Michele Martinez - The Finishing School (2006)
Reviewed by David J. Montgomery
Michele Martinez follows up her splashy 2005 debut with another legal thriller featuring Melanie Vargas, a federal prosecutor in New York City. The Finishing School is even better than her first book and will likely bring this rising literary star's work to a wider audience.
The story begins with Vargas being assigned to oversee the investigation into the suspicious deaths of a pair of young Manhattan socialites, apparently from drug overdoses. As she digs deeper into the case, Vargas uncovers a drug smuggling ring that played a part in the tragedy -- and might be covering up an even more sinister plot.
As a former prosecutor, Martinez knows the world she writes about, and she's able to tell her story with authority and interesting detail. Unfortunately, some of the finer points of the book, including the dialogue and narrative style, aren't handled as smoothly. Even so, the story is entertaining enough to keep readers interested.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
