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Misconception
 
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Misconception (Mass Market Paperback)

by Robert Shapiro (Author), Walt Becker (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Best known as a member of O.J.'s Dream Team, attorney Shapiro now teams up with fiction writer Becker (Link) for this issue-driven legal thriller. Though the plot bears a general resemblance to the Simpson case (national figure on trial in a televised courtroom), readers looking for dish not supplied in Shapiro's nonfiction account The Search for Justice will be disappointed. The action centers around Dr. Daniel Wyatt, "a southern white male, courtly, handsome and pro-choice," just nominated for U.S. surgeon general. Everyone considers him a shoo-in for the post, especially his colleague at a women's health clinic in Lafayette, La., Claire Davis, "a strong-willed lawyer" exuding a "powerful sexuality." But just as he steps up to the podium to accept the nomination, Wyatt is paged by Sarah Corbett, an unstable beauty with whom he recently had a fling. Sarah tells him she's pregnant, and though she professes no desire to derail Wyatt's nomination or his marriage to explosively jealous Ellen, she hesitates to get an abortion. Wyatt panics, until Claire procures some RU-486 to give to Sarah. Sarah's sudden miscarriage exposes the affair, and Wyatt finds himself accused of slipping her the abortion drug, thereby "murdering" the unborn child. Meanwhile, Peter O'Keefe, an antiabortion extremist already responsible for the deaths of several ob-gyns in Canada, plots to assassinate Wyatt, and is tracked down by handsome Latino FBI agent Eduardo Costilla. Despite the authors' musings about choice, religion, "human hubris" and destiny, this is pedestrian stuff. The characters are dull-witted and monotonously attractive, and the plot twists might be cribbed from Presumed Innocent and Fatal Attraction. Of course, the courtroom scenes are expertly rendered, but they're nothing we haven't seen on TV. Agent, David Vigliano. National ad/promo; 4-city author tour. (May 21) Forecast: The publisher plans national ad/promo and a four-city author tour, but word of mouth on this novel will be weak, and sales will drop off after a brisk kick-off.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Dr. Daniel Wyatt is at the peak of his career. His successful practice is booming, and he is in line to become the next surgeon general. All he has to do is survive the confirmation hearings. But there is a skeleton in his closet that would surely sink the nomination, wreck his career, break up his wonderful marriage, and cost him the comradeship of his trusted attorney and friend, Claire Davis. His mistress is pregnant, and she is convinced that keeping the baby is the only way to keep them together. The good doctor, however, has another plan, encouraged by Claire, whose own future depends on Daniel's success. Just when it seems as though Daniel might sail right through the hearings, the Senate inexplicably delays its vote. That's when the real circus begins, culminating in a trial for the ages--and that's a topic that Shapiro, of O. J. Simpson fame, knows a little something about. Shapiro's keen courtroom knowledge and coauthor Becker's sharp prose combine for a powerful, fast-paced political thriller. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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4.0 out of 5 stars Father chooses abortion. Is he a murderer?, Jun 12 2003
By "rhanson111" (Scottsdale, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
"Misconception" is an entertaining tale of medical, legal, and political intrigue by O.J. defense attorney Robert Shapiro and Walt Becker.

Dr. Daniel Wyatt of Louisiana has become a national hero as a result of an incident involving a locally prominent business man, Roger Eastermeadow. Roger gets a serious gunshot wound by the bad luck of being in the wrong place during a convenience store robbery. Fleeing the scene he is near death and collapses outside a restaurant where Dr. Wyatt and his wife are leaving after dinner. Wyatt instantly sizes up the situation and performs a simple but urgent surgical procedure with a steak knife, saving Roger's life in the presence of TV cameras and a large crowd. The story is soon broadcast nationally on CNN and other national media. Dr. Wyatt is instantly famous, and he and his wife become frquent guests on TV talk shows as expert, charming, talking heads.

It is now ten years later, and Dr. Wyatt has the inside track for nomination as the new Surgeon General, with every expectation of being quickly confirmed by the Senate; however, there is one worrisome potential complication. The good Dr. has had a one night stand with one of his patients, Sarah Corbett, and we discover that she is now pregnant. If it comes to light it will certainly scuttle his chances to be the Surgeon General.

Wyatt discusses his dilemma with Clair Davis, a pro-choice activist, and she strongly urges him to get Sarah to end the pregnancy with an abortion. Dr. Wyatt has discussed that possibility with Sarah, and she is unwilling. But Clair provides Wyatt with the French abortion pill, RU-486, and urges him to give it to Sarah.

Soon Sarah has a miscarriage with bloody complications---but she survives. The District Attorney figures out what happened, and uses Sarah's story to indict Wyatt for murdering a fetus against the will of the mother. The trial gains national attention with both pro-choice and pro-life activists keenly concerned about the implications of the trial for abortion law.

Meanwhile, Father Peter O'Keefe has been doing all he can to stem the tide of abortions by assassinating abortion doctors. He becomes interested in the case of Dr. Wyatt, and forms a plan to kill him if he is acquitted of murdering Sarah's unborn child.

The story line is taut and entertaining, and once started it's hard to put it down! Dr. Wyatt is a completely decent person, while the other characters are each somewhat extreme in their views and actions. But all are completely believable. The anti-abortion serial killer, Father O'Keefe, conveys the warped mentality of the extreme anti-abortion fringe. It all plays out in a satisfying way, without taking sides or being preachy about either side of the abortion issue.

The action and the pace are intense, and the plot and characters give us insight into one of the most complex, emotional, and divisive issues in the nation today. I highly recommend it, and I'll be very surprised if it doesn't soon become a hit movie!

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1.0 out of 5 stars A Disaster from Start to Finish, Oct 12 2002
By Bob A. Reiss (Bensalem, PA) - See all my reviews
I have to give the two writers some credit for tackling a very tought issue. Abortion is one of the most polarizing issues on todays political landscape. Unfortunately, all Mr. Shapiro and Becker did was muddy up water that was already quite murky.
From the beginning the characters were one dimensional and the plot was predictable. The normal cast of characters, the feminist, the conservative politition, the socially minded docter, and the abortion bomber, all showed up and acted their part. The minor twists and turns and the almost surprising twist ending could not save another poorly concieved ideol-novel.
The issues that were raised were intriging on the face, but the characters were so stereotypical and the plot so manufactured that by the end you felt like you just watched 24 hours of CSPAN.
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2.0 out of 5 stars I'm Underwhelmed, Aug 21 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Misconception (Hardcover)
If I were Mr. Shapiro, I'd be embarassed to acknowledge my association with this book, much less do a book tour. The characters are stiff, cardboard caricatures of standard poorly-written novels. The short chapters contribute to a feeling of plot movement, but leave one wondering about true plot development. Background on the RU drug was interesting. The typos were numerous: aquittal, for one. Some situations were tritely absurd and the dialogue suffered. Sorry to say, Mr. Shapiro does better in the courtroom (how much of this book is attributed to him?)
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Daring
...This book is a quick and easy read while at the same time, captivating and provacative. It's a meaningful read for women who struggle with maternal instincts and love... Read more
Published on July 16 2001 by Dr. JoAnne Barge

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well crafted
Highly regarded Louisiana Dr. Daniel Wyatt is expected to be a breeze for accepance by the Senate as the new Surgeon-General. Read more
Published on Jun 9 2001 by Harriet Klausner

1.0 out of 5 stars Misconception is a Misconception
The story line is a good one, but the character development is extremely weak and what little there is of it, in many instances, is not believable. Read more
Published on Jun 8 2001 by Trisha E. Lisk

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written
Misconception is an excellent book about the controversies of abortion. Even though I personally am pro-life, this book made me feel sympathetic towards some of the pro-choice... Read more
Published on Jun 6 2001 by Jessica

5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent Summer Read
Misconception is the best novel I have read in a long time. From the first introduction to the conclusion, it was a fast paced read that kept me guessing till the end. Read more
Published on Jun 5 2001 by Brian S. Lee

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad for a first novel
The book was interesting but I was kind of disappointed that it was not really about a mans "right to choose", as you knew the main character was being portrayed as... Read more
Published on Jun 2 2001 by lady1815

5.0 out of 5 stars i'm exhausted!!
i read this book in one day... neither my husband nor i could put it down!! We had heard Imus and Shapiro discussing it on the radio, and it sounded intriguing. Read more
Published on May 29 2001 by kkgame

4.0 out of 5 stars Great summer read
Very gripping tale that reads like a good movie of the week you will not want to put this one down. Mr Shapiro's expertise in the court room shine brightly in this tale of the... Read more
Published on May 24 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put this one down!
Besides being a fast paced story, the writing style was excellent. Lots of food for thought and good entertainment. Would highly recommend.
Published on May 22 2001 by Bling It On

5.0 out of 5 stars Great BOOK!
This is an all around great book, if you want something interesting to read, pick up this book!
Published on May 18 2001 by SHOK

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