Rattlesnake Lawyer
 Jonathan Miller
 (Reviewer - Narayan Radhakrishnan)
 2001 Cool Titles
  ISBN: 0967392012

In old New Mexico, a trial lawyer learns about the meaning of life & love from a convict.

Sr. Reviewer - Narayan Radhakrishnan writes:

Jonathan Miller’s debut work Rattlesnake Lawyer captivated me from the outset itself, for two main reasons; one, the unconventional title & two, the ability of the author to tell a serious tale in a light comic manner, at the same time keeping intact the aspect of somberness.

Young Attorney Dan Shepherd is on his own, dreaming of a topnotch case to kick-start his innings as an independent lawyer. He is in a new land with new people, & finds it hard to make ends meet. The first case that comes his way, however, is anything but promising.

The naive young lawyer is assigned the task of defending Jesus Villalobos, who is accused of a murder. Though his family & friends have nothing bad to say about Jesus, the State seems determined to send him to the gallows. What follows is Dan's quest to secure justice for his client, & the bond that forms between the lawyer & his unusual client (with an even more unusual name), ending in an exciting courtroom drama.

One thing is sure, Jonathan Miller is a fine attorney & his expertise in law & courtroom procedure is really highlighted in Rattlesnake Lawyer. The whole novel reads like a well-prepared brief -- & I mean that in a positive sense -- being deeply articulated & researched. Jesus Villalobos is a character that will remain in the Reader's mind for a long time.

The bond between the convict & his lawyer reminds me of the relation between the jail warden & the convict in Stephen King's The Green Mile. As a spiritual mystery, & to an extent, as a Christian fiction novel, Rattlesnake Lawyer proves a point, & Reader's who enjoy these sub-genres are bound to enjoy the work.

As a debut, Rattlesnake Lawyer is fantastic. Dan Shepherd has all the makings of a series protagonist, & I wouldn't be surprised to catch him in another novel in the near future.

Highly recommended.
(08/25/02)

Narayan
2002©Narayan Radhakrishnan
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
I am a 26 years old lawyer practicing in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Along with my legal practice, I have finished post-graduate studies for both Business Law & Human Rights. I am a self proclaimed numero-uno legal thriller lover & am the proud owner of all of Grisham's & Turow's novels. I enjoy John Mortimer's Rumpole & relish an occasional Martini & a rare Scot(ch)t-oline with a Patterson on the side.

My work A FICTION OF LAW is now about 500 pages in length & features 500 lawyer authors & 2000 legal thrillers covering a 300 year period - inclusive of entries from the USA, UK, Asia, Europe, China, Middle East etc. Still in search of a publisher.
www.keralatourism.org