Kill All the Lawyers by Paul Levine

61. – 521.) Kill All the Lawyers by Paul Levine – The third book in the Solomon v. Lord series has a striking opening with Miami attorney, Steve Solomon, finding a 300 pound marlin impaled through the peephole of his front door. Former client, Dr. William Kreeger, recently released from jail for involuntary manslaughter has left a message for Solomon. The psychiatrist knows Solomon failed to represent properly him in the trial and he is not happy. In addition to psychiatry, Kreeger has become a radio talk show host and is using the airwaves to excoriate Solomon. While trying to think through a suitable response to the Kreeger offensive, thinking being a trial for the reactive Solomon, personal life is increasingly chaotic.

Solomon’s relationship with the beautiful conservative Victoria Lord is undergoing the challenges of becoming a committed relationship. Solomon is a male cliché with his reluctance to discuss feelings.

Adding to the challenge of the Solomon and Lord romantic partnership is the presence of Irene Lord, The Queen, the mother of Lord. Her lofty disdain of the crude Solomon automatically creates sparks when the two of them try to share any space.

His father, Herbert, ever unpredictable in language has unexpectedly become orthodox in his religious beliefs while adhering to a wild Florida image.

Most interesting is the brilliant Bobby, the nephew Solomon rescued from his drug addled sister. Teenage hormones have arrived a year early. The 12 year old finds studying with fellow 6^th grader, the attractive Maria Munoz-Goldberg, very exciting.

While all the clashing family members are interesting and the Kreeger – Solomon battle is intriguing there is precious little legal conflict in the book. As I made my way deeper into the book I missed the wonderfully funny courtroom legal antics, especially of the first book Solomon v. Lord. There is a legal theme to the story over Solomon’s ethics and actions with regard to the trial defence of Kreeger but it is secondary to the ongoing bedlam of Solomon’s life.

With the book concentrated so heavily on Solomon there is but a limited role for Lord. I wish she would have had a greater presence in the book.

Even Solomon’s laws of this book are less connected with the courts. As an example:

7. When you run across a naked woman, act as if you’ve

seen one before.

The author’s website speaks of Levine drawing on his 17 years of legal practice and 3 marriages for this series of books. In this book the definite source was the marital experience.

It was entertaining. Levine is truly skilled at writing humorous scenes. While disappointed with the focus of the story I will look for the 4^th in the series because of the brilliance of the first two books. Still, unless the next in the series spends more time in the courtroom, I think I will pass on continuing to read the series. (Nov. 15/11)