Legal Thrillers

Starting at the end of the story and working backwards would seem to be almost anti-suspenseful, but in fact, it's exactly the opposite. As you flip through each chapter and the picture of what's going on becomes clearer, the desire to rush ahead and find more clarity still becomes stronger and stronger. These books aren't strictly legal thrillers but all have a strong legal background; to call them modern morality tales might be closer to the truth. This story centers around a well known true crime writer, Allison Pagone, and her apparent suicide at the beginning - or end? - of the book. As you read forward, the mix includes a foreign terrorist, a pair of special agents from the FBI, and a murder that Allison may or may not have committed, though the evidence seems (emphasis on seems) pretty conclusive. As you read, Allison's life and choices as well as her family situation become clearer and clearer, and there are plenty of surprises left by the end of the novel. I wonder if this book might be so completely enjoyable that it's dismissed as a "mere" narrative tour de force - but if you read it carefully, it's really much more than that. Ellis' exploration of the characters and the reasons they behave the way they do are the explorations of a pure novelist. He's just a pure novelist who happens to tell a cracking good story. (Robin)

David Ellis Chronology:
Line of Vision (Edgar Winner, Best First Novel)
Life Sentence
Jury of One