Book Review: The Prosecution

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Prosecution     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
D. W. Buffa
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Joseph Antonelli # 2
Henry Holt, Jul 1999, $23.00, 274 pp.

His peers considered him to be one of the best defense attorneys in Oregon. However, after going outside the law to assure justice occurred, he quit his practice. Only Judge Horace Woolner, a person he highly respects, could entice him to return to the courtroom. Woolner appoints Joseph Antonelli as a special prosecutor in the case of Chief Deputy District Attorney Marshal Goodwin, accused of murdering his spouse.

Joseph goes after Marshal with the same fervor he used in defending his clients. After winning the case, Joseph goes home wondering if the right person was convicted. However, before he can ponder any further, a new case drops into his lap. Horace’s wife Alma has been accused of killing a co-worker. This time the accused is a close friend.

Joseph is a person with a deep conscience. He strongly believes that in the justice system there is guilty or not guilty with no degrees of latitude in between the two poles. Though this philosophy enables him to be a perfect lawyer, it leaves his soul feeling bankrupt. This internal war is what makes THE PROSECUTION one of the finest legal thrillers in a long time. D.W. Buffa provides his readers with deep characters who use a courtroom as the background to a fabulous tale that, like the author’s debut novel (THE DEFENSE), is extremely entertaining.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner