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Double Tap (Paperback)

by Steve Martini (Author) "Mist off the ocean was already beginning to drift over the pavement as he cruised along the beach in the rented Chevy ..." (more)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing; Export/Airside ed edition (Jul 4 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0755309294
ISBN-13: 978-0755309290
Shipping Weight: 504 g

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

In veteran Martini's exciting eighth legal thriller starring Paul Madriani (after 2003's The Arraignment), the San Diego defense attorney takes on yet another especially difficult case. When Madelyn Chapman, the owner of a computer software company that sells a controversial security program to the U.S. government, is found shot twice in the head in her La Jolla home, the closeness of the bullet wounds indicates a "double tap," a feat typical of a highly skilled military marksman. Army Sgt. Emiliano Ruiz, a 20-year vet who served in Panama and the first Gulf War and who freelanced as a security guard (and occasional sex partner) for Chapman, is arrested for the killing. After the flashy defense lawyer originally in charge of the case quits, apparently under pressure, the more compassionate and less publicity-minded Madriani and his partner take it on. Ruiz turns out to have a seven-year gap in his résumé: was he in fact doing dirty work for Special Ops? And can Madriani find out his secrets in time to keep the sympathetic soldier from life in prison? The compelling plot builds to a conclusion that should surprise even longtime fans. BOMC main selection; Doubleday, Literary Guild and Mystery Guild alternates. (July 26)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The "double tap" of the title refers both to ballistics evidence--two shots, only an inch apart, to the victim's head--and to the way wars have of reaching out to veterans, spattering past trauma into the present. Martini's latest legal thriller starring California defense attorney Paul Madriani weaves the theme of the past infiltrating the present throughout a daunting case. The body of an extremely wealthy businesswoman, CEO of a corporation specializing in defense, is found with two tightly grouped bullet wounds to the head, suggesting the work of an expert marksman. Enter the most likely suspect: a career soldier who was on the victim's security detail and with whom she was having an affair. As Madriani attempts to defend the uncooperative soldier, he discovers that the victim's company was involved in a potentially devastating antiterrorist program. The plot progresses in a satisfyingly logical way, from first interview with the suspect through legal machinations and on to a tense, utterly believable courtroom battle. Plot and legal knowledge are Martini's strength. Dialogue, however, is his weakness. Characters continually deliver off-the-cuff, incredibly detailed descriptions of scenes that seem much more writerly than conversational. And Martini is often guilty of overdescription--three pages of the businesswoman handing her keys to a valet parking attendant. Still, in this case, the plot carries the prose. Connie Fletcher
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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4.0 out of 5 stars It's not a "legal thriller", it's a "legal procedural"!, Aug 7 2009

By	Paul Weiss (Dundas, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Double Tap (Paperback)

Despite being firmly slotted into the legal thriller genre, Steve Martini's novel "Double Tap" is most unequivocally not a thriller. And while that may sound like bad news for potential readers and existing Steve Martini fans, that statement is most unequivocally not a condemnation or criticism of what is an exceptionally interesting novel.

The story is simple. Madelyn Chapman is a powerful, wealthy, beautiful, and extremely self-indulgent business woman - the CEO of a high-tech software firm whose main customer is the US government. She has been found in her home murdered with two very tightly grouped gunshot wounds to the head. This particular style of murder is called a "double tap" in the trade and is typically the signature of a professional assassin who, by the bye, is also a superb marksman.

The case against Emiliano Ruiz, a career soldier, is rock solid and defense attorney Paul Madriani is worried about his inability to explain certain obvious gaps in his client's military r�sum� that Ruiz steadfastly refuses to clarify. In the face of almost overwhelming evidence against his client, Madriani doggedly investigates the case and begins to bump into dangerous secrets that the government, the military and the new CEO of Chapman's firm would prefer stay under the darkest and deepest cover.

In the same manner as a police procedural is not a suspense thriller, "Double Tap" is not a legal thriller. It's definitely a legal procedural with an almost encyclopedic wealth of fascinating minutiae on the details of a trial for capital murder - the pre-trial investigations that would be undertaken by a defense attorney; motions and counter motions; side bars; forensic examination of evidence; objections sustained and over-ruled; side bars; characterization and selection of "expert" witnesses; potential grounds for appeal and mistrial; jury selection; discovery; arraignment; witness lists; required disclosure of evidence; media coverage; and much, much more.

Steve Martini's description of Emiliano Ruiz's trial for murder was compelling and utterly absorbing - the proverbial page turner, to be sure - but, sadly, the ending when it came was almost anti-climactic. In all fairness, the clues were all there and the characters had definitely been introduced in the course of the novel. To call the ending "deus ex machina" would be quite incorrect. But, in comparison with the body of the novel, it arrived with a bit of a thud and was definitely a let down.

One star reduction from what would otherwise have been a five star barn burner. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

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4.0 out of 5 stars Another well written thriller by Martini!, Aug 11 2005

By	Richard Clark "The Postmaster" (Hollywood. CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Double Tap (Hardcover)

Most series run a course that eventually leads to an unsatisfying product. Martini though has so far been able to avoid this trap. This is book #8 about San Diego Defense attorney Paul Madriani, and it is a heck of a story! Past and present inter-mix, the past cannot be forgotten, nor separated from the future. The title "Double Tap" has double meaning, it refers to two closely place shots to the head Blam, Blam! And this is how a very wealthy, female CEO is found dead - obvious execution marksman style hit. The title tough also to the way the past effects the future.

The plot moves along at a good pace and progress to taught courtroom scenes. As always Martini has his ducks in a row with the plot progressing in a logical manner, there are no gapping holes. My one complaint is that Martini sometimes goes overboard on detail where it is not needed, but this is a small grip. If you are a fan you should enjoy this book.

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