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Jason Kolarich #3
The Wrong Man
When Jason Kolarich accepts the case of a homeless Iraq War veteran accused of murdering a young paralegal, his course seems clear: to mount an insanity defense for a man suffering so badly from post-traumatic stress disorder that he has no real memory of the crime. But as Kolarich digs deeper, he realizes that, unlikely as it seems, his client is probably innocent. Only days before her death, the murdered paralegal had stumbled on something she wasn't supposed to know . . . information that someone would kill to keep secret. Her murder was no random crime but a targeted hit, and the wrong man was charged.
As Jason Kolarich races to discover the truth in time to save his client, he finds himself embroiled in a mystery involving the Mob, a mysterious assassin known only as “Gin Rummy,” and a conspiracy of wealthy international terrorists with explosive plans for his city. With thousands of lives at stake, Kolarich has more on the line than ever before . . . and time is running out.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2012
71 people are currently reading
1416 people want to read
About the author
David Ellis
79 books2,100 followersDavid Ellis is a lawyer and the Edgar Allan Poe Award winner for Best First Novel for Line of Vision. Ellis attended Northwestern Law School and began his legal career in private practice in Chicago in 1993. He served as the House Prosecutor who tried and convicted Illinois Governor Blagojevich in the Impeachment Trial before the Illinois Senate. He was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court in 2014 and took office December 1, 2014. Ellis currently lives outside Chicago with his wife and three children.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
March 18, 2020
As my journey through the standalone work of David Ellis continues, I remain highly impressed with all he has to offer. His pieces shine and keep me wanting more, as they explore the legal world with a peppering of current events to keep the plot even thicker. Jason Kolarich has earned his reputation for being a gritty lawyer, mainly because he will go to the mat for his client, no matter their plight. When he is approached by a woman seeking help for her nephew, Kolarich is intrigued, but cannot fully commit quite yet. Tom Stoller is a former Army veteran who is now living on the streets. He is accused of killing Kathy Rubinkowski with a shot to the head. He was found with her belongings on his person and was apologizing for the act, an all but certain ticket to conviction. However, Kolarich sees a great deal of PTSD in Stoller and hears that he was involved in a shooting of a young girl while overseas. Could this be plaguing him after all this time? While Kolarich agrees to take the defence, he is visited by someone with ties to the local mob, asking some highly hypothetical questions. Kolarich is also coming out of his shell on a social level, creating ties with a woman who could prove more useful than a romantic tryst for him. Unable to push the trial into a continuance, Kolarich seeks to pry into the PTSD, but his client clams up and will be of no assistance with that. However, some background on the victim shows that her work at a law firm had her wondering about representation surrounding some highly intriguing substances, things that raise many a red flag for Kolarich. Might Kathy Rubinkowski have been killed for what she knew, leaving Tom Stoller as a scapegoat? Working as hard as he can, Kolarich seeks to convince others of this theory, even as the ADA seeks a slam dunk conviction, to no avail. In the background, something is going on that could make the trial and any verdict matter less than a hill of beans. A great piece that pulls on the heartstrings as well as keeping the reader fully committed. Ellis does so well with this and I’d recommend it to all who love gritty legal thrillers.
David Ellis is an author whose individual work I should have discovered long ago. His attention to detail and ability to pull the reader into the middle of it all cannot be missed. Jason Kolarich remains an integral part of the books and leads the story throughout. His grit and determination help him defend his clients as best he can, without getting caught up in the minutiae of their lives. His legal antics remain aboveboard, but tend to push the case in some interesting directions. He is not afraid to use his silver tongue in court and then pull out some needed fists to combat injustice as he sees it. Other characters help to add depth to the novel in ways that are highly effective. I found the story taking many turns and the strong characters made it all the more effective as the journey continued. The story took on some interesting topics that I feel Ellis handled well, without losing the legal angle that makes these novels so much fun to read. Layering situations and plot lines atop one another makes for some great storytelling and has me reaching for the final book in this series.
Kudos, Mr. Ellis, for more great legal writing. I will do my best to forge into the final novel right away.
Love/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/...
David Ellis is an author whose individual work I should have discovered long ago. His attention to detail and ability to pull the reader into the middle of it all cannot be missed. Jason Kolarich remains an integral part of the books and leads the story throughout. His grit and determination help him defend his clients as best he can, without getting caught up in the minutiae of their lives. His legal antics remain aboveboard, but tend to push the case in some interesting directions. He is not afraid to use his silver tongue in court and then pull out some needed fists to combat injustice as he sees it. Other characters help to add depth to the novel in ways that are highly effective. I found the story taking many turns and the strong characters made it all the more effective as the journey continued. The story took on some interesting topics that I feel Ellis handled well, without losing the legal angle that makes these novels so much fun to read. Layering situations and plot lines atop one another makes for some great storytelling and has me reaching for the final book in this series.
Kudos, Mr. Ellis, for more great legal writing. I will do my best to forge into the final novel right away.
Love/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/...
November 23, 2012
I rarely give five stars to books of this type, but this one has superbly intricate plotting and character development. He also brings in some issues about PTSD for veterans of the Iraq War, without shoving it in your face or letting it take over the story. Well done. Call it 4.5 stars.
This is the third in a series, but there's no need to have read the first two. I haven't read the second one, and this one worked fine for me all on its own.
This is the third in a series, but there's no need to have read the first two. I haven't read the second one, and this one worked fine for me all on its own.
August 29, 2016
An interesting story that waned the last third. The end was decent. The story could have been better if Ellis had focused more on the positive and less on the negative that contributed little if anything at all. 6 of 10 stars
August 17, 2020
Another winner in the Jason Lolarich series. I've gone through three so far in quick succession, and enjoyed it a lot. This one was my favorite, with a lot going on. If you liked the first two in the series, you'll probably like this one; it's pretty similar in style, although the story is much different. There's not that much courtroom drama, but it does all revolve around a case he's working on.
I'm ready to read another if I can get it.
I'm ready to read another if I can get it.
June 11, 2017
Started well but I thought it all became a little far fetched in the latter half.
October 11, 2015
Jason Kolarich rocks! This is a high octane legal thriller from the get go. Jason is up against it as he tries to defend a decorated but mentally damaged war veteran from a murder charge. At first Jason is just seeking a fair trial with acknowledgement of his client's mental condition but then he starts to wonder if his client is, in fact, innocent. As he starts to investigate what might have actually happened, the trail leads him into extreme danger. Can Jason and his merry band of merry helpers save the country from a plot that threatens the lives of thousands? Hmm a little far fetched by that point but a gripping read nonetheless.
November 7, 2023
4 stars
An in depth story featuring defense attorney Jason Kolarich who more or less agrees to take on a criminal matter. An indigent man, Tom Stoller, a former Army Ranger, is accused of killing a women and stealing her purse and jewelry.
Jason’s initial plan is to plead not guilty due to insanity. After all, lieutenant Stoller came back with PTSD coupled with schizophrenia. But when that plan doesn’t pan out, Jason has to move on to plan B. As Jason begins to uncover more information about the woman who was murdered, the case takes a strange turn. Meanwhile, trial is imminent and Jason must work around the clock to keep the lieutenant out of prison.
An in depth story featuring defense attorney Jason Kolarich who more or less agrees to take on a criminal matter. An indigent man, Tom Stoller, a former Army Ranger, is accused of killing a women and stealing her purse and jewelry.
Jason’s initial plan is to plead not guilty due to insanity. After all, lieutenant Stoller came back with PTSD coupled with schizophrenia. But when that plan doesn’t pan out, Jason has to move on to plan B. As Jason begins to uncover more information about the woman who was murdered, the case takes a strange turn. Meanwhile, trial is imminent and Jason must work around the clock to keep the lieutenant out of prison.
July 20, 2012
After young paralegal is murdered and robbed outside of her apartment, police find a homeless Mike Stoller with her purse and the gun. When the Iraq war veteran is questioned, says he doesn’t remember what happened and is otherwise unresponsive, the police believe they have their guy. With only weeks before the trial Jason Kolarich agrees to take the case. However, the judge bars him using a defense of post-traumatic stress disorder that Stoller obviously suffers from. Unwilling to give up on his obviously sick client, Kolarich tries to put some kind of defense together. But soon he realizes his client is probably innocent and the paralegal was murdered to cover up a conspiracy. Soon is he not only racing the clock to find out the truth before the trial convicts the wrong man, he is racing to keep himself and a lot of other people alive.
David Ellis’ novel The Wrong Man begins as a legal who-done-it. Jason Kolarich is a former prosecutor, who has flipped sides and now defends criminals while mourning the death of his wife and child. Ellis does a nice job of bringing Kolarich to life, including his flaws – of which there are many. The writing is tight and visual. The dialog is dynamic, giving the reader a real feel for the characters. However, Ellis constantly jumps between first-person and third-person, and it is very distracting. It is a bit of literary cheating that doesn’t work for me. It would have been better if Ellis would have stuck to third-person if he wanted to show all of the moving parts of what eventually turns into a thriller.
I say thriller because about halfway into the story, the courtroom drama becomes secondary to the high-stakes conspiracy that Kolarich is unknowingly sucked into. I really liked how Ellis let Kolarich discover things almost randomly. He has no idea just how deep in the hole he is until he is looking to get out of it. I thought it was a spot-on treatment of how someone would react to the situation – not omnipotent, but not clueless either. The pace of the second half of the book ratchets up with each chapter and it is the best feature of the book. It is too bad that the ending was rushed and became and wrapped up a little too easily. The antagonists were clichéd and their motivations were not well thought out. Finally, the reveal in the last couple of pages was unnecessary and quite boorish. Frankly, it ruined some of the lingering unknowns and was as subtle an ending as a 2x4 to the face.
Ultimately, The Wrong Man was a lustrous gem wrapped in a moldy fast-food container. There was so much to like about the story and the protagonist. Unfortunately, it was plagued with just enough writing faux pas and annoying clichés to drag it down to the level of mediocrity. If you want a fun thriller with an interesting protagonist and can ignore problems of both substance and style, you may enjoy this book. If you are stickler for writing convention, have difficulty suspending your disbelief or want something with the least bit of subtlety, look elsewhere.
David Ellis’ novel The Wrong Man begins as a legal who-done-it. Jason Kolarich is a former prosecutor, who has flipped sides and now defends criminals while mourning the death of his wife and child. Ellis does a nice job of bringing Kolarich to life, including his flaws – of which there are many. The writing is tight and visual. The dialog is dynamic, giving the reader a real feel for the characters. However, Ellis constantly jumps between first-person and third-person, and it is very distracting. It is a bit of literary cheating that doesn’t work for me. It would have been better if Ellis would have stuck to third-person if he wanted to show all of the moving parts of what eventually turns into a thriller.
I say thriller because about halfway into the story, the courtroom drama becomes secondary to the high-stakes conspiracy that Kolarich is unknowingly sucked into. I really liked how Ellis let Kolarich discover things almost randomly. He has no idea just how deep in the hole he is until he is looking to get out of it. I thought it was a spot-on treatment of how someone would react to the situation – not omnipotent, but not clueless either. The pace of the second half of the book ratchets up with each chapter and it is the best feature of the book. It is too bad that the ending was rushed and became and wrapped up a little too easily. The antagonists were clichéd and their motivations were not well thought out. Finally, the reveal in the last couple of pages was unnecessary and quite boorish. Frankly, it ruined some of the lingering unknowns and was as subtle an ending as a 2x4 to the face.
Ultimately, The Wrong Man was a lustrous gem wrapped in a moldy fast-food container. There was so much to like about the story and the protagonist. Unfortunately, it was plagued with just enough writing faux pas and annoying clichés to drag it down to the level of mediocrity. If you want a fun thriller with an interesting protagonist and can ignore problems of both substance and style, you may enjoy this book. If you are stickler for writing convention, have difficulty suspending your disbelief or want something with the least bit of subtlety, look elsewhere.
September 16, 2017
The Wrong Man seemed to be an exercise by the author to write a novel with as little believability as humanly possible in a story. I wanted to like this novel, but I couldn’t go more than a few pages without groaning at how utterly ridiculous the plot and character points were. This novel was such a mess that I don’t even know where to start.
The novel centers around the most cliché of cliché villains in fiction—the evil cabal of nefarious corporate types out to bring doom and destruction to humanity. I’ve read a variation of this type of villain so frequently that it astounds me how unoriginal authors can be, speaking as a fellow author. At the middle of it all was the white knight, the All-American American advocate of the downtrodden, Jason Kolarich, representing a mentally ill Gulf War veteran wrongfully accused of murdering a paralegal (to make it painfully obvious they even put it in the title).
There’s simply no credibility to this story. Without trying to spoil anything, any of the parts involving the Mafia were groan-inducing. Jason’s relationship with his girlfriend seemed preposterous since they had no chemistry whatsoever. Everything about the girlfriend was painful to read. The diabolical plot was bogus. For some reason, authors have a tendency of ignoring reality and making the perpetrators of terrorism wealthy American corporate types. If they just paid attention to the news, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out who actually commit acts of terror in the real world. I would like to say something positive about this novel, but I can’t think of a single thing I liked about it.
Carl Alves – author of Blood Street
The novel centers around the most cliché of cliché villains in fiction—the evil cabal of nefarious corporate types out to bring doom and destruction to humanity. I’ve read a variation of this type of villain so frequently that it astounds me how unoriginal authors can be, speaking as a fellow author. At the middle of it all was the white knight, the All-American American advocate of the downtrodden, Jason Kolarich, representing a mentally ill Gulf War veteran wrongfully accused of murdering a paralegal (to make it painfully obvious they even put it in the title).
There’s simply no credibility to this story. Without trying to spoil anything, any of the parts involving the Mafia were groan-inducing. Jason’s relationship with his girlfriend seemed preposterous since they had no chemistry whatsoever. Everything about the girlfriend was painful to read. The diabolical plot was bogus. For some reason, authors have a tendency of ignoring reality and making the perpetrators of terrorism wealthy American corporate types. If they just paid attention to the news, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out who actually commit acts of terror in the real world. I would like to say something positive about this novel, but I can’t think of a single thing I liked about it.
Carl Alves – author of Blood Street
September 17, 2016
I love Jason Kolarich. He takes on cases that speak to his heart. Like here, defending a young veteran who’s been arrested for murder of a young paralegal. As Kolarich has been a prosecutor he has a particular understanding of how to proceed; taking into account various scenarios of defense. He’s so savvy, he makes me smile.
The longer Jason digs into the case, the more he realizes that his client, the homeless Iraq War vet Tom Stoller, is actually the wrong man being accused of this murder. For Jason and his team, It’s a race against the clock as they investigate the culpable group of men who are plotting an even bigger crime against human kind.
Listening to the audio version of this book was rather enjoyable, although I don’t like how narrator, Luke Daniels does female voices. It’s too sotto voce, it’s irritating.
Also I have to admit, I had my suspicions about who Gin Rummy was (I don’t want to give away spoilers). As a legal read, this is definitively satisfying. I give it a 3,5 stars.
The longer Jason digs into the case, the more he realizes that his client, the homeless Iraq War vet Tom Stoller, is actually the wrong man being accused of this murder. For Jason and his team, It’s a race against the clock as they investigate the culpable group of men who are plotting an even bigger crime against human kind.
Listening to the audio version of this book was rather enjoyable, although I don’t like how narrator, Luke Daniels does female voices. It’s too sotto voce, it’s irritating.
Also I have to admit, I had my suspicions about who Gin Rummy was (I don’t want to give away spoilers). As a legal read, this is definitively satisfying. I give it a 3,5 stars.
August 27, 2012
I love David Ellis, and his Jason Kolarich books are among the best series novels out there. This one has it all -- humor, suspense, politics, cynicism, heart -- and an interesting twist at the end that, while I sort of suspected something was up, still came out of nowhere. Better than that, and testimony to Ellis' storytelling skills, the unexpected ending was completely logical, and he'd set it up perfectly throughout the book.
July 27, 2016
Couldn't wait for the end; very boring
August 19, 2019
Good book with a major twist in the story in the last 5 pages.
May 8, 2022
Excellent!
April 9, 2023
This is an intelligent and complicated thriller that truly flies by! David Ellis peppers his story with lessons about the law do not feel like lectures.
June 26, 2024
A lawyer thriller never lets me down. 👏
August 2, 2025
Love a good whodunnit with a twist.
February 8, 2020
Picked this book up on the sale shelf at the library. It is one of the most interesting, unique and challenging mysteries I have read in a while. I will surely look for more books by this author.
June 6, 2012
The Wrong Man is the 3rd in the Jason Koraich series by David Ellis but the first I've read. This offering has convinced me to read the first two installments.
Jason Kolarich is an attorney who has a soft spot for a sob story and a crying relative. He takes the case of a traumatized vet accused of a senseless murder (but are there any other kind?) of a woman in a park during a robbery. Tom Stoller, the homeless vet suffering from PTSD, doesn't remember what happened, doesn't answer any questions from his attorney, and, even worse from the lawyer standpoint, sort of confessed to the crime when arrested. Add a new love interest, a cranky judge, a more than competent prosecutor, and a trial setting just weeks away. Then while Ellis weaves in an intricate conspiracy and a little of old school Mafia, the thrill ride begins.
The Wrong Man alternates between first person narrative (Kolarich), which allows an insight into his life and his unraveling of the conspiracy while working on the murder case, and the traditional third person in which Ellis sets out the complex conspiracy and mob plot lines. However, it is done so seamlessly that there is no problem keeping track of the who, what, when, and how involved in the three different sides of this multilayered novel.
The courtroom scenes are impressive. David Ellis is a working lawyer (currently special prosecutor in the Illinois senate, having handled the impeachment of Governor Blagojevich). Not only does he accurately set out the essentials of a trial, he also portrays the strategy behind the trial (a lost art since Erle Stanley Gardner perfected his craft with Perry Mason).
Ellis' use of dialogue is impressive, his plotting intricate, and his character development strong. There are some bumps along the way. A couple of "surprise" moments are not that surprising. In order to move his story along, Ellis requires Kolarich to act out of character. In addition, the last pages seemed to tie up the loose ends a little quickly.
But not all pleasant rides have to be smooth the entire time. And Ellis' The Wrong Man is a joy ride worth taking.
I received a free advance copy from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
Jason Kolarich is an attorney who has a soft spot for a sob story and a crying relative. He takes the case of a traumatized vet accused of a senseless murder (but are there any other kind?) of a woman in a park during a robbery. Tom Stoller, the homeless vet suffering from PTSD, doesn't remember what happened, doesn't answer any questions from his attorney, and, even worse from the lawyer standpoint, sort of confessed to the crime when arrested. Add a new love interest, a cranky judge, a more than competent prosecutor, and a trial setting just weeks away. Then while Ellis weaves in an intricate conspiracy and a little of old school Mafia, the thrill ride begins.
The Wrong Man alternates between first person narrative (Kolarich), which allows an insight into his life and his unraveling of the conspiracy while working on the murder case, and the traditional third person in which Ellis sets out the complex conspiracy and mob plot lines. However, it is done so seamlessly that there is no problem keeping track of the who, what, when, and how involved in the three different sides of this multilayered novel.
The courtroom scenes are impressive. David Ellis is a working lawyer (currently special prosecutor in the Illinois senate, having handled the impeachment of Governor Blagojevich). Not only does he accurately set out the essentials of a trial, he also portrays the strategy behind the trial (a lost art since Erle Stanley Gardner perfected his craft with Perry Mason).
Ellis' use of dialogue is impressive, his plotting intricate, and his character development strong. There are some bumps along the way. A couple of "surprise" moments are not that surprising. In order to move his story along, Ellis requires Kolarich to act out of character. In addition, the last pages seemed to tie up the loose ends a little quickly.
But not all pleasant rides have to be smooth the entire time. And Ellis' The Wrong Man is a joy ride worth taking.
I received a free advance copy from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2012
David Ellis's latest book - The Wrong Man - is the third featuring recurring character Jason Kolarich.
Kolarich is a defense lawyer, with a penchant for taking on seemingly impossible cases. This time he's asked by the family of homeless Iraq War vet Tom Stoller to defend him against murder charges. It seems hopeless - Tom was found with the victim's personal belongings and the murder weapon in his hand. But Tom can't or won't defend himself - he's suffering from severe PTSD and perhaps other mental illness. It's up to Jason to speak for him.
The opening line of the prologue was written to catch and hold a reader....
"Something bad is going to happen to Kathy Rubinowski tonight." And this reader was captured from first page to last.
As Jason and his team (I liked the supporting cast a lot) dig further, they come up with an alternative scenario - and what they uncover puts a target on Jason's back.
Kolarich is a big, imposing guy with a larger than life personality. The courtroom scenes are interesting and I enjoyed the legal machinations. But Kolarich is not your run of the mill defense attorney. He's out chasing down leads with and without his investigator. I did question his inclusion of a woman he's seeing as part of the team - it just seemed odd. As a lawyer, he skirts the law sometimes and others he outright ignores it - all in the name of protecting his client. He is now sure Tom is innocent. "The rules of ethics in my profession, last I checked, weren't optional. when did I start treating them that way?"
Ellis has crafted a really good thriller, combining courtroom drama, conspiracy and more with the end result being a page turner of a read. The plot was a little far fetched in places and I saw the end coming, but I enjoyed the ride. Ellis has the thriller format down pat - lots of action, danger and a compelling plot. I'll definitely be picking up the next in the series
Kolarich is a defense lawyer, with a penchant for taking on seemingly impossible cases. This time he's asked by the family of homeless Iraq War vet Tom Stoller to defend him against murder charges. It seems hopeless - Tom was found with the victim's personal belongings and the murder weapon in his hand. But Tom can't or won't defend himself - he's suffering from severe PTSD and perhaps other mental illness. It's up to Jason to speak for him.
The opening line of the prologue was written to catch and hold a reader....
"Something bad is going to happen to Kathy Rubinowski tonight." And this reader was captured from first page to last.
As Jason and his team (I liked the supporting cast a lot) dig further, they come up with an alternative scenario - and what they uncover puts a target on Jason's back.
Kolarich is a big, imposing guy with a larger than life personality. The courtroom scenes are interesting and I enjoyed the legal machinations. But Kolarich is not your run of the mill defense attorney. He's out chasing down leads with and without his investigator. I did question his inclusion of a woman he's seeing as part of the team - it just seemed odd. As a lawyer, he skirts the law sometimes and others he outright ignores it - all in the name of protecting his client. He is now sure Tom is innocent. "The rules of ethics in my profession, last I checked, weren't optional. when did I start treating them that way?"
Ellis has crafted a really good thriller, combining courtroom drama, conspiracy and more with the end result being a page turner of a read. The plot was a little far fetched in places and I saw the end coming, but I enjoyed the ride. Ellis has the thriller format down pat - lots of action, danger and a compelling plot. I'll definitely be picking up the next in the series
June 19, 2012
This my introduction to David Ellis and his work. I look forward to reading more of his legal thrillers. I found the book complex but at the same time easy to read and extremely difficult to put down. It seems to be a story off of the evening news and is very believable in today's world.
The story starts with the death of a paralegal on her way home and evolves into a terrorist threat. Jason Kolarich becomes the attorney for an Iraqi veteran who has been accused of the crime and he does not communicate well with anyone since he suffers from flashbacks to his experiences in Iraq. As Kolarich and his team search for a possible defense and have motion after motion denied by a strict judge they begin to wonder if there was something in the paralegal's past that may have led to the shooting, not the robbery that the veteran is accused of in what appears to be an open and shut case for the prosecution. As the team works they begin to see that there is more to the case then first meets the eye. The book is full of twists and turns right up to the end and is a very good read.
I believe readers of this book will begin to look for others by David Ellis. I know I will. Very interesting and exciting to read.
The story starts with the death of a paralegal on her way home and evolves into a terrorist threat. Jason Kolarich becomes the attorney for an Iraqi veteran who has been accused of the crime and he does not communicate well with anyone since he suffers from flashbacks to his experiences in Iraq. As Kolarich and his team search for a possible defense and have motion after motion denied by a strict judge they begin to wonder if there was something in the paralegal's past that may have led to the shooting, not the robbery that the veteran is accused of in what appears to be an open and shut case for the prosecution. As the team works they begin to see that there is more to the case then first meets the eye. The book is full of twists and turns right up to the end and is a very good read.
I believe readers of this book will begin to look for others by David Ellis. I know I will. Very interesting and exciting to read.
August 19, 2012
This was one fabulous book, and kept my interest in a way that only James Patterson has been able to do up until now, which is extremely high praise.
In this third book in the Jason Kolarich series (and I hope there are more to come), Jason is defending Tom Stoller, a veteran of the war in Iraq who has been very mentally damaged by the events that he witnessed and took part in. Tom has been accused of robbing and murdering a young paralegal in cold blood, and is so nonresponsive due to his mental illness that he is unable to speak up in his own defense. Meanwhile, aided by Shauna, his ex-girlfriend, forever friend, and legal partner; and Joel Lightner, his private investigator friend, as well as Tori Martin, a new love interest, Jason begins to unravel a detailed plan involving a Corporate bigwig and the Mob that would seem to exonerate Tom and avert a terrorist attack - if only he can prove it in time.
The plot and all the ins and outs of this book were well thought-out, and I loved how Ellis tied everything together. The suspense was incredible and kept me turning the pages right up until the surprise ending! I am so looking forward to the next book in this series!
In this third book in the Jason Kolarich series (and I hope there are more to come), Jason is defending Tom Stoller, a veteran of the war in Iraq who has been very mentally damaged by the events that he witnessed and took part in. Tom has been accused of robbing and murdering a young paralegal in cold blood, and is so nonresponsive due to his mental illness that he is unable to speak up in his own defense. Meanwhile, aided by Shauna, his ex-girlfriend, forever friend, and legal partner; and Joel Lightner, his private investigator friend, as well as Tori Martin, a new love interest, Jason begins to unravel a detailed plan involving a Corporate bigwig and the Mob that would seem to exonerate Tom and avert a terrorist attack - if only he can prove it in time.
The plot and all the ins and outs of this book were well thought-out, and I loved how Ellis tied everything together. The suspense was incredible and kept me turning the pages right up until the surprise ending! I am so looking forward to the next book in this series!
March 6, 2015
The Wrong Man (The right author)
by David Ellis
A self-deprecating hero, the Mafioso, and homegrown terrorism meld to keep the reader clued into each twist and turn. A broken man after the death of his family, Jason Kolarich, is putting one step in front of the other barely living with the aftermath. Until a brain damaged Army ranger is accused of the brutal murder of a young woman and the man’s aunt enlists Kolarich to defend him.
From the minute he takes the case, he is a target of forces that have worked hard to cover their tracks and their true intentions. Kolarich is an easy character to cheer for and the scenarios in the storyline are frighteningly real. However, I figured out the final ‘mystery’ of the book in the first third of the book. I’m not sure if it’s because I read so many thrillers or if the author leads us to know long before Kolarich so that we wait with baited breath for the moment he realizes the depth of personal betrayal.
by David Ellis
A self-deprecating hero, the Mafioso, and homegrown terrorism meld to keep the reader clued into each twist and turn. A broken man after the death of his family, Jason Kolarich, is putting one step in front of the other barely living with the aftermath. Until a brain damaged Army ranger is accused of the brutal murder of a young woman and the man’s aunt enlists Kolarich to defend him.
From the minute he takes the case, he is a target of forces that have worked hard to cover their tracks and their true intentions. Kolarich is an easy character to cheer for and the scenarios in the storyline are frighteningly real. However, I figured out the final ‘mystery’ of the book in the first third of the book. I’m not sure if it’s because I read so many thrillers or if the author leads us to know long before Kolarich so that we wait with baited breath for the moment he realizes the depth of personal betrayal.
November 7, 2013
Sometimes a book and a reader just don't mesh, and this is one of those times. I thought as I was reading that the suspense and mystery were well-played. On the other hand, I've been trying on and off for a year to finish the book and finally decided to give up. The writer hooked me, but he didn't keep me on the line and reel me in. Nevertheless, I liked it well enough to keep giving it a go for a long time.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received an advance copy for review via LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received an advance copy for review via LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2014
Not good. The story had a lot of potential but I didn't care about Jason Kolarich, the main character. Not saying that you have to like the main character, but you should feel like you are vested in their story. I felt none of that. The story drags on and on. The short chapters make for artificial pacing. He is a Patterson co-author and the style and substance show. I don't care for Patterson. Then again, I don't care for McDonald's and they've served billions. Shows what I know. Not recommended.
October 1, 2012
Very disappointing effort from Ellis in the Jason Kolarich series. Bland and unoriginal story without the edge that is usually found in Ellis' books. I figured out the villian, and thus the story's big "twist", very early on and I don't usually bother to focus on such things when reading these types of books. It was that obvious. I fear that writing for James Patterson has taken something away from Ellis' work. Hopefully he gets back on track with his next effort.
April 22, 2013
This is Dave's best book to date (not including Guilty Wives, his collaboration with James Patterson, which I haven't yet read). Tight writing, good plot, nice pace, solid research, interesting legal stuff. I can't say much without risking a spoiler, but if you're a fan of legal thrillers, pick it up. (It's not necessary to read the first twin in the Jason Kolarich series, but you should.)
July 27, 2013
Started off reasonably well, but about a third of the way into the book, it seemed like another writer was substituted. The writing turned flat and the dialogue plodding. The plot was predictable. Although I don't usually give up on a book, I just couldn't get through this one.
October 21, 2017
Although a little farfetched in parts.... this is definitely Jason Kolarich's best adventure.
Good character development, nicely paced & a good (but predictable) ending... resulting in everything that you would want in a novel.
Good character development, nicely paced & a good (but predictable) ending... resulting in everything that you would want in a novel.
October 23, 2017
Actually 3.5 stars - Another David Ellis page turner. I enjoyed it, but it's the typical murder mystery with 30 characters (I counted them) and I didn't even keep track of them all.
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