Counterfeit

Rating:
Summary: A Promising New Series
Review: I'm looking forward to more David and Penny Cole adventures. These are cozy-thrillers (if there is such a thing); the style is pleasant and the characters likeable.

Rating:
Summary: A Promising New Series
Review: I'm looking forward to more David and Penny Cole adventures. These are cozy-thrillers (if there is such a thing); the style is pleasant and the characters likeable.

Rating:
Summary: "Counterfeit" Is Great Legal-Thriller Stuff!
Review: It grabbed me from the beginning and held my interest with well-drawn, likable characters and a great plot. Ledbetter successfully creates the feel of a real-life law practice; more than one case at a time, financial pressures, personality conflicts, the "let's go to war" mentality. But its the plot that keeps the reader interested. The story revolves around the Supernote, a practically undetectible counterfeit hundred-dollar bill that, apparently, really exists. Responsibly, Ledbetter isn't alarmist about the existence of the Supernote. His characters debate whether it's a threat to the U.S. economy or a minor irritation ("if it's good enough, it doesn't exist, because it can't be detected"). Instead of creating a paranoia-based story about how the Supernote's going to collapse the U.S. economy, Ledbetter interestingly weaves a tale about how a real-life international counterfeiting operation affects a group of small town folks. The action takes place in Zurich, Boston, and Washington, DC, but is really set in Santa Barbara, and Ledbetter successfully creates a strong sense of place for his winning group of characters, especially the husband-wife team of David and Penny Cole. Let's hope there are more David and Penny stories to come!

Rating:
Summary: "Counterfeit" Is Great Legal-Thriller Stuff!
Review: It grabbed me from the beginning and held my interest with well-drawn, likable characters and a great plot. Ledbetter successfully creates the feel of a real-life law practice; more than one case at a time, financial pressures, personality conflicts, the "let's go to war" mentality. But its the plot that keeps the reader interested. The story revolves around the Supernote, a practically undetectible counterfeit hundred-dollar bill that, apparently, really exists. Responsibly, Ledbetter isn't alarmist about the existence of the Supernote. His characters debate whether it's a threat to the U.S. economy or a minor irritation ("if it's good enough, it doesn't exist, because it can't be detected"). Instead of creating a paranoia-based story about how the Supernote's going to collapse the U.S. economy, Ledbetter interestingly weaves a tale about how a real-life international counterfeiting operation affects a group of small town folks. The action takes place in Zurich, Boston, and Washington, DC, but is really set in Santa Barbara, and Ledbetter successfully creates a strong sense of place for his winning group of characters, especially the husband-wife team of David and Penny Cole. Let's hope there are more David and Penny stories to come!