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Rating: 
Summary: A pleasure for Tanenbaum fans
Review: Although Immoral Certainty is one of Robert K. Tanenbaum's older Butch Karp novels it is well worth a read by fans, or even readers new to the series. First published in 1991, this book goes back to the earlier days of the Karp-Ciampi association. Admittedly, this oddball couple may be an acquired taste. But their sizzling relationship is buttressed by a deep respect for each other's legal abilities. The author's own experience and understanding of the arcane world of the legal system enables him to lift improbable plot into the realm of logic and feasibility. In fact, as Tanenbaum points out, the art of successfully nabbing criminals consists in a large part of the attending to boring minutiae by the foot soldiers of the prosecutorial staff. In the writer's own words, "The law radiates tedium the way a ballet does grace or an orchestra harmony." Fortunately for the reader, Tanenbaum sweeps us through the crucial humdrum of a criminal trial and highlights the nexus, so we all can delude ourselves, briefly, that we are as clever as a Butch Karp or a Marlene Ciampi. He connects the dots for us even as we are seduced by his seemingly far-fetched plots and sub-plots. In this book, Marlene becomes acquainted with firearms and we are introduced to her bewitched fascination with their violent potential. "I don't know," she says after an initial visit to the firing range, "it had an effect on me I didn't expect." It turns out she's a natural. It is one of the ongoing talents of her character that becomes both useful to her and repelling to this reader. Tanenbaum's characters are always interesting, although occasionally conveniently naïve. An example is the schoolteacher Anna who buys her sociopath boyfriend's explanation that the reason he uses a variety of credit cards with other people's names on them is because they are "corporate cards." True, the author says she has a reasonably sharp brain that is disengaged in the boyfriend's company "in favor of another set of organs entirely." But Anna is not unattractive and this descent into bimbo-ism stretches the imagination. Yet overall, the writer pulls this intense story together. Tanenbaum is always engaging.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasure for Tanenbaum fans
Review: Although Immoral Certainty is one of Robert K. Tanenbaum's older Butch Karp novels it is well worth a read by fans, or even readers new to the series. First published in 1991, this book goes back to the earlier days of the Karp-Ciampi association. Admittedly, this oddball couple may be an acquired taste. But their sizzling relationship is buttressed by a deep respect for each other's legal abilities. The author's own experience and understanding of the arcane world of the legal system enables him to lift improbable plot into the realm of logic and feasibility. In fact, as Tanenbaum points out, the art of successfully nabbing criminals consists in a large part of the attending to boring minutiae by the foot soldiers of the prosecutorial staff. In the writer's own words, "The law radiates tedium the way a ballet does grace or an orchestra harmony." Fortunately for the reader, Tanenbaum sweeps us through the crucial humdrum of a criminal trial and highlights the nexus, so we all can delude ourselves, briefly, that we are as clever as a Butch Karp or a Marlene Ciampi. He connects the dots for us even as we are seduced by his seemingly far-fetched plots and sub-plots. In this book, Marlene becomes acquainted with firearms and we are introduced to her bewitched fascination with their violent potential. "I don't know," she says after an initial visit to the firing range, "it had an effect on me I didn't expect." It turns out she's a natural. It is one of the ongoing talents of her character that becomes both useful to her and repelling to this reader. Tanenbaum's characters are always interesting, although occasionally conveniently naïve. An example is the schoolteacher Anna who buys her sociopath boyfriend's explanation that the reason he uses a variety of credit cards with other people's names on them is because they are "corporate cards." True, the author says she has a reasonably sharp brain that is disengaged in the boyfriend's company "in favor of another set of organs entirely." But Anna is not unattractive and this descent into bimbo-ism stretches the imagination. Yet overall, the writer pulls this intense story together. Tanenbaum is always engaging.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Tanenbaum's better books
Review: First off, you did Mr. Tanenbaum a distinct dis favor in only publishing one review; I find that review totally out in left field. You have cost him many sales, I am sure; I bought several of his and passed up on that one just because of that re view, and had an opportunity to read someone else's copy wanting to find out why it was so bad. It was not, it is one of his better stories. It is different, I admit, but Tanenbaum has the art of making almost anything highly enter taining, as he did with this. His technique of keeping up with the lives of his characters are one of the series's strong points. I very highly recommend this book to any Tanenbaum fan, to any police story fan.
Rating:
Summary: One of Tanenbaum's better books
Review: First off, you did Mr. Tanenbaum a distinct dis favor in only publishing one review; I find that review totally out in left field. You have cost him many sales, I am sure; I bought several of his and passed up on that one just because of that re view, and had an opportunity to read someone else's copy wanting to find out why it was so bad. It was not, it is one of his better stories. It is different, I admit, but Tanenbaum has the art of making almost anything highly enter taining, as he did with this. His technique of keeping up with the lives of his characters are one of the series's strong points. I very highly recommend this book to any Tanenbaum fan, to any police story fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Ugh!
Review: Tanenbaum is usually very good. Not this time. Book is marred with disjointed plot, unbelievable characters, and an ending that is silly beyond belief. Pass.
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