Chain of Custody : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: smart, crisp, sophisticated, great hero
Review: For all you Elmore Leonard and John Grisham fans, you can now get both in one book with Harry Levy's "Chain of Custody". This is a remarkably mature and suspenseful first effort. The characters are real and the scenes are authentic. The central character, Mike Malone, a cardiologist turned lawyer, has just the right swagger to let us all know he is intellectually superior to the average bear, and in spite of some of the corners he paints himself into, we know he has the key to escape. He is emotionally vulnerable and screws up just enough to be human and likeable. A couple of ancillary characters grab your interest and keep the pot stirred while they go for the jugular or get tripped in their own machinations.

This book deserves a wide audience. Harry Levy may be the next John Grisham.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent medical-law thriller =)
Review: I do not like to write criticisms of other physician's novels, and this is an exception. I read Dr. Levy's book expecting to be disappointed by medical malaprops -- but I was not. The legal entanglements, interspersed with expert medical explanations and descriptions, surprised and impressed me -- imperfect doctors, Dickensian lawyers and, (most real) description of the crumbling NYC bureaupathies, including the judicial system -- were added bonuses. Levy knows his medicine,law and Gotham. If I have any criticism is that his appropriate cynical overview of big city medical and legal politics were forefront to an assembly of interesting chraraters...doctors, lawyers and hangers-on, which I would hope to see in another sequel. As a native New Yorker and an MD, I can say that Levy feels the irregular and skipped-beat pulse of New York City; he knows its peoples and places as well as the fabled Daymon Ruynion did over fifty years ago.

In his next novel Levy should use his native talents as an MD and good story teller, and make NYC his turf for more, exciting and contemporary medical thrillers.

If I give him four stars, it's only to hope that his next novel will be five stars.

Rating:
Summary: A medico-legal thriller
Review: I do not like to write criticisms of other physician's novels, and this is an exception. I read Dr. Levy's book expecting to be disappointed by medical malaprops -- but I was not. The legal entanglements, interspersed with expert medical explanations and descriptions, surprised and impressed me -- imperfect doctors, Dickensian lawyers and, (most real) description of the crumbling NYC bureaupathies, including the judicial system -- were added bonuses. Levy knows his medicine,law and Gotham. If I have any criticism is that his appropriate cynical overview of big city medical and legal politics were forefront to an assembly of interesting chraraters...doctors, lawyers and hangers-on, which I would hope to see in another sequel. As a native New Yorker and an MD, I can say that Levy feels the irregular and skipped-beat pulse of New York City; he knows its peoples and places as well as the fabled Daymon Ruynion did over fifty years ago.

In his next novel Levy should use his native talents as an MD and good story teller, and make NYC his turf for more, exciting and contemporary medical thrillers.

If I give him four stars, it's only to hope that his next novel will be five stars.

Rating:
Summary: Nicely written legal thriller with a surprising twist.
Review: In "Chain of Custody," Harold Levy describes the plight of Michael Malone, a cardiologist turned high-powered lawyer. Malone is accused of murder and the evidence against him is convincing. Although this is a common plot in legal thrillers, Levy does a good job of raising this novel a few notches above the ordinary. Levy's breezy dialogue moves along nicely and his characters are engrossing. The courtroom scenes are convincingly written. Although the story gets complicated at the end, and some coincidences seem a bit far-fetched, the ending did take me by surprise and that is a rarity. Levy's writing is understated and at times humorous, and he knows how to build up suspense without being heavy-handed. Fans of legal thrillers should enjoy "Chain of Custody". I look forward to further work by this author.

Rating:
Summary: Nicely written legal thriller with a surprising twist.
Review: In "Chain of Custody," Harold Levy describes the plight of Michael Malone, a cardiologist turned high-powered lawyer. Malone is accused of murder and the evidence against him is convincing. Although this is a common plot in legal thrillers, Levy does a good job of raising this novel a few notches above the ordinary. Levy's breezy dialogue moves along nicely and his characters are engrossing. The courtroom scenes are convincingly written. Although the story gets complicated at the end, and some coincidences seem a bit far-fetched, the ending did take me by surprise and that is a rarity. Levy's writing is understated and at times humorous, and he knows how to build up suspense without being heavy-handed. Fans of legal thrillers should enjoy "Chain of Custody". I look forward to further work by this author.

Rating:
Summary: WOW! WATCH OUT, JOHN GRISHAM!!! THIS ONE'S GREAT!!!!
Review: Where have you been, harry levy????? i loved this book!!! how does a medical doctor write so well about legal stuff???? i realllllllly hope to see/read more with dr. michael malone...what a guy and will he ever reallllly practice medicine again???? allllll of the cast of characters are not to be missed and must be in alllll of your future books....one a year will be just perfect!!!! if all you potential readers of this book are wondering about it...don't!!! just get this book and you're in for a real treat....new author, great writing style...love the way michael talks to himself all the time, just like we all do but rarely does it ever occur in books....great story...great courtroom scenes, great characters...not to be missed!!!