No Lesser Plea

Prosecuting a murder case, Roger Karp, an assistant D.A., is determined to insure that Mandeville Louis, the killer, does not escape justice

Tanenbaum has written an exceptionally good contemporary novel about the criminal justice system. Set in New York during the early '70s, the book focuses on young, idealistic assistant D.A. Butch Karp and his conflicts with both a single criminal and the politicized bureaucracy that seemingly makes a travesty of justice. In his first murder case, Karp is prosecuting Mandeville Louis, a brilliant killer who has feigned insanity, hoping to protect himself from trial until the court system eventually forgets about him. But the determined Karp refuses to let Louis's ruse succeed. While Karp is trying to put Louis behind bars, he is also caught up in the politics of the D.A.'s office as petty bureaucrats struggle for control of their turf and power. An attorney himself, Tanenbaum has infused this book with a strong collection of characters, a raunchy energy that crackles in the out-of-office lawyer talk and a basic sense of outrage at a system that is failing miserably. 50,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Mandeville Louis is the self-proclaimed most successful armed robber in New York City, as well as a vicious killer. Roger Karp is a dedicated assistant district attorney. Louis, arrested for a dual murder, tries to avoid prosecution by feigning insanity. Karp does his best to block this abuse of the criminal justice system. As it explores Karp's private life and colorful co-workers, this fascinating, realistic novel addresses several current legal issues: plea bargaining, overcrowded dockets, and the insanity defense. Tanenbaum, co-author of Badge of the Assassin, has worked in the New York County District Attorney's Office. Recommended for large fiction collections. A. J. Wright, Anesthesiology Dept., Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.