James B Comey

I was initially wary about reading this, worried that the hype around it might be deceptive. The author is, after all, James Comey, former head of the FBI, who was peremptorily dismissed in 2017 by President Trump. I wondered whether it was the back story that had really been behind all the plaudits strewn over the cover. Indeed, owing to my Jock parsimony, it was only because I was offered the Kindle version at a bargain price that I decided to take a punt on it.

In fact, my fears were unfounded, and this is a very enjoyable legal thriller, following the investigation and subsequent prosecutions arising from the murder of a former Governor of New York. Comey highlights the tensions between the local District Attorney’s office and its federal counterpart, and different investigative approaches adopted by the New York Police department and the FBI.

Comey does not waste much time developing his characters – this is a plot driven story, but none the worse for that. In the tradition of John Grisham and the recent flood of legal thriller writers, he keeps the story moving, but never compromises its plausibility.

I am a huge fan of Michael Connelly, and would have to say that this book lacks the polish of his novels featuring Mickey Haller, the ‘Lincoln Lawyer’. Still, Connelly has been writing novels for more than thirty years, while I believe this is Comey’s first. I hope it won’t be his last.… (altro)