Under Oath    by Margaret McLean Order:  USA  Can Forge, 2012 (2012) Hardcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Margaret McLean's Under Oath is without a doubt a page turner. Quickly read because you won't want to put it down. Billy Malone is on trial for killing Trevor Shea with a deadly dose of heroin. Prosecutor Annie Fitzgerald represents the state of Massachusetts and Defense Lawyer Buddy Clancy works for the defendant. Malone is rumored to be behind a number of murders but has never been convicted. Witnesses for the prosecution disappear or are found dead. Fitzgerald must use all the resources she has to convict a man who should not be loose on the streets. The courtroom scenes ring true. They should. Author Margaret McLean is a former criminal prosecutor and now is a Professor of Law at Boston College. Personalities in the jury make one wonder how a jury can ever agree to anything, let alone a verdict. Fitzgerald is up against a Code of Silence in the part of Boston that is known as Charlestown. Don't hear anything, don't say anything, and never talk to cops. As a result there are rarely witnesses to any wrongdoing and the unsolved murder rate is appalling. Determined to bring in a guilty verdict, she tries everything she can think of, including breaking and entering. Large paintings by the deceased are brought into play as evidence. Under Oath is truly worth a read. Don't miss it. I won't compare it to any other author's work. Mother always said comparisons are odious. McLean deserves to stand alone. And don't miss her first novel, Under Fire. Another winner. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews