacker's body has just been found, viciously stabbed, and he's an officer of the court. Now Marty has two seemingly impossible battles to win against her former colleagues. But losing a verdict may be the least of Marty's worries, as her efforts soon lead to shocking revelations that strike fear in the residents of the Cape and bring devastating changes to Buck's trial.

I really enjoyed Temporary Sanity by Rose Connors. The plot was gripping and kept me guessing until the very end. There was a thread of comedy running through the story that I really appreciated, and I also could sense the tension that each character experienced throughout the story. I give this book an A+! and will certainly be adding Rose Connors to my Wish List.

[Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best crime novels I have read ever, Temporary Sanity pulls you in from start to end. If I wasn't already in bed and it wasn't 2 am, I might have also given the climax a standing ovation. Rather, I felt my face inexplicably awash with hot tears. This story is thoroughly engaging, vivacious and moving. Connors throws in just the right quantity of ingredients to make one helluva quality story. She weaves tender emotions within a fragile network of questions that society has rarely faced heads-on. She throws total knock outs in her fictionalized court-room, with arguments that sock you back reeling and make you want to whoop with victory. Her characters are grounded, and thoroughly fleshed out, even with the little she spends in explaining each main character's background. This author knows what she is doing. MUST READ.

[Hypatia's Dream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando un ciudadano puede convertirse en un asesino? en su nueva función tiene que revivir la historia en el juicio, cuando el hijo de Buck de siete años de edad, fue violado y asesinado por el pedófilo Héctor Monteros, Buck tomó la justicia por sus propias manos. Por desgracia, las cámaras de televisión captado el momento en que Buck apuntó con su fusil de caza a la cabeza de Monteros. La única defensa viable es la locura, pero el padre se niega a decir que él estaba loco cuando apretó el gatillo. Marty, en equipo con Harry Madigan, su compañero en el amor y la ley, tiene un difícil caso. ¿Cómo puede el jurado absolver a Buck?