Publisher's Weekly
The resolution of Green's latest football suspense novel is formulaic, but there's still enough tension in this tale of a lethal linebacker run amok to keep sports readers on edge. Luther Zorn, the defensive star of the NFL's Florida Marauders, goes from entertaining the overtures of attorney and protagonist Madison McCall (Outlaws), who wants to be his agent, to desperately needing her services as a defense lawyer after team owner Evan Chase is killed in a suspicious swimming accident. All evidence points toward Zorn: his affair with Chase's wife; the discovery of a parking ticket that places him at the crime scene; and the incriminating scuba gear police find at his girlfriend's house. But when McCall's partner begins to investigate, clues turn up that hint at a conspiracy involving moneyed interests and a corrupt cop. The action escalates when Zorn tries to outrun the police as they attempt to arrest him, then takes McCall hostage in a desperate attempt to avoid a trial. Green telegraphs the killer's identity, but as the body count climbs he floats sufficient possible alternate culprits to set up an exciting climax. Although most of the characters are cardboard, McCall remains a redoubtable heroine, and Green is once again at the top of his game when it comes to integrating the inner workings of football into his story. Major ad/promo. (May)
Library Journal
In his fifth book, ex-football player Green brings back Madison McCall, the gorgeous and brilliant attorney from Outlaws (Turner Pub., 1996). Her client, Luther Zorn, linebacker for the fictional Florida Marauders, is accused of murdering the team's owner. As McCall and trusty assistant Chris Pelo investigate, they stumble through a complex plot involving crooked policemen, a venal team lawyer, a killer who steals the heads of his victims, not one but two unscrupulous financiers, thugs for hire, a violent storm coinciding with the denouement (after all, it is Florida), Desert Storm, and a ludicrous plot twist so unbelievable that even hard-core thriller fans will hoot. The plot moves along quickly, but mediocre writing and stilted, cardboard characters spoil the suspense. Most libraries can pass.Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Kirkus Reviews
Stumbling, overplotted female-lawyer-in-peril tale continues the adventures of the beautiful but brainy Madison McCall (Outlaws, 1996), from former Atlanta Falcons footballer Green.
Evan Chase, the appropriately crass, womanizing owner of the Florida Marauders, drowns after taking his regular morning plunge into the Palm Beach surf. What appear to be bruises around one of Chase's ankles signal foul play to homicide cop Lt. Donald Kratch, who's so overzealous in bringing in the bad guys that he was once willing to shoot himself ("nothing more than graze his own scalp") in order to frame a drug-dealer. Meanwhile, Green treats us to pointlessly grisly scenes of a tall, handsome, muscular, unnamed black man stalking and then stabbing several people to death as the dangerously obsessive Kratch decides that Luther Zorn-a tall, black, handsome, muscular hard-charging Marauders linebacker-is the likeliest suspect for Chase's murder, and perhaps for the other homicides as well. Zorn, after all, was having a torridly passionate affair with Chase's wife, Vivian, and was glimpsed at the scene. Worse, Zorn has been undergoing psychoanalysis for barely repressed, violently homicidal rages-a souvenir of a tragic underclass childhood. Into this mess strides the stunning, ultracompetent McCall. Now married to retired football safety Cody Grey, she finds herself sexually intrigued by Zorn, whom she agrees to defend. This infuriates the "wolf," a mystery man framing Zorn as part of a tediously complicated plan to move the Marauders out of Florida in a way that would enrich charming corporate raider Aaron Crawford. Before McCall can even think of going into a courtroom, however, she's marked for death and ends up having an unscheduled meeting with Zorn's evil brother Leeland.
Green does offer a few exciting scenes of football action, but they sink in a dim swamp of gratuitous bloodshed and interracial fury.
Genre: Mystery
The resolution of Green's latest football suspense novel is formulaic, but there's still enough tension in this tale of a lethal linebacker run amok to keep sports readers on edge. Luther Zorn, the defensive star of the NFL's Florida Marauders, goes from entertaining the overtures of attorney and protagonist Madison McCall (Outlaws), who wants to be his agent, to desperately needing her services as a defense lawyer after team owner Evan Chase is killed in a suspicious swimming accident. All evidence points toward Zorn: his affair with Chase's wife; the discovery of a parking ticket that places him at the crime scene; and the incriminating scuba gear police find at his girlfriend's house. But when McCall's partner begins to investigate, clues turn up that hint at a conspiracy involving moneyed interests and a corrupt cop. The action escalates when Zorn tries to outrun the police as they attempt to arrest him, then takes McCall hostage in a desperate attempt to avoid a trial. Green telegraphs the killer's identity, but as the body count climbs he floats sufficient possible alternate culprits to set up an exciting climax. Although most of the characters are cardboard, McCall remains a redoubtable heroine, and Green is once again at the top of his game when it comes to integrating the inner workings of football into his story. Major ad/promo. (May)
Library Journal
In his fifth book, ex-football player Green brings back Madison McCall, the gorgeous and brilliant attorney from Outlaws (Turner Pub., 1996). Her client, Luther Zorn, linebacker for the fictional Florida Marauders, is accused of murdering the team's owner. As McCall and trusty assistant Chris Pelo investigate, they stumble through a complex plot involving crooked policemen, a venal team lawyer, a killer who steals the heads of his victims, not one but two unscrupulous financiers, thugs for hire, a violent storm coinciding with the denouement (after all, it is Florida), Desert Storm, and a ludicrous plot twist so unbelievable that even hard-core thriller fans will hoot. The plot moves along quickly, but mediocre writing and stilted, cardboard characters spoil the suspense. Most libraries can pass.Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Kirkus Reviews
Stumbling, overplotted female-lawyer-in-peril tale continues the adventures of the beautiful but brainy Madison McCall (Outlaws, 1996), from former Atlanta Falcons footballer Green.
Evan Chase, the appropriately crass, womanizing owner of the Florida Marauders, drowns after taking his regular morning plunge into the Palm Beach surf. What appear to be bruises around one of Chase's ankles signal foul play to homicide cop Lt. Donald Kratch, who's so overzealous in bringing in the bad guys that he was once willing to shoot himself ("nothing more than graze his own scalp") in order to frame a drug-dealer. Meanwhile, Green treats us to pointlessly grisly scenes of a tall, handsome, muscular, unnamed black man stalking and then stabbing several people to death as the dangerously obsessive Kratch decides that Luther Zorn-a tall, black, handsome, muscular hard-charging Marauders linebacker-is the likeliest suspect for Chase's murder, and perhaps for the other homicides as well. Zorn, after all, was having a torridly passionate affair with Chase's wife, Vivian, and was glimpsed at the scene. Worse, Zorn has been undergoing psychoanalysis for barely repressed, violently homicidal rages-a souvenir of a tragic underclass childhood. Into this mess strides the stunning, ultracompetent McCall. Now married to retired football safety Cody Grey, she finds herself sexually intrigued by Zorn, whom she agrees to defend. This infuriates the "wolf," a mystery man framing Zorn as part of a tediously complicated plan to move the Marauders out of Florida in a way that would enrich charming corporate raider Aaron Crawford. Before McCall can even think of going into a courtroom, however, she's marked for death and ends up having an unscheduled meeting with Zorn's evil brother Leeland.
Green does offer a few exciting scenes of football action, but they sink in a dim swamp of gratuitous bloodshed and interracial fury.
Genre: Mystery
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