Desperate Justice (Marc Kadella Legal Mysteries) (Volume 2) Paperback – December 17, 2013

This was one of the best novels I have read. It is a novel, and some of the things that took place are probably far fetched for real life. There are many characters, all very well defined. There are several things going on at the same time, so it was exciting when they all came together for the conclusion. There are several twists and turns, so you really do not get to the end of the story, until you get to the end of the story!!Towards the end, there seemed to be a few proofreading/editing mistakes. Gender pronouns were mixed up, punctuation was lost at least one point, and even characters were mixed up on one or two occasions. I was following what and who very carefully - I do some proofreading and editing, so this sort of stuff jumps out at me. It was a good read anyway, and I highly recommend it.

Desperate Justice is another good Marc Kadella legal thriller. As usual Mr. Carstens has more than one storyline going which adds to the interest of what would otherwise have been a mundane plot line. My only serious complaint is that Carstens has too many characters and it is hard to remember who is who. While the final judgment that was rendered by the jury may have been inaccurate for the particular crime, it may be a perfect rendering for the client.I was a bit confused as it appeared there were originally 2 murderers and wasn't quite certain what Carstens was thinking as he didn't flesh this part of the novel out. A pro was hired to do a killing, yet a woman testifies it was a suicide and she has proof. So what really happened with the professional hit? Carstens always manages to flesh out his main characters, add new ones with interesting roles, I just wish he wouldn't add so many that are peripheral to the main storyline. This would help to keep the reader on point and remove the confusion caused in my earlier statement regarding who actually killed who.Marc is making quite a name for himself as a criminal lawyer and the cases are always convoluted but interesting. Carstens is not the best writer but he has interesting stories and this one leaves the reader with a moral dilemma regarding the jury's findings and the guilt of the convicted. Something to ponder. Since I enjoy legal thrillers I will continue to read Carstens and hope his writing improves with each new novel.

Violence and sexual abuseDennis Carstens is a must buy, must read author.This stand-alone is easy to follow and difficult to put down. No editing errors, gratuitous violence or drag-you-down drama.Intriguing storyline with descriptive writing that draws the reader into each scene. Realistic procedures, actions and reactions. Believable characters with distinct personalities. Thought-provoking and occasionally snarky dialogue.I will re-read this story and always look forward to works by this author.

Dennis Carstens is one of my favorite courtroom drama writers. One of the best in my humble opinion. There are twists and turns that keep me turning the pages. If this is your genre you certainly won't be wasting your money or your time. Although the main characters remain the same his books can be read out of order..I love the fact he does not load his new books with constant information of the previous book. I like reading them in order and I hate it when an author practically rewrites the last book in the present one. I've read it already and I don't want to read itagain in the new book! There were a few typos but not so many that you would want to pitch it from aggravation! As long as he keeps writing in the same way I will keep reading them!

When I read the first Marc Kadella legal mystery, I enjoyed the legal shenanigans and was surprised that it was the author’s first novel. I liked it enough to want to read this second book in the series and I’m glad that I did.This book continues the emphasis on legal processes which is where it excels. It also has a much better plot than the first novel which seemed somewhat forced to me. However, it still seems as though the author’s intent is to have a surprise ending even if it doesn’t really make a lot of sense given the characterizations and plot detail throughout the novel.The novels are standalone stories and do hold my attention. The dialogue is crisp and rings true. This is a well written mystery and I am hoping that the third book in the series is even better. I would rate this as a 3.5 rounded up.

Dennis Carsten the author of the Marc Kadella Legal Mystery book series says that he likes “novels that make me think; novels that are not just entertainment for the mind.” Desperate Justice, book 2 of the series, surely fits that categorization. It is a relatively simple and straight forward murder trial but the subplots and side stories elevate the story to much more than a story of a trial.The book begins with almost too much background details that at times had me wondering what this book is about. It is about half way through story that the reader finds out that despicable and loathsome Judge Gordon Prentiss is charged with murdering his wife. He hires Marc Kadella to defend him even though their past relationship was contentions and agnostic. From that point forward, Desperate Justice becomes a relatively routine trial narrative except for the complicating relationships and unexpected incidents that keep reader thinking what comes next.Desperate Justice is another rich and complex story from Dennis Carsten. If you like murder mysteries books full of twists and turns this is a book for you enjoy and find thought provoking.

I had read the authors first book some time ago and came across this one so thought it would be as good. Whilst the story is OK the text does get heavy at times and I found myself skipping these pages. The relationship stuff between Kadella and his girlfriend the judge is unnecessary and added nothing to the story. The end is also a bit too neat. Liked the courtroom drama, that was done well.