Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
The Devil to Pay
Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Gaylord Dold
Class/Genre: Mystery Legal Setting
Series: Mitch Gaylord # 2
St. Martin's, Feb 1999, $24.95, 376 pp.
To be kind, though born with a golden spoon in his mouth, San Francisco attorney Jack Darwin is a nerd's nerd. His only successful achievements besides inheriting his parents' wealth (predominantly kept in a trust by others) were passing the bar and marrying the beautiful Karla. However, his spousal relationship seems to be unraveling and now he represents his first client on a criminal case. Bluntly, Jack stinks at the job until fellow lawyer David Avila steps in and helps him.
David "adopts" Jack, who enjoys his time under the direction of his new mentor. However, David has his own agenda that includes taking Karla, whom he is sleeping with, away from Jack as well as his victim's home and trust fund. Things really turn ugly for Jack when he is accused of being a serial rapist-murderer. He hires David to represent him as his lawyer in his murder trial, but his attorney has other plans besides freedom for his client.
THE DEVIL TO PAY will excite attorney-bashers, but in spite of a crisp plot, for the most part, is not up to the level of Gaylord Dold's previous novels. The story line moves rapidly forward and reads quite well. However, the plot depends too much on gutting lawyers for their lack of ethics even more than President Reagan as the CEO used to blame the Federal government for all our country's woes. The problem with the novel resides with the characters. Jack is too pathetic and David is too amoral for readers to feel any empathy. This reviewer suggests readers peruse SCHEDULE TWO for a more balanced legal thriller from Mr. Dold.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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