BLIND JUDGMENT : A Gideon Page Novel (Gideon Page Novel)

Rating:
Summary: Stockley is one of the best in his genre
Review: Arkansas attorney Gideon Page leaves his home in Little Rock to defendan African-American, Doss Bledsoe, indicted for allegedly killing hisemployer, Chinese-American Willie Ting. The case is being held in Bear Creek, Gideon's place of birth and a town he would prefer never to see again. The prosecution feels strongly that Page was hired by Paul Taylor, a white man, whose family cheated Page's family out of property.

The Prosecutor offers to plea bargain with Page and Bledsoe. The state would lighten his sentence in return for Doss's testimony against Taylor. Page likes the idea because it will enable him to obtain some vengeance against the wealthy Taylor family who destroyed his own family. However, this may not be the best defense for his client. Page, who starts the case very poorly, has to decide between giving his client his all or ignoring his legal responsibilities to seek vengeance against his enemy.

Gideon Page is a no frills lawyer, who makes certain that the reader understands that being an attorney is not necessarily a glamorous job. The first person narrative adds to the feeling of a hard working, but mentally warring lawyer trying to insure his client receives BLIND JUSTICE while trying to personally obtain revenge. The ending is pure nirvana (no Perry Mason rabbit out of the hat trick). Readers who want to peruse an exciting, interesting, but realistic legal novel, need to obtain all five of Grif Stockley's works. No one paints a more intriguing but honest portrayal than Mr. Stockley.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: interesting and enjoyable
Review: One can hardly call this book a legal thriller. Ok, it's about a lawyer, Gideon Page, and it's the fifht installment in a series of very good legal thrillers, but the lawyering is very weak and the courtroom is only entered at the end of the book where the reader has already lost his interest for the plot.

The five stars are for a very good and insightful view on the relations and the character of Gideon. We know him from previous books as worrying about his daughter Sarah, his girlfriends Rainy and Amy, but in this book all the spotlight is on Gideon himself. It is a very subtle description of mid-life crisis. In everything he does he seems only to be able to concentrate on one thing; on himself. He has no problem, on a whim, to end a relationship with his girlfriend and also helping his client is made pursuant to his own vindicative feelings. I can't help liking him less then in previous novels, but I guess that is always the case when you probe in the life of your "heroes.

Apart from Gideon's own struggles, his observations of the Arkansas black/white scene are very interesting. The way he describes the county is completely politically incorrect, but honest and provoking.

For those who have not read any of the books in the series and who are looking for a legal thriller, do not buy this one but start on one of the earlier ones. For those who find interest in the Page family; don't miss this one!