The Enemy Inside: A Paul Madriani Novel (Paul Madriani Novels Book 13)
The Enemy Inside: A Paul Madriani Novel (Paul Madriani Novels Book 13) book cover

The Enemy Inside: A Paul Madriani Novel (Paul Madriani Novels Book 13)

Kindle Edition

Price
$19.99
Publisher
William Morrow
Publication Date

Description

“Martini expertly pulls all the threads together as Madriani navigates an assortment of physical and professional challenges.” -- Publishers Weekly Praise for Steve Martini: “Action-packed fun.” -- Oklahoma City Oklahoman“You like Law & Order? Or, even a John Grisham novel? Well, Steve Martini is one of the best of the best when it comes to crime thrillers.” -- Asbury Park Press“A terrific series. . . . Steve Martini is an expert at good old-fashioned, gimmick-free storytelling.” -- Steve Berry“Martini’s proven formula for best-seller success combines the appeal of the legal thriller (Martini is a former prosecutor) with the high-concept adventure of, say, Vince Flynn and James Rollins.” -- Booklist “Entertaining... Intriguing premise... Compelling courtroom scenes display a sophisticated knowledge of legal trench warfare.” -- Publishers Weekly “One of the most charismatic defense attorneys in thriller fiction. Madriani is a guy who won’t quit. . . . Best of all, he’s got the heart of a lion: protective, humane, courageous-that makes him such great fun to watch.” -- Linda Fairstein“Steve Martini writes first-rate legal thrillers. His plotting is expert, his characters vivid and alive. His courtroom scenes are rich and credible, and so are his villains. . . . Paul Madriani makes a likable and convincing David among the goliaths of crime, corporations and government.” -- Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers --This text refers to the mass_market edition. Steve Martini is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including The Enemy Inside, Trader of Secrets, The Rule of Nine, Guardian of Lies, Shadow of Power, Double Tap , and others featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani. Martini has practiced law in California in both state and federal courts and has served as an administrative law judge and supervising hearing officer. He lives in the Pacific Northwest. --This text refers to the audioCD edition. When Alex Ives is implicated in a deadly motor collision, Paul Madriani joins a case as tangled as any he's ever taken. Alex wakes up in the hospital in police custody, charged with drunk driving and manslaughter. When Paul discovers that Alex knew the deceased, a connected, hard-charging Washington, D.C. lawyer named Olinda Serna, Madriani realizes the potential penalties for his client could include a death sentence. In Washington, D.C., attorney Cletus Profitt learns that his law firm nemesis, Ms. Serna, has died. Profitt knows that Serna protected dangerous secrets involving players moving in the highest reaches of national politics, and he will go to any lengths to ensure that that knowledge has died with her. Senator Maya Grimes also hears of the fatal crash, and begins crafting her own web of deceit to suffocate anything that might come back to bite her. In the meantime, a vicious, highly effective mercenary begins to panic when she gets word of Serna's death. Now the only way to save a young man from imprisonment is for Madriani to uncover the corruption and dark deeds that surround Ms. Serna's friends and find her killer—before he or she can strike again. --This text refers to the audioCD edition. From the Inside Flap Paul Madriani must come to the aid of young Alex Ives, who was implicated in a deadly motor collision on a deserted Southern California highway. Though Alex swears he had only one drink, all he remembers is that he was supposed to meet a sexy, mysterious woman at a house party. The next morning he woke up in the hospital in police custody, charged with drunk driving and manslaughter. When he discovers that Alex knew the deceased, a connected Washington, D.C., lawyer named Olinda Serna, Madriani realizes his client could face a murder charge. Washington, D.C., attorney Cletus Proffit knows that Serna protected dangerous secrets involving players moving in the highest reaches of national politics. Now he must ensure that knowledge has died with her. Senator Maya Grimes also hears of the fatal crash and crafts her own web of deceit to suffocate anything that might come back to bite her. Then there's the vicious mercenary who panics when she learns of Serna's death and the manner in which it occurred. Now Madriani must uncover the corruption and dark deeds that surround Serna's friends and find her killer--before he or she can strike again. --Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Defending an innocent young man, defense attorney Paul Madriani uncovers a morass of corruption and greed that leads to the highest levels of political power in this electrifying tale of suspense from
  • New York Times
  • bestselling author Steve Martini.
  • One of the most successful lawyers in the country, Olinda Serna is a master at managing money as well as her influential clients. After years of fierce combat in the political trenches, Serna knows all the dirty secrets, where the bodies are buried, and how deeply they are stacked. When she’s killed in a roadside crash in the high desert of Southern California, powerful heads in Washington begin to panic, worried that their secrets may not be safe anymore.
  • Alex Ives, a friend of Paul Madriani’s daughter, is accused of vehicular manslaughter in Serna’s death. Ives claims he had only one drink on the night of the accident, yet he can’t remember anything between the time he left for a party north of San Diego and the moment he woke up in a hospital the next morning. He’s still dazed and a little bruised, but also obviously very afraid. After all, a woman is dead, and he’s sure he didn’t kill her.
  • To save an innocent young man’s life, the brilliant defense attorney must uncover everything he can about Serna and her clients—no matter how unsavory—a search that will lead him into a vortex of corruption, and at its center, a devious killer poised to strike again.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

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★★
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Most Helpful Reviews

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Too bad. His early stuff is great

Martini went on a break for a few years. I was a big fan. Now he's back with two books and neither measure up to earlier work. Not sure what happened. Too bad. His early stuff is great. Right up there with Lescroarts
13 people found this helpful
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Stick to his older works. The new stuff is a mess.

I'm about 40% of the way through this book, having just finished his prior one which really was a trilogy. I'm not sure if I will continue. Long political harangues. The previous three had Madriani playing terrorist chaser all over the world. This is yet another spy type book. Really, there are far better spy authors. Martini knows the courtroom. He should stick to it. And if I want story-derailing political opinions, I'll open a newspaper, turn on the TV, etc. Madriani is supposed to be a lawyer, not a spy, not law enforcement, or special ops. If Martini must write about something other than the law, then create a new character. If Madriani's legal business is going down the tubes, it's because Martini is going down the tubes. Maybe he's farmed out things to a stable of second rate hacks and just putting his name on things? Can't believe this is an author I used to love.
12 people found this helpful
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A legal thriller laced with political and financial conspiracies

Steve Martini has pulled out all stops to make this legal thriller #13 in the Paul Madriani series into a comprehensive legal thriller with a background of political and financial conspiracies, woven around an up-to-the-moment environment of electronic manipulation.

Alex Ives goes to a party and wakes up in his car 50 miles away after a fatal high speed crash. He has no recollection of leaving the party and his blood alcohol level is minor. The driver of the other car who was incinerated after the crash is Olinda Serna a Washington lawyer with powerful friends and financial connections.

When Alex is accused of homicide he asks Madriani for help in defending him in court. It is soon clear to Madriani that the crash may been staged and that Alex is in danger because he should have also been killed in the crash. He sets out to uncover everything he can about Serna and her clients - a search that leads to a path of political and financial corruption, both in Washington and overseas, and shadowy people with worldwide connections who will murder to maintain their power.

This is not your run-of-the-mill legal thriller - it has a bit of everything to keep you on the edge of your seat. A lot of what you read is beyond the bounds of believability but is very entertaining and if you like this kind of escapism you will enjoy this book. This is another case where a best-selling author has gone to great lengths with a new plot to keep a long running series alive. I see seeds of international espionage and powerplay in the plot that suggest that this is only the beginning of a longer story and despite his successes Paul Madriani and his small legal firm will continue to be accidentally involved in things beyond their control.

My thanks to The Reading Room and the publisher for an advance copy of this book for review.
9 people found this helpful
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An OK Book by a Superb Author

I have been a Martini reader for many years. I was hooked by his early books as his sparse but clear and complete writing style is perfectly suited to the personality of the protagonist, Paul Madriani. However Mr. Martini's latest books, including this one, have tended to fantastical premises, with worldwide conspiracies and complicated and unbelievable over the top characters and situations. His early books tended to be focused on local (to him) events and relate-able plots. Now it is routine for him to involve international terrorists, White House occupants, Supreme Court justices and other highly improbable persons. Add to that the extremely unlikely plots and I have to say I am disappointed. His ability to make a local and seemingly routine events seem real and possible was what drew me to him originally and this recent tendency to the outrageous have taken away some of his allure. That said he still writes very well and the book was enjoyable, but I am not sure that I will rush out to get the next book he writes.
8 people found this helpful
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Martini used to write these tight, interesting courtroom plots ...

Martini used to write these tight, interesting courtroom plots. Now he has moved into fantasy, writing comic book plots, laded with right wing polemic.
7 people found this helpful
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Really??

I agree totally with Jerry. Give us the courtroom back. The gallivanting all over the world SO strains one's credulity that the thrill is gone. Madriani, Hinds & Co. are no longer believable. I used to love the series, now I doubt I'll continue. Mr. Martini needs to return to the courtroom and leave the international thrillers to those who can actually write them.
6 people found this helpful
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Rambling tale

Not sure I know what I read...the story rambles from this to that.
Martini spends half the book expressing his political views...some of which I agree with...but much too much in a "thriller". Characters are shallow and plot is convoluted . Guess we have to wait for the next installment to find out what happens to all the bad guys. A hohum book
6 people found this helpful
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I used to really enjoy the Paul Madriani novels

I used to really enjoy the Paul Madriani novels, the tight courtroom drama. But the most recent books have been totally ridiculous and unbelievable. Bring back the lawyer Madriani, and ditch the secret agent. Please.
5 people found this helpful
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Beware of the Eagle

This story kept my interest right from the start. The case as oorigianally presented took many turns before you gott to the gist of the story and the steps that Paul took to resolve this was portrayed well.

The steps taken to protect is client and the way that people seemed to die after meeting him just expounded on the story.

The ups and downs that he went through with the scenes in D.C., Mexico and Lucerne really shoed the danger that he amd his client/partners had to overcome.

The greed portrayal in the story hits home since this is in all likelihood in the present time.

The ending finished the story and cleared all of the open issues. Highly recommend this book.
3 people found this helpful
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Paul Gets a Gold Medal!

I like Paul anyway but this one had me scratching my head for awhile. Given the current Presidential politics and even some added corruption here in Pennsylvania, anything alluding to politicians hiding things from the public was certainly on point. This plot is global and does not involve a courtroom so die-hard lawyer types should stay away. This is about Detective Paul and an international plot centered around our Washington elected officials. I have read that the next one, the 2016 book, is not very good, so I read this one, the 2015 book, first. I give this one a Gold, so if the 2016 is a Bronze, I can live with that. It IS an Olympic Year!
3 people found this helpful