Lassiter    by Paul Levine Order:  USA  Can Bantam, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch It has been a while but Jack Lassiter, a former pro football player turned lawyer, has returned! In this new caper Lassiter finds himself involved with the sister of a girl who disappeared 18 years ago. Amy Larkin wants some answers about what happened to her sister, Krist, a runaway teen who turned porn actress. Convinced Lassiter knows more than he has previously admitted about the girl's disappearance, Amy confronts the lawyer and all but shames him into picking up the cold trail of her sibling. Soon Lassiter is butting heads with not only a former porn king turned philanthropist and an aging mobster who has made a reputation for cleaning up other crooks' messes but also a prosecutor who is eyeing the governor's mansion. The investigation points to a wild night, long ago, full of kinky sex, drugs and perhaps murder. But before Lassiter can verify what really happened on that memorable evening, one of the participants is killed. Amy is charged with the murder and everything becomes even more complicated. Naturally this points to a drama filled courtroom finale where Lassiter struts his stuff, unmasks the true killer and shows, once again, that his quirky legal legerdemain may not be pretty but it gets the job done! It has been well over a decade since we last saw Jake Lassiter strut his stuff. It's nice to see the aging reprobate back in the courtroom again! 2nd Review by Mary Ann Smyth: A long-awaited novel by the man who writes the Lassiter series is now on the shelves for sale. Lassiter, who has been called 'one of the most entertaining series characters in contemporary crime fiction', is a former Miami Dolphin, now known as a 'low-rent lawyer'. Not fully enamored with the law, he nevertheless practices what he considers justice. Not everyone in law enforcement agrees with his philosophy, but he gets the job done. Lassiter had an encounter with a teenage runaway eighteen years ago and is now approached by her sister to discover what happened to her, the sister accusing Lassiter of having a hand in her disappearance. His search takes him down roads he would rather not have traveled. He bats heads with mobsters, corrupt politicians, aging prostitutes, a pornography producer, druggies, a mistress - and there's a glance at true love. If you are squeamish about blatant sex, maybe this book isn't for you. While I am not fond of it in my own reading, this look at the dark side of life is not included to titillate those who like a touch of raw sex, but as a definite part of the story – and maybe to give the reader an idea of what the other side of life can be like. For one, I am glad Lassiter is back. He lives life on his own terms and bows to no one. He takes his knocks and hands them out as well. He also sees the humorous side of life but never asks his clients if they are truly guilty. Finds it hard to defend them if they admit their guilt to him. When Lassiter takes us into the courtroom while he defends his client, that scene is a lesson in the law. Lassiter has a great plot, good characters, and well set-up scenes. It's well-worth the read. 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