Death's Witness    by Paul Batista Order:  USA  Can Sourcebooks, 2006 (2006) Hardcover      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Tom Perini, a past football hero turned lawyer, is gunned down during his daily run in Central Park. He's out of it now, but his widow Julie is left with the mess he left behind. He thought he was playing with the big boys but the big boys weren't playing. Julie tries to sort out his affairs before FBI agents take all Tom's records, including his laptops. Tom's law partner, Vincent Sorrentino, tries to help but is caught up in a case before a federal court that somehow seems to be velcroed to Tom. More murders as well as downright terror fill the pages of this thriller. The courtroom scenes are engrossing. Not surprising as Death's Witness was written by one of the country's foremost defense attorneys, Paul Batista. He creates a tension in the courtroom that is hard to ignore. Let's hope that if any of us are ever in a like position, we don’t draw a judge like Dumb Dora. Money laundering, murder, beatings, wiretapping, fraud, witness intimidation – name it, this exciting book has it all. Be warned, it's hard to put down once you've finished the first page. It grabs you by the throat and won't let go until the last sentence is read. The plot is tightly woven, the action moves at a breakneck pace, the characters are finely tuned, and the streets and buildings of New York City act as a backdrop for a thriller that is not to be missed. 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