The Rule Of Nine Lp: A Paul Madriani Novel [Large Print] [Paperback]

.Steve Martini seems to take you right along with him in not only this book, but all the others he's written -- a great ride.

Paul Madriani is a criminal lawyer, but in this installment of the series, there are no legal angles, courtroom scenes, office consultations, briefs or other indication of his profession, other than a reference or two to the closing of his office. Instead, we have a thrill-a-page saga in which he becomes the embodiment of Superman.

The plot involves a couple of mercenaries, one engaged in preparing to bomb a national landmark, the other an assassin known as the Liquida or the Mexicutioner. Paul, his daughter, partner and investigator are all targets of the assassin, and have to go into hiding. Yet Paul and his investigator must chase the mercenary to discover how to find the assassin to remove the threat, and then to unveil the bombing plot.

All in all, the story moves at a rapid clip, albeit with plenty of detail on advanced weaponry. And finally, there is a little sex play for Paul, 15 years after the death of his wife. All in good fun.

Recommended.

American born voice actor Dan Woren is a versatile performer who has adroitly read everything from the Tortoise in Aesop's Fables to a large assortment of video games to countless audio books. With The Rule Of Nine he perfectly captures the drive, terror, and menace found in the character's voices. The result is super pleasurable listening to this frightening, all-too-possible scenario.

Every bit what we hoped it would be and more following NY Times bestseller Guardian Of Lies Steve Martini gives us another explosive thriller featuring California lawyer Paul Madriani. Now, how an attorney manages to get himself, family, and friends into such deadly situations is another story, but here he is fighting for his life on every page of THE RULE OF NINE.

No one wants to make an enemy of Liquida Muerte aka "the Mexicutioner," a hired assassin who takes great pleasure in dispatching his victims as painfully as possible. But Madriani once infuriated him and Liquida never forgets. He not only wants to get Madriani but also his daughter, Sarah. Liquida first tries to do this by making it look like Madriani had something to do with the murder of a young congressional aide, Jimmie Snyder. Unfortunately, Jimmie had only been on the job for two months when he made his fatal error by trusting a fellow who was "affable, approachable, and interested.....All the man wanted was to see a few of the rooms off-limits to the public." That one apparently small mistake not only cost him his life but also almost destroyed the entire Supreme Court.

A brilliant terrorist whom we know only as Thorn is hellbent on destruction at the heart of America and is using Liquida to help him make his plot a reality. With powerful friends and unlimited funds it's not at all unreasonable to think that Thorn might be successful.

Although still somewhat off-base after helping to stop a nuclear explosion at the Naval base in Coronado, Madriani realizes that law enforcement isn't seeing the full picture or realizing the imminent danger. After hiding Sarah away for her safety he and his associate Herman Diggs along with a beauteous, persistent arms control activist, Jocelyn Cole set out to do some sleuthing of their own.

There's not a dull sentence on any page as a suicide bomber speeds towards its target. Not only has Martini delivered a can't-stop-listenting to thriller but closes with a shocking finish that leaves us on tinder hooks waiting for more.

- Gail Cooke