Law and Disorder: A Legal Thriller

Mass torts attorney Nick “Deke” Deketomis, the hero of trial lawyer and radio host Papantonio’s impassioned first novel, is unafraid to take on the country’s biggest companies for corporate wrongdoing. At a pretrial hearing in a Florida courtroom, Deke wishes to enter as evidence a toxicology report in the case of his 19-year-old client, Annica Phillips, who suffered a stroke and partial paralysis after taking a birth control pill manufactured by Bekmeyer, a pharmaceutical giant. Shortly after the judge announces that he can’t accept the report’s conclusion, Annica collapses and dies, the victim of a large blood clot. In the course of seeking justice for Annica, Deke suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the law and discovers that he has far more enemies than he imagined, some of whom will go to any lengths to protect their secrets. Papantonio’s characters can be overly preachy, especially when discussing politics, but the legal maneuvering, courtroom drama, and brisk pace make this a satisfying tale of greed, corruption, lust, and murder. Agent: Bill Gladstone, Waterside Productions. (Sept.)